Issue 1

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est. 1957

The University of Leicester’s free student newspaper Issue One

Semester One

29th September - 12th October

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NEWS

1

Edited by Ross Brown

Article removed by request Still available in print A Note From Our Editor

by Jess Buckley

In this issue...

Here we go again! Welcome back to Leicester, or should that be welcome to Leicester?

Whether you are a returning student invigorated after a long summer break or you’re an enthused fresher, at The Ripple we share your anticipation.

Our News editor is delving into how representative the Festival of Careers is for the entire student body. The Festival of Careers is an annual event that many students find invaluable for finding graduate employment but, is there equal opportunity for every student careerist?

This will be our second year as the University of Leicester’s free student newspaper and, with big shoes to fill following last year’s student media group of the year award win, we are ready to push boundaries to provide you with a more comprehensive view of your university. There will be bi-weekly print editions of The Ripple full of essential student hints, tips and information that will be your key to survival this academic year; you can expect everything from Team Leicester match reports and original student recipes to video game reviews and the latest university news. What is more, we will be bringing you all our breaking news immediately and directly from our website (www.the-ripple.co.uk) as well as daily articles from all our sections.

We also look at why we are really at university. Throughout the year our Opinion section will be producing controversial arguments that will get you talking and, hopefully, inspire you to engage (or perhaps disengage) yourself in particular aspects of university life.

Our Features team talk to our university Women’s Officer as well as taking a look at the university’s acclaimed Pro Bono team and the Sexpression society. If you have a society that you would like us to feature, do not hesitate to contact our Features editor (details opposite).

What’s On are here to keep you up to date with the latest events on and off campus. This issue is packed with everything you

This Issue’s Team Editor & Designer: Megan Cadwaladr mgc15@student.le.ac.uk

Features Editor: Fjollë Bunjaku fb115@student.le.ac.uk

Lifestyle Editor: Emily Bird erb15@student.le.ac.uk

News Editor: Ross Brown rb372@student.le.ac.uk

What’s On Editor: Jessica Ramsdale jr239@student.le.ac.uk

Sport Editor: Matthew Allen ma581@student.le.ac.uk

Opinion Editor: Alex Mitchell amm68@student.le.ac.uk

Culture Editor: Dan Jordan dj82@student.le.ac.uk

Executive Team

Operations Team

President: Lauren Swain lfls1@student.le.ac.uk

Legal Officer: Levin Lalan ll201@student.le.ac.uk

Treasurer: Jessica Stonestreet js619@student.le.ac.uk

Our Culture team have a jampacked section with film, theatre and music reviews. There’s also an interview with the hilarious Tom Stade and a guide to living the alternative fresher’s lifestyle in Leicester.

Operations Manager: Anuj Yadav ay59@student.le.ac.uk

Head of Marketing: Sarah Emmins se102@student.le.ac.uk

Events Coordinator: Marie-Claire Hynes mch43@student.le.ac.uk

Editor-in-Chief: Jess Buckley jbb6@student.le.ac.uk

Secretary: Megan Wright mw277@student.le.ac.uk

Our Sports editor has been busy talking to presidents of several sports teams as well as the university’s sports president to give you a diverse overview of what sport has to offer in Leicester (you’re spoilt for choice!)

Deputy Editors Megan Cadwaladr mgc15@student.le.ac.uk Karina Maduro akm38@student.le.ac.uk

need to know and where to be during Fresher’s Fortnight and beyond both on and off campus!

If you’re ever feeling like university life is getting a bit hectic, our Lifestyle team are here with flu-busting recipes and all the information surrounding where and how to get the best bargains in Leicester. This week, we are looking at the top 10 things to do specifically as a student in Leicester. Our handy check-list will help you keep up to date.

I hope you enjoy our first issue of the new academic year and continue to pick up The Ripple and follow us online on our website, Twitter (@UoLRipple) and Facebook (The Ripple)!

The Ripple is giving away loads of student essentials!

We have student planners, essential student handbooks, cookbooks and handbooks with top writing tips to give away.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out how you could win!

Provided by Palgrave Publishing www.palgrave.com/studentstudyskills

OPINION

2

Edited by Alex Mitchell

What Are You Really Here For? same time you cannot do nothing. Find a happy medium that suits you well.

Image by Flickr user CollegeDegrees360

by Alex Mitchell University is a new chapter in a lot of budding students lives, a clean slate. The new friends, the interesting courses, and nightlife are all factors that would make any adult in full-time work wish they were young again. But have you ever asked yourself what it is you’re really here for? Some of you were perhaps always determined to go to university and nothing was going to get in your way. Others needed a little encouragement before they could make such a life changing decision. There are also maybe a few of you who had to deal with parental pressures to go to university, making this experience a lot harder for you than others expect. Different stories of our journeys to get

to university reflect the reasons for why we have just landed in halls of residence, surrounded by strangers and your parents now halfway down the M1.

You probably can’t think of an answer yet, and who can blame you? After all you’ve only been here a matter of days, maybe even a week depending on when you pick up this newspaper. The obvious answer is to get the best degree you possibly can, and that’s mighty respectable of you and your lecturers will be so proud! The truth is there is more to it than that and there is no right or wrong answer, but at the same time university holds multiple doors of opportunities and you can’t be holding all of the keys. So be aware, you cannot do everything, but at the

Starting University In October? Look No Further For Essential Survival Tips

by Will Towler

vivin’ ‘n’ thrivin’ out there.

It can be a little nerve wrecking starting university for the first time. The new faces, the bigger buildings and the fact that you are in charge of tea! Oh dear.

But fear not, it’s pretty awesome once you’re there and settled in.

Here are some tips that hopefully you will find useful for sur-

Say hello. The most daunting task is perhaps meeting the people in your halls for the first time, but don’t worry! Everyone feels just the same as you do and everyone will breathe a huge sigh of relief (mentally) once someone starts conversation off with the simple word, "Drink?".

The kind of person that you are (or would like to be) can give you a good indication for what you are here for. If you like to think of yourself ass a ‘lad’, you are probably here to drink lots of beer, resulting in the wider society deeming you an idiot but becoming incredibly popular at uni. Not for you? On the complete opposite scale you could be a feminist, someone unhappy with the gender inequalities of our society up for campaigning and shouting at people through microphones. Political societies also contain similar people, only shouting different things.

Something else? The careerist does everything within their power to boost their CV and make every minute of their university count, not only with lectures but many extra curricular activities also. Too intense? The stranger involves an individual who may be incredibly shy so they find it hard to engage with people. You miss your old life at home and enforce a closed door policy to your housemates.

Nope? You could find utopia in people that love to do sports, who are constantly on the move and are put onto all of the university teams. Too much running? The brainbox knows all of the answers in lectures and has managed to read at least 5

of the books off the reading list over the summer before they even got here. How on earth did they manage to get hold of the reading list?! Finally, perhaps you would describe yourself as a romantic, someone seeking a relationship status and going out on date after endless date in the search for ‘the one’.

This article is not telling you to pick a category and fit yourself to that ideal, it would be morally wrong of me! But for whatever reason you are at this university for, should be one that makes you feel the most empowered, comfortable and ambitious.

Certain qualities from all of the

stereotypes mentioned above are good in small quantities that can help you have the best university experience possible.

For instance if you’re a bit of a lad, ask the stranger if they’d like to join you and have some fun. If you’re a careerist, don’t forget your friends, the people round you can often help a lot more than you think. If you’re a Brainbox, perhaps give some other people a helping hand if they are struggling. Be healthy, happy and aware that it is always ok to miss home.

Be sure to balance your books.

Make sure you have plenty of things to keep you focused and

engaged. The university lifestyle Ed in the West Wing of the Students Union have lots of resources to help you with any of your academic needs. Don’t get stressed about your university experience, especially in your first year! You can talk to your newfound friends, university staff or visit Student Welfare in the Students Union if the going really gets tough.

University is about coming and bringing people together, having fun, studying hard and being there for one another. If you can achieve that, you are definitely here for the right reasons.

Image by Flickr user Cara

No one wants an awkward silence so just relax. Once you have finished putting your parent's gift package of vegetables (that won’t ever get eaten) in the fridge, just introduce yourself to your living companions and let the good times roll.

(unlikely as that is,) it’s an ideal time to walk around and get a feel for the university and a

Make the most of the fresher’s fair. The fresher’s fair is where you will have the chance to sign up to as many societies as you would like. There will be some societies that you will expect and some that you will not! It’s a great way of meeting new people that share a common interest as well as trying your hand at things you wouldn’t have necessarily thought about doing. Even if you find absolutely nothing that suits your fancy

Go to lectures…This one might not be met with quite as much enthusiasm as other tips but it’s still important! You might be thinking that you just don’t have enough time to fit lectures into an already packed timetable of sleep and partying at MOSH, but try to go to your timetabled lectures and seminars because here you will find likeminded people that you can add to your rapidly expanding repertoire of friends. On top of that, you

chance to hang out and bond with your new house/flatmates too. Failing that, there will be loads of free stuff! Take advantage!

will also get an overview of your course like what you’ve actually signed up to study - useful!

Get Local. It’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with the local area. The train station, bus stops, shopping centres, clubs and pubs are all vitally important for a university student to locate. If you are coming back from a late night out, the last thing you want is to find yourself in the middle of a place you know nothing about. So try to familiarise yourself with the locations in and around the university as well as in the city centre. This is ideal when you have no money for a taxi, and you can make it back to halls just in time to get to university for that 9 o’ clock lecture in some far off

room in Fielding Johnson. Fun times ahead!

Have fun. This could quite possibly be a combination of all the above but it is certainly the most important. Yes, you should be learning (even just a tiny bit) and yes, there will be some dishes to wash when the pile gets higher than your own head. But the majority of your time at university will be an experience like no other, especially in the first year; meet new people, do new things, have a laugh with your friends, go out and have a good time. That’s what university is about. Enjoy guys!

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FEATURES

3

Edited by Fjollë Bunjaku

Need a Little Help With Your Sexpression?

by Pippa James

Image by Fjollë Bunjaku

Sexpression has been at the University for a number of years and recruits students to educate school-students about a wide range of issues, including contraception, STIs, consent, and alcohol awareness. We also work closely with charities to fund-raise and campaign on campus to raise awareness about sexual health.

Rachel Holland, our Women’s Officer, has been taking important steps, together with the SU, to ensure that issues such as consent, harassment and sex & relationship education are in the consciousness of the student body.

An NUS survey published on September 15th revealed that 37% of women and 12% of men at university experienced unwanted sexual advances. University is a place of education, a place where people grow and develop themselves; occurrences like this are far too common.

This year Sexpression, NUS and Leicester Students’ Union are teaming up to educate students

about consent, often a confusing subject matter with many misunderstandings and myths.

Perhaps the most damaging of these misunderstandings is ‘victim blaming’. Victim blaming is where a victim of an event has some of the blame laid at their door.

“She wore a short skirt – she was asking for it.”

“She had loads to drink, she barely even remembered what happened.”

“He chose to walk across the park at night, it’s his fault.”

We can tell you with confidence that 100% of crimes are the fault of the perpetrator. This year while you’re at university remember that to keep ourselves safe we need to think about how our actions affect others.

To tackle some of these issues, we will be releasing information about workshops that we are running over the next few weeks so keep an eye out!

You may find someone attractive but following him or her around the club against their wishes is harassment. You offer to buy someone a drink and they refuse; if you pester them this is harassment. There is nothing ‘cheeky’ or ‘fun’ about an unwanted pinch on the bum.

The ‘Have a Word’ scheme is

an initiative from the Students Union that replaces the former ‘Zero tolerance’ scheme. The Student’s Union takes harassment very seriously and everyone should feel comfortable reporting anything that happens.

This type of unwanted touching is not flirting; it is harassment and assault. If this happens to you, or you see it happening to someone, “Have a Word”.

This year we are moving away from blaming victims for the assault they experience . We need to start thinking about what we can do to make university a safer and more comfortable environment for everyone. More personal responsibility needs to be taken by students to avoid committing these offenses.

Social media has become instrumental in exposing sexual harassment all over the world.

The ease and anonymity of the Internet allowed many women to come forward about their expe-

Rachel Holland, image taken from Leicester Students’ Union webpage

riences of sexual harassment. We asked Women’s Officer Rachel Holland about the feedback she received from students regarding sexual harassment.

“I think purely having access to

social media has allowed students to be more vocal about experiences of sexual harassment and assault - initiatives like iHollaback! and the Everyday Sexism Project initiated

by Laura Bates, have enabled women to feel less alone in their experiences and develop an understanding around what harassment is and how to deal with it. In particular, I think projects specific to local communities tend to be incredibly successful, which is why we’re in the process of setting up an iHollaback!

Leicester to allow students to be more vocal about their own experiences. We hope this will enable us to support others in their experiences.

Naturally, sexual harassment comes in many forms. NUS released some research this month surrounding students’ experiences of unwanted sexual advances and it turns out that one in four students, of all genders, have experienced unwanted touching or groping at some point during their time at university - and even more (60%) have no idea where to report it or what their institution’s/ union’s policies are for dealing with such situations.

As a Union, our first steps really began last year with the launch of the ‘Have A Word’ campaign, with the intent of educating students about how to deal with sexual harassment if it happens to them, and how to intervene if they see it happening.

We’re also ensuring that all senior staff become trained in how to deal with victims and perpetrators in these situations, and how to take it to a higher level if need be. Over the course of the next year, we’re hoping to run many more campaigns around ‘Have A Word’ to increase awareness on how to report harassment, which will hopefully lead to an increase in reporting figures, alongside dealing with the university to see how we can work together to prevent harassment in and outside the Union.”

Image by Flickr user Maria Spadafora

Landlord Problems?

Pro Bono Can Help

by Laura Moorwood

The Pro Bono Group at the University of Leicester is one of the most independent student-run pro bono groups in the UK. Each year law students are recruited and trained to give free legal advice to fellow students and staff of the university with the supervision of local legally qualified professionals.

As well as the Legal Advice

Clinic, the Pro Bono Group has two other projects; The Street Law Project and The Innocence Project.

“The Street Law Project aims to educate Leicester and the surrounding communities of their legal rights and responsibilities,” said Director of Street Law, Thomas Ward. The Street Law project has also been recognised by the University of Leicester as

a HEAR extracurricular activity.

The Innocence Project is committed to real life cases that have exhausted all appeals processes.

Holly Morgan, Director of the Innocence Project described it as, “an invaluable vehicle aiming to overturn those wrongful convictions of certain individuals.”

Director of the Legal Advice Clinic, Lisa Elmore has said that she is, “very excited this

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year to be able to open the clinic up for public appointments in landlord and tenant disputes”, and that, “this continues to be an important issue not only for students but for the community at large.”

Do you want to write for The Ripple?

We’re looking for News, Opinion, Features, What’s On, Lifestyle, Culture, and Sports writers.

Email ripple@ le.ac.uk

WHAT’S ON

4

Madness on Campus Edited by Jessica Ramsdale

by Jessica Ramsdale

Fresh Festival is back this year, boasting a bounteous agenda. The University of Leicester Campus will host an extravaganza of events, taster-sessions, shows and meet-ups across its various venues.

The Freshers Welcome Party will take place on the 28th September. This event is a way to discover the O2 arena, which, no doubt, will continue to provide you with nights to remember throughout the year.

3000 first years can bond over a night of pumping music, great drink deals and star prizes. The School Disco, taking place on the 29th September, will allow one last wear of your old school uniform and make you reminisce with your new friends about your school days. The mixture of cutting edge tunes and old-school music in the two rooms of the O2 academy, promises to help you to create unforgettable new memories, giving you something to feel nostalgic about.

Each Wednesday night the new clubnight Letsdisko will takeover the O2 academy. On the 30th September, the night will consist of a huge main room party, state of the art video DJ technology streaming via stage mounted LED video walls.

This will provide a spectacular audio visual showcase featuring the biggest and best hits of

the noughties! In room 2 you can party until 6am to RnB anthems, old school garage, house, and much more!

If live music is more your idea of a perfect night of entertainment, the several venues at the O2 arena will be holding an array of your favourite established artists and hidden up-and coming talents.

Acoustic duo, ‘This Wild Life’ will be performing in the o2 academy on the 3rd of October. The band will perform their debut album ‘Clouded’, which promises to envelop you in melodic and acoustic punk-rock.

After years of hard work playing numerous floor shows, the band will revel in the chance to perform in front of the larger sized audience. On the 9th October, ‘Bipolar Sunshine’ will light up the stage of the o2 academy 3, promising to envelop the audience in heartfelt melodies from hits such as ‘Drowning Butterflies’, ‘Where Did The Love Go’ and Deckchairs on the Moon.’

After supporting the likes of Paramore, Imagine Dragons and Twin atlantic, the band ‘Eliza and the bear’ will take centre stage at the scholar on the 15th October. The Electricool festival of psychedelic rock, taking place in the scholar on the 11th October, will feature Cherry Cool and Guests,.and the Quadrophenia night at the O2 Academy on the 25th and

26th October will be dedicated to the iconic film Quadrophenia including live music from The Atlantics and an appearance from DJ Dre Stansall (saxophonist from The Specials).

Leicester’s numerous societies are also holding many diverse events and socials this month.

If you are in need of a breath of fresh air during freshers’ festivities then the University of Leicester Hiking Society may offer just the thing. The first hike of the year will be to Leicestershire’s picturesque Bradgate Park on the 12th October. This is an opportunity to help new friends out of the mud, to share the surrounding views of Leicestershire from a hilltop, and to have a congratulatory drink at the pub together afterwards.

The University of Leicester RAG Society will be launching their £10 challenge on the 13th October. RAG is teaming up with LOROS and are challenging small groups of students (2-4 people) to take £10, given to them by RAG, and to turn it into even more money in any creative (as well as ethical and legal) way that you can imagine, helping the charity to grow!

The African and Carribean Society boasts the ‘Biggest Fresher’s rave to Touch Leicester Uni’.

The rave ‘inception’ will take place at the club ‘Street Life’ on Friday 10th October. You can party from 10pm until 4am driven by music from the ‘Best DJ’s on the scene’ as well as two special performances. From Afrobeats, Bashment, Hip Hop & RnB, to Rap, Slow Jams and many more, this night promises to be unforgettable. Members of the ACS benefit from discounted tickets.

The Sexpression Society will be holding teacher training sessions on the 19th and the 21st October, giving you the chance to volunteer to teach young people about sex and relationships around schools in Leicester.

From contraception to consent, you could learn how to teach a wide number of issues, helping young people at the same time.

The Sexpression national conference will be held on the 1st until the 2nd of November.

There will also be a number of ‘consent workshops’ held by the union in order to raise awareness among the student union on the issue of consent.

The Hope not Hate Society will be screening an investigative

For a list of campus events see www.leicesterunion.com

by Emma Smith

his show “Nidiot” for one night only at De Montfort Hall on the 12th October.

Image by Flickr user Thomas Hook

Image by Flickr user Nancy Li

Best Bits In The City October is, without a doubt, a great month for events at the diverse venues around the city of Leicester. Kicked off by none other than Stephen Fry himself, on the 1st October at The Phoenix you can see the multi-award winning, multi-skilled actor and comedian introduce his new volume of memoirs ‘More Fool Me’ live as a follow-up to his bestseller ‘The Fry Chronicles.’

If comedy and the arts are an interest of yours, make sure you also see Tom Stade’s ‘Decisions’ on the 3rd of October at the Y Theatre, before returning to The Phoenix on the 9th October to see the amazing Rachel Parris’ ‘Live in Vegas’. To see more on Tom Stade, see our Culture pages.

Image by Flickr user Isabel Adam

documentary from 1997 about the BNP, the National Front and other far-right political groups on Wednesday the 15th October. The screening will be followed by a discussion about the success of the BNP, and the racist and fascist factors within these parties.

Another fantastic act in the middle of the month is Lancashire’s own 8 out of 10 Cats star and stand-up comedian Jon Richardson who performs

If you love the theatre, why not head down to The Curve between the 6th and the 11th October to see One Man Two Gov’nors which is an award winning comedy by The National Theatre.

If you’d like to stray away from comedy, why not try checking out Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ between the 13th-18th October at The Curve as well as Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers’ at De Montfort Hall from 27th Oct – 1st Nov. The music scene is rife with acts, including The Willows, who have been described as producing an “absolutely gorgeous sound” by Bob Harris of BBC Radio 2, on the 2nd at The Musician.

Luke Daniels also performs at The Musician on 6th October

and if you want a night filled with a variation of acts visit The Soundhouse as they present ‘A Night with The Harrowbrooks, The Last Dandys, Suicide B’s and the Racketeers’ on the 11th Oct.

as XY’s Marbella Sessions on the 9th. Other favorite venues for students include Firebug bar and venue, Hakamou cocktail island bar and Revolution on New Walk, a short walk away from the university campus.

A number of acts are headlining as The Cookie & The Magic Teapot present ‘What Became of Us’ at The Crumblin’ Cookie on High Street for a weekend from the 24th-25th October, including Charlie Boyer and the Vouyers.

On the 12th on Belgrave Road, don’t miss the Diwali celebrations in Leicester which are some of the biggest outside of Indi. The lights will be switched on and celebrations will continue throughout the day on the 23rd October.

If you’re interested in checking out the best off campus nightlife events, make sure not to miss the Thai Moon UV party at Club Republic on the 30th September, Thursdays Fresher’s Fiesta at Club XY on the 2nd October and Leicester’s famous Fresher’s Bar Crawl which ends at Club Republic on the 6th October.

Try something new at The Cookie, which is playing host to free swing dance classes every Wednesday throughout October as part of Shagtoberfest.

Don’t forget to also check out the Foam party at Liquid and Envy on the 7th October as well

at The Phoenix.

A Continental market is taking place on Humberstone Gate from 15th to 19th October. For a Halloween treat, don’t miss the All Night Horror-Movie Marathon on the 31st October

LIFESTYLE

5

Edited by Emily Bird

Top 10 To-Do’s as a UoL Student

By Megan Cook Leicester is a great city to live in as a student, but many often miss out on the amazing things to see as we are drawn into our University bubble of lectures and partying.

None of us want to graduate and realise that we’ve not experienced the city we’ve lived in, so why not take the opportunity to really get to know Leicester!

To get you started here is a compiled list of the top ten things to check off throughout your time here: Make the most of the student scene Our Students’ Union has a fantastic reputation. As an O2 Academy it brings famous acts such as Bastille and Kasabian to your doorstep, in addition to the many different student nights throughout the week which are a must!

The city’s nightlife is also great for students with fab deals at Revs, big nights out in Republic/Mosh/XY and many, many bars.

Cheer for our famous sports teams

With Leicester City Football Club promoted to the Premier League we now have even more reason to get involved with the sporting scene. If football’s not for you, get yourself down to Welford road to see our consistently top rugby team Leicester Tigers. Both sports bring the city’s supporters out in full, so get involved and experience Leicester’s spirit. They also have student price tickets!

Treat yourself to an Indian meal Leicester is famous for its Indian food and it’s definitely not something to be missed. Whether you’re on Granby Street, London Road or the Golden Mile there are restaurants serving the

best Indian food at great prices everywhere. Treat yourself and you won’t regret it!

Celebrate Diwali

The city holds the largest Diwali (Festival of Lights) celebrations outside of India–and what better way to get a feel for Leicester’s culture than join in with local traditions! You’ll hear fireworks throughout October and November, but the two main dates are: 12th October - The lights switch on 23rd October - Diwali Day; bringing thousands together to celebrate.

Light a sparkler on Bonfire night Continuing the celebrations, Leicester holds displays every year to celebrate Bonfire night.

There are many events around the city to choose from; Leicester Racecourse is always a very popular choice, whilst Abbey

Fend Off Fresher’s Flu

By Hannah Burgess Here in The Ripple’s Lifestyle Section we’ll be providing you with the tastiest and cheapest recipes perfect for student life.

This week, Hannah gives out the antidote to your inevitable illness. Enjoy!

Fresher’s flu is an unsympathetic cause and I hate to tell you but it is also hard to escape, so a strong immune system is essential! During Fresher’s Week feeling energised and invigorated is probably not the reality you face as you wake up each morning, but hopefully with the right ingredients and a little know-how

you could improve your chances of feeling fresh and fending off that dreaded flu.

Stuffed with health benefits and detoxifying ingredients, this inexpensive recipe should help to quell some of those nasty symptoms induced by your nocturnal habits, shameful excess of alcohol and not forgetting that regrettable late-night takeaway (we’ve all been there and yes, I know... it probably tasted heav-

Image by Hannah Burgess

enly at the time).

Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms with Kale Salad and an Easy Homemade Coleslaw This is one of my all-time favourites purely because it’s so simple, healthy, delicious and not to mention light on the pocket too - you don’t want to blow your budget in the first few weeks!

Kale is a superb ingredient with health benefits aplenty including vitamin C for your immune system and hydration – definitely needed by freshers!

Ordinarily, I would use Portobello mushrooms but you can

The Savvy Student

By Rachel Chapman Students live in tough times where money is concerned nowadays, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve our own little luxuries. Here at The Ripple, we’ve found the top 5 services that can help you stay savvy yet stylish.

1. Unidays Unidays is the student discount service taking the world by storm. Whether you use their website or handy mobile app, Unidays lets you enjoy a wide variety of student discounts, from ASOS to Apple, Topshop to The Times. Sign up is free and instant meaning that you can start saving as you spend straight away!

Find me: www.myunidays.com

Tw i t t e r : @ M y U N I D AY S Facebook: ‘UNiDAYS’ 2. The Frock Exchange Unique to the University of Leicester, The Frock Exchange is a new society which aims on giving your wardrobe a lift for free…even if it is only temporary! The concept is simple: bring an item, swap it with another item and then swap back a week later. It has all perks of no-strings lending but with the bonus of being more secure (they have a deposit system in case your item is damaged on return) and more varied. Being a society it also means that you can socialise whilst you save-perfect!

Find me: Twitter:@UoLFE Facebook: ‘The Frock Exchange

and Fashion Society’ 3. Save the Student The ever-growing popularity of ‘Save the Student’ is unsurprising once you’ve seen their array of deals and services. It seems to have everything, from advice on halls and housing to budgeting and banking, not forgetting their ‘deals and discounts’ page which will leave the savvy student weak at the knees. No time to trawl through their website?

Don’t worry! Sign up to their regular emails highlighting the latest deals or keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter!

Find me: www.savethestudent. org Twitter: @savethestudent Facebook: ‘Save the Student’

Park provides the city’s biggest fireworks display with a variety of stalls. Tickets go on sale 6th October with the display on the 1st November.

Visit Leicester’s famous market

Europe’s largest covered market and voted as Britain’s favourite, odds are you’ll be able to find a thing or two here. Open Monday to Saturday and located in the city centre, it’s the perfect place for cheap ways to update your room, wardrobe or meal that night! With over 300 stalls you’ve definitely got enough choice!

Watch a show at The Curve Theatre If you enjoy the theatre then you’ll love The Curve. A fantastic place for a different student night, The Curve brings the best shows from the West End. The play that shot James Corden to fame, One Man Two Guvnors, runs from 6th-11th October

also use button mushrooms and just make a several mini bites.

Also, a homemade slaw is so cheap and easy to do and you can make it so much healthier than mayonnaise-coated shop bought ones.

So, without further ado on to the recipe…

Ingredients: 2 Portobello mushrooms - or a packet of button mushrooms 1 jar of green pesto 1 handful of kale 50ml water 1 carrot 1 raw beetroot 1 small red cabbage 1 apple 1 lemon

4. NUS Extra Card An NUS Extra card is by far the most well-known and widely accepted way of getting student discount. Discounts vary between 10%-50% and are available from high-street stores to supermarkets, meaning that you’ll soon get back the £12 up-front card cost. Check out their website to see where you could save!

Find me: www.nus.org.uk/en/ nus-extra/ 5. Amazon Student Packed full of perks, Amazon Student is a service that is ideal for the serial online-shopper.

Your first 6 months are a free trial (or £39 a year after that period) and you get a whole host of benefits, from free 2-day shipping on most items to free Kindle book borrowing and a huge library of streamable mov-

and The Sound of Music is here from November to January.

Check out their website: http:// www.curveonline.co.uk/ Laugh at Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival

Athough this one is quite a way off, it’s a must to keep in the diary. The 4th-22nd February 2015 sees 17 days of hilarity as Britain’s longest running festival takes place and brings the best comedians to Leicester. Known world-wide, this festival is the perfect event to de-stress and laugh your socks off.

budding historian or just want to learn more about Leicester’s past, you’ve got a lot to choose from!

Last at Shabang till 6am This last one might not seem like a must, but for many it’s something that, as a student, you want to and really should tick off. As it’s a Friday night you’ve got the weekend to sleep it off, so see if you can be one of the last standing and dance till the suns up!

Revisit history with King Richard III Over the last year the city, and our University in particular, has been fixated with King Richard III, so why not see what it’s all about? With a new Visitor Centre, walking trail and audio tour, you can learn everything at discounted student prices.

Bosworth Heritage Site is also worth visiting so if you’re a

Chilli flakes (optional) Black pepper and salt Olive oil Walnuts (optional for the coleslaw) Method: -Start by preheating your oven at 180C and stuffing your mushrooms with the pesto (about a tablespoon in each). Put them into the oven at for 10 minutes.

-Meanwhile, boil the kale for 5 minutes in 50ml of water and a pinch of salt. When it’s tender remove from the hob and drizzle with lemon juice and some black pepper. Add the chilli flakes at this point if you like a

ies and TV shows, as well as plenty of other exclusive deals and promotions for students.

Find me: www.amazon.co.uk/ gp/student/signup/info

Image by Flickr user Matt Preston

If you’d like to add to your list or get some more information on what’s mentioned here, visit http://leicesterunion.com/ or http://www.visitleicester.info/ visitleicester.aspx.

bit of heat.

-To prepare the slaw grate the carrot, beetroot and red cabbage. Cut the apple into small chunks. Mix this all together in a bowl with the juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. If you want to go crazy add walnuts too. Et voila -Now everything is ready to serve so place the stuffed mushrooms on the bed of kale salad with the vibrant slaw on the side.

Enjoy with a BIG glass of water if you’re still feeling the effects of last night’s escapades!

With all of the above you’re now fully equipped for a term that doesn’t involve you crying over your overdraft; what could be better!

CULTURE

6

Edited by Dan Jordan

Culture Beyond the Club

by Dan Jordan

Welcome to the very first Culture section of the new term!

While the city of Leicester can boast a fine array of discothèques and nightspots for today’s exuberant youth, this may not quite be to everyone’s tastes; people who make obscure ‘Culture Club’ references in the introduction of an article are among their number. It is thus my honour and privilege to dedicate a double page spread every fortnight to not only alternative live music events and the comedy circuit that earns your University city its renown, but the best and brightest options for quiet nights both in and out of doors.

Every new issue will boast at least one new film review from

our staff of almost 30 writers; be it a brash major release watched at the Showcase Cinema De Lux a contemplative or unsettling indie adventure from the Phoenix Art Cinema or a foreign epic from either of the previous. We aim to expand horizons outside academia with the same rigour your course will.

When exhaustion from all this new, astounding intellectual stimuli gets too much, we’ll also be dedicating a few words every so often to the formal re-genesis in video game form. In covering the monthly releases of Tales from The Borderlands and Game of Thrones iOS games from Telltale Studios, we’ll take note of how accessible, story driven, episodic games are bringing new interest and vigour to a medium still languish-

ing on the edge of popular consciousness. At £12 for 8-9 hours of edifying entertainment, the appeal to students is undeniable.

Finally, for the more nostalgic and creative among us, there is the Reboot section. Here, one of our future journalism savants will relate their passion for a film, TV or game series deserving of a reinvigoration to suit our times and give a pitch as to how and why those in charge should handle the process with honour and respect.

There’s no interest, no medium, no viewpoint that is without merit in the eyes of The Ripple Culture section. Continue down the page and see if I’m lying!

A Most Wanted Man

by Rob Jones So I’m walking into the cinema by my lonesome, as a testament to maintaining my status as a cripplingly single man, and I realised I was alone barring two pairs of young men looking for a good thriller as my accompanying audience. It’s a shame, because A Most Wanted Man is a perfectly decent film in this early Autumn cinema drought that I would have avoided had I not already watched Guardians of the Galaxy enough times that I could quote Vin Diesel’s every line of dialogue verbatim.

A Most Wanted Man is based on the book of the same name that views the post 9/11 climate from the previously unexplored Image by Flickr user George Kelly

perspective of German spies rooting out potential extremist threats within Hamburg’s Muslim community. We follow Head of Operations Gunther Bachmann (Philip Hoffman) as he tracks down Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin), the titular Most Wanted Man, a Chechen Muslim who has a large storage of inherited blood money.

Hoffman’s character is an unusual mix between the hard boiled, weary eyed film noir detective and the connections and profile of a post-Cold War spy. Oddly enough, this works.

There are points however when I felt that they were pushing the cynical envelope with a little too much force with the character, as there are only so many times the film can show Hoff-

man dragging from a cig before swilling his umpteenth shot, climaxing with a disgruntled and tired look from our white haired hero before the collective audience can say “We get it already!”.

A clever dynamic of the story is that despite ostensibly being a spy thriller, there is no clearly defined villainous presence until the very end, and even with that in mind the colours our cast fly are less in the black and white and more in the grey. As an alternative, we are presented with three factions; the German spies, led by Hoffman’s detective; the American interventionists; and Issa Karpov and his lawyer girl buddy, all with clear intentions to, I quote, “Make the world a safer place”. This is where the overall tension and stakes of the film lie, and allow us to question whether our heroes actions are truly righteous.

Not to spoil the ending, but the logical conclusion that the film takes with this type of storyline hits you (literally hits you) such that you’ll walk away much in the same manner as Hoffman’s spy; tired, shaken and frustrated but with a familiar bitter taste of inevitability on your lips that you felt the moment America got interested in a potential Islamic terrorist incident.

A Most Wanted Man is a decent throw off from the cliché storm of Hollywood tropes that it could have had, so do the film a favour and watch it with a few friends.

New and Upcoming: Blaenavon

by Deep Shah Blaenavon (that’s blighn-avon), are “three boys with a story to tell”; according to their brief but intriguing online bio. Hailing from Liss, a small village in Hampshire, the teenage trio are made up of Ben Gregory on vocals, Frank Wright on bass, and drummer, Harris McMillan.

They’re named after a town in Wales they visited on a school trip, and cite the likes of Wild Beasts, Joy Division and even rapper MF Doom as some of their influences.

In March last year, ‘Into the Night’, their incredible debut single was unleashed. Boasting an emphatic chorus most bands would only dream of having, the song’s adventurous instrumentation coupled with Ben’s uplifting vocals and classy song writ-

ing makes quite the impression.

Not a bad start for three lads still in school and too young to buy alcohol!

Going onto play sold out shows in London as well as have airplay support from BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music, the Hampshire teens have gone on to releasing Koso, their debut EP. The four-track project opens with ‘Gods’, a melodic affair echoing the trio’s distinct sound through a burst of booming drums and stirring riffs. ‘Wunderkind’ epitomises the maturity and depth of such a young band which sees Ben’s gravelly musings transport you to another world over the serene backdrop. Where Blaenavon really come alive however, is in ‘Prague’, where a certain vulnerability and honesty is reflected

in the brash drums and intoxicating guitars before closing with the more sentimental, slightly nonchalant ‘Lost in Paris’.

In just four tracks, Blaenavon have shown exactly why they’re ones to watch and worth checking out when they play at The Cookie (under The Crumblin Cookie) on Saturday the 27th of September. The story, has just begun…

Image from Blaenavon official Facebook page

Comedy: Tom Stade The Canadian funny-man sits down with The Ripple ahead of his Leicester show to talk why the Midlands make him so happy, Frankie Boyle and the wonders of Iceland

by Conor Heslin Having appeared on Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Dave’s One Night Stand, Tom Stade is getting back to what he really loves this autumn; touring a brand new stand-up show Decisions Decisions.

Tom, I believe the tour is already underway; how’s it going so far?

Totally rockin’! I’m a warrior right now; I’ve just finished the

Edinburgh Festival, 24 dates in a row. My comedy armour is strong, it’s got chinks in it and shit; I’m ready to attack anything!

What can people coming to the Leicester show expect?

You can expect Tom Stade to come in there and kick some f***in’ ass, drive comedy down your throat until you choke on it (laughs)! I’m on fire right now. I didn’t expect to be on fire at 43!

What sort of comedians influenced you growing up, if any?

My Dad was a big comedy fan.

I remember listening to George Carlin’s AMFM album, which I can recite lots of even to this

day. Richard Pryor; I know that’s clichéd, but I actually listened to them, through my Dad. I was raised by fun-loving alcoholics, proper drunks. They really didn’t care what they said to anyone. That’s the humour I grew up around; Say what’s on your mind and make somebody laugh.

You base yourself in the UK full-time now. What was behind that decision?

Yeah man, I’m not leaving this place! You guys are my adopted comedy parents! The English audiences are savvier, and less politically correct! They know it’s a comedy show and they know its satire. That’s why they’re stealing your TV ideas in

the States!

You lived in Wolverhampton when you first came to the UK. Do you think living somewhere so devoid of glamour developed how you see Britain?

We were living there because it was cheap, but it’s possibly the best move I ever made. A lot of funny shit happened there!

Wolverhampton is proper English, no influx of tourism. We lived in a rough area of town. It really showed me Englishness in a way you wouldn’t get it at the Camden Market. Every time I go into the middle of England I really understand England.

They like their dark humour!

A lot of people reading this

7

might not know that you wrote for Frankie Boyle’s Tramadol Nights. Is the darker side of comedy something that appeals to you?

that are wrong with society.

It was an absolute joy to be a part of that experiment. We were just trying to do something different. We wanted the sketches to be dangerous! After the initial shock people are really starting to like that show. People were scared at first because they’ve been eating McDonalds their whole life, and then somebody threw a delicacy in their face! Obviously I can’t speak for Frankie, but he’s honestly one of the nicest guys ever. People don’t realise he’s helping a British guy in Guantanamo Bay. All he does it poke fun at the things

Iceland! It always blow me away that I can take in £20 and come out with a month’s supply. It is the best store ever created! It cater to lazy f***s like myself, and apparently…families? I don’t think posh families shop at Iceland!

example. This internal empathy and passion draws Pacino through the production, even as he seems to age 20 years during the process.

exuberantly discuss the play, Wilde and their own connections to both that left them able to recite Salome off book during both theatre and film productions. Their discussion over the oppositions of obligation and desire, imprisonment and freedom, spirituality and madness and, of course, change leads us to alter our own perceptions in a very fundamental way; in essence, it is impossible to talk about life without talking about Oscar Wilde and Salome.

Finally- As an outsider looking in, what do you think is the strangest thing about Britain?

Tom Stade plays the Leicester Y Theatre on the 3rd October.

Salome and Wilde Salome

by Dan Jordan

Having graced the Leicester Showcase with its one-off, 4 hour mega-event, the double bill of Al Pacino’s adaptation of Salome by Oscar Wilde and the making of documentary Wilde Salome can only be described as transformative. The play itself, in which the aloof but captivating Salome is converted into a demonic but morbidly fascinating necrophiliac, is just the start of the effects it has on all involved in its creation. Pacino himself goes through a degrading exhaustion over the course of the documentary he writes, directs and stars in whilst filming Salome itself in the morning and staging a reading of it at night every day for a week.

The passion he has for the play and setting up the project conjures the image of him having reached the tension point of the elastic cord tied around his waist and the production itself constituting being dragged backwards through quarrels

with producers, on the fly directorial changes, threats to his reputation and the history of the play’s beleaguered author.

As Pacino thuds into the end of production at the near total expense of the good natured calm he struggles to hold on to during the documentary, an immediate recovery comes on as he takes to the stage for the live and utterly indulgent 40 minute Q and A session with Stephen Fry and co-star Jessica Chastain for giddy, well-studied discussion of the film, the play and Wilde’s life. Going in with or without prior knowledge of any of the above, you come out changed.

When converting a play directly to film, there’s always a danger of losing the atmosphere of immediacy that the theatre experience provides. Being mere feet from the actors leaves you much more exposed to whatever emotional turmoil the particular story demands of them. Pacino’s direction, mostly

sharing the perspective of the leering usurper Herod, moulds the barrier the cinema screen could have been into a morbid peephole focused squarely on his stepdaughter Salome. It is then left for Jessica Chastain’s gripping performance to refuse this unsettling perspective any respite until she is given what she wants, the head of John the Baptist as punishment for rejecting her advances. We’re enticed, captivated, then put on the defensive by her intermittently gentle, snide and ravenous defiance as Herod attempts to weasel out of the exchange of John’s head for Salome’s performance of the ostensibly erotic but practically convulsive and off-putting Dance of the Seven Veils. Worn down by the hypnotic repetition of Herod’s slimy negotiation tactics and Salome’s increasingly explosive conviction, our desire to simply gaze at Salome for our pleasure and to appease her for self-preservation climax simultaneously as she is brought John’s head

and begins cradling and kissing it like a hard won child. Herod, whose disgust at his own desires for bringing about this obscenity, mirror our own with all the poignancy that being in the theatre would bring on.

then taken away by secret police and never seen again. But, since

it’s a Twilight Zone episode, there has to be a twist. In this

As Pacino storms off stage and into the making of documentary Wilde Salome, the blustering and borderline Herod is replaced by an easy going visionary being crushed under the strain of his own reputation and the supposed responsibility it brings. From his mockery of the play being advertised under the banner ‘Pacino is back!’ (“What the hell does that mean?”) through to his being charged as a fraud as the play’s cast read scripts off lecterns during performances, his strife eerily echoes those of Oscar Wilde himself. During his time of writing, Wilde was near enough stricken from literary history for the ‘indecent’ attitudes towards sexuality his plays expressed, Salome being the most extreme

Reboot: TV series

by Nick Palmer

Picture, if you will, a man, hunched over his computer, writing for his university student paper. This is Nick Palmer, 20 years old. Concerning the issue of rebooting The Twilight Zone, he must be careful to retain what was special about the show. Each episode should remain a standalone story, a single window among countless others that offer glimpses into...

The Twilight Zone.

Sorry, I’ll stop the Roger Serling-style monologue. Speaking of him, who should play the venerable host? They must guide the viewer, but also possess a creepy, otherworldly quality. My mind, initially, was

drawn to Mads Mikkelsen, who plays the titular cannibal in the outstanding Hannibal. However, I instead chose Hugh Dancy, who plays Will Graham on the show. He’s less unsettling, appearance-wise, but can also more subtly convey that essential sinister quality.

Premise-wise, it just needs to tell strange stories about small towns or unsettling visions of mankind’s future and, occasionally, throw in allegories to contemporary real world issues.

One idea, since dystopia is popular, could be an Earth where humans are encouraged, by their shadowy alien conquerors, to inform on each other if they display any sign of free-thinking. Those who are accused are

The Q and A session serves to spread this keenly felt inspiration to the audience, as Pacino’s snap recovery from the events of Wilde Salome re-energizes even those going through the singularly exhausting struggle of sitting still for three and a half hours. Hosted by wellknown Wilde worshipper Stephen Fry, Pacino and Chastain

case, it’s that the accused are actually taken to a new utopian planet where they are free to live how they choose, and Earth is actually a prison planet for the worst of humanity.

Television needs The Twilight Zone. No other show offered so much to intrigue, disturb or even enlighten, wrapped up in 30 minute stories. Sure, Black Mirror has a similar premise, but The Twilight Zone has that distinctive Americana and offered much more variety, since there were so many more episodes (Black Mirror has 3 per series, whereas The Twilight Zone had at least 30).

Well, Nick Palmer has now finished this piece, but has the

Image by Flickr user DPMS

piece finished with him? Once something is created it can evolve and occupy its own space in ... The Twilight Zone.

Interested in writing for The Ripple?

Email ripple@le.ac.uk

STUDENT GOLD SPO Unlimited access to all sports facilities until GET YOUR 31/08/2015

The Ripple’s Sport section is sponsored by th

SPORT

Suck At Sport? No Sweat!

By Grace Karrach Wood Five reasons you should join a sports society even if you’re really bad at sport Okay, so before you go to uni your parents and teachers tell you about loads of ‘essential’ things that you need to do when you get there; sign up to the doctors, find out where all your lectures are, not wake up in a pool of your own vomit outside your block. However, a major thing that people often don’t tell you is that to get the full experience, you should join a sports society.

Whether it’s Women’s Hockey or American Football, there’s something for everyone, and FYI, being as athletic as Kanye is modest is not an excuse. So, here are my top five reasons why you should sign up now.

•Socials. Freshers’ is great because you get to dress up in fun costumes and look like an idiot. If you want to continue dressing up and looking crazy, then regular sports socials are for you! Ever wanted to dress up army style, like a super hero or as a country? Join, join, join! The keener the better: looking attractive not required.

•Practicalities. On nights out many of us drink way too much, lose all our friends in the first five minutes and spend the whole night wandering around aimlessly, occasionally stopping to slut drop to Ke$ha, solo, but no more! Sports societies generally hang out in the same area

at the Student Union for Let’s Disko, meaning you can make like Dorothy and find your way back home to your society.

•Acquiring of stuff. Students love hoarding weird pointless things that they don’t really need.

Inflatable guitar, anyone? As a member of a sports team you’ll acquire your playing kit, countless novelty t-shirts, potentially some sort of athletic equipment (hockey sticks are great for reaching things far away when you’re hungover) and, of course, all the weird fancy dress accessories you’ve bought. Score.

•Sounding generally interesting. Telling people you play a sport sounds way more interesting than saying you spend all of your time either watching Netflix or on the phone to your mum telling her that yes, you have done your reading, and no, you haven’t set the kitchen on fire yet. It looks good on your CV when you graduate too.

•Luck. You could turn out to be amazing at the sport you choose.

If you’re not, nobody is going to hate you for scoring in your own team’s goal in your first practice game or tripping over the ball in week two. Everybody starts somewhere, you’ll get better.

If that hasn’t swayed you, think of how many more cheesy chips you’ll be able to eat if you’re running around a pitch 3 times a week or swimming ‘til you’re a prune in Lycra. Find out more at Freshers’ Fair or check out any of the sports pages on Facebook.

Edited by Matthew Allen

And Now A Word From Our Leader...

By Matthew Allen

The life of new Sports President Kyfer Stewart is a busy one, but we managed to get half an hour of his time to find out what makes sports at Leicester so good.

From the very beginning of his time at university Kyfer Stewart has been involved in sport.

“I joined rowing in first year, was social sec and then novice women’s captain,” he says, swiftly adding that that’s a coaching role, before any awkward questions could crop up.

“I got involved in the boat club, which had a lot of problems with coaching and equipment, and then just got to know the procedures,” he says. “Everyone wants these problems fixed – I’m going to give it a go.”

Kyfer’s proud of the achievements so far under his leadership. Sports card prices have stayed the same as last year, and he stresses that “despite the lump sum seeming a lot, compared to other universities the gyms are good value.” He has a lot he wants to change around the Student’s Union, commenting that he “wants to improve the recognition of teams within the university and union, by physically being able to see Team Leicester, and putting trophies on show.” A man with a plan it seems, and despite only being in the early stages of the year, he is focused on trying to improve BUCS performance and “always trying to improve facilities”. He admits that spe-

The Foxes Are Back

By Jake Hart Who’d have guessed that just 16 months ago we lost a howler against Watford in the playoffs?

This evening, as I’m typing away, I keep smiling knowing that Leicester City stunned United with a 5-3 explosion of a game.

Most people, at the start of the season, thought that Leicester, The Blue Army, would only march for one season before plunging back into their rightful, natural place in the Championship. Even some of my City loving friends expected us to, at best, only just scrape above

relegation this season. And you know what, as shameful as it is?

I agreed with them! But, after watching Leicester play these past 5 games in the Prem, I’ve got to say: I’m bloody impressed!

The new additions to Pearson’s squad have definitely brought some real quality to The King Power, especially Ulloa and Cambiasso who have really shined so far. You’ve just got to check the stats to see Ulloa’s staggering talent in the box; he’s currently, as I write this, the second highest goal scorer (at 5 goals in 5 games) in the Premier League, second only

to Diego Costa (7 goals)- not too shabby, while “The Old Man”, let alone bringing much needed top flight experience, is pure genius in the middle.

What impresses me the most with Pearson’s management and team this season though has been his uncompromising commitment to so many of the clubs previous-season Championship players. One notable City star is Jamie Vardy, a very late professional football starter having come from non-league side Fleetwood Town in 2012, who is now the epitome of Sonic the Hedgehog up front.

cific aims will take time and a lot of discussion with teams, but there’s a clear vision there underneath the paperwork.

Getting involved in sports is the main message to get across though, with the political side of things paling in comparison to the importance of involvement. After all, that’s what keeps the Sports and Rec department in a job.

not be more true, and in fact that’s the key to creating a better atmosphere amongst sports teams that just about anybody can join a sport; it’s different levels of ability and the sense that you’re not alone that makes sport at Leicester so valuable.

A last piece of advice from the President? “Invest in a sports card – it’s much better value than the other gyms in Leicester – a lot of clubs run taster sessions too, so if you have an interest find out when they are.” Very sage.

He’s passionate for freshers to get involved in sports, which he feels is important in helping embed new students into the student body. “The main reason – especially for freshers – is meeting people. You’ll meet more people and know them better, and you’ll get to know people in other years, which will help you integrate.”

He cites the obvious reasons for getting involved in sports, such as staying fit and healthy, but the most candid comment is that he “dreads to think what my student life would be without sport…that doesn’t make me sound sad does it?” Hardly one to judge, but it just goes to show how important sports can be in helping people settle into university. After all, you’ll make friends with your new flatmates, but you might not want to live with all of them next year.

“Even if you’ve never been involved in sports before, come to Queen’s Hall at Freshers Fair and have a look at what’s on offer.” As evidenced in our Club Captains interviews, this could

This season LCFC just seem to spew out energy and this real desire to not just cling on to the bigger teams like United, Chelsea and Arsenal but to actually sink our teeth in makes them frankly terrified of little Leicester! For example, twice in the game against United we were losing by 2 goals yet still they came back. This is truly awesome, considering that United have never lost a game before in the Premier League when winning 2-0. This leads me to my much considered, admittedly slightly emotional, belief that Leicester might actually make Champions League foot-

Image from leicesterunion.com

ball this season. Please don’t judge me too much yet, just look at it: we are now only 2 places from this out-of-world dream after having played 3 of the top 5 sides from last season and got 8 points – pretty mint eh? Really though, ponder this dream that I’m sure is shared by any other LCFC fanatic.

To finish though, if you’re reading this then you will most likely be a University of Leicester student so, if you can afford it, get down for a couple of games this season and experience Leicester’s return to the top flight! The Foxes are back!!

Image by Flickr user Paul Conneally

ORTS MEMBERSHIP £190 online before RS NOW! Sunday 8th October

he University of Leicester’s Sports and Recreation

Meet Our Presidents

By Grace Karrach Wood Ladies’ Hockey Why should you join Ladies’ Hockey? “Well, without trying to sound cheesy, a ULLHC girl is a friend for life and will help you settle into uni” says Club Captain, Louise Poole.

Put simply, the aim of hockey is to get the ball in the other team’s goal using your hockey stick, but Louise says “the best way to discover hockey is to try it out”.

The club is available for anyone to join, “whether you’re a seasoned pro or have never picked up a stick before” and invites anyone interested to go to the taster session “or even just turn up at training” to get involved.

By Will Towler American Football Enjoying a growing reputation around the UK, American Football at the University of Leicester has showed similar signs of growth in popularity over the last year with hopes that it can emulate the enthusiasm for the sport this year. The team’s president Joe McDougall supplies us with all the vital information.

How do you play the game?

“Similar to rugby”, Joe says, “The game is one of territory with each team attempting to move the ball the length of the pitch to the opposing teams endzone. Points are scored primarily though touchdowns and field-goals with the team split into 3 components: offense, defence and special teams.”

Anyone is welcome to the club as “though obviously preferable, no experience is needed” so experts and novices alike are welcome! The society is well

By Matthew Allen Cheer and Stunt Fresh off their best ever competition performance and their first ever Varsity appearance, Olivia Hay, Captain of the Sports Society of the Year, Leicester Panthers Cheer and Stunt, gives me the low-down on the sport and why you should get involved.

Cheer is a sport that has a lot going for it, described as “main-

The club has 2 teams, as well as a development squad for beginners. Louise describes how the club is well known for its “buzzing” socials, which happen every Wednesday night, to the extent that they “even have a social membership for those who don’t want to play, but want to attend the amazing socials.” A typical social involves fancy dress and meeting in the Loaded Dog and often ends up “in the famous Hockey Corner” of Let’s Disko. Past socials include pub golf and “tight and bright”, as well as joint socials with the men’s and mixed teams such as “crawl of duty”.

Every year the club goes on Tour to Salou, often described equipped with numerous staff and coaches too. Joe states that “our setup of 5 coaches and 20+ returning players will be on hand to bring new players up to speed with respect to rules, positions and playbooks by the time the first game comes around.”

The club also boasts a vociferous social scene with the focus on fun and team bonding rather than heavy drinking. “We have weekly socials at our sponsor (The Loaded Dog), and the team often gets together to watch the NFL on the Sunday.” In addition Joe adds, “we also have a yearly SuperBowl party at the Loaded Dog which is open to everybody regardless of membership”.

In keeping with the spirit of companionship, the society’s social is combined with the cheerleading one. “We have several socials with cheerleading each semester, and last year we even went on tour with them,” and when it comes to tour, the society always offers ly stunting, which involves three or four girls lifting a flyer into the air” as well as “a combination of tumbling, dancing and jumps”. This may all sound a bit daunting, but as Olivia says, “there’s no need for prior experience – a lot of the girls haven’t done anything before.”

That’s not to say there’s no place for experience: “obviously dancers, gymnasts and cheerleaders are welcome, but we’ll teach

as “essential life experience”, which Louise reckons “anyone who goes on it will certainly agree!” So if “buzzing” socials, “friend[s] for life” and the idea of improving your hockey skills – or even learning from scratch – sounds like it’s for you, head down to freshers’ fair and the taster session to meet the girls, play the game and decide for yourself!

Key Information: •Taster session – Wednesday 1st October at 2-4pm at the Manor Road AstroTurf •Training – Mondays 18:30-20:00pm, Thursdays 20:00 – 22:00 •Matches – Wednesdays and Saturdays •Joining fee £25 an attractive package with the destination this year being the Spanish municipality Salou.

So why join this society then?

Well, the society offers “an alternative university experience where members are encouraged to indulge in whatever aspect of university life they choose”.

Its hospitable character makes it one of the most enjoyable around as “All people are welcome within the team with a primary emphasis on integrating new members as quickly as possible”.

Key Information: •Taster session – Introductory talk on the 2nd October/ First session on the 3rd.

•Training–Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Sunday morning at Nelson Mandela Park.

•Matches – Sunday training/games at Stoughton Road Playing Fields.

•Kit fee - £40 plus deposit. everyone to the same level.”

Aside from the technicalities, Cheer has a vibrant social side to it, with “socials every Wednesday, including joint socials with American Football, Football and Rugby League,” as well as going on Tour every Easter. In addition to these standards, Cheer has something to set itself apart. “At the end of every year we have cheer week, where we do activities every day as a

By Grace Karrach Wood Lacrosse Never heard of lacrosse?

No problem.

Often nicknamed ‘the fastest sport on two legs’, the aim of the game is to score by throwing the ball from your stick into the other team’s goal, and the Lacrosse society welcomes anybody interested to join, ‘whether you’ve played it before or you have never even heard of lacrosse’, like Lacrosse President Ian Rhodes when he first joined.

Ian describes the sport as being ‘similar to ice hockey’ in terms of physicality for the men’s matches, with players being able to body check one another, with there still being ‘just as much speed and excitement’ in the women’s matches, though less contact. The equipment

By Matthew Allen Dodgeball “If you’ve seen the movie starring Ben Stiller, you get the idea…” says UoL Dodgeball president Calum O’Flaherty, and with such a glamorous name attached you can hardly be surprised that Dodgeball is a sport quickly growing in stature in the university.

“The rules are simple”, he says.

“Two teams of 6 attempt to knock each other out of the game by throwing or catching one of three balls”. The club itself has an highly inclusive membership scheme, where “anyone can join and no experience is necessary – we cater for people of all abilities”.

Socially Calum is confident that Dodgeball can cater for your voracious needs, saying “we have one of the best social sides within the sports clubs; we always have a lot of fun and there are so many themes that there team such as spa days, ice skating, the zoo and Laser Quest.”

That not enough for you? How about a closing statement?

“People have pre-conceptions about cheer, that it’s just waving pom-poms on the side of the pitch, but it’s completely different; we train hard and party hard, so if you want to try something new, meet lots of different societies and have lots of fun, this is the sport for you.”

is all provided by the team for free, with team kit prices to be determined later, at ‘reasonable prices’ meaning you won’t have to break the bank to join.

The team hosts socials every Wednesday which ‘always play to [their] eccentric and fun-loving personalities, ranging from crazy fancy dress themes to curry socials’, meaning they’ve got the social side covered.

They also go on Tour every year, describing it as their ‘sacred event’ on which they go as a large group to Salou, for ‘sun, sangria and lax on the beach’.

Key Information: •Taster session – Saturday 4th October at 1pm at Stoughton Road Playing Fields •Training – Tuesdays 20:3022:00, Saturdays 10:00-11:30 •Matches – Wednesday afternoons (usually 2pm), Sunday afternoons (usually 1pm) •Joining fee £25

Ian reckons that joining Lacrosse Society is ‘the best choice you can make’ – drop by at fresher’s fair and head down to the taster session to decide for yourself.

Lacrosse President Ian Rhodes

is something for everyone”.

You don’t have to be a drinker either, despite the stereotypes that sports carry with them.

As for tour, that’s a work in progress, but the president says that the club are “looking into starting one”, and with such a buzzing social side you can imagine that when they do find one, it’ll be up there with the best.

Why should you join Dodgeball then? Well, “Dodgeball is a fast-paced game for everyone, catering to people of all abilities, and because of this it is one of the most enjoyable, fast-growing clubs on campus.

Once you’ve joined this club, you’ll never look back and you’ll have some of the most fun and exciting years at uni”.

Drop in to their taster session and see what it’s all about.

Key Information: •Taster session – 6th, 9th and 12th October •Training – Mondays, Thurs-

days and Sundays at Manor Road and Charles Wilson •Matches – tournaments mostly on weekends •Kit fee - £38 for kit should you wish to take part in tournaments

Interested in being a resident Sports writer?

Email ma581@student.le.ac.uk

How could you possibly say no?

Key Information: •Taster session – Monday 6th 5 – 6:30pm for people with dance, gymnastics and cheer experience, 6:30 – 8pm for newbies; Thursday 9th 6 – 7:30pm, 7:30 – 9pm for those with above experience and 9 – 10pm for boys.

•Training – Tuesday & Thursday 6-9pm with additional training around competitions.

•Kit fee - £70 (+£20 for trainers)

Cheer Captain Olivia Hay

For all the latest match reports, fixtures and results, and for more expert analysis from our seasoned Sports team, visit www.the-ripple.co.uk/sports