WIN A fab 5-day, 4-star clubbing break
LIVERPOOL EDITION
FREE
February 2015
P25
GREEN FAIL #1 ON ECO EXAM SIMON AMSTELL: HOW I DEALT WITH PROBLEMS OF BEING A HUMAN BEING
JOHN SHAW
UNIVERSITY of Liverpool bosses have scored a huge fail in a test on their green credentials because they didn’t hand in their homework. The UoL was awarded the ‘fail’ grade in a sustainability assessment by campaign group People And Planet, which ranked it 129th and in the bottom handful of institutions nationwide. It scored zero per cent on issues such as ethical investment, workers’ rights and sustainable food in the review of 151 British universities. A UoL spokesperson said: ‘The league table does not include a measure of our efforts in sustainability as we did not participate in the survey. ‘The university is committed to developing and maintaining a sustainable environment and adhering to sustainable practices in all of its activities. We have made signi�icant investment in reducing the university’s carbon emissions with the development of a new energy centre.’ But Hannah Smith, spokeswoman for People and Planet, said: ‘When students ask their universities what they’re doing to meet the biggest challenges of our time, we’d expect them all to answer. ‘The progressive universities at the top of our league are proving their ability to change their impact on communities and the wider world. These are the
turn to p5
P9
GREEN FAIL #2 SHUTS ‘SUSTAINABLE’ BUILDING Falling apart: The Redmonds Building stands shut after damage PICTURE: PORTIA FAHEY
A £37MILLION university building that boasts ‘sustainable and innovative construction methods’ has been closed after high winds damaged its exterior – just
two years after it opened. The Redmonds Building, at the heart of Liverpool John Moores’ Mount Pleasant campus, was shut for emergency building works
after an exterior panel came loose in windy weather. A spokesman for LJMU said: ‘As a precaution, the construction company, Wates, is carrying out an assessment of the exterior
of the building. LJMU has a long-standing relationship with Wates and it has assured us it will carry out any necessary remedial works.’ John Paul Murphy
THE SMARTER TAXI SERVICE CHEAP – SAFE – RELIABLE – PRIVATE HIRE ONLY WWW.DELTATAXIS.NET TAP THE FREE APP FOR HIGHER PRIORITY BOOKING
STUDIOS SHARED HOUSES INDIVIDUAL ROOMS LUXURY STUDIO APARTMENTS AVAILABLE – CITY CENTRE, SEEL STREET * 17mb Broadband and 50” TV with SKY to communal areas * CCTV to communal areas * Discounts available for group bookings * Private rear yard, ideal for the summer! * 10 minute walk to all Universities * 2 minute walk to Liverpool ONE * 47 week contract
FROM £110 pp-per week including bills SHARED HOUSES AND APARTMENTS
* From 1-13 bedrooms * City centre location, minutes from bars and restaurants * Bills included (Gas, Electricity, Water) * WiFi in selected properties * Dedicated maintenance team * 47 week contract
FROM £110 per week including bills
SEELSTREETSTUDENTS.COM CALL: 07525 342 012 or 07968 850 792 info@seelstreetstudents.com
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
3
Budget film project finally sees light of day after duo’s years of hard work
Shining through the dark: A scene from Violet City PICTURES: FACEBOOK.COM/ PAGES/VIOLET-CITY-THE-MOVIE
From dream to cinema screen ELLIE CONNELL YEARS spent transforming a fantasy novel into a film on a shoestring budget have finally paid off for two lecturers. John Maxwell and Dave Jackson used worldwide locations for fantasy epic Violet City – all without leaving their back room studio at Liverpool John Moores University screen school. The pair started work on the film in 2010 and are only
now adding the finishing touches ahead of its release next month. The film started as a novel Dr Jackson wrote for his doctorate and has been a labour of love ever since. Dr Maxwell said they both ‘wanted to do something to test the boundaries of cinema’. Their film follows Flynn, a boy with violet eyes who is hunted down by the strange inhabitants of a mythical city, which the pair crafted using
images of far-flung places, from the canals of Venice to the peaks of the Himalayas. They used a handmade 100 sq ft green screen to create the fantastical scenery as well as filming scenes closer to home, including at Liverpool Cathedral – which forms part of the fictional Cathedral Mountain – and the Royal Liver Building. The pair were inspired by industrial fantasy genre Steampunk, as well as graphic
novels. ‘The film has a feeling of the Sin City films, with a contemporary technological edge,’ Dr Jackson added. It will be released by LA-based Indie Rights Inc on iTunes and gaming platforms. There will also be screenings, the first of which will be at Liverpool’s Threshold Festival next month. ‘We’re excited by the fact that it is again possible for this level of filmmaking to become a business,’ said Dr Maxwell.
Hazy: Most scenes were shot using a green screen
Monochrome: Flynn and Carson, characters in the film
4
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
£1 a beer pub? We’ll all raise a glass to that... AADRIENNE GOWNS A BUDGET pub has been welcomed by students – despite fears it might encourage binge-drinking. The Pound Pub, in Wavertree, sells pints of Fosters, Theakstons or Strongbow for £1.50 each. And, perhaps understandably, its cheap prices have already proved popular with thirsty students. University of Liverpool undergrad Alex Harker said: ‘As a student I think they’re a great idea – who wouldn’t like to go out and spend less? But the 20-year-old, who works part-time in a different pub, added: ‘However, as a barman, I think it’d be a night-
Cheap drinks: Pound Pub
PICTURE: CHARLOTTE SEDDON
mare, with people getting far too drunk and causing trouble – not to mention it’d be extremely busy.’ Sara Reid, a Liverpool John Moores University student,
agreed, saying it was ‘good for students but bad for the city’. Fellow LJMU student Aynsley Williams, 19, added: ‘I’m not a fan of pints myself but I know many of the pubs already charge between the £1 and £2 mark on student nights, so I don’t see too much difference – just maybe the quality.’ Bar manager Mike Dring said: ‘The opening of the pub has gone very well. ‘We have had a fair few students in since we have been open and had a good response from them. ‘Obviously, there have been things said about us but we only serve until 11pm – so if people want to continue to drink, they will have to go elsewhere.’
WITTY REMARK: The Hunger Games star Woody Harrelson jokes with principal Mark Featherstone-Witty during a masterclass at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. The US actor said: ‘Careers aren’t made by how many times you say yes but how many times you say no. If money is the prevailing thing, then you’re lost.’
contactLIST Email us at liverpooleditor@unipaper.co.uk EDITOR: BETHANY ATKIN News: Cheryl Culliford-Whyte, Emma Rosa Robb and Portia Fahey Comment: Ellie Connell What’s On/Your Night: Bradd Chambers
Your Place: Sophie Sear Sport: George Aird and Jonathon Hague Head photographers: Kaya Moynihan and Chris Rose
For all advertising enquiries please call: 020 7580 6419
SAVE MONEY ON YOUR HAIRCUT & COLOUR Receive 30% off cuts & Colours with this voucher at Liverpool Whitechapel ONLY Valid Sun-Thursday (not December) subject to availability with selected stylists. Appointments are available at Mon-Wed 9am-7pm, Thurs 9am-8.30pm & Sun 11am-5pm
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK CALL: 0151 706 0076 TONI&GUY, WHITECHAPEL. 30 WHITECHAPEL, LIVERPOOL, MERSEYSIDE, L1 6DZ *All colour appointments require clients to have a skin test a minimum of 48 hours beforehand.
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
Hollywood beckons for 3D Jade
inBRIEF
Green test leaves uni red-faced from p1 universities equipping their graduates with the skills they need to tackle the threats of climate change.’ Liverpool John Moores got a 2:2 and came in 67th place, while Liverpool Hope was awarded a third and ranked 121st. The UoL was one of 69 universities that refused to answer the questions. LJMU did make its first entry into the UI Green Metric Ranking of World Universities, however. It was placed 190th of 360 universities from 62 countries.
More attracted to buzz of city THE University of Liverpool is growing in popularity – with a 20.2 per cent increase in undergraduate applications. The rise on last year’s applications exceeds the sector-wide increase of 2.2 per cent. Director of marketing Claire Brown said a higher presence in schools and the city’s growing popularity were behind the trend.
High price for a taxi home... A STUDENT was caught drink-driving after taking her car to an ATM... to pay for a taxi home from the pub. Jessica Louise Threadgold, 19, was twice the drink-drive limit when stopped on Christmas Day. The UoL student was banned for 16 months and fined £330 after admitting driving while over the limit.
5
In the mould: Jade Compton’s designs (inset) will be 3D-printed
HER ceramic designs have caught Hollywood’s attention. But instead of shipping hundreds of boxes to the 3D Printing Gallery, MA creative practice student Jade Crompton simply clicks a button. She sends design files of moulds to be 3D-printed in the US. The moulds can then be used to create replicas using traditional ceramic slipcasting. The Liverpool Hope student said: ‘Craftsmanship is at the heart of what I do. I am able to push the boundaries of what we can do with ceramics – that is what excites me.’
Flight crisis puts novice paramedic to the test JOHN SHAW IT IS a scene straight out of a 1980s disaster movie. A call came over the PA asking if there was a doctor on board when an 80-yearold woman collapsed. Step forward first-year paramedic Aiden Wilson who never expected his novice skills to be put to the test when he boarded the Ryanair flight to Alicante. When the Liverpool John Moores student reached the patient, he found she was unconscious and so the pilot asked him whether a diversion to Paris Beauvais-Tillé Airport was needed. The 21-year-old, who was travelling to Spain from Manchester, said: ‘It was so weird – the pilot came on the Tannoy to ask me whether I wanted the plane to divert to get emergency care. ‘I was thinking, “Why are you asking me?”
I was worried the cabin crew wouldn’t want a student helping but I knew I had to step forward. ‘I’ve been a member of St John Ambulance for years and before going to LJMU I worked as an operating theatre assistant, so I wasn’t really nervous going forward on the plane. As the patient remained unconscious, a rapid descent was made into the French capital, where the plane was met by emergency medics. It continued to Alicante shortly afterwards. A spokesman for the budget airline said: ‘Ryanair apologises to customers affected by this short delay.’ Aiden added: ‘I’ll definitely have a good story when I get back on the ambulances. And it was an opportunity to put what I’ve learnt into practice. ‘But I certainly was not expecting to have to save anyone at 30,000ft.’
Adventurers going up in the world TWO student explorers will tackle Africa’s highest mountain to raise cash for cancer charity Macmillan. Andrew Stevens-Davies, 23, and Jordan Ritchie, 22, will set off to Tanzania in July, climbing Kilimanjaro’s Tough: Way to go 5,895m peak over ten days.
The journey will take them through humid jungle and freezing mountainside, with the effects of high altitude kicking in at about 2,100m. The duo, both from the University of Liverpool, hope to raise £2,000 by their August deadline.
Specialists in Student Accommodation Contact: Annabel e: annabel@liverpool-rentals.co.uk t: 07930 620 337
All bills inclusive No agency fees 24 hour emergency line Dedicated maintenance team Flexible viewing times Fully furnished properties Rent from £65pppw In walking distance of Universities
Also advertised with
www.liverpool-rentals.co.uk
6
February 2015
Rap maestros go head-to-head in battle of banter THERE were no holds barred as comedians faced off in a battle of wits and rhymes. Stand-ups from the north-west circuit were pitted against each other in a night of comedy and hip-hop in the Crapbattles event at the Hotwater Comedy Club. Each act was given three one-minute rounds to ‘spit bars’. Brothers Eddie and Dean Fortune reconvened their sibling rivalry with Eddie dressed in
www.unipaper.co.uk
OUR SOCIETY HAS A WHALE OF A TIME
drag, while cage fighterturned-comedian Tony Moran battled himself. Lewis Calvert defeated Andrew Cairney 3-0 and Monty Burns and Rob Mulholland clashed as the headline acts of the night. As an added treat, MC Tea Time – aka Tony Carroll – collided with Oshea in a reworded account of Eminem’s final rap from 8 Mile. Catch the next Crapbattles on April 9, at the Holiday Inn, in Lime Street. Lewis Calvert
Fab four make it to semis THE brightest brains at the University of Liverpool triumphed in their first University Challenge quarter-final match. The team – captain Declan Crew, Jem Davis, Ben Mawdsley and Hugh Hiscock – beat the University of Bristol 175-115. The Liverpool four comprehensively beat the University of Glasgow 170-105 in the second round, following a 155-130 victory over the University of Sheffield in the first round.
LiBerTy 2014 AWArd Winners • Best Value for Money Accommodation • Top Quality Accommodation • Best Halls • All utility bills included. • Up to 20Mb/s free Wi-Fi. • Spacious En-suite rooms, situated separately from 1st year students. • Safe and secure living with 24hr on-site security and CCTV. • Great location – minutes away from the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and Hope University and just a short walk to the city centre. Whatever your year of study, you can book stress-free living with us for the 2015-16 academic year. Contact the management team on 0151 261 1809, or email libertyprospectpoint@libertyliving.co.uk.
Busy beavers: LJMU Conservation Society WILD about animals? Then Liverpool John Moores University Conservation Society is the group for you. The team aims to save the environment and help the community – winning the contribution to the community award from the students’ union two years running
PICTURES: MARTINA CHRZCZON/MATT H NORRIS
for their efforts. Second-year wildlife conservation student Hannah Greetham, 19, said: ‘It is extremely enjoyable as everyone is as passionate as you and it’s great for networking. ‘I feel like I’ve achieved something and you see the changes your work has done.’ Matt H Norris
The night it all got very messy in flooded flats PORTIA FAHEY STUDENTS were left wading through the mess when their ceilings caved in after floods in the building. They had to deal with the aftermath when Unite’s Apollo Court, in Liverpool city centre, suffered substantial water damage over two floors when a faulty boiler leaked, destroying two ceilings. James Hollywoods, a Liverpool John Moores University student, said: ‘My flatmate heard dripping noises from her room and then found water dripping from the panel in her door. ‘When she called us, we found the boiler beside our room was blasting out water. ‘There was a flood outside the flat and the roof had caved in and water was com-
It all falls down: Apollo Court ing from everywhere.’ The tourism and leisure management student then dashed downstairs and turned off the electrics to prevent a fire. Unite told TUP its team was on site within ten minutes to stop the leak, with more staff arriving later to clear away the damage. Repairs were made the following day. ‘We know it’s never nice to
PICTURE: CHRIS ROSE
be confronted with damage, so we’re pleased we were able to sort it so quickly and we hope no one was too inconvenienced,’ it added. James said: ‘They completely cleaned the whole place, replaced the roof panels and even sent out letters to those flats that were affected. They dealt with it very professionally.’
www.unipaper.co.uk
Barbershop boys are doing it all Their Way EMMA ROSA ROBB IT IS less than a year since they made their first harmonies together but already barbershop quartet Proper Sound are making their voices heard. The group, who formed in March last year, have been crowned the British Association of Barbershop Singers’ young quartet champions of the year. And the Liverpool lads also performed to more than 4million viewers on BBC1’s Frank Sinatra: Our Way. Baritone Phil Glenny, 20, said the quartet had no expectations when they entered the BABS contest after just a few months of rehearsal. ‘It was a complete shock to actually win,’ he added. ‘Hopefully we brought our own style to the music.’ The group is completed by Danny Gortler and Luke Freeney – who discovered they shared a taste for barbershop when they met at the University of Liverpool, – along with UoL graduate Joseph O’Leary. Lead singer Danny, 20, takes on the melody in most songs, while Luke, 23, sings tenor and Joe, 24, hits the lowest notes on bass. Phil,
February 2015
inBRIEF Masters is Fab for Charlotte FOR 17 years, she has welcomed visitors to the Beatles Story – and now Charlotte Martin has proved her expertise with an MA in the Fab Four and their place in society. The qualified Green Badge guide, who also runs Livertours in the city, jumped straight to doing a masters in The Beatles, popular music and society without getting a first degree.
Bus fare rises are ruled out A BUS operator has moved to reassure students there will be no rise in daytime ticket prices after posters sparked confusion. Arriva failed to mention student discounts on posters advertising changes to ticket prices. But a spokesman said: ‘For all daytime tickets, nothing has changed.’ Rebekah Wilson
In tune: (l-r) Luke Freeney, Danny Gortler, Joe O’Leary and Phil Glenny on the BBC1 show who studies at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, said the group was keen to bring the distinct barbershop style (think Homer Simpson’s The Be Sharps) to current hits. ‘We pride ourselves on singing a big range of music,’ he explained. ‘So, as well as the traditional barbershop songs, we’re preparing
Rude: The Duke Street club
some more chart-toppers for people to enjoy.’ The boys plan to record more songs soon and hope to make it to the international barbershop championships in the US this year, after narrowly missing out in 2014. ‘We’re just planning to keep singing together for as long as we can – it’s what we love,’ added Phil.
Poles could be stripped out for halls
PICTURE: PORTIA FAHEY
A POLE-dancing club could be shut to make way for student halls. Rude, on Duke Street, claims on its website to host ‘over 40 different sexy girls’ and to be ‘a hot spot among a string of A-list celebrities and premiership footballers’. But developers have applied for permission to build a 75-bedroom block on the site, near nightclubs The Kazimier and Nation. The plans would see the side of the building facing Duke Street kept and the rest demolished. Knight Frank, representing developer Lady Mia, said student halls in the area would be ‘acceptable and appropriate’. Sophie Sear
PICTURE: TWITTER
0 2 0 , 50 S T N E STUDE R P O O L P TO U Y B N BE SEE
IN LIV
TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN ADVERTISE WITH US CONTACT KIERAN@UNIPAPER.CO.UK OR CALL US ON 07595 305354
7
8
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
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.
LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR A
CHANCE TO
WIN
£2000 WORTH OF APPLE PRODUCTS 13” Macbook Pro | iPad Retina | iPhone 5S | iPod Touch
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
facebook.com/TheUniPaper You can read fuller versions of these pieces at www.unipaper.co.uk. Then, let us know what you think; email us at comment@unipaper.co.uk
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
9
10
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
clubbingCALENDAR monday, feb 2 Cobble Wobble, Ruby Sky, free Monday nights, Aura, standard entrance fee Uni-Bar Mond£1ys, Revolution, Wood Street, standard entrance fee
tuesday, feb 10 Dirty Antics, Bumper, £4 Glow, Soho, free In-Treb-A-Bull, Ruby Sky, free
wednesday, feb 18 Love Wednesdays, Levels Nightclub, £4 guest list Pre-Level, Soho, free Wednesday nights, Black Rabbit, free
thursday, feb 26 Pop Tartz, Pop World, free entry before midnight Thursday Night Project, Baa Bar Fleet Street, free Super Rad, Bumper, free before 1am Haze, Soho, free
tuesday, feb 3 Dirty Antics, Bumper, £4 Glow, Soho, free In-Treb-A-Bull, Ruby Sky, free
wednesday, feb 11 Love Wednesdays, Levels Nightclub, £4 guest list Pre-Level, Soho, free Wednesday nights, Black Rabbit, free
thursday, feb 19 Pop Tartz, Pop World, free entry before midnight Thursday Night Project, Baa Bar Fleet Street, free Super Rad, Bumper, free before 1am Haze, Soho, free
friday, feb 27 Med, Medication, £5 TREND Fridays, Camel Club, £3 Thank Baa Bar It’s Friday, Baa Bars Fleet Street, free Viva La Modo, Modo, free Propaganda, East Village Arts Club, £3
wednesday, feb 4 Love Wednesdays, Levels Nightclub, £4 guest list Pre-Level, Soho, free Wednesday nights, Black Rabbit, free
thursday, feb 12 Pop Tartz, Pop World, free entry before midnight Thursday Night Project, Baa Bar Fleet Street, free Super Rad, Bumper, free before 1am Haze, Soho, free
friday, feb 20 Med, Medication, £5 TREND Fridays, Camel Club, £3 Thank Baa Bar It’s Friday, Baa Bars Fleet Street, free Viva La Modo, Modo, free Propaganda, East Village Arts Club, £3
saturday, feb 28 Garlands Bedlam, Garlands, £5 Rage, The Krazyhouse, £5 Saturday Pop Party, Pop World, free before 10pm Saturday Nights In Aus, Walkabout, standard entrance fee
thursday, feb 5 Pop Tartz, Pop World, free entry before midnight Thursday Night Project, Baa Bar Fleet Street, free Super Rad, Bumper, free before 1am Haze, Soho, free
friday, feb 13 Med, Medication, £5 TREND Fridays, Camel Club, £3 Thank Baa Bar It’s Friday, Baa Bars Fleet Street, free Viva La Modo, Modo, free Propaganda, East Village Arts Club, £3
saturday, feb 21 Garlands Bedlam, Garlands, £5 Rage, The Krazyhouse, £5 Saturday Pop Party, Pop World, free before 10pm Saturday Nights In Aus, Walkabout, standard entrance fee
sunday, march 1 Sunday nights, Pop World, standard entrance fee KODE, Heebie Jeebies, £3
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
11
clubbingCALENDAR friday, feb 6 Med, Medication, £5 TREND Fridays, Camel Club, £3 Thank Baa Bar It’s Friday, Baa Bars Fleet Street, free Viva La Modo, Modo, free Propaganda, East Village Arts Club, £3
saturday, feb 14 Garlands Bedlam, Garlands, £5 Rage, The Krazyhouse, £5 Saturday Pop Party, Pop World, free before 10pm Saturday Nights In Aus, Walkabout, standard entrance fee
sunday, feb 22 Sunday nights, Pop World, standard entrance fee KODE, Heebie Jeebies, £3
monday, mar 2 Cobble Wobble, Ruby Sky, free Monday nights, Aura, standard entrance fee Uni-Bar Mond£1ys, Revolution, Wood Street, standard entrance fee
saturday, feb 7 Garlands Bedlam, Garlands, £5 Rage, The Krazyhouse, £5 Saturday Pop Party, Pop World, free before 10pm Saturday Nights In Aus, Walkabout, standard entrance fee
sunday, feb 15 Sunday nights, Pop World, standard entrance fee KODE, Heebie Jeebies, £3
monday, feb 23 Cobble Wobble, Ruby Sky, free Monday nights, Aura, standard entrance fee Uni-Bar Mond£1ys, Revolution, Wood Street, standard entrance fee
tuesday, mar 3 Dirty Antics, Bumper, £4 Glow at Soho, free In-Treb-A-Bull, Ruby Sky, free
sunday, feb 8 Sunday nights, Pop World, standard entrance fee KODE, Heebie Jeebies, £3
monday, feb 16
Cobble Wobble, Ruby Sky, free Monday nights, Aura, standard entrance fee Uni-Bar Mond£1ys, Revolution, Wood Street, standard entrance fee
tuesday, feb 24 Dirty Antics, Bumper, £4 Glow, Soho, free In-Treb-A-Bull, Ruby Sky, free
wednesday, mar 4 Love Wednesdays, Levels Nightclub, £4 guest list Pre-Level, Soho, free Wednesday nights, Black Rabbit, free
monday, feb 9 Cobble Wobble, Ruby Sky, free Monday nights, Aura, standard entrance fee Uni-Bar Mond£1ys, Revolution, Wood Street, standard entrance fee
tuesday, feb 17 Dirty Antics, Bumper, £4 Glow, Soho, free In-Treb-A-Bull, Ruby Sky, free
wednesday, feb 25 Love Wednesdays, Levels Nightclub, £4 guest list Pre-Level, Soho, free Wednesday nights, Black Rabbit, free
thursday, mar 5 Pop Tartz, Pop World, free entry before midnight Thursday Night Project, Baa Bar Fleet Street, free Super Rad, Bumper, free before 1am Haze, Soho, free
12
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
what’sON pick of the month THEATRE THE story of Macbeth has been twisted and revised in hundreds of ways – so what more can be brought to the table? Theatre company Filter, who have already performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night, reimagines Shakespeare’s classic, introducing innovative sound and music to the bard’s tale of ambition, power and witchcraft. It runs at the Everyman and Playhouse Theatre from February 17 to 21, with tickets starting at £12. Kier Lockyer-Webb
MUSIC THE Beatles, Echo And The Bunnymen, Flock of Seagulls, err... Atomic Kitten. Liverpool has a long history of bands named after animals. Joining that prestigious list is Elevant, a psycherock trio who have
the wonders of traditional Chinese celebrations. A market will be held on Great George Street from 11am to 4pm, with the dragon and lion parades, starting at St Luke’s Church on Berry Street, running from noon to 3.30pm. A firecracker display will also be held at 1pm at Great George Square. Rebekah Wilson
announced the release date of their second album, Dreamface, on March 13. The band will be embarking on a nationwide spring tour and have already played a warm-up show at The Jacaranda on January 16. If you missed them, they will be back in their home town at Maguire’s Pizza Bar, in Renshaw Street, on February 12, with support from Hawk Eyes and God Damn. The Liverpudlians will also be hosting and playing the Dreamface Album Launch Party at The Lomax, in Cumberland Street, on March 13 with support from Pocket Apocalypse, The Hyena Kill and Steel Trees. Entry to the night costs £4 on the door.
OPEN MIC
CHINESE NEW YEAR LIVERPOOL houses one of the longest-established Chinese communities in Britain. Immigration started in about 1850 with the trading of silk, cotton and tea. Today, the
Herd it here: Elevant’s Hannah Lodge, Michael Edward and Tom Shand will go on tour city boasts the biggest Chinese archway outside China and retains a large Asian community. So it comes as no surprise
that Liverpool’s Chinese New Year celebrations are some of the most important in the nation. Held in the heart of
Chinatown, on February 22, there will be a mixture of dragons, unicorns, lions and magical firecrackers to keep you enthralled in
INDULGE the performer in you at trendy tea shop and bar LEAF. The Bold Street store is encouraging its customers to get up and perform at its free open mic nights every Tuesday from 8.30pm. If you suffer from an attack of the nerves, just sit back, watch everyone else and relax with a calming brew (or perhaps something a bit stronger). The night will be hosted by Liverpool musician Johnny Sands, who is also a model, self-proclaimed fashion magpie, artist and musician. Kier Lockyer-Webb
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
what’sON
Our comprehensive guide to entertainment in Liverpool. If you have an event you would like included, please email us at whatson@unipaper.co.uk
Med makes a move
U
NIVERSITY – it’s a work hard/play hard world these days, where students get their heads down during the week and look forward to a massive night out come the weekend. At least, that’s the reasoning for moving one of Liverpool’s longestrunning student nights to a Friday, anyway. Organisers at Nation have shifted dance night Medication from its midweek slot – and they claim the move has been met with enthusiasm, with two sell-out gigs so far. Marc Jones, who studied at John Moores University when it was Liverpool polytechnic, said: ‘The pressure for students to get a good degree has obviously increased since course fees were raised to £9,000 and, in many ways, it made common sense to let students work all week and then have a blow-out on a Friday. ‘Increased competition from the likes of Level didn’t help. There are just not enough students out on a Wednesday to do two
n REGGAE rhythms will fill St George’s Hall for the annual Fiesta Bombarda on February 21. Live acts including Mungo’s Hi Fi, with their chilled beats, the harmonious Euphony, boundary-pushing Liverpool-based band Fire Beneath the Sea and politicos London Afrobeat Collective will be joined by DJs, a travelling circus and face painting to create a carnival atmosphere in the 19th-century hall. Tickets cost £18 and are available on bandtrail.com. Portia Fahey
big events.’ In response to customer requests, he has dedicated one room to deep, bass and tech house, with plans to team up with new night Lost for an evening of house, tech, disco and garage on February 6. The club has pledged to freeze Med’s drink prices and the entry rule still applies – it’s a student night but one where non-student friends are welcome. ‘It’s ace having such a buzz back about Med,’ said Mr
HIS fans are no longer screaming girls but grown-up, screaming women. Former child star Aaron Carter is back and touring the UK for the first time in more than ten years. He stopped off at the East Village Arts Club, in Liverpool, on January 16 and when he took to the stage it was like he had never been gone. Each song received a great response from the crowd, including one of his new tracks Recovery. Of course, the biggest cheer of the night
Big weekend: Medication has been moved from Wednesdays to Fridays Jones. ‘The atmosphere has been brilliant. People might go to big pubs or bars first – but if they want to dance their socks off, they’ll come to one of the most famous dance clubs in the world.’ Emma Rosa Robb
was for his version of I Want Candy. Speaking after the show, Aaron said: ‘Liverpool’s amazing. We woke up really early today and we were just ready to take on the city. And the stores, the shops, the people, everyone’s really nice and helpful.’ And what would he study if he went to one of Liverpool’s universities? ‘Marine biology. Being able to dissect things… I used to try and do that with dead turtles I found on the beach.’ Caitlin Bradley
A loving space to share your words OPEN mic nights can be daunting, especially if you’re sharing poetry for the first time. But the aim of A Lovely Word, which takes place at the Everyman Theatre once a month, is to take away some of that fear. Its founder, poet Patrick Hughes, said he
Having a Wilde time... in a library
CROWDS have been filling a library to hear about how books published years ago are still having an impact on research today. The Shelf Lives series, held at the Central Library, has seen Liverpool John Moores University academics argue over whether Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde are still relevant, as well as touch on more recent authors, such as Alexei Sayle. The free talks, run by the English department, are billed to take place every month at the library. For more information, visit www. ljmuenglish.com. John England
Grown-up Aaron returns
Get Carter: Carter on stage in Liverpool PICTURE: CAITLIN BRADLEY
13
wanted to create ‘a space for people, old and young, to come and present their poetry in a lovely supportive environment’. He added: ‘It is also a good bit of fun’ The group’s anniversary event takes place next month. Tasha Tate
PICTURE: ANTHONY MOONEY
More adrenaline charged thrills from Arenacross ... Tickets on sale NOW!
e22sports presents
Manchester
Belfast
Belfast
Birmingham
Newcastle
Glasgow
Sheffield
London
Sat 3rd Jan
Fri 16th Jan
Sat 17th Jan
Sat 24th Jan
Sun 1st Feb
Sat 7th Feb
Sat 14th Feb
Sat 28th Feb
Manchester Arena
Odyssey Arena
Odyssey Arena
LG Arena
Metro Radio Arena
THE SSE Hydro Arena Motorpoint Arena
SSE Arena, Wembley
THE FUTURE IS INDOORS! A HIGH OCTANE, 3 HOUR, FAMILY SPECTACULAR!
TICKETS START AT
£10 for Childrtsen £19 for Adul ckets £49 Family Ti
10%
ges and Box office char ply booking fees ap
OFF
Exclusive reader offer * To take advantage of this offer call 08454 750 057 or www.theticketfactory.com Quote code: uniax01 *first 250 callers’
EDGAR TORRONTERAS PETR PILAT FABIEN IZOIRD THOMAS RAMETTE DANIEL MCCOY ADAM CHATFIELD HARRI KOULAS STEVEN CLARKE ELLIOTT BANKS BROWNE JACK BRUNELL CYRILLE COULON ANGELO PELEGRINI NEV BRADSHAW LOIC ROMBAUT DAN WHITBY JAMIE SQUIBB NICOLAS AUBIN
arenacrossuk.com ArenacrossUK
Arenacrossuk
e22sports #axuk
24hr Ticket line: 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com/arenacross
14
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
W
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
25
%R
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.
www.unipaper.co.uk
theBEAT
February 2015 Love your music? So do we! Tune in here for all the latest interviews, previews and reviews
15
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
T
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
16
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
theBEAT
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
L
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.
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
D
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
17
16
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
P
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
www.unipaper.co.uk
theTRIP
February 2015
19
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
D
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
20
yourNIGHT
Enjoyed a big night in Liverpool? We have all the pictures from the city’s hottest nightspots... see if you can spot yourself.
Specialists in Student Accommodation Contact: Annabel e: annabel@liverpool-rentals.co.uk t: 07930 620 337
All bills inclusive No agency fees 24 hour emergency line Dedicated maintenance team Flexible viewing times Fully furnished properties Rent from ÂŁ65pppw In walking distance of Universities
Also advertised with
www.liverpool-rentals.co.uk
21
22
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
S
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,
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
foodBREAK
23
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
Download the GBK app to unlock your 30% Student Discount gbkapp.co.uk/uni
www.gbk.co.uk
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
C
Take a break and put your grey cells to work with our selection of puzzles
A4 B6 C7 D9 E1 F2 G3 H8 I5
24
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
competitionCORNER
Your chance to win fantastic tickets, trips and treats
Have a party on us! WIN
WIN
Walk away with a real caffeine �ix
a 4* clubbing holiday for 4
F
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...
25
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.
To enter, email your name, university and year of study to win@unipaper.co.uk
Non-stop party: Explore Mallorca’s clubs and chill at the beach on this five-night holiday
Learn to code in a day for FREE! Get your FREE eLearning course worth £99 exclusively with QA and the University Paper! •
Go from zero coding skills to being able to develop an app in our one day online course
•
Learn from the comfort of your browser at a time that works best for you
•
If you are thinking about a career in IT – this is the place to start!
Gateway Programme Terms and conditions: Offer finishes on the 20th February 2015. Emails received before 20th February will receive the eLearning course. By emailing us for this promotion you agree for your email address to be added to the Uni Paper database and the QA Gateway Programme database.
To enter, email your name, university and year of study to win@unipaper.co.uk
To receive your FREE eLearning course worth £99 go to: https://kvgo.com/qa/ learn2code
26
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
Y
Go online to: www.unipaper.co.uk for more quizzes.
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
www.unipaper.co.uk
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
M
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.
I
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?
L
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?
27
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.
I
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
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
beyondUNI
29
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
E
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
LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR A
CHANCE TO
WIN
£2000 WORTH OF APPLE PRODUCTS 13” Macbook Pro | iPad Retina | iPhone 5S | iPod Touch
facebook.com/TheUniPaper
At Specsavers, if you are an easycare direct debit customer you can get an even better deal, including a free pair of glasses, free delivery. Your eye test and aftercare are also included in the price.
Voted the UK’s most trusted optician Need an eye test? Visit specsavers.co.uk or call 0800 0680 241
Cannot be used with other offers or exchanged in part or whole for cash. Initial 3-month payment required from new easycare direct debit customers. One free pair of £45 range glasses with scratch-resistant PENTAX single vision lenses every two years. Current prescription required. Alternatively, an eye test will be required at our standard charge. easycare benefits are redeemable only by named scheme member. Source: YouGov Plc online survey, 2014. ©2013 Specsavers. All rights reserved.
704376-1_SD_UniversityPaper.indd 1
11/11/2014 12:30
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
beyondUNI
31
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
W
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
32
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
When they’re sharing the love a bit too much
W
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
WAVERTREE PROPERTY LINK ESTABLISHED 1994 •
•
QUALITY STUDENT PROPERTIES: 1 - 9 BEDROOMS •NO ADMIN FEES •DEPOSITS FROM £95.00 PER PERSON •PRICES FROM £45.00 PER PERSON •BILLS INCLUSIVE OPTION AVAILABLE •
FOR ANY ENQUIRIES PLEASE 405 SMITHDOWN RD, WAVERTREE, LIVERPOOL, L15 3JJ
0151 475 2800
CONTACT OUR OFFICES AS FOLLOWS:
INFO@WAVERTREEPROPERTYLINK.COM WWW.WAVERTREEPROPERTYLINK.COM
TWITTER: @WAVERTREEPL
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
yourSPACE
33
How to �ind 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
oooo
A
BUMP in the night, a creaking �loorboard, 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 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 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 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
STUDIOS SHARED HOUSES INDIVIDUAL ROOMS LUXURY STUDIO APARTMENTS AVAILABLE – CITY CENTRE, SEEL STREET * 17mb Broadband and 50” TV with SKY to communal areas * CCTV to communal areas * Discounts available for group bookings * Private rear yard, ideal for the summer! * 10 minute walk to all Universities * 2 minute walk to Liverpool ONE * 47 week contract
FROM £110 pp-per week including bills SHARED HOUSES AND APARTMENTS
* From 1-13 bedrooms * City centre location, minutes from bars and restaurants * Bills included (Gas, Electricity, Water) * WiFi in selected properties * Dedicated maintenance team * 47 week contract
FROM £110 per week including bills
SEELSTREETSTUDENTS.COM CALL: 07525 342 012 or 07968 850 792 info@seelstreetstudents.com
www.unipaper.co.uk
yourSPACE
February 2015
35
How to �ind the right place to live, the right people to live with and how to keep your place right
Avoid a �lap over a �ill-in
Hunt down a housemate before it costs you dearly
Box clever to brighten your room
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
Y
Neat solution: Stash junk in boxes to keep it tidy 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
any footwear for space. Look high: Take advantage of dust-filled spaces by hiding junk on top of your wardrobe. Charlotte Seddon
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 �ill 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
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 �illed. 3. Get web smart: Websites such as student.spareroom.co.uk allow you to advertise your room, �lat or house to potential tenants all over the country. It is designed speci�ically 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 �ill. Get help from your friends by asking them to share your work. Gemma Sargent
student living the way you want it expect more from your student accommodation Living at CLV Liverpool you’ll enjoy: > a great location within walking distance of university > on site facilities such as free gym and wifi > all inclusive rates – no need to worry about utility bills and council tax find out more or book a tour at:
book your tour today!
clvuk.com/liverpool clv liverpool
Liverpool Central Join online today puregym.com We’re always open with over 50 free classes and no contract. #Reasonstojoin from
£9.99
per month, limited offer*
My PureGym App
Visit us onLine At PuReGyM.CoM or download our FREE app to find your nearest PureGym!
Liverpool Central Lewis’s Building, 40 Ranelagh Street, L1 1QE Aintree Grand National Avenue, Ormskirk Road, L9 5BD You can read our full terms and conditions at www.puregym.com/terms, don’t worry they’re short and sweet! Here’s the main ones: *We do ask new members to pay a small joining fee and prices vary slightly across the country, see online for details; all our members need to be at least 18 years old; **we have one or two clubs that can’t open 24/7, details of club opening hours can be seen online. ***There may be a small charge for some of our classes. †And please be aware facilities and classes may vary slightly depending where you are.
0343 PUREGYM Uni adverts LIVERPOOL CENTRAL V2.indd 1
16/12/2014 10:19
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
37
wellFIT
Advice for a healthy lifestyle and staying in shape
Go online to get in shape
M
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
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCg_gh_fppI
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
Subscribers: 1,712,910
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-5VTmZYDko
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
38
February 2015
www.unipaper.co.uk
sportNEWS
Sore heads and cheap sunnies... It’s ski trip time IT’S the end of the first term but my mind isn’t on exams or Christmas. Instead, I’m wondering whether being halfway up a mountain in France is an acceptable place to wear cheap sunnies with luminous orange frames. After one alcohol-fuelled and cramped 24-hour coach journey, I arrived in Avoriaz in the Alps with JUSST, the Liverpool John Moore’s University ski and snowboarding club. After somehow unpacking in what must be the smallest room legally available, I was ready to knock back some shots and don my festivalchic fancy dress. Unfortunately, our reps didn’t seem to be as sharp as last year, meaning it
was a bit of a shambles getting everyone leaving the hotel in a big group. We soldiered on and my sore head and lack of memory were my only trophies from a first night that promised one hell of a week. The nights out delivered but, as is usually the curse of going skiing early in the season, there weren’t many lifts open for us to enjoy. This left the experienced skiers hungry for more, although there were enough slopes open for beginners to have a decent go at. I arrived back in Liverpool, and returned to my empty house feeling reflective and surprised at how well my brightly coloured sunnies went down. Chris Brown
Leave them wanting more: LJMU ski club members hit the slopes in Avoriaz
After 2hrs punching, you need to hit a pub JONATHON HAGUE
PART OF A SPORTS TEAM?
ONE of the University of Liverpool’s newest sports societies is the jiu jitsu club. Founder James Probert tells us why he set it up and what the future holds. Who are you and what do you do? I am an instructor with the Jiu Jitsu Foundation, the largest single martial arts governing body in the UK. The foundation has over 100 clubs nationwide and sister organisations in the US, Canada, Cyprus, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Holland. The foundation is not-forprofit and none of its instructors get paid, which is rare in the martial arts world. What inspired you to start the society? As an undergrad with no previous experience of martial arts,
I joined a jiu jitsu club and really enjoyed it – it became a massive part of my life. That was a few years ago, I’m now an instructor and I find teaching and sharing jiu jitsu with others very rewarding. Has there been a big turnout? We had 52 people turn up for our first session, 39 for our second and we’ve had a solid 20 ever since. As an instructor, it’s great to have so many people staying. It shows they’re having fun. So, what about training? We train on Tuesdays from 8pm to 10pm and Thursdays from 8.30pm to 10pm in the sports and fitness centre. I teach with the help of Mav, another Jiu Jitsu Foundation instructor. After the session, we go to the pub, because it’s important to sit down and have a drink with the people you’ve just spent two hours
punching! We have a sister club at LJMU so we also have joint socials with them. Have you experienced any major successes yet? The first of our annual national competitions took place in November and 15 members went to train and compete. Callum Power won a silver medal in the novice category. The club also placed third overall in the BUCS competition, winning some BUCS points. The other big achievement this term has been the 100 per cent pass rate we had at the grading. I sent eight people to the grading and they all came away with shiny new yellow belts! What would you like to achieve as the founder of this new society? I’d really like to have a full rainbow of belts on the mat!
Get a write-up in this month’s paper.
Contact: editor@unipaper.co.uk
Martialling the troops: James Probert and his jiu jitsu club members
www.unipaper.co.uk
February 2015
39
sportNEWS
Squeaky bum time as relegation fight looms GEORGE AIRD Clothes show: UoL women’s rugby league team
SIR Alex Ferguson famously described it as ‘squeaky bum time’. The current incumbent in Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal, more recently called it ‘twitchy ass’ time. Whatever you call it, the next month or so for both Liverpool teams involved in the BUCS Football Northern 1A men’s league is critical. With first teams from the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Manchester all competing to stay in the league, the rivalry-packed remaining fixtures will be sure to carry even more significance. The UoL, currently bottom of the table despite a recent lift in form, have a must-win home game against the Manchester on
February 4. But, owing to a busy early season schedule, their fate may now rely on the results from other teams – including varsity rivals LJMU. They face a tough run in, including a home game against second-place Leeds Beckett University first team, and an away trip to current leaders Newcastle University first team. A defining BUCS football trophy game, also against Newcastle, to progress into the quarter-finals adds to what is already a busy period. Arguably the most important match comes on the last day of the season, when LJMU and the UoL go head-to-head in a varsity match that may decide who stays up and who goes down. Darren Coyle, first team manager of John Moores, said: ‘On the last day of the season, LJMU will relegate University of Liverpool.’
Webb on target to set up cup win THE cup dream lives on for Liverpool John Moores’ footballers. Having been handed a tough trophy match in Birmingham, it could so easily have died in the first round. But LJMU came through 2-0 to set up a clash with league leaders Newcastle. The opener came from a corner that Brum failed to clear, leaving Piaras Webb unmarked just inside the area to fire home. LJMU had to soak up plenty of pressure for much of the second half but struck on the counterattack to seal the win. Jamie Stephenson was left with the most simple of finishes after being put through by Darren Coyle.
Now we’re dressed for success HERE’S a fundraising idea that might just catch on: keeping your clothes on. Members of the University of Liverpool’s women’s rugby league team, who shed their outfits for a fundraising calendar, will have their running gear on when they take part in the BTR 10km Liverpool Mersey Tunnel run. Another member of the
squad has signed up for the city’s half-marathon. Most of the girls have decided to run for Joining Jack, with two other members dedicating their mileage to Prostate Cancer UK and brain tumour research. Joining Jack raises funds for research into
n ALDI is sponsoring this year’s Christie Championship. The tournament will see more than 1,600 students from the universities of Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool battle it out across 31 sports. Aldi secured the three-year deal to support the event, which
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a musclewasting genetic disorder that usually affects young boys. The team have already raised a tidy sum for the charity through their naked 2015 calendar, inset. Olivia Davison
has been running since 1886. The UoL is hosting this year’s event, which runs from March 7 to April 22. Danny Harvey, AU president at Liverpool, said: ‘I cannot thank Aldi enough for their support, without which an event of this scale would not be possible.’
PART OF A SPORTS TEAM? Get a write-up in this month’s paper.
Contact: editor@unipaper.co.uk
Download the new DELTA app for your iPhone or Android phone
HIGH PRIORITY TAXIS - Our new app enables registered users to book direct through Delta’s dispatch system. iHAIL FUNCTION - uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS to determine your pickup point. Perfect for students who are new to the area and don’t know their way around yet. LIVE TRACKING – shows your assigned Delta Taxi homing in to collect you. Spend more time inside the bar. FARE ESTIMATES – Enter pick-up and destination details, for an approximation of the journey price. Check you have enough for that last drink. (please note this is NOT a quotation)
Pre-book your taxi in advance
Or hail to your current location
Track your taxi approaching
Easily re-book regular journeys
EMAIL ON APPROACH – confirms the make, model, registration number and colour of your approaching taxi. Feel safer knowing you’re getting into the correct car.
To download the DELTA app search for
“DELTA TAXIS” in the app store or just scan the QR code...