Issue 7

est. 1957

The University of Leicester’s free student newspaper

www.the-ripple.co.uk ripple@le.ac.uk @uolripple www.facebook.com/therippleleicester Issue Seven

Semester Two

16th February - 1st March

Elections Special 2015

Also in this issue...

Opinion

Features

What’s On

Culture

Lifestyle

Sports

NEWS

2

A Word from Your Candidates Pitching for Presidency Engagement Officer Wellbeing Officer Edited by Ross Brown

Rachel Holland Since starting at Leicester, I’ve been actively involved in the SU. From my role as Women’s Officer, to running two campaigning societies, representing students has always been my priority. This year I reintroduced the provision of free condoms in the Union and brought back cash payments at Fresh Fair. This experience, commitment and understanding of student needs are qualities I can bring to the role of President.

If elected, I’ll lobby the university to open up study space in Charles Wilson, push for flexible meals in halls and introduce a Rockstar Card to make Union nights better value.

Qamar Khan My aspiration is to return the student and student societies and sports clubs back to the centre of activities for the Students’ Union. This partnership has appeared strained and there has been a great deal of misunderstanding over the recent past. I aim to re-establish this relationship and ultimately strengthen the student body as a whole. We must reach out to all 23,000 students and break away from the clique around the Percy Gee. I feel that this can be achieved through building on the current success and engaging with societies, sports clubs, international students, distance learners and university faculties.

Em Harvey In the last three years, I have been heavily involved in the Students’ Union, leading a number of campaigns and events, for example a Love Music Hate Homophobia gig, which raised over £750 for charity. I am experienced and passionate, and want to work directly for you as your Engagement Officer next year. My key policies include challenging the stigma of mental health, creating more long-term food and drink deals across the city, better communication with all students, and more transparency within the Union. To find out more, email me at EJH45@student.le.ac.uk and vote #EMgagement

Education Officer

Robert Greenhill EXPERIENCE? 5 years Course Rep (Course Rep of the Year 2013); 3 years Union Council (2 years Education Zone); Student Experience Enhancement Group; NUS Course Rep Conference 2014; NUS Sections Conference (Mature and PartTime) 2015. Oh, and University Challenge Captain 3 times.

ENTHUSIASM? From Leicester - partisan about this university!

AIMS? Maintaining and developing the Course Rep system!

Consistent feedback from tutors! New teaching and learning spaces! Better representation for mature, part-time and distance learning students.

Matt Jones I’m currently Postgraduate Officer and I’m running to be the next Education Officer. My four big policies are: Individual marks in group work: Group work is important - but for grades, sharing isn’t caring. Fairer resits, bring back extensions: Mitigating circumstances rules are too vague, and the 40% resit cap means that resits don’t always help. Text alerts for timetable changes: To keep you informed because not everyone can check their e-mail on the move. End unfair printing costs: They’re a hidden course cost. You shouldn’t have to pay to hand in your work.

Lily Patrick I’m Lily Patrick, running to be your Education Officer – and hope to have a little bit of fun in the meantime! I pledge useful, achievable initiatives to make your university experience a little easier, including: Personal tutor training, from careers advice to pastoral care; Oadby book return service and buses from halls to Covenant Life Church during exams; Reading weeks and free language modules as part of your degree; Increased online resources; Paperless essay submissions.

If you have ANY questions or queries, don’t hesitate to message me on Facebook – my door is always open. Don’t be silly, vote for Lily.

Shaziya Tayub My name is Shaziya Tayub and I am standing for the Education Officer’s position.

My aim is to improve International students’ experiences at university. Despite being the largest population amongst students, they are usually sidelined and not given attention as to how they are integrating into the university. For example, no festivals are celebrated to en-

courage participation or respect for their culture at university, or given moral support in getting used to a new country. I want to focus on the barriers and challenges international students face. My objective is to tackle the postgraduate compulsory course named ‘Study Skills’ – which is seen as a ‘waste of time’ and ‘not worth it’.

VOTE FOR A CHANGE

Alex Mitchell I am a dedicated student striving to give you more of a voice, representation and saving than is currently apparent in our Union.

Firstly, I will roll out £2 pints and spirit and mixer all year, not just for periods here and there; more referendums so you have a say and an exec question time where you can grill your representatives; more autonomy and authority for liberation officers providing them with more of the Union budget; a green campaign to switch off lights through rolling out a volunteering programme. It’s YOUR Union, get involved, and vote Alex Mitchell for Engagement!

Roisin Gallagher I am running for Wellbeing Officer and have the passion and experience required for the role. I’ve gained insight into problems faced by students from volunteering 600+ hours for Nightline. As the current Internal Coordinator I provide one to one support to look after volunteer welfare. I am the co-founder and training officer of the Mental Health Awareness & Support society, for which I create workshops to raise awareness and inform how to support yourself and others.

I pledge to fill the gaps in the current welfare system and introduce measures for a safer, happier university lifestyle.

Lauran Hunter Hi, I’m Lauran a third year psychology student and your current Health and Wellbeing Officer. I’m running to become your Wellbeing Officer as I wish to continue the great work I’ve been doing as a part-time officer. Along with campaigns, last term I conducted a survey to find out what you want. Given the opportunity as the Wellbeing Officer I will lobby the university to provide services you want and further develop the support services.

Check out my plan by reading my manifesto! Like what you see? Then head over to Facebook and ‘like’ my campaign.

Student Development Officer

Lloyd Clark Most people come to university for the unique experience, and to increase their job prospects.

As Student Development Officer I will ensure that students have the university experience they want, by encouraging and listening to their views relating to the running of their Students’ Union. I will also make fairness and equal opportunities my top priorities, so that all students leave university having been given the same opportunities to develop themselves and increase their employability. Vote Lloyd for Development, for a Union that supports its many student groups and keeps you informed!

Ayesha Hamilton With my breadth of experience in student development activities, I have the understanding needed for this role. I pledge to: ‘Build-a-pass’ Gym Membership: A tailored sports-pass that gives you the freedom to pick and mix the facilities you want to have access to. Universal Peer-Mentor Scheme: The establishment of a support network running throughout the Students’ Union that allows for the exchange of ideas across societies & course-reps.

Charles Wilson Building Redevelopment: This has huge potential for the creation of new social study areas and society spaces for a range of activities, designed with students in mind.

Kyfer Stewart As Sports President I stopped any rise in Sports Card fees, introduced the Sports Charter to promote equality in sport, increased funding to sports teams and worked hard to make the Team Leicester brand stronger.

Next year I want to do much more: creating a disability association, giving a voice to those who need it, establish a Coaching and Volunteering Fund to empower students to help their own team, society or the local community. Introduce the Union Award to recognise your hard work outside your degree.

Finally, I’ll carry on fighting for better facilities. Vote Kyfer4Development – get more.

Voting opens on Sunday 22nd at 6pm, and closes on Wednesday 25th at noon.

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Campaigner Interviews: Behind the Scenes

The Ripple talks to the people putting the power behind the campaigns Lewis Eves Who are you campaigning for?

Em Harvey Why did you decide to get involved in a campaign?

I’ve come to be more active as a member of Leicester’s Students’ Union now that I’ve come to my final year at Leicester. As such, when I was asked by Emily to be a part of the campaign, and after they shared some of the early ideas with me, I decided that here was a candidate I could support and therefore help.

Why are you helping your candidate specifically?

I’ve known Emily since my first day of classes in first year. This doesn’t mean I would support the campaign merely on acJohn Gillott Who are you campaigning for?

Ayesha Hamilton Why did you decide to get involved in a campaign?

I love campaigning, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and a great way to get handson experience with running a campaign. I’ve campaigned in the previous two executive elections and really enjoyed it, I’ve met some great friends through campaigning and made memories I’ll cherish.

Marie-Claire Hynes Who are you campaigning for?

Lauran Hunter Why did you decide to get involved in a campaign?

I decided to get involved in a campaign as I feel that it will benefit the Union directly for future students use and will also help me in my campaigning skills and boosting my confidence within myself.

By getting involved in a campaign I am able to ensure that the word is spread as many ways as possible across the Students’ Union to ensure the right candidates get the votes that they deserve. By speaking to students

count of knowing the candidate.

The Union is criticised for ineptitude but this is a misconception because much of what is achieved goes unacknowledged.

With regards to Em, I’ll point to the welfare initiatives such as the introduction of gender-neutral facilities which is getting introduced within the next few months and also Em’s Love Music Hate Homophobia event.

Since Em went into action and successfully achieved these things, and having spoken to people who are more directly affected, it dawned upon me that they are significant and that those Em has helped through them are extremely grateful.

transparency of fees’ policy.

Speaking as a student of International Relations and History I pay £9,000 a year and have merely six contact hours a week, making myself and other students frustrated with the service we’re paying for. I understand that the library, Union and support staff need funding. However, the student body doesn’t get to see these services and instead focus on the aspect of the paid service which most directly effects them, that is their time in class.

What’s your favourite policy?

My favourite has to be the ‘more Why are you helping your candidate specifically?

I think Ayesha has some amazing policies and I want to ensure they’re heard. Ayesha is a hard working individual who is committed to improving our Union through her work as a course representative and society president. She also bribed me with brownies.

ly good idea, it’ll make gym memberships more accessible to students who can’t afford the expensive membership fees or only require sports card insurance and use of gym equipment.

What’s your favourite policy?

‘Build-a-Pass’ gym membership; it allows students to customise their gym membership and only pay for the facilities they use. I think it’s a genuineand handing out copies of the manifestos, this will help effectively communicate and boost confidence of the candidates and the campaign team.

Why are helping your candidate specifically?

I am helping my candidate specifically as I believe that they have a very good chance in becoming elected and they have a very good manifesto that will benefit the Union and all its students when implemented at the university. My candidate is already the Health & Wellbeing officer within the Union and her ideas are beneficially to all students both in their health and wellbeing, whilst at the university.

Jeffrey Cheng Who are you campaigning for?

Lloyd Clark Why did you decide to get involved in campaigning?

Leicester Students’ Union is run by the student community. Being a second year, I felt now was the perfect opportunity to have my say within that community.

During my time as a first year, participating in campaigns felt daunting as I was still unfamiliar with the system, however after a little more experience and familiarity with union elections, I feel I can give a positive and meaningful contribution to the university by campaigning in the elections.

Rasha Roushdi Who are you campaigning for?

Roisin Gallagher Why did you decide to get involved in a campaign?

I wanted to support someone who I thought would be dedicated in a sabbatical role to make lasting changes to make the uni a better place to be.

Why are you helping your candidate specifically?

Having worked alongside Roisin in Nightline being a fellow coordinator, I have come to see

What’s your favourite policy?

My favourite policy is the introducing of a peer mentor scheme into all universities and colleges, as I feel it is important for all students to have a route of easier communication with any difficulties that they can raise and address academically, knowing that they have a support mechanism for themselves individually.

Eden Richardson Who are you campaigning for?

Alex Mitchell Why did you decide to get involved in a campaign?

I did something similar last year and I think it’s always fun to get involved in a winning team!

You get to meet so many people through visiting Oadby and talking to students on campus and you learn about what sort of changes students would like to see made and that makes it worth it for me.

Why are you helping your candidate specifically?

Through our mutual involvement in several societies includ-

Why are you helping your candidate specifically?

Lloyd is one of the few people that I can say is an easily approachable and down to earth person. From the first semester, I came to realise that he is an honest and reliable friend having the best intentions for everyone in mind, which I think are important qualities in a Union Officer. Furthermore, being in third year, Lloyd has enough experience of university life to put fresh ideas into the student body.

confusing within the fair, as the amalgamation of noise from each society can be slightly disorientating. That is why Lloyd is proposing a societies prospectus containing all the clubs and societies at the University of Leicester, and not just a select few. This will improve efficiency at Freshers’ Fair, and provide more information to students and more publicity for overlooked societies.

What is your favourite policy?

One of the most important event in the academic calendar year is Freshers’ Fair, where all the societies and clubs reach out to recruit more people. Though it is advertised well, it can get how much she cares about others and how much she wants to improve the wellbeing of others. Also, knowing her personally I have seen her dedication to mental health through her constant working behind the scenes to develop and improve both Nightline and MHAS constantly.

end up in situations on nights out that would benefit hugely from support and welfare.

Something that I feel could be tackled by a safety room.

What’s your favourite policy?

I think Roisin’s proposal for a safety room in the SU on nights out is really important. Other universities have this service and it has proven to be really successful. Students can often ing Union Council, I have been able to get to know Alex and have been able to see his commitment to truth and honesty and his desire to make sure that those we elect are able to provide answers for their actions.

Whether it’s dressing up as “Freddy the Bear” during Nightline Awareness week or discussing issues with members of the Union zone, Alex demonstrates that he is the kind of guy that applies his enthusiasm to make positive changes to everything he does.

the International Officer to make sure that international students’ needs are properly acknowledged by the Students’ Union. This really appeals to me as someone new to the UK with many friends who are international students. A lot still needs to be done to make them feel at home in Leicester.

What’s your favourite policy?

If elected, Alex will work more closely with the International Students’ Association and

A Guide to the Elections: The Key Facts

by Lauren Swain

newspaper.

It’s that time of year again…

Elections.

There are currently only four Executive Officers; an extra role has been added this year, created by splitting the incumbent Experience Officer into a Student Development Officer and Wellbeing Officer.

There are five positions that students are running for: President, Engagement Officer, Education Officer, Student Development Officer and Wellbeing Officer, and there are full job descriptions further on in this

Voting opens online on Sunday 22nd February at 6pm and clos-

es on Wednesday 25th February at noon. You can vote online through the Union website, or there will be polling stations and street teams throughout the three days. Last year, there were multiple polling stations in the Union, and the entrance to the library - so look out for them soon!

There’s quite a few candidates

though, so how do you decide who to vote for?

Candidates have submitted manifestos, and often promote them via Facebook and Twitter. These are a great place to start as you can find out what candidates stand for and what their main policies are. To make it even easier, we also have 100 word summaries featured in this

copy of The Ripple! But if you get to the polling station and you’ve forgotten to look, don’t worry! There will be a book of all the manifestos available there for you to look through.

The debate will take place on Tuesday 17th February at 6:30pm in the Rattray Lecture Theatre. The Ripple also has online interviews with all of the

candidates which can be found at the-ripple.co.uk.

The results will be announced at Lets Disko on Wednesday 25th February, the same day voting closes. You can expect tears, laughter, celebratory stage dancing and lots of confetti. But if you don’t fancy that, you can follow The Ripple’s live tweeting of the night.

4

Percy G: The Bear Behind the Union more about me.

First of all, I recently spent a day filming in order to help students understand exactly what the Executive Officers of our Union do. The video was a huge hit and can be found on YouTube - I’m considering taking up a career in acting after my success!

Hello! Percy G here! I’ve been around for quite a while but apparently I’m a bit of a celebrity now, so the lovely people at The Ripple have asked me to write them an article telling you a bit

I first started at University of Leicester’s Students’ Union at the start of this academic year, 2014/15, when it was suggested I use my incredible powers of persuasion to get students to vote in Union Council elections.

I believe voting in any election is super important, especially when you’re at uni - you guys are smart, you know what you’re talking about, so show the people that and vote! I believe that you students, though young (the vast majority of you), are pretty good at figuring out the best candidate for the job, so why not make a difference with that knowledge, right?

Unfortunately, I didn’t do as great of a job at persuading you all as I’d hoped because voter turnout was down, despite candidate turnout being better

than ever! But we all live and learn - I’ve heard a few of you do that on a weekly basis whilst nursing a Shabangover - so I’m back to help you figure out what the elections are, who the candidates are, and how you can vote.

Here’s what I’ll be doing until the elections are over:

though! Voting stations will be in the lobby and I’ll have to make sure my people are doing their jobs properly.

sure people are letting their voices be heard. Also… I can’t go long without my Starbucks fix.

3. You’re most likely to find me in the Students’ Union making

4. I have to take regular trips to the downstairs of the SU to make sure everyone in the Exec Office is doing okay. Elections are a big time for outgoing officers as well as those campaigning to be elected!

1. Getting a good breakfast in me. All the campaigners will be doing this too; it’s still very cold outside and campaigning is a long, hard day’s work.

It’s a hard life being a bear - but someone has to do it!

2. I’ll pop into the library every now and then - not to read

Picking a Popular Policy is Paramount

by Jess Buckley

By a country mile, this year’s most popular policy to campaign for is to increase support for international students, with 8 candidates campaigning

for this in one way or another.

There’s a bid for the international vote from every Executive Officer group except Student Development. In fact, every candidate for President, Engagement and Wellbeing pledge

this change, and half of the candidates for Education want to improve support and communication with international students.

Many campaigners share an

uncontrollable passion for your student experience. This means Rachel Holland, Matt Jones, Em Harvey and Lily Patrick all want to see changes made to timetabling. The former two want text alerts to be available when there have been sudden changes to your student timetable. The latter two candidates want your timetable to be available a lot sooner. Also with four candidates making a pledge, is a ‘Going Green’ policy. Alex Mitchell and Em Harvey want a change to how we deal with the use of electricity in the Union - they want to start monitoring our light switch usage; Alex by introducing a ‘Switch Off ’ system, and Em wants to install light sensors - technical! Em, alongside Lily Patrick, is also campaigning for a paperless system to make us more green and, of course, to save the trees! Housing is another one of this year’s most popular policies. Em Har-

Executive Officer Elections: The Positions Explained

by Karina Maduro

So what exactly do the executive team do? The executive team is currently made up of four positions – President, Engagement, Experience and Education.

However this year’s elections bring one main change: in order to create clearer-defined roles, the position of Experience Officer is being split into Student Development Officer and Wellbeing Officer. Here’s what each one is responsible for: President: The President serves as the main representative of students.

They oversee all activities relating to the Students’ Union such as freshers’ fortnight, Union campaigns and the Union’s overall strategy. The President is also responsible for chairing Executive Officer meetings and leading the Executive team.

Moreover, the President acts as

the figurehead for wider events; they are the leading trustee on the Board of Trustees, the primary contact for the NUS and also for public events.

Education Officer: The Education Officer’s primary concern is your degree; they serve as the primary contact for educational issues such as assessment and feedback. They are in charge of improving the quality of the university’s education system, developing existing policies and conducting academic campaigns. You have probably already heard of the course rep system and the endof-year Superstar awards where outstanding members of staff are awarded prizes; the Education Officer also oversees this.

Engagement Officer: Do you have something to say about the Students’ Union? Your first point of contact is the En-

gagement Officer as they are responsible for increasing student participation and dealing with complaints. In particular, the Engagement Officer deals with underrepresented groups such as postgrads, distance learners, part-time learners and internationals. They also work with part-time officers when it comes to campaigns that are aimed at these underrepresented groups.

As well as this, the Engagement Officer also oversees the equality policy and promotes equal opportunities within the Union.

Student Development Officer: One of the two new roles to be introduced, the nature of the Student Development Officer’s job is two-fold. Firstly, they deal with student clubs, societies and media groups. They are also responsible for being a point of contact between the Union and Sports and Recreation. Secondly, the Student Development

Officer also deals with student employability, overseeing things like the Leicester Award and the Higher Education Award Report (HEAR). They act as a point of contact between the Union and the university’s careers service.

Wellbeing Officer: The second of the two new roles, the Wellbeing Officer’s main concern is students’ welfare, wellbeing and safety. This means acting as a point of contact between with the support services and Nightline, as well as being the primary point of contact when dealing with accommodation issues. The Wellbeing Officer also oversees relevant campaigns, and works with local and regional groups on wellbeing-related issues.

vey and Lauran Hunter want students to be fully educated in the rental market before they rush into a long term commitment. Whilst Rachel Holland has a plethora of housing focussed policies, such as accommodation for student families, a rent guarantor scheme and individual rooms to be made available through SULets.

There are then 5 policy groups which at least 3 candidates are lobbying for. Rachel Holland, Em Harvey and Matt Jones all want to see a change to the way the University deals with printing costs. Both Engagement Officer candidates alongside Ayesha Hamilton for Student Development want to increase transparency within the Union allowing you to find out what is really going on; no more secrets from Executive Officers. Again, both Engagement candidates, alongside Rachel Holland, want This Issue’s Team: President: Lauren Swain lfls1@le.ac.uk Editor-in-chief: Jess Buckley jbb6@le.ac.uk Operations Manager: Anuj Yadav ay59@le.ac.uk Deputy Editors: Karina Maduro akm38@le.ac.uk

to increase drinks deals; Rachel through a ‘Rockstar card’, Alex’s £2 pints, and Em through ‘negotiation’. Lauran Hunter, Em Harvey and Rachel Holland all want an increase in training to various staff members on Zero Tolerance policy and how to implement it. Rachel Holland, Lauran Hunter and Lily Patrick also want to see formal training for tutors to properly deal with students struggling with mental wellbeing issues.

Each candidate has a plethora of policies, usually relating to their specific officer role; however, these are a collection of the most popular policies across the board, pledged by the majority of candidates, regardless of position they’re campaigning for.

Make sure you read their full manifestos, and make sure you know who you are voting for.

Culture Editor: Dan Jordan dj82@ke.ac.uk Lifestyle Editor: Emily Bird erb15@le.ac.uk Sport Editor: Matthew Allen ma581@le.ac.uk Legal Officer: Levin Lalan ll201@le.ac.uk

Megan Cadwaladr mgc15@le.ac.uk

Treasurer: Jess Stonestreet js19@le.ac.uk

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

Secretary: Megan Wright mw277@le.ac.uk

Opinion Editor: Jessica Wells jsw20@le.ac.uk

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

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

Head of Advertising: Juliette Smith jrs38@le.ac.uk

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

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

5

Your Guide to the Debates

by Lauren Swain

The Executive Election Debate will be happening on Tuesday 17th February in the Rattray Lecture Theatre starting at 6.30pm. Here’s everything you need to know.

The debate is a great opportunity for students to question candidates on topics and issues that concern them. Think sports cards are too expensive? Want to see something different happen in the SU? The debate is the perfect chance for you to ask the questions that matter to you, and help you decide who to vote for. If you’ve never been to one before it can seem intimidating, but it’s actually very simple, interesting, and lots of fun. This year the debate will be hosted by Megan Dunn, the NUS Vice-President for Education; hopefully she’ll be as great as last year’s host, Toni Pierce.

Each position will be called up one at a time, and short videos about each of the candidates will be played. The candidates will then be ready to take questions and start debating the issues that students want to know about. After each position has been debated, there will then be a short break, before the next one starts.

Do… ask questions. If you have questions beforehand you might want to write them down or submit them online through the Union website. Submitting the questions online means that the questions will be anonymous and you won’t have to remember anything on the night! If you can’t think of any, go along anyway! You might be inspired by something one of the candidates says or a different question. Anybody can put their hand up and ask a question.

of opportunity to watch it later on.

Do… follow the live tweeting.

The Ripple will be live tweeting the whole debate (@UoLRipple), and it won’t all be serious.

If you just want the highlights of the debate or like to engage with politics through social media then follow our coverage via the hashtag #ULSUdebate and join in. We love seeing a different take on the debates and Union

politics.

Don’t… target questions towards candidates. As tempting as this is, it’s not really the purpose of the debate, as it doesn’t give the candidates a chance to discuss their views. It’s easy to ask a question that all candidates can answer, even if you only particularly want to know the answer from one, it just takes some creative phrasing.

Don’t… heckle. As fun as this may seem, it won’t go down well. Someone tried heckling in Union Council once and was nearly forcibly removed from the room. The debates are fun, but they’re there to serve a purpose; to help you and other students work out who they should be voting for. It’s just common decency not to heckle any of the candidates (no matter how much you disagree with them).

If you think a candidate is

wrong then challenge them on it, but heckling is just a sure-fire way to make everybody think your point is wrong.

Do… consider reading the candidates manifestos or 100 word summaries. These will give you an idea of what a candidate stands for and believes in and is a great way to work out what questions to ask them, and give you an idea of who they support.

Do… bring food. The debate can go on for a while, especially with five positions to debate over, and fourteen candidates to grill, so snacks are essential. Cookies and pizza have all been consumed in the past, and there’s always a Starbucks or two. The Rattray lecture theatre can get warm, so bring a drink, and your phone to tweet about it all.

Do… watch it on YouTube. The Union will be live streaming the debate and will have videos of the debate up on YouTube afterwards, so you can catch it at home if you don’t fancy trekking into uni. Many students watched the debate this way last year, in the comfort of their own home. So don’t worry if you can’t make it, you’ll have plenty

DON’T MISS

EXELCEUCTTIIOVNES E

THE GREAT BIG

ELECTION DEBATE

YOUR CHANCE TO GRILL THE CANDIDATES ABOUT THEIR PROMISES FREE PIZZA!

RATE THEIR MAK E YOUR ASK YOUR ANSWERS CHOICE QUESTIONS

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Tuesday 17th February Rattray Lecture Theatre 6:30pm CHAIR: MEGAN DUNNE Vice President NUS

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6

Outgoing Officers Have Their Say Michael Rubin, outgoing President Sean Kelly-Walsh, outgoing Engagement Officer like they never delivered, and I thought the entire thing was a bit of a joke to be honest. And then when I sort of got involved in second year and did the Living Wage campaign […] that kind of sold it to me that Students’ Unions were worth getting involved in.

Lauren Swain (LS): When did you first get involved with the Students’ Union?

Michael Rubin (MR): I first got involved in my second year, when I decided to run for council. I didn’t really know much about the Students’ Union and one of my friends suggested that I might want to run for Union Parliament, as it was known then. And at the time I didn’t really know what Union Parliament was and didn’t know what it did, so my campaign was sort of about opening up Parliament to make sure students knew what Union Parliament did, and what the Union did, and I obviously got elected.

LS: You were first voted in as Education Officer then you decided to re-run as President, why did you decide to make this next step?

MR: There were lots of reasons why I decided to go for President. Firstly I kind of felt I didn’t have another big idea like lecture capture, and I discovered that it wasn’t just education that interested me, it was the Union as a whole, and all the different aspects. I thought I’d enjoy the challenge of doing a slightly different position and contribute to lots of different areas in the Union.

LS: Why did you decide to run for Executive Officer?

LS: Freshers are about to be shocked by the amount of leaflets they’re about to receive.

What do you want to say to people about why the election process is important?

MR: I suppose I was very cynical in my first year, I made a very conscious choice in my first year not to get involved in the Students’ Union. My experience with the elections was that it was these candidates promising the earth and it seemed

MR: I can get why people aren’t engaged. I think it’s tough because there’s great value in campaigning , and I think it’s very important that candidates do campaign and be proactive, to encourage people to actually want to get involved in the pro-

cess. My advice would be, that it is important, who represents you and who speaks for you, and it can have a meaningful impact on the quality of your time at Leicester. But it can be frustrating if people are throwing leaflets in your face and not talking to you, so challenge them, ask them questions, and have a conversation with them.

LS: What have you achieved this year that you’re most proud of?

MR: I’m tempted to say £2 meal deal, but I hope my legacy is slightly more than that. I guess it’s more of a process than an achievement, but I guess my proudest moment is the shift from the Union telling students what to do, to empowering them, and making decisions for themselves. It’s that shift in culture that I’m most proud about.

LS: Is there anything you regret not doing? That you maybe didn’t have time for?

MR: I mean I’ve still got six months; I’m still hopeful I can achieve more. So we managed to get the cash machine in Oadby but one of the other things we were pushing for was to have a Students’ Union space up there, maybe a café and some study space, and it’s something we’ve been pushing for a number of years but haven’t been able to get through.

[And] a couple of people had come to me and said, ‘You do these campaigns, you do these various other things; have you ever thought about running for an executive position in some way or another?’

Jess Buckley (JB): When and why did you decide to first get involved with the Union?

Sean Kelly-Walsh (SKW): To be honest, when I first came here, I didn’t really understand what the Union was. I’d been on tonnes of nights out, I’d been in the Square a lot, and various other things, but I didn’t really know much about the Union until my second year. I started to form a political society which was great; I’d never been able to organise my own group before so I was really excited to get the sort of things I was really passionate about like campaigns, delivering my own campaigns against youth homelessness which we do outside [the Union].

JB: Why did you eventually decide to run for an Executive Officer position?

SKW: I think I knew people went for it so I started to enquire and ask questions, ‘What is the role? What do you actually do?’

At this point in the interview, a lost soul wandered in to the Executive Officers office asking where he should go as he was a volunteer for ‘My Vote Counts’.

This is an initiative set up by the Union to increase the amount of registered student voters. Sean is more than happy to help him out, directing him to the Square where more sign ups were taking place to coincide with National Voter Registration Day. There will also be chance to sign up later in March - so keep your eyes peeled!

SKW: Yeah, so, I definitely wasn’t a hack, I definitely wasn’t the person, necessarily, to go for it. I didn’t think I was; people didn’t know me that much. And I just put my name forward, and I actually got elected. I didn’t expect to.

JB: As your time as an Executive Officer, what would you say is your proudest achievement?

SKW: My overall happiest moment, that I think made the most difference among certain people, was probably the campaign against Disabled Students Allowance. It was something that I didn’t know much

[about]. But this came up and I thought it was a great opportunity to really sort of shout about it, considering the fact that you know, we have about 1,200 disabled students registered at our university; this would affect a good portion of them. And it was good because loads of people were running the campaign, […] tonnes of people who had never been involved in the Union, [or] campaigns before that were coming forward. We did a protest at the clock tower, and the government ultimately have decided to postpone it which is really positive.

JB: And finally, what advice would you give to people that are considering taking on this role, now and in future years?

SKW: I would say, there’s not one kind of person that has to run for these positions. You have to be representative of the student body, no person can represent every single person’s view and opinion. If you’ve been involved as a course rep, or in a society, or you’ve worked in Union Diner, or you want to make a change: you’re the kind of person that should be running for these positions, because you are representative.

The most important thing is that you think that you can make a difference, and you want to be able to improve the student experience for people and stand up; you’re the person for this.

Yordan Nikolov, outgoing Education Officer Karina Maduro (KM): When did you first get involved with the Union?

Yordan Nikolov (YN): It was rather late, actually, midway through my second year. A friend of mine told me there was a place in Union Council, they thought that I would be good at it because I am opinionated, so I ran for it, got in and that’s how it all started. It was just a new world. Then in my second year I ran to be part-time International Officer, lost, but got the lesson from it. In my third year I ran to be Education Officer and was successful at that, so, here I am, gladly.

KM: Why did you decide to run for a sabbatical position?

YN: I wanted to help make the Union a better place. I wanted to

help students, make a difference to their day, to their university experience. It really depends on who gets in and what sort of experience they have with the Union and university itself. I just thought I was the best person for the job. Although I got involved mid-way through my second year in the Union, I got involved quite fast.

KM: More specifically, why did you choose to run for Education Officer?

YN: I think for the position that makes the most difference to students in their day to day life is the education position because we’re all here to do our degrees. The Education Officer is in the best position to make the most difference, in my opinion, to students’ lives and wellbeing.

I don’t mean to say that other roles aren’t relevant because they are hugely relevant and important but through changes in the curriculum, through changes in the degree structure or even the timetables, the Education Officer has a lot of impact into students’ lives and their ex-

perience at Leicester. That’s the reason why I ran for that.

KM: What have you achieved this year that you’re most proud of?

YN: I have to say the changes to the academic year structure. 2,500 students responded to the survey and the changes that were made and passed through the university senate were exactly the changes students wanted. So not only was there real change happening, but in a student-friendly way.

As well as that, obviously flexible pathways changes to the degree structure; so the changes were joint together, and again it was driven by students, for students. As well as that, I recently released an online sustainability course. There have been taught modules on sustainability, but nothing as flexible as what we have now. So the course will appear on students’ HEAR and on the degree transcript as well.

This is relevant not just for raising awareness for sustainability, but also teaching students for the future and helping them

with their employability. The fourth thing which I’m doing and I hope to be able to complete before the end of my term is an online course in quality and diversity. This will be for all students, completely free. Obviously, the course will trickle down to staff members which I believe is crucial.

KM: What have been the greatest difficulties or challenges?

YN: I remember when I started during the summer, something happened which hadn’t happened in several years. So the university was going over its financial position and viability, and decided that several schools needed to be closed because they weren’t performing well. So essentially, they were jeopardising the university’s financial standing. I needed to be involved to make sure that students get what they signed up for and that the incoming students would get what they would have signed up for. So it was a mad dash and literally in the first month when I started to make sure that everything

was sorted, and make sure that no student was left behind. I’m very glad to say that was overcome; I wouldn’t say easily, but quite effectively.

KM: Why did you decide not to re-run in this year’s election?

YN: I’d rather concentrate on having a full-time position and I think I have the skills. Obviously it’s a huge role and a great opportunity for anyone; so needless to say that someone can only do it twice in their lifetime, so two terms. I’m quite happy with what I’ve achieved and we still have four and a half months to go, which means even more time to do what we’ve committed to. I’m ready to move on and leave the Union to the upcoming sabbs, and obviously because of the changes in the structure, I think it’s good to make space for the incoming officers, so that they can make their mark.

KM: So you see the fact that there are no returning officers as a positive thing, for next year’s team?

YN: I think it can be a positive, definitely. I think there’s a positive in continuity, but with the changes we’ve made to the sabbatical structure there’s a lot more space for development with the university and the Students’ Union. Most are on university committees which isn’t necessarily the case at the moment, so not all of us have as many university committees. That’s about to change, and that’s changed for the better.

KM: And finally, what advice would you give to whoever succeeds you next year as Education Officer?

YN: Just give it your best shot.

Make sure to stick to your manifestos. Some things may change as there’s always something that screws up, it’s inevitable, that’s the nature of the role. But stay on top of it, when that happens be very determined and give it your best. Come in with the knowledge that you’ll have to put in more hours than you think you would, and you’ll do well.

OPINION

7

Edited by Jessica Wells

Why Voting is Important My Right to Not Cast a Vote

by Jessica Wells

by Ross Brown

With the figure of 3,177 as the voter turnout last year, it may appear that students do not care for politics, but I beg to differ.

This time of year in particular, is and will be, full of politics in both our Students’ Union and on our TV’s. There really is no better time to get your voting hat on!

Sitting in the Students’ Union, the candidates for this year’s executive elections and their campaign teams will ask whether you’ve voted. If the answer is no, be prepared for them to ask you to. A nice peaceful rest in The Square can turn in a moment into a frenzy of politics and information that you probably don’t care about. They will give you a leaflet that explains their policies briefly and that is it - how can you be expected to vote based on that?

Firstly, voting is a privilege that we are very fortunate to have. It allows us to choose someone to represent us and our beliefs, creating an environment in which we can voice our opinions and receive answers to all our burning questions. They also strive to make our university experience better; take for example the recent Safe for Housing campaign which highlighted the pitfalls of private housing to students and offered advice if they need it.

The recent #MyVoteCounts campaign created by the Union urged, and successfully may I add, students to register for the upcoming general election. This success, if nothing, suggests that students are interested and ready to engage in politics.

ion, but also reflect a larger proportion of the student body.

If we look at the policies of the candidates running this year, we can see they are feasible and interesting. Whilst some policies are the same, we need to read between the lines, and actually gauge their perspective on their intentions. If there’s one that stands out to you, talk about it, question the candidate on it!

The more understanding you and the student body have on it, the better.

It is through this campaign that the Union hope to see a rise in the voter turnout, and I hope they do too. I want to see the student body better represented by the Executive team and I want the future of the success of our Union to be safeguarded by the right decisions of those who use it.

If you don’t like the candidates, do not be under the illusion that you cannot vote! On every ballot paper under each role, there is the option to vote for ‘RON’, or in other words, to ‘reopen nominations’. If RON gains enough votes, the election for the role in question will be reopened for another few weeks, giving time for new candidates to reveal themselves and their policies.

It is highly unlikely that we will see a 100% turnout this year, but if another few thousand chose to vote, it would influence the results dramatically. One only has to look at last year’s results breakdown to see how close it was. It could be the same again this year, but more votes would not only mark a decisive opin-

Last year, 100 word manifestos were released for the first time, and I believe this was a major contribution to the rise in voting. They will be available this year, and to read all of them will only take a short time out of your day. I want people to vote, but to be frank, if you’re not prepared to do the back work and

either read the manifestos or go to the debate, you shouldn’t waste it!

Those that are running for election have also put time and effort into their campaigning and it’s about time we gave some enthusiasm back. Yes, it is not nice being flyered as you are trying to get to a lecture, but without these tireless campaigners and candidates, we wouldn’t have an Executive team, and without them, we wouldn’t have a collective student voice.

That collective voice in particular is a special part of university politics that we as students cannot engage with anywhere else.

The politicians currently trying to gain support all over the country are struggling to gain the student vote, all because we lost confidence in them and in return they lost confidence in us. They don’t relate to us and vice versa. Here, at university, you have the opportunity to make sure that someone listens to you; so use it!

When speaking to other students it either seems that they are not interested in student politics, or that they are completely disenchanted and disengaged with it. We hear time and time again by these student politicians that they have our best interests at heart and that they will impact our experience at university. I have now been here for 18 months and have seen absolutely no difference. If anything, the Executive Officers seem to have become more unpopular.

Personally, I am against the idea of electing Executive Officers to positions that seem to be available to create an illusion of democracy within the Students’ Union. It is almost comical that one of the positions is titled ‘Engagement Officer’ but this seems ineffective when more and more students feel disengaged with the Union. Are such roles worth voting for when it

seems that their actions will not fulfil the role?

Most students find politics uninteresting and boring, with national elections often highlighting politicians flaws. An example of this is the Liberal Democrat party promising to stop a rise in tuition fees... and we all know how that ended. It could be as a result of this that the many of the student population lost faith in our national politicians and had a knock on effect, in turn, for student politics. Why vote for someone that promises a policy when once they have been voted in, could easily renege on their promises.

A lot of policies seem well thought out and in theory provide a clear direction of change which will enhance the experience for students studying at the university. But when it comes down to it, I believe that the candidates and policies put forward never deliver what they promise. I understand some policies will be extremely hard to implement but maybe time should be spent more wisely campaigning for these changes rather than implementing others.

A recent concern of mine is a new initiative to create a new online only course about sustainability and how it can be implemented inside the University. As much as this is a pressing issue not just here at Leicester but also across the world, is this really what students need?

Politics may bore some, but it is a large part of our infrastructure. Ignoring it won’t make it go away, but involving yourself and spreading that involvement might just make a change in the way things are run.

In a time of cuts to sectors including education, will students find it necessary to take this online course? The things that matter to students are tuition fees, society funding, the quality of teaching and facilities. These are the issues that matter to the students and that the Executive Officers should be tackling.

I am a firm believer of conviction politics, where things should be done for the belief that they are right. Sometimes it feels that in the Union, self-interest is more important than student’s interests. This is my main argument against the idea of voting.

I will not be prepared to waste my time to vote when I have witnessed absolutely no change in my time at university. Are we really prepared to allow the university to pay executive officers £18,000 a year to not have much impact on the majority of students? I am sure this money could be put to better use elsewhere to improve the experience of all of us studying here at Leicester.

To be honest though, a low turnout and refusal to vote may be the ‘kick up the arse’ the Students’ Union needs. Nationally, there are parties that people use as a protest vote but we do not have this option. Instead, we simply have the option of not voting at all.

If the turnout this year is low and people refuse to vote, the self-interest of the Executive Officers would finally be damaged.

This event could be the turning point in which our officers are forced to listen to the student population and actually change our experiences at the University of Leicester.

Image from Students’ Union website

A Little Less Conversation, a Little More Action Please

by Jessica Wells

Last year, many non-voters complained about the outcome of results of the Union elections.

But why should we listen to them, when they didn’t exercise their right to vote?

Whilst there might be fewer candidates up for election this year, there is a decent amount of diversity. Last year saw seventeen students running for positions in the election, with only four students being female.

In comparison, this year sees six women in the running for a number of positions out of a total of fifteen candidates.

It is no secret that last year’s elections were full of drama and

surprises, but one surprise some may not have expected, was an all-white, all-male elected team.

In fact, some felt so angered by it that many took to Twitter to vent their frustration. A simple search through last year’s election tweets will show that some students felt as if their votes were wasted, and that the team did not represent them.

One student asked why there was a 50% female quota for Union Council and not for the elections. The answer is simple: democracy.

backgrounds choose not to run, then who do we pick from? The most relatable candidate, or the candidate with the best policies.

That’s politics for you though; how many of us really feel that David Cameron represents us? I certainly don’t, but there will be people who do. The Union elections are no different. There are people out there, who wished that some of the other candidates from last year, especially a female candidate, were elected.

However, the majority spoke, and the current team represent us whether we like it or not.

Yes, the University of Leicester may be one of the most diverse campuses in the United Kingdom, but we choose who represents us. If those with different

Thus, if you’re one of those students who feel under represented this year, and fancy a change in the demographics of our Executive team, then I implore

you to read all of this year’s candidates’ manifestos and actually vote.

The voter turnout has always seen low numbers, with last year’s turn out only reaching 3,177, a decrease from the previous year although the time in which students were able to vote was lessened. Even with this year’s #myvotecounts campaign, numbers aren’t expected to increase either. A significant amount of the student body just aren’t interested enough in the elections to take part, but even if you are sick of the constant flyering, or the long drawn out manifestos, please, just pay some attention to it!

How many people do you know

that actually voted last year?

How many of those students do you think simply voted to get their ‘golden ticket’ and paid no attention to which candidate they were choosing? More importantly, how many people do you know that didn’t actually vote at all?

This year, for those that have complained, we have an opportunity for an all-female Executive team, and more notably, a female president. For representation sake though, it would benefit the larger student body if the team was obviously balanced. Nevertheless there will always be complaints, and a minority will feel under-represented.

This year we have a real opportunity for change and what better way to do it through exercising democracy. If you don’t vote, then don’t expect anyone to take your complaints seriously.

It’s about time that we, as a body of students, made our voice clear. Everyone is banging on about it, but yes, there is a general election later this year. Our voices and, more importantly, our votes, matter. In both our Union and our country. If there’s even the slightest chance you could take an interest in elections, please let it be this year.

FEATURES

8

Edited by Fjollë Bunjaku

Who Really Represents LGBTQ?

by Jaipreet Deo In November 2014, the Leicester Mercury wrote that attacks on minority-sexuality people were on the rise. In the first 10 months of 2014, Leicestershire Police recorded 57 incidents of violence against gay and bisexual people, compared with 52 incidents in 2013. The fact that NUS research, in a study titled Education Beyond the Straight and Narrow, shows that 20% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students experience bullying while studying at university raises the Image by Flikr user Soapylovedeb

issue of how LGBTQ students at the University of Leicester find they’re being treated.

In 2011, Leicester City Council estimated that there were between 1500 and 2100 lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in the city. The LGBTQ society of the University of Leicester offers support to students of all sexualities (girls loving girls, guys loving guys, either loving either or anyone, or being sexually or romantically attracted to no one) and genders (feeling that you belong to a different gender than the one you were born with, that you change some-

times, or don’t belong to either).

Before LGBTQ students come to university, many have worries about how they will be perceived by fellow students, and whether to come out at all. One student said they were originally going to try and be as straight as possible and not tell anyone their true gender or sexuality. However, most feel that this is something they needn’t worry about any more. As far as the student community is concerned, many LGBTQ students reported that people were generally accepting of their gender and sexuality, and that the LGBTQ society has encouraged them to be more open about who they are. But is the university itself doing all it can to support these students?

Nonetheless, there remain issues at the university. Problematically, the LGBT+ officer and other liberation officers at Leicester work on a part-time basis, which has raised concerns about the amount of work they can actually do, and therefore how much of a difference they can make. Additionally, some LGBTQ students have stated

that they do not feel safe on nights out at the O2 Academy.

Some have experienced homophobic comments while with their significant other, and inappropriate comments have been made towards LGBTQ students by bouncers, despite the Union’s Zero Tolerance policy.

Students report overwhelmingly that it is in fact the LGBTQ society that offers ‘great comfort and support’, especially the Safe Space provided. It runs welfare workshops, and events, works with the local community, offers social support, and brings the opportunity for its members to meet similar people which contributes to confidence to be who they are. It also introduces members to alternative clubs and bars for those who do not feel comfortable at the O2. Additionally, students say the society has led them to ‘learn more about [their] identity’ due to the ‘atmosphere, activism and people’. Students who have partaken in society events have been particularly affected. One student who had taken part in an election says the event ‘opened my eyes to all the different kinds

of identities and expressions and made me discover so much about myself. It played a huge part in me being able to come out as a non-binary transgender person’.

So how do these experiences compare with those at other universities? Across many, LGBTQ societies provide a support base for students, organising events and welfare improvement. However, some universities themselves do not share the same goals. At the University of Brighton, there is a lack of regulations in place to prevent homophobic language – one student said that someone was called a ‘faggot’ in a seminar while the tutor laughed. That being said, most students regard their overall university experience as a positive one. However, similar to Leicester, the majority of liberation officers in Students’ Unions are unpaid or part-time, so can have only limited effects on the lives of the students they are employed to support.

Additionally, there is support available within the city; the Leicester LGBT Centre offers

help from Wellington Street. Although it doesn’t explicitly mention supporting those who don’t quite fit into certain categories (such as asexual, pansexual or agender), when questioned about this they suggested that they offer support to anyone of any gender or sexual orientation who needs it. Furthermore, Leicester Wildcats is a football club that serves the LGBT community and organises football practice and competitions, with people travelling from all over the Midlands to play on Tuesday evenings. Regarding the nightlife, there are a number of options specifically aimed at LGBTQ people, such as Bossa and Rainbow & Dove.

So life at Leicester University for LGBTQ students is generally positive; however there are definite areas that need improvement, such as safety at the O2 Academy and the establishment of full time liberation officers.

If anyone needs support in relation to these matters, consider talking to a member of the LGBTQ society.

Addiction: Can it Be Tackled?

by Ana Zadel

What exactly is it?

Normally addiction is first associated with abuse of prohibited substances and with the dependence on permitted ones, but it is rarely connected to things such as food or social media. This type of addiction is becoming more and more problematic nowadays, yet we know very little about it. It is not simply a habit that can be easily overcome if the wish to do so is strong enough: it is a chronic illness, a disorder.

Addiction is characterised by compulsive physiological needs to use as well as a tolerance to psychoactive factors that induces the release of dopamine and consequently leads to feelings of euphoria, resulting in a ‘rewiring’ of the brain until the wish to use becomes a necessity and more and more is required to feel the same effects as at the start.

Has it always been this way?

Psychoactive substances have ever present in society. Primarily extracted from plants, they were used for religious ceremonies by priests and shamans especially in the Americas for example, to achieve a higher state of mind and by healers for

medicinal purposes. The problems began when people started using them for recreational purposes and lost control over the usage.

The American Civil War however, brought about dependence on narcotics that were used to treat the wounded, who had access to them when they no longer needed it, and the outbreak of opium dens in many parts of the world in the 19th century led to a state of apathy.

Problems with substance abuse were recognised gradually, but in the blink of an eye, in the spirit of temperance, the United States ushered in the era of prohibition.

It could be argued that prohibition had a somewhat of a counter effect to what the Temperance Movement were trying to achieve, with alcohol production being driven underground by criminal gangs. There is still big business to be had from pedalling dangerous substances and many of those involved will not easily give it up. The Business Insider reported in October 2014 that the Mexican Drugs War has killed an estimated 60,000 people, with the disappearance of 43 students from the town of Iguala last year being linked to a drugs cartel.

Students and addition

When it comes to alcoholism in particular, it is difficult to define when drinking socially turns into one individual’s problem.

Alcohol consumption seems to be an increasingly essential part of the student life. ‘Pre-drinking’ or drinking at home before going to a venue is popular amongst students in Leicester and nationwide. This has led to concerns about the prevalence of binge drinking in the United Kingdom. When substance use starts interfering with normal functioning or when a person gives up activities that were important to them in order to drink; it then becomes an issue.

Addiction causes lasting changes in the brain, the memory of it remaining, which is why it is so easy to relapse and why the withdrawal is so long and difficult. A smoker’s common phrase is ‘I can quit tomorrow’.

It is not that simple. The rise of smoking as a socialising opportunity in some countries allows excuses to be made when people find themselves smoking alone such as, ‘I only smoke to calm down’.

The anxiety experienced is in fact due to smoking in the first place, the body requires more and more nicotine. Many addicts find that addiction is a

Image by Flikr user Chuck Grimmett

slippery slope and can often be hard to recognise. Jon Roberts, a University of Leicester graduate, former drug abuser and inspiration behind the 2014 documentary ‘Dear Albert’, said that it was only when he realised how his drug use had become a part of an elaborate lie that he did not want to be an addict anymore. Lies form a large part of addiction, lying to yourself, family or a friend is an early indication that substance abuse is taking over your life.

What about other types of addiction?

Addiction to social media does

not appear to be as physiologically harmful as many others, but it has almost exact same effect on the brain with the immediate rewards achieved with very little effort, increasing the desire for these stimulations. It could be argued that it is impossible to eradicate addiction in society as there will always be people more prone to addiction.

In February 2012 Forbes Magazine discussed the potential existence of Internet Use Disorder (IUD) in society making the association between IUD and mental illness. Mental illness is one factor that can impact on addiction or vice versa. This is

often associated with addiction, whether they were present before or were acquired along the way is not really important, they need to be treated with equal care, in order for rehab to be effective.

George Orwell feared complete control by inflicting pain and Aldous Huxley control by inflicting pleasure, suggesting that what we love will destroy us. It is on the upcoming generation to prevent any of those scenarios happening, and that is why it is important to deal with addiction. As difficult as it may be, it is possible to become clean and reintegrate into society.

WHAT’S ON

9

Edited by Jessica Ramsdale

Culture off Campus Societies on Campus

by Alexander Statham

Many of us students get regularly reminded about the vibrant cultural events and nightlife that occur within the proximities of our humble little city of Leicester. Yet between the monumental celebrations of Diwali and the animal enclosure that is the Republic smoking area, the general consensus is that there just isn’t much to do in Leicester. Well, The Ripple is here to inform you of upcoming events from around the city, in efforts to enrich the average student’s social life beyond Netflix and bargain booze branded wine.

The Soundhouse is an established pub venue frequented by a diverse range of bands almost every evening. There are student discounts available including 25% off the ticket price for Soundhouse promoted shows, special limited drinks offers and 10% off all other drinks. There is a great range of established and up-and-coming acts that pass through, with ticket prices varying dependent on this.

Particular gigs that are worth a mention throughout February and March are Max Raptor, with Yearbook and Swim Good, on the 28th Feb, and Allusondrugs on the 20th March at the backend of supporting Enter Shikari on their UK headline tour. Both shows are £6 advanced ticket prices without student discount.

performances. Over the coming weeks, the Curve is hosting the likes of: ‘The Woman in Black’, running from the 16th to 21st February (ticket prices varying from £13 - £28); ‘Comedy Heaven’ that ends Dave’s Comedy Festival on the 22nd February (tickets at £15); and Sue Townsend’s ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole: The Musical’ which is on show from 7th March til 4th April (tickets are £13 - £38).

very own O2 and Scholar bar are the venues to more than ‘Let’s Disko’ (forever known as ‘Red Leicester’) and ‘Shabang!’

Coming up at our university is the Leicester-date of the Moose Blood and Creeper tour (5th March - £8.05), Lonely the Brave plus special guests (7th March - £9.05), and for those hair-metal fans out there, Steel Panther, who you can catch on 13th March with Lounge Kitten (tickets £24.18).

by Jessica Ramsdale

If live theatre is not for you, then try and support the nearby independently run cinema, the Phoenix. Showings this next month or so, with student ticket prices from £5, include ‘Foxcatcher’ starring Steve Carell, of Anchorman and The Office fame, and Channing Tatum (6th – 23rd February), and ‘Selma’, which documents the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, featuring Tom Wilkinson, Wendell Pierce of ‘The Wire’ and Martin Sheen (13th – 26th February).

So there we have it! A great selection of events to willfully drag yourself and your friends to if you want to make the most of Leicester’s entertainment. Of course, this is a very condensed list, so please do check out the many joints located around the city to experience the best of what it has to offer.

Also on campus, pancake day is round the corner and what better way to spend it than with the SLUGS. Bring along some toppings and get ready to toss.

Meet at Charles Wilson steps at 7pm on the 18th February at 19:00 and join in with what promises to be a flippin’ good night!

NB – The prices included in the list do not include card transaction fees, which are dependent on the place in which the tickets are bought from.

If you’re looking for a change of scenery from the Leicester University campus then join the ULEES on the 20th February on their trip to Northern Ireland. Explore Belfast, complete with bar crawl, welcome dinner, bar crawl and VIP club entry, the stunning Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Red Rope Bridge, the historic walled city of Derry and the Belfast sightseeing tour. The price of £139 includes executive coach travel, you also get the ferry crossing, 2 nights hostel accommodation, breakfast, a Belfast tourist map, Saturday night club entry, a ULEES tour t-shirt and the experienced Travelholics Reps and ULEES committee members.

Dragging ourselves back to our ever-loved campus, our

Image by Flikr user Jim Monk

Located within a stone’s throw from the Soundhouse, the Curve is a highly established venue for live acts ranging from musicals to comedy and drama

Make sure not to miss out on your chance to hear the candidates for the election of your Union discuss and defend themselves in the election debate. Get your questions answered and make an informed decision about who to vote for.

The debate takes place from 18:30- 21:30 on the 17th February in the Rattray Lecture Theatre.

Image by Flikr user Konstantinos Kazantzoglou

The 28th February will be an unforgettable night for all chocolate lovers, as UNICEF on Campus invites you to Willy Wonka’s ‘Night of Pure Imagination’. The night promises to be choca-bloc with blocks of chocolate, as well as fountains and stacks of the stuff. An array of sweet treats await you, as well as Wonka-themed cocktails and mocktails. The formal will take place at Mix’d Cafe Bar from 20:00. The theme is colourful and formal dress, and tickets cost £10 for members and £12 for non-members. All proceeds will go towards Unicef.

towards the end of the week make sure you catch some music on campus. First, there is the Cherry Coke night at The Scholar, with support from Stubb, Children of Leir and Prophets of Saturn. Advance tickets are £6.05 and are available online or from The Point. It will take place on the 19th February at 19:00 at The Scholar. You will be serenaded with soothing sounds and swept up with upbeat rhythms. If you don’t get your full fix then the night after on the 20th, the Carbnaby’s will play at the Scholar at 19:00 and will surely keep you satisfied.

If you’re looking to wind down

Leicester Comedy Festival

by Emma Smith

It’s that time of year again: that time of the year where Leicester is filled with laughter, events and brilliant venues in what has been named England’s biggest comedy festival.

show starting at 7.30pm, the comedian – a Chortle Award nominee for 2014 – performs his brand new show. Not one to miss, Pierre’s show is a sure fire hit if it is anything compared to his Edinburgh run.

After kicking off with a launch party that involved a speech from the Mayor of Leicester at the brand new venue Hansom Hall on Wednesday the 4th, the festival started at an all-time high with an event. It was hosted by Just The Tonic, the wellknown and brilliant comedy club who are usually situated in Nottingham.

On Wednesday 18th February at The Cookie Comedy Club’s venue “The Globe” again – a famous destination in Leicester – you can see Leicester Mercury’s “Comedian of the Year 2014,” Kate Lucas, dazzle you with her wit. With doors opening at 9pm, for only £5 you can enjoy a fantastic musical comedy show following her popular Edinburgh show “Well-adjusted” last year.

Kicking off next week’s festivities, on Monday 16th February you can see Pierre Novellie’s “Work in Progress” for a small fee of £5 at the brilliant venue “The Globe” pub with The Cookie Comedy Club. The

On Friday 20th February you can expect a whole host of fantastic shows including the wonderfully whacky “Comedy In The Dark” hosted by Big Difference Productions in Phoenix Square, an excellent theatre in

association with our university.

For the small price of £10, after touring both the UK and Europe with sell-out shows, you can see a blindingly good show in which you won’t really see anything at all! If you are someone that’s up for trying new things, why not try this truly unique experience with doors opening at 8pm and starting at 8.30pm.

the Central Baptist Church at 7.30pm where, for just £6, you can see “The Clean (as possible) Comedy Show”, also on Friday 20th February. In this show, you will witness three top comedians from the circuit clean up their act with host Tony Vino in an event that aims to please even those who like the cleanest of jokes.

If sitting in the dark doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, make sure to head to Just the Tonic’s “Five Acts for a Fiver” night on Friday 20th February at Hansom Hall at 8.30pm. This fantastic show was a huge sell-out last week and is an absolute bargain, featuring some of the circuit’s best and best up and coming comedians.

On Saturday 21st February make sure to head to Hansom Hall with Just the Tonic to see Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Panel Prize 2014 winners “Funz and Gamez,” the most talked about show of the summer. Funz and Gamez is a take on a children’s show which is wildly inappropriate, challenges protocols and is well loved by all audience members – adults or children!

If you’ve always been interested in seeing comedy but you’d appreciate some cleaner language and topics, head down to

For a taste of some of Leicester’s own student’s work on the com-

edy scene, head to the Cookie on High Street at 8.30pm for DMU’s comedy club’s show “Gagging for Attention” on Sunday 22nd February. For just £5 you can see several different comedians talking about their

student lives – stories that I’m sure everyone can relate to.

The festival ends on the 22nd, so make sure to get your fill of amazing comedy before it’s over for another year!

Image by Flikr user Richard

CULTURE Film Review: Whiplash Inherent Vice Review 10

Edited by Dan Jordan

Image from Cassie Brummit at Phoenix

moments of compassion on the subject but, overall, they are not wholly believable.

Whiplash revolves around an aspiring drummer and his encounters with a ruthless instructor named Fletcher, whom he must impress in order to become the lead drummer of his jazz group and, ultimately, to be considered one of greats.

J. K. Simmons plays the seemingly unimpressible Fletcher, a role which he suits as well as his now synonymous portrayal of the Daily Bugle’s loud newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Simmons manages to play the manipulative character without him becoming a nonsense-shouting caricature, despite occasionally hurling the odd object and possessing a loud obsession with timing and tempo. But when the group is performing in public, a more respectable appearance of Fletcher needs to be maintained. Still, he is able to conduct and control others with silent glances. This is a man that feigns interest and support in another, to then use what he learns against them for ‘necessary motivation’.

by Owen Morgan

The film follows a relatively simple story, due to its David versus Goliath nature, however the conflict between drummer and instructor is the main focus of the film about how far you are willing to go to achieve your aspirations (and what you are prepared to lose). The drummer seemingly must separate himself from the surrounding world to reach the level of talent required and that he believes he has, if at the expense of a few pints of blood. The film also touches on whether Fletcher really believes that he is helping musicians with the fear and pressure he generates. He has

Individual characteristics and backgrounds of the two leads are kept deliberately vague.

While this works for establishing the mysterious Fletcher, it works against the development of the main character and the attachment you form to him.

Any scenes involving the drummer are there just to emphasize what he has to lose to reach the level of his icons. Sure, you feel for him when he comes to heads with Fletchers non-union methods, but that’s not because you’ve bonded with the character but rather you are aware of the insensitivity of Fletcher’s methods. You could argue that the lack of time spent on developing the character ensures that the viewer sees him as only a drummer, reflecting how Fletcher sees him only for his musical talent. However, the choice to focus on the character in this manner no way diminishes Miles Teller’s portrayal.

Whiplash manages to create an exciting film about a jazz group, helped along by the editing. This achievement is most apparent in a surprisingly long drum solo that manages to create tension and drama, whilst only being supported by stares between the two main characters. It is a very enjoyable film to watch with J. K. Simmons fully deserving of any awards that come his way. However, despite the perfectly fitting ending, the overall lightness of plot may be disappointing to some.

by John Anderson Just try to follow the plot, I implore you. Ninety minutes in you’ll begin to lose any semblance of what’s happening and hopefully you won’t mind!

Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation of the Thomas Pynchon novel possesses a narrative that doesn’t function by conventional standards.

We follow the perpetually baffling adventures of 1970 LA private investigator Larry ‘Doc’ Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) whose near-permanent narcotic haze leads us to question whether this growing climate of paranoia and conspiracy in a post-Altamont America is real, or the mere by-product of his psychoactive dosing.

The Chandler-like narrative incited by a visit by Doc’s disappeared ‘ex-old lady’ Shasta (the seductive Katherine Water-

son) and involving the elusive ‘Golden Fang’ (which may be a ship, a dentists’ tax evasion scheme or complex international smuggling operation) is both psychedelic neo-noir and stoner comedy. Its incomprehensibility works because of Anderson’s wonderful evocation of this era of metamorphosis: LA retains a 60’s charm of sunshine and free love, contrasted by scenes of darkness and the fact that conversations in hushed tones comprise much of the film.

The world is changing, and Doc finds himself at its Kafkaesque epicentre. We see the city through his eyes and, thanks to the soundtrack, they are deeply sentimental eyes. Delicate flashbacks showcase Doc and his ex’s tender relationship, even whilst desperately trying to score drugs. Perhaps Doc is merely along for the ride - so long as that ride leads to Shasta.

Inherent Vice features a large cast whose often ephemeral appearances lure us into connecting these seemingly convoluted plot threads: all provide thrills and intrigue. Phoenix is perfect as the addled PI who clearly improvises his life, but it’s Josh Brolin’s role as Christian ‘Bigfoot’ Bjornsen, an eccentric police officer who represents the anti-hippie brigade, that’s truly scene-stealing. Also notable is Owen Wilson as sax-player-

turned-snitch, and musician Joanna Newsom’s debut role as narrator and the ethereal Sortilegé.

The title is a legal term referring to an object’s innate defect that causes its deterioration. The film itself suffers this, somewhat losing steam in the final 45 minutes thanks to its labyrinthine narrative that is also an artistic strength. Grounding everything, however, is the comedy. It’s dense, but concentration is rewarded with subtle wit (watch what Doc writes on his notepad) plus visual gags and some of the finest physical comedy around.

Pynchon’s novels succeed because brazen humour balances the sincerity and profundities beneath, and this is a fine translation to the screen. Just don’t expect to watch something with a recognisable structure. Only one scene is patently a hallucination - maybe it’s just as real as the Golden Fang? But don’t overexert: perhaps it’s best to sit back, luxuriate in a beautifully shot Los Angeles, and allow yourself, much like Doc, to wander through and simply inhale as much as you can.

It turns out to be an enjoyable ride, something to rewatch.

Then try reading Pynchon - like this, it’s difficult but boundlessly rewarding.

TV: 12 Monkeys Pilot Reboot: Indiana Moans

by Owen Morgan

As Syfy tries to redeem itself as the home of science fiction (or should that be syence fyction *snorts*), it has produced ‘12 Monkeys’ the television series.

Based on Terry Gilliam’s film of the same name (which was itself was influenced by a French short film), the show fails to reach the brilliance of either films.

The story follows James Cole, a man from 2043 who must travel back to present day in order to stop the outbreak of a virus that has killed the vast majority of the world’s population in his own time. Cole is one of the few that are immune to the virus and enters into the role of ‘humanities saviour’ in an attempt to seek redemption for what he has done to survive. He returns to present day with the name of the man responsible for the deadly virus and looks for the assistance of Cassandra Railly (a virologist) to find him.

These two characters are quickly thrown together, both accepting the premise without any obvious worries. Considering Cole has travelled almost 30 years into the past, where

everything is odd and different to him surrounded by people he knows to be dead, he appears very unaffected by the situation.

Then Cassandra almost instantly accepts him as a time traveller without much convincing. Cassandra is no longer the psychiatrist of the film, resulting in neither her or the viewer (or even Cole) thinking at any point that this is all a manifest of a mentally ill Cole. The lead actor is sadly very much what you’d expect from a Syfy production.

I’m not saying he’s appalling but Bruce Willis seems to be a highly trained Shakespearian actor in comparison.

To the show’s benefit, it quickly tries to take the original premise of the film and then develops the story differently, establishing its own rules for time travel.

Whilst keeping the difficulty of it and the errors it creates, this randomness of the time travel could create an interesting narrative as long as it’s not overused.

Regrettably, though, it seems to create a reality in which the future can be changed. The show fails to separate itself enough from its predecessors, with the apparent ‘big changes’ to the show involving swapping a character’s gender and remov-

by Nick Palmer

Come on guys, can’t we just leave Indiana Jones alone? This series belongs in a museum.

Rumours have surfaced about a potential reboot of the classic adventure series, with new Hollywood big-thing, Chris Pratt playing the half-smirking, Nazi-punching, fedora-saving, uh… nuke-surviving (*sigh*) titular character.

Image by Flickr user Justin Oberman

ing the red herring elements of the film. This lack of significant adaptation makes the blandness of the show more apparent and highlights the simplicity of the opening episode and seemingly overall plot, which is: find person responsible for virus, kill person, person dead, humanity saved, celebrate.

I hoped the show would take the premise in an original direction, but from the opening episode it appears that it will stick too close to the plot of the film with only minor changes and without any unique directing. Fans of the film, simply rewatch it (or La Jetée, the French short film it’s influenced by), but I wouldn’t recommend this series.

Pratt is a hot commodity at the moment - he was excellent in the relatively more comedic, but tonally-similar Guardians of the Galaxy. But as that Jurassic World trailer showed, just shoving Chris Pratt into something doesn’t automatically make it good. I’d rather they gave Chris Pratt his own, new and original (I know these days, those aren’t exactly buzz-words in Hollywood) action-adventure series.

He seems fit for the genre.

I understand that people would perhaps like to see a young Indy again and that Harrison Ford really looks like he despises every second he spends acting these days, so old Indy should probably never come back, but is Indiana Jones a series which

really needs reimagining? There aren’t really any unanswered questions, The Last Crusade basically covered Indy’s origin story at the beginning, it explained his trademark scar, where he got his hat and his fear of snakes, all in a couple of minutes! It is in no way surprising that George Lucas had a hand in writing that movie. Also, each movie is pretty much its own self-contained story; without the date at the beginning, I would have had no idea that Temple of Doom was a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. As a comparison, my reaction to the news of a new Star Wars trilogy was way more positive (and warranted no whiny article) because I’m so much more invested in the universe that series established. I want to see Image by Flickr user ernerst aguyo

what happened to Luke and the gang after Return of the Jedi.

Steven Spielberg and George Lucas created three fun adventure movies with Indiana Jones by really holding true to the spirit of those old 1930s adventure serials the two men used to watch, and those serials sure as hell didn’t waste time trying to establish an expansive universe with a rich lore.

A reboot of a franchise is usually meant to revitalize and appeal to a new generation who may not be familiar with or particularly care for the original. But, pretty much everyone I know, who’s roughly my age, has seen and still loves the Indiana Jones movies. They’re still very watchable and hold up spectacularly.

The good guys are likeable, the bad guys are easy to hate, the action is still exciting and the practical effects have barely aged (well, apart from the melting Nazis).

Well, I suppose if the rumour does turn out to be true, that at least puts a stop to any kind of monstrous Shia LaBeouf led Indiana Jones 5 (then again, this would be post-crazy paper bag Shia, so I’d almost like to see what on Earth would happen).

11

Dave Comedy Fest: An Interview with Ellie Taylor

by Roseanna Kettle

than Leicester?

Starting off at Firebug for her first gig of her tour, comedian Ellie Taylor delivers an hour of stunning live comedy above the bar. Before the gig, I was lucky enough to interview her about life on tour, her experience as a standup comedian and fashion disasters. As it happens, there’s a lot more to her than “special scales, George Clooney and feelings”. Having just performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, she’s back for Dave’s Comedy Festival, and she’s a force to be reckoned with.

I like to see myself as sort of a Mother of the UK and like all mothers, I have no favourites.

But thank f*** I’m not going to Hull. (I can say that - some of my best mates are from Hull).

Why the name ‘Elliementary’?

Other than the obvious, of course…

I wish there was a better answer other than that I bloody love a name pun.

How are you spending your leisure time in Leicester?

There will be no leisure time on this trip sadly. It’s a fly by. But I’ve had some cracking times in your Cafe Nero before so I’ve got those memories.

Which gig on the tour are you most looking forward to other

You’ve done quite a lot of TV work, do you prefer TV or standup, and why?

Stand up is where I started out so it’ll always be at the core of everything I do, and before that my experience lies in acting which is something I’ve been lucky enough to do more of in the past year. I’m in a new sitcom called Brotherhood for Comedy Central that begins airing in March. That was great fun filming in Pinewood.

I spent a lot of time going on Daniel Craig hunts. Top tip, he was never in the lunch queue for jacket potatoes.

As the presenter of Snog Marry Avoid, what’s the worst fashion nightmare you’ve come across, and what was the most dramatic transformation?

self to be honest. I went through a stage of sticking sequins on my face with the glue you’re meant to use for fake nails. That, combined with red food dye in my hair to make me look like Geri Halliwell, and tying my bra straps together with an elastic band to give me a better cleavage had made for some spectacular photo burning episodes.

You recently performed at the Edinburgh fringe! How did it go?

Great! It’s hard, don’t get me wrong - its relentless performing the same show at the same time in the same room every day for a month. Like Groundhog Day but with another one million performers who are all experiencing the same thing and crying into their 1am nutella crepes and snakebite. But my show went really well, and I had wonderful audiences and got some nice reviews. All in all, I couldn’t have asked for much more.

What first got you into comedy?

Oh lordy - way too many to mention. I’ve committed enough fashion nightmares my-

A desire to show off and a nascent relationship with an impressive man who was older

how enjoyable the games are.

The game had a troubled development cycle, being delayed twice. The final product, however, is a game that serves as an evolution of Techland’s previous work, and is easily their best game to date.

as a successor to Dead Island, which had enjoyable combat but tiresome quests and traversal, and a highly lackluster second half. It also heavily borrows from the traversal of Mirror’s Edge, a fantastic free-running game from 2008 which set the bar for first person platforming.

It takes that free-running into an open world setting, where

than me and had a really cool job. I was working in marketing at the time and thought I needed to up my game. Clearly at some point I decided that standing on stage shouting at people would make me look more attractive.

In hindsight it would have been much easier to just buy some slutty lingerie.

What are your tips for anyone hoping to go into standup?​ DON’T. THERE’S TOO MANY OF US AS IT IS. Don’t think about the actual ‘doing a gig’ bit - just sign up for an open mic night. Don’t speak too quickly. Don’t do lazy jokes where a swear word is the punch line.

Unless it’s ‘nob head’ - ‘nob head’ is always hilarious. Don’t worry if it doesn’t work. At times you’ll soar, feeling like this is something you are truly meant to be doing as you sun yourself in a divine sense of wonder and artistic wholeness.

Other times you will plummet to the ground and keep on going ‘til you are cowering in the bowels of the earth flagellating your broken ego with jagged merciless branches made entirely from your dogshit jokes.

8 Hour Playthrough: Dying Light

by Jake Hamblin-Pyke

Dying Light is a game that has no right to be as good as it is. It comes from a developer with an, at best, questionable track record when it comes to the quality of their work, both in terms of glitchiness and just Image by Flickr user natty dread

The game conceptually is almost a blend of two games. It serves

your ability to keep off the ground is key in avoiding being overcome by the undead.

The setting is in the fictional city of Harran, styled on a blend of Turkish cities, which has been overrun by the undead after a disease outbreak of unspecified causes. The buildings are covered in awnings and balconies, giving you plenty of opportunities to move creatively from point to point, and the traversal remains consistently fresh by allowing you to unlock new skills, such as the ability to vault off zombie’s heads or slam down into the ground to stun foes as you level up.

The main character, Kyle Crane, is airdropped in at the start of the game as a special operative, tasked with tracking down a file containing an incomplete and in its current state dangerous ‘cure’ for the virus that is being used as a bargaining chip by a local leader. This being an RPG, however, he instead decides to spend the vast majority of his time doing tasks for various local crackpots in return for weapon blueprints instead. (He is also a member of the rapidly growing list of alumni of the Bioshock school of Nutrition, in that he is literally incapable of picking up any food without scarfing it on the spot.)

Being an open world RPG, the game heavily incentivises you

to engage in various quests for NPCs, offering you XP, cash, and weapon blueprints for doing so. This is fine in principle, but all too often the quests are doing bland chores for boring characters. For every quest that was helping ‘cure’ a man who was convinced he was a werewolf or hooking up a slightly loopy army vet’s pyrotechnic wall, there were 5 guys who wanted me to pick up two bottles of chemicals and 5 rolls of plastic and deliver them to Nondescript NPC X. The redeeming feature of the quests is that the traversal system is so enjoyable that getting from point to point to do their boring tasks never became a drag.

Dying Light’s key back-of-thebox feature that sets it apart from the competition (which in the ever more crowded market of zombie survival games is fierce) is the day/night cycle: in the daytime the zombies are largely docile, only attacking when you come near and easily escaped. As night falls however, the zombies become more aggressive, more agile, and a new class of zombie, the volatile (eerily reminiscent of the Predator) comes out. The volatiles are strong enough that most of the time you’ll want to run from them rather than fight, utilising traps and free-running to delay them until you can lose them and escape to a safe zone and wait out the night. This

day/night cycle gives rise to an interesting dynamic of seeing how long you’re willing to stay out doing tasks, risking getting yourself killed if you can’t get somewhere safe by nightfall.

As you progress staying out at night, which, although difficult, is rewarding, as XP gains are doubled, so towards the end of my eight hours I found myself opting to sprint across rooftops by night to steer clear of the infected, rather than waiting out the night in a safe zone.

The game is graphically a real looker (N.B. I played the game on PC for review) with the zombies being able to sustain impressively visceral injuries from your various improvised weapons. The weapons too look suitably improvised and grimy, degrading with use. When combined with the effective art direction of the environments, the graphical engine can make for some pretty spectacular vistas.

I found myself climbing up to tall spots just to survey the surrounding area and take in the sights.

All in all, despite some dull quest design, Techland have managed to create a zombie game that in its sense of scale and fluidity feels like it’s beginning to realise the potential of the new platforms. If you’re looking for a fun open world to roam around in, Dying Light is a strong choice.

LIFESTYLE

12

Edited by Emily Bird

The Hidden Gems of Leicester Chocolate Melts

by Laura Mostyn

bases are second to none, made from sourdough and generously topped with authentic artisan ingredients from both home and abroad.

Here at The Ripple, we’ve made it our mission to find the best bars, clubs, restaurants and hang-out spots in Leicester.

Where do you usually go on a night out? The O2 Students’ Union. Where do you usually grab some lunch? The Union Shop or the Union Diner. Not anymore!

So that you don’t spend the entirety of your three years at university within the bubble of campus, we will do the hard work for you.

For each of the eight businesses mentioned below, one of our writers will be writing up a full review. These can be found in forthcoming issues of The Ripple! With somewhere for every occasion, read on and get to know your city.

For an evening with the girls…

Part of the Orange Tree group, The Smokehouse, is secretly tucked upstairs in O-Bar and offers authentic South American inspired BBQ soul food to electrify the taste buds.

And for an after treat tipple, head downstairs to O Bar which offers a range of treats and extravagant events. There’s an upcoming event called Barticulate which includes the deconstruction and reconstruction of your favourite cocktails.

For a night of something completely different, Deconstruction Reconstruction, happening on February 19th, vows to break your favourite cocktails down to their core elements as to create new wacky mixtures!

Upcoming events also include: Bacon Not Stirred, Deep Freeze and Hoptoberfest on 21st May, 20th August and 15th October, respectively.

For a place to fill your boots…

Natterjacks bar and kitchen, situated in Braunstone Gate offers a substantial range of dishes from all over the world.

It has an extensive and customised cocktail list, comprising

Image by Flickr user Nathan Meijar

of the ever-popular McLovin cocktail, ‘the life of any party’, made with Absolut vanilla vodka, Luxardo limoncello and strawberry puree with lemon juice and a drop of vanilla syrup. A menu filled with a range of dishes from all over the world – there is no way you will be stuck for choice here! It’s a little bit out of the way, embedded within De Montfort territory, but it’s definitely worth venturing a little further to discover this restaurant.

For a place to keep going back to…

Leicester is renowned for its heavily Indian influenced cuisine. The Sayonara Thali restaurant, situated on Belgrave Road, is the perfect passage to India.

For vegetarians and meat eaters alike, Sayonara offers an introduction of the Gujarati Thali (a state in Western India).

In particular, this Indian vegetarian restaurant provides a superb buffet menu, consisting of a choice of two curries, breads, rice, dal or kadhi, a savoury side dish, poppadums, dessert and a drink. With stellar reviews from the likes of the Leicester Mercury, this is a perfect alternative to those Friday night takeaways!

Get invested in the traditions of Leicester’s India.

For a no-fuss bite to eat…

The Boot Room is one of the few independently run restaurants in Leicester, giving it that individual edge over mass produced chain restaurant food.

Located in a former shoe factory, it is described as having an ‘industrial chic’ feel. Most importantly, it provides an informal and relaxed atmosphere at a suitable price. Perfect for a no-

fuss bite to eat, this restaurant has been awarded a recommendation in the Michelin Guide continuously since 2011. They use the finest local produce in Leicester and are found in the heart of the city - a few minutes’ walk from King Richard III’s burial site. It is a perfect place for a light lunch!

Or make a night of it and purchase the pre-theatre menu.

There are a great selection of dishes that can be purchased at a reasonable price of £13.95 for 2 courses and £16.95 for 3 courses.

For tea for two…

The Secret Tea Room is a hidden gem on the corner of Clarendon Park Road which perfectly captures the retro trend with vintage décor and old-fashioned crockery.

It is a tiny yet exclusive tea room which transports you back to a simplified time of finger sandwiches and jam scones. In perfect traditional style, the Secret Tea Room offers an excellently valued afternoon tea which generously fills a three-tiered cake stand. They make a promise to use free-range eggs and import freshly made cakes from a small-scale local supplier. Plus, they claim to serve the best carrot cake, and if that’s not a good enough reason to visit, then I don’t know what is!

For a slice of Italy…

Owned by Giambattista Moss, Italian teacher of Languages at Leicester, Peter Pizzeria will be opening their second restaurant in Leicester on 14th February.

The environment and atmosphere promises to be authentically Italian, keeping with the tone of their menu. Their pizza

They source their wines from Signor Marchisio and his two sons on his vineyards in Piemonte, and some Italian-style sausages and ice cream from local producers. Their pizzas are stone baked in a wooden oven for a mere 90 seconds to produce a perfection of crusty charred pizza! Only the Italian’s can do pizza this well.

Also, if you’re looking for something a little different, Peter’s popular Nutella pizza is a must for all dessert lovers!

For a night out…

Gate 38 urges us to ‘fasten your seat belts’ to enjoy an extravagant night out in Leicester’s bar and nightclub area.

Open from 9pm to 3.30am every weekend, Gate 38 is made up of original plane features and interiors to create a nightclub themed at 30,000 feet. This includes legitimate aeroplane seats for you and your friends to use! It has a contemporary feel which is perfect for a drink at the bar or a night out into the early hours.

You really need to see inside Gate 38 to understand such a stimulating concept. I’m definitely headed here soon!

For an alternative first date…

For a cute coffee date or light lunch, visit Bread & Honey: an independent coffee house, hidden on King Street, Leicester.

by Jaipreet Deo These are truly lovely. A great saviour from the miserable February weather and the oncoming deadlines.

These are all you will need when you just want something chocolatey which melts in the mouth - as the name suggests!

Makes approx. 12.

Ingredients 125g softened butter 50g icing sugar 50g cornflour 25g cocoa powder 100g plain flour 100 dark or milk chocolate Method 1) Preheat the oven to 190C and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.

2) Add all of the ingredients, apart from the chocolate, and mix it together. It’s quite a thick

consistency so it might be easier to do so with your hands! Do this until the mixture forms a dough.

3) Take small bits of dough, roll them into balls in your palms and then flatten them out slightly.

4) Place them on the baking trays.

5) Bake for 10 minutes.

6) Leave to cool on the greaseproof paper.

7) Break the chocolate up into pieces and melt in the heatproof bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water).

8) Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the biscuits and leave to set.

Image by Flickr user Annie

It oozes New York chic from its décor to its cool little menu and uses the brilliantly roasted, London bases ‘Monmouth’ coffee beans. It only takes a sneaky peek through the window to find out that these people are passionate about the food that they serve. Of note is their ‘preservative free granary bread’: it’s a blessing to find a place which acknowledges the fast growing trend of clean eating. And, well, we’ve found it!

Cooking Chilli Chicken

Image by Flickr user Peddhapati

by Jaipreet Deo Treat yourself after that frugal January by splashing out on slightly special ingredients to make this flavoursome dish!

This recipe is a fusion of Indian and Malay cooking, and is absolutely delicious.

Serves six.

Ingredients 12 chicken thighs, skinned 2 large white onions Chilli powder, ½ tsp or 1 whole red chilli (deseeded) A thumb’s length of ginger, peeled and finely chopped Tumeric, 1 tsp Salt, to season A cinnamon stick 5 cardamom pods, skinned

5 whole cloves Tomato puree, 5 tbsps Method 1) Seal the chicken in the pot with oil until white all over, 2) Add all other ingredients to the pan.

3) Stir to combine.

4) Bring the mixture to the boil

and the cover the pan and put on a low heat to simmer.

5) Stir occasionally for around 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and you are sure that the flavours have fully developed.

This dish is best served with rice - and if you’re truly treating yourself, a bit of whiskey too!

13

Travel to... California, America Body Piercings

by Emily Bird Bringing back a feature of this section’s past, our ‘Travel to…’ articles document destinations around the globe that our writers have been fortunate enough to travel to.

This issue, we visit the golden sands of California. The most populated state of America, California is one of those bucket list destinations that all must tick off their list.

Spending two weeks in California over the Christmas break was an absolute dream. Averaging at 26 degrees in December/ January – what more could you ask for.

My holiday started with an eleven hour flight, not the most ideal, but the expected discomfort of a long haul flight in the sandwich box size of an economy seat was made better by the superb service of Virgin Atlantic. Also, I was that super savvy traveller and played the airline at their own game, taking advantage of their early autumnal sale to secure my ticket for just under £500! A complete bargain.

diner where the waitresses were in candy striped dresses and the overstuffed leather chairs looked straight out of a movie.

The food was to set the trend for the rest of my time there – my stack of blueberry pancakes smothered with syrup came with a cooked breakfast. Or did my cooked breakfast come with pancakes…? Either way, my breakfast was huge. The Americans super-size, every time!

Whilst we were sat eating, we looked out of the window and saw a pod of dolphins swimming just off the shore. I’d gone from the dreary grey skies of Leicester to California, sunny side up.

When in California, one must hit the beach. It would be sacrilege not to. In addition to Huntington Beach we caught the rays on Seal Beach, Long Beach, Venice Beach and the beaches of Santa Monica. Beach beach beach. Venice Beach in particular was crazy cool. We hired a

tandem bike, better known as the ‘marriage tester’, to cycle up and down the coast. What I found interesting is that in a nation renowned for its obesity, every second person was on the move running, roller skating or cycling. Venice Beach is also home to the infamous ‘Muscle Beach’, a plethora of steel making up an outdoor gym where the buff and bronzed come to flex. Even if you’re just there to watch, not to sweat, it’s definitely worth checking out.

The same can be said for the skate park just down the coast.

I am most definitely not a skateboarder but there was something so chilled out about skater dudes (literally they’re effortlessly cool) riding their boards in the sun, just off the surf. We sat there for at least an hour, completely transfixed!

Another must-do is Hollywood.

It has to be said, it’s worth the hype. We did all of the typical touristy sights; the Walk of Fame, the Dolby Theatre, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive… All things you simply can’t miss when visiting California.

However, my favourite side of Hollywood that I saw was when hiking in the Hollywood hills.

Away from the commercial streets below, Hollywood provides breathtaking views of the San Fernando Valley and beyond. The purpose of our hike

was to reach the Hollywood sign – you absolutely have to witness this view. On the level of the Griffith Observatory, being within ten metres of the sign to end all signs was incredible.

Outside of the main fare, California has a lot to offer in terms of food. As the state borders Mexico, a lot of restaurants provide a fusion of the two cuisines.

Think of lots of fresh flavours such as lime and coriander which are often given a Mexican vibe in the form of tortillas or tacos for sublime dishes.

My favourite restaurant of the holiday would be Lola’s, on 4th & Cherry St, Long Beach. It served Mexican, but in a completely new and revived way – the sea bass was to die for.

Another great foodie find was the Long Beach Farmers Market. Running every Sunday, all the bestsellers from the city gather together to sell their fare.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, pressed juices and legitimately the best hummus I’ve ever had.

It was dreamy. Gather a little picnic together and then head down to the gorgeous marina just over the road to soak up the sun.

I could wax lyrical about my time in California, but to fully understand how good it is you need to head stateside! Get saving or put it on your bucket list for the future – I’ll definitely be going back.

by Laura Vickers Body piercing has been around for thousands of years. Used by indigenous tribes as rites of passage, they are now a huge fashion statement.

Once associated with the bad reputations of the punks, body piercings have increased in popularity amongst young people in the last five years, with around 46% of people aged 16-24 have a piercing other than the earlobe today.

However, if you are considering getting a body piercing, there are lots of things to take into consideration.

Here are a few tips: Be certain you are committed to the piercing before getting it.

Body piercings are more permanent than you may think.

Although they can easily be removed, unlike tattoos, they do leave scars, which can be obvious, especially if on the face.

Similarly, large size piercings, such as ear stretching, can only be corrected through surgery.

Don’t let a piercing affect your future.

As students, we’re more concerned about our next night out than five years into the future.

However, if you are thinking of going into a professional career, a visible body piercing may not be for you.

Professions such as teaching, office working, and even retail all forbid visible piercings, despite their increased popularity and acceptance.

When in America, I was determined to experience typical American culture, but also to be that Brit abroad. My holiday started off in the most surreal manner as we travelled to Huntington Beach, of Hollister fame, and wandered down to the end of the pier. There we came across your atypical American

Research your studio.

Be sure that the piercer is fully qualified and even ask to see their licence before letting them pierce you. Any reputable body piercer won’t mind doing this.

Also, make sure their studio is clean and that they are properly sterilising equipment in autoclaves, reducing any risk of infections or more serious consequences, such as Hepatitis or HIV. Base your choice of studio on their experience and reputation, rather than their price list.

Cheaper is not always better. As students, it’s natural that we try to save money wherever possible. However, this is something that should not be based on money.

So many people have piercings now that we tend to overlook the fact that there is something foreign going through our skin and creating an open wound.

Follow any aftercare advice you are given.

They are the professionals and will know what is best to heal your piercing. Don’t try googling new ways of looking after it.

If the piercer tells you to leave your jewellery in for six to eight weeks, leave it in for six to eight weeks.

Changing your jewellery before a piercing is healed is dangerous.

Apart from causing irritation and soreness, putting new objects into an open wound increases the risk of bacteria entering your piercing, which can create infections and other complications (e.g. hypertrophic scarring, keloid scarring).

Remember, any piercing is going to hurt to some extent – you’re having a needle forced through your skin!

But as long as you are sensible, there is no reason why your piercing won’t heal and look super rad!

Life Hacks For Student-hood

Daniella Marsh provides the utimate cheat sheet, and life just got a whole lot easier There’s the normal way of doing things and then there’s the easy route, the shortcut.

There are plenty of life hacks that you can learn in order to improve your life as a student, making your life that little bit simpler. Unsurprisingly, the main ones for students relate to revision, cooking and nights out. You’re welcome!

Life hacks for revision: To improve your motivation when studying, place a sweet or a piece of chocolate at the end of every paragraph or page that

you are reading. This way you can treat yourself through the monotonous anthology, helping you to complete your reading targets for the day.

It’s also a great idea to use different coloured pens when writing notes. Not only does this make your page look pretty and vibrant, it can also aid your memory. This is especially useful if you know that you are a visual learner.

Life hacks for cooking: To reduce the amount of cleaning and washing up that you

have to do after mealtimes, put a tortilla at the bottom of your plate or bowl, underneath your food. The tortilla will then catch all the leftover food and you can simply just throw that in the bin, leaving your plate untouched and significantly minimising your washing up. It’s a bit of a waste of a tortilla but perfectly suited to the laziest of students.

When living with people, cooking appliances such as the oven and microwave often need using at the same time. So that one of you doesn’t have to wait, use this life hack to fit both bowls in. By placing one bowl on top

of a mug it is then lifted above the other bowl so that there is enough room for both. Just be careful as to balance the bowl properly so that it doesn’t fall into your other housemate’s food!

Pizza is a favourite meal of student’s, and there’s a brilliant life hack that prevents pizza from turning chewy when you reheat it so you can enjoy your Domino’s again and again. This is simple – just place a small glass of water in the microwave with the pizza and this will ensure the pizza slice remains tasty, crispy and unspoilt.

Life hacks for nights out:

After trekking to another halls or house for pre-drinks, your beers are often warm from your body heat, especially in the summer months. To stop this problem, wrap the warm beer in a damp paper towel and then place it in the fridge for 15 minutes. When you take the beer out of the fridge, it will be chilled and much nicer to drink.

At house parties, there is often the problem of people forgetting or losing their speakers.

Or no one wants to put their speakers at risk in a house full of

drunken students – fair enough!

One way to fix this problem is to cut a plastic bottle in half and then fit your phone into it.

When you play the music from your phone, the music will be a lot louder. This can also save you money on buying speakers.

Finally, getting up to go to lectures after a big night out is a massive problem for us all. You may feel so tired (or still be so drunk) that you sleep right through your alarm. By placing your phone in a glass, this will crank up the volume of your alarm so it will be pretty much impossible to not wake up.

SPORT

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Edited by Matthew Allen

Should the Rule Go Away?

by Gordon Tang Football fans, it does not get any better than this. The UEFA Champions League (UCL) returns this month, and teams are currently preparing for the knockout stages; the round of 16 to be exact. A lot of drama will be on the field as teams will be playing two matches against their respective opponents, many of them being familiar match-ups. Goals will be accumulated on aggregate, with the infamous away goal rule in effect, and often it is through this rule that a winner will be determined (more often than extra time or penalties). The subject at hand is the away goal rule.

Should it be kept or be abolished?

The away goal rule is nothing strange to you football fans. If you are a newbie to football, I will offer you an explanation of this rule which is currently in effect in major continental competitions amongst clubs (like the UCL or the Copa Libertadores). The away goal rule applies in the elimination rounds, if the score is even on aggregate (not every case). Basically, the team who score more when playing away than the other team wins, in a situation when it is an overall draw. For example, the battle between Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain in the UCL last

season ended up with the score 3-3, but Chelsea managed to score one goal away from home while PSG failed to do so. The scores of both legs were PSG 3-1 Chelsea and Chelsea 2-0 PSG. Chelsea therefore advanced to the semi-finals to face Atletico Madrid.

Of course, there are draws that are exceptions to the away goal rule. If two legs end up with the same scoreline (e.g. two 1-1 matches or two 3-0 matches won by each team respectively), the match will go to extra time and penalties if needed. The 1988 UEFA Cup Final (it was a two legged final) witnessed Bayer Leverkusen came back from a 3-0 deficit. The match went into extra time and Bayer won the championship beating Espanyol 3-2 on penalties.

For those in favour of the away goal rule, they can argue that the rule adds more drama to the competition. It fuels up the intensity of a match when the losing side find themselves in a desperate situation, and especially when tying the scores is not enough, they have to score more goals just to save themselves from elimination by the difference of 1 goal. Players would go on full offensive in such situations. The away goal rule also avoids players going through extra time and penal-

ties, which fans have witnessed a lot of these occasions during the 2014 World Cup. The football associations apply this rule (probably) just for the sake of adding a bit of variety to football and for maintaining fitness of players. A classic example of such a win was French side Monaco advancing to the semi-finals of the 03/04 UCL due to more away goals scored (they drew 5-5 on aggregate with Real Madrid; the scores were Real 4-2 Monaco and Monaco 3-1 Real).

For those against, they would argue that the rule is unfair as teams only have ‘won’ the game on aggregate and not actually won the match. It can effect he manager’s and player’s attitudes; they would only work hard for a draw and not further. It also happens when teams have quite a significant lead against another. To be more specific, players would not work hard on the pitch as before, or the manager would give an order not to play offensively. If a team play away on the first leg and score a few goals, they would most likely not value the second leg as much due to the amount of goals scored and the deficit on the score line. This happened during the 12/13 season of the UCL between Bayern Munich and Arsenal. Bayern won 3-1 away in the first leg and played

conservatively and defensively in the second leg. They lost 0-2 at the Allianz Arena and narrowly advanced due to the away goal rule.

As a Bayern fan, I asked myself questions after that game, ‘Why is it like this?’ or, ‘Where’s the motivation?’ Obviously, that was an ugly win with the away goal rule. I knew it was an advantage to us when we were leading 3-1. Yet, the players treated it too lightly (even though we advanced). The Bavarians would’ve gone out early and not won the UCL title that

season.

For those who prefer watching more action on the pitch (including myself), the away goal rule definitely does not suit their preference. Extra time extends the match to 120 minutes, so obviously there is more action than a 90-minute game. A team can put on the score sheet during extra time or win the game through penalties. More action would lead to more drama; it is what football fans want.

The UCL final between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid had a lot of action; the match went to

extra time thanks to the header in the 93rd minute by Sergio Ramos, and Real went on a scoring rampage to win 4-1 during extra time.

In my opinion, a match does not get any better with more and more action involved. Extra time and penalties fit my taste of football. Without the away goal rule, players would be more motivated and would work harder especially with a longer battle at hand. In conclusion, I think the away goal rule should be abolished.

Image by Flickr user El Ronzo

Venturing Back Across the Pond

by Frederic Larsson

The Winter break saw the majority of players return to their hometowns for Christmas celebrations with their families. I stayed here in Long Beach and my family and girlfriend came out for a winter holiday (without the snow). We had a great time being tourists around the Los Angeles area. Although we didn’t have any official practises over the break many of us went to pickup games to maintain our stick skills as well as hitting the wall and the gym when we weren’t practising as a team. The break did, however, allow me to spend some time recovering from a hefty check to the knee I took in a preseason tournament between CSULB, UC Irvine and UC San Diego.

We hit the ground running when we returned with training starting the week before classes.

Everyone’s schedules were now cleared at practise times so that we could get full team practises all of the time, which was difficult during the fall due to our training times being changed last minute. During this time we

finalise our offense and defence making sure everyone is on the same page when it came to our first game against Cal State San Marcos.

We had faced San Marcos in San Diego during the fall (which you’ll remember if you’ve been following my posts) and we only lost 6-5, which was a good effort considering we were down a few players. Coming into the game the team felt relatively confident about playing San Marcos once again. It was an away game and you could sense the mood was far more serious than the games we play in the UK, not to say we don’t take it seriously across the pond but this was on another level. The warm ups were more like a regiment of soldiers getting ready to battle compared to the more chilled approach the majority of teams take in England. I was also surprised at having to play the national anthem prior to playing.

Safe to say I had no clue that everyone looked at the American flag when this was being played and so was wondering why the crowd had their backs turned to the players! Never-

theless, the game did not go so well for CSULB. San Marcos were the better team, far more athletic and organised than we were; not to mention the abundance of substitutions, probably the biggest bench I’ve seen in a game I’ve played in. We ended up losing to the Cougars 19-6.

I did however manage to bag one goal, running down the right alley and placing it bottom left. The loss left us 0-1 starting off the season in our division, MCLA SLC Division 2.

The following week we would face Claremont from the league above. We came into this game off the back of a heavy loss, as well as lacking a couple of our own players who were unable to make the game. Nevertheless we came into the game strong willed and ready to play as best we can! The game started with Claremont getting several goals right off the bat as our defence was left in the dust, although we did manage to get back on our feet after letting a few goals past that we ideally would’ve been able to stop with better communication with our sides. We came back in the 3rd quarter

with some of our better plays all year both in offense and defence. However, in the end we lost 19-5 failing to capitalise on a lot of our opportunities in the offense. Yet, the team felt a lot better after this loss than the first as we played a lot better together than the week before. All in all it was definitely a lot of fun playing at Claremont and some of us went for some post-game Korean BBQ; another first for me!

In our next game we face Cal State Fullerton which will no doubt be a tough game seeing as they are in the league above us.

Nevertheless we’ve been practising hard during the week and hope to bring it to them during our first home game of the season, even the cheer leaders will be there, something you’d never see in games I play back in Leicester! Make keep an eye out for my next post as I keep you all posted on the season with CSULB and my time playing here in sunny So Cal! Photos courtesy of Emily Bird and Chris Brignola

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Brokeback Dawson Does It All Day Super Bowl XLIX was a couple of weeks ago; however, the name on everybody’s lips isn’t an NFL player. It is in fact our very own Leicester Longhorn, Adrian Dawson. With Varsity a month away, Leicester go into it 1-0 up already thanks to the heroics of Dawson in the varsity match between DMU that happened to fall on the same day of the biggest match in the American Football season, the Super Bowl. Scoring the winning touchdown and being awarded Team MVP for the game, Dawson has surely put his name into Longhorn folklore. I caught up with the man himself a few days ago and here’s what he had to say.

Ben Challis (BC): Five minutes left, scores are tied, you are in the end zone and the ball is coming your way. What is going through your mind?

Adrian Dawson (AD): It all started when we were lined up waiting for the snap, I’m surveying the formation and I’ve figured out who I’ve got to beat.

The ball’s snapped and I begin to get open... wide open! Everyone’s after Joe after he’s booted out. Everyone running down to him left me wide open and he just popped it over the top of everybody and then the pressure was on for me to catch it. It

honestly felt like it was happening in slow motion. I’d dropped the same pass earlier in the game, I knew I had to bring it in. It was a tense moment!

BC: But you pulled it off. What were your emotions when you realised you caught the ball?

AD: It was weird. I didn’t know how to react. I was really excited to have caught it, but I didn’t want to get penalised for excessive celebration so I had to play it cool. It was a great feeling to know I’d scored though.

BC: And then you went on to catch the two point conversion as well, knowing that there was little time left on the clock for a DMU response.

AD: I know, I heard the play call was coming to me and I just knew I had to take it. After scoring the conversion, I let loose a little bit and had some fun with the fans on the sidelines with my cheeky signature ‘turn-it-up’ celebration!

BC: This must be up there with the greatest moments in your illustrious footballing career?

AD: It’s definitely up there. It stands out alongside my first year game at Lincoln where I was brought in at running back

halfway through the game having never played there before. I got my first ever touchdown and we had a crazy last minute win.

But scoring the game winner in what’s likely my last ever varsity; I think that just about makes the top spot.

BC: Your worst injury in football?

BC: In your opinion, how do you think this season has gone and how does it compare to others you have played in?

BC: Snog, marry, kill. The Longhorns squad. Go.

AD: It’s been the best season on record for a while, and if we make it to a 4-4 record against Worcester next week, it’ll be our best season for a long time! All this has been achieved with a lot of significant injuries, so it’s great to see rookies and players with less experience stepping up and getting the important results. It definitely bodes well for the future!

AD: I dislocated my shoulder this year and missed the first half of the season. That was pretty tough, emotionally and physically.

AD: Uhh, I think I’d have to marry Phil Sadgrove. Dressed as a woman... he’s trophy wife material! Snog probably Jack Cousins, he’s got that easy vibe about him. As for the killing, ask Alex James. I’ve already murdered him with an awful crack block!

Got a lot of love for him though, keep your eyes out for him in the coming years!

BC: Well that’s just about it from me. Is there anything you would like to say to your fans?

BC: Who is your celebrity crush?

AD: Yeah, I’d love to say thanks to our fantastic crowd at varsity!

It was great to see the Leicester Panthers down, it’s great having their support. What was really cool was all the extra fans, a lot of them parents and old boys and uni friends in general. Gotta shout out to my biology gang.

I loved the banner and love you guys even more! It was a great day, thanks to everyone for coming down and whatever you do remember to keep TURNING IT UP! LETS GO LONGHORNS!

AD: Recently it’s been Chloe Goodman from Big Brother.

Don’t even care!

BC: If you were to get a tattoo, what would you get and where would you have it?

AD: If I ever sorted a design, maybe a Goldeneye tattoo...

My boys know what I’m talking about!

BC: The fans have sent some questions in for me to ask you.

Your Favourite NFL player?

AD: Steve Smith – 89. Bottom Line.

BC: Your favourite Longhorn apart from yourself?

AD: [long pause] I honestly couldn’t choose. It’s like picking a favourite brother.

Warwick Waiver as ULLAX Unite

by Rasteen Riyahi Boni Having secured a comfortable difference of five goals under our belts during our last encounter with Warwick in November, we had suitably optimistic expectations and went into the game with a reasonable sense of confidence.

Before we set foot on Stoughton looking no less than identical in our revamped, brand spanking new Canterbury get ups, we knew that the day’s test would be how well we maintained our lacrosse IQs. In particular after the UEA fixture just passed on Wednesday, that we managed to nail 27-2.

Irrespective of her position on the field one of our most talented defence players, Josie Moxham did not wait around and went straight for the initial first quarter goal. Token England girl Lucy Ford, who had been quite the subject of pitchside gossip at the Sunday mixed fixture, proved the grounds for Warwick’s anxiety and racked up a total of 4 goals in the remainder of the quarter. The stats show promise; however, it was clear that there was also a sense of panic in the atmosphere. Of-

fence were often being double teamed and unfortunately lost possession to defence or occasionally did not take the steps to make sure easy passes.

Within mere minutes of the second quarter straight attack-

er, Jess Mason utilised the fast break to her advantaged and slung one straight into the back of the net. Attack worked considerably better as a unit in the second quarter, by slowing the plays down and ensuring that if team mates were being double

teamed (the go-to tactic of Warwick’s defensive end) there was always an outlet pass available.

Henceforth much to the oppositions disdain, Lucy, Abike Looi-Somoye and Sarah Scott continued to rack up the shots with complete fruition and at

half time the score was 9-1.

During half time Warwick must have received quite the team talk from the captain as their overall play began to get significantly more aggressive in places. Nothing on our good

ol’ KJ of course. Straight from the Birdy’s mouth however the third quarter was our best. Their offence was being pushed out, forced to run the perimeter of the fan by the likes of Peta Williams and Kathryn Moore. And they were carelessly giving away minor fouls, almost as though they had given up. Warwick had managed a second goal and their deep defence had become more vocal and a myriad ‘Red’ call was used.

In the last quarter Colette Smith was back on form using excellent positioning and slyly slipped on in as our 15th goal.

Jess Mason cleared up well bringing the 60 minutes to a close scoring our final and 20th goal, bringing the final digits to 20-2. Thus meaning that the opposition had now been on the receiving end of defeat for the second time round. This grudge match was not only a demonstration of how Leicester Women’s have surpassed expectations in the 2A league but an excellent demonstration of how they have progressed as unit. All in all this was not a replication of last semester’s victory, but a giant stride forward from it.

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

Varsity Victory Down With the Poly; DM-Who Etc.

by Andrew Wilsher

February 2nd 2015 has been a date etched into the minds of the Leicester Longhorns team for the past few months, with the date not only symbolising the NFL’s premier Superbowl event, but also their Varsity clash with the De Montfort Falcons. The team came into the game off the back of a 40-12 loss to the Coventry Jets, but after a dry week and some productive training sessions, there was a feeling of optimism within the dressing room.

Kick-off was delayed by a few minutes due to a missing ambulance (Stoughton Road Playing Fields doesn’t exist according to many sat-navs), but there was a huge roar from both sidelines as the crowd in attendance let out their excitement for what was sure to be a thrilling, hard-hitting game of smash mouth football.

The 1st quarter raised a number of questions for the Longhorns. The game started with the Longhorns kicking to the Falcons, and after a number of converted 4th down plays, DMU soon found themselves within the Leicester redzone.

De Montfort were able to convert for the early touchdown and take a 6-0 lead, missing the PAT after the kick bounced off of the post. This scoring drive lasted the entire 1st quarter, meaning that the offence hadn’t even played a snap when it was time for the teams to swap sides.

Frustration continued for the

Longhorns as they were forced to punt on several occasions during the 2nd quarter. But the defence stepped up and were much better at containing the Falcons offence, with a particularly tasty tackle from rookie D-lineman AJ forcing DMU to punt. As Leicester regained possession of the ball towards the end of the quarter, controversy struck as Quarterback Joe McDougall fumbled the ball following the accidental blowing of a referee’s whistle. According to the rules, whether it is accidental or not, the blowing of a whistle stops the play. However, the decision was still made by the officials to register it as a turnover and hand possession back to DMU, leading to screams of protest and outrage from the Leicester side-line.

Halftime came with the Falcons leading the Longhorns 6-0, with Leicester still seething with the extremely questionable call made by the officials. However, the boys were offered some support from the Leicester Panthers cheerleading team, who put on a performance to motivate and inspire our boys in green to remain focused on winning the first Varsity point for our prestigious university.

of the Leicester players, but this only served to fuel the intensity of the Horns as the offence started the quarter with a strong drive which saw McDougall and running-back Adrian Dawson gain some good yardage. De Montfort took over possession deep in their half, but showed signs of crumbling under pressure after a fumbled ball allowed Leicester to take advantage and gain a turnover. The Longhorns looked to be hitting their stride as a number of runs from Kunle Osibemekun and Joe McDougall resulted in 1st downs and great field position, one of which saw McDougall absolutely drill a Cornerback right off his feet.

It wouldn’t be Varsity without a bit of needle, and emotions appeared to be getting the better of some players as Offensive Lineman Phil Lombardo got involved in a brawl with a number of DMU players, later putting the trouble down to ‘a minor disagreement’. The Falcons were evidently rocked by the whole situation, looking well and truly out of their comfort

zone as rookie running-back and star player Callum Phillips takes the ball to the 1 yard line. This allowed McDougall to sneak into the endzone and brought the game back level at 6-6, TOUCHDOWN LONGHORNS! The 2 point conversion fails to convert, but the momentum shift was clear for all to see as the 3rd quarter came to a close with things all square at Stoughton Road.

The 4th quarter started with the Longhorns defence continuing to step up and force DMU into an early punt, following some crunch tackles from D-Lineman Phil Sadgrove that saw a collective wince from the crowd. McDougall, Dawson and Phillips utilised their fantastic chemistry and it was 1st downs galore for Leicester as they took the ball up to the DMU 8 yard line with 7 minutes left of the game. De Montfort took a timeout but were penalised for having 12 men on the field and the ball was moved to within 4 yards of the endzone, highlighting the vicious pressure that was evidently taking its toll on the

Falcons. McDougall proceeded to take the snap of the ball and after a number of seconds was able to pick out Dawson in the endzone and launched it to him for the catch, TOUCHDOWN LONGHORNS! The crowd eruptted as Dawson’s groupies paraded their banner of ‘Brokeback Dawson’ to show their support for the Watford Menace. A special mention to the O-Line should also be made, whose tremendous blocking gave McDougall the time he needed to find Dawson and deliver a picture-perfect pass.

The 2 point conversion was successful from Adrian Dawson and the Longhorns lead the Falcons 14-6 with just 6 minutes left on the clock. The Falcons received the kick-off but stood as a shell of what they were in the 1st quarter. After failing to achieve the 1st down, the Longhorns took back possession with 30 seconds left on the clock with victory all but sealed. And with that, Longhorns secured the win!

Magical scenes as the Leicester

players and side-line erupt with cries of happiness, successfully gaining revenge for the 20-0 loss they received in the fixture the previous year. Varsity 2015 is definitely off to a flyer for Leicester, as they sit proudly in a 1-0 lead over De Montfort for the next month or so when all the action between the two Universities resumes. But for now, the players can bask in their glory knowing what they accomplished and can be proud of putting on a performance to be proud of!

MVPs: Defence: Phil Sadgrove – Good gracious what a unit. Whether he hates DMU or is just that vicious, Ladgrove made some big plays and even bigger hits.

Speculation is already underway over whether he could be the next Vincent Wilfork.

Offence: Joe McDougall – With some tremendous passing accuracy and big runs, he highlighted just how precious he is to the Longhorns offence, and showed flashes of a pro-bowl calibre Geno Smith could only dream of.

Team: Adrian Dawson – Playing at both running-back and cornerback, Dawson was able to make big plays on both sides of the field and was definitely the difference maker. DeMarco Murray will be asking Dawson for tips after that performance.

After some inspirational words from team veteran John Flynn, the second half was brought underway with the Falcons kicking to Leicester and bringing the Longhorns offence onto the field. Some unsavoury chants could be heard from the De Montfort side-line as their fans attempted to get into the minds

Be sure to check out www. lushradio.net for some exclusive interviews with the Longhorns players of past and present!

Festival of Sports Serves Up a Treat

by Matthew Allen

wish to attend.

The 18th March is a huge day in the calendars of any sports teams competing in the Midlands leagues, and an even bigger day in the University of Leicester’s, following the recent announcement of the Festival of Sports, at which every single Conference Cup final throughout the Midlands will be taking part at the University’s grounds.

Catching up with Ian Thursfield for all the information and a couple of cheeky predictions, I’ve managed to gather all of the key information regarding what should be a fantastic sporting feast for anybody who should

Taking place at various sports grounds owned by the University, such as Stoughton Road and the Danielle Brown Sports Centre, as well as the Princess Road East Squash Court, Corby Tennis Centre and the Leicestershire Golf Course, every single sport with a cup final will be gracing the university to serve up some fantastic action. Boasting the more popular sports such as football, rugby league and rugby union, the Festival of Sports also provides a stage for sports that perhaps don’t get as much exposure, such as fencing and futsal, all of which will have

premier events on show on the day, which runs from noon to 10:30pm.

Whilst the Festival of Sports is obviously not as prestigious as the Big BUCS Wednesday event, which takes place on the 25th, Ian Thursfield is extremely confident that it will bring a number of positives to Leicester.

Not only will it raise the awareness of the sports that the university has on offer, but according to Thursfield it will, “really open the eyes of higher sporting administration” with regards to the quality of events that Leicester is capable of putting on, effectively acting as a dry run for

the Big BUCS Wednesday event, which Ian frequently describes as the “crème de la crème” of university sport.

In terms of what it could bring to the students, Ian says that it’s an “excuse to give sports event management” experience to anybody willing to participate in liaising with the athletes in attendance, with any students who are willing to volunteer to look after players invited to take part in the event. (Get in touch should they be interested.)

As for which Leicester teams Ian reckons could make it to the finals? Ian’s tipping Rugby

League, Gold, Men’s Table Tennis and Men’s Lacrosse to reach the big day, also mentioning Women’s Lacrosse as potential attendees should they beat Oxford Brookes in what is being billed as a grudge match for the top spot.

It was impossible to chat to Ian Thursfield without asking him about Varsity 2015, the imminence of which pervades basically every conversation that takes place about sport these days. Of Varsity itself, Ian has only one goal: “smash DMU.” Aside from that, he sees the Rugby Varsity at Welford Road on the 18th March as, aside

from a great sporting event, to be a “good day out” in general, with the university hoping to sell a whopping 3000 tickets to the top-billed event of this year’s festivities. Let’s hope that Ian’s goals can be realized. American Football have already put Leicester 1-0 up, and it’s hard to conceptualize DMU turning over that advantage any time soon.

For anybody who wants to volunteer to assist at the Festival of Sports, contact Ian Thursfield at it68@le.ac.uk for more details or to express interest.