Tcs issue 8

Starting afresh this spring

Cambridge clubbing

Interview: Evan Davis

As spring approaches, Features takes a look at new beginnings

Making the best of a bad situation...

Davis talks Newsnight, nerves, and normality

→ Features, pp.10-11

→Interviews, p.14

→ Comment, p.27

The

Cambridge Student

03 March 2016 Vol. 17 Lent Issue 8

www.tcs.cam.ac.uk

“Arrogance”: Cambridge VC’s warning over Brexit TCS News Team Cambridge University’s ViceChancellor has thrown his weight behind the campaign to stay in Europe.

Speaking at the Higher Education International Forum on Tuesday, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, who is the son of Polish refugees, stressed the grave consequences of Brexit. With 200,000 UK students studying in Europe under the Erasmus programme, he feared the risk of severing the ties between Europe and the UK. He also took pains to stress the importance of “close engagement” with European partners.

“We don’t have to go too far to see how EU funding has a real impact on the knowledge fuelling the UK’s research base. And we don’t have to be visionaries to see how this knowledge has tremendous societal impact too.”

He also warned that we should not “kid ourselves” in thinking that staying outside the European regulatory framework would “exclude us from having to abide by those regulations.

“Speaking now more narrowly on behalf of the UK Higher Education sector, let’s not forget that we’re in a global market, and in a global competition for talent. And while the UK outside of the EU might continue to have world-leading universities and research facilities, our capacity to attract that talent would be eroded…

Our power to lead scientific research would suffer.”

In an unequivocal rejection of Brexit, he added: “In short, I cannot identify a single persuasive reason to recommend leaving Europe.”

“Let’s not have the arrogance to suppose we can go it alone.”

Others have also expressed their support for the campaign to stay in the European Union.

Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, is set to speak at the Downing Politics Society this Friday to make the case for Britain to stay in the EU.

This weekend saw the 2016 Lent Bumps come to a close, as Caius M1 and Jesus W1 take head of the river.

Image Credit: Tim Court/Cam FM

Number of Firsts fell in 2015 Sherilyn Chew News Editor

A

second analysis of Cambridge University examination results has found that the percentage of final-year students awarded First Class Honours degrees decreased in 2015, having increased in most previous years.

The study of the 2015 results was conducted by Bernard Rivers, who also released a report on the Cambridge 2014 results last year, looking at data from the Cambridge University Reporter.

Rivers is a retired British economist, a Cambridge University graduate, and a former visiting fellow at Cambridge.

Rivers found that the percentage of final-year arts students awarded a First decreased slightly from 30.0% to 28.7% in 2015 (having previously increased from 16.8% to 30.0% during

2000–2014). The percentage of finalyear Sciences students awarded a First decreased from 28.7% to 27.5% in 2015 .

In addition, the percentages of students awarded Firsts and UpperSeconds showed great variances between different subjects, and notably an art/science divide.

In 2015, the Triposes with the highest percentages of Part II students awarded a First or an Upper-Second included Classics (99%), History (98%), Land Economy (98%), Music (98%), Modern and Medieval Languages (97%), English (96%) and History of Art (96%).

Those with the lowest percentages included Engineering (76%) and Mathematics (73%).

Regarding only those Part II students awarded Firsts, the Triposes with the highest percentages of students awarded

a First were History of Art (42%), Classics (37%), Asian and MiddleEastern Studies (36%), Philosophy (35%), Modern & Medieval Languages (35%), and Mathematics (33%).

The subjects with the lowest percentages included Geography (17%) and Education (15%).

Commenting on his findings, Rivers said: “A ‘Cambridge Upper-Second’ has ceased to be a class that one can be proud to receive in subjects such as History, English, Classics and Languages, because an Upper-Second gets awarded in these subjects to virtually everyone who doesn’t get a First.”

When Rivers released a similar report last year, a spokesman for Cambridge University said: “The university is satisfied that our quality assurance processes are robust, and that our

classing systems recognise student achievement appropriately.

“The general increase in the number of firsts mirrors the position nationally.

Cambridge’s figures are in line with those at other Russell Group institutions.”

One Caius Arts student, Jared Bennett, said that “The breadth of ground that arts courses covers makes me wonder the extent to which a fall in firsts in one year can actually have any meaningful effect in subsequent years” Joey Tan of St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge, a Natural Sciences Part II student, reacted similarly, saying he was not surprised by the findings: “I think it is no surprise that there are marked variations in grade distributions among the various subjects, given the starkly different nature of the subject and pedagogical focus of each department.”

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

News

Editorial Team 03 March 2016 Editor-in-Chief Deputy Editors News Editors Deputy News Editors

Investigations Editors

Comment Editors Features Editors Interviews Editors Columns Editor Sports Editors Theatre Editors Fashion & Beauty Editor Lifestyle Editor Food & Drink Editor Books Editor Music Editor TV & Film Editor Escape Editor Images & Design Editor Chief Sub-Editors Sub-Editors Directors

Volume 17 • Lent Issue 8

Elsa Maishman Stevie Hertz Jessie Mathewson Amelia Oakley Sherilyn Chew Hayden Banks Lili Bidwell Bea Lundy Lydia Day Freya Clarke Victoria Braid Tom Bevan Jane Lu Izzy Ryan Micha Frazer-Carroll Lola Olufemi Sriya Varadharajan Anna Bradley Taryn Challender Lydia Sabatini Maddy Airlie Julia Stanyard Tom Richardson Paul Hyland Jack Ranson Leyla Gumusdis Eve Rivers Ariel Yuqing Luo Lucy Roxburgh Charlotte McGarry Arenike Adebajo Ollie Smith Jack Whitehead Ed Ashcroft Jemima Jobling Urvie Pereira William Tilbrook Cameron Wallis Haroon Mohamoud Ines Boxman Elsa Maishman Jack May Freya Sanders Thomas Saunders Jemma Stewart

The Cambridge Student takes complaints about editorial content seriously. We are committed to abiding by the Independent Press Standards Organisation rules and the Editors’ Code of Practice enforced by IPSO, and by the stipulations of our constitution. Requests for corrections or clarifications should be sent by email to editor@tcs.cam.ac.uk or by post to The Editor, The Cambridge Student, Cambridge University Students’ Union, 17 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RX. Letters to the Editor may be published.

tcd

• tcd@tcs.cam.ac.uk • IN CUSU WE TRUST

STANLEY HOWE

Student journos have been saddened that the counting of CUSU votes will not repeat previous years’ alcohol-fuelled late-night half-party hackathons. This newspaper’s liveblog, last year masterminded by Sam Rhodes, will not be returning, whilst The Tab’s blog on the campaign period may prove a slog to write and read. Both TCS and Varsity will have to produce front pages without knowing the results, and while Varsity will have preliminary results to go by, with last year’s GU Presidential hiccup and this year’s Education Officer mishap in mind, such a trusting move may be a step too far.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Sachin Parathalingam’s latest candidacy, this time for Union Executive Officer has, to great surprise, been withdrawn. The fact that his manifesto document was titled ‘Sachin for exec final .pdf ’ shows there’s nothing quite like hindsight. This Diarist wishes him all the best in a hack-free existence.

NO CATZ OF ARMS

A University Challenge face-off this week saw yet-more viral social media potential. Viewers saw a team in which ‘Joly De Lotbiniere’ was not the poshest contestant, with innocentsounding ‘Sam Smith’ unveiled to

be Samuel Gordon Fitzgerald Smith, with his own coat of arms. However, in a minor access victory for Cambridge, these afflictions were in York’s team, and not of St. Catharine’s College (pictured above right). Every little helps.

Roemer has it

Of all those in the running for CUSU President, one candidate has stood out for their commitment to their own cause on social media. Following a rocky start thanks to a Varsity leak, Cornelius Roemer has pushed back by buying sponsored ads on Facebook, and by unironically commenting a link to his website on an article written for The Porter’s Log. For fans of just deserts, though, he has since been banned from campaigning on social media for 12 hours, having breached election rules “again”. This Diarist also notes that having been added on Facebook by Cornelius a week ago, he has since been diligently ‘liking’ profile pictures, status updates, and all sorts. All will be waiting with baited breath to see if such a personal-touch, ad-buying, election-rulebreaching approach can win the Presidency and bring CUSU the change Cornelius so desperately desires.

Front page: MEGAN LEA, TAMBAKO THE JAGUAR, CHRIS WILLIAMSON/GETTY IMAGES

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The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

News

First trans NUS Women’s Officer candidate Anna Lee to stand for elected National Union of Students role despite receiving online abuse spaces that ALL women can be part of, not just a few”.

The position of Women’s Officer Anna Lee, who describes herself as a at the NUS is currently held by “queer, trans, disabled, lesbian woman” Susuana Amoah, and the role involves is running for Women’s Officer of the National Union of Students (NUS) in Lee has faced a string of a historic move. She is the first trans offensive messages on woman to run for the role.

Following her announcement on social media, claiming Facebook last week that she was running they’re mostly from men for the role, Lee claims that she has faced a string of offensive messages on campaigning for women’s rights, leading social media, claiming that it is “mostly a team representing female students middle-aged, white men who seem to be across the whole country.

Responding to the online trolls, Lee very angry about it”.

She has previously been the University claims that she has a vast amount of of Lancaster’s Students’ Union’s Vice President of Welfare and Community of her Students’ Union. Other past

Hayden Banks News Editor

experience and passion with which to fulfil the role, claiming that she has worked on campaigns including improving sex and consent education in schools and combatting sexual harassment at universities.

Despite this, some have taken to social media to vent anger at the belief she is a “one-issue candidate” because of her gender identity.

Lee responded arguing “some people can’t see past the fact that I’m a trans person. They can’t imagine that a trans person could have more to them.

But the women’s movement is transinclusive and has been at the forefront of intersectional feminism for many years.

some improvements in the past few years, the narrative is still that a trans person sort of disappears for a day and then comes back. People aren’t made aware of the years of struggle.”

Following the online abuse, Lee’s campaign team called an urgent meeting discussing plans to tackle it, “They should be fighting with the eventual outcome a policy of non-involvement. for spaces that ALL She argued that students should be women can be part of, advocates for change and as such would be delighted to lead the way in becoming not just a few” the first trans woman to run stand as new friends. This kind of reaction stems Women’s Officer.

The NUS Women’s Campaign says on from stigma in society which just should not exist. And although there have been It’s really frustrating.”

The stigma Lee faced when running for officer mirrored that when she came out as transgender during her first year of university.

She told The Guardian: “I had to hit the reset button on my social life and get

NUS UK

95

1922

The percentage of students’ union’s associated with NUS its website that it exists to “represent and extend and defend the rights of women students.”

Its policy is decided on at the National Union of Women’s Students Conference, held seperately from the main NUS conference.

The Women’s Students Conference is being held this year from 5—7 April, prior to the main conference, and the women’s officer will be elected at this conference.

The year the National Union of Students was founded experience includes being a part-time liberation officer and a union councillor.

She claims that “mainstream feminism constantly forgets about trans women, let alone a queer, trans, disabled, lesbian woman. But the NUS Women’s Campaign should be fighting for educational, community, and social This year’s National Union of Student’s Conference will take place in April.

Number of NEETS at all time low

Students protesting over Regeni’s death Freya Clarke Deputy News Editor PhD students staged a protest outside the Egyptian Embassy in Rome on Thursday.

The protest was to demand the truth behind the killing of Italian student Giulio Regeni, who had been a PhD student in Cambridge.

The Italian Foreign minister Paulo Gentiloni added, in response to a statement by the Egyptian Interior Ministry, that Italian investigators still require clear evidence regarding Regeni’s murder.

The Interior Ministry stated on Wednesday that its investigation into Regeni’s death pointed to several possibilities, including that he was killed as an act of revenge – a result of criminal motivations.

The Italian investigators still require clear evidence

However, the statement did not mention the possibility of Regeni having been tortured and murdered by Egyptian security forces, a theory that has been proposed by some activists.

“The investigation leads to several possibilities, including criminal activity or the desire for revenge due to personal reasons especially as the Italian had many relationships with people near where he lives and where he studied,” the ministry said in a statement to MENA, a news agency.

Regeni, 28, went missing in Cairo on 25 January. He was in Cairo as part of his research that was examining Egypt’s labor movement.

Ten days later, Regeni’s body was found by the side of the CairoAlexandria desert road, showing signs of torture. His death sparked outrage in Cambridge and across the world.

Hayden Banks News Editor

The number of NEETS now stands at 853,000, the lowest level since 2001

NEETS, those classified as not being “in education, employment or training” has fallen by 110,000 from the 2014 number, latest figures show.

The number now stands at 853,000, at the lowest level for this time of year since 2001, however figures this month are still 5,000 higher than last summer.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS), has released such figures since the October—December period in 2001, when 12.9% of 16-24 year-olds were not in any form of education, employment or training.

The highest figure in recent years was recorded at the height of the recession, in mid-2011, when over a million young people classified as NEETS, representing 16% of that agegroup. However since then, numbers

have been falling consistently.

One such strategy which could account for this fall in numbers is the Government’s decision to raise the age at which students must stay in education, up to 17 in September 2013 to 18 in September last year.

Minister for Skills and Equalities Nick Boles has argued that the figures illustrated the Government’s commitment to the “learning or earning” programme for young people. He went on to say: “There is no room for complacency though, and through our plans to deliver three million new apprenticeships by 2020 and our qualification reforms, we are determined to build on these excellent results”. However, opposition campaigners such as Jenny North have argued that the current numbers are still too high.

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

5

Investigations

Failures to meet Living Wage rise

Tom Bevan and Jane Lu Investigations Editors

An investigation by The Cambridge Student has revealed that only one Cambridge College is an accredited Living Wage Foundation employer, in relation to the organisation’s most recent calculation.

The figure of £8.25 per hour, recalculated in November 2015, is only being paid to employees at Queens’ College. Our investigation also found that neither CUSU nor the University are accredited living wage employers.

According to the Living Wage Foundation, based at the Centre

said: “The pay scales are reviewed in Two apprentices are paid at £4.00 October [and] the living wage rates and £5.50 per hour, whilst the rest of the staff are paid at £8.05 per hour.

Apprentices are expected to be paid They “are not using less. Their national minimum wage this wage as their main is £3.30. In Fitzwilliam College, 39 income to live on” permanent staff over the age of 18 will be used as part of the changes to were paid less than the living wage.

At Homerton College, around 60 the pay scales.”

At Corpus Christi College, workers employed on casual contracts Cambridge, 32 members of staff are are currently paid under the living currently paid under the living wage. wage at £7.93 per hour inclusive

£8.25

of holiday pay (£7.07 per hour not duty are paid below the living wage. including holiday pay). Similarly, In explaining the reason behind not in Lucy Cavendish College, casual paying staff the living wage, the bursar of Lucy Cavendish College explained At Homerton, 60 workers that “[those casual members] are not using this wage as their main income are paid less than the to live on.” living wage At Peterhouse, casual waiters and members of staff in the catering student library assistants are paid and dining hall, and also students below the Living Wage. The Bursar of who work in the student bar in the the College explained that the student evenings and students on night call library assistants are all current fullCHENSIYUAN, PETR KRATOCHVIL, RNT20 time students at Peterhouse who live in College provided accommodation so the College “felt that a level of pay modestly below the living wage was appropriate for this group of employees; it was also felt appropriate to have a pay differential compared to other classes of employee who were.”

To become an accredited employer you must pay all directly employed staff the Living Wage, and have a plan in place for all contracted staff.

Universities currently paying the living wage and accredited under the scheme include the University of

The Living Wage Foundation’s recalculated National Living Wage

£4.00

for Research in Social Policy at the University of Loughborough, the figure is calculated each year to take account of rises in living costs and any changes in what people define as a ‘minimum’. It also takes some account of general wage changes countrywide, to prevent living wage employers having to give pay rises that are too far out of line with general pay trends.

At Churchill College, wages are adjusted accordingly to the changing living wage. Currently, staff are paid at £7.85 per hour. In light of the current Living Wage of £8.25, Sharon Knight, the College’s Bursar Assistant

Wage of an apprentice at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Elsa Maishman News Editor

Oxford, London School of Economics and Political Science, SOAS and Cardiff University. Manchester University Students Union are also a Living Wage employer and their Oxford Road offices are proudly decorated with the Foundations’ bunting.

The Government needs to stop blurring definitions Victoria Braid Investigations Editor

In April, the Government will bring in a ‘National Living Wage’ of £7.20 per hour for workers aged 25 or over and not in their first year of an apprenticeship. This is 50 pence per hour more than the minimum wage, which currently stands at £6.70 per hour, and this new wage standard will be enforced as strongly as the current National Minimum Wage, according to the Government’s website. They also pledge to raise it every year in

line with inflation.

Clearly this is a step in the right direction, but their definition of this figure as a ‘living wage’ poses problems. The figure of £7.20 per hour is £1.05 of the £8.25 per hour which the Living Wage Foundation defines as the living wage, meaning that it is closer to the current minimum wage than it is to what is commonly accepted as the actual living wage. What’s more, the Living Wage Foundation also defines the current London living wage as £9.40 per hour, which is £2.40 more than the Government’s figure.

There are other geographical

differences across the country. In a place like Cambridge, with high rents and living costs, the living wage would be higher than the average figure, though not as high as that in London. Hence, the figure is inaccurate in many parts of Britain.

In calling this new wage a ‘living wage’, the Government is allowing employers to claim that they pay their employees the living wage whilst still paying them less than the amount recommended by the Living Wage Foundation. It blurs the distinction between minimum wage and living wage, for, essentially what the Government is doing, is raising the

minimum wage, even if defining it as a ‘living wage’ sounds more appealing.

The whole concept of ‘living wage’ is undermined if the figure does not accurately represent the living costs of employees. Instead, it will disguise the problem of unfair wages by making it appear as though this introduction of a mandatory ‘living wage’ has solved it, and it will undermine the judgement of third parties such as the Living Wage Foundation to gauge whether employers are paying their workers decently.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘living wage’ as “a wage sufficient to provide the necessities

and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of living”, and BBC states that it is “based on the amount an individual needs to earn to cover the basic costs of living.”

The basic or acceptable costs of living involve having food, shelter, transport, and healthcare, and being able to cover other standard needs. If the wage introduced by the Government is unable to cover such costs, which is unlikely given the disparity between their figure and the Living Wage Foundation’s, and also considering regional changes, it cannot be fairly defined as being a living wage.

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

College Watch

Images: Jessica McHugh

King’s

Caius

Sidney

Peterhouse

King’s College students were forced to evacuate from their flats after burning incense sticks set a room on fire within the building.

The incident occurred on the second floor of the King’s College Spalding Building. The hostel, situated in the city centre, is home to King’s College first year students.

The fire was later attributed by the fire service to incense sticks which whilst burning fell onto a bed and ignited.

No-one was hurt, but the fire is said to have done extensive damage to the room in question.

It is not known how many students were in the building at the time, but the fire service said everyone was safely evacuated after an automatic smoke alarm activated.

Station commander Stuart Smith said: “In most student halls of residence it is against policy to light candles and incense and it is important those living in this type of accommodation follow these rules.”

Although smoking is permitted in the rooms, candles are not.

Freya Clarke

Two medical students at Gonville and Caius College have spearheaded a scheme to give sixthformers practical advice, and show them that Cambridge students are “not all posh boys in red trousers”. Under the scheme, 20 sixth-formers who aspire to study medicine stay at the College over three days. Each shadows an undergraduate student, attending lectures and supervisions.

Luke Bibby, President of the College’s medical society, commented: “I came from a state school and I know how important access schemes are. I thought it would be great to show sixthformers what it is really like to study medicine at Cambridge.”

Ellie Walder, the medical society Access Officer, said: “I wanted to show state school students who don’t come from medical families how to maximise their chances of getting in and to advise them about how to get work experience if you don’t have any contacts. A lot of students told me that before they came they felt that they wouldn’t fit in, but now, having been here, they felt that they would apply.”

Sherilyn Chew

The students of Sidney Sussex College held a referendum last week to decide whether or not students should be forced to participate in JCR elections.

The referendum was triggered by a motion decided at an open meeting last term which aimed to improve engagement amongst Sidney Sussex students in JCR elections.

The punishment was intended to be a £5 fine for all those students who did not participate in the elections, with many students questioning the legitimacy of imposing these fines.

The referendum failed by a significant margin, with 75% of students opposing the measure, and only 25% in favour.

Members of the JCR committee were sceptical of the referendum, with Tom Richardson, who formerly served as executive member on the committee, arguing that the committee believed disengagement to be a positive sign. He suggested that a lower turnout “shows that the JCR was fulfilling its role and the student body was happy.”

Hayden Banks

Peterhouse is to hold a referendum regarding its annual drag pageant, which takes place every Lent term. Although it was suggested at the open meeting that the event could be made to be more inclusive, many continued to oppose the measure. Stevie Hertz, Women’s Officer, spoke at the open meeting regarding the pageant, claiming that “in a post feminist, post transphobic world it could be wonderful.” She continued by arguing that the ‘Miss Peterhouse’ event is not a necessity, and merely attempts to provide fun for some at the expense of an creating an alienating and offensive environment for others. Given the contentious nature of the issue, it was voted that a referendum should be held to decide whether to host the event.

JCR President, Frances Hawker, commented that the open meeting had “decided that we should take into account the opinion of the whole College.” She continued by saying that as the aim is “to establish the thoughts of as many individuals as possible, the JCR will not be campaigning as a body.”

Hayden Banks

7

The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

News

Candidates vie for votes at CUSU-GU election hustings Hayden Banks News Editor The CUSU-GU election hustings were held on Monday night, in front of a relatively small crowd, at the Mill Lane Lecture Rooms.

Among the most hotly contested roles are that of CUSU President and Women’s Officer, with Access and Funding, Education and Graduate Union President all uncontested this year. All candidates run against the option of RON or ‘Re-Open Nominations.’

The four candidates running for the CUSU Presidency were quick to scrutinise each others policies when questioning commenced. Former JCR Presidents, Amatey Doku and Cornelius Roemer, of Jesus and Trinity respectively, both drew on their experiences in the role at hustings.

Amatey spoke of his desire for more effective student representation at CUSU, proposing a ‘Vice-President’s Council’ to ensure students voices were heard more frequently. When asked about approachability, he alluded to his experience running Freshers’ Week at Jesus, claiming that he would be a “reassuring presence”.

Cornelius said he would always put students’ interests first, arguing that a successful President requires excellent knowledge of CUSU, and the ability to listen to student concerns.

The youngest candidate, secondyear Magdalene student Angus Satow focused his hustings speech on “policy, not personality”. He said he was aiming for a “happier Cambridge”, facilitated through greater involvement with

autonomous campaigns such as the BME and LGBT+ groups.

John Sime claimed that the biggest challenge facing the upcoming CUSU President will be tackling the indifference many students direct towards CUSU. He advocated a threepoint plan to improve transparency and accountability, suggesting end of year music concerts to improve crosscollege socialisation.

Angus was quick to scrutinise Amatey for having only released policies the day before voting commenced on his Facebook campaign, whilst when asked which candidate they would be most likely to vote for other than themselves, John claimed ‘‘probably Cornelius because

Aiming for a “happier Cambridge”

he has fairly similar policies to me’’.

The Women’s Officer role saw third-year lawyer Audrey Sebatindira against former Queens’ JCR Women’s Representative Connie Muttock, while the contest for Welfare and Rights Officer saw Poppy Ellis Logan vying to be re-elected over Psychology student Sophie Buck.

Eireann Attridge, Roberta Huldisch and Chad Allen all spoke as uncontested candidates for Access and Funding, Education and Graduation Union President respectively.

The candidates who were running for NUS delegate and University Councillor also received much enthusiastic questioning from audience members.

HAYDEN BANKS

Following campaigns to encourage more people to qualify to teach religious education, there has been a rise in the number of trainee teachers in the UK applying to teach religious education (RE).

In just one year, the number of teachers training to teach RE has risen from 650 to 850.

This is particularly impressive, given that the application figures for secondary school teachers overall has fallen by 0.8% this year.

This decrease in the number of secondary school teaching applications has been noted with concern by the National Audit Office, as the figures have been decreasing for the past four years now.

Less than two thirds of the required

Jewish Human Rights Watch unhappy over PalSoc event Lawyers for the Jewish Human Rights Watch sent a letter to Cambridge University, saying that legal action might be taken over the mock Israeli checkpoint erected at Sidgwick Site last week. The checkpoint marked the start of Israeli Apartheid Week in Cambridge, a series of events organised by the University’s Palestine Society.

The letter argued that “no-one whatsoever has given any thought to how a Jewish person in the current climate might feel about being forced to walk through such an intimidating road block on the campus.”

It went on to say: “What makes this so much worse is that a respected institution such as yours should endorse such virulent antisemitic elements.”

Study finds health benefits of eating chocolate A study has shown regular chocolate consumption contributed to “significantly better performance” on cognitive tests. The improvement in cognitive reasoning has been attributed to the ingredient cocoa flavanols, found in high levels in dark chocolate. This study has been accompanied by several others which highlight some potential health benefits of eating chocolate, which found that people who eat chocolate a few times a week tend to be slimmer than those who eat it more sporadically, on average.

The study used data collected from a Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. It surveyed 968 people between the ages of 23 and 98 on factors including dietary intake, cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function.

Cambridge climate and sustainability forum a success

More graduates teaching religious education Lili Bidwell Deputy News Editor

NEWS BULLETIN

numbers of teachers began their training in RE. By contrast, over 93% trained to teach maths, 87% to teach languages and 71% to teach physics.

Despite this previous lack in RE teachers, progress seems to have been made as these figures are anticipated to improve.

This improvement is reportedly due to the Religious Education Council, which launched a ‘beyond the ordinary’ campaign that aimed to encourage graduates to teach the neglected subject.

It also aimed to convince more people to change profession and begin teaching RE. In order to attract more people to teaching RE, the campaign focused on the rewarding aspects of teaching RE. The campaign also highlighted the

“[RE is] as exciting to teach as it is to study”

possibility of gaining a tax-free bursary to cover training costs of up to £9000.

The chief executive of the council Rudolf Lockhart said “these new figures are very encouraging.”

“Great RE teachers help our young people make sense of their world by encouraging them to critically assess the issues that lead the headlines every day, making it as exciting to teach as it is to study.”

It is hoped that this increase in teaching applications encourages more schools to teach RE. The Economist has reported that nearly 1200 schools failed to put forward any pupils for the RE qualification last year.

This is because many schools do not have enough teachers who are both willing and qualified to pursue the teaching of RE.

Over 100 people met last week at the Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Forum to discuss climate change.

The forum featured speakers like Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, who said: “As citizens of the world, all of us have to demand business...to engage in real sustainable growth that will outlast the fossil fuel era.” Lily Tomson, part of Positive Investment Cambridge (PIC), said she was impressed with their focus on “ethical finance” and the need to look beyond divestment at a “range of investment options”.

Climate change is an increasingly hot topic here; 300 academics at Oxbridge signed a statement this term to urge the pursuit of “morally sound” investment policies.

80% of Oxford students want to stay in the EU A Cherwell survey has this week shown that 80% of Oxford University students think Britain should stay in the EU. 777 students were surveyed, and just 13% responded that Britain should leave the EU. This result is representative of a country-wide trend, which has indicated that, of those in Britain who intend to vote in the EU referendum, university-educated students are far more likely to vote to stay in the EU, compared to those voters who have not attained any level of higher education.

Three quarters of the Oxford students who responded that they would vote to stay in the EU cited the free movement of people and the economic implications for Britain as the two most important issues relating to this vote. The vote will be on 23 June.

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

Apply to be the new TCS Editor-in-Chief

Join our Easter Term 2016 Editorial Team

TCS is recruiting for an Editor-in-Chief for this non-print term. The deadline for applications for Editor-in-Chief is Thursday 3 March at 11:59pm.

To see a full list of roles, and to find out more, visit www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/apply The deadline for applications is Monday 7 March at 11:59pm.

9

The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

News

Harvard removes the term ‘Master’ The move comes after widespread pressure from students due to its racist connotations Lydia Day Deputy News Editor Harvard University is to remove the word ‘Master’ from its academic titles, after pressure from a widespread student campaign.

Students protested against the title due to its connotations of the slave trade. Although Harvard has not accepted the argument that the title references slavery, it has agreed to change the title to ‘faculty dean’.

Academics maintain that the word ‘master’ derives from the Latin term ‘magister’ meaning scholars or teachers. They argue it is similar to terms such as ‘school master’ or ‘head master’. The protesters argued that, regardless of the original etymology of the word, it nonetheless hearkens back to the trauma of slavery.

Harvard Law School is awaiting a similar decision about their crest.

The seal features the coat of arms of Isaac Royall, an 18th century donor who established the college’s first professorship in law, but was a notoriously brutal slaveholder.

Royall, whose money helped create the first endowment for the university, is said to have burnt slaves alive. A decision on whether to change the seal is expected soon.

Carol Christ, director of the Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of California, Berkeley, told the BBC “Symbolic fights are always about real and current political issues”

and race and diversity remain major campus issues.

“Race is so traumatic and central an issue in American culture.”

Harvard’s decision follows largescale student campaigns to ‘decolonise’ education across the world. The University of Cape Town removed a statue of Cecil Rhodes after students decried it as an emblem of apartheid and colonialism. However, Oriel College, Oxford, rejected similar arguments from students as part of the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ campaign, refusing to take down the statue. Louise Richardson, the University’s vicechancellor, said students needed to be able to debate and confront “ideas that

“Race is so traumatic and central an issue in American Cultures”

make them uncomfortable”.

Similar movements have spread across American campuses.

Last month, Amherst College in Massachusetts accepted student calls to drop links with its informal mascot, Jeffery Amherst, an 18th century general who supported infecting native Americans with smallpox.

Several Cambridge colleges, including Jesus, Fitzwilliam and Peterhouse, also use the term ‘master’.

Jesus College Student Union recently passed a unanimous motion to return the Benin bronze cockerel, which sits in their college dining hall, to a royal palace in Nigeria, with a formal ‘repatriation ceremony’.

CHENSIYUAN

T

Mary Beard encourages women to “stay grey”

Mary Beard is set to speak out on the BBC Radio 4 show, Glad To Be Grey, about the right of women to go grey, and stay that way.

The Cambridge classicist and TV historian has told the Daily Mail that she will “remain stubbornly, proudly and unapologetically grey” and will encourage other women to do the same. She has cited the time needed to maintain dyed hair as a major reason for refusing to start embarking on a “colouring regime”.

Dr. Beard has also highlighted the “very depressing attitudes to ageing – against both men and women”. She emphasises that both men and women choose to colour, mostly because both are conscious of “being passed over” for all kinds of opportunities in favour of youngerlooking colleagues.

Cambridge’s Primary vote for US Democrat nominee On 1 March, known as Super Tuesday among American political commentators, the Cambridge Union hosted its own primary vote for the US Democrat Party’s presidential nominee. Polls will opened at 17:59pm.

All votes cast will be counted and contribute to the Democratic Global Primary, with delegates eventually voting at the conference. This is a first for the Union.

Super Tuesday is the biggest day of the primary season, with 13 states and one territory on the day.

Over 100 Americans turned out and voted by either registering in advance or bringing their passport with them. In contrast, in the poll in New Zealand, only 24 Democrats voted. There, Bernie Sanders won with a huge majority – 21 votes to Hillary Clinton’s 6.

£15m worth of Chinese antiques stolen from Fitz

The titles that we use for those in power do matter be to show that that community does not care about its marginalised groups. Regardless of the historical root of the word, we must understand that meanings and interpretations Stevie Hertz Deputy Editor are relative and fluid. While it may well have come from the Latin he news comes this week word ‘magister’, that makes it no that Harvard has decided to less marginalising when a student of remove the word ‘Master’ from its titles. This decision has been colour is forced to call someone in a position of power their master. a long time coming. The titles that If students want it, this is a simple we give those in positions of power change to make. Curriculums do themselves have power. Whether not need to be overthrown, or listed it’s the head of the government of buildings changed – there are no Hong Kong being called the ‘Chief Executive’, displaying their connection justifications for keeping it, bar the cover-all of ‘tradition’. to business, or the fact that Jesus The title we give those in power has College’s catering officer is called come up a lot in my college recently, ‘a Manciple’, displaying historic as we appoint our first female master. idiosyncrasies, what we call our Some have laughed at the idea that we leaders represents us as a society. should use the term ‘Mistress’, saying Thus, to continue to use a term it would be unnecessarily sexual. But entwined with so much racism and we could also reclaim the word, as societal baggage, when students are Girton have, saying that the idea of crying out for it to change, would

NEWS BULLETIN

The words we use to identify those in power are laden with significance

women in power need not be sexual.

Similar problems happened when Paris elected its first woman to be mayor and she had to campaign to be referred to as Madame La Maire, the female, rather than the previously grammatically correct Le Maire.

Again, change is happening across the Atlantic, as they face for the first time thinking about a masculine equivalent to the title ‘First Lady’.

The anachronistic nature of this term becomes clear when we use the obvious equivalent of ‘First Gentleman’. It highlights how out of touch and slightly patronising the term truly is.

Thus, we have to accept the words we use to identify those in power are laden with significance. Titles are not marginal but central: their meanings, however subliminal, changing, or personal, matter to both the leader they are assigned to and the people they lead.

Eight men have been convicted of conspiracy to steal, with police describing the heist as “blow[ing] the Hatton Garden scandal out of the water”. The burglary took place on the evening of the 13 April 2012, with the gang reportedly taking 18 “top end” jade pieces from the Fitzwilliam Museum, estimated to be worth around £15 million.

Detective superintendent Adrian Green, of Durham Police, said: “if you look at the audacity of what they do and the value of the property that they have taken, I think that makes them significant criminals both within the UK and potentially across the world”.

He also expressed reservations about the effectiveness of museum security: “It is quite difficult to get the balance right. The higher the security, the higher the budget”.

Oxford to get £204m funding for scientific research Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson has announced that Oxford University will benefit from £204 million of funding for scientific research, including projects on superfast computers and driverless cars, from the British government. £37 million of the money will go towards funding research into quantum mechanics, while £167 million will go towards helping more students pursue PhDs. Professor of information Engineering, Paul Newman, said: “It’s a great show of the Government to do this, it’s all part of backing the nation to be technology leaders.”

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

Features

Cherry blossoms of Japan Anna Bradley Features Editor

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omewhere between late March and early April, something beautiful happens in Japan. All of a sudden the sky above becomes punctuated by delicate, pink blossom – the sakura, or cherry blossom.

From this comes a custom embedded deep in the history of Japan, its name first appearing in the 11th century work of literature The Tale of the Genji. When I was 15, I was lucky enough to be in Japan for hanami (literally flower viewing) and I’ll never forget it.

It was our last day. Throughout our trip cherry blossom trees had been visible here and there – never overly abundant in urban Osaka – but this day we were going to Wakayama castle.

The grounds were full of the trees, but also full of people sitting beneath them, picnicking, singing and having a wonderful time. It was chilly, we were

The coming of spring passes like a whisper

wrapped up in our jeans and hoodies, but that hadn’t stopped these people coming out in hordes to celebrate these remarkable trees and the coming of spring.

We found a simple sense of community and happiness in the shade of the blossom: a fascinating end to a trip exploring a fascinating country.

It made me realise that here, the coming of spring passes like a whisper. Instead of focusing on the blossom or the flowers, the transition between the winter and the summer is dominated by giant chocolate eggs.

We miss out on one of the most beautiful times of the year because it’s too cold or because exams are on the horizon. Perhaps this spring is the time to take a trip out into the countryside, watch the baby animals learn about the big bad world they’ve just come into and to feel the brisk breeze in your hair.

Spring is about renewal after all – so why not welcome it with something new?

Springin

KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI

Going to Cambridge has been a personal renaissance

MEGAN LEA

Taryn Challender Features Editor

L

eaving home for the first time when starting university is obviously a time of momentous change in a person’s life, and that change can be a source of excitement and anxiety, most likely a combination of both.

I got so caught up in thinking about how much of a change coming to university would be without considering what now, in retrospect, I should have thought all along: how will university change me?

Michaelmas was a hectic eight weeks which seemed to fly by before I had a chance to take a breather. Not only was I introduced to dozens of new people and immersed in a world of academia which I had never experienced the likes of before, but I was also learning to live independently through a process of trial and error.

So whether it was mastering the art of bullshitting in supervisions or acknowledging the fact that buying four pints of milk is excessive and will ultimately result in a coagulated lump of

dairy matter, I was soaking in all of this information indiscriminately.

By Week Eight, I had learnt to operate a washing machine and write a 5000 word essay in one day. I wasn’t actively doing these things because I wanted to, but purely because it’s what I had to do in order to survive in the Cantabrigian menagerie. I left at Christmas believing that once I returned home everything would be how it used to be, and I could put my newly-acquired skills aside until Lent Term.

Yet this was not the case. Obviously I knew that I had grown intellectually in my first term at Cambridge, alongside the very basics of student survival, but it wasn’t until I visited my old school over the break that I noticed that my personality had also changed. I’m not saying that I metamorphosed into a completely different person; quite the opposite in fact.

A former teacher remarked that my confidence had grown remarkably, which may seem a trivial matter, but for me this is huge. I’ve always struggled with social anxiety, and so for someone to comment

that I was somehow learning to deal with that was hugely reassuring. Starting at Cambridge really took me out of my comfort zone and gave me no choice but to try and overcome my fears.

Looking back at my pre-Cambridge self, I see a girl with low self-esteem and deep-rooted body image issues.

I feel sorry for that individual. A few months before I started I was in a dark place psychologically, and it was even recommended that I take a year out.

But I was determined to come to Cambridge, and it’s truly the best decision I ever made. There are some events in life which require a huge leap of faith; where the road ahead is not mapped out but completely obscure and potentially treacherous. Starting at university is one of them. But the greatest things in life do not come easily, and so I followed my instincts and took the leap.

Although I sometimes have days where my old ways of thinking threaten to reassert themselves, I’m now able to deal with it better than I ever did before.

Cambridge was my renaissance.

Part 2

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The Cambridge Student 03 March 2016

West Side Story Preview Interview with Sundara Karma The best of podcasts IMAGE: KAITI SOULTANA

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The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

Culture Have the BRITs got it wrong? Poetry Corner Joe Penaliggon

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he issue you might have, scrolling through the nominations for the BRIT Awards, is simple enough: what amounts to merit in commercial art, and what does merit amount to? The answer is equally simple, and the implication casually debasing: merit is money, and money is merit.

There is so much money thrown around at these awards.

They’re even sponsored by money: MasterCard is endorsing music as a “powerful force for good”.

Another year, another hundred-thousand-sales quotas met. Money moves in funny circles, a fact to which both the meteoric rise (an oxymoron I so desperately wish stayed true to its adjective) of Adele’s 25 and the worrying number of double, treble and quadruple nominations will lay claim. Do record sales equate to good artistry or good entrepreneurship? The plaintive warblings of Morrissey seem apt here: “does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body?” he sings on 1984’s “Still Ill”. I can reply only as the sad man himself does: “I dunno…”

There is really little worth in picking apart the motives of industry award ceremonies. A better graph than I’ve time for here will reveal a correlation between investment and reward, surely a standard economic fact.

This tradition, of more equals best, dates back to the earliest days of Melody Maker and the NME, when PR agents would buy out entire stores’ worths of a specific single to boost its reputation: the reasoning being, if it’s doing good, it probably is good.

Celia Morris Of course, fame is the simple product of the amount of things that there are, as Syndrome’s bitingly accurate aphorism to Mr. Incredible testifies: “if everyone’s super, no-one will be.” If the lack of alternative nominations has something to do with the quality of underground music, it speaks worrying volumes about what young bands are expected to make and achieve: unattainably polished sounds and songwriting, aimed towards unrealistic heights.

If all this sounds like mere ramblings professing love for the old, and vociferous disgust for the new, maybe you wouldn’t be far wrong. Thankfully, though, not every generation is remembered for its Meghan Trainors alone.

Record sales do not always make for longevity.

COLOR OF LIFE

Cee is reading English at Jesus College. Her interests include glassblowing, imitating whale song, and making things up.

Springtime Spring’s breaking away from the frozen shores of winter and you perch on the iceberg, feet dangling in the water.

I watch you drift with the lamb’s bleat already forming my sore throat, with my belly round and browning like the mole’s heaped-earth doorway.

One summer we hunkered down on the bleached grass and chased minnows with open-palmed splashes.

I’m half-buried in the hot sand already but I know the ice holds you so well and you’ll feel so cool when it lets you go

Preview: West Side Story at the ADC Leyla Gumusdis Theatre Editor

T

his week, Ellie Coote and Tom Taplin give us an insight into their directorial debut. West Side Story is arguably the most iconic musical of all time. Constructed from Shakespeare’s classic love story, Romeo and Juliet, it boasts Stephen Sondheim’s infamous lyrics, Leonard Bernstein’s soaring melodies, and Jerome Robbins’ groundbreaking choreography; every theatregoer, and many non-theatregoers, feel a connection to this show.

Though a gang of juvenile delinquents leaping and clicking their way across New York’s Upper West Side is now considered an old-time classic, West Side Story was in fact a completely revolutionary musical when it premiered. Up until the original Broadway production in 1957, musicals were still called ‘musical comedies.’ Bernstein’s classic blurred the line between musicals and operas, creating an entirely new form: musical dramas.

Bernstein’s classic blurred the line between musicals and operas, creating an entirely new form Many elements of West Side Story remain rooted in the conventions of the 1950s. The Dream Ballet, which occurs in the second act and dramatises through dance the lead character’s deepest fears, was a convention pioneered

by Rogers and Hammerstein in their classic musical Oklahoma! This convention has slowly been dropped from modern musicals since, and many revivals choose to cut them from the classic shows.

Along with the occasionally outdated line – “Great, Daddy-O!” – this seems to raise a difficult problem for West Side Story: how do you make the show relevant to modern audiences without modernising it?

It is a musical born of its time, but not confined to its time – its vibrancy and score are timeless The ultimate failing of the show’s legacy is that the darker elements are often entirely forgotten. We remember the jovial, clicking, out-dated Jets, but not the death, or the assault, or the police corruption. It’s a show that ultimately advocates tolerance in its tragedy, but can become clouded in audience’s memories by the lighter elements and ‘I Feel Pretty’ la-la-la-ing.

Yet these light elements are what make the show so affecting. Without them, we’re plunged into darkness. With them, it uses the somewhat goofy wackiness that musical comedies are so adept at, and sets them off against the greatest tragedy ever written.

West Side Story is the only musical in history to combine in equal measure music, drama and dance, to use all three elements to tell a story, and to bridge the gap between musical comedy and opera. It is a musical born of its time, but not confined to its time. Though the script may be 50 years past its sell-by-date, its vibrancy, its portrayal of discrimination and its score are timeless.

West Side Story will be running from 9 to 19 March at the ADC Theatre.

BOTH IMAGES: JOHANNES HJORTH

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

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Culture

Tarantino: Too talented?

Helena Pérez Valle

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he year was 2003. I was 12. The film was Kill Bill Vol. 1. What was a 12 year old doing, going to the cinema to watch a graphically violent film with a scene of paedophilia thrown in?

What were my parents thinking of? I’d been anticipating the film since the insanely cool trailer started showing on TV, and my parents had decided to watch it because they love Tarantino. They’d decided that the violence was exaggerated enough for it to be okay for me.

I loved the film. It was like nothing I’d watched before, and there are very few films I’ve watched since that manage the same thing: to tell exactly the story that the director wants to tell, how he wants to tell, no matter how unrealistic, and make the audience believe it and love it.

Tarantino’s use of violence resonates with me. I disagree with those who think he abuses it, or that he is a sadist. In fact, I don’t think Tarantino enjoys violence, in itself. He uses it as a tool, and he is masterful: violence is graphic (a necessary attribute for filmmaking) and it puts characters SIR MILDRED PIERCE

in extreme situations (a necessary attribute for storytelling).

Tarantino also happens to have an eye for elegance, or perhaps visual appeal, in violence – but he doesn’t enjoy it.

Anyone who’s watched Tarantino’s films carefully will probably conclude the same: Tarantino loves good conversation, fast food, feet, women (he’s one of the few directors who has consistently made films with strong, complex female characters), love stories, superheroes, kung fu, guns etc. But not violence.

None of his main characters (or the characters most of the audience identify with and learn to love) use violence unless it’s necessary, or at least, warranted (although maybe I am alone in thinking that shooting a person because you’re tired of hearing them yammer on is warranted).

After I watched Kill Bill (the second volume is a much superior film to the first, but the visual appeal of the first is unmatched), I went home and my parents put on Pulp Fiction. Tarantino’s so-called masterpiece is not my sort of film. Too many characters, too many storylines, too much going on. This is what many people love about Tarantino, but it’s not my scene.

Now, Tarantino is one of the few directors I’ll go to the cinema for. And yet I can see that he suffers from excess talent. Inglorious Basterds is the best example of this. A fantastic collection of scenes (I don’t think I’ve watched anything quite as strong as the opening scene of this film), but a film that as a whole falls apart. Trying to marry an almost comedic story (that of the Inglorious Basterds) with the dramatic story of Shosanna just doesn’t work at all, but individually, almost every scene in the film is masterful.

I think Tarantino is at his best in films like Reservoir Dogs, The Hateful 8, Jackie Brown - when he is given strict limits, and forced to tell the story he wants anyway.

Gendered marketing in fiction Katherine Ladd

W

alking into the children’s section of bookshops, the ‘gender split’ on the shelves is often immediately obvious.

A blue book about spies glares across at one entitled Pinkalicious, its inspid cover featuring a girl clutching a cupcake. Looking back, I don’t think that my own choices of reading material were influenced unduly. I read The Girl’s Book of How to be the Best at Everything (lamenting my inability to do cross stitch or ice skate), then surreptitiously leafed through The Dangerous Book for Boys which I’d purchased as my brother’s Christmas present.

Nevertheless, I wonder if gendered marketing governed the things my arms stretched to reach when I was younger: The Rainbow Fairies, Malory Towers, Nancy Drew – such books have an obvious gender bias. But as I grew up, the pink and sparkly volumes with exclusively female protagonists lost their attraction, and the more masculine covers of the Alex Rider series and Redwall filled my shelves.

My reading tastes evolved as my character did. Or was it the other way around?

I ring my mother to seek answers: “I gave you books about unicorns and princesses in the hopes that you’d turn into a graceful lady”, she admits. “And look what happened”.

But is there really a problem with children reading exclusively those books marketed towards their gender?

I can’t help but wonder if this is a bigger issue for boys. A girl can pick up a masculine-looking book fairly easily, but those involved in ongoing marketing debates observe that a boy is often more self-conscious reading a book construed as ‘girly’. Thank goodness for the likes of Katniss Everdeen, Matilda Wormwood and Lyra Belacqua, who appeal to all.

When I check the precious ‘Just For Fun’ books that made it to my Cambridge bookshelf, I don’t see pink covers, and as I look at the more neutral covers of The Catcher in the Rye and The Screwtape Letter, I’m rather glad.

MICHAEL COGHALAN

TCS: Pre-night out playlist Ollie Smith Music Editor

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e all know the best part of a night out is spent in a messy bedroom with drinks flowing and tunes blaring. A good playlist can put deadlines and dissertations to bed, and signals the start of what is sure to be ‘the best night of your life’.

As it’s the end of term, TCS thinks you deserve to let your hair down. The Editorial Team has put together a playlist to get you ready for the dancefloor, and hopefully not the bathroom floor.

Elsa Maishman, Editor-in-Chief S Club 7, ‘Don’t Stop Movin’ Stevie Hertz, Deputy Editor Elle King, ‘Ex’s & Oh’s’ Ariel Luo, Fashion & Beauty Editor Chris Brown, ‘Five More Hours’ Maddy Airlie, Interviews Editor Beyoncé, ‘Partition’ Arenike Adebajo, Books Editor Azaelia Banks, ‘212’ Hayden Banks, Deputy News Editor Kanye West, ‘Monster’ (Nicki Minaj’s verse) Leyla Gumusdis, Theatre Editor The Killers, ‘Somebody Told Me’ Taryn Challender, Features Editor Arctic Monkeys, ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’ Jack Whitehead, Film & TV Editor Thundercat, ‘Them Changes’ Eve Rivers, Theatre Editor Fatman Scoop, ‘Be Faithful’ Jemima Jobling, Images Editor Happy Mondays, ‘Step On’ Ollie Smith, Music Editor Mount Kimbie, ‘Made To Stray’ Urvie Pereira, Chief Sub Editor Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, ‘Bang Bang’ NINAZED

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The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

Culture

Interview: Sundara Karma

Alice French “I think I’m actually addicted to houmous: is that a thing?” asks Oscar, the band’s vocalist,and guitarist, as we sit down together. He and drummer Haydn discuss whether or not to order a spinach and falafel burger while I get my laptop out and, for a split second, the boys live up to their Buddhistinspired name. After talking to them I am relieved to find that they are not in fact too indie for a TCS interview.

As a fairly new band, the four piece (Ally and Dom didn’t join us for the interview) are all too familiar with being compared to other bands – The Guardian has put them in the same box as Arcade Fire, and there is no escaping the traces of Foals, U2 and Springsteen in their music. Oscar says that Arcade Fire have in fact been a “major inspiration,” but Sundara Karma are keen to establish their own style.

As with many new bands nowadays, most of us will have heard of Sundara Karma through the airing of their tracks on BBC Radio 1 – I was converted after hearing ‘Vivienne’ as Track of the Day. I ask whether the band consider radio to have been instrumental in their rise to prominence.

“Obviously we’re grateful for the support of Radio 1,” says Oscar, “but we’re not Catfish and the Bottlemen.” I get the impression that the band are keen to make their own way in the industry and remain as autonomous as possible. The band see the release of their track ‘Loveblood’ – which only enjoyed very minimal airplay – as their defining moment.

They chose to close their set with this song, and it was indeed a crowd favourite – full of the energy and euphoric

vocals that Sundara Karma are slowly becoming known for. I remind Oscar that many reviewers have described their music as ‘sunny’ – does he think this is an accurate assessment? “I don’t really think that’s true. When we were starting out, our track ‘Freshbloom’ fit quite neatly into the ‘Californian indie’ category, but ever since then that idea has just become lazy journalism really.”

I ask Oscar and Haydn where they look for inspiration when writing. Oscar says that “reading, looking at images, and just consuming other kinds of art” always helps him, and both recommend Brian Eno’s music for de-stressing.

The band formed when they were all at school – do they think that education and music are compatible? Oscar is reluctant to generalise: “there are some bands that form at uni and do really well, and there are some that get nowhere.

It depends how much you want it.” Haydn adds that the best advice he could give to young bands is to persevere. “Don’t be put off by what other bands are doing or allow yourself to compare yourself to others too much,” he says. “There’s no one right way of doing it, you just have to stick to what you believe is best for you.”

On stage, Sundara Karma certainly behave like a band that really know who they are and how they want to sound.

I asked them where we can look forward to next seeing them play, but they were unable to divulge their summer plans. The band themselves, however, could all agree on their most exciting upcoming event: “pay day.”

ALICE FRENCH

Children’s books: to censor or not?

Joanna Taylor

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ur favourite childhood books, from Huckleberry Finn to The Famous Five, are riddled with outdated stereotypes and offensive language. This raises an important question: should we allow our own children to read them? Of the two female members of The Famous Five, one is validated by her masculine name and behaviour, whilst the other is left to make the picnics.

Reinforcement of certain words can shape a child’s perspective Enid Blyton named one of her characters using a derogatory term for people of East Asian descent, whilst Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn frequently uses ‘the N word’.

Both authors’ work have since been edited and updated, but

is this enough to ensure stereotypes won’t stick?

A child’s brain is incredibly absorbent in their formative years as they learn how society works and how to become a part of it. Whilst the meaning of offensive language in literature might go over their heads, their powers of retention should never be underestimated. As with advertising, the continuous reinforcement of certain words can shape a child’s perspective. I remember reading the CHERUB series and Jacqueline Wilson books as a child. The former I greatly enjoyed, completely oblivious to the tinges of misogyny that I have since thought back on; the latter terrified me into believing that my parents would divorce and turn my life upside-down.

Books have a greater impact on children in this way, as children don’t necessarily think critically about what they’re reading. It is our responsibility to recognise that. However, I have to question our right to change other writers’ works or

choose exactly what our children read. It is unhelpful to do so because it means that when children are confronted by stereotypes, they won’t be armed against them.

I want my children to experience the excitement of books I loved growing up It is far better for the parents, guardians, and teachers to open up discussions on the portrayals of race, gender, sexuality, disability, and traditional family roles. I want my children to experience the excitement and adventure of the books I loved growing up; I don’t want them to be banned or censored. However, to ensure that their perspectives aren’t limited by stereotypes and generalisations, it’s important that they’re taught to think critically about what they read.

A THRIFTY MRS

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

5

Culture

The congenital collaboration of cinema Jack Whitehead Film Editor

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t is self-evident that a film is not made by one person, and one person alone. Obviously it is possible to make a film by yourself, but when it comes to the industry, film is a team game. The director might be the captain, but he stands amongst a crew that can reach numbers as large as 300 people, ranging from cinematographers, to production designers, to caterers, to hair and make-up, etc.

The list is endless.

Take the film adaptation of Isherwood’s novel A Single Man for example. This was the directorial debut of Tom Ford, a filmmaker with no previous experience, who instead had his roots in the fashion industry. Ford’s film was nominated for an Oscar, ‘Best Actor’, while clearly involving the work of someone else, in this case Colin Firth.

This is just one of the film’s accolades: A Single Man’s composer, Abel Korzeniowski, was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score. And these are just the people in the limelight, without even mentioning the creative team behind the scenes. It might have been called

A Single Man, but it certainly wasn’t made by one.

The biggest lie Hollywood has perpetuated is the apotheosis of the director: the auteur theory that one figurehead stands at the centre of it all, when really film is one of the few mediums that cannot work without multiple people. Bach didn’t write his B Minor Mass around a writer’s table; Picasso didn’t paint Guernica with the help of a colourist and cinematographer. What is it then that makes movies so inherently collaborative?

The obvious answer is the number of skills, crafts, and technical capabilities required to make a film. If Da Vinci – that quintessential polymath – were around in the modern era, perhaps he could have done everything himself: painting the sets, writing the screenplay, and designing the technology to film the thing. Since the birth of film there have been very few individuals like that, however. Now film requires a myriad of talents, and more specifically, talents that there just aren’t enough hours in the day for one person to master them all.

Yet there is also a sense of something innate about the art form itself that requires multiple perspectives. Film is perhaps unique in that it has a very fixed temporality. You can read a book at different speeds, stare at a piece of art for five seconds or five hours, but a film is a determinate length.

You can watch it more than once, but this will only ever be a repeat experience, not an extension of the initial one.

Because of this temporal determinism, films do something with perspective that other art forms do not: they demand immersion. If you look away from a book, when you look back, nothing will have changed. If you look away from a film, you’ve missed a cut, a line, a title card. Immersion is key to the question of collaboration because it entails a creative potency that is harder to achieve as a mere individual. Francis Ford Coppola once described collaboration as “the sex of art because you take from everyone you’re working with.” Film is an inherently collaborative art form, because it is not only sex, it is an orgy of creativity.

The BRIT Awards: The music and beyond TCS Culture Team Music. It is a universally acknowledged truth that an Adele album comes with a host of awards. Her success has become as inevitable as Usain Bolt winning gold, or Donald Trump causing offence.

This year, as anticipated, the Brits endowed Adele with an armful of trophies – 4 of the 14 on offer. Such is the regularity of her success that it is easy to forget how extraordinary an achievement this is. In the 36 years the awards have been running, only Blur – with their 1995 album, Parklife – have won as many Brits in a single year.

While the organisers may be criticised for what is arguably a very narrow celebration of British music, this is no ordinary situation. Adele has been breaking records left, right, and centre: 25 sold over 800,000 copies in the UK in its first week and outsold every other album in 2015, despite having only five weeks to do so. An extraordinary achievement surely warrants extraordinary recognition.

Adele’s performance at the awards ceremony stole the show and was certainly worlds away from the stumbling, pitchy rendition of ‘All I Ask’ she gave at the Grammys last month. It gave proof, if needed, that she is an extraordinary musician rather than a cog in a corporate machine.

Video. The ‘Best Video’ category was introduced in 1985, when it was snapped up by Duran Duran’s ‘The Wild Boys’.

At the time this was one of the band’s most popular songs, reaching #2 in the UK chart and remaining in the listing for 14 weeks, the longest of any of their songs.

Since then, recipients of the award have included Michael Jackson for ‘Smooth Criminal’ in 1989, Blur for ‘Parklife’ in 1995 (both hugely popular tracks), and after the award’s reinstatement following a hiatus from 2003—2013, One Direction, who have now won it three years consecutively.

Their first, for ‘Best Song Ever’, went to a track that like Duran Duran’s peaked at #2, and stayed in the chart for 28 weeks. Their second win was for ‘You & I’, and now this year they’ve won for their video of ‘Drag Me Down’, a song that is among their four #1s.

Were any of these videos worthy of acknowledgement, or does the ‘British Video’ award correlate with popularity?

Michael Jackson’s arguably contained some of the best choreography of all time, paying tribute to film greats like Fred Astaire and The Third Man. ‘Parklife’ includes a host of innovative editing techniques, using anamorphic lenses, cutting out frames etc. And One Direction’s?

It certainly has spectacle. Unfortunately, that’s all it has.

Depicting the four piece surrounded by all the technological trickery owned by NASA, the video is awash with clichés: singing into a camera shooting from a low angle, 360 degree tracks, and excessive lens flare. Combined with the terrible CGI, you have a video that doesn’t make any attempt whatsoever to relate to the lyrics of the song. This video can only have been won because of the song’s popularity.

Fashion. To me, the best outfit on stage at the BRITs hasd to be Jess Glynne’s marble print co-ord. Her white nails and silver choker necklace went so well with the outfit. And with those killer cheek bones, she totally pulled off that red afro and bold winged-out cat eyes.

In a tribute to David Bowie tribute, Lorde wore a black waistcoat over a white shirt and black wide leg trousers – sounds basic, but it looked much more flattering and effortlessly sleek than many of the dresses of the evening.

But two models, Suki Waterhouse and Jourdan Dunn, totally stole the show with their gowns. Suki presented the award for Best British Single, in a fail-free pastel pink oneshoulder gown by Roland Mouret. And Jourdan’s Instagram photo, in her stunning gold glitter gown from Julien Macdonald, got 70,000 likes.

As for the men at the BRITs, Justin Bieber wore a palm tree print, satin bomber jacket from Saint Laurent and that jacket’s got game. It is, in fact, from the womenswear collection, but no one’s judging! And I guess it’s more sensible than some other stuff he’s been wearing, or rather, not wearing.

James Bay won another BRIT this year, in what Ant and Dec suspect to be last year’s hat. There just aren’t that many signature styles that are as good as his. As he told Matchesfashion.com in an interview: “I like that kind of earthy, bohemian look” – and we do too!

JESS GLYNNE

JUSTINBIEBERVEVO

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03 March 2016 • Part 2 • The Cambridge Student

Reviews

Jack Garratt: Phase Alice French

T

he first time I encountered the current winner of the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award was in summer 2014, when his single ‘Worry’ was circulating for the first time. As a naïve sixth former, his music was added straight to my playlist in the hope that I might appear ‘edgy’.

I was then distraught to hear ‘The Love You’re Given’ being played on Radio 1 just a few months later, and struggled with the realisation that I was now verging on ‘mainstream.’

Jack Garratt then disappeared from the musical map for a good six months, eclipsed by the bright lights of James Bay and Years and Years, but he was soon back with the much more poppy ‘Weathered’, and the title of British music’s brightest new star.

Garratt’s appeal comes, no doubt, from his ability to make a relatively simple song sound torturously difficult. His music is intriguingly intense and surprisingly catchy – it’s almost impossible to sing along to any of the songs on Phase without CAROLINE ZHU

grimacing. The laidback acoustics of ‘My House is Your Home’ and chilled vocals of ‘I Couldn’t Want You Anyway’ are a welcome break from all the struggle and strain of the grittier tracks such as ‘Chemical and Coalesce’.

However, if a debut album is intended to define an artist and establish their niche in the market, then Garratt’s identity seems very confused. Phase is not unenjoyable, but it does give the impression that Garratt is trying to throw absolutely everything he’s capable of at us, all at once. Don’t get me wrong, he’s capable of a lot – his range is amazing and he can play the drums, keyboard and guitar, sometimes simultaneously. However, occasionally Garratt’s efforts seem too eager to please and don’t make for easy listening, But all of this is not to say that Phase isn’t a highly impressive album that won’t enjoy chart success, and possibly allow Garratt to make a significant splash in the global market.

6/10

Mumuring Ju Review: The Night Heron tale of judicia

Zoe Barnes

T

he play sets the scene well. The set is thoughtful, with wood on the walls to create a rustic cabin effect, and the flow of red throughout shows an aesthetic eye. The costumes also achieve their aim, with wellington boots and plaid shirts abounding. Lighting is effective and, if the sound effects are a little clumsy, they are well chosen. As Jess, played by Jamie Robson, tries to hang himself on a post over the door, the audience is aware that the comedy at play will be dark.

Things start falling apart as soon as the actual dialogue begins. The script and setting would suggest there should be accents but there is nothing but an unsustained twang of varying success and the result is simply confusing.

As charismatic as Nick Ash’s Griffin is, the actual performance is unconvincing, if not unpleasant. Many comic lines fall flat, and while Ash’s forceful stage presence is able to save some punchlines, other scenes

come across as bloated. Robson makes a good stab at the religious fundamentalist, Jess, and the character’s psychological discomfort and emotional distress are clear to see throughout. Robson and Ash seem to have good chemistry with one another, but their exchanges lack intensity and energy – as does much of the play.

The saving grace of the production is Carine Valarche’s Bolla Fogg. Valarche’s is the only well-sustained performance, with a placeable and solid accent throughout, She shines in the second half of the play, her stoicism hitting the right notes. Other characters on the fringes serve little purpose save for exposition and may have benefited from stronger direction, as would have the play as a whole. This week’s Corpus mainshow is lacklustre, but not unentertaining.

5/10

Eve Rivers

T

he performance opens with the line: “God, is there anything slower in this world than a lawyer?”– a statement that gets a great laugh initially, but gradually takes on a bleaker meaning as the play progresses.

The play details the trajectory of a young man, Gerard McKinnon (played skilfully and heart-wrenchingly by Joe Shalom) who has turned to getaway driving to make ends meet for his young family, and as a consequence, is sentenced to five years in prison.

From Gerard’s sentencing, the distance between the worlds of the police, the judicial system and prisons starts to lessen, with Gerard’s story unravelling the complicated threads of police corruption, judicial disinterest and the grim mentality

of the prison system.

The ADC stage is used to full effect to simultaneously render the spartan nature of a prison cell, the bustle of a police station and the stale interior of a lawyer’s office. Gerard is consistently placed at the highest level of the two-tier structure that occupies the bulk of the stage, and his frantic energy is the constant backdrop of

Shalom’s portrayal of Gerard is heartbreaking the bureaucratic proceedings that operate below him. The staging is most affecting when the accused, Gerard is paralleled with his accuser, the corrupt police officer Barry, portrayed boldly by Jack Parham. They seem interchangeable in

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

7

Reviews KAITI SOULTANA

TV: The Night Manager Grace Dickinson

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or those of us who have grown out of Sunday nights at Life, the 9pm drama slot is a welcomed escapist break. Following the hiatus of popular crime and spy dramas like Spooks and Luther, the BBC has finally returned to what it does best.

All good series unfortunately come to an end but fear not – the hole left by the successful BBC adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace has been filled with a modern, grittier and sexier version of John le Carré’s 1993 novel, The Night Manager.

This updated reworking of the novel

Hiddleston vying for the shaken-not-stirred mantle? opens in Cairo, in the midst of the Arab Spring. Enter Jonathan Pine, an ex-soldier, who fought in Iraq and now works as a night manager at the Nefertiti Hotel.

Played by the slick, smooth and suave Tom Hiddleston, you get the sense that Pine is so British that he would bleed Earl Grey.

Pine encounters the glamorous damsel in distress, Sophie Aleka, who – like most Bond girls – has befallen the terrible luck of dating a villainous boyfriend involved in illegal arms deals. Puppeteering the illegal arms trade is “worst man in the world” businessman Richard Roper.

As Roper, Hugh Laurie strikes a fine

balance between playing the villain as a caricatured conservative’s dream whilst retaining a cool, steely and wicked charm underneath. You know a villain in an espionage drama is pure gold when you find it difficult not to admire them.

Serendipitously getting caught up in this criminal world, Pine is eventually recruited by Angela Burr who works in a backstreet intelligence agency at odds with “River House” (MI6). The first two episodes set the stage for Pine to weave his way into Roper’s inner circle in order to bring down the world’s most dangerous weapons trader.

With a $30million budget, this BBC drama packs a punch with its exotic locations, wide panning shots and stellar cast, which also includes the likes of Olivia Coleman and Tom Hooper. The BBC’s budget even stretched to a self-indulgent speed-boat sequence.

Now that Daniel Craig has ditched his licence to kill, someone needs to take up the shaken-not-stirred martini mantle.

The Night Manager is essentially an extended, six-episode audition tape for Tom Hiddleston to prove he is worthy and so far, he is.

9/10

Review: Narcos udges: a al prejudice I Charlie Gearon

this moment, when they both explain their trouble. Gerard parallels with Irina, played

by Kate Reid who perfectly portrays the downtrodden female lawyer struggling to

The alienation of the judicial system is directed purposefully make it in a man’s world, and Barry with Sandra, his girlfriend and work colleague, played with integrity by Sophia Flohr.

The alienating scenes involving barristers are purposefully directed by Will Bishop, with trivial rivalries being set against the backdrop of champagne dinners, serving to demonstrate the elitist, middle class detachment in the judicical system perfectly, with the pompous Sir Peter

(portrayed expertly by Tom Chamberlain) completely embodying this type.

The costumes are very impressive, with the barristers’ robes being well mimicked with formal gowns and the police officers’ outfits being very realistic. The sound and lighting replicate police sirens convincingly, and this is used purposefully to juxtapose the action with the inaction of the police service.

The racial, national and gendered prejudices of the police system are touched upon lightly, and though these issues aren’t at the forefront of the play, they pulse throughout. I recommend Murmuring Judges to all who like a challenge.

9/10

t’s safe to say that Netflix originals are hit and miss. On the one hand, we have the sleek political tension of House of Cards and the in-depth character development of Orange Is The New Black; on the other, there is the mess they made out of Marco Polo and the later seasons of Arrested Development. But into which category does Narcos fall?

Without a doubt it is a hit. Exploring the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar and his Medellin cartel, Narcos grabs you by the neck from the start and refuses to let go.

In the very first scene, we see the show’s protagonist, DEA agent Steve Murphy (Holbrook) organise a raid on a nightclub where Escobar’s chief hitman, Poison, along with several civilians, is killed. This is indicative of the fast-paced immediacy of the show, which rattles through more than a decade in just 10 episodes.

But it’s not all guns and cocaine.

Through its documentary-style voiceovers from Holbrook’s character and use of archive footage, the show guides the viewer through the intricate complexity of the political situation of 1970s and

80s Colombia – a situation which was incalculably affected by Escobar himself.

Generally speaking, the acting is superb.

Wagner Moura’s portrayal of Escobar is wonderfully human, perfectly displaying the duality of the drug lord’s character.

He vacillates between tender loyalty towards his family and ruthless efficiency in dealing with threats to his power.

Murphy’s partner Peña (Pascal) is a strong character, though is slightly under-utilised.

Perhaps the weakest aspect of the show is its protagonist. Murphy’s mustachioed machismo would probably seem more at home in a 1980s buddy-cop movie than in a gritty crime drama. As well as this, Holbrook’s portrayal is fairly hammy, often leaving the viewer longing for more scenes featuring Pablo and his cartel.

Despite this, for all its complex subject matter, Narcos is an attention grabbing, watchable thriller which promises an equally powerful second series.

8/10

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

8

Lifestyle

Keeping revision healthy Lucy Roxburgh Lifestyle Editor

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he start of the Easter holidays means the start of revision for many students, well before we come back for Easter (aka exam) term. Revision is undeniably important, but it is also crucial to remain physically and mentally healthy.

Everyone knows that the run-up to exams can quickly become stressful.

Studying for hours every day will only make you exhausted and anxious – long before the actual exams come around. Cambridge is regularly accused of being a ‘Bubble’, and revision and exam term is one point in particular when it can be easy to lose perspective. These simple reminders on how to balance revision and mental wellness may just help you stay a little calmer at this time of year.

The two-out-of-three rule. This is one of the simplest but most useful revision tips. Think of the day as divided into morning, afternoon and evening. Work out which two sections you work best in and use these, giving yourself the other section as time off. Some people just aren’t morning people and prefer to work late, whereas others relish their evenings off after a good day’s work.

have done a normal small amount, so don’t be distracted or concerned by other people. Everybody revises in different ways, at different paces and at the end of the day only you will be taking your exams.

Mix up your revision style. Everyone has their preferred method of revision, but doing the same thing for the entirety of Easter term will get dull fast. If you’re a notecards person, try mind maps. If you learn equations by repeating them out loud, get somebody to test you. Maximise the individuality of your degree: if you do History, make family trees of the Tudors.

Make the most of your time off. Spend time with people not revising in order to regain that much needed wider perspective. Instead of getting stuck in a procrastinating YouTube spiral and not feeling like you’ve had a proper break, step out of your room and socialise!

Exercise is the most annoying advice for a revision break (how is the gym fun?) but fresh air is important for helping you relax and sleep, so go walking with a friend.

ALIAS 0591

Listings Thursday 03 Roots Manuva. Cambridge Junction, 10pm.

CUMS Concert Orchestra Lent Concert. West Road Concert Hall, 8pm.

Friday 04 The Clouds. Newnham Old Labs, 5:30pm.

Watersprite Film Festival Opening Ceremony. McGrath Centre, St Catherine’s College, 7pm.

Newnham Smoker, headliner Sarah Bennetto. Newnham Bar, 8pm.

Saturday 05 Bollywood/Bhangra Dance Night. Wolfson College, 8pm.

The Lion King Sing-a-Long, Christ’s Films. Yusef Hamied Theatre, Christ’s College, 9pm.

Sunday 06 Mill Road Feast. Gwydir Street Car Park, 11am.

Reclaim the Night March. Christs Pieces, 5:15pm.

Don’t listen to other people. Revisers tend to fall into two camps – the exaggerators and the down-players – and both are equally unhelpful to you. The exaggerators freak you out by saying they’ve done every module, planned every practice question and are averaging a high first each time they test themselves. The down-players say they’re doing nothing, feel super chilled, and don’t plan to start any time soon. In reality, the vast majority of both these groups will

Monday 07 Fly Spoken Word/Open Mic Night. CUSU, 7pm Tuesday 08 CROW. Fitzwilliam College Auditorium, 10pm.

Compiled by Lucy Roxburgh

Strir fry masterclass: four steps Emer O’Hanlon Food Columnist

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tir fry is a simple dish, which has led to the idea that it must be easy. Stir fries don’t have to be difficult, but understanding the cooking process helps to up your game and produce something that tastes more authentic.

Essentially, you want to add pre-prepared ingredients quickly to very hot oil, and rapidly toss them around, before adding pre-cooked rice or noodles at the end and combining well. It’s this fast cooking technique that characterises the dish – not, as some seem to think, the mere presence of noodles!

There are four basic components to a good stir fry:

courgettes, mangetouts and sugar-snaps for greens, and red or yellow sweet peppers and carrots to add brightness. I also really enjoy beansprouts and leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and bok choy in stir fries – add these towards the end as they don’t need very long to cook.

Oil. The pan must be really, really hot before you add the oil. Sprinkle in a little water, and if it evaporates within 2 seconds, it’s ready. You don’t need much (be cautious and use a teaspoon) which is the reason that stir fry is such a healthy option. If you can, use sunflower (or better yet, groundnut) oil, both of which have higher smoking points than olive oil, although it’s not a disaster if you have to use olive oil or even butter.

Sauce. Soy sauce feels almost too obvious to mention, but given that stir fries are such a staple meal, I recommend buying your sauce from one of the Asian supermarkets on Mill Road, where it’s much better value for money.

Sainsbury’s own is decent enough – I find the dark sauce more aesthetically pleasing than the light. For something more exciting, try the following two-portion pad thai recipe. Combine 4 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind paste (available in Asian supermarkets, it’s worth seeking out as its provides a distinct flavour that can’t really be recreated by substitutes – at a pinch, combine equal parts lime juice and sugar), 2 tbsp water and an optional 1 tsp chilli flakes. Season liberally with salt, pepper and lots of chopped fresh coriander. Try adding a little vinegar for added sharpness.

Vegetables. Stir-fried vegetables are a healthy option, as they retain their colour, crunchiness and nutritional value. Cook for as long or short a time as you like, always remembering to keep tossing them. I choose vegetables with the aim of balancing out colours. Try broccoli,

Protein. As a vegetarina I’m disregarding meat, and as a student, I don’t have the time or resources to use fresh tofu, more’s the pity. I buy Cauldron tofu, which only needs heating up and is also vegan. I also love adding pre-toasted nuts (peanuts or cashews) just before serving.

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

9

Lifestyle

The beginner’s guide to Reykjavík Ellen Parker

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arketing Iceland as a destination open to those on a budget is never going to be an easy task. And there is good reason: despite a tumble in prices after the 2008 banking sector collapse, the country still ranks among the more expensive nations for Brits to visit.

However, an increasing number of budget airlines have begun to offer reasonably-priced flights from London to the world’s most northerly capital. Luckily for us, the city, home to over half the country’s residents, has much to offer those who consider 13º average summer temperatures acceptable holiday weather.

Reykjavík’s most iconic landmark is the spectacular Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in Iceland. Sitting atop a hill on the city centre’s edge, the 73-metre high tower, offers sweeping views of the city. The walk back into the centre, towards Faxaflói, the bay, takes you past the city’s small but JOHANNES MARTIN

sweet collection of shops. A lack of chain stores marks a refreshing break from many European high streets.

Towards the south of the city lies Nauthólsvík geothermal beach, a more central and vastly cheaper option to the Blue Lagoon. It lacks the glitz and glamour of Iceland’s premier thermal baths, but offers a fun, city-based alternative.

Swimming in the bay off the coast in winter might sound like a test of endurance, but water swimming has been practised in Iceland since the country’s settlement in the ninth century. Geothermal currents in the summer boost water temperatures to 15-19º, but a more relaxing option might be a hot tub overlooking the Lagoon.

Reykjavík’s Friday evenings are famed for the Rúntur, a pub crawl with a distinctive Icelandic flavour. The city’s young people load up on vodka before embarking on a wild tour of the city’s best watering holes, which as any tasteful European would tell you, only starts after midnight.

JOHANNES MARTIN

The city provides the perfect base for day trips into the ethereal Icelandic countryside. The Golden Circle, including the Thingvellir National Park, home to the world’s first parliament, and a satisfying fracturing of the North Atlantic Ridge will leave the GCSE geographer inside you hitting the roof. The volcanic Reykjanes Peninsula, to the south-west of the city is a further fascinating day trip.

Finding somewhere to stay that won’t leave you eating toast for the rest of term requires advance planning.

Budget accommodation exists in the city’s campsites and hostels, but they fill up quickly. Kex Hostel, a former biscuit factory with a hipster gastropub is the indie option, but the Reykjavík City Hostel offers a colourful, modern alternative.

Reykjavík is just the starting point for your future love affair with Iceland – the quaint little city with a subtle edge offers the gateway to a country with some of the world’s most awe-inspiring and humbling landscapes.

BJØRN GIESENBAUER

The magic of a Marks & Sparks ready meal STEVIE HERTZ

Amelia Oakley, Jessie Mathewson, Stevie Hertz, and Elsa Maishman Deputy Editors and Editor in Chief

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et’s set the scene. It is 6pm on a Wednesday night, t–five hours before the print deadline of The Cambridge Student. A stomach rumbles. A deputy editor gets catty with low blood sugar and is mean to a sub-editor. The Editor-in-Chief stares intensely at a blank work document entitled ‘Editorial’. It is time – time for the weekly dinner run to Marks and Spencer.

“Marks and Spencer?!” we hear you cry – “that classy, overpriced, non-student supermarket, what are you doing there?” Hear us out. We, too, were suspicious of the lofty heights of M&S, spending the first weeks of this term trudging all the way over to Sainsbury’s from TCS’ Mill Lane offices. Yet one glorious day, we could not take that final 500m to Sainsbury’s and near-collapsed in Market Square. In an act of surrender, we stepped into M&S, and saw a section entitled “3 for £7”. A mere £2.33 for a delicious, calorific, microwave-friendly meal. Ideal to make any print night bearable, nay, fun.

Since that day, we have, as a collective force, managed to gain a comprehensive oversight of the Italian offerings of the M&S meal deal department. God knows what lies further, in the Chinese, Indian and GastroPubs sections.

Allow us to take you officially and scientifically through our groundbreaking findings.

Spaghetti & Meatballs Eating meat outside of Formal Hall is quite a rare occurence in Cambridge, and usually disappointing. However, these meatballs are a pleasant suprise – tasty, filling and just as good as ‘momma’s own’. 7/10 Beef Canelloni Imagine a really great Lasange but without dry pasta, and instead with loads of brown beef. This is the brilliance of the beef canelloni. The white sauce was a dream. 8/10 Tomato & Basil Spaghetti It tastes amazing, and has become a staple part of our Editor-in Chief ’s daily diet. 9/10

Four Cheese Ravioli The sauce is super tasty. However, there just aren’t enough textures to make this a completely satisying dish. 9/10 Chicken, Pesto & Cheese Penne (Serves 3) This mammoth dish is a revelation. You might not think that it will fit in your microwave, but believe me it will.

Drenched in cheese, and packed with flavour, we would eat this one again and again, and again 10/10 Balance for you: Cod and Salmon with a Risotto of Root Vegatables This was the great tragedy of the term. I wanted a lovely, creamy and – vitally – rice-based risotto. This was not that.

There was no rice, but many chopped vegetables. Lies.1/10

10

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

Lifestyle

A classic museum Bea-Hannay Young

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idden in a breeze-block monstrosity, in a farflung corner of the Sidgwick site, is perhaps Cambridge’s best kept secret. The Museum of Classical Archaeology is a breath of fresh air, and somewhere that is definitely worth calling upon if you need to spend an hour or two in reflective stillness. The space is rather small, no bigger than a large lecture theatre, and rather crowded (the collection is the biggest in Britain), but the glass roof keeps the area light and airy, as opposed to feeling like an attic.

It’s also a place to go and feel small, and to revel in beauty.

Among the pieces, the Farnese Hercules and Amelung’s Athena are particularly magnificent, the former standing well above three metres. But the artifice at the Museum is also endearing. Nothing there is original, or even over 200 years old. The pieces will obviously never quite have the luxe of the original- there is no glittering marble or bronze, but the space more than compensates with its lack of pretension, and its sheer richness in art. Friezes roll dynamically into one another, and the clustered collection of Roman busts are particularly moving. There are few places in the world where you can look upon the Prima Porta Augustus, the Borghese Ares or the Venus de Milo in one glance. You may know their faces, but not their names- if this is the case, then it’s time to visit.

Perhaps at times it is a little too quiet: I visited at midday on a Saturday and for most of my stay I had only the casts for company, but the atmosphere was so calming it wasn’t uncomfortable. The feeling lingers that this is the place which does not see regular change, but the curatorial team keep things lively by hosting regular events such as the well-attended “Casts by Candlelight” evening. The displays are also cleverly integrated with photographs, poetry, and modern art for sale. It’s a technique rarely used, despite seeing such success at larger exhibits like 2013’s British Museum’s exhibition of Ice Age Art, and something the other Cambridge Museums could learn from. It encourages the viewer to think creatively about art themselves, which if nothing else is the purpose of museums in the first place.

An introduction to cosplay Vespera Xie

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et a not-so-well-made costume from eBay the day before Halloween, put some makeup on, then go on a night out and have fun. That could be a cosplay experience of anyone’s.

Yet cosplay can also be something more demanding, and more fun.

To get started, it is a process of falling in love with a character from manga, anime, a music video or a game series. The more you get to know the character, the more you become attracted, by their appearance, experience and the way they act. You might want to see them in real life, or to try to become them for just one day – in other words, to replicate. And this is where cosplay comes in.

What follows is the toughest but also the most interesting part. If you’re lucky, the character is widely loved, so packaged outfits are sold by manufacturers via various online shops. But that does not always happen.

And these pre-made costumes are often not exquisite enough in the eyes of perfectionist cosplayers – they are just not challenging enough. So cosplayers become their own costume makers, recreating the looks as accurately as possible. The same goes for the wig. Usually the most practical way is to get an unstyled/semi-styled wig from an online shop, then style it yourself. A neat fringe, central parting, or a M-fringe; curling, thinning, or more layering;

twin-tails, a ponytail, or Hime cut (literally ‘princess cut’ in Japanese; a hairstyle that consists of long straight hair that reaches at least below the shoulder blades with part of it cut to about shoulder-length and a fringe that reaches the eyebrows).

As for the makeup, you’ll unavoidable aim to change the shape of your eyes: from monolid to double-lid, upturned to downturned, almond to round. These can all be done with the help of eye tape, eyeliner, eye shadow and false lashes.

You can also change eye colours using contact lenses.

After all the preparation come the photo shoots, conventions, and/or competitions. A photo shoot is a joint effort between cosplayers and photographers – the storyboard, the choice of locations, the angles, the lenses, the lighting, and the toning that comes after.

Some cosplayers then upload footages to their blogs, as a means to communicate with other cosplayers. Beyond the fun, cosplay, as a presentation of the character and the cosplayers’ selves at the same time, brings a sense of accomplishment when the outcome is appreciated by others.

To me, what makes cosplay so different is that one’s race, original appearance, and even gender become ambiguous.

The only things that are significant are one’s affections towards, and interpretation of, a character. And that is probably quite rarely attainable elsewhere.

VESPERA XIE

VESPERA XIE

An MMLer abroad: Week Eight Comprehension or perfection: how should we approach language learning?

Rachel Rees-Middleton Columnist

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few days ago I received an email from a colleague at school, asking me to prepare a lesson for our students on the common mistakes which are made by French speakers learning English. She wanted me to show them a video of a French speaker with a good, but not flawless command of English. Apparently my fluent English intimidates the students. Evidently it intimidates their teachers too.

I disagree with her approach entirely: I know my students are not intimidated by me and many of them spend their free time listening to American music, watching Star Wars in the original language and catching up on Downton Abbey replays. Furthermore, my English is not perfect. Yes, it is my mother tongue and thus my language is instinctive. I

know that sweet nothings are whispered, the noise in the background is a murmur and that grumpy adolescents mumble. Yet I also have a hint of a Northern accent, my spelling is questionable at times and at the height of my teenage years, my Dad enforced a 10p fine for every time I used ‘like’ unnecessarily. It was not cheap and the fines racked up quickly.

As a linguist, I dread the question: ‘Do you think you’re fluent yet?’ Yes, I can make myself understood and I comprehend the majority of conversations. But no, my vocabulary is far from complete. Just the other day I learnt the French word for ‘colander’ after realising that saying ‘the thing you use to drain pasta’ was not the solution, even though it had got me by in the past.

Achieving the fluency of a native speaker is something which I believe can only come from living in a country for a relatively long time. It comes from experiencing its day-to-day life, from making friends and talking to a wide

range of people and seeing how vocabulary is used in different contexts. That is not to say I’m not a perfectionist.

I know I’m not alone when I say that my fear of making grammatical errors used to sometimes inhibit me from speaking in an academic context.

Reinforced by an examination system whereby controlled assessments for GCSE and A-Level are used for speaking and writing exams, young language learners are encouraged to learn their pieces by heart. I see my sister reciting her French speaking assessment like a monologue, but fearful of ordering her meal in a restaurant or having a conversation with a local.

Although my confidence and vocabulary have increased from living with French people, the realisation that even native speakers make mistakes is a comforting one. I now take the ‘just do it’ approach, launching into complex stories without hesitation. If I make a mistake, tant pis, nine times out of ten they’ll still understand.

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

11

Lifestyle

Beyond Serial: Six best podcasts Arenike Adabajo Books Editor Podcasts – the perfect procrastination without a screen, the ideal accompaniment to boring car journeys and tube rides, the desired distraction during a run. Podcasts are a seriously underrated form of media and go far beyond just highlights from BBC Radio. After the viral hit that was Serial last year, we’ve got some more top podcasts for you to get addicted to.

1. Another Round Another Round is “a cultural affairs show that doesn’t take itself too seriously”. Between rounds of bourbon, Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton have interviewed everyone from Hilary Clinton to Ta-Nehisi Coates and come up with zany quizzes which include: “Is This The Name Of A White Dude In Public Radio Or Just Some Syllables I Mashed Together?”

Start with: Episode 3, ‘Oh, the Racism!’ (with Issa Rae) 2. The Read The Read is an acerbic and irreverent take on pop culture and hip-hop that doesn’t pull punches. Bloggers Crissle and Kid Fury throw shade at the deserving, cuss out problematic celebrities and gush about their intense love for the Knowles-Carter clan. The episodes recorded during live shows are entertainingly raucous, the most recent of which included a proposal during the audience questions segment.

Start with: Episode 30, ‘Drunk for Drake’

3. Srsly Srsly is a pop culture podcast about books, films, comics and TV. It covers an eclectic range of material, which is great if you need a recommendation for something new to distract you from work. The podcast is self-aware about how funny its cerebral treatment of pop culture is, most notably in the discussion of “politics, economics and pedagogy” in the Harry Potter series.

Start with: Episode 1, ‘Harry Potter Special’ 4. Call Your Girlfriend Opening to the theme of Robyn’s ‘Call Your Girlfriend’, long-distance besties Anne Friedman and Aminatou Sow talk periods, politics and feminism in this podcast. After a couple of episodes, you’ll definitely feel like they’re your new BFFs too.

Start with: Episode 36, ‘Deliciously Filthy’

6. Welcome to Night Vale This podcast is a supernatural spoof of community radio set in a town called Night Vale, where all conspiracy theories are real. Welcome to Night Vale features descriptive storytelling of mysterious hooded figures, angels, and sinister local government organisations. Each episode is stand alone, so it’s easy to dip in and out of when you’re in the mood for something a bit weird.

Start with: Episode 7, ‘History Week’ JONATHAN GRADO

5. The New Yorker: Fiction In The New Yorker: Fiction, a range of authors read and discuss short stories from the New Yorker archive with fiction editor Deborah Treisman. It’s perfect for long drives and walks to lectures, and an excellent way to discover authors you might not otherwise come across.

Start with: ‘Lionel Shriver Reads T.C. Boyle’s Chicxulub’

The worst people to travel with Tom Bevan As Lent Term comes to a close, many of you might be planning Easter breaks or post-exam summer trips with your college mates. I’ve done a lot of travelling over the years and know the importance of choosing your travelling companions carefully. Thr right people can make a trip, but choose the wrongly and you’ll wind up wishing your holiday was over. Here are the ones to leave at home.

The ‘Linguist’ Your GCSE French is only getting us more lost, and the ‘European’ accent you’ve adopted to chat up the Swedish boys in the next dorm is simply appalling.

The Instagram Addict There are just too many photogenic brunches. Too much brutalist architecture. Too few bad filters. Yeah, guilty as

charged. At least you’ll have lots of soft-focus photos to look back on when you get home?

T anyone can take. And please stop snapchatting yourself busking outside train stations, you look like a prick.

The Girlfriend Skyper Travelling in a relationship comes with its particular challenges, but also its perks: sharing your day’s gripes and discoveries with your nearest and dearest beats away any homesickness. In Argentina, the hostel staff thought I was the cutest boyfriend ever after hearing my late night singing to my girlfriend at home. In India, my friends got so sick of it they confiscated my phone.

The Monica Yes, we’ll get the flight on time and we don’t have to be there six and a half hours before take off. No, you do not need to spreadsheet-plan every little detail of our long weekend in Budapest, and it won’t make it more fun. Tripadvisor simply is not God. Why have you got eight copies of your travel insurance with you?

The ‘Musician’ We all know the type. They know four chords on the ukulele, which they play incessantly for the whole trip. At first, its endearing, but there is only so much MGM fucking

The Rebounder We get it. You’re heartbroken, horny, and hundreds of miles away from home. Your ex was just tagged in another photo with their arms draped around a stranger at a club back at home. But please, can we have a night in tonight?

The Cambridge Student • Part 2 • 03 March 2016

12

Lifestyle

Home sweet home: The sights we can’t wait to see With the prospect of a revision-filled Easter looming, we look forward to the bright sides of the holiday

Home means baking in my own kitchen, and Easter means making this chocolate mousse cake. Lucy Roxburgh

Looking forward to seeing this old cat-dog impersonator – Stompy, one of our five cats. Jack Whitehead

I’m missing my dog, Rosie, and can’t wait to see this canine nose again soon. Jonny Fry

This encapsulates everything I am looking forward to about going home: Chester the dog and fairylights. Susanna Worth

I miss my metropolitan home with its great Spanish food and its unique hussle-bussle. Brendan Kelly

Looking forward to getting food like this steaming hot matcha ice cream sponge cake. Ariel Luo

I can’t wait to get back to this Northern, snowy wilderness.

The bleak, drizzly Fens get a bit much after a while and I start to crave some real weather. Jemima Jobling

I’m looking forward to getting back to my mum’s insane roast dinners, where she’s not even trying if she makes fewer than seven types of vegetable. Stevie Hertz

Cambridge is chronically and tragically deficient in both mountains and sea. This is a view of the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh. Elsa Maishman

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The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

Features

Melting of the seasons

ng into spring

Lydia Sabatini Features Editor

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s I walked through college this morning I passed daffodils and snowdrops surrounded by frosted grass. Having grown up at this critical point in our climate’s history, it’s become increasingly normal to see the traditional seasons melt into one other.

Weather reports each year seem to talk of superlative, record years for this, that or the other. We are living in a world of climate change in action. It is our reality, no longer something to worry and wonder at as a problem of the future. And spurred on by this freezing spring, it’s as good a time as any to think about the things we can be doing to help fight climate change.

Because there is always more to be done.

A part of me still has mixed feelings about how the responsibility for our environment seems to get laboured with the general public, when the government, which has the power to make the most impact, gets away with doing nothing substantial at all.

The thing is, that anger is not a substitute for living a greener life. Indeed, it is important to actively support political green campaigns like fossil fuel divestment and renewable energy, and make sure you campaign against any particular government issue, such as fracking, that is likely to be environmentally damaging.

I think it’s easy to become complacent about the way green issues affect your life in university. You assume your colleges are doing a lot of the important thinking for you, and you are too cash-strapped

to be expected to buy expensive ethical products. You forget that when you pay a fixed amount for energy or water, that doesn’t mean that you can only use a fixed amount. Saving water, light, and energy is actually one of the easiest things you can do, and an area that everyone can make improvements on with minimal effort costs to you.

While I live here in East Anglia it seems like big climactic events are those that happen elsewhere. Large floods happened in the north. Massive forest fires happened on the other side of the world. Something it’s vital to do when it comes to green issues is get outside of Cambridge and move into the wider world and the future.

Because a picturesque college walk that includes a strange mix of seasons is not really what’s at stake here. It’s the nature of all our lives to come.

MEGAN LEA

Nostril

Starting afresh: Learning a language

A poem by Joel Lipson

Carl Wikeley

Greenery abounds, and hence my nose is sore With slender pollen filaments.

They leave me raw And reeling with the feeling of the wafting spore And wanting more.

Scentless and deceptive, it begins at first As little more than soreness in the throat, a thirst For breathing like I’m seething till the air’s dispersed; It gets much worse.

Dappled meadows draped with sun appear to sway Alongside blooms and berries that the trees display, Moulding and unfolding at the pace of day In disarray.

Suddenly, it strikes with a ferocity Unlike all other annual monstrosities; My nasal mucus loses all viscosity; Velocity!

The sun is out, but now I must retreat within; Sniffles turn to sneezes, which become chagrin; Shunning turns to running, and the flow begins; It always wins.

Furrows blossom outward, and the seed is loose!

It’s not my place to dictate how plants reproduce, Weeping whilst I’m seeping out my own spring juice.

That’s my excuse.

an you order a Danish pastry in Denmark? Here’s an instance in which if you asked in English, you might not get what you want: these pastries are actually called ‘Wienerbrød’ (Viennese Bread) in Danish.

In order to avoid this nightmare, I began learning their language in my first year at Cambridge. Perhaps you’re wondering why it’s worth learning a language spoken only by policewomen in exceptional knitwear? At university, it’s incredibly difficult to find time for anything that’s not work, sleep, eating or the daily social media trawl. The thing is, it turns out there is time for something else; it’ll be hiding within that space between dinner and pre-drinks.

Studies have shown that the best time to learn things might actually be before bed, and I’m sure it’s true with other things. You simply have to make a conscious decision to make time for your new hobby.

What about learning languages then?

This can be really difficult if you have no

C

access to books, but why not make this the excuse you’ve been looking for to venture back to the University Library for the second time? I found a lot of great resources there. While I think that paid online courses can be helpful, I definitely recommend Linguascope, a free App that makes it so quick and easy to learn a great deal of foreign words, even on the loo!

The great thing about learning a language specifically is that even the smallest things feel great; being able to say something as simple as ‘no worries’ (det var så lidt) can make you feel excited and leave you wanting to learn more.

The height of my pride came when I ordered two beers at a bar called Mikkeller in Copenhagen (‘En øl til, tak’), even if the barman didn’t know they were both for myself. Whatever your chosen hobby, be sure not to give it up, even if you haven’t been able to spend any time on it recently – I have been through periods of weeks where I essentially forgot I had anything I wanted to be doing, so don’t worry that you can’t dedicate as much time as you’d like to it.

MOYAN BRENN

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

Features

Trials of a cynical third year: Reflections on a term Mary Nower Columnist

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ou would have thought that someone with a mental age of 52 (you laugh, but I did the test) would not have a problem with turning 21. After all, it would mark my actual age squeaking fractionally closer to my mental age, when everyone else’s enthusiasm for coasters and clean sponges will match my own. However, as much to my surprise as everyone else’s, it seems that, the faster youth slips through my fingers, the more desperately I try to cling on. This has manifested itself in my ‘quarter-life crisis’. I have tried to be wild, despite my hatred of loud noises, drunk people and the outdoors. I had a cocktail three weeks ago (though I thought it was a mocktail. But still).

My quarter-life crisis didn’t start with you running across the grass swigging port with gay abandon and screaming “I’m still young!” It started with the inevitable failure of all my New Year’s resolutions. My “get up and run every morning” fell prey to my mild tendonitis and chronic lack of motivation. My “be in the library by 9am” lay abandoned after a couple of late nights.. My vegetarianism was ditched faster than a conversation with a punt tout after the first mediocre veggie hall of term (sorry

A week in the life: Wetherspoons *As imagined by Will Amor

Wednesday One of our gownie nights so we stock up on VKs in advance to sell to the Monday boaties and drinking socs who come A new week, a new start. Or not in for cheeky prinks before or after a for our earliest customers: regulars swap. Nothing says sophistication like coming in for their hangover-cure full sugary, brightly coloured, vodka water.

English after Cindies the night before.

The 1500 calorie monstrosity has Thursday meaty grease mingling with quickly Wetherspoons champions the best of cooling tomato sauce in iridescent British: we’re the largest seller of Real pools slopping around the gaudy floral Ale in the UK, as well as its biggest blue plate. Most are left half uneaten, curryhouse. Curry Club on Thursdays but at our rock bottom prices it’s is guaranteed to incinerate your taste worth it. buds with our commitment to provide dishes with a minimum paprika Tuesday content of 75%. This is a great way to You can’t spell Tuesday without most show how tough you are to your mates, of the letters in steak, which is why we as well as masking the otherwise sell our select Aberdeen Angus cuts unpalatable food. this evening. Let it not be said that we’re not modern and accommodating Friday as you can buy grilled halloumi if One of our townie nights – we have you’re a vegetarian. It’s like a white, to make sure we have enough plastic meatless steak – not sure what animal jugs to serve the two-for-£12 cocktails it comes from exactly though. in. They’re great for our bottom line

as it’s almost entirely ice with the bare minimum alcohol content legally required to market it as a cocktail.

Most are left uneaten, but at our rock bottom prices it’s still worth it

Saturday The Regal is an old cinema, and its cavernous size really comes into its own on Saturday nights when we become the cheapest club in town. Sure, we don’t have that big a dance floor, and the music is a bit of throwback, but we have got bouncers and cheap drinks. And you can’t buy a plate of ham and eggs in Fez, can you?

Sunday The end of the week is when we treat our customers to that British classic: the roast dinner. Just like your mum made, except obviously not because it’s been made by our part time 16 year old apprentice cook. Still, it beats slaving over the oven for hours just to serve your mum a disappointingly burnt chicken: better to let her be disappointed by our cooking instead.

SIMON FROST

I considered buying the world’s most expensive mug (a Union membership) Johns; three slices of tomato does not make a starter).

Next, my quarter-life crisis combined with an end-ofCambridge crisis to form a monstrous lovechild of inadequacy. A sudden, reckless desire to immerse myself in all aspects of Cambridge life ensued. I cycled along King’s Parade to formal, my gown billowing in the wind, scattering tourists hither and thither. I actually considered going to a Johns bop before concluding that I would rather set my face on fire. I hurriedly attempted to hoard as much stash as possible (how else would future friends know that I had once reached the giddy heights of Treasurer of the Conservation Society?) When my blind date suggested we go to Cindies, I actually went, instead of dissolving into fits of hysterical laughter. I even considered buying the world’s most expensive mug (a Union membership).

The climax of the crisis came while counting how many lectures and supervisions were left in my university career. But just as the crisis reached crescendo, then came the epiphany I needed. There was no point trying to stop the inevitable; I couldn’t stop myself turning 21, or leaving Cambridge. All I was doing was squandering my remaining time; I should instead appreciate the time I had left doing the things I enjoyed, not desperately trying to tick off everything on an arbitrarily determined Cambridge/things to do before you are 21 bucket list.

So to all third years who are currently immersed in their quarter-life/end-of-Cambridge crisis, I say this: just because you are turning 21 doesn’t mean you will instantly morph into some comfy ill-fitting-sweater-wearing, party-pooping, old fart (like me). And in five years time, you won’t give a damn that you never performed at an open mic night, or that the only time you saw the Footlights was at 4am at a May Ball when you were too pissed to know what comedy was. You’ll only regret that you spent your last months at Cambridge worrying about it ending, or worrying about ‘getting old’. Instead, relax and enjoy the time you have left. There’s always a Masters.

Confessions of a cat-lover in Cambridge Olivia Goodey

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retty much everyone who knows me knows that I love my cat. It’s probably because I’m that really annoying girl who – like a proud parent – Instagrams him constantly and whips out her phone at the slightest opportunity to show everyone how cute he is. But Oscar is cute. Through my rose-tinted eyes, anything he does is forgivable.

Even the fact that he can catch squirrels, dragging them half-maimed into the living room, leaving a trail of blood. Of course, we’ll shout at him, “Oh Oscar, you’re horrible!”, but his sweet, proud, expectant eyes somehow make it ok. It does show he’s incredibly agile and has intact hunter instincts, after all. And while he’s often found with clumps of black hair between his claws from gouging some neighbourhood rival, he’s never been anything but sweet and gentle to me. He chases balls around the garden, practically begs to be brushed,

and cries all night if he doesn’t get sufficiently stroked before bedtime.

I mean, as cats go I do realise he’s quite high-maintenance. But somehow I’m always willing to put up with it.

While I made a certain ex sleep in a separate bed for months because it was ‘comfier’, I’ll happily cope with a furry little paw hitting me and demanding attention at 4am. it’s not just me who dotes on him; my eight year old cousin bought him a stocking for Christmas.

He really is quite lovable.

How, then, do I endure the long, hard, eight weeks without him? I haven’t yet adopted the desperate technique of my dad who, while on holiday in Italy, started leaving him ‘comforting’ voicemails on the home phone so they would ring out across the kitchen for the cat to listen to in his absence. However, he is called to come and ‘see Olivia’ on FaceTime a couple of times a week, and I do find ginger cat hairs on quite a lot of my clothes back in Cambridge, which serve the dual purpose of reminding me a) how

How do I endure hard, eight weeks without him?

much I miss him and b) how I don’t miss being covered in hair 24/7. I also have an endearing A4 photograph of him above my desk, which admittedly a lot of people have called ‘creepy’ or ‘weird’. You know what, it probably is, but not half as weird as the fact that I’ve just written an article dedicated to a cat.

CAROLINE

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The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

Features

Student Spotlight: Vegan society Lauren Perry

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very society offers free cheese and wine. That’s great; the most boring event can be transformed into something vaguely appealing with the knowledge that you can get sloshed at the buffet table with your friends.

There is, however, a society that offers more than just whatever wine Sainsbury’s has on offer, paired with dry crackers and rubbery cheese. The food is abundant, free of charge, and more importantly, cruelty free.

My initiation into Cambridge Vegansoc began with a ‘potluck’ held at Clare College. I was dubious as to what would be served up, by whom, and what I should bring. I settled for the classic hummus, breadsticks and

vegetables. When I arrived, I quickly realised that I could never resign myself to beans on toast or grilled veggie pitta (as great as it is) again. The table was laid out as boundless as the Wedding Banquet at Susa. I, with my measly offering, was rewarded with plates of sweet potato quesadillas, fragrant curries, and as much couscous as I could eat.

Even better, the lack of an oven in my accommodation was made up for by the fact that there were some generous patrons who had donated brownies, cakes, cookies, and all manner of dairy-free, eggless delights.

Contrary to caricatures, the people aren’t white-dreadlocked, lettuce picking hippies who’ll shove tofu

The people aren’t lettucepicking hippies who shove tofu at you

NUAGECAFE

down the throat of any omnivore whilst yelling, “Meat is Murder!”.

Vegansoc is happy to accept anyone, from the dedicated, to the curious, to the person dragged there because of a friend. Of course, the purpose of meeting up is to chat with like-minded people, and discussions of the animal agriculture industry do crop up. As a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore this is a great opportunity for education, debate, and the break-down of stereotypes. Go in with an open-mind and a good attitude, and be rewarded with limitless pancakes on Shrove Tuesday for the trifling sum of £1.

Vegansoc offers so much more than just food. The potlucks are frequent (and excellent!), but the conversation and other activities on offer are equally good. For anyone interested in food, the environment, health, or animal rights Vegansoc often airs insightful and ground-breaking documentaries that, with the exception of Cowspiracy and Blackfish, are not available on Netflix. I’ve had the privilege to make friends there and meet people who are unexpected and engaging. A German wearing a cow t-shirt saying “leave my tits alone” can be standing next to a beefed-up (no pun) rugby player from Glasgow. Surprise yourself; come to Vegansoc.

Student Chat: What’s your best essay excuse?

“I’m so sorry, I just didn’t see that email...”

Tom Bevan

“I am Editor-in-Chief of TCS” Elsa Maishnam

“Essays are a social construct” Stevie Hertz

“I thought term was over already?”

Julia Stanyard

“What essay?...”

Amelia Oakley

On modern life: Fearing an uncertain future Benedetta Maisano Columnist

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hen I was a child I was convinced that adults, by definition, never suffered, were never uncertain, and (for some reason) never read fiction, because fiction is stories, and stories are for children. I soon realised adults are far from perfect; they too tell themselves stories to get through life, and gaze ahead with the hope that the future has some revelation up its sleeve. We project solutions to insecurities afflicting us in the present in to some time that’s yet to come, and so we live perpetually gazing ahead, surprised that we still share so much of our infantile concerns.

Yet sometimes we take comfort in precisely avoiding contemplation of the future. Four months away from graduation, I have found myself doing precisely that; like a toddler squirming away from a spoonful of medicine, delaying the inevitable, I’ve been squirming away from the big dose of reality coming my way. I want to reassure, but also encourage, all the toddlers out there who, like me, are saddened and scared by the prospect of leaving the womb that Cambridge has become for us.

My ‘fear’ (and I use the inverted commas because anyone privileged enough to be here has, to different degrees, very little to fear) of the future is fear of uncertainty and independence. The former is inevitably a result of no longer having a definite direction in life, the latter of

Perhaps we cannot solve our uncertainty by fighting it

realising that we’re leaving behind the glorified boarding school that is anywhere with a plodge. But there’s a deeper anxiety, which I think has been heightened by the pressure of living in an increasingly individualistic society. People have gotten too used to finding purpose in short-term goals; and this mentality is bred in the exam-driven education system, which values learning only as a means to an end. Living with nothing but the next goal for self-advancement in mind is not sustainable, for we reach crisis points, where either there is no next goal, or we’ve failed and don’t know where to turn. Graduation is one of these crisis points – we’ve reached what seems like the pinnacle of years where the next step was always clear and obvious.

Now choice stifles us into inaction.

What I find comfort in, is the thought that perhaps we cannot solve our uncertainty by fighting it. Perhaps what being an adult is, is precisely not seeing a clear path ahead of us – perhaps it is the recognition that having a destination isn’t a guarantee that everything is going all right.

From a young age we’re taught that we should have a passion, and if we can’t find it, it feels like we’ve failed. But if we force ourselves out of times of uncertainty, blinded by the short-term comfort of a goal, we risk losing so many opportunities that come with patience.

This is not a manifesto for the post university gap year, or for the benefits of ‘finding oneself ’, but its meant to be an encouragement to stop squirming away from the future, and look into the abyss that is life beyond university with confidence. Of course, success only comes with ambition, and having a goal is the strongest incentive we can create. But we need a little patience and a wider perspective to find a goal that is going to be rewarding in the long term, and so, in the meantime, we shouldn’t be afraid of uncertainty.

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

Interviews

Evan Davis: Nerves, Newsnight and normality Lily Rice

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van Davis is doing something that often seems to be lacking in the media, not least the world of TV; he is being himself, nothing more and nothing less. Davis’ ability to maintain his individuality seems effortless, making it all the more impressive given his career at the height of current affairs journalism, having worked for the Today Program on BBC Radio 4 and his most recent job presenting Newsnight.

“There’s more of a duty on those of us who run a program that is tax-payer financed... to try and take a broader view Far from displaying arrogance (he is certainly no Jeremy Paxman), Davis’ ability to remain himself is instead about valuing diversity and integrity in the midst of the notoriously murky waters of the media. When asked about his distinctly non-adversarial interviewing style – which has been contrasted to that of Paxman, whom Davis replaced on Newsnight – he is typically modest and open-minded, pointing out that it is not that his style is better or worse but that it is crucial to have a variety of people and approaches in play.

He admits that his approach can

sometimes come up against fierce challenges, perhaps best illustrated by his Newsnight interview with Russell Brand. He talked candidly about interviewing the comedian, which he said was without a doubt his hardest interview, and not his finest moment, and he worried that perhaps Brand got the better of him on this occasion.

But there is a lot to be said for his calm and composure in a potentially immensely stressful situation; even Brand described him as ‘a lot more tactile than that other bloke’, as he placed a hand on Davis’ knee. But the hand-holding of Davis and Brand was about a lot more than playfulness, and is a sign of the presenter’s commitment to diversity, through the inclusion and communication of non-mainstream views in a way that does not rise to the shouting matches often considered ‘good TV’, as he put it.

Davis said shouting is the problem he worries about most, ‘in both metaphorical and literal terms’: ‘When everybody is shouting the whole time…and no one is trying to get a sort of holistic view of anything… there’s more of a duty on those of us who run a program that is tax-payer financed [and] doesn’t have to worry about ratings … to try and take a broader view here’. Talking about the BBC, he stressed the sense of duty he feels both personally and as part of the corporation to take this ‘broader view’.

This sense of duty and responsibility

CHRIS WILLIAMSON/GETTY IMAGES

emanates clearly, and seems to have been something important to Davis from when he first realised that he was a particular type of journalist – one who could distil infinitely messy situations to only the most relevant and pressing concerns. If the motto ‘speak truth to power’ means anything to journalism anymore, it is something Davis really does in his dedication to boiling down complex issues, getting rid of ego in favour of education and communication.

On the topic of the EU referendum, he implored students to “vote with your hearts, your guts and any other body part” He certainly didn’t mince his words when addressing the audience on the EU referendum, imploring students to ‘vote with your hearts, your guts and any other body part’. Davis was in no doubt that ‘you’re going to be talking about it in 40 years’ time’, reflecting on how he clearly remembers the last one, which took place when he was just 12.

He was clear on the fact that this vote is more than a battle of the Bullingdon club boys, and it is not the case that Britain will either be a fully-fledged member of a single currency zone or left in isolation. This perhaps makes it all the more important we use all those body parts to make our decision.

Evan Davis does Evan Davis. He is a man who organises his own life – unusually, he has no agent and deals with all his correspondence personally.

But of course he is also a very ordinary, relatable person, who spoke about being so nervous whilst filming the opening sections of Newsnight he was

worried that his legs wouldn’t hold steady. In his own words, when faced with a difficult situation such as that interview with Russell Brand, he tries to be ‘smiley, charming, civil and wellmannered’; qualities which are surely not only useful for dealing with feisty interviewees, but life in general.

the stage to beside me. My friend had asked me to smell him – she thought he’d smell like nice leather and good taste – but I was so giddy that I forgot.

JS: Yeah, we have ended up interviewing lots of old men.

MA: Sometimes that was just a question of who we could get access to.

JS: Yeah, remember when we got turned down by Gloria Steinem? We’d have been much more feminist if we’d been a national.

was feeling incredibly smug on the inside, but I had to try and keep it professional. It surprises you how much you do enjoy being validated by other people, even if you’d never really want to admit that.

MA: Going up to the press gallery in the Union was definitely part of that for me, especially since the job isn’t always as glamorous as interviewing award-winning journalists and getting free wine. The wifi-less corner in the TCS offices is probably more par for the course. I feel like when we come in late to set, I have to sit there, like it’s the corner of shame.

JS: But I suppose the upside of the dark times in the office is that TCS has taught me how to create an article out of basically nothing, the art of spinning a good yarn.

MA: Ah yes, to spin a yarn. But sometimes that can turn out well.

We were really proud of our ‘Leading ladies of Cambridge societies’ piece even though it was fairly last minute, and that’s the point of TCS isn’t it, to celebrate Cambridge students and we get to do that in our section.

Could you be the next TCS interviews editor?

Maddy Airlie and Julia Stanyard Interviews Editors

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robably not. Not that we’re doubting your intellectual and organisational abilities, but in all likelihood you’re too busy to do this all by yourself. What you would need

to take on the challenge (especially in your final year, as we unwisely have) is a buddy. Someone to help when the Wednesday print deadline is looming; someone to accompany you to a scary AMELIA OAKLEY

interview with someone outrageously qualified; basically someone to help whenever you’re having a total mare.

This is what we’ve been for each other this term, and before we part ways to our separate libraries for exam term, we’d like to share some of the juicy secrets, dizzying highs and depressing lows (some of which may have been wine-induced) of our time as Interviews editors.

JS: I feel like we’re two TCS old timers looking back over our expansive time.

MA: Well we are, aren’t we? We started at the same time, and then we reached our peak with Interviews this term.

Peak bonding. It all started with Lord Wilson and Lord Saatchi I think.

JS: Yes definitely. Lord Wilson has the most expressive face I’ve ever seen – it’s just so malleable. And that hand gesture: when we were leaving, he turned and sort of waved his fist, in a ‘Power to you, comrades’ kind of way.

MA: Ah, so many crushes on old men we’ve interviewed. One of my best moments this term was the interview with Calvin Klein. When we sat down with him, he moved from sitting on

Sharing the juicy secrets, dizzying highs and depressing lows MA: You interviewed Andrew Marr, the man who interviews for a living.

JS: Precisely, what I was doing there for him is what he does for a lot of important people in this country: he would know if I completely fucked it up. I remember sitting down and asking him a long, slightly waffling question about Europe and he turned round and said: “That’s exactly the right question to ask.” So obviously I

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The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

Comment

Respect oppressed groups’ rights to elect their own representatives Micha Frazer-Carroll Comment Editor

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ne of the Tab’s most recent ground breaking “exposés” had a focus on electoral fraud, claiming that 17% of voters broke CUSU electoral rules during the 2015 Women’s Officer elections; I’m not really sure what there is to be surprised about there. When elections are open for a position that intends to act as representation for a minority or oppressed groups, unless bureaucratic procedures outright bar ineligible individuals from voting, people will lie, and electoral fraud inevitably occurs. This is clearly unacceptable.

Learning of the level of electoral fraud involved in the Women’s Officer Elections immediately sparked a personal comparison with the recent JCR committee elections at my own college, Corpus. Prior to, and during the elections, it was made explicitly clear that our two representative roles, Ethnic Minorities’ and LGBT+ Officer, should only be voted for by students who self-defined as belonging to these specific groups.

Yet with only 266 undergraduates, the number of alleged ethnic minority students voting for our Ethnic Minorities’ Officer stood this year at 96; whilst this was a slight decrease from the 100+ students who voted me in to the role last year, it still didn’t

seem to add up – there are only 39 undergrads in our ethnic minorities’ Facebook group.

A similarly questionable figure emerged from the votes for our LGBT+ Officer – 98 students voted – whilst our Facebook group contains 33 undergrads; of course, it is probable that there are many LGBT+ students in college who are not out, or do not wish to disclose their sexual orientation in a fairly public online forum – but even accounting for these people, could over one third of our college really be LGBT+? And are there 59 ‘hidden’ undergraduate ethnic minorities?

From talking to many white and straight students about the elections over the two years that I’ve been at Corpus, I can confirm that the answer to both questions is no.

Some straight students RON-ed this year’s uncontested LGBT+ candidate as a “joke” because his manifesto began: “Please don’t vote to reopen nominations!” Others simply claimed to have “forgotten” that they couldn’t vote for representative positions, or said that they wanted to support friends running for the roles.

Although these transgressions might seem minor, well-intentioned and fairly innocent in isolation, ineligible students appear to have been voting in large enough numbers to heavily influence who got elected.

Whilst introducing some sort

of register of students that belong to marginalised groups has been suggested as a solution to the issue, we must remember that it’s equally important not to police individuals’ affiliation with certain groups, whether this relates to gender identification, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation.

Introducing a system that requires students to disclose self-identification with particular oppressions, or ‘prove’ membership to marginalised groups is potentially dangerous, and could be uncomfortable for many.

So combatting this issue really does rely on a certain level of human decency. If you’re a white, cis, straight man, just don’t vote for your BME, LGBT+ or Women’s Officer. It’s not hard. If you don’t identify as having a disability, don’t vote for Disabled Students’ Officer. These are some of the only positions that you’ll ever see on any committee that don’t exist to serve your needs. Yes, you might want your friend to win, or think that one candidate would be really good for the role, but it’s ultimately not your decision. You can’t know what individuals who really belong to these communities (whose rights you’re stepping all over) really need, because you’ve never been in their shoes.

So, in future, just don’t vote if you’re not eligible.

It really is that simple.

JOHN KEANE

Editor-in-Chief: Elsa Maishman Founded 1999 Volume 17

CUSU elections A final plea for student engagement This paper will go to print the day before the CUSU-GU election results are released. The Presidential role in particular has been hotly contested, with (originally) five very enthusiastic candidates vying for students’ attention and votes.

CUSU has a rather unfortunate reputation for being, quite frankly, useless, and suffers from a chronic lack of engagement from students.

Year after year, candidates run for sabbatical positions unopposed (save for RON) quite simply because no-one else is interested in taking up the role. This year the position of co-

The final frontier

Farewell to Lent 2016, from The Cambridge Student This is the final issue of The Cambridge Student that will be printed in Lent 2016. Never fear however, as the same editorial team will be publishing Easter Issue 1 on 21 April, in Easter Term.

We started this term with just seven out of 35 section editors having continued on from the Michaelmas 2015 team. Despite being thrown into the deep end, this almost entirely new team settled into their roles remarkably quickly.

The first to adapt to the overwhelming whirlwind of Facebook stickers, deadlines, and late-night bonding in an airless underground office that is TCS were

Clubbing in Cambridge is what you make of it Rebecca Davies

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’m from London. I’m under no illusions; I know what an amazing night out is like.

That being said, I can’t agree with those who dismiss the Cambridge clubbing scene entirely.

Their mistake? They hold it to the same standards as those in other cities; this is just as erroneous as comparing the Cambridge University experience with any other.

Don’t do it. Instead, try to enjoy its uniqueness. After all, how many university students can boast that they have danced away to the Circle of Life at the end of the night?

This is not to mention its affordability. Once again, I’m from London – enough said. Every time I go out at home, it’s not just my sobriety that takes a distinct downturn, but my bank balance too.

Part of that expense is also in the travel. Travel costs for clubbing in Cambridge are zero. Everything is so close.

While in the daytime the fact that everything is in walking distance makes Cambridge a claustrophobic and often suffocating place to be, in the night-time it is ideal. While the journey for some is a slightly longer walk than for others, ultimately for the majority it is still a walk. Not a train-

ride, tube-ride, bus-ride or any other mode of transit peppered with the colourful, but still mildly terrifying, collection of characters you may find on night-time public transport.

But I suppose the best thing about the Cambridge clubbing scene is that, in the absence of expansive space or impressive pyrotechnics, the success of a night out in Cambridge really does become about the people you’re with.

There is also variety; as with each college, each club has its own distinct character. You can pick depending on your mood.

One night you might feel edgy enough for Fez, drunk enough for the cheese of Cindies, floral enough for

ordinator had no nominees at all.

It’s hard to say what the problem is – whether it’s simply that students don’t see enough of the work that CUSU does, that the various sabbatical positions are not exciting enough or sufficiently well-paid, or that nobody actually cares about changing anything within the University. Considering the amount of liberation campaigns and overwhelmingly keen activists within the student body, it seems much more likely that what is missing is not a will for change, but a belief that CUSU could ever affect that change.

Lola’s, or have lost a sufficient sense of smell for Life (not to say that I am particularly anti-Life, but its odour does seem to be its defining feature).

And of course let’s not forget that shining light within the great lexicon of post-club junk food havens: the Van of Life.

At the end of the day, with all the pressure we’re under and all that we put ourselves through, the best way to get through it is not to take yourself or life too seriously, to relax, chill out, and dance the night away to some questionable tunes.

Our clubs are the perfect reflection and expression of this, so we might as well enjoy them while we can.

the new Chief Sub-Editors. It was one of this dream-team, in fact, who produced what is perhaps my favourite of the lines on the TCS team quotation board: ‘‘If the world ended outside, we’d never know.’’

Eight issues later, and we’re all much more acquainted with each others’ preferences of meal deal and music choice.

Applications are now open for the Easter 2016 Editorial team. TCS has undoubtedly been the best thing about my time here, and without wishing to be too gushy, I would urge you as strongly as I can to get involved. Visit www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/ editorial to find out how to apply.

NEIL RICKARDS

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

Comment

Not enough focus given to minority groups from CUSU Candidates Lola Olufemi Comment Editor

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USU election campaigns are always an interesting spectacle.

Some feign indifference and yet make sure that they’re clued up on everything that happens, some keep engaged and rightfully campaign for the candidate that they think would do the best job, and others simply have no idea that elections are actually taking place.

Whatever your stance on the elections is, a unified student movement is now more necessary than ever, especially considering the barrage of cuts and changes to higher education happening as a result of the newest Conservative Government.

Having attended hustings last year, I didn’t know quite what to expect. The first thing that struck me was how maledominated most of the categories were.

It’s disheartening, to say the least, that all of the CUSU Presidential candidates were men. Three of which look exactly like what many imagine the “typical” Cambridge student to be.

CUSU seems to be a universally detested body and the creation of metanarratives about its inefficiency creates an

environment where running, especially as a “non-traditional” student, is akin to shooting yourself in the foot.

What was even more worrying is how half of the candidates seem to completely undermine or disregard the importance of autonomous campaigns and the role of marginalised students in CUSU. One candidate is running on a “free speech” platform and apparently seemed to value “controversial opinions” over the right of minority students to feel represented by their student union.

Others simply feigned indifference to marginalised students, treating ‘the student body’ as a homogenous mass and ignoring the fact that as CUSU President, specific action must be taken in order to tackle this institutions continued alienation of particular groups.

Priscilla Mensah, out-going President, launched an investigation into the BME attainment gap, establishing a focus group that looked at experiences before writing a paper that was presented to the University.

It is impossible to adequately “represent” us if candidates continue to ignore the importance of autonomous campaigns or are too afraid of words like “decolonise” to

Running, especially as a “nontraditional” student, is akin to shooting yourself in the foot

even engage with the ideas that underpin them. I doubt some of them considered that maybe that might be the reason for student disengagement. As a black woman, the confidence that my rights and interests would be protected under some of the candidates running was minimal.

Candidates can run on platforms using buzzwords like ‘engagement.’ They can try and convince us that they are approachable and friendly whilst lamenting over how CUSU has failed to adequately represent the student body in previous years, but what are their specific plans to help students that are most disadvantaged?

Only Amatey Doku and Angus Satow mentioned any intentions to actively oppose measures like Prevent and the Green Paper for Higher Education. Whilst John Sime warned that autonomous campaigns “cannot have it both ways.”

In hustings, there was a clear divide between those who understood the importance of difference and how it shaped experience and vowed to do something about it, and those who did not.

Maybe this should be at the heart of attempts to “engage” students. Maybe this is crucial to an “effective” student union.

PABLO

We need to talk about work in Cambridge less Micha Frazer-Carroll Comment Editor

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don’t work anywhere near as much as I say I do – and I’m sure I’m not the only one. But what damage are we doing to ourselves, and to each other, by exaggerating the amount of time we spend on study?

Of course, at Cambridge we all work bloody hard, and it feels nice to have a little vent every now and again about the number of the academic articles we’re ploughing through and the all-nighters we’re pulling.

Moreover, studying is something that we all have in common, making it a safe topic of choice when you reach a conversational

lull with a new acquaintance. But we’ve gone too far when our go-to for small talk is constantly moaning about how many essays we have.

And I’m definitely guilty of it. I talk about work all the time. Sometimes I talk about work when I don’t even have it, just so I feel like I’m caught up to everyone else’s work-induced stress levels. And if I’m not talking about how much work I have and how stressed I am, then when people ask how I am I’ll respond “great, I haven’t worked in like nine days actually.” Why must our default measure of happiness revolve around our word counts?

And I’m sure you’ve noticed that the more your peers talk about work, the more you silently panic about the lack of work

It’s not humanly possible to work as much as some of us say we do

you’re doing, and then imposter syndrome kicks in and the cycle of work stress continues. But it’s not humanly possible to work as much as some of us say we do.

So let’s spare our friends some anxiety and chat about work when it’s most relevant.

Looking ahead to exam term, I’m aiming to only talk about revision, essays and all the toils of academic life when it really feels like a burden that I want to get off my chest.

Our work time should be scheduled, and outside these hours, it’s important that we set some time aside to clear our minds and not feel guilty for stepping foot outside of the library.

You never know, you might just be more productive that way.

There is no right Cambridge’-let’s Tanya Brown

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ast term, my typical daily schedule was packed. I was on the go from 7am, busy with rowing, lectures, the Student Union presidency, and supervisions.

Reading this, you’re probably thinking that I’m one of those people – one of those smug, self-satisfied over-achievers that we’ve all heard about. But I assure you that’s not the case. What this schedule doesn’t show is the time I spent crying over all the emails from supervisors demanding work, the pile of unread books on my desk, and my desperate attempts to get motivated with the ‘Intense Study’ playlist on Spotify.

By this point in the year, whilst my extracurricular activities are boosting my CV nicely, my actual degree – which is, in the end, the underlying reason for my being at Cambridge – is suffering, and myself, my supervisors and my DoS all know it.

When I first attended an open day for my College, I heard a student testify in her speech “that there would always be someone that did more than you”. And she was right. But what she didn’t make clear is the vastly different ways in which people prioritise their activities in Cambridge. My highly academic flatmate is always “doing work”; thespians are always “doing theatre”, and rowers are always “doing rowing” (albeit at silly o’clock in the morning in sub-zero temperatures).

The important point here, I think, is that we are all “doing Cambridge” in the way that we choose, and given the extreme nature of Cambridge as an institution, the days are quickly filled. So when I come in from some form of sporting pursuit

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The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

ROWFOTOS

Comment

Is Cambridge a welcoming place for introverts?

JOHN LODDER

Joanna Taylor

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t way to ‘do just enjoy it glowing from physical exertion, I am met by my flatmate glowing from the exertion of having been buried in the depths of an essay for three full days, having had no interaction with the outside world, and – crucially – we’re both quite happy with the way we’ve spent our time. Arguably, we will see the results of these varying priorities most at the end of our final year, but grades do not mean the same thing to everyone.

Some of you who still envy the fabled Cambridge over-achiever might be wondering: is it actually possible to maintain your grades and manage a full extra-curricular repertoire? Yes, possibly, provided you cancel your Netflix subscription and never interact with your friends except to say “hi” and “bye” at the beginning and end of term.

Maybe there is the odd superhuman amongst us, who boasts a sporting blue, consistently gets firsts in supervision essays, takes lead parts in ADC main shows and still manages to frequent Life. But I have yet to meet this person.

Every Cambridge student is unique, and so every Cambridge experience should be, too. It’s okay if your priorities aren’t the same as the next person’s – maybe you’re first and foremost a sportsperson or a thespian or maybe you enjoy sitting on every committee going, or alternatively maybe you’re desperate for a double first and a place on the world’s most prestigious Masters programme once you graduate.

My advice? Get what you want out of it, not what everyone tells you that you should be getting, because you’re only at Cambridge once.

ith supervisions, presentations, auditions, and interviews, so much of the Cambridge lifestyle demands confidence and face-toface interactions. So what’s it like being in Cambridge if you’re shy or introverted?

When I meet new people, particularly in large numbers, one of my worries is that I will come across as unfriendly, rather than shy. A phenomenon immortalised

by Austen’s Mr Darcy, it is easy to see how a reserved manner will lead to assumptions about character. There really is no particular character which shy people conform to: some will also be introverts, others increasingly confident as you get to know them.

And, whilst the majority of people are understanding, it is very easy to unwittingly patronise a shy person. Just about the worst thing you can say is “you’ve come out of your shell”, particularly as shyness often means that you irrationally feel judged and monitored anyway.

Being shy can also feel frustratingly limiting. This is not generally an issue with friends whom you can get to know, but

Being shy can feel frustratingly limiting

having one shot to impress someone in an interview situation can be difficult. Some cope with this by assuming a persona, but I usually just pray that they won’t notice how nervous I am.

Being shy is only occasionally an issue for me that emerges in instances such as being served by an attractive cashier or having to think of a response when the porters make a joke. But for those who are extremely shy and anxious, or introverted to the extent that they would prefer to spend most of the day by themselves, Cambridge life must be very challenging.

Dreading every academic meeting or social interaction becomes even more upsetting when everyone around you

appears self-assured and confident.

Freshers’ week must have been terrifyingly chaotic, and introverted people may still guiltily feel that they’ve been neglecting their housemates.

Despite this, I find that being pushed outside my comfort zone through so many academic and social interactions is a positive thing. Most shy people want to improve their confidence, whilst most introverted people want to balance time alone with interaction, and Cambridge offers a relatively friendly environment in which to gain experience.

Interviews, presentations and auditions, after all, are not going to disappear when our time at university finishes.

The way we tackle mental health must change LLEE_WU

Urvie Pereira

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ccording to a recent CUSU survey, 45% of students reported that Cambridge has had a negative effect on their mental health. Yet go to any University website or College Welfare Officer, and they can present you with pamphlets galore on the University Counselling Service, the Students’ Unions’ Advice Service, Linkline, and Newnham Walk Clinic. This suggests that the resources for tackling mental health are available, but students aren’t benefiting from them. What’s going on?

“I’m not okay.” This is the hardest thing to seriously admit to anyone at Cambridge: whether to your DoS, your tutor, your friends, or even yourself. Perfectionism runs rampant here. From the goal of getting A*s at GCSE and A Level or equivalent; to convincing your supervisor of your intellectual depth; to gunning for that First, worrying that seeking help will make you appear weak is a major barrier. Nobody wants to be accused of ‘not coping’, or face their DoS’s suggestion of rustication.

Instead, we stay up late working, break down at some point in the term and blame it on ‘Week Five’, or seek a release from the pressure in unhealthy ways.

So is the University at fault? While on paper, there seems to be an abundance of options, life here has an underlying mantra: you either conform to the ways of Cambridge, or leave. Cambridge won’t conform for you. It’s up to the discretion of

individually sympathetic supervisors, and more internal cohesion is needed.

Our intense workload is the common denominator in student life here, and lots of attention is given to it. This means that stressing the importance of building meaningful social relationships, and juggling a work-life balance – crucial ingredients for flourishing – tends to fall by the wayside.

Yet the biopsychosocial model, which emphasises the link between a person’s genetics, mental health, and social environment, suggests that academic

Nobody wants to be accused of ‘not coping’

success is intrinsically tied to emotional wellbeing. It’s too easy to forget this in the midst of looming essay deadlines: to dismiss your social life and sleep, as if they are add-on extras.

The factor underlying it all is time. Our short terms mean that in Cambridge, we simply lack the time to tackle our mental health, and not get behind with work.

Coupled with a ton of disconnected mental health resources, the experience can become overwhelming. Mental health is a complex problem. But we need to make the process of tackling it simpler.

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

Sport

The Puzzles Column

Cryptic Crossword

Across 1. Payment in fine health says “Goodbye!” (8) 2. Entrust specific day about unfinished song for dead.

(8) 3. Princess’ first real appearance puts ugly, nay, zealous Earls low. (8) 4. Capital of Cuba has torture implement and rising peak. (8)

Down 1. Overfed era, cyborg hides alliance. (8) 5. Rearrangement of player and leads from Original London act. (8) 6. Joker is enthusiastic canine (3) 7. Being prostrate is act of dishonesty. (3) 8. Incomplete adolescents starts golf. (3) 9. Sports brand broadcasts collection of cows. (4) 10. Tile arrangement is low-fat. (4)

Compiled by Cameron Wallis

Oxford edge out Cambri Paul Hyland Sport Editor

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n the biggest weekend of Varsity sport before the Boat Races on 27 March, Cambridge teams took part in no fewer than 46 grudge matches against their arch-rivals on the enemy territory of Oxford. In spite of the best efforts of Cambridge’s teams, 24 of the weekend’s events were won by sides wearing Dark Blue, as Oxford edge into a 2016 Varsity lead in the run up to the showpiece events in men’s and women’s hockey set to take place on Sunday 6 March.

The Iffley Road pitches played host to some of the most closely-fought matches in recent Varsities. Cambridge women’s first and second football teams took on Oxford on their patch, with the second team dispatching their rivals after an extra-time equaliser forced a penalty shoot-out. The firsts, though, couldn’t follow suit. Having been thrashed in the previous year’s fixture by an eye-watering 7-1, captain Bachrati predicted a much-changed affair this time around. Despite a resilient, gutsy performance from the Light Blues, they could do little to cancel out Oxford striker Christina Gough’s early chip, which proved to be the winner on 90 minutes.

Just across the way, Cambridge’s lacrosse teams enjoyed mixed success.

It was certainly unfamiliar territory for Stuart Cummings’ men’s team, unbeaten in league competitions for almost two years, as they remembered what it felt like to lose a match.

Though Cody Jacobucci drew first blood, Oxford took advantage of an advantage to equalise and take a

Cambridge announces the crew for Paul Hyland Sport Editor

Solutions from Volume 17, Lent Issue 7

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n a press release issued this Tuesday, Cambridge and Oxford University boat clubs have announced their crews for the Cancer Research UK Boat Races, due to take place on Sunday 27 March.

An event was held at Central Hall

by Thomas Prideaux Ghee in Westminster, uniting both the men’s and women’s boat clubs in the presentation of the crews to the public.

The Cambridge men’s crew will look to put an end to their three-year losing streak by adding extra experience and physicality to their boat, with an average age of just under 24 years to Oxford’s 22, and an average crew weight of 1.5 kg more than their Dark Blue counterparts. The men’s crew will also be buoyed by the return of four of their existing Blues, as President Henry Hoffstot is joined by cox Ian Middleton as well as Luke Juckett and Ben Ruble. Oxford’s crew boasts far less experience however, with only

Sudoku

strong foothold in a game they would go on to win 7-4 thanks to several sucker punches dealt after periods of sustained Cambridge pressure.

It was much better news for Emily Birch’s women’s firsts. Scoring almost from the first face-off, the team set the tone for a match that they went on to dominate, with talismanic England international Sophie Morrill netting a hat-trick that helped the Light Blues to a 7-3 victory. Even the mixed lacrosse team were getting in on the act, with a 10-10 full-time scoreline decided by an unprecedented golden goal situation, which Cambridge took advantage of amid much confusion to bring home their Varsity trophy by the narrowest of margins; the game ended with 1110 as the final score.

Courtside, it was just as mixed a day

one of their members having made an appearance in the event. Oxford will be hoping that a team of relative inexperience will have it within them to make it four in a row this March.

In the 71st women’s event, and only the second to take place on the same stage as the men’s, the Cambridge crew outweigh their rivals by a 4.3 kg per member, though measure on average 1.2 cm shorter.

Cambridge’s women also have a wealth of experience, with Rosemary Ostfeld, Daphne Martschenko, and Ashton Brown making their return and hoping to salvage pride after Oxford’s easy victory last year. Oxford, though, are similarly experienced, with three members returning from the 2015 crew. Stern pair Lauren Kedar and newly-appointed President Maddy Badcott will be turning out for the second time in the race, joined by U23 world silver medalist Anastasia Chitty, hoping to inspire her crew to a similarly impressive victory this year.

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The Cambridge Student • 03 March 2016

Sport

idge on Varsity weekend for Cambridge basketball. In spite of a clean sweep last year where all four basketball teams won their respective events, there was no such luck this time around. The men’s firsts went down 66-54 on the buzzer, despite a late rally which gave Oxford a scare before they re-established a clear advantage with minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

It wasn’t all bad news for Cambridge though, as player-coach Léonie de Jonge’s side continued the Light Blues’ fine run of form in Varsity events.

Dominating from the first buzzer to the last, the women’s blues ran out clear 56-42 winners, adding to their crushing 75-50 triumph last year.

There was bad news for Cambridge netball. Goal attack and Ladies’ captain, Frances Lee-Barber, couldn’t inspire her team to a second

consecutive Varsity win. Despite the best efforts of second team, the Jays, who drubbed their opponents 53-28, the Blues were on the receiving end of the narrowest of defeats, as Oxford edged it 37-34.

Those of a more aquatic persuasion will be pleased to know that the men’s swimming Blues avenged last year’s defeat on their home territory to inflict a home defeat on the Dark Blues, coming down to an intensely-fought final relay which put Cambridge ahead at 49-41. The Women’s team’s fortunes summarised Cambridge’s weekend, though, with its 48-42 losing scoreline.

Despite some fantastic victories for so many of Cambridge’s teams, it’ll ultimately be a weekend of Varsity sport to remember for Oxford.

WILLIAM LYON-TUPMAN

JOHN SKODAK

r Cancer Research UK Boat Races CAMBRIDGE MEN Bow: Felix Newman 2: Ali Abbasi 3: Charles Fisher 4: Clemens Auersperg 5: Luke Juckett 6: Henry Hoffstot 7: Ben Ruble Stroke: Lance Tredell Cox: Ian Middleton

CAMBRIDGE WOMEN Bow: Ashton Brown 2: Fiona Macklin 3: Alice Jackson 4: Théa Zabell 5: Daphne Martschenko 6: Zara Goozee 7: Hannah Roberts Stroke: Myriam Goudet Cox: Rosemary Ostfeld

THE BOAT RACES

MAXWELL HAMILTON

Six Nations: England on course for Grand Slam Connor Lempriere

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he third weekend of Six Nations rugby this year was for me, perhaps strangely given that my side registered their worst result so far scoreboard-wise, in many ways the most enjoyable of the lot.

Despite Ireland’s defeat, which occurred in the context of an immeasurably better game of rugby than the woeful and frustratingly marginal contest with France in week two, it was a significant improvement and much easier to take. The heretofore abject French received a sound beating from Wales which, with a few honourable exceptions, was much deserved, and Scotland finally managed to secure the long-awaited victory their improvement under Vern Cotter has promised.

At this point, I would like to officially go on record as predicting an England Grand Slam, in the hope that

my usual aptitude for accurate rugby predictions will count against that now seemingly inevitable eventuality.

Certainly, England’s now closest title challengers, Wales, were not as convincing as might have been expected against a sub-par French side in the Friday night fixture, in which captain Guilhem Guirado emulated Italy’s Sergio Parisse’s perennial role as the lion leading donkeys of European rugby. Wales, whilst never looking likely to surrender their unbeaten status, might have expected a greater return than a single, slightly fortuitous, try against such opposition and will need to raise their game against the tournament leaders in the next round of matches.

England continue to impress and are growing into the tournament as it progresses, showing composure in recovering from slipping behind to the visitors early in the second half with two well-taken tries. However,

two sin-binnings are potentially cause for some disciplinary worry, with the relatively experienced Wales up next.

Ireland remain depleted by injury and lacking in consistency, yet concerns over the lack of strength in depth exposed by injuries of late were partly assuaged by the performance of the debutants, van der Flier and McCloskey, representing heartening prospects for the future that make it easier to accept this season as one of transition, rather than absolute decline.

Furthermore, another commanding, try-scoring outing for Murray provided yet further evidence that Irishmen named Connor who play scrum-half are sterling characters.

Final mention must rightly go to the Scots, for whom Stuart Hogg once again shone. They will hope that Saturday’s win over Italy can be a springboard for greater things, starting with what now looks like a very winnable home tie with France.

Why does no one care about the Cups?

Jack Ranson Sport Editor

M

anuel Pellegrini will leave Manchester City in the summer with at least one piece of silverware. After a thrilling final, his side came out 3-1 winners in a penalty shootout that has made a hero of reserve goalkeeper, Willy Caballero.

The veteran Chilean maintained that it was important to him to compete on all fronts, until he flippantly remarked that the FA Cup 5th Round tie against Chelsea was “not a real game”. His heavily weakened side – with 4 senior debuts – was thrashed 5-1 by Chelsea.

Clearly the idea that this match was less important than the Champions League visit to Kiev and the tough league fixtures to come had leaked down through the ranks.

You only have to look at Arsenal fans to see how this is the case. Their side have won two consecutive FA Cups

yet the pressure remains. The fans are still clamouring for a ‘big trophy’.

Arsene Wenger is still subject to boos and banners telling him it’s time to go.

Fans probably influence managers enough to cause them to devalue the cup by fielding weakened teams. They know that the fans are less likely to care about cup competitions.

For many top managers, it is a matter of pragmatism. Wenger lamented bringing “too many experienced players” to the Steel City when his side lost 3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup, with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both picking up injuries. The possibility of losing key players in a match, that fans and the board agree is second-rate, is a frustrating prospect.

But then for fans of big clubs, the Cup only really becomes something worth bothering about if their side loses. Despite the pressure to not pick a full-strength team, the fans will not

suffer a humiliating loss to lowerleague opposition.

The FA’s rules about fielding weakened teams, are almost impossible to implement now. Managers are being forced to prioritise by impatient fans, eager boards and the question of Champions League qualification.

It seems we’re close to crunch time – either we end up with a reduced fixture schedule, or we continue to devalue some of our major competitions in favour of others.

DAVE GUNN

Sport

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03 March 2016 • The Cambridge Student

NIKRUGBY23

Six Nations news

England on track for a grand slam p. 19 →

www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/sport

WILLIAM LYON TUPMAN

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William Lyon-Tupman

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struggle from the start in this cup semi-final, with strong efforts and injuries from the kick-off – and the first two tries coming from Newcastle suggested the Blues were in for a tough match.

This moved the Blues into action, who nearly scored a try in response but weren’t in luck this time. After further injuries for the Blues, the first half ended with no tries from Cambridge – yet still much effort was deployed, and some skillful tackles effective.

The second half commenced in a similar way, and, again, with a number of injuries on both teams, the opposition kept most of the possession, but Cambridge still piled the pressure onto Newcastle.

The tries resumed at the hands of Newcastle, inspiring Cambridge into action and remained on the border of scoring their own try for a considerable amount of time, but unfortunately their valiant efforts were not rewarded. The match concluded with a score of 15-0.

Cambridge Wolverhampton

1 2

Gerda Bachrati

H

arsh conditions made for a less than perfect cup semi-final, with Wolves coming out on top early, picking up a ball on the 18-yard box to open the scoring. Blues retaliated by upping the pressure, though the wet pitch meant the wingers had difficulty getting on the end of set plays from the middle, and the Blues were unrewarded until a perfectly placed corner by Hirst was expertly headed in from the back post by Hickman. 1-1 the halftime score. The second half started with pressure from Wolves, whose physical play kept the Blues’ wingers and fullbacks hard pressed to find space. A Wolves corner was cleared but returned toward Farrell, who spilled the ball, which was tapped home for 1-2. In three minutes of injury time, the Blues kept the ball in the opposition half, with the last chance of the game a long corner by Hirst, which was poked just wide of the post. A disappointing loss at the end of a brilliant season for the Blues.

Men’s Lacrosse

Cambridge Newcastle

Women’s Football

Women’s Rugby

Cambridge teams struggle in cup semi-finals Cambridge Birmingham

C

Stuart Cummings

8 6

ambridge’s BUCS cup semifinal was made scrappier by the muddy conditions, as they went 2-0 down in the early stages and Birmingham looked to pull away. But the Light Blues rallied, coming back to lead 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, continuing in the same vein to make it 4-3 at the halfway point. The one goal cushion continued, with the score 6-5 at the end of the third quarter, though disaster struck as Birmingham equalised with only 45 seconds to go.

From the restart, the Light Blues moved the ball upfield quickly, passing well and scoring, only for the goal to be ruled out as the ball crossed the line half a second after the whistle blew.

Cambridge controlled possession in extra time, with Baddoo and Coley scoring four minutes into each half of added time. A solid team performance against a great Birmingham side sees Cambridge into the cup final.