As we say goodbye to a hot summer, we prepare to embark on what in our opinion is the best term of the year; Freshers’! So you’ve arrived at your student digs, your parents are on their way home, no more nagging, the world is your oyster – did you remember to bring a fridge? Because it’s time to get it stocked up! Many of you will be feeling mixed emotions, and it’s not surprising as for most Fresher students, this will be the first time you’re going to be left to fend for yourself. If you are one of these people try not to worry. Just be yourself – everyone is in a similar situation. There will be loads of opportunities to meet new people, and our advice is to be outgoing, try new things and get yourself out there! Your campus should have a load of student societies which you can join for free - we’ve actually listed a few of our best societies for parties inside to get you started! If you’re a 2nd or 3rd year student, you’ve been here before so why not make it your mission to help your fellow Fresher friends settle in. To make your life that bit easier, we’ve got a jam-packed edition of The Student Pocket Guide, full of useful tips, exclusive student discounts and information to guide you through the first term and help stretch those pounds further. Read on for cooking ideas to stay healthy on a budget, expert tips on how to keep fit, funny confession stories, essay advice, ways to make your room homely, plus loads more! We also caught up with Rizzle Kicks, Freddie Highmore from Bates Motel, Izzy Bizu, Tom Odell, and of course our front cover feature Tinie Tempah! If you haven’t done so already, head over to our website and subscribe for free. We’ve got loads of stuff up for grabs, so be sure to check out our competitions and deals. Enjoy settling in and making new friends and we’ll catch up soon!
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Words: Chloe Ross
Freshers’ week is an exciting time for everyone! Whether you’re starting a wide-eyed ‘everything is awesome’ first year, an ‘I’ve done this before’ second year, or an ‘I’m now too mature for this’ third year, it’s the chance to let your hair down and have a jolly good time before the hard work begins. But how do you know what to do to make sure you do it right? Here are a few handy dos and don’ts on how to get the best out of your experience...
collect all of the free stuff at the freshers’ fair Pens, sweets, flyers, discount voucher booklets, you name it! You can literally come out of a freshers’ fair with three full carrier bags of useless junk, which will probably never be touched again and will live in the bottom of your drawer for the remainder of the year.
know the local end-of-the-night takeaways
Because it isn’t the end of a fresher’s night out without holding your best mate’s hair back over the toilet, before piling into a fast-food joint making way too much noise. 24 hour McDonald’s will quickly become your new best friend.
accept that pre-drinks are now the norm Apparently you can no longer hit the town without drinking way too much before you even step out of the door. This is just something you do now without questioning your life choices and sanity, especially during freshers’.
sign up to every society’s newsletter you find It all seems so exciting, and societies are a great way to meet new people! But don’t go too crazy, or before you know it your inbox will be inundated with what the Green Tea club etc. have planned for this term.
blow your entire student finance This can apply to any student whether it’s your first, second or third year, as it’s a mistake we make over and over again. I don’t think it’s an issue that we’ll ever solve but we can all live in hope that we’ll be the perfect budgeting guru!
making fun of the first years It’s very easy to chuckle at the fresh faced new students trying to work out how to manage life without parental guidance. Give them a break! Remember, you were in the same boat once and the last thing you want to do is make them feel worse.
n Maguire
ha Words: Siob
EATING OFF ANYTHING... AND I MEAN, ANYTHING You can get real resourceful when the washing-up goes beyond human capability; a saucepan lid as a plate? Sounds excellent.
NAPS......ZZZZZZZZZZ All them late nights lead to daytime naps. After all, you’ve got to prep for the following evening’s escapades, haven’t you?
BREAKFAST FOR DINNER Coco Pops work a treat for dins. They might not be nutritionally balanced, but they save you battling your housemates for oven space.
FOOD LABELLING Living with other people + student budget = every crumb of food is sacred. EVERYTHING gets labelled so there can be no confusion, or worse… theft.
PASSIVE AGRESSIVE NOTE WRITING The less washing up that gets done, the angrier the message. The more milk stolen, the moodier the note. You get the idea…
STUDENT DISCOUNTS The only time in your life when you get money off just for being the perfect age.
£1.50 FOR A PINT I promise you, drinks will never be as cheap as they are at university. Make the most of it.
BEING DRUNK AT 10AM Rockin’ up to a lecture still hammered is a common occurrence. If you’re lucky you might catch the odd person throwing up outside the lecture hall.
NEW STATIONARY!... YOU WILL NEVER USE At the start of each year, a trip to a stationary shop to get in all the folders, pens and paper is a must. Shame none of it gets used.
PULLING AN ALL-NIGHTER TO FINISH COURSEWORK As the years go on, this nocturnal writing becomes more common. So does coffee drinking and middle-of-the-night meals to see you through until the next day.
ANY EXCUSE TO GET DRUNK It’s not only about Christmas and birthdays, oh no, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, coursework deadlines, even just a Monday night turns into a big event.
WEARING AS MANY LAYERS AS POSSIBLE Central heating is expensive, and when you’re limited to the radiators being on for two hours a day, covering yourself in layers is the only way to survive winter.
PROCRASTINATING Yes, everyone does it, but I bet that any student can beat everyone hands down in the procrastination stakes. Got an essay due? New boxset it is!
FANCY DRESS You’re supposed to be learning how to be an adult, yet what you are really doing is strutting around in your secondary school uniform on a night out.
YOUR BED BECOMING A FREE-FOR-ALL SOFA If you have a television in your room then your bed will become a put-up for the whole flat.
DON’T WORRY IF YOU DON’T ENJOY FRESHERS’ WEEK
Because I hated it and the problem is, when you get to university, you are told “freshers’ week is the greatest time of your life and everything is downhill from there”. If you don’t enjoy it, you can feel a bit out of place, but it’s fine. It’s an exciting and sometimes terrifying period of enforced fun. Not everybody’s cup of tea.
MAKE SURE YOU DO SOME STUDYING
Now I wish I had spent some more time on my degree! You should definitely work hard and get as much out of your degree as possible.
DON’T WORK TOO HARD
Also, remember that university is a time for you to experiment and do stuff you might not have done otherwise, and explore as many extracurricular activities as you can. I have my job now essentially because of a university club that I joined: I went to Durham and there was a sketch comedy group. They held open auditions every year and because of that, I got the opportunity to go to Edinburgh. I met some people who I am still friends with today, and now we also work together on a professional level. I really learnt how to write and form comedy through that club.
TRY NOT TO LIVE IN A COMPLETE SH*THOLE
It’s not about living in luxury, but try not to live in a place that is actively falling apart around you.
TRY TO ENJOY YOURSELF!
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Congratulations, at long last you’ve made it to uni. But before you’re up to your neck in assignments, you will first partake in what’s known as ‘Freshers’. If you consider yourself prepared for this week of mayhem and drunken disorder, I can assure you – you’re not. During this time you will come across all walks of life, the type of folk you will only ever witness at this time of year at university and no-one can prepare you for what you’re about to encounter.
Regardless of the music genre you prefer, every club will have DJs roaming around. You’ll spot them at pre-drinks, he’s the one eager to connect his iPhone to the speakers and in the club you’ll find him lurking around the DJ booth, wearing funky attire from his mate’s up-and-coming fashion range. It’s highly likely that he’ll reply with ‘safe’ when you say hi and he’ll claim he actually used to play his set at this time on a Friday at this club, although when you ask why he doesn’t anymore he can’t answer. The rest of the conversation will most likely involve him mentioning how he heard the current track playing in a club during his season in Ibiza. Don’t bother telling him you’ve heard the track before… He heard it first, before you, before anyone. You must also be wary of his very opinionated views when it comes to the songs being played in the club, it will either be too mainstream or a banging new exclusive record – don’t disagree with him, you’ll lose every time. The conversation will most likely end with ‘follow me on Sound Cloud’. Don’t be confused, it’s just a DJ code word for goodbye.
These are the older students who lure innocent freshers into their clubs. You can spot a promoter a mile away by the trail of £1 shot stickers they leave behind them, as they patrol the streets armed with special offer flyers. Be prepared for them to entice you with an offer of a ‘queue jump’ a.k.a. ‘follow me I’ll take you straight to the bar’. This is the moment in your life as a fresher where you will find out that in order to earn your ‘free shot’ you will most likely have to firstly buy several Jager Bombs and a round of drinks from the cocktail menu. By which time, the guy who promised you a ‘proper mint night’ has vanished into the mist of the fog machines, leaving you accompanied by an impatient bar girl forcing a card machine in your direction. You will soon learn to never catch eye contact with promoters again.
They will come equipped with a crate of Strongbow Dark Fruit and enough banter to last the full year, and it’s almost guaranteed that he’s either a football or rugby player. This type of adolescent is likely to be spotted in the club and rarely in lectures, but either way superglued by the shoulder to a heard of approximately 20 other similar species, who refer to each other as ‘the lads’. Their mating call is a wolf whistle, of course there is no actual dialect involved as these are the type that are yet to learn the art of conversing with the opposite sex. Their main hobbies include chanting and downing pints. By the end of the night it is guaranteed they will all stumble to the kebab shop telling tales of how they ‘pulled a 10 out of 10 bird’ even though no-one actually witnessed it.
These young ladies absolutely love life. It is extremely rare to see this sort of girl with the same outfit on twice, and they will always leave you questioning how on earth their makeup looks so good. They’ll spend 90% of their night out in the toilet, where their main pastimes will involve selfie taking and applying contour. The only time these girls will converse with you is if you show any signs of owning Mac lipstick which they’ll ask to borrow. You will then probably take a snapchat with your new found best friend / idol and then she’ll strut away holding hands with a chain of several other giggling girlies. You may bump into this girl again, but it’s almost guaranteed she will have no recollection of who you are.
Words: Sean Oakley
Ok, you’re at the freshers’ fair signing up for next year’s societies. But which ones rock your block and which suck soiled socks? The SPG has the low-down on which are the best party societies on campus.
Yes, this one is a classic. If you like your nights out messy and with more male bonding than a sweat lodge, this is a society for you. Think humiliating initiations and drinking pints through people’s bum cracks (no, seriously!) I hope you have a strong liver, you’re going to need it, mate.
Ok, so the novelty of going “ARRR ME HEARTIES!” will wear off after a couple of weeks, but if your university has a pirate society then you can be assured of at least a few rum-fuelled escapades. And your pirate costume will also work for Halloween a few weeks later! Bobby-Dazler!
Real ale isn’t just for bearded weirdos anymore. Ok, there are a lot of bearded weirdos, but we are actually pretty nice once you get to know us. If you want to go out on the lash in a classy way, you could do worse. To blend in, when commenting on what you are drinking use one of the two following phases “Mmmm, a good session’s beer.” Or “This is definitely an acquired taste.”. You’ll fit right in…
Most people in this society will be writers and where there are writers, there is red wine. Expect pretentious conversation. Ask them about their latest novel and the free drinks will keep on coming. Wear black for bonus points.
Similar to Creative Writing Society, Drama luvies are great on a night out. If they’re not the life and soul of the party, they’re being sick and crying in the toilets. Expect drama in both senses of the word.
Nerds, geeks and social misfits. However, they have all the best drinking games. Go on, give it a go!
Two words for you: Booze. Cruise. Actually, three more: French. Exchange. Chicks.
Hi, how are you? Hey! I’m good! What music did you listen to growing up? Amy Winehouse, The Black Keys and The Kooks. Do they influence the music you make now or do you have other musical influences? Yeah they did quite a lot! Especially Amy Winehouse and I really like how The Black Keys wrote as well. You’ve supported Sam Smith, Rudimental and Foxes, how did their crowds respond to you? They were really nice, it’s obviously really intimidating when you’re about to go on. The artists were so kind to me and it’s cool to watch them play as well. Who would you most like to work with? I would love to work with Anderson .Paak or Kendrick Lamar. When touring, what gets you through your day? Hot water, chicken salad and a good laugh in the van. Do you have any plans for a headline tour coming up? Yeah we’ve got a gig in September at Koko, London. Paris is coming up soon and then Amsterdam as well which I’m really really excited about!
How would you describe the set list? We start off with, really laid back, but heavy beats, then we do more up tempo ones, then we chill out a bit with Mad Behaviour and then back up for White Tiger, so we try and mix the mood up a bit. Your album ‘Moment Of Madness’ came out on September 2nd, how long did it take to write/record? To actually write and record it, about a year, and we’ve just been putting the finishing touches on it for the last few months. So yeah about a year and a half. Are the songs on the album based on anything in particular? Is there a theme? ‘Mad Behaviour’ is pretty dark and ‘White Tiger’ is about falling in love with someone for the first time and being like, “Wow this is the best thing ever”. What do you do in your spare time? I like to read a lot, at the minute I’m reading a book called ‘Not That Kind of Girl’ by Lena Dunham. What’s something that not many people know about you? There’s not really much that not many people know about me. I love cooking, I love cooking a lot. What are you most afraid of? I’m afraid of really crazy rides, when I went to Thorpe Park I literally just got strapped in and I was like “no, get me off ”.
What’s your favourite film? Sister Act! It’s so good! Whoopi Goldberg is the best! Yeah that is a great film! Ok so now some quick fire questions! Coke or Pepsi? Coke. Cats or dogs? Dogs. Chocolate or sweets? Chocolate. Tea or coffee? Coffee. M&Ms or Smarties? Oh no, I can’t choose! Urr, M&Ms. Kendall or Kylie? Kendall, I’m not really into them but if I had to pick one. Facebook or Twitter? Twitter. Family Guy or The Simpsons? No! Now that’s just hard! Um, The Simpsons. Gym or cake? Cake. What advice would you give to any aspiring singer songwriters? Don’t drink too much, and warm up. Finally, what do you hope to get out of the next few years? I hope to have my own flat one day, have another album out, and a dog.
FIRST IMPRESSION When the parcel arrived I was wowed before I even opened the packaging. Contained in a neat and high quality box with a magnetic latch, as soon as I flipped the lid open I was further impressed by the sketch drawings and words written inside with information about the brand, product, the team behind 1MORE and their vision. I was so excited to see how beautifully packaged they are. Inside there is a message to the buyer and a few lines that stood out to me were “Music is food for the soul and we promise to deliver it” and “We appreciate the opportunity to share this journey with you”. These both show that they are really passionate about the brand and how the company progresses.
TRIPLE-DRIVER IN-EAR HEADPHONES The headphones themselves are a stunning black and rose gold colour. They look very stylish and angled in such a way that they fit the ear perfectly and comfortably. A massive perk to these is that they don’t fall out or get loose – there’s nothing worse than listening to a song and it’s about to get to that point that you love and bam, you’re only listening to the song with one ear! Not anymore – problem solved. It’s dual system intelligent controls allow the user to adjust the volume, play/ pause and answer phone calls and is compatible with Apple iOS and Android.
THE SOUND
If anyone was wondering what the ‘triple-driver’ is, it’s two balanced armatures and a separate dynamic driver which allows you to hear the music as the artist and engineer would have originally intended. They have an extended frequency of up to 40,000Hz which enables high res audio. Whilst listening to my music I just couldn’t get over how sharp the sound was, no muffle, no tinny noise, and they’re such a high quality pair of headphones. None of this surprises me, as they are expertly tuned by Luca Bignardi, a Grammy award winning sound engineer.
EXTRAS
Stored within the main compartment beneath the headphones, are four neatly packed boxes which each hold the extras and are of very high quality. There’s a branded leather style and stitched hard case for travelling, a dual pin aviation plug (brushed with a rose gold metal look), 8 extra ear buds (5 silicone and 3 foam) all different sizes which is another nice bonus, a metal shirt clip and a user guide. The silicone buds enhance the lower frequencies and the foam buds will enhance the higher frequencies to “satisfy your sonic preferences”.
SUMMARY
From the moment I opened the box I was really taken away by the elegance of the packaging, the design, look and feel of everything. 1MORE are an electronics company “devoted to bringing music alive” and boy are they serious about doing so by producing outstanding quality like this. In only 3 years they’ve won 10 international design awards. Top quality first impression and it’s of no surprise that everyone who’s rated the product has given it excellent feedback. And at a very reasonable price of just £99 this is money well spent.
To get 25% off any 1MORE product, click here
I don’t necessarily believe in fate, but I do believe that with hard work and persistence you create your own luck, and that if you stay positive at all times, positive things will happen. That kind of sums up the journey of A6 Records so far‌
If you are going to start a record label, then you need to ask yourself a few simple questions first… How will your label be different to others? What genres of music will you focus on? What is the aim of the label? For some, it might be that you’re in a band yourself or produce your own music, and a label seems like a natural thing to do in order to get your work out, especially if you already have a social media following. For others it might be that you know someone who is super talented and you want to help develop that artist/group, again a completely legitimate reason for starting your own label. This was what happened with me… I can’t play an instrument but I would say I’ve got a “good ear” for music, and I’ve always had a huge passion ranging across a wide selection of genres. One day earlier this year I was scrolling through my news feed and viewed a music video my friend had shared on Facebook of a guy called Arron Erskine. I was so impressed with how good he was; I read up a little about him and sent him a quick message - this is a perfect example of how far are you willing to go? I could’ve easily skipped this part and not sent that message. Little did I know at the time, but this one message was going to
change everything, because soon after, he replied and not long into the conversation we were talking about working together. My background is heavily marketing orientated and I really believed in his talent and was surprised he wasn’t already working with a label. I naturally wanted to help. After a few conversations on the telephone we met up
and within weeks an official contract was signed. Sorting the contracts might seem daunting, but they are crucial. Don’t make the mistake of glossing over this part as it might come back to bite you later on. Each document will need to be tailored specifically to the terms you and the artist(s) have agreed. We would advise that you seek legal and professional assistance on this one. There are companies out there which provide documentation specifically for new record labels, such as Ditto Music, so if you’re going to do this read up about it. Ditto also provide an amazing ‘Record In A Box’ service which is well worth looking up. During the weeks running up to us officially signing an agreement with Arron, we had to come up with a name and logo
for the label. This is another really important thing you need to think through properly. Your logo will represent you for many years to come. People will judge you and your work based upon first impressions. Make sure your first impression is a good one! Ensure your name is catchy, has a meaning, will be easily remembered and once you’ve got a name that you are happy with make sure you check the domain is available! Next thing is to secure the social media pages you want. Set these pages up and if possible try to name them consistently. By now you are well on your way to having a strong brand identity. Before diving in make sure to have some kind of business plan! It doesn’t need to be too intense providing you have covered all the points. A record label is a business and 1 in 3 businesses don’t make it past 3 years. The budget and cash-flow are key. You don’t want to get 6 months in and run out of cash! Be realistic with what things will cost and where and how your revenue will be generated. My advice would be to always err on the side of caution, so you never run into problems. These days it’s rare to make money from digital downloads alone, especially in the early stages. So give yourself enough time to build a strong fan base (if you don’t already have one) and think outside of the box: merchandise, events, and collaborations for example are all methods for generating income.
Once you’ve got your contracts completed and signed, your label name and website sorted, and a plan mapped out, things will start to get a lot more exciting - It’s now time to start creating the work and sharing it with the world! At this stage you need to be totally dedicated. No 90% here. Get your music out as much as you can. Use social media to promote your work, and make sure to take feedback on board and communicate with your fans. Constantly think outside of the box. Attend gigs, talk to venues and get familiar with the local music scene and network at every given opportunity. Some of the people you meet along the way could be valuable contacts in the future. I attended a local gig and got talking to a great contact I made from BBC, who advised that we upload Arron’s track ‘Foolin Me’ to the ‘BBC Uploader’. Within 30 minutes of submitting the MP3 file, I received an email saying that it was selected by BBC Introducing West Midlands for radio play! Arron and I were invited for an interview at BBC in Birmingham and the local presenters had forwarded the track onto BBC Radio 1Xtra. About a week later we found out that ‘Foolin Me’ was selected as track of the week and got played by the likes of MistaJam, Trevor Nelson, Jamz Supernova and A.Dot. What’s more, DJ Target chose Arron Erskine as featured artist of the week. It appears we got a breakthrough which for us is incred-
ible. But let me make this point clear, if we hadn’t, we would’ve kept going until we did! This was all off the back of some advice I was given in a brief conversation I had, whilst networking at a local event. I could’ve quite easily decided to not go that day. What a mistake that would’ve been! See my point? Take advantage of EVERY opportunity you’re given. You never know where it might lead you or if you will ever get that chance again. We’re now focusing on increasing our momentum and are in discussions with a producer about remixes – this will help open Arron’s music to new potential fans. As well as this, we’ve just finished
filming the video for Arron’s second song called ‘We’ll See’. We chose locations which have real impact and managed to arrange a BMW i8 (thanks Matt), which we filmed in a really cool graffiti tunnel in London, and Arron also rode a Yamaha motorbike along an aeroplane runway, at night with a flare in his hand! BBC Introducing have already confirmed they are playing ‘We’ll See’ on the radio and we’ll keep pushing on, knocking on doors and letting people know about Arron’s new music. I’d advise that you do the same, whenever the time is right. Don’t be one of the many that get forgotten or lost, be the one that is remembered, and give them a reason to want more!
Photo: Matt Bromage
www.A6Records.com
Cameron Calloway – Back To Black (Amy Winehouse)
U.S singer songwriter, Cameron Calloway has performed with the likes of Grammy-nominated Dru Hill, Allen Stone and Emily King. We were blessed to feature his exclusive SPGtv cover of Amy Winehouse, Back To Black, which is full of soul, passion and shows off his effortless vocal range.
Aleks Grey – We Will Be Ok
Taking inspiration from the likes of Coldplay and One Republic, Aleks Grey has developed an anthem pop sound. His debut EP ‘SOULS’ was awarded ‘album of the week’ and he’s had numerous BBC radio plays. This is the second SPGtv video session with Aleks and yet again he’s delivered an impressive performance.
Owen Denvir – Green Light Training as a young orchestral viola player, Owen Denvir was drawn by the alternative sound of Bon Iver over Bach and these two styles of music influence his song-writing. We were delighted to receive Owen Denvir’s exclusive performance of his latest single ‘Green Lights’, which has an honest and personal feel showcasing his amazing voice and talent - we love it!
Steve Strong – Hot Air 1-man band Steve Strong from Plymouth creates experimental ambient music. ‘Hot Air’ is mesmerising to listen to and watch as he skilfully and seamlessly creates a blend of looped sounds using drums, synths and guitar and builds the track up. Great music and very unique.
Sam Callahan – Fast Car (Tracy Chapman) Sam Callahan finished 7th place in the X-Factor 2013 TV show earning his place on a sell out arena tour. This year his track ‘I Love It When You’ entered the official Music Week Dance Chart at number 5. Here is his brilliant acoustic cover version of Tracy Chapman’s fast car exclusively for SPGtv.
Zyrah Rose - I See Fire (Ed Sheeran) Britain’s Got Talent 2016 semi finalists Zyrah Rose are four extremely talented classical/orchestral singers, passionate about film, games and music. They have an epic cinematic sound and truly breathtaking voices and harmonies. During their SPGtv video session they performed two stunning songs, their version of Ed Sheeran’s ‘I see Fire’ (The Hobbit soundtrack which they sung on BGT), as well as their amazing version of the Game Of Thrones soundtrack ‘The Children’. Both were sung to perfection and are worthy winners of our ones to watch!
We sat down and spoke with singer-songwriter Tom Odell following the release of his most recent album ‘Wrong Crowd’, which was released on the 10th June and includes singles such as ‘Magnetised’, ‘Here I Am’ and title track ‘Wrong Crowd’. Read on as we speak about winning an Ivor Novello award, peppermint tea and why he owns a giant painting of himself... Interview by Kayleigh Francis
i Tom, we are going to start from the beginning… From what point in your life did you realise you wanted to sing?
Do you write the music as well or just lyrics?
I was always song writing and the singing came afterwards. I had all these songs that I’d written but I didn’t really have anyone to sing them to. So that’s kind of why I started singing. That was when I was about 15.
The music and the lyrics come at the same time, that’s when they’re the most successful. With Wrong Crowd the lyrics came first and the music came after.
Is there anything that helps you with the writing process? Yeah, I find it’s good to read a lot, watch films and go to art galleries. I think it’s good to indulge in some art, whether it’s music, film or whatever. Just absorb art because that’s inspiring. Reading I think is good because it gets the written word side of your brain active. How long does it take for you to write a song? I think it’s always different. Sometimes it happens very quickly and sometimes it can take many many hours, it’s always different. I wish every song was written quickly but sometimes it takes a little bit of effort.
So how does your new album ‘Wrong Crowd’ differ from ‘Long Way Down’? Wrong Crowd is still like Long Way Down, as it’s very lyrically led, but I think it’s richer musically and it goes to a few different places. It’s a great band that plays on the album with me and I’m really proud of it. I think it’s a much better album. Where did you find your inspiration for the album? Sort of here, there and everywhere. I think a lot of it came from experiences that I’ve had, and books I’ve read. The imagination in some ways as well. What’s your favourite song from the album? I love them all equally.
Like your little babies! What’s your dream collaboration? I don’t know, I’d love to work with other song writers that I really admire, like Lorde, I think she’s amazing. I’d love to work with an artist like her or perhaps Ryan Adams, or just really core songwriters because I feel like I’d learn something from them. Lily Allen compared you to a young David Bowie, what was your reaction to that? I mean, I don’t know, you get comparisons a lot but you know, I was flattered but I took it with a pinch of salt. Fair enough! Do you still get nervous when you perform shows? I think once I’m into a tour and you’re playing every night I’m sort of fine, but I always get nervous when I play in London because I’ve got a lot of friends that come down, and that always makes me nervous when I know people in the audience. I think there’s always a sense of nerves, I think it’s important that they’re there because it makes the performance a bit more present and you feel more in it.
Out of everything you’ve done, what is your favourite achievement? When I was 15 I read about the Ivor Novellos and remember dreaming that it would be amazing to win one of those. A couple of years ago I won song writer of the year. It meant a lot to me because it’s voted for by other song writers, a lot of whom I admire and are the reason I do it in the first place. It was one of those childhood dreams that I was very proud to win. Is there anything you haven’t achieved that you’d like to? I want to make as many albums as I can! There are a million songs that I haven’t written yet and want to write. There are a lot of songs on the tip of my tongue. It can be frustrating, I just want to get them all out as fast as possible but it takes time. So are you constantly writing then? I try and write every day or every other day, at least some words and then when I find a piano I’m able to sit down and write properly, but not every day am I near a piano.
Do you make an effort to meet fans before and after shows and if they approach you on the street? Yeah! On the tour we’ve just done it’s been really nice meeting a lot of the fans. I really do have lovely, great fans! They always bring books and recommendations and it’s really nice that there’s a little community there. I wouldn’t be here without them. Have you ever had anything really weird given to you by a fan? There was this giant painting which was about a metre long, a metre wide which I was so touched by, but it’s strange because it’s a bit awkward… me to have a painting of myself. It’s a beautiful painting but I never really know what to do with it, so it’s hidden in the corner of my room. I want to give it to someone because I have no need to see my face in a painting. Just to finish off, what are you hoping to get out of the next few years? I’d like to tour this album because the best way to hear Wrong Crowd is to hear it live. I want to tour it as much as possible and write another album as well. Tell us one thing that not many people know about you? Since I was about 9 years old I’ve had a peppermint tea almost every night before I go to bed. Doesn’t matter, even if I’m drunk, even if I’m in some random hotel I try, it’s not always possible but I try. I like peppermint tea a lot.
Thanks, it was nice to speak to you! It was nice to speak to you, cheers bye! The new album ‘Wrong Crowd’ is out now!
USB BED RISERS £24.26 Storage space can be tricky for a lot of students, so we think that these bed risers will definitely help you to maximise your under bed space. These will lift your bed 7” giving you a much larger area to shove everything under, or you could get yourself some neat storage boxes and get organised from the get-go. One of the feet even has a 110 volt 15-amp power outlet and twin USB sockets!
BREAKFAST TO GO CONTAINER £4.10 We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so when you’re running late for a lecture, with no time to make your early morning snack, fear not! Take your breakfast to uni or on your travels with the cereal-to-go container. Simply fill the compartments with your favourite cereal and milk, and use the spoon attached to the side to eat when you’re ready.
AMAZON FIRE TABLET £49.99 This tablet is extremely good for the tiny price tag! It has a micro SD card slot so that you can expand the storage, is the perfect size to fit in a bag, and is pretty much weightless.
CASE LOGIC’S LARGE LODO BACKPACK £74.99 Perfect for students, those attending festivals and small trips away, this rucksack by Case Logic is really spacious and comfortable, with a really soft back padding. Not only is it extremely comfortable to carry, but it also looks great with 3 different colours to choose from.
PIZZA HOLDER £5.99 Who doesn’t like pizza? Now you can wear your pizza around your neck with pride. Avoid the burger van queue at the end of a night by taking your own pizza out! Hmmm, maybe not, but it’s still a funny product for pizza lovers and a great gift idea for a friend with the price tag of just over a fiver!
PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER £13.99 If you haven’t already invested in a portable phone charger, then you probably should. You know what phone batteries are like! Whether it’s at a festival, at uni, Pokémon hunting, wherever you are, these things are super handy and powerful, providing up to 3 full charges.
STAR WARS R2D2 DESK VACUUM £11.99 R2D2 is here to help keep your desk tidy! As well as looking great, he’s a functional desktop vacuum cleaner, on hand to tidy up your snack crumbs! If you don’t like Star Wars, that’s no excuse, because these handy desktop vacuums come in loads of different designs!
SLOW COOKER £25.00 This Russell Hobbs 3.5ltr capacity slow cooker is an inexpensive, economical way of cooking, perfect if you have important deadlines and no time to make a healthy meal. Simply prepare what you want to cook in the morning and by the time you get back BAM, dinners done! Get creative and search online for nice healthy, easy prep meals! Oh, and it’s easy to clean and dishwasher safe!
BLUETOOTH HAT £24.95 Winter is not far around the corner, so make sure you’re ready to fight those cold mornings with this cool unisex Bluetooth hat, providing style, warmth and the ability to listen to tunes wirelessly. Play your favourite songs, audio books, and podcasts through the built-in control panel and even take and receive hands free phone calls!
SLUMBERDOWN’S BIG HUGS BEDDING £6.00-£17.00 Chances are you’ve got the same old duvet since you had cartoon characters on your pillow cases?! You could see this as an opportunity to upgrade your bedding and if so, then Tesco have got your back because they’re stocking the Big Hugs range which is perfect bedding for students, with their very reasonable prices. Pillows (2-pack): £8.00 Single duvet: £13.00 Double duvet: £17.00 Single mattress protector: £9.00 Double mattress protector: £11.00 Pillow protectors (2-pack): £6.00
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Visit www.masta-travel-health.com to find your nearest travel health clinic, with over 160 clinics nationwide we’re never far away.
At MASTA we provide expert travel health advice that is tailored to you and your journey. As part of a thorough risk assessment we only ever suggest the vaccinations, antimalarials and preventative advice that you really need to help protect you on your travels.
Whilst scouring the internet for travel related ideas, we came across Matthew Karsten’s Instagram account: expertvagabond and wow, his images are truly amazing! From picturesque landscapes, to stunning wildlife shots, and breathtaking sceneries, this Instagram account makes you want to explore the world. Why not join Mathew on his journey and discover the globe with him.
HELLO NEPAL Meet Emily Tear. She’s been travelling around the world for many years and has certainly seen some sights! Her adventures pan across a large variety of destinations including Morocco in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and many European countries as well. Emily’s most recent trip landed her in a remote village in Nepal, way up high in the Himalayas where she volunteered for a chaity helping with local projects. We caught up with Emily to talk about her amazing, life-changing experiences in this beautiful place, the culture differences and why she believes travelling is the best decision you can ever make.
What made you decide to visit Nepal over other places? I was initially attracted by its great beauty. I loved the attitude of the people with their great respect for their environment and their Buddhist culture. Realistically, how much money do you need to travel to somewhere like Nepal for a few weeks? Firstly you need to fund the airfare which is approx. £500 return. The charity I worked for organised local accommodation for me. However if you stayed in a guest house, with a basic shower and private W/C, you would be expected to pay approx. £5-7 per night. Food is very cheap, only £3-4 for a full blown curry with all the extras, but remember these people are virtually all vegetarians so there is always plenty of eggs and fresh bread to be had. A couple of £’s for a local beer will see you through, although the cost of wine and spirits is through the roof. Travelling with the locals is a cost effective way of getting around Nepal. At most you’d pay £5 to travel from A to B on a local bus. Many places are only accessible by foot. The whole trip, living within your means, and not being extravagant, could cost you no more than £700. How would you describe the culture over there? Very different from ours! Please remember my thoughts were formed prior to the devastating earthquake, but these are my lingering memories. As I walked through the valleys I would hear teenage girls, singing along hilariously to the love ballads from
the 80’s - despite not being able to speak a word of English, their singing was perfect. There were the men who searched in vain for an odd job by day and told never-ending stories and riddles as the sun went down and the rain began to fall on the banana leaves. There were young women, who painted their toenails rose red and drowned themselves in shiny, heavy gold bangles and wore the most vibrant and colourful dresses.
Stern middle-aged women who wouldn’t let me leave their houses without admiring the blondeness of my hair and the paleness of my skin. There were young children who washed their uniforms and white socks every evening by hand, rhythmically working the detergent into a noisy foam in the fresh spring water. In the towns, roads would be crammed with local buses, inexplicably playing a squealing, mechanical
version of what I could only class as a horn but yet was repeated five to six times over. You learned to ignore this after a while, the same way you would tune out the over-enthusiastic and confused roosters that crowed at 3a.m. There were the families who finished each day no further ahead than they had begun it and then, at night, sat on the floor and intently tucked into their Dahl Bat curry under candlelight. Their dreams were of an alternate world, where the righteous are rewarded, and they thought ahead into a future that might, against all odds, hold promise. What did the culture differences teach you? The generosity of the people, who had so little to give
was overwhelming. They showed unlimited kindness and love between family and friends. Everyone was an equal regardless of their class, wealth, job or home circumstances. What’s your best memory from your time in Nepal? I want you to understand that there is poverty in this country, but there is also a greatness of love. I was overwhelmed with the kindness the Nepalase families showed me. The natural beauty of the Himalayas is an amazing backdrop to everyday life. Looking back, would you have done anything different? Nothing at all. I’ve been blessed enough to travel a lot of this world, from
What would be your top piece of advice to someone considering a travelling excursion? Keep an open mind. This isn’t a package holiday, and it’s not going to be easy adjusting to a culture that hasn’t been polluted by western ways. Take in the beauty of the country, do not hurry and let the people teach you some of the most valuable life lessons you could Have you got the travel bug, ever take on. I recommend a trip like and if so will you be jetting off to this to anyone, if you truly need to anywhere else soon? I was born find yourself and take some time out with the bug, and long may my from the mundane controlled world adventures continue! I will soon be that we live in today. Buy that ticket, heading back to sunny Australia, and adventure into the unknown. then hopefully setting off to do some Trust me, it will be the best decision more volunteering projects in Fiji you will ever make. and the Cook Islands. backpacking to 5 star all-inclusive resorts. But the most fulfilling and euphoric journey of them all will always be Nepal, with the beauty being so raw and the generosity and love from the people, even in the desperate aftermath of the earthquake. Unforgettable beyond words.
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Elephants use the skin folds on their backs to crush mosquitoes A snail takes 115 days to travel a mile 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 The lighter was invented before the match Only female mosquitoes bite Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, was allergic to carrots Women blink nearly twice as much as men Every time you liCK a stamp, you consume 1 / 10th of a calorie The electric chair was invented by a dentist ‘Typewriter’ is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard crocodileS can’t stick THEIR tongueS out Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Lady & The Tramp and Mulan are the only Disney films where both parents are present and don’t die within the movie
Words: Olivia Skull
Going to university is an exciting time. Packing up your things, buying pots and pans and feeling like a real grown up. Despite your mum nagging you everyday to buy lots of washing up liquid and vegetable peelers. It’s not those things you end up needing the most. You’d be surprised how many things you don’t realise you need when you’re flying the nest.
For the first week or so it is very likely that you and your flatmates will feel rude to even close your door for a second, therefore rather than using your only chair to prop it open, pick up some doorstops to help you get friendly with your neighbours. You can get multiple for less than a pound in places like Wilko and IKEA.
However, for later on in the semester when you aren’t feeling quite so social and are feeling a lot more hungover, these sound and light barricades will be an absolute life saver. Thin curtains and noisy flatmates? Not a problem for you.
Most people join a social, and even if you don’t, there is always Halloween. Socials have themes every week that you have to dress up for and if you fail to dress up, there is an alcohol related punishment involved. So even if it’s that animal onesie, or that old superman t-shirt, it is so worth taking them with you.
The best way to break the ice is to have a game to play and a drink to get you tipsy. It allows you to have a laugh together and bond over pre-drinks before a night out. In my opinion, pre-drinks with mates in your flat can sometimes be better than the actual night out. Just remember to buy cheap cards, as I guarantee they will be covered in vodka by the end of the night.
Probably the best way to start a conversation and get chatting to a flatmate for the first time is to either make them a cup of tea, or offer them a biscuit or chocolate. The big boxes of celebrations always go down well and lead to lengthy conversations about the superior chocolate of the selection. Plus, you’ll be busy the first two weeks, so snacks to take on the go will stop you spending money or going hungry.
It may be freshers, time for fun, fares and friends, but you still need to at least try to make it to lectures. For any lecture, no matter what you are studying, a USB memory stick will come in useful, transferring files, saving work you’ve done, or simply backing up photos or essays. Another handy tool is a voice recording device. If a lecture is particularly complicated, or you want to refer back to it, recording the lecturer is much more accurate than scribbling down notes (and far less boring!)
Picture the scene. You’re down the student union having a couple of beers with your mates while watching the latest edition of Monday Night Football. You’ve got £5 on Wayne Rooney to score first, hoping it might bag a cheeky £20 to pay for the night out and a kebab on the way home. Then, up pops Phil Jones who shins in an opener after three minutes and the bet is gone, your fiver down the drain. With EveryFan, there’s a way to have that punt on Rooney, but remain in the game for the full 90 minutes, as well as have some fun with your mates throughout. The concept is simple – create a game and compete against your pals with a series of either pre-match or in-play bets. Betting has lost its personal touch. It used to be all about getting one over on your mates and earning not only a little bit of cash, but also bragging rights for your superior knowledge.
EveryFan is fixing the issue by bringing back a social element to betting, allowing friends to bet against each other in private games in order to give the fan back the control. Plus, because it’s against your mates, you’ll have another chance at the weekend to either get your money back, or stick it to them a second, third or fourth time. Not only could you end up with several of your mates’ money in your pocket, but you will also be able to walk around the halls of residence knowing you are top of the class.
DOWNLOAD THE EVERYFAN APP FROM THE APPLE STORE everyfan.net
Your new album ‘Youth’ came out on the 16th of September. How would you say it differs from your previous albums? I’d say that it definitely differs, in the sense that I 100% know what I’m doing a lot more now than I did at the start. I understand myself as an artist a bit more and I know what I have to offer. The vibe of every track is basically a summer; I tried to make the album like all the summers that I was experiencing around the world. (What a summer feels like in Spain, Paris, and London etc.) Each song should feel like a different summer in a different country or city, that’s the main reason that it’s different - and then I guess now there is more of a message. Now I feel like ‘Youth’ has more of a sentiment and message, just in the sense that I feel like what happened in my life was quite lucky. As a young black kid from a council estate who didn’t have much, wasn’t privileged, and had no inheritance, I think that I have done quite well. So, I want to be able to leave a message for those that have grown up in a similar way - from whatever background - to let them know that it’s possible, and tell them my story with the hope that it will inspire them.
Aww that’s lovely! What is the process of recording an album like? Does it take long? Yeah, ‘Not Letting Go’ was my first song off that album and that came out like a year ago now, so I’ve literally been working on it since then! It’s layers and layers; I’ve basically made three albums. You make an album, play it to everyone, you listen back to it in a couple of weeks, and then one song doesn’t sound as good or as current as the rest and before you know it, you’ve made three versions of an album. We’ve got a really incredible set up in Greenwich - which is where I’m from - and we have two studios and invite literally everyone – guitarists, drummers, we had a mariachi band, different singers to those who are on the album and those who aren’t. (So like Jake Bugg, Bipolar Sunshine, Zara Larsson and Wizkid.) They all come in to the studio and we have popcorn and Hennessy, and everyone just has a good time.
Who has been your favourite collab so far? I’ve got something with Jake Bugg at the moment which is really exciting. I like him because. like me, he was born in an area which I’m not sure would’ve been that easy for him, and he seems like he’s had a regular upbringing. When he came to my studio the first time, he brought a 6 pack of Stella Artois and was like “let’s just sit down and listen to music”. Usually you don’t feel that attitude in the studio unless it’s a pop diva, superstar DJ or quirky producer - so it was nice to meet a full artist who makes music right. We had a similar story to tell and made a meaningful record as well. You and Jake Bugg are two very different artists did the two genres come together well? Yeah definitely, and it took a while. One thing I respect about Jake is that when he came through, we didn’t do the song straight away, he came to the studio on 3 occasions with his Stella Artois (sometimes vodka), and we’d chill out and he’d just catch his own vibe. After the first session he was like “yeah I’m ready, I’m up for it!” and the whole thing just felt very real. You’re playing KISS Haunted House Party at Wembley Arena on the 27th of October, how does it feel to play arenas? I’ve played it before and I love it. Wembley Arena is one of those places where, when you were growing up, you’d always see the biggest bands and artists playing - so when given the opportunity to play there, it feels phenomenal. I try to make the show as crazy as it can be, and try to outdo my last show. You’re also going to be touring Europe. What is the best thing about travelling around for shows? Probably meeting different fans - meeting people who are in to your music but aren’t necessarily from the same place as you - that’s quite cool. You experience things, gain knowledge, become more cultured, try different food, make new friends, and meet new musicians. What a lot of people don’t realise is that even with this whole YouTube culture, there are so many incredible artists doing well. When we went to Holland, I met this rapper called Lil Kleine. We are really good friends now and if I had never travelled, we wouldn’t know each other. There are so many benefits, and I love that doing what I love has given me a chance to see the world. They say that if you do a job you love, then you never really have to work a day of your life. That’s what it feels like.
Photo Credit: Jamie Kendrick
Do you get much time to actually go out and explore these cities? It all depends; let me try to break it down. When you’re an up and coming artist and you haven’t got loads going on, then yes. There’s an opportunity to see the city, and go a few days in advance - if you can afford it. When you’re at the middle stage and you’re getting bigger, your schedule’s a bit more frantic and you don’t have much time to go out. I’m guessing that when you hit your pinnacle, you have the means to just stay somewhere for longer. This is me just assuming from what I’ve seen from other artists as well, but when you’re that big you can just stay wherever you want. You got really good grades in school but didn’t attend university - do you regret not going? Aw thanks, I didn’t think that they were that great but no, I’m not going to lie. I know this is The Student Pocket Guide, but I don’t regret not going. I think it’s great if you have to have a certain qualification to do something, but for me I never needed that. I didn’t need my grades to allow me to make music. I didn’t need to show anyone my CV. Do you find it hard to run a label, make your own music and tour all at once? Do you get much time to just chill out? You should answer this one. I can imagine not much time at all. It’s one of the hardest things in the world, but just the fact that I get to do what I love whilst also creating that opportunity for others is great. For example, the guy who made the beat for ‘Girls Like’, he’s a new producer who I have signed, and the last thing he did before that was for Section Boyz. He made ‘Trapping Ain’t Dead’ and a few of their songs, so to be able to meet someone like that and bring them into my world and give them an opportunity like that, is one of the best things in the world. So yeah, it’s hard, but because I’m doing one of the things I love, I’m really happy with that. Everyone works hard, whether they work in an office, or they’re a teacher, accountant, or a lawyer. Can you go out without people constantly coming up to you? I think I kind of screwed myself with that line “everywhere I go people want a photo” because as soon as I said that, literally everywhere I go, someone wants a photo. It could be an old lady, a young kid, a cat, a dog, anyone.
What’s been your weirdest fan experience? Good question - I always tell this story - but we used to have a fan who would always wait outside when I was doing my first tour. They’d always be at the city before me, and they’d be the first one there. She was so much of a fan that we ended up offering her a job, and she ended up running my website for a while because literally she could find a picture of me before I even knew the picture existed, or she’d know mad facts about my life that I didn’t even know, so I was like “hey you’re better than everyone else at doing the job so you might as well come and work”. That’s probably been the weirdest. Tell me something not many people know about you. I can do a pretty mean headstand. I used to be able to do headstands, but not anymore! You’ve got to keep practising! What advice would you give to students who may be unsure of what exactly they want from their future? The main thing I would say is don’t panic; don’t let it bog you down. There are greater stresses to come in life, trust me. As long as you are around a good set of people who motivate you and show you new things, then you will be fine! Enjoy your youth! Enjoy the fact that your biggest worry is what you’re going to do in the future. That’s nothing to worry about! There are so many ways for people to do what they want to do. If you are a bit unsure or lost, anyone who you respect or admire, tweet them. You could tweet Alan Sugar and he’s quite likely to respond so get creative with it and have fun. What’s your most embarrassing moment? I’m quite fortunate that I haven’t had one yet. Lucky you! What is next for Tinie Tempah? Tour the album, which will be amazing. We are going around Europe. Some interesting things will be closing early next year! I look forward to it! Thank you for your time, bye! It’s all good thank you! Bye!
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Words: Emily Magnall
Students, the creatures that hibernate until 5pm, consume Pot Noodles and spend copious amounts of money on the cheapest alcohol. You’ll be glad to hear that this is a part-time reality. Here’s some helpful tricks and tips to help you live a little more comfortably within your means.
Work out your weekly budget and separate it into equal parts. For example, you could halve it so you have half to spend on food shopping and half to spend on whatever you want to do (hobbies, eating out, visiting friends, travelling to placements, etc). Stick to this and you’ll never be hungry or bored.
At first glance this seems tedious. Why would you want to make lists of food when you can just memorise what you need? Bad idea. Going shopping without a list means you’re more likely to buy things that aren’t necessary and that means wasting money you could spend on something else. Also, if you initially make a ‘menu’ of the meals you want to make throughout the week before making a shopping list, you’ll know exactly what you need and save even more money. This was a life saving trick for my first year.
This is a big one. You’ll be surprised to know that after all these years, vegetables and fruit are actually pretty cheap. You can do one of two things; buy fresh vegetables in bulk and freeze the stuff you won’t use on that day, or buy frozen vegetables and use as you need them. The most advisable thing to do is to buy more veggies than meat. Buy two lots of meat and plan your other meals around them. Other days you could eat pasta (pretty cheap when bought in bulk), fish, etc. A little goes a long way in this case.
Now you’ve bought the food and you realise you’ve made too much don’t worry, save it for the next day. Tupperware is super cheap; you can buy it for as cheap as £1 which is nothing in the long run. Your mum probably has loads in the cupboard at home too so don’t hesitate to ask.
You will, at some point, run out of food and money. To avoid this situation buy some dry food. Pasta, rice, sauces in jars, beans and bread can go a long way when money becomes tight. Now, you will have to become a stereotypical student for a day or two but it’s better than being hungry. Even if you think you’ll be okay, plan ahead and plan for the worst. Beans on toast days may be on the horizon if you blow your budget.
Try to walk every chance you get. Not only is it good physically and mentally but your wallet will thank you. If you need to use public transport then you can save money by buying a weekly/monthly/term-time pass in advance. It may seem like you’re wasting money at first but it does actually save you a fair amount. Buying a Railcard will also save you 1/3 on train journeys.
If you think you need something (i.e clothes, makeup, Xbox games) then sleep on it. Don’t make any rash decisions. Do you really NEED that new top? The answer is most likely ‘no’ so save your money and don’t splurge.
You may be used to leaving the lights on when you’re at home but the reality changes when you’re a student. Now you pay your own bills you should be a little more careful when using energy. Turn lights off when you leave the room, buy a lamp, turn off electricals when you’re not using them and turn the thermostat down (jumpers will become your new best friend).
The truth is, being a student isn’t a luxury lifestyle, you may face some hard financial times. But, with these budgeting tricks and tips, the likelihood of that happening is decreased. Being a student should be enjoyable so give yourself one less thing to worry about and spend savvy!
Words: Tim Steadman
Go around your university campus and ask your peers..
''What do you think of essays?'' and you can probably expect a pretty negative response. Essays are, to many, the bane of their university lives. I was no exception prior to my degree, to the point where even the thought of writing a dissertation was enough to put me off going to university. But, to my shock, I actually ended up enjoying writing essays and managed to achieve a First Class honours degree (may I add), so here’s the advice I'd give in relation to good essay writing...
You’ve gotta kiss your essays (I feel like every uni student needs a poster of this in meme form hung up in their bedroom). Why write 20 words when only 10 will do? Quality not quantity, as the title of this article says, is the essence of this point. The only type of waffle that your marker enjoys is the type they stick in the toaster in the morning.
Nothing naughty here. What I mean by this is that your markers are usually your university lecturers, and each lecturer has a different style when it comes to essays and marking. It may take a little bit of time, but try to learn what your marker wants to read and tailor your essays to satisfy what they want.
Some sections of the marking criteria will require more research, time and words than others. In this instance, ask your tutor to break down the marking criteria into an approximate amount of words and factor this into your essay planning. This way you know how to exactly break down those few thousand words into mini-essays of a few hundred words each, effectively.
The last thing you want to do when you’re rushing to submit your essay on deadline day is to have to spend hours crawling through books, websites and journals so that you can collate them by alphabetical order for referencing. Yes, referencing is a [insert expletive here], but it has to be done and it can be so much simpler if you make a note of each reference as you go along.
Also, get your friends and/or family to proof read it for you. You’ll find that you’ll be changing things (spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, double words, etc.) every time you re-read your work. Remember that poor spelling, punctuation and grammar can lose you marks, and 1% is the difference between a 2:1 and a 1st. I really hope I proof read this article enough times before it’s published…
Here we will be following on from Session 1 in the last edition. David Kingsbury will take you through what it takes to build a great body. Like anything that is built to stand tall and strong you need to focus on the foundations.
Lower body work is very important and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You can’t fire a canon from a canoe. Nor should you try. If you build a strong foundation with your lower body movements you will see your whole body transform. Here we cover a few reasons for incorporating weight training into your plan. These points are particularly relevant to the BIG gym lifts, like the deadlift and squat:
Improving body composition is beneficial for two reasons. It ensures your body is optimally poised for performance with quality lean muscle and limited fat mass that will in turn increase your strength/power to weight ratio. It will also have you looking good, which is never a bad thing! Heavy weight training will help to produce an anabolic hormone response and therefore create a better environment for your body to recover from exercise. I also suggest consuming a high protein diet with BCAA supplementation to maximise recovery and body composition improvements.
One of the biggest misconceptions I face with my job is that weight training will cause injury, when the truth is that, when performed correctly, strength training can actually help prevent it. Not only will weight training help to iron out muscle imbalances, heavy strength training triggers protein synthesis in the connective tissue which in turn increases bone strength. This is important because if muscles are not prepared to handle the load, stress gets absorbed by the joints, bones and connective tissue. Also, I suggest adding these fat loss finishers onto the end of your gym sessions to help keep the body fat down and fitness levels up!
I like to set these circuits at the end of the session that has just been completed. I suggest choosing 3-5 movements, and doing them back-to-back with as little rest as possible for the 10-15min duration. My suggestion would be to start with a 10min round then work your way up to the 15min round. Here is an example:
This system utilises both high intensity cardio and either resistance or body weight movements back to back. The intensity is very high and these are particularly tough drills. Here is a look at 2 such cardio and resistance systems. I suggest 3-5 rounds with around 2min rest before repeating.
For more information or to sign up to his training programme visit www.davidkingsbury.co.uk / @DavidKingsbury 12 weeks of personalised training and nutritional plans just ÂŁ149.
Sifu 7th Level Grandmaster Mark Cook has put together some tips on how to protect yourself against a knife attack. Hopefully you will neve need to put these tips into practise!r 1 2 3
Run! Make distance from attacker. Arm yourself (longer range the better) ie: chair, pushbike, belt with heavy buckle, anything that keeps distance between you. 4 Always keep your eye on the sharp edge of the blade. 5 Never block using your arms with your veins facing the attacker. 6 Never kick an attacker with a knife, as you can’t run with a wound to your leg. 7 If you are attacked it’s better to get cut than stabbed. 8 If attacked, protect your midsection and chest by closing your arms across your chest, veins facing in! 9 If they swing at you with a knife, always use two arms to block, not one. Never let yourself get in the situation. Be spa10 Ne tially aware, never close your eyes and keep watching the knife at all times! For more info on knife defence go to: www.threefamilyyst.com
PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES DITTIGER
INTERVIEW BY: KAYLEIGH FRANCIS
From a young age, British actor Freddie Highmore has been hitting our screens, best known for his roles as Norman Bates and Charlie Bucket. He took some time from his busy schedule to chat with us about Bates Motel, Vancouver and relationships on set! Hi Freddie! Let’s start from the beginning... When was your first big break and how old were you? Ahh, how old was I... umm, I think I was six or seven, I don’t know, it was a long time ago, I’m not sure if I remember exactly how old I was. I think the first big film that I’ve always seen as the real start was Finding Neverland. I was nine or ten when I did that and it seemed to me the first big role, and the opportunity that the film gave me afterwards was to go on and do other things, so I’ve always seen that as the real beginning.
PHOTO CREDIT: DYLAN COULTER
Was it overwhelming to work with big actors such as Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp? Not particularly, I think that especially when you’re young you don’t really have the awareness to understand how huge they are as actors, you just see them as people you get on incredibly well with, who are very nice to you and take you under their wing. I think that’s how Helena and Johnny and most of the actors that I have worked with all want to be seen. They don’t come on and ask people to look at them and proclaim that they’re these stars, they’re very down to earth, normal, lovely people. What’s the audition process like? Do you still get nervous? How do you prepare? I think it certainly develops as you move forward. At the beginning of the audition process for Finding Neverland I think there were five or six rounds before you got the part. Then, as you establish yourself more, there’s screen tests for bigger parts, or you’re offered the role after just speaking with the director and discussing the project with producers. So, I guess it depends on the project and what is required but certainly preparation is key to all parts of it and I was always learning the lines, which is the basic bit. It’s very important to listen to the guidance and advice that people are giving you, but I think the audition process works best in general when it’s more of a dialogue, not this one way process of you know, someone coming in and doing a scene once and then leaving. I think it works best when it’s real dialogue between an actor and the people who are casting the project. Aside from acting, you studied Spanish and Arabic at Cambridge University, why? I always enjoyed school and studying, maybe that sounds a bit naff but I guess it was always nice to have my normal life, which was in London, going to school and it just seemed a continuation of that to carry on and go to university. It wasn’t really something that I questioned; it was just like a normal progression of that part of my life. Throughout my childhood my base was at home and that school setting was normality for me, so when I got the chance to go to Cambridge it was something I couldn’t really say no to.
Did your acting career affect your childhood & learning? No, I think it enhanced it but I never felt like I lost out on anything by doing films when I was younger. I just feel lucky to have had that opportunity, it sounds silly doesn’t it but it wasn’t the focus of my life growing up, it wasn’t like you know we all moved out to LA and were wholly surrounded by that world, and so yeah, I guess I feel lucky that it only enhanced it as opposed to took something away from my upbringing. On to Bates Motel, you’ve always played nice characters in family films and now you’re playing such a dark role, how was the transition between the two types of characters? Well, I think that there’s a nice side to Norman, oh no, he does become a full blown serial killer doesn’t he... but there’s some sympathy in him, keeping him somewhat likeable I think has been the challenge all along. I think season 4 has been the most exciting because it’s all about getting that balance right between the slightly more machiavellian, cunning, manipulative side to Norman and the loving, caring side to him, the person that we do like and we wish could conquer the other side, even though we know that’ll never be able to be true. Do you get to see a lot of the area when filming or is it all on set? We get to see quite a bit because home is so far away, I live there permanently for the four, five months or so, so I think I’ve certainly got to know Vancouver well, I think in total I’ve spent almost two years there, it’s a lovely place. Is there going to be a 5th season? This season we finished maybe four months ago and then we are going to go back later this year for season five and then yes, it’s the last one. We knew from the end of season three, that because this story has this sort of end point, that we’re going to have two last seasons and then it’ll all be over. I guess it’s sad the sense of the end coming near, but this season has been incredibly exciting and I’m sure the next one will be too. I just feel very fortunate to have been a part of it.
PHOTO CREDIT: A&E
Is this role something you want to do more of? Certainly another season of it, you always want to play new characters and come across new challenges, and so jumping straight into something after Bates Motel which would involve this new budding serial killer might not be the best move. There is a sense of not wanting it to end really, especially as it draws to a close, you think no it can’t be the end already. You have no social media accounts, is there any reason for this? I know, well everyone’s always saying ‘ooh you should get on social media and you’ve got to be tweeting about things’ and I just feel like it opens a door towards a certain exposure of your private life that you want to keep private. I think it’s partly from the way I’ve grown up, I think it’s lovely to leave that world behind and not have it intrude on your day-to-day thinking beyond that. It’s certainly not a sense of not appreciating the fans of the show and everyone who loves it, but I guess you hope ultimately that the work will speak for itself. There’s live tweeting too which has become a real key part of shows in America where people will tweet as they watch the episode. It’s a changing world; perhaps I’m not quite as upto-date as I should be. But I think there’s something nice about devoting ones attention to watching the episode as it unfolds. Is there anything that no one knows about you that you can tell us? I did go to the Arsenal game yesterday, our last game of the season against Aston Villa when we won 4-0 and it was a great day considering that Spurs somehow managed to mess things up and throw away second place, so the end of a frustrating season. It’s certainly nice that we managed to finish second. We’ve got season tickets to Arsenal so obviously in Vancouver it’s a bit tricky to make the games but whenever I’m here I love going. In post production at the moment you’ve got Holding Patterns and The Journey, what are these? They’re both independent films, The Journey is this British film and Holding Patterns is an American one so both independent films, the post production process is less clear cut and only recently The Journey is just finishing up its post production. So, I guess the next thing will be key but they’re incredibly exciting stories and very different parts. Then I also shot this BBC miniseries which comes out in autumn and will be good fun too.
Is there anything else apart from the filming of season five that you’re up to this year? Well I’ve been really lucky to get involved in the writing on Bates Motel, so I was part of the writer’s team in season four and will be again in season five. So, at the end of shooting I was actually in LA for a few weeks to help come up with ideas for the next season and that’s been really exciting. I guess it was born out of this desire to be a part of the wider process, as opposed to just going to Vancouver for four, five months and giving so much to the show during that time. It’s been nice to be continually involved in Bates Motel. I’m very appreciative of Carlton and Kerry (the main writers on the show) for giving me the opportunity to do it. I’d love to continue to develop my own material and projects for the future.
PHOTO CREDIT: DYLAN COULTER
OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL 21ST OCTOBER
In 1965, a séance scam turns out the worst way this family could’ve expected, when an evil spirit possesses a woman’s daughter. If you like horror films, you’ll love this one! Directed by Mike Flanagan, this is the prequel to the 2014 film Ouija. I don’t know about you, but it’s the paranormal films that scare me the most - especially in the cinema; something about that atmosphere can’t quite be recreated at home.
TROLLS
21ST OCTOBER
Two Trolls with very different personalities embark on a journey to rescue their fellow villagers. Remember Trolls? Those little things with the crazy hair? The creators of Shrek have made a film about them featuring Anna Kendrick, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Timberlake, James Corden, John Cleese and loads more this isn’t exactly a small cast. We’re beyond excited about this one!
DOCTOR STRANGE 28TH OCTOBER
Following a horrific accident, Doctor Strange is unable to operate as usual, but he finds new purpose when he meets the Ancient One. This Marvel film featuring Benedict Cumberbatch looks insane! The trailer does it so much justice; I am praying that this film isn’t one of those with all of the good moments in the trailer, but it’s Marvel, so it should be great.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM 18TH NOVEMBER
Set in 1926, Newt Scamander must track down a large amount of magical creatures. This Harry Potter spin off written by J.K Rowling is a must watch! As a huge Harry Potter fan, I am personally really looking forward to this one! This has a strong line up featuring Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Ron Perlman and many more.
ASSASSIN’S CREED 6TH JANUARY
Callum Lynch uses his deadly skills in assassination to battle the evil Templar organisation. The film that loads of gamers have been waiting for is coming out early 2017. Based on Ubisoft’s blockbuster game series, this film is going to be seriously action packed. Hopefully it will live up to the high expectations of the fans, but we’ll have to just wait and see.
Words: Emily Magnall
We all have our guilty pleasures; the movies we watch purely just to cheer us up after a bad day, and the songs we prefer to keep to ourselves and away from prying eyes (Like a Virgin is still a classic and I’m not afraid to admit it). It’s no secret that our individual guilty pleasures are some of the best things that have happened to us. It’s not only cheesy music and movies that we enjoy but really shouldn’t. You’ll be amazed at the amount of people who love sitting down and getting their teeth stuck into a weird and wonderful snack every now and again. So, with that in mind, here are some of the foods we feel we shouldn’t enjoy but really do:
There’s just something about this sweet bulky gem that really confuses the mind. We know it shouldn’t taste good but it couldn’t taste any better! The best thing about them is that they’re so diverse; sweet potato fries, sweet potato mash and baked potatoes are just some of the options in making this a healthy and tasty meal. They’re a healthier option to a regular potato and are a great source of fibre when the skin is left on. Not only that, but they’re a great source of potassium and iron. Everyone’s a winner here; healthy and tasty (even though we thought it wouldn’t be).
You buy a new vanilla flavoured lip balm, you try to resist licking your lips but you always fail. There’s something about flavoured lip balms that seems to be irresistible to us. Whilst it’s not advisable to eat lip balm for tea, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the taste when it’s on your lips every so often.
This one really shouldn’t taste good. Or so you think. You can have any jam of your choice (Cranberry or Strawberry tastes the best). It tastes just like Christmas and even better with bacon!
Yes, really. Whilst these taste good enough alone, they do taste even better together. There’s just something about dunking a salty fry into that sweet shake. Not very healthy but oh so tasty. This is definitely one of those combos we can’t help but love.
Another weird and wonderful combination. Initially this does sound unappealing but, once you try it, you’ll want even more. The saltiness of the peanut butter and the tangy salad cream go hand-in-hand and complement each other perfectly. Try it as a sandwich and it’s even better. A great option for the days you just want a little bit of comfort food but don’t want to go overboard.
Words: Dene Godsman
Trying these alternatives could at times feel strange and out of place within your meal preparations. But my Mum used to tell me that I had to try new tastes at least 12 times before I would like it and I now stand by this, even all these years later.
You’ve most likely heard of people trying avocado as an alternative to butter on their toast, but why stop there? Avocados can also be used instead of butter when baking as they are rich in healthy fats and nutrients. It has proven to be better for your cholesterol than animal fats and is the new addition to the Super Foods group.
Apple sauce is the ultimate replacement for eggs. It has the same binding consistency and will leave your baking light and fluffy, just make sure to add a teaspoon of baking powder alongside it to ensure the perfect lightness. Just like with the avocado, the fat content in your food will be greatly reduced and you can have ‘just one more’ and not feel half as guilty!
Whole-grains which are found in whole-wheat foods contain more fiber than their white counterparts, therefore you are more likely to feel fuller for longer. Consequently you are less likely to snack throughout the day. Try switching to wholemeal pastas, bread, flour and whole-grain brown rice for meals that keep you high in energy.
If milk is part of your daily routine, you may find that swapping to semi-skimmed or low fat milk can make you feel better and not as weighed down throughout the day. You could even try alternating between dairy and plant-based milks such as rice, soy or almond. You may be surprised at how delicious they are.
Words: Jack Shannon
Pasta. It’s not just a student staple. It’s the whole damn stationary shop. If you’re not eating cheap, delicious pasta for at least a few meals a week, you’re doing it wrong! But generic pasta with generic sauce from a jar can get a bit same-oldsame-old. Well, SPG are here to spice up your spaghetti and pump up your penne!
1. CHEESY PASTA Get a spoonful of butter and melt it gently on the hob. Pop in the same amount of flour and then stir it so it turns into a paste. Add milk a little at a time and keep stirring until smooth. Add a handful of mature cheddar and keep stirring till it’s melted. Throw in some mustard and some freshly ground black pepper (or some sachets of pepper you took from the campus restaurant. Whatever) and serve with penne (the tubes).
2. ROASTED VEGETABLE PASTA SALAD
Cut up some fresh tomatoes, peppers and maybe a courgette. Get a baking tray and stick it in the oven on high. While this is happening, cook around 100gs of pasta bows (farfalle) and cook for 1 minute less than it says on the pack. When done, rinse with cold water and turn the oven off. When the pasta is cold, mix together in a big bowl with some olive oil. Great for lunchboxes or picnics!
3. super easy carbonara
Fry some chopped up bacon and mushrooms in a pan. At the same time boil some spaghetti or some tagliatelle. When it is done, drain it and stick it in the saucepan with the mushrooms and bacon. Add some crème fraîche and lemon juice. Stir. Add some pepper and serve.
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It can be difficult to put your own stamp on the décor of student accommodation. Most students only tend to live in their accommodation for a year at the most, so generally aren’t allowed to make any significant alterations to the building. However, there are small changes you can make that will have a significant impact on the overall feel of your home, and these can be made without spending too much money, either. To make decorating your temporary home easier, we have compiled our top five tips for personalising your student accommodation. Following these will create an atmosphere in your home that better reflects your personality — a much more enjoyable environment to live in.
One of the major elements of interior design is lighting. Without the right lighting, a room can feel very uncomfortable; more like a hospital ward than a living room. Most student accommodation will come with centralised ceiling lights. An easy way to make better use of this is to buy a light shade — choose one of your favourite colours, or choose a richly toned colour such as a deep red or purple. This will help to create a warmer, homely atmosphere in the room.
Plants are a great way to bring colour and life to a room. As well as the lovely aromas they emit when in bloom, plants are a great way of making inhabitants feel at ease. Whether you choose to opt for a classic leafy house plant or a flowery species for your windowsill or balcony hanging basket, just make sure you water it, feed it, and are attentive to its needs.
Rugs can be a fantastic way to introduce a splash of colour or texture to a room, particularly if you are already without carpeting. As well as acting as a great design feature, rugs are also a fantastic insulator. This can lead to savings on your heating and energy bills, especially if you place a rug on a laminate or tiled floor.
Soft, plump cushions aren’t only great to collapse into at the end of the day, they also offer the chance to make your space unique. Don’t simply decorate your sofa with one cushion per sofa seat — feel free to cover your couch with lovely decorative pillows. As long as they don’t inhibit your ability to actually sit on the sofa, you can use as many as you like. We would recommend choosing a tone that matches your rug, or perhaps an earthy tone such as a brown or green if you are going for a tranquil atmosphere in your living room.
Hanging art on your walls is a great way to inject personality into a space. The art you choose defines you as a person, so be sure to choose pieces that you like and not simply a cheap purchase in a home furnishing store. A great idea may be to try and hang some of your own artwork or photography on your walls. Photobox can produce framed photographs, canvases and even poster prints of your artwork, so you can be sure to get the right size and style for your space. The important thing to remember is to choose decorative features that reflect your personality, even if they aren’t as traditional as your housemates may prefer!
How do you know if the library has officially become your second home? Words: Laura Shallcross
1 YOU’RE PALLY WITH THE LIBRARIANS. NOT JUST ONE, BUT EVERY. SINGLE. LIBRARIAN.
This includes the night shift librarians and the little old lady who volunteers every Tuesday morning. The library has become your own friendly little neighbourhood: you stop to say hi to at least three people as you enter, engage in pleasant conversations over academic journals and half-finished assignments, and occasionally take lunch breaks with your fave librarian, Sally. It’s even got to the point that Sue from the main desk bought you cup cakes and shelf-sorter Barney has invited you around for tea with his family. 2 THE LIBRARY HAS SEEN YOU IN EVERY STATE POSSIBLE.
Considering you spend more time in here than you do in your actual flat (you know, the one you forked out a ridiculous amount of rent for), it was inevitable that the library would have the pleasure of welcoming you through its doors in all sorts of states. Of course, there have been many times you’ve arrived in top form, perfectly pruned and ready to study. But you’ve also been seen spending tedious 12 hour shifts in here, with your hair everywhere and your clothes rumpled, frantically researching academic sources for your impending assignment with a desperate sort of look on your face. 3 YOU HAVE A DESIGNATED COMPUTER THAT MAY AS WELL BE RESERVED FOR YOU
That very first time you wandered into the library, scanning the room and slipping into your computer chair of choice, you weren’t to know that this very seat would remain yours for the rest of the year. Whenever you visit now, you actually find it more difficult to work if you’re not in your usual place. And if you ever arrive to discover somebody is lounging in your spot as if it’s theirs.. They should prepare to receive dirty looks off you for the rest of their stay.
4 THE LIBRARY IS BASICALLY YOUR NEW BEDROOM
Sometimes, you actually forget that there are others trying to work around you. You sing under your breath, munch loudly on snacks and take your shoes off for ultimate comfort. You even brought your blanket, once, on a particularly cold winter’s day when you longed for something warm to snuggle in and your coat just didn’t match up. 5 YOU HAVE A LIBRARY BUDDY
Aside from the librarians, that is. Considering you spend the majority of your student life here, it was inevitable that you’d find someone in the same position as you. You slipped into an easy friendship over time after sitting at adjacent computers on a regular basis. One of you broke the ice by commenting on how they were definitely going to fail their next exam, and BAM! You became library buddies. 6 YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY BEING THERE
For most people, going to the library means work. And for that reason, it becomes a chore. But despite nearing essay deadlines and seminar prep being the main reason you spend so much time here, you’ve found yourself visiting the library just to have a chill-out session listening to music or scrolling through Facebook. And most of the time, you’d rather be here than in your flat - now that’s love.
Words: Aimee Jakes
You have finally settled on a university. You are as ready as you will ever be. I am now going to rain on your parade, so apologies in advance...
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Words: Starr Sawyer
So the excitement of the first few weeks of university is over, you have the dreaded freshers’ flu, the smell of morning breath is overpowering your flat and you’re finding it hard to stay motivated. University can be the best experience of your life but everybody has times where they feel like it’s all getting a bit too much. It’s completely normal to have days where you just can’t seem to find motivation to stay at university... Here are some tips to help you get through...
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Harvey Lewis Trustwell finished his Art and Design course at Norwich City College, and armed with a camera, vision and determination has managed to work his way to the top of the creative industry! Having worked with some of the biggest names in the music scene including Rudimental, Chase & Status and Drake, Harvey gives us an insight into setting up a business, his career to date and influences… Hi Harvey, it says on your Twitter page that you’re a ‘creative entrepreneur’. Please explain in your own words what this means? I like to think of it as a more flexible and fun take on the standard entrepreneur. Personally, I feel that this term describes my aims to creatively establish business within the music industry, using fashion labels, artists, partner companies and media platforms to help myself and those around me excel in this industry and in our own goals. As an entrepreneur, what are your main goals? My main goal is to establish myself and create working relationships with major artists and companies in the music industry, and to be well known for my creative vision and positive outlook. I hope this will lead on to eventually expanding into the movie industry to begin working towards my next creative goal.
Can you tell us a bit about your own self-titled media company? I set up my business within the music industry due to my love of music itself. I’ve worked with many different artists with the aim of combining their ideas with my own vision to produce music videos, creative photography and brand designs, as well as working closely alongside media companies such as SBTV. You’ve worked with some huge names in the music industry including Rudimental, Major Lazer and Chase and Status to name a few. So how did you manage to get known by such huge names? In total honesty, I believe your attitude towards life determines all, helping others and passionately moving toward my goals allowed me to develop the friendships I’ve gained with artists. I am very fortunate and grateful to be able to be within the music industry, doing what I love with artists that also hold the same passion as me. Out of all the massive names you’ve worked alongside, who have you most enjoyed collaborating with? One of my favourite artists to work with was actually one of the first Ghostface Killah from Wu Tang Clan. We formed a strong bond of mutual respect, due to our similar morals and views in life. I remember sitting talking after a show in a sushi bar a couple years ago chatting about life, and in his iconic voice he said to me “It’s your life man, you gotta live it, always remember that everything is a blessing...”
- Almost a year later, himself and Raekwon’s Manager then got me access to work with Drake at Wireless festival, this really was a defining point for me and my career.
A large part of what you do seems to be music/video related… Would you say you use music/videography to help express yourself? Expression is what drives me, being able to actively express my creativity and vision whilst combining it with that of the artist is a huge part of my current work and is something I am incredibly lucky to be able to do. Which is your personal favourite video that you’ve worked on in the past? One of my favourites is one of the simplest I have done, it’s called ‘Inspiration’ and it’s on my YouTube channel, when I made this video I felt I really had to prove something to myself, so that I had the courage to keep on going. I spent so much time trying to inspire other people that I forgot to inspire myself. As simple as it is, this video holds a strong place in me as it gave me the will to never give up.
Do you have a long term goal? I eventually want to be a movie director so that I can communicate my views with an audience on a much larger scale, whilst continuing to be able to express my creative vision. Looking back, would you have done anything differently? I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I regret none of them as without them I wouldn’t hold the value of the lessons I’ve learnt today. In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take and I personally would rather fail, than to never try at all. Who inspires you? I am influenced by a lot of different people, from Albert Einstein to Alan Watts, Leonardo Da Vinci to Van Gogh. What I admire about these people is that, no matter the struggles or restrictions they faced, they had the will to never give up. My Mum has to be the biggest inspiration, she taught me from when I was a child that whatever I choose to do, make sure I’m happy. Follow Harvey: www.facebook.com/bharveylewis www.byharveylewis.com
Words: Chloe Fry
In today’s society we are constantly presented with strict ideas about what the perfect person looks like, and how they should behave. Unfortunately, these images can be seen as more damning than helpful as they lead to many people feeling as though they cannot meet these standards of “perfection”. This causes so many wonderful people to lack in confidence, meaning that they struggle with the simplest of tasks such as writing a CV or even just picking a Facebook profile picture. Here is a little bit of advice on how to put yourself out there and to help you get the recognition which you deserve if you’re lacking in confidence.
When it comes to the daunting tasks of writing CV’s or personal statements it’s so easy to underplay your successes, but you must remember that every success you’ve achieved is worth celebrating. Do not be afraid to big yourself up. Before writing your CV try writing a list of your achievements and the things which you most like about yourself. Whether it’s the way you smile or the way you fold your clothes. Everything can be turned into a professional quality. Instead of being good at folding clothes, you are extremely well organised. Your nice smile shows that you are a friendly and welcoming person who would be an asset to any team. If you really cannot think of anything to put onto your list, ask your friends and family for help. They can write a list of their favourite things. It may surprise you with what they come up with. One of the most important things about putting yourself out there is overcoming the fear of no. If you’re looking for a job, send your CV to everyone and anybody you want. The worst that can happen is that they will say no and you’ll both move on.
If you’ve had a crush on somebody for a while, as petrifying as this sounds, ask them on a date. The worst that can happen is that they’ll say no and your pride will be dented for a while. Go home, eat some ice cream and binge watch on Netflix. You’ll move on eventually and you’ll be so pleased that you were able to actually ask. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know and you’ll never be able to move on from whatever situation you were too afraid to confront.
Another great way to put yourself out there these days is social media. I know this sounds obvious, but the internet is a great place for showcasing your talents, whether you create a blog, set up a YouTube channel, or a Facebook page, the possibilities are endless. The nice thing about social media outlets is that you can hide from the prying eye behind your screen. You may receive negative comments, but you can always block or mute them. It’s an easy first step to take in putting yourself into the world in which you want to be a part of. You can make contacts and really enjoy yourself along the way. One of the most important things when trying to gain more confidence and trying to put yourself out there is to smile. When you smile people will instantly begin to take more notice of you and for positive reasons. Before you try any of the other suggestions just try smiling more and don’t forget to believe in yourself! These two small changes to your daily life will make a huge difference. Good luck!
After a few years away on hiatus, Rizzle Kicks are back and we got to speak with Harley Sylvester about their solo projects, time away and what‘s coming up! Rizzle Kicks will be embarking on a UK tour in November and December so if you’ve missed the guys, I’d definitely grab tickets to a show.
So Rizzle Kicks have been on a break for a while now, what have you been up to? Umm, what have we been up to over the past few years? We’ve been doing bits and bobs, we’ve been doing acting, some solo projects and travelling... After 3 or 4 years of being in the pop world, it was either continue in this world and lose our minds, or take a little break and really figure out our head space, because it’s a crazy little world! So, we thought ‘let’s just have a little hiatus for a while and grow up a little bit’.
Your side project is Jimi Charles Moody, it’s a very different genre to Rizzle Kicks, is this something you prefer to play or just something you wanted to experiment with? It’s just something different. When I decided to write some solo music that kind of just what came out. I’ve always been into blues, jazz and rock music and I guess that was just a hybrid of all of those genres in a way. It’s going really well so we’ll see what happens with it.
Will both of your solo projects be continued alongside Rizzle Kicks? It’ll be nice to try and coincide the two but I also realise how it’d be really difficult, because all of our attention is on Rizzle Kicks at the moment and they’re completely different mindsets. When I work with Jimi I’m in a completely different zone to when I work with Rizzle, so I think it’ll be very difficult to separate the two. I feel like I need to focus on just one and that’s what we are doing with Rizzle Kicks for a while, but Jimi is always there, he’s already built up a fan base and he’s actually doing really well overseas.
Has anything changed with Rizzle Kicks now you’re back? We are still in that same mindset of we don’t want to take ourselves too seriously, but we also want to say more, and I feel like we’ve come back into a pop world which has essentially lost a lot of personality. There’s a lot of people with voices that are talking about sh*t and now it’s desaturated. I feel like we want to come back and do a lot of social commentary and just open people’s eyes a little bit.
You’ve just released the music videos for ‘Everyone’s Dead’ and ‘Always Late’, are these both songs that will be used on an upcoming album? Yeah they’re definitely going to be on an album for sure. Do you have a completed album or is it still in progress? It’s getting there, it’s definitely getting there. We started writing a while ago and we kind of changed what we were doing half way through so we had to rework a lot of things. You’re going on tour in November/December, what can fans expect from these shows? We’ve always tried to give as much energy as possible; you can come to a Rizzle Kicks show even if you don’t necessarily like our music, because you can appreciate how much effort we put in. A lot of sweat, out-ofbreath breaks and loads of fun.
What helps you get through a long tour? We have the same band since we played our first ever show, and they’re our best friends! We just have a lot of fun and see each other outside of touring. They’re not just a session band; they’re our best friends so that makes it a lot easier. The whole thing is like a family from the tour manager to the guitar tech, it’s a big family inside and outside of a tour. It’s very pleasurable to be honest; it’s not stressful at all. Going back to your last album, you worked with Go Think Big to give young people the chance to gain experience on the set of your music video, is this something you’d do again? Yeah 100%! Go Think Big provide great opportunities to young people. It’s important to help develop talent - AudioActive also create great projects and helped us hone our skills and build the career that we’re in now! BBC Introducing too! So yeah, we fully support helping young people. So we are going to go through some favourite things now... Favourite song at the moment? The Bird by Anderson .Paak Favourite TV show? The Wire Favourite song to play live? Lost Generation Favourite album of all time? The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill probably... There’s so many I don’t know. Favourite drink? Beer. If you had to describe your personality using any song, what would it be? Umm, Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae. Thank you for the chat! Bye!
The name says it all. We finally have a martini we can drink for breakfast and not be judged for it! This strange concoction consists of bacon infused Jack Daniel’s Whiskey (is that even a thing?), maple syrup, some fresh lemon juice, egg whites, and Angostura bitters. It is definitely one for the foodies!
This is a whacky one. If you fancy rum infused with a Cuban cigar and candyfloss – this drink is for you! You will have to be feeling a little adventurous (and rather brave) to give that a go. I would imagine it tastes a little like a carnival.
We like the sound of this one! This rather jazzy looking cocktail is made up of Svedka raspberry vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, and water. It’s then garnished with mint and raspberry to make it look extra pretty.
Next time you have a bath why not treat yourself to a Bubble Bath Martini? It consists of lychee, poppy seed, lavender flavoured liquid, and rose air. It is then garnished with a rubber duck for obvious reasons. We hope it is as relaxing as it sounds!
For all you carnivores out there, this is basically a cocktail infused with meat. Tequila infused with chorizo, to be exact. Other ingredients include vegetable juice, balsamic vinegar, and port. It is then garnished with biltong strips and a little grilled chorizo. This cocktail just proves that anything can be made into a drink. We hope you’ve got a strong stomach!
This one is a little more tame and looks really cool. This classy-looking cocktail consists of Stolichnaya vanilla, Malibu rum, Coco Lopez, and Blue Curacao. It is then garnished with a little shredded coconut.
A rather unique and smooth avocado cocktail! This may sound a little strange since we often use avocado in savory dishes. However, legend has it, blending it with tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and ice, it becomes something magical!
Have a sweet tooth? Then this one’s perfect for you! The ingredients include vodka, fresh lemon juice, pomegranate juice, sugar syrup, and strawberries. It is then garnished with an orange twist. I would recommend enjoying this drink on a Sunday evening in the sun!
“I once sprayed glass cleaner in my hair thinking it was hairspray at an audition”
ESTHER ZYNN,
NICKELODEON’S THE OTHER KINGDOM
“We played a show once and when we ran out, I got my feet caught in a wire, tripped and fell face first onto the floor, with about 5,000 people watching”
HARLEY SYLVESTER, RIZZLE KICKS
“Someone had spilt water on the scene before, and I fell on my ass when I made my entrance on Broadway, but I got up and kept on going”
ADINA PORTER, THE 100
“We did a high school show and totally butchered the name; I was like ‘what’s up Wasabi High School!’ It was pronounced Woubonsie and all the kids looked at me like this kid is crazy and I was literally looking at someone in the front row and trying to read it, but the lights were so bright I was squinting and I couldn’t see it properly. It was terrifying”
NIKO DEL REY,
THE FILHARMONIC
“I can’t think of an exact moment, but this happens all the time where my voice cracks on stage if I don’t warm up that day, or if I try to go a little ambitious and go too high. I just have to turn around and laugh it off ”
TRACE GAYNOR, THE FILHARMONIC
“I got in to a fight at school and got suspended, so I wasn’t allowed to go to prom. I had to tell my date and then I had to tell my mum and she was starting work at the school the next week”
LEONARD WU, MARCO POLO
ANONYMOUS CONFESSION Drunk and Toilet Disorderly
You know what I love about university life more than anything as a student? The annual ritual of Freshers’ week... It was the fourth night into the party marathon and I was celebrating with my house mates because it was our last year living together. The pre-drinks were flowing, the shots were being fired into the back of our throats, and in true student style, we were all sloshed before we even stepped foot outside to head to the club. I’ll never forget the tingling of that dirty pint the guys made me neck! But, What. A. Night. After the shenanigans of the midweek madness, we all headed back to the house and all I can remember is diving face first into a sloppy, doner kebab. I probably ended up wearing half of the garlic mayo and meat on my face, but my goodness it was good. Anyway, cut a long story short, everyone shot off to bed and passed out on the sofa... And this is where the nightmare began. I I got up in the middle of the night, had a little tinkle (or pee I should say) and went back to sleep. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, the alarm on my phone woke me up for my early start I premeditated and all I recall was the lingering smell of urine. What on earth? I found a puddle in the corner next to the TV, which spilt onto my house mate’s laundry bag full of dirty clothes. Then I remembered... S**t, I got up in the night and drunkenly pee’d in the corner and on my trousers. Luckily no one was awake. This has never happened before, but I’ve heard of its existence. Drunk and toilet disorderly. I chucked my house mates laundry in the skip up the road, sprayed so much air freshener and even poured vodka on the stain. I’ve never been able to drink the same since, and I’d like to take this moment to confess and apologise - I would have bought you new clothes, but you did make me down that dirty pint.
Send confessions to info@thestudentpocketguide.com
Words: Siobhan Maguire
So, at university you get submerged into living conditions that are probably very different to anything you have ever experienced before. Halls, shared housing, even shared rooms are all common types of accommodation, and more often than not, you will meet at least one housemate who really grinds your gears. So how do you deal with that? Well, here are a few typical housemates you will come across and how to survive living with them:
There’s always one who wees on the seat or leaves their hairs in the plug, and that’s not even the worst thing that I’ve experienced… So is there a way to deal with it (apart from going on a rant and arguing with the culprit)? It’s hard to maintain the balance without being insulting, but let’s be honest they’ve insulted you by being disgusting. So start off subtle, leave a note or send them a mildly polite Facebook message. If this gets ignored then speak to them face-to-face, after all, you’ve all got to live together and it’s going to be a long year if you don’t address the situation (believe me, I’m speaking from experience).
It’s fab having a housemate who loves to talk. When you’re new to university and making new friends, the Chatterbox makes everything easier and less awkward. But sometimes, just sometimes, their stories get boring, and sometimes you just really want to go to sleep and not talk until 5 in the morning about nothing. What to do? Don’t ask questions and encourage conversation, perhaps they will be talking so much they won’t even notice when you stop replying and quietly leave the room…
Cooking in a flat of 10 is hard enough on the best of days, but it is always made that little bit more tough when you have a housemate who can’t be bothered to actually put their teabag in the bin, WHICH IS ONE METRE FROM WHERE THEY ARE STANDING. Or you know, opens a tin, empties it and then leaves it on the work surface. Or eats their cereal and then leaves the milky, sludgy remains in the bowl on the dinner table for days on end. One time, someone I lived with left cooked chicken in a lidded dish for so long that it grew maggots. Yep, it can get real tough. If I’m honest, quite often I would do the washing-up just to get it done and bring back some order to the kitchen. However, a rota is really worth a try. Get everyone washing dishes, hoovering, cleaning the work surfaces on a weekly basis. There’s no I in team, guys.
After the dirty kitchen culprits, surely the OCD housemate will seem a welcome breath of fresh air? Sometimes, yes, they absolutely are. But when that housemate has to have every plate stacked in order of size and colour, and needs to know exactly what time you will be leaving and returning from a lecture in the morning, or must use a certain amount of milk per day, you start to feel a little frazzled to say the least. With this housemate, I feel like it’s just best to go about your business and let them do what they wanna do. At least they aren’t grubby!
Living in halls is a hub for pranks and you need to get clever. Leave your room unlocked and don’t be surprised if you come back to your bed being in the kitchen and the kitchen table in your room. My advice? Just watch your back…
Whether you’re the prankster wanting to be the next YouTube phenomenon, or you’re seeking revenge from the time Pete put confetti in your car window defroster vents, then browse this list for prank ideas. Just remember though, only give out what you can take back! Then, let the fun times begin…
Instant Reaction Harsh Rating: XXX Put toothpaste or shaving foam on your targets hands why they are sleeping, then tickle them on the nose. Don’t forget to film this one and laugh at your friend as they splatter foam or smudge toothpaste around their own face.
Stuck Harsh Rating: XXX Glue your mate’s shower gel bottle lid closed and make sure it’s the only bottle in the cubicle! Listen and laugh at your victim as they try to unscrew the lid.
Mouse Function Harsh Rating: X Stick a post-it note under your friend’s mouse so the paper covers the sensor and it doesn’t work. For added hilarity write a note for when your friend actually works out what’s wrong.
Tattoo Harsh Rating: XXXX If you’re going home to visit your family, get a realistic temporary tattoo, then sit down and tell them that you have a really important announcement to make.
Bless You Harsh Rating: XXXX Pour water in your hand, make a sneezing noise and then throw the water on the back of the victim’s neck. Make sure it’s a good friend though!
Jackpot! Harsh Rating: XXXXX Record the National Lottery and then the following week buy a ticket with the exact numbers on it. Play back last week’s lottery draw and watch your mate’s face as he goes from winning £10, to the jackpot! Just make sure to tell them before they start spending money they don’t have!
Small Socks Harsh Rating: XXX Sew your friend’s socks up half way, so that when they try to put them on, they can’t get their foot all the way in.
guy from your course. So, you’ve moved in with a fair share of the his s He seems ok, always doe too loudly. But sic mu y pla sn’t doe washing up, ething makes Som t. righ something isn’t quite unsure. you kes ma ing eth Som t. you suspec ld be a cou y the k… thin Something makes you s. swarm of bee
Written by: Jack Shannon
In your typical kitchen cupboard in a student house, you’ll have your staples: pasta, instant noodles, and a big bag of lentils. Normal stuff. If you open the door and come across a section of hexagonal wax panels dripping with honey, this could be a warning sign.
Ok, the honey was a warning sign. It doesn’t mean 100% that they are a swarm of bees, but easily a cause for concern. Next step is this: Get a couple of bottles of wine and stick on Poldark or Twilight. Start talking about the guys you fancy. “That Poldark/ Robert Patterson, he’s a bit of alright!”. If they reply back saying “I prefer a range of brightly coloured flowers to pollinate with,”you should be worried.
Florist websites, the Sugar Puffs / Honey Monster Twitter feed, and of course, BUZZfeed are all websites that a swarm of bees masquerading as a human being might frequent. Beeware!
Ok, so you’re in the club and your jam is on. You grab your “friend” and start busting some moves. The Robot. A bit of twerking. You look over your shoulder at your friend and they are…waggling? Bees use a waggle dance to attract other bees towards sources of food. It’s true! I read that on Wikipedia! If all these things add up, then I hate to break it to you, but your housemate is almost definitely a swarm of bees.
Ok, so they are a swarm of bees. But let me ask you this - do they do their share of the washing up? Do they pay the bills on time? Do they have a PS4? These are all important things to consider. Don’t be judgmental and give them a fair try! Your new swarm of bees in the shape of a human being friend, could be your new swarm of bees in the shape of a human being BEST friend!
Ingredients 1 egg 4tbsp Nutella (or any chocolate spread) 2tbsp self raising flour 1 large mug
Method 1. Whisk 1 egg in a separate bowl.
2. Pour into your large mug. 3. Add 4tbsp of Nutella and 2tbsp of self raising flour and mix; if too thick add a drop of water. 4. Put in the microwave for 1 minute (longer if needed). 5. Enjoy with some cream or ice cream!
Ingredients 1 egg 3tbsp sugar 4tbsp self raising flour 3tbsp cocoa powder 3tbsp melted butter 3tbsp milk 3tbsp peanut butter Marshmallow fluff (topping) 1 large mug
Method 1. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl.
2. Add all ingredients (except marshmallow fluff ) to your large mug and mix; if too thick add a drop of water. 3. Put in microwave for 1 ½ minutes (longer if needed). 4. Top with marshmallow fluff and a strawberry.
Ingredients 1 egg 1tbsp vegetable oil 2tbsp strawberry yogurt 1/8th tsp baking powder 1/8th tsp vanilla extract 4tbsp sugar 5tbsp self raising flour Strawberries and whipped cream (topping)
Method 1. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl.
2. Add all ingredients to the mug and stir well. 3. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes (longer if needed.) 4. Top with cream and strawberries.
By Jack Shannon
A lot of people said I was crazy. They said it couldn’t be done! There is a reason why most people aren’t friends with their parents on Facebook. “YOU’RE A MAD MAN!” They cried. But friending my mum on Facebook was one of the best decisions I ever made. Here’s why... It will make you think about what you’re posting Each time you post something on Facebook, assume the entire world is going to read it. Future employers, spouses, Batman etc. If you have your mum to act as a self-inflicted censor, it can help. Whenever you are about to post something in the heat of the moment, just think, my mum will read this. She just wants to know what you’re doing She carried you for nine months, raised you for eighteen years and probably still does most of your washing. She has made a decent investment in you, in time and money, so it’s only natural that she wants to know what’s going on with your life. This isn’t so she can spy on you or judge you (but seriously, cereal 3 meals in a row? Have some self-respect…) but so that she can see that you’re happy and getting on with being a grown up. More or less. It’s a great way of letting her know what you are doing. Facebook is an excellent way of giving people around you day to day updates. Not important enough for a call, but still interesting enough to warrant letting them know about.
Also, you’re busy! With lectures, seminars and essays, you might not have time for a proper call (also phone credit is expensive). It will help you remember her Birthday Seriously, this one is a friggin’ life saver! But remember... Being Facebook friends is a privilege, not a right. Make sure your mum knows the ground rules about not sharing too many stupid memes, copypaste and clickbait articles. Oh, and make sure she doesn’t send game requests. It’s 2016 for God’s sake…
SPGTV If you’re a singer-songwriter or in a band and would like to get involved with SPGtv, email: info@thestudentpocketguide.com
n You Have: he W n pe ap H y bl ita ev In ’ll at Th gs Thin Written by Josh Booker
You will develop a worrying relationship with Lemsip
Lemsip. Cures. All. This simple little square of powdered paracetamol and decongestant creates magic when mixed with boiling water. Maybe it’s the fact it reminds you of being ill at home, with your mum bringing you a warm mug of Lemsip accompanied by a few soothing words – there is just something about it. Lemsip will be the perfect companion for your poor throat, and your sore, snotty nose. We love you lemmy.
You’ll realise how loud a lecture theatre filled with ill people can be
First it’s funny. You sit down, try to listen to the lecturer and maybe take a few notes. The constant nasal drone of sniffs is loud, but if you try to focus you can just about catch enough words for it to make sense. Then the coughing starts and after thirty seconds you’ve given up on the entire lecture and just want to go back to bed (maybe with a nice cup of Lemsip).
You will keep drinking and not know how
First night of freshers – you feel rough, but it’s manageable. Second night of freshers – you’ve developed a bit of a cold, but you’re able to power through it. Post third night of freshers and the day is an absolute write off, but still, you keep on going out anyway. Everyone in your flat clearly wants to die, but can’t admit it to themselves, so another round of ‘Never Have I Ever’ commences. You have no idea how you’re doing it, but my God it feels bad.
You will all be better friends because of it
This is probably the best way to handle freshers’ flu. It gives everyone a common enemy, as everyone has the same thing to complain about and in typical Great British tradition – we love having a good moan. And whether it’s sharing a duvet and a box of tissues with your new flatmate, or just hanging out and watching a film instead of going to a lecture, illness definitely brings people closer together.
Illustration by Charli Vince
in associa tion with:
START
Welcome back to START, where we showcase a range of student art, from across the UK.
Dan Gee - Graphic Design Leeds College of Art
Jodie GriďŹƒths - Illustartion University of Wales
Eli Kong - Illustration and Animation Coventry University
Liam Anslow - Illustration Birmingham City University
Pip J Dew - Illustration University for the Creative Arts - Farnham
Taylor Brooker - Visual Communication, Illustration Birmingham City University
Dale Cullinane - Illustration University of Wales Trinity Saint David
START
in associatio n with:
If you would like to have your work showcased in the next edition, send your submission, along with your full name and place of study to: info@thestudentpocketguide.com. If the le size is larger than 1MB please use a third party le transfer service. Otherwise your email might not reach us!
Editor in Chief: Ben Farrin Feature Editors: Kayleigh Francis, Chloe Gascoigne Digital Marketing & Subscriptions: Elliot Norman Graphic Design: Make North Writers: Aimee Jakes, Chloe Fry, Chloe Ross, Dene Godsman, Emily Magnall, Issy McGlashen, Jack Shannon, Josh Booker, Laura Shallcross, Mark Cook, Olivia Skull, Sean Oakley, Siobhan Maguire, Starr Sawer, Tim Steadman Photography: Dylan Coulter, Jamie Kendrick, James Dittiger, Kayleigh Francis, Matt Bromage Illustration: Charli Vince, Dale Cullinane, Dan Gee, Eli Kong, Jack Viantt, James Squires, Jodie Griffiths, Liam Anslow, Margit Van Der Zwan, Pip J Dew, Taylor Brooker.
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