The Suss - Vol III - Issue 3

Vol. 3. Issue. 3. 26 October 2016

THE SUSS THE COLLEGE VIEW’S ARTS & LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT

Did Dylan deserve the Nobel?

Arts

The Suss on Halloween

BY JOSH COGLEY

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are hosting the first installment of their fourth birthday celebrations in Hangar on October 30th, with a bumper night of house music.

Dale Howard tops the bill, bringing a high energy house set , along with Greek producer Detlef, one of the best up and coming DJs on the underground house scene at the moment. Providing support will be Dublin duo Kailly and Jade Tickets: €12

s a child, Halloween was always one of the biggest events of the calendar year.

Trick or treating, fireworks,and pumpkin carving were all highlights of our more innocent years.

Unfortunately, once you get beyond a certain age, one must find an alternative to begging strangers for sweets while wearing a bin bag. Thankfully, Halloween weekend is full of great events for those of us over the age of 18.

This year there are a wide range of parties and events to attend while dressed as a creepy clown/Harley Quinn. Here’s some of the better ones.

DJ Yoda, Stranger Things Set, Wigwam

Tickets: Sold out, but Ticket Drop will provide

The monster success of Netflix’s Stranger Things has been one of the major entertainment stories of 2016. Don’t be surprised if you see many a Halloween costume inspired by the residents of Hawkins, Indiana this year. Fans of the show will be highly anticipating this themed night, a Halloween homage to freaky 80s nostalgia. DJ Yoda will be playing his excellent hip-hop tinged Stranger Things mixtape in the intimate setting of the Wigwam basement. This will provide a more chilled out alternative to the bevy of techno and house on offer across the city on Sunday week.

Nightmares On Wax, Pygmalion

Tickets: €19.82

Pygmalion will be opening up The Powerscourt Centre on October 30th, to play host to Nightmares on Wax. Two for one cocktails will provide plenty of good cheer for an intriguing night of hip hop instrumentals and trip house. Meanwhile, house music legend Marshall Jefferson will be performing in the Pygmalion vaults, delivering a 3 hour set of classic, old school house music.

Mother Halloween Ball, Mother Club.

Winterparty, The 3Arena.

The 3Arena is the venue for one of the most star studded line-ups in the history of Dublin’s dance music scene. On the 30th of October, some of the world’s top electronic artists will gather together to perform under one roof. International heavyweights Sven Vath, Jon Hopkins and Hot Since 82 along with Ireland’s own Matador, will combine to reintroduce the Winterparty event to a new generation after a 12 year hiatus. The opportunity to see any one of these world renowned producers performing is always a treat, but the prospect of having all four under the same roof is simply tantalising. With a full lighting and special effects production promised, and Halloween costumes encouraged, the atmosphere in the 3Arena should be something special. There are after parties taking place in the Button Factory, Opium Rooms, and the Wah Wah Club, meaning Win-

terparty might just be the biggest single night event of the year.

Tickets: €79.50 including after party Day of the Dead Festival Those of you looking for something different over the bank holiday weekend, Day of the Dead could be the perfect solution. A one day fancy dress festival situated in the beautiful surroundings of Glendalough House, the setting for this event promises to be as big an attraction as the intriguing musical line-up. Immersive art installments and a Mexican Day of the Dead theme will add flair to the already entrancing surroundings. Old favourites from their Good Friday festival, such as the bumper cars and Techno and Cans Forest will be returning, with a top notch mixture of headliners and

Image Credit Page 1:Brendan Landy; Page 2: singersroom.com; Page 3: buzzfeed.com; Page 5:theinverse.com; Page 6: getty images, Laura Horan; Page 7: weheartit; Page 8: Yannis Vlamos, elleuk.com, Laura Horan & Amy Lawlor.

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local artists providing the tunes.

Friend Within and Digitalism top the bill, with alternative acts such as Overhead, The Albatross and The Eskies providing a broad spectrum of musical styles. To cap it all off, you can bring your own beer! What more could you ask for?

Strictly Deep 4th Birthday Party, Hangar.

The always excellent Mother DJs will be putting on one of their infectious, high energy performances on the 29th of October, in what is being billed as a ‘disco bloodbath in the basement.’ Joining them on the decks will be Jape, with the unique producer Bad Bones also performing. When it comes to disco, the Mother DJs are without equal in Dublin, providing positive vibes and a feel good atmosphere in their own unique style. Highly recommended.

Dublin promoters Strictly Deep

Tickets: €10

Tickets: €28.15

Did Bob Dylan deserve the Nobel Prize for Literature?

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ob Dylan has won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

“Wait, literature?” I hear you say.

That’s right. The Swedish Academy has awarded him “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

Dylan is undoubtedly one of the most iconic men in history. The singer-songwriter has changed the face of music completely. He created songs that not only appeal to the ear, but to the heart. His lyrics have depth and meaning, something most artists of his time failed to achieve by themselves.

I myself admire Dylan and his work. “Not Dark Yet”, “Don’t Think Twice It’s All right” and “Blowin’ in the Wind” are some of my all time favourite songs.

However, the announcement that he is the recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature has sparked serious debate. The big question being, does he deserve it?

A vast amount of the literary community will say he does not. Some insist that he is a songwriter, not a poet.

This is, in all honestly, a valid argument.

Bob Dylan writes songs, not poetry. His words need music to come to life. Poetry comes to life all by itself. When you hear him sing, his words are captivating. When you read them on paper, they are flat and lack the rhythm of poetry. Bob Dylan writes words for the stage, not for the page.

People have not been afraid to voice their views about the decision.

Writer Jason Pinter tweeted: “If Bob Dylan can win the Nobel Prize for literature then I think Stephen King should get elected to the Rock N’ Roll

Arts

BY EMER HANDLY Hall of Fame.”

The Irish Times published an article of quotes from a variety of different literati, those of whom had a variety of different opinions.

Irish poet John Montague had his reservations with the decision, but concluded: “Perhaps only Shakespeare can perfectly blend poetry and song, and it is a little late to give him the Nobel Prize. However if anyone comes close, it must be Bob Dylan, who has touched what we like to call the zeitgeist with more surety than any other song writer in living memory, and whose lyrics are often startlingly beautiful.”

Many are thrilled with the committee’s decision. Bob Dylan’s

lyrics have inspired people for decades and will continue to do so.

“I think his work is a good example of the text being more important than the form; the form itself doesn’t matter, all that matters is the talent,” said Kevin Barry.

Dylan himself has always avoided the question of whether he is a singer or a poet. He refers to himself as a “song and dance man.” No-one knows what he has to say about winning the award.

Why? In true Dylan style, he has not responded to any of the Nobel committee’s attempts to contact him.

Others are disappointed with the decision simply because it leaves other writers out in the cold. There are many under recognised writers

out there who deserve the award.

Writers like Warsan Shire and Rupi Kaur. Or what about Don DeLillo? Dylan has already received a huge amount of recognition for his work, and he certainly does not need the money that comes with the award. There are writers out there who could have really benefited from the prize.

Many are worried that this new view of literature will ruin the reputation of the award. That maybe in 2030, the Prize will be awarded to Rihanna for her already evident outstanding way with words.

“Work, work, work, work, work, work.”

In all seriousness, you simply cannot deny that Bob Dylan is a lyrical genius. He deserved the lifetime achievement award. He belongs in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. He is unequivocally a sensational musician, songwriter and a hugely influential public figure.

But is he a poet? Is he up there with Yeats and Shakespeare? I’m not convinced.

Yet, literature is an art form that cannot be defined as one thing. It is broad, complex, meaningful and beautiful, just like Dylan’s work. Maybe this is a good thing for the literary world.

“People who only experience poetry on the page might dissent, but this Nobel award is a way of bringing it all back home, of both reminding us of poetry’s roots and moving it forward through changing times - and for that, we should all be pleased,” said Don Share, editor of Poetry Magazine.

So did Bob Dylan deserve the Nobel Prize for literature?

I’ll leave that up to your own personal opinion. The fact of the matter is, he did win it. A singer-songwriter won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

I guess you could say; Times they are a-changin’.

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Arts

Coppers, Craic and Contraception:

Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope

BY SCOUT MITCHELL

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ast week saw the dramatic season finale of RTÉ’s female led dark comedy, Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope. Written by playwright Stefanie Preissner, the show hits a little too close to home with its eerily accurate portrayal of twenty something Irish women living it up in ‘the big smoke’.

Over a tension filled six episodes, Aisling (Seana Kerslake) and Danielle’s (Nika McGuigan) fragile friendship is tested time and time again as the girls attempt to find the perfect balance between the craic and work--a toxic partnership if there ever was.

Coined the Irish Girls, Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope addresses many issues that affect young women.

While actress and writer of Girls Lena Dunham was heralded by critics for her realistic depiction of women, the privileged, brash and spoilt New Yorker is not someone all Irish girls can relate to.

Preissner’s sharp witted, quintessential colloquialisms are excellent and add to the humour of the show but she also manages to skillfully capture the nature and mannerisms that make the Irish woman so different from any other. The emphasis on drink culture, awkward hookups and the

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necessity of casting all worries away on the dancefloor of Copper Face Jacks are all things she gets spot on.

One scene that stands out in particular, is a trip Aisling makes to the pharmacy to obtain emergency contraception after a one night stand--the stranger she slept with just so happens to be her bosses’ younger brother (a role that Amy Huberman smashes, to no surprise).

As if the embarrassment of getting the morning after pill isn’t enough, poor Aisling has to face an actual lecture on the serious implications of her lifestyle. “I’m not that kind of girl, like, I don’t sleep around,” is her fitting response to being asked to consider the pill.

It’s these painfully awkward yet relatable scenes that make the show’s message so effective.

Although it may be fun to a point, we quickly learn that there is nothing glamorous about the long term effects of being a party girl.

Aisling’s complete over reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism may be slightly blown out of proportion. However, her inability to take things seriously juxtaposed with Danielle’s drive and ambition to succeed is a powerful visualisa-

tion of how quickly we can lose ourselves given the right amount of liberation and independence. A big theme in the show is the idea of the country girl who moves to the city and without the support network of her family she makes her friends family in order to survive. As one might expect, Aisling’s dependence on Danielle turns out to be her downfall.

When asked by the Irish Times about her inspiration behind the show, Preissner amounted it to “watching television and not seeing [herself] being represented.

I don’t see sex or entertainment or drinking or any of that culture represented in the way I experienced it,” she said.

Similarly, producer Ailish McElmeel maintains that RTÉ are under-representing their audiences and that everyone wants to see themselves on screen. Although certain situations are indeed scripted solely for dramatic effect (the guards linking Aisling to that car namely), Preissner’s brutally honest writing wins us over the majority of the time.

We can all see a little bit of ourselves in the two main characters. Aisling is hilarious, goodlooking and smart but is incredibly selfish and lacks the mindset

to see beyond having fun in the now. Danielle on the other hand, is tired of being taken for granted and succumbing to other’s wants rather than focusing on pursuing her passions.

The downhill spiral of the last three episodes in particular is nearly nauseating as you just want to reach into the screen, tell Aisling to pull herself together and give her shoulders a shake.

Similarly, the constant confrontational style of the series in general is uncomfortable to watch but it certainly makes you think - about your lifestyle choices in particular.

Overall, Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope is an excellent addition to RTÉ’s growing catalogue of diversity. A huge emphasis on the autumn/winter season has been placed on strong female led shows, with Striking Out giving our nation’s sweetheart, Amy Huberman another star role.

The quality of female representation on TV is continuing to grow at a high rate and our nation’s leading broadcasters are certainly delivering. The series is fresh, honest and asks all the right questions of its audience-an excellent effort by Preissner and its cast.

Arts Arts

Review: Death Grips at The Academy

BY STEPHEN KEEGAN

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t’s a long flight of stairs up to the Academy’s main room and on this night, getting close to Samhain, it felt like a liminal space, a passageway between the relative sanity of the street - our world - and the baying, oppressive atmosphere inside Death Grips’ world.

In lieu of a support act, an hour of droning sirens instilled a cultlike fervour in the pit - utilising the Shepherd scale auditory illusion that gives the impression of a continuously rising pitch that never actually gets any higher.

The appearance of the shirtless, sinewy MC Ride onstage was the only release from the sickening tension for the mostly-male, manbunned crowd - and release they did, crushing towards the barrier,

each wanting a piece of their demagogue.

“Fuck who’s watching,” was the opening declaration of “Whatever I Want,” and the pit responded in style, encouraged

by Ride’s aggressive delivery and confrontational stance at the very edge of the stage to jump and mosh and generally get close and sweaty in a manner rarely seen outside of The Hub on Friday nights.

“Bubbles Buried in the Jungle” and fan favourite “Get Got” arrived without pause, with DJ Andy Moirin and the relentless Zach Hill on drums not letting up the onslaught for a second or, as it turned out, the next 90 minutes.

This was musical masochism

for both artist and audience. The volumes reached extreme levels, the distortion such that at times it was difficult to identify the track and the myth MC Ride only briefly became the man Stefan Burnett again to take sip of water at the 40 minute mark - as his bandmates ploughed on.

Some primal responses emerged in the crowd. This reporter chose flight early on, retreating to the relative safety of the balcony upon re their reviewing responsibilities, but enough people chose fight and enough punches were thrown to sour the experience a little.

Exhilarating as the eternal lowend, low-fi assault was, it was the more melodic moments in the set that stood out - 2012 single “I’ve

Seen Footage” got a reception that shook the entire building and made for a nervous time on the balcony.

The easily identifiable chorus of “Bitch Please” was a treat for the ear late in the set.

“The Fever (Aye Aye)” marked the end, the breaking of the spell.

Delirious survivors made their way back to our world, rejoicing upon finding their friends alive outside on Abbey Street.

MC Ride has gained infamy for his dark and at times extremely cryptic lyrics, but we can take a stab at one track’s meaning at least. “This is Violence Now (Don’t Get Me Wrong)” from their 2013 release Government Plates?

That’s clearly about their live shows.

Review: American Football II O

pening with a track entitled ‘Where Are We Now’ seems pretty apt considering that this is the first LP American Football has released this century. Though their sophomore offering is still self-titled, the album is very different to the one released 17 years ago.

When American Football came onto the scene in 1999 with their debut release, they joined a handful of emo bands that could boast that they didn’t have a band song.

As time went on, they became known for their abilities to push the boundaries of the emo genre and intertwine it with jangly guitars, more akin to math rock than the traditional emo movement that was pioneered by the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate and early Jimmy Eat World.

American Football are still the same band, you’re still the same person and their music will still hit you in the feels like it did the first

BY ALLY DALY time you listened to it – regardless of when that time was.

While the debut featured that iconic picture of a house emblazoned on the front, the cover of LP 2 is inside the house.

While fans know well of the story outside the house, this album covers the darker, more personal inside. “We’ve been here before,” guitarist and vocalist Mike Kinsella states on opener ‘Where Are We Now’. “We’ll

figure it out like that goddamn door/ We just need a skeleton key.”

The album itself is more polished and refined than their debut, with a bigger focus on well-tuned vocals and song structure. Again, it features just nine songs but you won’t even feel them flit away as they engage you in a special kind of aural pleasure.

Tracks were sporadically released over the past few months, with ‘I’ve Been So Lost For So Long’ being a track that

is still as stand-out as it was on first listen.

The album explores the theme of midlife and the heartbreak that often comes with it, tearing apart what had been beautiful at the beginning and showing off the faults that lie underneath.

The intertwining melodies of Kinsella and fellow guitarist Steve Holmes are well thought out and still capable of making the hairs stand on the back of your neck, which will serve as schooling to the ‘twinklecore’ revival that has reared its head in recent years.

After a period of absence, bands often come back trying a new genre and strange new sounds in order to burst back onto the scene. It’s refreshing to see American Football have avoided this entirely and just matured.

Maybe, the inside of the house will become just as iconic as the outside.

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Arts Lifestyle

Facing Fatal Fears

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BY AOIFE MARNELL

hile the Halloween holidays may seem all fun and games based around the fear factor, our ability to scare and be scared, Fear by definition is in fact ‘an unpleasant emotion triggered by the threat of danger, threat or harm.’ Unpleasant being the key word in that sentence.

The idea of being frightened for fun is not something for everyone and unfortunately fear is often more than just a minute long jump out of chair, fear can be a persistent emotion for so many people all year around.

‘Anxiety’ has become the label placed on everyday fear by society, defined as a ‘feeling of worry, uncertainty, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.’ Almost every day we hear someone say they have anxiety about something, be it an exam, a party or even meeting a friend. Yet no one seems to be talking about how they cope with this powerful emotion.

Keeping anxiety at bay is no doubt an active process but some of the simplest changes to your routine can make the bigger differences.

Start with taking time to yourself, and I mean really to yourself, minus the phone, and just breathe. As silly as it sounds, you’ll see how much simpler the problems you have might seem.

Make sure you’re making time to eat healthy balanced meals and exercising regularly, as they say, a healthy body makes for a healthy mind.

Talk to someone. Talk to your family, talk to your friends, and even talk to that guy sitting beside you on the bus. A problem shared is a problem halved.

As tough as it may be, you have to accept however scary your problems may be, we as humans are so small in the great aspect of the universe and it would be impossible to control everything despite how we might want too. Learning that your best is all you can do is something to remind yourself daily.

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Killer Clown Craze

BY EDINA ZEJNILOVIC

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s Halloween approaches, the atmosphere becomes more and more sinister. Walking alone in the dark has never been more terrifying. As you’re walking home after a late shift, completely exhausted and ready to jump into bed, you notice an unknown figure lurking in the park near your estate, hiding behind the trees.

Convincing yourself it was just your eyes playing tricks on you, you continue to walk faster. You notice the figure getting closer to you, when suddenly, it picks up its pace and races toward you with a sharp butcher knife in hand. Your heart begins to race when you notice it’s not just anyone, but it has a pale white face, bright orange curly hair, piercing black eyes and a daunting blood

red smile smeared across its mouth.

The killer-clown craze has swept social media with floods of videos and pictures of these clown sightings. There is at least one post that will pop up on your newsfeed today in relation to the epidemic.

The global craze originated in the US and spread rapidly to the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe.

Incidents are getting more and more bizarre.

Some involve costume clad people jumping out in front of vehicles, staring at members of the public and encouraging children to follow them into the woods.

Three clowns carrying fake chainsaws wandered into the grounds of a school in Blackrock recently, but have claimed they had entered ‘by mistake’.

McDonalds also reported that it will scale back ap-

pearances of the Ronald McDonald clown due to the recent clown incidents.

Arrests have been made in the UK and US, but no arrests have been made in Ireland yet.

Even if it originally did start out as prank, it’s not all that funny anymore. Not only is the public in danger but now clowns aren’t safe either. It takes guts to mess with people. The bizarre pranks backfired in the UK and US where reports show clowns that have been punched, bottled, brutally beaten and even shot.

When asked about the killer clown epidemic, UFC legend Conor McGregor said, “Just don’t come near me in a clown mask.”

Sightings have been said to increase as Halloween draws closer, so if you are thinking about dressing up as a clown this year, I would strongly advise against it.

Arts Lifestyle

Pumpkin Pottery

Guilt-free Goodies

BY CIARA O LOUGHLIN

BY BRONWYN O NEILL

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utumn is here which means one thing, Halloween. So grab your pumpkin spice lattes, blanket scarves and get carving some cool and original pumpkins. Here are four hacks on how to make the designing a bit easier.

Hack 1 Cut the top and back of the pumpkin for easier scraping- this also makes it easier for placing the candle inside.

Hack 2 Ever wonder how people have the patience to cut out an eight legged spider? They don’t. Use a cookie cutter and mallet to cut out shapes easily

ith Halloween and sweets going hand and hand, here are a few easy and healthy snack ideas to keep your diet on track throughout the holiday.

Hack 3 Turn your pumpkin into a drink cooler or keg, the perfect pumpkin for college students that would look great at a Halloween party.

All you need to do is cut it in half, scrape out the insides and fill it with ice. Place your cans and bottles in it and you’ve got a festive and original drink cooler.

For the keg: cut off the top, scrape out the insides, pour in the drink and put the top back on. Make a small hole for the plastic tap and you’re good to go.

Hack 4 To carve your favourite celebrity or cartoon, firstly pick a picture with not too much detail (cartoons tend to be easier). Print the picture out on stencil paper and use a nail to transfer it on.If done right, this looks extremely impressive.

Banana ghosts and Orange pumpkins.

For the ghost, peel and cut a banana in half. Use liquorice for eyes and a mouth to create a spooky ghost. To create a pumpkin, peel an orange and use a celery stick for the stem of the pumpkin. Quick, easy, healthy and delicious!

Apple Monsters To make these you’ll need to cut an apple into quarters and then cut a mouth out of each quarter. Stick sunflower seeds into the top and bottom to create teeth. Use half a strawberry for the tongue. Use chocolate drops for eyes.

need is strawberries, white chocolate and mini chocolate chips. First of all you’ll need to melt white chocolate.

Dip the strawberry into the melted chocolate. Place the mini chocolate chips onto the chocolate for eyes and a mouth.

Chocolate apples It wouldn’t be Halloween without some apples in chocolate. Melt some chocolate and dip your apple into it. Push a stick through the end of the apple and voila. You can add sprinkles or designs as desired.

Strawberry ghosts Another easy recipe all you’ll

Halloween Romance

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orror movie dates are arguably the most daunting dates of all. Not all of us find much pleasure in watching blood and guts splatter all over the big screen.

It’s doubtful that a month of subsequent nightmares is something any of us strive for either. However, for those of us that find it unavoidable this Halloween season, here are a few reasons you should look forward to the ‘horrifying affair’.

It’s extremely revealing – but in a great way.

Watching a horror movie can

BY LAURA DUFFY usually unleash a person’s most vulnerable side. Whether they’re sobbing inconsolably into your shoulder or they’re solid as a rock, you may be shown a side of them that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

No better time to get cosy.

Dark lighting, eerie music and unbearable suspense; Three things that combine to create the perfect atmosphere for cuddling your date. Horror movies set up the ultimate environment for making your move so take advantage of those intense scary scenes by grabbing your dates

hand or pulling them in close.

It certainly could work out less awkward than the age-old movie “arm stretch and yawn”.

It’s Memorable.

There is absolutely no reason to be afraid of being afraid. If you do throw your hotdog in the air with fright, your date will certainly not forget about you a few days later. It is moments like these that make a date unforgettable. These uncontrollable mishaps can be so hilarious your date may not resist going on another date. Even if it is just to give you the dry cleaning bill for their mustard-stained top.

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Arts Lifestyle

Making the Marathon

Mental Motivaion

BY LIAM ASHTON

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BY JESSICA DOYLE

t can be easy maintaining a healthy lifestyle when you are an athlete or in training. But most of us average Joes know how tough it can be to get just five sit-ups done in a week. Stressing the importance of the healthy lifestyle, Jessica Doyle shares some of her tips for keeping motivated throughout the year.

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t might make sense to buy new runners and gear so you can feel and look fresh at the start line. This will, however, cause great discomfort and blisters throughout the race. Wear the gear you have worn in training and if you have a cotton t-shirt you are wearing for a charity, ensure you have a comfortable, breathable layer underneath.

Bring Vaseline and lots of it. The main areas which should be looked after to prevent friction and chaffing are the armpits, groin and most importantly the chest. If you reach mile fifteen and you feel like your nipples are bleeding, it is probably because they are.

If you can not get a wink of sleep the night before the race and you are panicking that you will be exhausted before you even reach the start line, do not panic. Distance coaches will tell you it is the sleep two nights before the race that you will receive the most benefit from. During the week of the Marathon, get up at the time you will be waking up at for the race so your body is not out of

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routine that morning.

Do not change your diet. If you have read online that the traditional Kenyan dish of Ugali is what the top athletes are eating, the morning of the marathon is not the time to try it. Eat the foods you have been eating before training runs, as you know what works for you. Sip away at water during the week and do not increase your water intake that morning. You will only find yourself needing to make a pit-stop mid-race.

The earlier you wake up the better. For a race that starts at 9am it would be recommended that you wake up at 6am and finalise your preparation. Leave enough time for your breakfast to be digested.

Do not worry, there are plenty of portaloos around to empty out the last of your nerves.

Pace yourself. You might feel great for the first two or three miles and decide to push on at a faster pace than you were planning. It is best to stick to your game plan as you will massively regret this decision before the half way mark.

From training, you will know your ability and pacing wristbands are the ideal way to stick to your desired time. Write out your expected times to pass each interval, prior to the race, and use it to keep yourself in check.

Take advantage of the water stops. Even if you do not need it, psychologically it will give you a boost to sip on some water or pour it over yourself to cool down.

Beating the wall. If running a marathon was easy, everyone would be doing it. So typically, there will be mental and physical lows. One thing to remember is that you will come out the other end of it and receive your ‘second wind’.

Breaking the race down into sections is one way to overcome these obstacles.

Warm down. Before you lie down, do a ten to fifteen minute slow run to flush out some of the lactic acid built up in your legs.

You will thank yourself in the days after the race.

Finally celebrate, less than 1 per cent of the population have even attempted to run a marathon.

The dreaded alarm going off in the morning, when you know you are not ready, is the most infuriating sound. No matter how long you spend choosing a reasonably nice alarm tone it can seem like the worst moment of your life. Now you are awake, food is fuel. A good, hearty breakfast is the key to a day of success, think omelette or healthy pancakes packed with berries.

“ Lay your exercise clothes out the night before, leave no room for you to forget ”

Next step, you know that friend that is there for you all the time? Make water that friend.

Every inch of your body will thank you.

Lay your exercise clothes out the night before, leave no room for you to forget.

Whether it is a YouTube yoga session, an attempt at a jog or a morning swim, you have to want to do it. Put a reminder in your phone or stick it up on your wall, the reason why you are doing it will be your first step to motivation.

It takes just 28 days to build a habit, make exercise your habit.

Savour the ‘after exercise’ feeling, this feeling will last with you throughout the day.

Coming up to assignment deadlines and hardcore studying, make fresh air your freedom from the books. Get off the bus a stop early and clear your thoughts.

Put in your earphones and run, the fact that you can not hear yourself being out of breath will become the difference between running that extra 5 minutes.