The University Paper February 2015: Leicester by The University Paper

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February 2015

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SIMON AMSTELL: HOW I DEALT WITH PROBLEMS OF BEING A HUMAN BEING

SAY HOWDY TO THE LANDLORD ON THE MARCH AGAINST HIGH FEES

Americans join investment rush in student flats IAN LIGHT

STUDENTS come out in force to press the case for scrapping tuition fees. Activists from both the city’s universities joined the ‘Leicester march for free education’, which also attracted members of the public. Emily Frost, 20, a English literature and creative writing third year, said fees, living costs and a heavy workload

left many students feeling they were ‘circling the drain’. She added: ‘It means university isn’t as desirable as it once was and isn’t as accessible to those whose parents don’t earn much. Landlords and halls should be brought in, too. Some charge ridiculous amounts for rent and utilities’ PICTURE: TUGAY AKAR/MICHAEL BARKER

HUNDREDS of students have a new American landlord after two Leicester property blocks were sold in a multimillion-pound deal. The accommodation, providing more than 540 bed spaces for those at De Montfort and Leicester universities, has been purchased by an unnamed buyer. Mark Burns, director of student property investment company Hopwood House, said: ‘Outside investors look at the UK as economically and politically stable and a good place to move their money to. Students have just been caught up in that.’ The two blocks, in Newarke Street and Brookland Road, Leicester, were opened in September. They were developed by Abode Student Living which claims they provide hotel-quality living space,

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aimed at attracting overseas and postgraduates. Julian Levy, Abode managing director, said: ‘Student expectations have soared since tuition fees tripled. They have become paying customers with large expectations.’ The blocks have now been handed over to the buyer from across the pond. But some students are worried at having a ‘foreign’ landlord. Fiona Longhurst, 22, an English and creative writing third year at DMU, said international owners didn’t ‘get’ what British students want. ‘They always go for the modern look, which is industry term for basic and something that resembles a doctor’s surgery,’ she said. ‘International students benefit from them but there’s segregation for them as there’s usually nothing in the way of

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February 2015

Forefather of democracy leaves ‘without a stain on character’

Justice at last...after 750 years AND the verdict is in… Simon de Montfort has been cleared of treason. To cheers from the public gallery, a jury rejected claims the progenitor of modern democracy had knowingly undermined the monarch, Henry III, 750 years ago. De Montfort, one of Leicester’s most famous – and infamous – sons left court ‘without a stain on his character’ after students at the university that bears his name staged a mock trial, complete with a full prosecution and defence and presided over by Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption. The charge was this: by calling the first parliament in 1265 as the king was imprisoned, did Simon de Montfort commit treason? The defence team was delighted to win. Team captain Courtney Bent, who studies LLB Law, said: ‘I think

the result is a reflection of the months we spent preparing for the trial. It was nerve-wracking to be fronting the prosecution in front of a Supreme Court judge but it was also our chance to impress him. I am convinced the right team won.’ The prosecution, naturally, saw the verdict differently. Team member Odogwu Irene Anastacia Oby, known as Stacey, said: ‘I felt Simon de Montfort did commit treason but I think it was a fair judgment. This was an amazing opportunity for us all.’ Lord Sumption presided over the hour-long courtroom drama, regularly prompting laughter in the court with his witty observations. He said: ‘If Simon De Montfort had bothered to turn up, he would be leaving with not a stain on his character. Many a scoundrel has done good things by accident. And I believe Simon de Montfort was a scoundrel.’ Not guilty: Simon de Montfort standing proud

We’re only joking... JIMMY CARR, Milton Jones and Mark Watson are just three of the big names to grace Dave’s Comedy Festival this year at the De Montfort University. And taking the stage alongside them will be the university’s Comedy Society and Creative Writing Society. Suzi Woolley, the treasurer of the Creative Writing Society, said: ‘I think that allowing societies to perform at a prestigious festival is fantastic. ‘It really opens so many doors for our members.’ The Creative Writing Society’s event, Great Daves Need A Mic, is on February 11. Entry is free. The Comedy Society’s event, Gagging For Attention, on February 22, costs £5 to get in. For our full festival guide, see p13.

Winners and losers: The student defence and prosecution teams

HENRY EDWARDS

Who will be a cut above? THREE students at DMU have been shortlisted for the prestigious Golden Shears tailoring award. Second- and thirdyear fashion design students Hazel Symons, Florence Tudgay and Jack Dormon will see their creations modelled at a gala show held in Merchant Taylors’ Hall, London, next month. Hazel, who designed a ‘reinvented tuxedo jacket’, said: ‘I finished the piece on the day it had to go for judging, so I have a good idea what pressure is.’ The winner receives £2,000. PICTURE: NOTFROM UTRECHT

February 2015

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Rocketing fees driving more to degree success JOSHUA EVANS HANDING over £9,000 a year in tuition fees appears to be making students work harder, with more than ever before achieving a 2:1 degree. Seven in ten students in Leicestershire earn at least a 2:1, figures show. And a further one in five went on to gain a first-class degree from De Montfort University, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University last year, the Higher Education Statistics Authority revealed. Jared Barley, 21, a second-year graphic design and illustration student at De Montfort University, said: ‘You don’t want to come away with

n DE MONTFORT has leapt 93 places in a national table that monitors support for gay members of staff. The university now sits 75th in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and seventh among universities. Stonewall boss Ruth Hunt said: ‘We know people perform better at work when they can be themselves.’

anything less than a 2:1 when you are paying over £40,000 to get that degree.’ And Cavelle Simpson, 22, a final-year media and communications student, said: ‘The fee increase has made me

push myself to get a 2:1 more as I want to make it all worth the money I’ve paid.’ Others warned there was now a need for students to do more than just study. ‘Employers do look for that extra edge – a 2:1 should be backed up with volunteering, interning and experience,’ said Megan Davies, 21, finalyear arts and festivals management student at DMU. But some believe odds are stacked against the thousands of graduates who enter the jobs market with similar degrees every summer. Stephen Wall, 20, who works full-time, said: ‘I never wanted to go to uni as I didn’t want the debt for something that isn’t as impressive as it used to be.’

MAN OF LETTERS: Benjamin Zephaniah reflects on an inspirational speech he gave on accepting an honorary doctor of letters from De Montfort University. ‘Bigots don’t have any poetry in their lives,’ said the poet, 56. ‘It gave me a voice – the young me, who was dyslexic, who felt it was not being listened to. I used poetry to tell the world how I felt’

contactLIST Email us at leicestereditor@unipaper.co.uk Editor: Joshua Evans What’s On and Your Night: Cavelle Simpson, cavellesimpson@yahoo.com News editor (DMU): Corey Bedford, coreynathanbedford@msn.com

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inBRIEF

Moving in on homes market from p1 communal space to provide that social interaction that halls usually provide.’ The city has about 30,000 students, with 10,000 of those living in halls, meaning there is a huge demand for purpose-built accommodation. Meanwhile, a fourth application in as many years has been lodged to build student flats on York Street and Dover Street. The new plans have scaled up a previous proposal for 95 beds. And Londonbased Emerging Property says it will begin work on an £18.5million student development to build 225 flats at a disused factory in Tudor Road.

Have you an idea cooking? PLANTING more flowers, constructing additional cycle lanes and even compiling a recipe book are just some of the thoughts spawned through DMU’s 100 Ideas To Change Leicester mission. The scores of ideas will be collated into policies to presented to council leaders next month. Alieu Ceesay, a fourth-year international relations student, said: ‘It is so important that something like this is happening. We should never leave decisions that affect the city entirely in the hands of politicians.’

Earth moved for us (sort of) SOME nearly fell over, others carried on drinking. The great quake of 2015 wasn’t all that, it seems. A tremor registering 3.8 on the Richter scale shook the county at the end of last month. Cavelle Simpson, 22, a DMU media student, said: ‘I spilt tea because of the earthquake. I nearly keeled over – I thought it was me being clumsy.’ But graphic design student Jared Barley, 21, said: ‘Might have been the beer but none of us felt a thing.’

February 2015

It’s reading week...so sample some culture THE REAL BONE COLLECTOR

Curious: Artist and bone fan Jo Dacombe THE last person to get this excited about a bunch of old bones was Tony Robinson on TV’s Time Team. But artist Jo Dacombe believes there is a story behind every one and is planning a unique exhibition. She has been appointed artist-in-residence at the University of Leicester’s bone laboratory, part of the school of archaeology and ancient history. ‘I’m interested

in how we connect with the natural world,’ she said. ‘The stories behind bones reflect some of the ways we as humans think about animals and how our value of them changes depending on their context.’ Jo will spend the next year among the specimens and over 650 modern animal skeletons to curate the Reliquary Project, to go live in spring 2016.

Dyslexic writer’s sci-fi story nod A NOVEL by a dyslexic creative writing lecturer has been nominated for a prestigious sci-fi award. Rod Duncan’s steampunk book, The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter, is in the running for the Philip K Dick Award, named after the author whose works inspired films Blade Runner and Total Recall. Rod, who teaches at De Montfort University, struggled to read well into his teens. He said he learned of his nomination through Twitter. ‘I was gobsmacked,’ he added. ‘My father was a great science fiction fan and so a lot of the stories he read to me were

LAUREN KNIGHT MANY students search for a train ticket app as soon as the words ‘reading week’ are uttered. But this time, maybe you should stay put, as some of biggest and brightest names in British art, entertainment and literature will be in Leicester for a cultural exchange week. Third-year students studying arts and festival management at De Montfort University are staging a series of events to celebrate the best of being British. Giants of poetry, theatre, dance, literature, sport, film and TV are lined up to make appearances during the Cultural eXchanges Festival 2015. Guests include poet laureate Dame Carol Ann Duffy, stage and screen actress Claire Bloom, comedian Ishi Khan Jackson, rapper and star of ITV’s Law And Order UK Doc Brown, Rosemary Squire – who

was ranked top of this year’s The Stage 100 list of the most powerful people in theatre – and Kieran Smith, the creative director of controversial Channel 4 programme Make Leicester British. Joshua Evans, 21, a final-year English and creative writing student, said: ‘Cultural eXchanges is a great chance to immerse yourself in some great cultural activities. It has many great speakers every year, as well as plenty of opportunities to discover something (or someone) remarkable.’ Events run at venues across DMU between February 23 and 27. Other venues include the Curve theatre, which will host an exclusive peek of its much-anticipated world premiere of Adrian Mole The Musical, and Phoenix Square, which will host a debut film by DMU graduate Paul Gosling, called The Monochrome Spy.

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classics, such as the Isaac Asimov robot stories.’ The novel is set in a Victorianesque Leicester and centres on a travelling magic show. The events happen in the wake of a Luddite revolt that has reined back technology.

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The Big Draw proves to be a big draw WHO says art students are a bit flaky… A group from De Montfort University were thankful for sleeping bags and flasks as they defied temperatures of -5C to complete a 24-hour Big Draw marathon to raise money for their end-of-year show. ‘It has been absolutely freezing but it has actually been a lot of fun,’ said Amy Packham, a third-year fine arts student who masterminded the event. ‘The cold has made it feel like more of an achievement because everyone from the course has really pulled together. The public have all been really supportive as well.’ Amy worked alongside

inBRIEF Meet all the king’s men... THE behind-the-scenes story of the work to identify the lost remains of Richard III will go on show at the University of Leicester. Visitors will be able to meet the academics and see the equipment they used to test the bones of the monarch, found under a car park in the city. Activities on March 21 include the chance to extract DNA from organic matter.

Health record is one of best

Hand in glove: Fine arts student Amy Packham defies the cold to continue drawing as part of the Big Draw Sally Zelenczuk and Sophie Barker during the event, which kicked off at 10am outside the students’ union building and went through

the night to the next day. Passers-by, including the vice-chancellor, daonated cash. Sophie added: ‘It’s been a lot of fun but it’s

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hard to hold a pen with gloves on and when you’re shivering, you struggle with drawing straight lines. The main thing is we’ll have

raised a lot of money towards our final catalogue for the show, which is really important for showing our work to potential employers.’

ACADEMICS at the University of Leicester have been lauded for their work in global health research. The Universities Allied for Essential Medicines and Medsin-UK put it in the top 20 universities in Britain. It assessed, among other things, the level of research on neglected diseases that primarily afflict the world’s poorest.

First-class result in green league for a fourth year JOHN SHAW DE MONTFORT University has cemented its place as one of the greenest centres of learning in the country. The university recorded its highest ever position in the People & Planet green league, coming 11th out of 151 universities ranked by the student-led campaign group. DMU is one of 30 universities to achieve a ‘first’ in the 2015 league, the fourth year in a row in which it has achieved the highest possible classification. Karl Letten, environmental and sustainability officer at the university, said: ‘To be placed 11th, our highest placing to date, is a fantastic achievement. ‘It is a real testament to the great work of our staff and

students in making DMU a more sustainable university. ‘The university league assesses institutions across a wide range of environmental and sustainability criteria, so to be recognised in this way is fantastic.’ The recent installation of solar panels on a number of buildings is already generating cleaner electricity, and the implementation of an environmental management system is assessing the university’s largest environmental impacts and setting out plans to reduce them. Initiatives such as the Green Impact campaign and Student Switch Off mean that every member of the DMU community is able to work towards making the university a greener place. Many universities did not

take part in the survey, saying responding to Freedom Of Information requests from People & Planet was too time-consuming. The group assesses such things as waste management, water usage and carbon emissions. ‘We are particularly impressed with the work DMU is doing to evaluate the climate risks associated with their investments as well as a strong commitment to education for sustainability,’ said spokeswoman Hannah Smith. ‘We rate DMU as one of the UK’s most progressive universities for environmental and ethical standards.’ The University of Leicester passed the examination with a 2:2 but scored zero per cent for ethical investment and carbon management.

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Naked blast from the past gets TV exposure

£3.7m facelift for John Sandford

It seemed a good idea at the time...: The naked calendar shoot has come back to haunt the hockey team Lovejoy said: ‘They just seem a lovely bunch of guys – outgoing, fun and well groomed. ‘Simon and I spent a long time discussing who we thought was the longest in the shower. Clearly not the guy holding the inflatable at the front.’ Rimmer added: ‘Who better to represent a beautiful

cross-section of our wonderful student population!’ Producer Erin McPartland passed on her best wishes for DMU’s game against the University of Leicester in their varsity game in March. ‘We loved the picture and it was great to have the team be a part of the Sunday Brunch calendar,’ she added.

Worth a Punt? Radio quiz show host Stephen Punt

Giving staff the 3rd Degree HIT radio show The 3rd Degree is coming to DMU. The BBC Radio 4 show, hosted by comedian Stephen Punt, is a mix of quick-fire wit and intellect as students go up against lecturers. ‘We’re delighted to be coming to De Montfort, not least

DE MONTFORT University’s ‘tired’ John Sandford sports centre is to get a £3.7million facelift. The venue in Western Boulevard is to be revamped to accommodate up to 1,000 people for largescale conferences. It will also have new offices and kitchens to allow banquets to be staged there. For students, it will offer more space for studying, as well as a sophisticated venue for important presentations The money has been allocated as part of the university’s £136million campus development project. Work on the sports centre is scheduled to be completed by August. Joshua Evans

COREY BEDFORD THEY say you should be wary of your past returning to haunt you. And for the boys of De Montfort’s hockey team, that’s proved to be the case. A nude photograph taken of the students for a charity calendar two years ago has been given national exposure on daytime TV cooking show Sunday Brunch. Liam Egan-Rayner, chairman of the hockey team, said: ‘Everyone is a bit shocked but pretty chuffed, too. ‘A few of the players have left the university since the photo was taken but it is going around their friends and family on social media and they love it.’ However, he added: ‘It is fair to say it has been met with horror by some!’ The photograph was taken in a local bar, Soar Point, and shows the boys covering their modesty with carefully placed inflatables and hockey sticks. It was sent into the Channel 4 show and chosen to be the image for April in its calendar. Presenters Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer both said they loved the picture. Former Soccer AM star

February 2015

because the uni’s motto is Excellence & Zeal, which are exactly the qualities needed in a quiz – together with an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the winners of X Factor,’ said producer David Tyler. Third-year English and creative writing student

Fiona Longhurst, 22, said: ‘I’m a huge fan and I hope fellow DMU students won’t let us down and we’ll triumph over staff members.’ The show will be recorded before a live audience in the PACE Building from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on February 9.

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February 2015

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talkingPOINTS

Comment, opinion and the occasional wild rant from our student writers across the country

Top dog Farage will get my vote MANDY FULLER ‘WHO are you going to vote for?’ is one of the most-asked questions at the moment. With the general election in May, the major parties don’t have long to win us round. Personally, I’d rather have a tea party than the Labour Party... but I can’t see the Great British public voting for that. However, I am genuinely tempted to vote Ukip. No, I haven’t lost my mind. I believe every dog has his day and, let’s face it, Nigel Farage is a bit of a dog – in that bloodhound, jowly cheek look he wears so well. As a student, I

Future PM?: Ukip leader Nigel Farage PICTURE: TWITTER often have to work long hours for s*** money, so any man that promises I don’t have to pay tax because I’m on the minimum wage is the man for me. I don’t

care if he’s branded a racist misogynist – and, as a black girl, that should really bother me. I want to keep more of my hard-earned cash. The main reason I’m going to vote Ukip is because of their pledge to remove tuition fees for university students on certain courses, based on academic performance. Let’s face it, the political party that allows me to take home more of my wages and cuts tuition fees – allowing me to spend more on my alcoholic, party-animal lifestyle – is definitely the political party for me. Nigel Farage for prime minister!

If you spot an error, we are committed to putting it right. Contact us at corrections@unipaper.co.uk. If you do not wish to receive a copy, then email us with your address at nothanks@unipaper.co.uk. We print 200,000 copies in 16 university cities. The University Paper is published by The UniPaper Ltd, in association with Simian Publishing, 23-24 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RU. Printed by Newsquest, Oxford.

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PARTY POOPER: The words ‘house party’ and ‘danger’ go hand in hand. Waking up in a bleary-eyed haze to find someone has scrawled rude drawings in permanent marker on the kitchen walls or to discover vomit that hasn’t quite made the toilet bowl has to be among every host’s worst nightmare. So, is that ‘small gathering’ that you were about to publish on Facebook (accidentally without the ‘invite-only’ setting) worth it? Michael Quinn

PICTURE: WIKICOMMONS/KF

EXAM STRESS: We are constantly being told that today’s youth has it far too easy when it comes to education, so there is now a demand for exambased learning. Surely it is counterproductive to only be tested on less than ten per cent of what you have learnt in the space of a couple of hours while under intense pressure? Students should be encouraged to exercise their skills about the subject thoroughly and this is best achieved through coursework. It also allows a student to choose their own question, encouraging them to pursue and expand their own ideas which they are passionate about Natalie Wellings

I HEART VALENTINE’S: Whatever complaints the anti-Valentine’s brigade has, no-one can resist the excitement of knowing someone out there holds a special place for you in their heart. Regardless of the tacky merchandise of February 14 and the 11million additional texts sent on the day of love, the simplistic act of giving an anonymous card will undoubtedly bring a smile to anyone’s face Lucy Kehoe

PICTURE: WIKICOMMONS/ FLICKRLICKR

LOVE SICK: Whether you’re single or taken, Valentine’s is utter tripe. I just don’t think a heart-shaped box filled with cheap chocolates picked up from Card Factory for 99p, or an over-sized teddy bear that will ultimately be abandoned once the endorphin-filled day loses all its glory, class as romance. Watching couples flap about confessing their undying love for one another because they are compelled to do so really does have me contemplating shooting a fat little Cupid’s arrow through my own head Ema Brewer

COST OF EDUCATION: Students shouldn’t get a free ride – but getting a degree surely isn’t a free ride? The truth is – as if you hadn’t noticed – the economy is on the fritz and paying for higher education seems to be a knee-jerk reaction. Instead of genuine economic pragmatism, paying for education is yet more evidence that austerity is ruining people’s outlook. Saddling ambitious, forward-thinking students with debt – or, worse, making further education unavailable to some – is regressive in the most devastating way. Student Loans has already lost a load of tuition fees, the rest won’t ever get paid back – why not just scrap them altogether, George? Joe Evans

DIS-MAY: I agree with chancellor at the University of Birmingham Lord Bilimoria, who has attacked Theresa May’s plan to clear out non-EU international students from the UK. Closing Britain off to foreign students would damage its reputation as a nation that attracts talent from all over the world and cut off important cultural ties. Every international student pays thousands of pounds more than any British student each year and they do not get a loan like home students. It seems like Theresa May’s plan doesn’t have either economic reasoning or support behind it Natalia Alyukova

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February 2015

theINTERVIEW: Simon Amstell

The journey to a comedy awakening S

IMON AMSTELL is delving into his psyche. Describing his �irst taste of the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca during a trip to Peru – the inspiration for his latest stand-up tour, To Be Free – he says it failed to transform his thoughts in the way locals and gap year truth-seekers had claimed. ‘I imagined afterwards I’d have the feeling of total peace and serenity and I’d no longer feel stuck or limited,’ he says. ‘But despite this life-changing, profound, unexplainable experience, I’m still imprisoned by my own various insecurities.’ These stubborn doubts seem to be almost an asset for the 35-year-old, who does not shy away from letting his �laws take centre-stage. ‘My last tours were both quite… sad,’ he laughs. ‘Loneliness and the feeling of disconnection were big themes. However, this one is about me trying to �ind total freedom in my life. ‘I no longer feel as broken or troubled, so I think there’s generally more joy in this show. Although I’m still dealing with all the various problems of being a human being, they’re not quite as tragic as they were in previous shows. ‘I think I’m now closer to a fully functioning

TV presenter-turned-comedian Simon Amstell talks to CASSIE DONEY about psychadelics, clowning, Buddhism and the struggle to become a functioning human being human being than I’ve ever been.’ But the trope of the troubled comic has endured, partly through 2012 sitcom Grandma’s House, where his drifting ex-TV presenter character’s situation seemed to mirror his own life following Never Mind The Buzzcocks. He sees his ability to turn pain into humour as a survival skill. ‘If I didn’t have comedy as a career, I’d be desperately trying to �ind some other way to cope,’ he says. ‘I’d probably be in therapy full time.’ Although his stand-up show touches on the politics of the meat industry and the ‘absurdity’ of having a royal family, Amstell is not mounting a Russell Brand-style call for revolution quite yet. ‘I think the best thing for me to be doing is to retain the mask of the clown, where the clown is cheekily questioning things around him,’ he says. ‘I think the moment you become the politician, you lose the clown. And I feel like the clown is freer than the politician.’ The role of clown is one Amstell takes seriously. He

studied at Philippe Gaulier’s prestigious clown school in Paris – an experience he likens to an aspect of Zen Buddhism, where young monks are given puzzles to solve. ‘The reason they’re so tricky is that the mind can’t solve these puzzles,’ Amstell says. ‘The solution was to throw away rational thought – to be instinctive and childlike. And I wasn’t good at any of those things.’ Not all clowning around has been worth it, though. ‘I learnt to juggle as a kid,’ he says. ‘It doesn’t get you sex. It gets people to look at you for about 30 seconds, and then they go and look at something else.’ Watching acts at the Edinburgh Fringe, things �inally clicked, however. ‘The performers I found funny were the ones who had a sense of childlike wonder,’ he says. ‘Because everything is essentially ridiculous – and, through comedy, you can express that ridiculousness of everything we experience being an absurd illusion created by our ego monkey minds.’ He pauses. ‘There’s a quote for you.’

SIMON AMSTELL plays Liverpool on February 12, Bristol on February 26, Coventry on March 5 and Glasgow on March 18 and 19

Long trip: A Peruvian drug inspired Simon Amstell’s tour

INSIDE: Toddla T looks to lose his mind, The Wombats go wonky and Sigma make a racket

February 2015

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clubbingCALENDAR monday, feb 9 Booom! Mondays, Club Republic, £4 Happy Mondays, Fat Club Cafe Bar, free Funday Monday, Revolution

tuesday, feb 17 Loaded, Basement, £3/£2 NUS Mosh Tuesdays, Mosh, £2 before 11.30pm Quiz & Curry Night, The Old Horse, £4.99 (curry, rice and naan ) Pop Quiz, Firebug, £2

wednesday, feb 25 Student Wednesdays, Natterjacks, free Injunction, DMU SU, £4 Walkabout, free

thursday, mar 5 Private Karaoke Booths, 15 free Lane, £5 Get Pounded, Bowstrings, £2 Quids, Polar Bear, free Thirsty Thursday, The Grapevine, free Beat the Bank Pound Party, Marz Bar, free

tuesday, feb 10 Loaded, Basement, £3/£2 NUS Mosh Tuesdays, Mosh, £2 before 11.30pm Quiz & Curry Night, The Old Horse, £4.99 (curry, rice and naan )

wednesday, feb 18 Injunction, DMU SU, £4 Student Wednesdays, Natterjacks, free

thursday, feb 26 Beat the Bank Pound Party, Marz Bar, free Roots, Basement, free before midnight, £3 after/£2 NUS Thirsty Thursday, The Grapevine, free Private Karaoke Booths, 15 Free Lane, £5

friday, mar 6 Friday Club, R/Bar,free HouseProud, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free Skint Friday, Republic, £3 Weekend Warm Up @ XY free guest list (DMU); Gate 38, free

wednesday, feb 11 Student Wednesdays, Natterjacks, free Injunction, DMU SU, £4 Walkabout, free

thursday, feb 19 Quids, Polar Bear, free Roots, Basement, free before midnight, £3 after/£2 NUS Thirsty Thursday, The Grapevine, free Beat the Bank Pound Party, Marz Bar, free Get Pounded, Bowstrings, £2

friday, feb 27 Karaoke, The Old Horse, free Zuu Friday, Liquid & Envy, £3 HouseProud, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free

saturday, mar 7 Soulshaker, Basement, free before midnight £4 after; Heads or Tails-Pound Party, Venom, free before 12pm Candystripe, free; Lo Loco, Ghost Nightclub, free guest list before 1am XY Saturdays, £3 guest list entry Mosh Saturdays, £2 before 11.30pm

thursday, feb 12 Roots, Basement, free before midnight, £3 after/£2 NUS Private Karaoke Booths, 15 Free Lane, £5 Get Pounded, Bowstrings, £2 Quids, Polar Bear, free Thirsty Thursday, The Grapevine, free

friday, feb 20 Skint Friday, Club Republic, £3 Gate 38, free Friday Club, R/Bar, free

saturday, feb 28 Lo Loco, Ghost Nightclub, free guest list before 1am Heads or Tails-Pound Party, Venom, free before midnight; After Party, Envy, £5 XY Saturdays, £3 guest list entry Candystripe, free

sunday, march 8 Pub Quiz, Soar Point, £1 Sunday Night Film Club, Polar Bear, free

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February 2015

clubbingCALENDAR friday, feb 13 Weekend Warm Up @ XY free guest list (DMU) Zuu Friday, Liquid & Envy, £3 Mosh Fridays, free guest list before 11pm HouseProud, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free

saturday, feb 21 Soulshaker, Basement, free before midnight £4 after After Party, Envy, £5 XY Saturdays, £3 guest list entry Mosh Saturdays, £2 before 11,30pm

sunday, mar 1 Sunday Night Film Club, Polar Bear, free Pub Quiz, Soar Point, £1

monday, mar 9 Quids, Soar Point, free Funday Monday, Revolution, free Booom! Mondays, Club Republic, £4 Happy Mondays, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free

saturday, feb 14 Soulshaker, Basement, free before midnight £4 after; Heads or Tails-Pound Party, Venom, free before midnight XY Saturdays, £3 guest list entry Lo Loco, Ghost Nightclub, free guest list before 1am; Candystripe, free

sunday, feb 22 Sunday Night Film Club, Polar Bear, free Pub Quiz, Soar Point, £1

monday, mar 2 Funday Monday, Revolution, free Pub Quiz, Polar Bear, £1 Booom! Mondays, Club Republic, £4 Happy Mondays, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free

tuesday, mar 10 Loaded, Basement, £3/£2 NUS Quiz & Curry Night, The Old Horse, £4.99 (curry, rice and naan) Mosh Tuesdays, Mosh, £2 before 11.30pm

sunday, feb 15 Sunday Night Film Club, Polar Bear, free Pub Quiz, Soar Point, £1 entry

monday, feb 23

Funday Monday, Revolution, free Pub Quiz, Polar Bear, £1 Booom! Mondays, Club Republic, £4 Happy Mondays, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free

tuesday, mar 3 Quids, Soar Point, free Mosh Tuesdays, Mosh, £2 before 11.30pm Loaded, Basement, £3/£2 NUS Quiz & Curry Night, The Old Horse, £4.99 (curry, rice and naan) Pop Quiz, Firebug, £2

wednesday, mar 11 Injunction, DMU SU, £4 Student Wednesdays Natterjacks, free Walkabout, free

monday, feb 16 Pub Quiz, Polar Bear, £1 entry Booom! Mondays, Club Republic, £4 Happy Mondays, Fat Cat Cafe Bar, free

tuesday, feb 24 Mosh Tuesdays, Mosh, £2 before 11.30pm Loaded, Basement, £3/£2 NUS Quiz & Curry Night, The Old Horse, £4.99 (curry, rice and naan)

wednesday, mar 4 Student Wednesdays Natterjacks, free Walkabout, free Injunction, DMU SU, £4

thursday, mar 12 Roots, Basement, free before midnight, £3 after/£2 NUS Private Karaoke Booths, 15 Free Lane, £5 Get Pounded, Bowstrings, £2 Quids, Polar Bear, free Thirsty Thursday, The Grapevine, free

37,475 Students in Leicester enjoy themselves every month Make sure they know about your event

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February 2015

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what’sON pick of the month MUSIC ENDORSED by the Modfather Paul Weller, London fivepiece The Carnabys have a bright future ahead of them. Ringing with the soulful tones of frontman Jack Mercer, their debut album No Money On The Moon, released in October, cemented their reputation as the new darlings of the British music press. With an appearance at last year’s Isle of Wight Festival under their belts and having recently supported Blondie on the British leg of their tour – where Debbie Harry described them as ‘the best support band we’ve had in years’, the lads from Richmond play Leicester’s O2 Academy on February 20. Tickets £5. Sam Chambers

THEATRE ORIGINAL Victorian Gothic horror comes to life this month with critically acclaimed play The Woman In Black. Prepare for a chilling night

alternative country sound stopping off in Leicester, playing the De Montfort Hall on February 21. Tickets cost £31.35 from www.demontforthall.co.uk Sam Chambers

of theatrical suspense as the play celebrates its 25th year in the West End since the adaptation of Susan Hill’s original novel. It tells the story of a solicitor who attends the funeral of a reclusive widow where he sees the eponymous Woman In Black. While clearing out the widow’s effects, he is subjected to a series of chilling visits by the spectre. It runs at the Curve Theatre for five nights from February 16. Tickets cost £13 from the box office. Cavelle Simpson

MUSICAL THEATRE

MUSIC ACCLAIMED American singer–songwriter Ryan Adams is one of the most prolific musicians around today. Since leaving his former band Whiskeytown back in 2000, the troubadour has released 14 albums, either as a solo artist or as a member of The Cardinals. His last, the 2014 selftitled Ryan Adams,

Easy street: The Carnabys have impressed king of the mods, Paul Weller and Debbie Harry brought him his highest chart placing to date in both the US and Britain. The 40-year-old has also collaborated with a host of

famous names including Counting Crows, Toots And The Maytals and Weezer, as well as producing albums for Willie Nelson

and Fall Out Boy. This incredible work ethic extends to his live performances, too, and his current tour sees his

JOIN Leicester’s favourite teenager, Adrian Mole, in a hilarious new musical. Based on Sue Townsend’s novel The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, it follows the dramas and misadventures of Adrian’s life. With dysfunctional parents, a growing debt to school bully Barry Kent and an unruly pimple on his chin, life is hard for a misunderstood intellectual who is only 13¾… To top it off, when new girl Pandora joins the class and captures his heart, his best friend Nigel steals hers. Can Adrian win her love and escape his chaotic family? With an infectious score and a script that stays true to the original novel, this production, at The Curve Theatre, brings Adrian’s story to life from March 7 to April 4. Tickets start at £13.

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February 2015

what’sON

Our comprehensive guide to entertainment in Leicester. If you have an event which you would like included please email us at whatson@unipaper.co.uk

Voyage on tour de farce Break away from stress of uni life at comedy festival

E are calling Dave’s Comedy Festival ‘the funniest tour of Leicester you’ll ever have’. There are shows that will cater to all tastes, nothing is stupidly expensive and some are even free. There is truly something for everyone in this cherished annual event that brings Leicester together and lifts everyone’s spirits. February 12 Marc Lucero: The Sauce Of It, The Criterion, 6pm, free The Sauce Of It is a cheeky show that mixes irreverence, an unhealthy obsession with underpants and the truth about long-term love. February 13 Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, The Little Theatre, 7.30pm, £10 The title says it all – this extremely special and funny show transforms Austen’s legendary novels into a onehouse improvised show. February 14 Christian Reilly: Lost in Music, Kayal, 6.15pm, £7 Christian Reilly’s hilarious tunes – featuring David Bowie on Scottish Independence, Lady Gaga on bullying and Prince on Manic Funksexiness

Disorder – will help you make sense of the universe. February 15 Craig Campbell: Thrilling Mic Hunt, Firebug, 8pm, £10 Craig Campbell is back, so prepare for loudness, a little bit of dirtiness and maybe some controversy. February 16 Abi Roberts – Work In Progress, The Globe, 9pm, £3 Full of surprises, impressions and voices, and a truly unique (and hilarious) view on the world. She’s slightly bonkers and is set to cause a storm on the Leicester stage in this hour of new material. February 17 Elliot Steel – Work In Progress, The Cookie, 7.30pm, £5 At just18 years old Steel is the rising star of comedy. Hear his real-life tales about what it’s like to grow up on a South London council estate. February 18 Stephen Bailey: Neon Heart, The Cookie, 9.30pm, £6 After six years of being a singleton, he found the one and happiness… only to lose it again. He’s dusted himself off and is back, ready to jump back into dating.

February 19 Claire Cogan: The Bite Size Show, Heroes @ LCB, 7.30pm, £5 or pay what you want! Join her on Trans World Air Tours, where budget is the most important aspect. February 20 Absolute Improv, The Ale Wagon, 8pm, £8 Make sure you arrive with plenty of ideas to shout out and let these Scottish improv geniuses transform them into laughs. February 21 Brennan Reece: Smirk in Progress, The Exchange, 6pm, free He’s won awards thanks to his funny face, so laugh Harking back: The cast of improvised Jane Austen-based show Austentatious along in this slightly rude show. Free and funny is always good. February 22 Comedy With a Dyslexic Geordie, The Exchange, 8pm, free He was a finalist in the Jongleurs/Loaded Magazine Search For A Star competition in 2013 and he’ll give you a crazy hour filed with impressions, audience interaction and general knowledge that may or may not be true. Tickets can be purchased from www.comedy-festival. co.uk Joshua Evans

Lonely but making friends ONCE every couple of years, a band comes out of nowhere and captures the zeitgeist. It seems that Lonely The Brave may just be that band. The Cambridge quintet – David Jakes on vocals, Andrew Bushen on bass, Gavin Edgeley on drums and guitarists Ross Smithwick and Mark Trotter – are winning rave reviews from the rock music press. Their first album, The Day’s War, was critically acclaimed – but so speedy has their rise to fame been, there’s not even a Wikipedia entry on them... yet. They are about to embark on a UK tour; catch them at The Scholar, Rave reviews: Lonely The Brave hit town next month in Leicester, on March 7.

Chinese hot food

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PICTURE: IDIL SUKAN

February 2015

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theBEAT

We need a scene where we lose our minds On the verge of dropping a new mixtape, Toddla T chats to MORGAN HINTON about DJing at the age of ten, promotional politics and being proper s**t at school

hen did you discover your love for music? I got heavily into music aged about nine or ten. When I was ten I had turntables but they were unusable – all you could do was select tracks. Anything else and the needle would snap. What moment did you commit to being a DJ? I’ve got a bit of a weird mind in that I can’t concentrate on things I’m not into. At

school I was proper s**t – not because I’m thick, I just didn’t give a f**k. Music was one of the only things I could really focus on. With raves now promoting unknown line-ups, would you play at an event that wouldn’t advertise your name on the bill? One hundred per cent – I think that’s a really good idea. If you can sell tickets with the night being the

FO F F O RSITY PAPER E UNIV EADERS R

In the mix: Toddla T has been in the studio with singer Protoje focus over the DJs, that’s the ultimate winner. How do you feel about the underground scene in Britain? Dance music has got so popular over the last few

years, with so much money in the industry, you get all the bulls**t that comes with it. It’s necessary to have underground nights, now more than ever. Dance music has become new and shiny,

whereas the underground scene should be somewhere you go to lose your mind. What are your aspirations for this year? I’m doing a mixtape with a Jamaican artist called

Protoje. We’re blending his instrumentals and trying to merge the Jamaican sound with the UK sound. Toddla T and Protoje’s mixtape is due for release this month.

Little White Lies is a British, London based brand bringing timeless quality pieces to the 18-35 year old fashion conscious women. Little White Lies creates exquisite collections, each piece has a unique point of difference- a trim, beautiful buttons or hidden pockets. Every garment has been thought about in detail from beginning to end creating contemporary modern pieces with a nostalgic retro charm.

We use the highest quality fabrics to create soft dresses and separates; with the use of delicate velvets, vegan leathers, silks and georgette overlays. Attention to detail is what makes this brand so charming. This is carried throughout all designs, giving a feeling of femininity with an urban edge keeping Little White Lies in touch with premium fashion trends. The brand is stocked across the UK, Europe and the USA making a name for itself as Drapers Young Fashion Brand finalist. To celebrate the growing success, Little White Lies would like to offer University readers 25% off their next shop online at www.littlewhitelies.com

Go to www.littlewhitelieslondon.com and enter code LWLU25 to claim your discount Can be used on full price items only, cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons.

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theBEAT

February 2015 Love your music? So do we! Tune in here for all the latest interviews, previews and reviews

It all got kind of moody Record pushed us to edge of reason

They’re back: (l-r) Tord, Murph and Dan have been working on their third album

The Wombats frontman Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy tells PORTIA FAHEY about pouring his soul into the new album, what it’s like having LA as your fantasy girlfriend and his new-found fondness for dogs

HE Wombats have ‘pushed themselves to the edge of the human soul’ to create their latest album, Glitterbug. ‘The back end of the recording process was nuts for me,’ according to the band’s lead singer Matthew Murphy, aka Murph. ‘I was back and forth between London and LA. It was very exhausting and it all got kind of moody towards the end. All I know is that I’m incredibly proud of the album.’ And so he should be. The new record, due out in April, has taken four years to complete and Murph – along with bandmates Dan Haggis and Tord Øverland Knudsen – is about to embark on a 26-date European tour in March to promote it. ‘We’re all perfectionists and a lot of the songs have been through heavy critiquing by myself before the others get to them, or they’ll send me a backing track and I’ll work on it and rewrite and rewrite and then it goes back to them,’ he says. ‘We are all definitely guilty of over-analysing things.’ ‘I’m not saying we’ve had

to go down the mines every morning. I’ve certainly put a lot of myself into this album emotionally, psychologically. ‘It’s hilarious – I’m only starting to realise now that when I was in it, I actually had no idea what was going on.’ Thankfully, the band had Bastille’s producer, Mark Crew, on hand to guide them through some of the darker moments. Murph, 30, says: ‘Mark was unbelievable and would take the p*** out of us so much, which is something no one’s ever done before – well, not to our faces, anyway!’ The Liverpool-born singer has also found three new loves in his life: LA, his girlfriend and her dog, Daisy. ‘Daisy’s awesome and I’m completely obsessed with her,’ he laughs. ‘I spent the majority of yesterday just staring at pictures of her.’ And his obsession with LA has become so strong, the city is the main focus of the new album. ‘I’d stay over in LA and I fell more and more in love with the city,’ he explains. ‘I got to know it a lot more

Rising star: Laura Welsh

LAURA WELSH entered the mainstream last year when she featured on Gorgon City’s top ten hit, Here For You. Now, the singer is looking to cement her place there. She spoke to TUP ahead of the release of her debut album, Soft Control, in March. What was it like working with Gorgon City? Musically, it’s completely different to what I do but it was an amazing experience – and to play festivals with them gave

Catch The Wombats on tour during April in Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle. Visit thewombats.co.uk

and then, suddenly, it was this person that I’d written the songs about. I’d created this non-existent person in my head and thought about what it would be like having a long-distance relationship and dealing with jealousy and things like that.’ But most of all, his love is for the fans. ‘It means f*** all if you don’t have some fans that care about you and we’ve always been very lucky in that our fan base is strong but they’re also obsessed with us,’ he says. ‘Everything else is just background noise.’

Singer without compromise me the opportunity to play in front of much bigger audiences. How was the recording process for the album? It was incredible to have it finished and mixed for me. The most important thing was that I’d made the record that I wanted to, without compromise. What do you like to do in your down time? I love photography. I’ve got a Canon film camera so I like shooting on that. Edward Jones

For a longer version of this interview, log on now to www.unipaper.co.uk

tourDATES

KNOW THE INSIDE

DO YOU

T R AC K O N

CAMPUS?

IF SO THE UNIVERSITY PAPER WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. We are scouring the UK for student journalists, so whether you are looking for work experience or simply spending too much time in the SU, get in touch today. We are on the look out for opinion leaders and change makers who can write engaging copy. Your pieces will be printed in The University Paper which is read by thousands of students across the UK and you will get that all important byline - perfect if you are looking to build a portfolio. Not to mention that age old adage, it will look great on the CV. So if you would like to be an influential voice for the student community or just have a strong front page tell us what is going on - pitch your ideas to The University Paper, email: editor@unipaper.co.uk

February 2015

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Together... because we loved to make a big old racket

Passion: Cameron Edwards (left) and Joe Lenzie scored No.1s with Changing and Nobody To Love

ISTENING to drum ’n’ bass duo Sigma chat about getting soaked in champagne and downing trebles, you would think life was just one big booze-fest. But Joe Lenzie and Cameron Edwards have been working hard, releasing four EPs and �ive singles since 2010, two of which – Changing and Nobody To Love – made it to No.1 in the charts. They have also collaborated with the likes of Paloma Faith and Labrinth, who features on their forthcoming single. Catching up with them on their way to the studio as they take a break from live shows to work on debut album Life, due out later this year, I ask how they felt about Kanye West’s track Bound 2, which they reworked for Nobody To Love. ‘Overall, it sounded like someone was having a musical heart attack but we really liked the d’n’b part, so gave it a mix,’ says Edwards. Kanye’s management contacted the duo about playing at Wireless Festival last summer but they declined, preferring to ‘do our own thing’. The pair met at the

They have gone from two mates who fuelled their passion for drum ‘n’ bass with nights out to professionals with two UK No.1s under their belts and a single with Labrinth soon to be released. HENRIETTA PAINTER speaks to Sigma about champagne, doves and staying healthy University of Leeds, where going out three or four nights a week together fuelled their passion for drum ’n’ bass. Those nights were ‘without a doubt the best places to go’, claims Edwards, a former events student. They formed Sigma out of ‘a mutual love for making a racket together’ and were originally going to be called Lesbian Doves. Can I ask why? ‘One night a pair of lesbian doves �lew down from Joe’s shed,’ Edwards explains. ‘So we wanted to call ourselves that – but it sounded too r’n’b for us.’ Twelve years on, and do they still feel Leeds has a healthy d’n’b scene? ‘It’s changed a lot now, but then again all scenes have,’ says Lenzie. ‘We love to go back to Leeds whenever we play there. The d’n’b scene has become really healthy.’ It is clear the duo are not shy of a party or four. ‘I can’t remember my best memory from uni – it all seems like a constant haze,’ says

Edwards. So, what are their other favourite places for a night out? ‘We played at HAU5 festival in Newcastle last year and ended up at an afterparty in Tup Tup,’ says Lenzie. ‘I can’t tell you all the details but we were covered in a lot of champagne that night.’ He confesses he’s never had a treble, though – at which point, Edwards proudly announces that he has. ‘Cam’s still a student deep down,’ says Lenzie. Making music has always been on the cards for them, although Edwards once had a yearning for the army. ‘It’s weird,’ muses Lenzie. ‘When you’re growing up, you don’t realise that music is this whole massive industry.’ It is one they’re getting stuck into and life at the moment is a mixture of touring and studios, fuelled by beer, their PlayStation and vitamins. ‘On tour it’s great to have each other,’ says Lenzie. ‘And the vitamins keep us healthy.’

Sigma will perform at Future Music Festivals across Australia on February 28 and March 1, 7, 8 and 9, and Germany’s Sputnik Springbreak Festival from May 22 to 24. Higher, featuring Labrinth, is released by 3beat records on March 22.

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February 2015

onSCREEN

Love a good night at the movies? Or perhaps you need a quiet night in front of the TV? Read on to find out what’s on...

out soon

Just mates: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan in What If?

Predestination (Feb 20) A TIME-travelling agent (Ethan Hawke) working for the ‘temporal bureau’ is sent on his final assignment to stop an infamous terrorist who has eluded him. He is forced to hop between the years to prevent a major crime, picking up a new recruit in John Doe (Sarah Snook) along the way. Jakub Szweda Kill The Messenger (Mar 6) REPORTER Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) exposes the shocking truth of the CIA’s role in importing cocaine into America and using the profits to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Despite threats from drug lords and CIA operatives, Webb keeps on digging – endangering his career, life and family. Antoniya Gerimpapazi Chappie

(Mar 6)

UNNATURALLY clever robot Chappie (Sharlto Copley) is kidnapped at ‘birth’ and later adopted and raised by a dysfunctional family. Director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) is known for addressing big issues such as race, discrimination and freedom – and this latest outing looks set to do the same. Aaron Lembo X+Y

(Mar 13)

NATHAN ELLIS (Asa Butterfield) is no normal child. While others play, he hides away and solves problems. When his teacher Martin Humphreys (Rafe Spall) finds his rare gift, he sends him to the International Mathematics Olympiad, where Nate realises there is more to life than maths. Antoniya Gerimpapazi

In the friend zone? DANIEL RADCLIFFE, star of What If?, out on Blu-ray and DVD this month, tells TUP about friends he doesn’t want to sleep with, correcting pronunciation and banter

OES sex always get in the way of a good friendship? Daniel Radcliffe explores the thin line between friends and lovers in What If? What were your first conversations with director Michael Dowse? He was referencing movies like It Happened One Night and When Harry Met Sally. They were big touchstones for us, because it’s all about how relationships are built through banter and taking the p***. When the script came to you, what shape was it in? It was pretty much as it is now. The moment I knew I was going to do the script was on

n TINA FEY’S latest comedy offering, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, sees Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) escaping to New York after spending 13 years in a doomsday cult. She is determined to start her life again, finding work as a nanny for a wealthy Manhattanite (Jane Krakowski) and friendship with Titus (Tituss Burgess), a larger-

page two, when Wallace is correcting Chantry on her pronunciation of a word, and I was just like, ‘Ah, I’m that guy.’ The film seems clear men and women can be friends. How does it strike that balance? I’m friends with lots of women who I have no intentions to sleep with. There is also the question of whether men and women who are incredibly sexually attracted to each other can just be friends. That’s the issue that is present in the film. What’s Toronto like to work in? I had a great time there. I ate really badly – lots of poutine, which is chips in gravy, cheese and bacon. It was a really fun.

tvPICK

than-life singer who works as a robot in Times Square. Created by Tina Fey, the show has signed up to two seasons on Netflix, with the first coming out on March 6. Rebecca Thomas

February 2015

hiTECH

www.unipaper.co.uk The latest in everything gadgets and gaming

Ambitious street car racer is bit of a drag The Crew (Xbox 360) Rating 3/5

LUNGING gamers into the heart of Detroit’s illegal street racing scene, The Crew is looking to redefine the open-world racing genre. Players will attempt to infiltrate and take down the 510 gang that pulls all the strings in motor city. But the action isn’t limited to Detroit, as the massive game offers coast-to-coast, online-only action from LA all the way to New York. The best thrills emerge in the vast, inter-city stretches that perfectly capture the experience of the great American road trip. Unfortunately, that ambition leaves the gameplay

Resident Evil Revelations 2 ONE of the great horror series returns with some familiar faces. Fan favourite Claire Redfield stars with Moira Burton, the daughter of the legendary Barry Burton. The two women, who are working for antibioterrorism organisation TerraSave, are captured at the start of the game. What follows is a gory quest for survival and answers. Fans can expect better gameplay from the previous outing, while features such as raid mode allow players to fight through a map without following the main storyline. Out on March 2. Aaron Lembo Project CARS

On the road: The Crew takes you on a high-octane journey into Detroit’s illegal racing scene feeling stretched. The immense landscape gives a poor frame rate, causing lagging, dubious graphics and sketchy audio. The AI isn’t

quite right either, veering from erratic decisions to outright cheating in a bid to ramp up the tension in what is a flat driving experience.

Added to this, online matchmaking is a work in progress – a serious issue for the online-only campaign. Josh Mcloughlin

THIS is the racing simulator that gamers have been waiting for. The highly ambitious racer, which has been in production since October 2011, lets players take control of a huge variety of motors, from karts to supercars. They can also take on real-life race tracks, such as

out soon Donnington, Silverstone and Brands Hatch. Everything from the nuts and bolts up has been wonderfully recreated to replicate their real-world counterparts, with the game also boasting fully dynamic weather systems and a competitive online feature. Released on March 20. Umar Hassan Battlefield: Hardline ARE you going to be a cop or a criminal? Choose your side in this highspeed multiplayer mode. There are seven online games to choose from, including rescue, a tense five-on-five match in which the police have to save hostages before time runs out, while the perps do everything they can to stop them. In the single-player campaign, gamers can now use nonlethal force takedowns to gather intel on criminals. There are also a number of new weapons, cars and bikes to keep seasoned fans entertained. It’s out on March 20. Matt Bullin

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theTRIP

February 2015

Every journey begins with a single step... take the first one here, with our look at great places to go abroad

Foster far-flung friends Get travel ideas off pals from overseas

So, where should you go? Our favourite getaways

ESPITE tough talk from the government about international students, our campuses hold a wealth of people who have come from overseas to study. The diversity of the university population is an indication of how enlightening travelling can be, with the melting pot giving undergrads an insight into a host of different cultures – so why not get inspiration on where to travel from global friends? The cost of a trip abroad can put many off but if you stay with an international friend, you can reduce the cost considerably, as well as get off the tourist trail and find out what living in the country is really like. Study leave and the Easter holidays provide a perfect opportunity to get away for a few nights. If you’re looking for something more than a quick break, most universities offer the chance of studying at campuses across the world at summer schools and as part of the Erasmus scheme. This allows you to study abroad for between three months and one academic year, with no extra tuition fees. You can also apply for a grant under the programme to cover any extra costs of studying abroad. Andrew Griffiths

ISTANBUL: East meets west in this city, where the Galata Bridge offers views over both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean and you can find Christian art in the Hagia Sophia mosque, which was once a church. The Blue Mosque (pictured), with its awe-inspiring dome, is also worth a visit. As a

student on holiday with friends, I found it affordable – our student discount cards were taken at the huge imperial Dolmabahçe Palace and we filled our backpacks with beautiful food – in terms of taste and colour – at the spice market while sticking to a tight budget. Anupama Subramaniyam PICTURE: AS

NEW YORK: The Big Apple, the ‘city that never sleeps’ – New York City has many affectionate nicknames. And for good reason. It is home to some of the most famous landmarks in the world – the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and glittering Times Square, pictured. If you usually prefer beach resorts or countryside estates to

city breaks, make an exception for New York. Aside from feeling as if you have stumbled on to the set of a film or TV series, the city has something to suit everyone, whether you want to sample some culture at its museums and galleries, catch a musical in Broadway or wander through Central Park. Adiba Khatoon PICTURE: FRANCISCO DIEZ

FINLAND: When people ask me about my favourite holiday destination, they don’t expect me to say Finland – the Nordic country can sometimes fall off the getaway radar. But in Helsinki, you can sip an espresso in an ultramodern coffee shop surrounded by hippies, while being haunted by

the city’s Soviet past and inspired by its neo-classical cathedral (pictured). The street food festival, in March, involves talks and parties as well as delicious meals – while a traditional Finnish sauna followed by a run through the snow is not to be missed. Mane Grigoryan PICTURE: TAZRIAN KHAN/FLICKR

KEFALONIA: Nicknamed ‘the jewel in the Ionian crown’, this western Greek island is home to the soft white sands and the turquoise waters of Myrtos, widely thought to be one of the best beaches in the world. You may recognise the island from the film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, which was set and filmed there and took much of

its mood from the surroundings. You can take a yacht from Argostoli, the island’s main working port, which has a natural sheltered harbour, to explore the coastline. If you want a break from the beach, there are plenty of villages and medieval castles to explore. And keep a look-out for the island’s famous turtles. Charlotte Seddon PICTURE: CS

Signs of trouble: Yellow flowers, feet and thumbs SNOG someone outside a chicken shop on the way home from a night out in the UK and you could find a compromising picture posted on Facebook of you and your ‘friend’. But in the Middle East or India, it could land you in serious trouble. A smooch between a British couple in Dubai in 2010 led to a prison sentence – and, while PDAs between your housemate and their

‘significant other’ sometimes put you off your beans on toast, you probably don’t want anyone to end up behind bars. Here are some other faux pas to avoid while on your travels. 1. Learn your left from your right. In many cultures, including the Middle East and parts of Africa, people eat with their right hand and find using the left disgusting –

it is reserved for more, er, intimate acts in the bathroom. 2. Avoid pointing the bottom of your feet at anyone if you are in a Muslim country, as they are considered the lowest and most unclean part of the body. 3. If you think about getting a bouquet of flowers for a Ukrainian friend, never bring an even number – and avoid yellow. This

may appear to be odd but the colour is considered impolite, while even numbers of blooms are associated with funerals. 4. A thumbs-up is interpreted by most Brits as a sign of approval or thanks but if you are travelling around Afghanistan, Iran or parts of Italy, it takes on a whole other meaning – think middle finger. 5. In Japan, when you are out

with your drinking buddies, it is traditional to pour beer for one another as a gesture of companionship and respect. 6. In Nepal, it is thought to be ill-mannered to open a gift in the presence of the giver, to avoid offence – so don’t take it personally if your hosts leave your offerings unopened on the side. Joe Taylor

yourNIGHT

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foodBREAK

Save dough with these budget eats

A fast �illing �ix for a night out... Chilli, artichoke and cheese dip

A GOOD host knows that food should be on offer if guests are coming – especially if you are about to head off together on a big night out. But, with limited amounts of time and cash, what’s the best way of feeding your friends without breaking the bank? For ease and speed, it doesn’t get much better than a chilli, artichoke and cheese dip. For just under £15 you can create a taste sensation that will have your friends praising your culinary skills for years to come. All you need is 250g of grated mozzarella, 50g of grated parmesan, three cans of artichoke hearts, two to three chillies (a combination of red and

green for colour) and 325g of mayonnaise. Finely chop the chillies and either half or quarter the artichoke hearts (depending on how chunky you like it). Next, combine the ingredients together and stir until well mixed. Pop your concoction into an oven-safe dish, about an inch-and-a-half to two inches deep, and stick it in the oven at 200C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve with tortilla chips and voilà... your guests will think you put a lot of effort into making a tasty treat, while you will have time to get ready and a bit of dosh left in your pocket. Aria Dixon

Cheap treats: Baked beans and Dolmio sauce

TUDENTS are masters of scrimping – especially when it comes to food. But what should every undergraduate’s cupboard contain? Check out TUP’s top ten bargain bites. 1. Garlic bread – This family favourite will cost you less than a quid and it couldn’t be easier to cook. Stick it in an oven and come back ten minutes later. 2. Rice – There is barely a country in the world that

 HUNTING for a student-friendly shop? Look no further than Aldi. If you can keep up with the lightning speed of the cashiers then this is where you should head for a bargain. Pick up frozen tuna steaks at a decent size and price (400g, £2.99) or take advantage of their weekly ‘super six’ deal, where all the fruit and veggies are just 59p Cheryl Culliford-Whyte

doesn’t have a rice dish. From Spanish paella to Jamaica’s rice and peas, it can be added to most meals and doesn’t cost the earth. 3. Noodles – A packet of

simple noodles can cost pennies but are perfect for adding bulk to stir fries. Mix them with a spicy sauce and a load of your favourite vegetables for a healthy,

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February 2015

foodBREAK

We’ve all got to eat. So whether you fancy preparing something at home or popping out for dinner, we have the recipe for a great meal

Economic edibles: Filling up on noodles, garlic bread, cereal or rice is a tasty way to save some cash PICTURES: ZOE MACNAUGHTON PHRAWR/HAT M/ MAMMA MIA/FLICKR

quick and, most importantly, cheap meal. 4. Ready-made tomato sauce – While making your own is undoubtedly better, there’s no reason why a ready-made tomato sauce can’t be used when time is short. Throw it together with some pasta or even in

a ratatouille to add a bit of �lavour. 5. Cereal – Start the day with a delicious and quick snack. Add your fruit of choice for some much needed vitamins, or try some yoghurt and honey. 6. Baked beans – Although they taste great on a baked

potato or over toast, why not use them in a stew? They make a great addition to a sausage casserole – and, let’s not forget, they are a vital component for a Sunday morning fry-up. 7. Crisps – Not healthy – but everyone deserves a treat every now and then. They

can be eaten as a snack but also used for a quick-�ix meal, such as nachos. 8. Potatoes – They can be roasted, baked, mashed, fried or boiled. In fact, the ’tater is an extremely versatile ingredient. If you are feeling adventurous, you could even cook a gratin

dauphinois to add sparkle to the humble spud. 9. Bread – Obviously useful for simple sandwiches or toast in the morning. Add butter, raisins and an eggand-milk mixture to make a marvellous bread-and-butter pudding. 10. Rolled oats – During

the cold of the winter months, there aren’t many other dishes that warm you up better. A bit bland on their own – but add some milk and jam, and you have a wonderfully �illing way to begin the day. Antoniya Gerimpapazi and Zoe Macnaughton

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February 2015

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brainTEASE an you match the quote to the well-known person?

A: ‘I love the smell of diapers; I even like when they’re wet and you smell them all warm like a baked good’

B:‘At the end of the day, I just know I’ll probably have the worst, spoiled little kid ever’

C: ‘I’m not that good-looking. I think I’m a pretty weird-looking guy’

D: ‘In an action film you act in the action. If it’s a dramatic film you act in the drama’

E: ‘Being a Scientologist when you drive past an accident… you know you have to do something about it because you know you’re the only one that can really help’

Who said what? 1 Tom Cruise, 2 Lindsay Lohan, 3 Kristen Stewart, 4 Sarah Jessica Parker, 5 Eminem, 6 Jay Z, 7 Ryan Gosling, 8 Dennis Rodman, 9 Jean Claude Van Damme

F: ‘How come when Kanye acts like an idiot he gets a gold record but when I act like an idiot, I get a police record?’

G: ‘Don’t be an asshole. That’s my relationship advice.’

ANSWERS

H: ‘Chemistry is a class you take in high school or college, where you figure out two plus two is ten or something’

I: ‘I’m stupid, I’m ugly, I’m dumb, I smell. Did I mention I’m stupid?’

Can you unscramble these singers’ names…

1. MR SOON RANK 2. ROHANN MAIGRET 3. THIN L BAR 4. RENE HONDA SELL 5. SIR THIN MARC 6. NEW HO BEAN

in a

muddle

7. KIN P 8. GLAZES ME ONE ANSWERS

1 Mark Ronson, 2 Meghan Trainor, 3 Labrinth, 4 Ella Henderson, 5 Chris Martin, 6 Ben Haenow, 7 Pink, 8 Selena Gomez

Take a break and put your grey cells to work with our selection of puzzles

A4 B6 C7 D9 E1 F2 G3 H8 I5

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February 2015

competitionCORNER

Your chance to win fantastic tickets, trips and treats

Have a party on us! WIN

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ANCY dancing away on the party island of Mallorca by night before kicking back on a water park all day with a group of your best friends? All you need to do is grab three mates and some cheap �lights and we’ll provide you all with a four-star suite at BH Mallorca for �ive nights. You’ll get unlimited access to its water park, beach club and open-air festival gigs. With meals at buffet-style restaurants included, plus free wi�i, all you’ll need to worry about is which dancing shoes to bring...

NO cash? Don’t let that take away your right to a proper coffee. Win one of eight Breville Coffeexpress machines and �ilter your morning �ix straight into a takeaway bottle on your way to a lecture, or just make a cuppa at home. It’s easy to use – just add water and your favourite ground coffee, �lick the switch and go.

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Non-stop party: Explore Mallorca’s clubs and chill at the beach on this ﬁve-night holiday

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February 2015

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

Horoscope 

What’s written in the stars for you this month

ARIES: MARCH 21APRIL 19 Your social life might seem scrambled, Aries. However, this is a blessing in disguise, as you will be able to see people’s secret agendas. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind

TAURUS: APRIL 20MAY 20 Take control, Taurus. Your workload has signi�icantly increased since the new year but this shouldn’t be a challenge. If you do not have enough time, simply say so GEMINI: MAY 21JUNE 20 Don’t lose track of your �inances, Gemini. A matter will arise early on in the

month. You are more than equipped to deal with it; just do so swiftly, or you will be in a vulnerable situation CANCER: JUNE 21JULY 22 Now is not a time to shy away from the world, Cancer. Stand tall and you will surprise yourself. Someone may even catch your eye who will inspire and improve your world

LEO: JULY 23AUGUST 22 You need to make some changes, Leo. Rediscover some of your sparkle that for some reason has fallen by the wayside recently. This month, you can be the life and soul of the party

VIRGO: AUGUST 23SEPTEMBER 22 Take this time to take a long hard look in the mirror, Virgo. You have been doing more than enough for everyone but yourself. Take some well-needed time out or you will burn out

LIBRA: SEPTEMBER 23OCTOBER 22 This month is full of temptation, Libra. Don’t get carried away. You need to put someone at home �irst – but that doesn’t mean you should put your social life on hold SCORPIO: OCTOBER 23NOVEMBER 21 You have been yearning for something out of the

ordinary, Scorpio – and now is the time to realise it. Right now, it seems as though anything is possible – and, if you focus, it is SAGITTARIUS: NOVEMBER 22DECEMBER 21 Respect yourself, Sagittarius. Someone in particular might be calling in favours left, right and centre – but what you don’t realise just yet is that they do not need the help as much as you think

CAPRICORN: DECEMBER 22JANUARY 19 This month is all about patience, Capricorn. You are about to hit the jackpot but

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

if you rush the decisions along the way, all you will be left with is fool’s gold AQUARIUS: JANUARY 20-FEBRUARY 18 Stay focused, Aquarius. There is an important opportunity coming your way but you will miss it if your eyes aren’t wide open to everything that is happening around you

PISCES: FEBRUARY 19MARCH 20 You have immense in�luence, Pisces. Use it your advantage and you might just break through the solemn secrecy surrounding a certain situation. Take action to regain the reins

Be careful which pal you ditch OUR �irst semester ended in a blaze of glory. Surrounded by new friends, you drank your way into the holidays, safe in the knowledge that a month separated you from deadlines and exams. This is where the gloves come off. You return after Christmas, brimming with con�idence after a month with your adoring ‘home friends’, and decide to trim the fat in terms of misguided friendships. But tread with care: ditch the wrong acquaintance and you could �ind the hands of friendship withdrawn left, right and centre. While it’s unlikely every pal you made was a wise choice, considering you were drunk half the time, it’s worth remembering you

let’sTALK

came to uni to get a degree (well, that’s one reason). The coolest friends may not be the ones who will stick around when you’re knee-deep in 17th-century politics – and they may not be the kind of people you want to live with next year. So use your common sense and judge kindly. Moving away from home and being doused with cheap alcohol doesn’t bring out the best in many people – second semester could be the time for second chances. That homesick girl who invited you round for a cup of tea every �ive minutes? She could be a mate for life. The dubious conquest who kept in touch via occasional creepy Facebook messages? Not so much. Lindsey Coombs

Equality: Gay marriage PICTURE: PARGON/WIKICOMMONS

Let’s focus on people, not the masses

THE new year is a time to look back at our achievements – and 2014 was a big milestone for the LGBT liberation campaign. Yes, I am talking about marriage equality. The fact it was passed in the UK gives an example to many other countries. And, of course, anyone can now get married – we are all equal. You may wonder what else there is to do. LGBT activists could give you a list: trans* equality and health services, integration in workplaces, tackling homophobia… all important things. Yet I think something is missing. Something very important. And that is people themselves. Activists tend to look at problems as applying to groups. But what if we made a new year resolution to focus on individuals, rather than the masses? What if we started to listen to what minorities need and want, as opposed to ignoring the details of the mosaic we are a part of? Let’s listen to those who struggle with their sexuality – because unless we do, nothing can be changed. Filip Bigos

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February 2015

let’sTALK

Relationship trouble? Sex worries? Feeling low? We’ve got wise words to set you right

Alice ask

Tough time: Cancer can devastate families PICTURE: ANNETTE/FLICKR

Y mum was diagnosed with breast cancer at new year. I’m devastated. We are at opposite ends of the country and the train fare alone is more than £100. I feel so guilty for not being there. Sophie, Edinburgh

I’m so sorry to hear that, Sophie, but try not to feel guilty. Find other ways to be around her. Right now, she needs you to bring her some light and joy – and even if that’s just a phone call every night, she’ll know you are there for her. And don’t suffer in silence. As much as your mother needs support, so do you. Request a pastoral tutorial. You can apply for extenuating circumstances for your coursework and, if you decide to, you could also apply for a leave of absence. This is an authorised break from your studies that would allow you to go home and return to university next academic year.

WAS doing drugs in digs and I’ve been issued with a 28-day notice to quit. I didn’t go to the disciplinary meeting and now I don’t know what to do. Aaron, Warwick

If you have broken your tenancy agreement, it is unlikely that you will be able to argue your case successfully. However, just because you have been given a notice to quit doesn’t mean the university won’t

Separate but together... is it possible?

ONG-distance relationships are always controversial. While some believe that absence makes the heart grow fonder, others think it can only lead to break-ups. Of course, every couple is different – but there will always be ups and downs when your other half is living in a different city. But doesn’t every relationship have good and bad moments? Being a student who has experienced a long-distance relationship throughout university, I can say – it is not easy. A lot of people think that students can’t hold down relationships at the best of times, so one with the added pressure of distance – no chance, right?

Miss you: Time apart is hard PICTURE: ANGELA MARY BUTLER/FLICKR

Wrong. While it is tough to spend long periods away from your partner, seeing each other after a busy few months can be more than rewarding. Spending time getting to know each other at a steady, slow pace can work

wonders. On top of this, when you’re in the middle of a hectic semester and all you have time for is research and essay-writing, it’s probably a good thing your other half isn’t around. If they were, you would want to spend every waking hour with them – and that’s time when you should probably be doing work. At the end of the day, it’s simple: distance alone can’t destroy a relationship. In some cases, in fact, it can even help to strengthen it. If they’re ‘the one’, they’ll wait for you. And if they’re not, they won’t. Semesters aren’t that long – and you can always visit home in your reading week or at the weekend to see them. Kelly Smith

continue to support you. Go in person to your hall residence manager or accommodation services team. Although you might not be able to stay in halls, they will be able

Submit us your questions and get the answer in next month’s issue

to help you find private sector accommodation or extend your notice until you have found alternative digs.

FLUNKED January exams and now there is a real possibility I might have to re-take first year. I like my course but I haven’t been keeping up with reading or essays, which makes it even easier to skip class. James, Manchester You will be entitled to funding for the duration of your course, plus one extra year, in case you have to repeat – and repeating a year isn’t the end of the world. But, first of all, you need to identify why you haven’t been keeping up with your coursework. Whether it’s time management or you need someone to do your reading with, head to academic support for some advice – otherwise, this time next year, you will be saying exactly the same thing. Struggling with your studies, wrestling with a relationship or is your social life at a standstill? Contact our agony aunt on alice@unipaper.co.uk

February 2015

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researchROUND-UP

Our flick through the most fascinating findings from universities around the country

What a melt... ice cap is vanishing from view ALARMING satellite pictures have uncovered the melting of an Arctic ice cap. The observations were made by a team of scientists from the University of Leeds who noted that, since 2012, the ice cap has thinned by more than 50m – about one sixth of its original thickness. The study also showed that over the past two decades, ice loss from the south-east

region of Austfonna, in the Svalbard archipelago, has increased significantly. There is evidence that the surrounding ocean temperature, which has increased in recent years, may have been the original trigger for the ice cap thinning. Melting ice caps and glaciers are responsible for about one third of recent global sea level rise.

Hang on, I feel I’ve read this before...

Thawing out: The red regions show where ice loss has taken place

PICTURE: CPOM/GRL

Losing streak? Blame it on your body clock

S NOTHING going right for your team? Every shot going wide? Every tackle a foul? Well, don’t call in the ringers just yet – it could be that the timing of the games is out of sync with your body clock, research shows. An athlete’s performance can vary by more than 26 per cent depending on what time of day it is, according to a University of Birmingham study. And early risers perform best in the afternoon, while night owls are at their best later at night, they say. Dr Roland Brandstaetter explained: ‘If a one per cent difference in performance can make the difference between first place and fourth place in a 100m race and actually winning you the gold medal at the Olympics, then imagine what a 26 per cent difference in your performance could give you. ‘Our research takes us away from the idea of “time of day of the race” and directs us to internal biological time.’ Dr Brandstaetter and co-author Elise Facer-Childs studied 20 sportspeople with different sleeping patterns, testing their cardiovascular

IF YOU feel as though you’ve already seen that TV programme, then you are probably watching Dave... But one unfortunate man had to stop watching telly, listening to the radio or reading newspapers after he started experiencing persistent déjà vu, stemming from anxiety. The 23-year-old said his episodes made him feel as though he was ‘trapped in a time loop’, according to a report from Dr Christine Wells, a psychology lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. ‘Rather than simply the unsettling feelings of familiarity, our subject complained that it felt like he was actually retrieving previous experiences from memory, not just finding them familiar,’ she said.

Praise fathers from the past FATHER’S Day may be ages away but dads from the 19th and 20th centuries deserve a pat on the back, say Leeds and Manchester historians. British fathers were more involved in their children’s lives than previously believed, their research showed. Dr Julie-Marie Strange, from the University of Manchester, addded: ‘Since the Victorian era, men seem to have been just as hands-on as they are today and equally as affectionate.’

Learning the tools to talk On the ball: The University of Birmingham’s Emily Defroand (l) and Holly Payne, who participated in the study PICTURE: ANDY SMITH endurance at different times of day. They found subjects who were early risers were best in the early afternoon, while those who slept later were at

the their best later at night – contradicting the previous belief that all athletes were better in the evening. It means managers or coaches who want to find

out an athlete’s personal best performance should consider a number of factors, including testing them at different times of the day. ‘Obtaining a personal best

performance is on everyone’s agenda – but how to do it? Now, that is a different question,’ Ms Facer-Childs added. John Shaw

Bored of the same old football shirts? Blame capitalism CASH looks to have another victim in football – the lairy kit. Although new shirts have become more frequent, their designs have become more traditional, analysis

of home kits since 1888 shows. Dr Chris Stride, a statistician from the University of Sheffield, put the trend down to plainer strips offering a less intrusive

background for sponsors. ‘Though most clubs now change their home shirt design every season, changes usually consist of just minor details

– small flashes, collar styles or trim. The innovation in football shirts has shifted from design to marketing tactics,’ he wrote in Sport In History.

CAVEMEN did more than just grunt and wave clubs at each other, it seems. Our early Stone Age ancestors had a more sophisticated language system than previously thought, according to researchers from the University of Liverpool. The team studied the way tools developed in the Oldowan period and how the techniques to make them could have been passed on. The increasingly complex nature of the tools means it is likely a proto-language was used, they found.

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February 2015

beyondUNI

Need a job? Considering a gap year? Graduating and struggling for inspiration? Then read on...

What jobs work for you? Don’t just RETAIL? YOU’RE TWIXT A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE wait for right role

VERYONE knows someone with the worst part-time job in the world, be it dodging �lying plates in a pub kitchen or serving screaming children from an ice cream van. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some ideas for jobs to suit all schedules and personalities. 1. Cafés and restaurants – waiting staff have the option of working during the day or evening. You can add tips to your wages if you’re good with customers and maybe even pick up free food. 2. Fast food chains – places such as McDonalds or Burger King may sound less than glamorous but many big companies offer training opportunities and good terms for part-time staff. 3. Pubs and clubs – if you have no time to work during the day or you are simply a night owl, you might consider applying for a job at a bar or club. Bar and door staff alike have a great social life together after work. 4. Supermarkets – you can apply online for a wide

Breaking point: A Twix-related customer complaint added drama to one worker’s shiftPICTURE: SCOTT EHARDT I WAS funding my way through a media and communications degree at Birmingham City University with a job at a well-known supermarket chain. During one evening shift, a man came in threatening to sue the store because of the price of a Twix. He

range of roles at superstores. The applications will take you through a couple of tests, including on your numeracy and literacy skills, as well as a behavioural test – but don’t worry, they’re not too tough. 5. Universities – from bar-tending at the union to designing a website, a job at your university can offer some of the best opportunities to develop your skills. 6. Newsagents – if you

then proceeded to state his interpretation of consumer rights law at me. I said: ‘For 60p, you’re kicking up a fuss?’ He then unwrapped the Twix and ate it in front of me, saying between chews: ‘Consumer rights my a**e.’ Greg Edwards

like cycling and are good with directions, you could become a paper boy or girl. The job is not the best paid but at least you get to be the �irst to read the papers. 7. Manual note-taking – many universities get temporary workers to take notes for students who need support with their work. You will need to be able to write clearly and quickly and be understanding of the people you help. Antoniya Gerimpapazi

Good, bad and the messy BUSKER

THE grind of long shifts or having to get up for work while suffering with a hangover can make that part-time job an extra drag. If, like Glasgow Caledonian University student Stephen Mars, you can sing or play an instrument, being your own boss and taking up busking could be the answer. Stephen, who can make up to £100 a day busking on the city’s streets, says: ‘It’s doing what I love, when I want. What could be better?’

Aynsleigh Hollywood

CHUGGER

I ONCE spent a long summer working as a professional fundraiser – otherwise known as a charity mugger, or chugger – to help me through my studies at the University of Central Lancashire. I went from door to door asking people to support charities like the British Red Cross. My colleagues were fantastic but this did not make up for the commission-only pay or the abuse, which was so harsh you would think I was the one causing the humanitarian crisis. Luis Sanchez

SHOT GIRL

SHE patrols the club selling dubious-looking spirits from a belt to boozed-up, over-excited punters until the wee small hours, wearing less to sell more. The job of shot girl is not enviable. One past owner of this title is Raisa Begum, who once worked the sticky ﬂoors of Liverpool’s clubs. She says: ‘They were awful shifts. Bosses would often ask workers to stay past their ﬁnishing time.’ Sophie Sear

WHEN it comes to jobs, I have the best of both worlds. I work as a part-time sales assistant at Debenhams while studying at Swansea University. While it means being on my feet for ten hours during a shift on a Saturday, it brings with it the beneﬁt of the ‘travel transfer’. During term time, I can ﬁt work around my lectures in Swansea – then, when I go home for the holidays, I can move seamlessly to a branch in my hometown of Cardiff. My student loan covers my tuition fees and rent but for nights out, food and textbooks, I’ll use my wages. It means I’ve never had to touch my

overdraft – and, if I did, I would be back in the black as soon as my pay came through. Working on a shop ﬂoor may seem pretty simple but you will be gaining essential life skills – such as customer service – that your university course will not teach you. These can really make you stand out on a job application form and you never know who you’re going to meet – one of your colleagues could end up helping you get a job in your chosen career after graduation. So, even something as seemingly simple as retail work could really make an impact on your future. Rebecca Thomas

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February 2015

beyondUNI

Need a job? Considering a gap year? Graduating and struggling for inspiration? Then read on...

Big nights out are off the cards for aspiring teacher and mum

When story time meets deadlines

HILE many students would only be up at 6.30am if they were crawling into bed after a night out, Gabby Rea is already up and about, getting her son ready for nursery. The 20-year-old juggles the duties of being a mum to twoyear-old Teddy with studying English at Birmingham City University. She has just over an hour in the morning to get them both ready and fed, before leaving the house to drop Teddy off at nursery and heading to lectures herself. ‘It’s all about balance and organisation,’ she says. ‘I try to make sure I have a routine that sticks, for Teddy’s best interests as well as mine.’ Fitting Teddy around student life is tricky, however. His dad, from whom Gabby has separated but remains on good terms with, is in the army, based in Chester and can only see his son every other weekend. Nursery charges are £150 a week and, although Student Finance England pays 85 per cent of Teddy’s fees, it all adds

When English student Gabby Rea has an essay due in, first she has to think about caring for her toddler, Teddy. MEGNA FARMAHA finds out if you can still have a social life while mixing tantrums and tutorials up. With limited choices for childcare, Gabby admits there can be a conflict between studying and spending time with Teddy. ‘It’s hard to distinguish between the important tasks,’ she explains. ‘It’s a constant battle knowing whether a bedtime story is more urgent than the assignments I have due soon. ‘Sometimes I may miss out on a field trip because Teddy needs new shoes. But he is my priority and I’m totally willing to give things up so he has the best.’ She aims to become an English teacher after she graduates, to try and build a better life for her and her son. ‘It’s all about the bigger picture,’ she says. ‘I may feel guilty sometimes but there need to be sacrifices for the future and, one day, my boy will understand I did it all for him.’ Being a single parent

means Gabby has to forgo the wild nights and drinking sessions many associate with student social life. ‘I do miss out to a certain extent,’ she admits. ‘I want to be involved but having a child means this is put on a kind of back burner.’ But it’s not all work. ‘I do get to socialise,’ she adds. ‘Just not in the stereotypical student way. My social life is much more relaxed, rather than alcohol-fuelled.’ She has support from family at home, as well as the university’s student parents and carers’ association, which organises social lunches and coffee mornings. She says the responsibilities of motherhod have taught her a lot. ‘It’s quite clear, to me more than anyone, that I’ve matured since being a mum,’ she says. ‘I feel like I have an older perspective on

Tiny housemate: Gabby Rea with her two-year-old son, Teddy things compared to my peers because I’ve experienced a lot more. ‘To be honest, it can make me feel slightly alienated – my peers don’t understand

my situation, which can be a little frustrating. I live in a whole other world to them.’ So, does she have any advice for others in the same situation? ‘Balance all your

PICTURE: MEGNA FARMAHA

responsibilities,’ she says. ‘It’ll make things ten times easier. ‘And never forget to leave time for yourself, to unwind and de-stress, before it all gets too much.’

Tarot cards showed me the way to ease cash woes AS A journalism student at De Montfort University in Leicester, I wanted to avoid struggling for money but I didn’t fancy facing angry or drunk customers at a takeaway. So I decided to work from home doing something that I am passionate about – tarot card reading. Most of my work is done online. I passed some initial tests and have been working for two websites over the past few years.

The first benefit is being able to work from home and sit, warm and toasty, in front of a laptop. Having said that, however, it’s a difficult profession. You are revealing information to someone that could seriously challenge their

emotional well-being. Learning the strict boundaries needed took me a while. I always used to get too connected to clients and you can’t always afford to do that. I have had negative experiences, such as trolls coming into my chatroom, and that

can be horrible. I have had to learn to brush it off. It has also taken a lot of time to build up clients, meaning I’ve had to spend vast amounts of time online just to make sure I’m earning enough money. I get irritated by many of the popular psychics. Many are said to be fake and use psychology as the basis for reading people. They tell the clients what they want to hear, just to keep their likeable image. Life isn’t always

going to be OK and, sometimes, these psychics give us honest clairvoyants a bad name. While you must be careful not to get ripped off working online, if you find a reputable company, it can solve many of the problems of having a part-time job, such as spending money on travel and having to deal with people face-to-face if this isn’t your thing. And it doesn’t hurt to earn some extra – life is expensive. Emma Thompson

February 2015

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When they’re sharing the love a bit too much

HETHER they are gazing longingly into each others’ eyes or in the middle of a blazing row, couples can be a nightmare. There are ways to make your life easier, however, without trying to break them up. 1. Invest in ear plugs: Whether it’s love-making or shouting, ear plugs will help you get on with work. 2. Establish boundaries: The last thing you want is for the person who doesn’t pay rent to be drinking your milk, so draw the line. 3. Make friends: Getting to know your flatmate’s partner will make you feel more comfortable around them and it won’t be awkward when you’re left alone. 4. Remain respectful: Remember what it’s like to be

yourSPACE I LIVED with a guy in second year who had his girlfriend over all the time – to the point where she had practically moved in. The worst part, besides the baby talk, was how selfish they were. Her laundry was everywhere and they’d take over the living room for days, leave the heating on for hours – even in warm weather – and basically disregard the rest of us. We eventually confronted them and the short story is that it got ugly. He didn’t even say goodbye when we moved out. James King, University of Birmingham

LIVING with others is difficult enough at uni – and then some of them couple up, making life a special type of hell. Sleep is almost impossible because 4am is obviously the ideal time for the world to hear their bedroom activities… normally bickering over trivial matters. Natassia Tang, UCLan

Get a room: Living with a coupley couple can be awkward PICTURE: FLICKR

head-over-heels for someone. Sometimes it’s better to keep your cool and just have a laugh with them.

5. Communicate: If their relationship is making you uncomfortable or they’re distracting you from your

work, make sure you talk to them or to someone you can trust, such as a residential mentor. Olivia Clark

I LIVED with a girl whose boyfriend visited so frequently he should really have paid rent (or at least offered us some beer). Instead of cosying up on the sofa, they insisted on spending every minute together... cooking. I’m talking MasterCheflevel cooking, with huge carving knives and meat mallets. They took up the entire kitchen, chose really awkward times to cook and left heaps of washing up for us while they indulged in their Michelin-standard cuisine. And we didn’t even get a nice meal out of it. Mollie Carberry, University of Sheffield

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February 2015

yourSPACE

How to find the right place to live, the right people to live with and how to keep your place right

We uncover the spookiest student homes in the nation... with terrifying results

Homes with the wooooo factor

Spine-chilling: Students have reported ghostly sightings and strange sounds in their homes

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WHEN viewing the house, we never asked what was in the room – we were only told not to go in there. On the top floor of our six-bedroom property is a battered doorframe, chipped and cracked, with thick, rusted double locks. It was through collective fear that, on hearing a shrieking female voice, we did the unthinkable. With a little manual labour, we managed to wrench the door open. Among the rubbish that filled the room, there were some interesting photos, along with letters from a past generation. We fixed the door – but every now and then we hear that same blood-curdling shriek and can’t explain why. Tom Bean, Bath

programming student at De Montfort University, has also had an unwelcome guest. He says: ‘The front door was being knocked on but no-one was ever there. We stood by the door and waited for the noise and found no-one. It freaked the s*** out of one of my housemates.’ He says he

was so scared some nights, he would play movies constantly with the lights on until he could get to sleep. Unbelievers will say there is an explanation – but what if there isn’t? Hannah Louise Wilson, creative writing and journalism student, De Montfort University

‘MY FRIEND was talking and joking that there might be a ghost in our house,’ says one University of Strathclyde student who lives in a spooky 200-year-old property. ‘Then the lightbulbs in the chandelier above her popped and all the lights in the house went out.’ Things got even creepier in the haunted house after the friend went home, as the doors were opening and closing all night long. Zahra Faqir, Glasgow A HOUSE near Swansea’s city centre had a ghostly woman who stalked one room. She did no harm – but in this house there was a room that was never opened. It had always been locked and gave the students living there a weird vibe. Even more surprising is that, when the room was opened by the landlord, it was spotlessly clean. Another house nearby has experienced something similar. The housemates heard footsteps coming from above. One went outside, looked up and saw an unknown woman peeping through the bedroom window. Anupama Subramaniyam JAMES ARMSTON, 21, a Liverpool John Moores University student, rented a house that came with a rocking chair in the corner. He thought no more of it until, dead in the middle of the night, the residents of the Cretan Road house walked into the room to find the chair rocking back and forth as if someone had just stood up from it. Sophie Sear

I BEGAN to notice things move places. We would also hear noises coming from rooms that were empty and locked. Then we were told that students had reported seeing a young girl. Apparently, a children’s hospital used to be where the accommodation is now. Emma Brooks, third-year media and communication student, BCU As told to Jakub Szweda

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BUMP in the night, a creaking floorboard, a tap that drips no matter how many times you turn it off... Surely there is a logical explanation for what you just heard – or is there? I am convinced a ghost haunts my house in Leicester. I have called her Harriet, in the hope that will stop her from harming me. I think she lives in my attic – but, unfortunately, I don’t have a ladder to get in and reveal the truth. Sam Rose, a games

I STARTED worrying about ghosts in Constantine Court after following a shadow into my bathroom. I’ve also seen lights flickering around my room. I didn’t believe it at first, so I recorded it on my phone. You can shrug it off but one thing’s for sure – these happenings seem to be a bit more than just a coincidence… Abigail Gillibrand, Manchester

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yourSPACE

February 2015

How to find the right place to live, the right people to live with and how to keep your place right

Avoid a flap over a fill-in

Hunt down a housemate before it costs you dearly

you to wear accessories you have forgotten about. Rack ‘em up: Get a shoe rack that hangs from a door and you won’t have to sacrifice

PICTURE: CHARLOTTE SEDDON

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Neat solution: Stash junk in boxes to keep it tidy

page where fellow students can advertise spare rooms. International students or people who start later in the year may be looking for a room for six months or under. It’s worth bearing this in mind if you want to get that room filled. 3. Get web smart: Websites such as student.spareroom.co.uk allow you to advertise your room, flat or house to potential tenants all over the country. It is designed specifically for students and allows you to advertise spare rooms based on your location or university campus. 4. Post it: Get on social media and post statuses and tweets with photos of the bedroom you need to fill. Get help from your friends by asking them to share your work. Gemma Sargent

GIFT VOUCHER

IF YOUR bedroom looks like a bomb site, you will probably find it difficult to get on with that important coursework. Keep it clutter-free with these top tips. Beautiful boxes: Pick up some quirky, patterned boxes that fit with your decor. They will also act as a good footrest when you’re studying. Out of sight: You’ve bought the new season’s fashion trends, only to realise your wardrobe is ready to burst. Store clothes in a suitcase and slide it under your bed. Hang it up: Dangle jewellery from hangers. Not only will this add a bit of colour to your room but it will remind

OU’VE sorted who you’re living with, found a house and paid your deposit – then, out of nowhere, someone drops out, leaving you with a room to fill and bills looming. You need to get someone in as soon as possible but how are you going to do it? Here are a few steps you can take to make sure the house – and, more importantly, your bills – are shared by the right number of people. 1. Out and about: There’s no point hoping someone will come to you. Be proactive and ask people on your course. Sometimes students who live at home might want to move out in second or third year. 2. Spread the word: You could try advertising the room on your university’s noticeboards or website. Sometimes they have a

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February 2015

wellFIT

Advice for a healthy lifestyle and staying in shape

Go online to get in shape

IKE CHANG, CT Fletcher, Furious Pete and the Hodgetwins may sound like obscure DJs – but they are part of a fast-growing breed of internet fitness gurus with a combined YouTube following of more than 6million. Health, fitness and workout channels have gained mass popularity as people turn to social media personalities for advice and motivation on training, diet and even the best gym apparel. Mike Chang, owner of the Six Pack Shortcuts YouTube channel, currently has more than 3million subscribers to his high-energy workout and weightlifting guide, which is thought to be one of the biggest workout channels. Online fitness coaches have the benefit of being accessible anywhere, thanks to smartphones. And, while apps and videos offer something magazines cannot, Men’s Health still boasts more than 13million readers worldwide. Anthony Gilmour

our pick of the YouTube work-outs

chosen by Samantha Coles

Blogilates

Subscribers: 1,894,736

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THE detail that sprightly host Cassey goes in to makes these pilates videos perfect for beginners. Along with working the abs, legs and arms, she also explains the principles of lateral breathing, posture and form, ensuring you get your technique right. The clips are 15 to 30 minutes long and vary in difficulty, so you can increase intensity as your confidence builds, while the energetic tracks will keep you moving. Cassey also offers sound advice on ‘cheap, clean eats’.

FitnessBlender

BodyRock

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MOST of these workouts, created by friendly husband and wife duo Daniel and Kelli, need no equipment. If weights are required, they will suggest a household alternative – and even perform one routine lifting their puppy. With more than 300 videos ranging from four minutes to half-an-hour and more uploaded every week, you can mix it up and find something to fit every schedule and ability level. The pair also offer meal plans and nutrition advice, and post FAQ videos.

Subscribers: 851,909

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjU6NVAyvs0

IF YOU’RE a fan of high-intensity impact training or have a hectic schedule, BodyRock is ideal. Offering a wide range of vids featuring some of the more unusual moves, instructor Lisa-Marie will have you sweating in less than 15 minutes. If her impressive physique isn’t motivation enough, the channel has a great community, with ‘BodyRockers’ sharing their before and after pictures. The real-time daily workouts make you feel like you’re all in it together.

THE UNIVERSITY PAPER NEEDS YOUR HELP! If you’re in the know about student life, outgoing and keen to work with a fantastic team of people, we’re on the lookout for new recruits to help with Distribution, street teams, promotions and more. Fantastic rates of pay. If you’re up to the challenge, please contact: editor@unipaper.co.uk

February 2015

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sportNEWS

Hurdler Lucy is British best after 60m indoor win JOSH EVANS HOT-shot hurdler Lucy Hatton is celebrating after setting the fastest 60m time by a British woman so far this season. The University of Leicester student stormed to victory over the hurdles in 8.06sec at the Copernicus Cup indoor meet in Torun, Poland. It capped a wonderful few days for the 20-year-old criminology student, who had earlier run 8.13sec at the London Indoor Games in Lee Valley to equal Serita Solomon’s British season’s best time. Lucy’s Polish meet time vaulted her into the world’s

On fire: Lucy Hatton top ten and puts her seventh on the British all-time 60m hurdles list. She told the University Paper: ‘I’m feeling fantastic! I’m really positive about the fact that neither race was perfect, which makes room for improvement.

I’m looking to go to the Euros this indoor season, which would be a great experience. ‘I’m also looking to the outdoor season to run under 13 seconds, to be up there and compete with serious athletes.’ The university awarded Lucy a sports scholarship worth about £1,000 a year which helps fund her training, recuperation and travel. And she certainly seems to be feeling the benefit, with eyes now focusing on chasing Olympic glory in Brazil and beyond. ‘My long-term goal is to go to the Olympics,’ she said. ‘I am looking at 2016 but I think 2020 will be my year.’

Nice areas: Dominic Shellard and Leicestershire CCC chief executive Wasim Khan

62B, Faircharm Trading Estate, Evelyn drive , Leicester. Le8 8bb tel: 0116 2895766 Www.themusclemachinegym.co.uk, facebook and twitter

We’ll help cricketers find that winning formula... LIFE for Leicestershire’s cricketers has been tough of late. Asked many questions, they have failed to answer many correctly. Indeed, the county championship division two side has not won a fourday game in two seasons. So, who better to have in their corner than the great minds at De Montfort University to help them find the winning formula? The university is the new official sponsor of the

club, cementing their two-year relationship. ‘This is a club with a rich history of sporting achievement and its admirable commitment to grassroots community work is mirrored in our university’s own focus on the public good,’ said De Montfort vice-chancellor Dominic Shellard. Players will wear shirts bearing the university logo and use the stateof-the-art Queen

Elizabeth leisure centre. Meanwhile, the varsity match between De Montfort and the University of Leicester will be played at Grace Road on Friday, May 22, and student cricketers will get coaching from the professionals. There will also be free tickets for students for LCCC games and a chance for a student to be 12th man for the game against the New Zealand tourists.

Final hole agony for golfers THE drama stretched to the last pairings on the final hole but, ultimately, the student golfers of the University of Leicester suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Leicestershire Golf Club under-35s. In a paired foursomes format, the scores

were tied 2-2 after the first four groups, with each match making at least the 17th. So it all came down to the last group playing the 18th. And it was the under-35s who held their nerve, rattling in a 20ft putt for the win.

www.unipaper.co.uk

February 2015

sportNEWS

Falcons’ wings clipped Longhorns claim first varsity points TOM CULLEN THE first points of the varsity season have been decided with the University of Leicester Longhorns claiming the honours. The American footballers beat rivals the De Montfort University Falcons 14-6 in a tense encounter. The Falcons went into the game at Stoughton Road with an untested quarterback, having lost their regular starter to a broken arm. But they made the better start, based on their successful and suffocating run-dominated offence. It was simple, ‘smash-mouth’ football, designed to force any defence into submission. The first score of the game came from an unexpected pass play by the Falcons, with reserve quarterback

Tom Proffitt connecting with fresher receiver Sam Brown on a well-thrown deep ball to give DMU the lead. An unsuccessful two-point attempt following the touchdown meant it was 6-0 at the halfway point. But there must have been some home truths spoken during half-time as the Longhorns came out for the second half really fired up. A Falcons fumble handed possession to the Longhorns and quarterback Joe McDougall tied the game at 6-6 with a rushing touchdown. Another short touchdown pass, following a well-evaded tackle by Longhorns’ quarterback McDougall, eventually lit up the UoL side-line, bringing the score to 14-6 after a successful two-pointer. Falcons chairman, criminology and criminal justice

Vital tackle: A Longhorns player just manages to bring down a Falcon in flight student Darren Hing, said: ‘The whole team’s effort was fantastic – everyone put their all into it.’

Scramble defence: Longhorns and Falcons scrap at the line of scrimmage

Laura’s scholarship lesson FOR many young athletes, trying to find that extra few pounds for a gym membership is the difference between success and failure. That’s why rising cricket star Laura Tonks is so grateful for the University of Leicester sports scholarship. The money she gets through it has set her up

for the year. ‘Getting a gym membership with my scholarship has been a massive benefit,’ she said. ‘It’s something I would have had to pay for anyway in order to join the university’s cricket team. The £500 bursary has helped with the cost of travel to training sessions and matches, which has allowed me to continue

PICTURES: FLETCH PHOTOGRAPHY

to develop and improve as a player.’ And she urged people not to be put off by having to write 1,000word personal statement. ‘It’s good practice for the future, whether it’s for a job application or future study,’ she said. To apply for the 2015/16 year, visit www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ sports/scholarships. Jordan Adcock

PART OF A SPORTS TEAM? Get a write-up in this month’s paper.

Contact: editor@unipaper.co.uk

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