thewaterfront
Free Issue 218 15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
INSIDE
the official student newspaper of swansea university NEWS
OMG It’s the cat lady! page 3
FEATURES
Blind date: When Jon met Jess
SPORT
Rugby 2nds Miss Out To UWE
page 23
page 32
CAMPAIGN IS LAUNCHED TO DITCH LATE NIGHT LECTURES
Students claim studying until 8pm is forcing them to quit jobs and activities by Jon May
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk HUNDREDS of students are having to attend lectures until 8pm this semester because of a shortage of teaching space. The move, which has increased the student working day to 11 hours, has been widely condemned for its impact on the student experience. The late lectures have left some students with childcare problems and others having to give up part-time jobs. Hannah Flather, a Business Management student affected by the issue, said: “I was forced to give up hockey due to my 6-8pm lecture on a Monday. Training is specifically set outside of the study period allocated by the University from 9-6. This lecture has been shoved outside of this boundary thus I cannot attend training thus I cannot be on the team.” Josh Hale from the People and Planet society and the Discovery charity: “It will ruin participation in volunteering, sports and societies. It is unfair to both staff and students and will completely reduce student satisfaction.” With the Students’ Union nursery closing at 5pm, student parents may be forced to abandon their lectures. Beth Flynn, an English and
Medieval Studies student, who is also a parent, said: “Lectures until 7pm are bad enough and deserve to be reconsidered in themselves. My husband and I are both full-time students and shared a compulsory 6-7pm lecture last year, so within one week of living in a new town, we had to find a babysitter for our four-yearold son. It was terrifying and not an experience I would want to re-live. “Part of the reason we actually chose to study at Swansea University due to the fact that we were assured that only rarely would lectures fall outside school hours, and barely ever past 5pm. Needless to say, the 6-7pm lecture during our first term was a shock! As a student parent, it is difficult enough to schedule life at home with life at university.” Zahid Raja, Swansea Students’ Union Education Officer, has launched a campaign called ‘Free After Five’ and has vowed to protect students from the problems evening lectures can cause. He said: “Let me be absolutely clear when I say that we will not accept the university passing on the buck of mismanagement on timetabling and spacing onto students. The consequences of this on students with caring responsibilities and those who rely on part-time jobs to get through
VICTIM OF LATE LECTURES: Hannah Flather can’t be in hockey team. university are dire. It has been estimated that around 400 people are affected by these lecture changes in the Colleges of Business, Law and Engineering, but these numbers will be confirmed by the Academic Registry through a request by the Students’ Union. A university spokesperson said: “This is primarily due to very late fluctuations in student numbers and the unavailability of large lecture
MONEY WELL SPENT? The Faraday Building refurbishments cost £2.75m at a time when more teaching space is sorely needed.
theatres during the day. We recognise that this may cause concern for certain students, and we will work with the Students’ Union to mitigate these where possible.” Zahid Raja said he would continue to fight for a shorter working day: “The Vice Chancellor has on more than one occasion described the activities outside of the classroom to be just as important as the activities inside. Societies and sports create friendships
and communities; at a time when the University is focusing on keeping students in university, I would argue that a clampdown on such activities is completely counterproductive.” The education officer also questioned the £2.75m cost of refurbishing the Faraday Building. He said: “The university is currently at capacity in terms of teaching space. I believe that this money should have been spent on more teaching space.”
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02 I NEWS
thewaterfront 15.10.12
thewaterfront Third floor, Students’Union Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP (01792) 295 988 web: waterfrontonline.co.uk twitter: thewaterfrontSU facebook: the waterfront swansea Editor Kay Byrne editor@swansea-union.co.uk
University research partner ‘poses security threat’ by Chris Flynn
waterfrontci@swansea-union.co.uk
Samantha Booth waterfrontfeatures@swansea-union. co.uk
A DAMNING report in the United States has cautioned companies to avoid working with one of Swansea University’s main partners in the second campus project. The House Intelligence Committee warned that the Chinese company Huawei poses a threat to US security. The report states that after a year-long investigation, the company failed to allay fears about its association with China’s government and military. “China has the means, opportunity, and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes,” the report says. “Based on available classified and unclassified information, Huawei [and ZTE] cannot be trusted to be free of foreign state influence and thus pose a security threat to the United States and to our systems.”
Sport
Rumours
Craig Hadley, Tom Nightingale
Huawei denies all claims cited in the report, maintaining that the findings employ “many rumours and speculations to prove non-existent accusations” and that the committee was “committed to a predetermined outcome”. The Chinese company expanded into
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the UK in 2011 and is now the largest telecommunications equipment maker in the world. It is one of a number of technology companies that Swansea University has procured partnerships with. Others include BP, Rolls Royce and Tata Steel. The university’s website states: “The China Centre has secured multiple research projects in collaboration with China’s top telecom vendor, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. Swansea University is the only Higher Education institution that has signed the Master Research & Development Framework agreement with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd in the UK.” A university spokesperson refused to comment on the details of the partnership with Huawei, except to say: “Swansea University greatly
values its relationship with Huawei. Research partnerships such as this are critical to the university and to the Welsh economy.” A statement from Huawei said: “[The] UK is a centre of innovation, has a highly skilled workforce, and is respected internationally for the quality of its legal and educational systems. Huawei has been working with a number of universities, including Swansea University, on joint R&D projects.” Following the release of the report in the US, the UK Government has now also confirmed it is investigating its links with the company.
Security The Guardian reported that the longstanding commercial relationship between BT and Huawei was being investigated by parliament’s intelligence and security committee and quoted its chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind as saying the committee was “reviewing the whole presence of Huawei in regard to our critical national infrastructure and whether that should give rise for concern”. It has also been reported that Canada will invoke a national security clause excluding Huawei from being involved with building a government communications network.
Coppafeel! and help save lives
by Gemma Parry
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk THE Labour Party has promised students that it will do its best to cut university tuition fees below £6,000 mark. The party has recognised, however, that the funding cannot be restored to pre 2010 levels. Ed Miliband, the Labour Party leader, has previously said that the party would lower the maximum fees charged by universities from £9,000 to £6,000, if it were in power . Hannah Farrar, president of the student Labour Party at Swansea university said: “It is hugely important that the Labour Party lower tuition fees. Young people need to be prioritised.”
Student drinking habits surveyed by Rahul Vashisht
waterfrontnews@swansea-union. co.uk THE university student website studentbeans.com is conducting a survey to find out about student drinking habits. The annual Student Drinking Survey aims to discover drinking habits such as how much the average student spends, people’s opinions on society initiations and how those who do not drink feel. The aim is for all universities to be represented so that an accurate, nationwide picture can be painted of student drinking habits. Take the survey here: www. surveymonkey.com/s/KXZ53YV
City bankers: sinners or saints?
IF you see a giant pair of boobs coming towards you on campus one day, don’t be alarmed! It’s the Swansea Uni Boob Team spreading the message about their charity Coppafeel! which is aimed at getting people to check their breasts regularly in a bid to stamp out late diagnosis of breast cancer. The team staged their first event in Fulton House last week. They will also be out and about at the Swansea Quadrant student lockin tomorrow night (Oct 16). “We’ve had a very positive response from both boys and girls,” said leader Aileen RiceJones. Sign up for a free boob check reminder by texting SWAN to 70500.
by Alina Flint
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk
UNI BOOB TEAM: From top left, Jake Ward, Fran Lloyd, Aileen Rice-Jones, Alex Powell. Bottom from left, Sam Hugo, Owain-Llyr Williams, Sarah Dillon.
Write for The Waterfront WOULD you like to learn valuable journalistic skills and increase your employability by volunteering for The Waterfront? We are looking for people to write about news, sport and features. If you are interested, write to editor@ swansea-union.co.uk.
Labour pledge on tuition fees
There will be a welcome meeting and social for all new recruits today (Oct 1), in the Xtreme Lounge in Union House (next to Divas) at 5pm. Come along if you can and meet the team and find out how to get involved, and join a friendly and fun place to work.
JOIN Sir David Lewis, former Lord Mayor of London at this year’s annual Hywel Dda Lecture ‘The City of London: Sinners or Saviours?’ on Thursday 18th October at 6.30pm. Sir David, a world class financial lawyer knighted for his services to the legal profession and the city of London, will be offering up some food for thought on the country’s messy financial situation and the UK’s most unpopular men: The Bankers. This lecture is free and open to all. It will take place in Faraday Lecture Theatre at Swansea University.
Disclaimer
Uni costs £75,000
The Waterfront thanks everyone who contributed to this issue. Content does not necessarily refelect the views of the Students’ Union. When an opnion is expressed, it is the view of the journalist writing the article, unless otherwise stated.
THE true cost of a three year degree at a university is £75,000, according to new research. Moneysupermarket.com sourced the data from 31 universities across the UK and took a look at what students could be missing out on if they had been earning a wage.
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NEWS I 03
Student village to be sold to help fund university’s second campus by Emma Mackenzie
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk SWANSEA University’s largest student residence, the Hendrefoelan Student Village, has been put up for sale to raise funds for the university’s second campus. Replacement housing will be built at the new Fabian Way campus, to satisfy demand for student accommodation once the Hendrefoelan site is sold. The older part of the village will be sold first with the second section, Woodside, to follow when the second phase of the Fabian Way Campus is complete. News of the sale was greeted with mixed feelings by students living at Hendrefoelan, many of whom said they would miss the community feel of the village. Said Hendrefoelan resident Alex Smith: “I think it will alter the community feel. I think with the village a lot of people get to know each other, you can go over to other people’s flats and it’s just easier than people being in a building like halls.” Resident Scott Cooper said: “It’ll make it easier to get to lectures in the morning, but I do quite like
HENDREFOELAN: Students have their say: Alex Smith, Scott Cooper and William Kwabke. being in the village. It’s nice to just have a residential area. You get a nice community feel in the village, I’m not sure if you get that on campus. But it would be a lot closer to lectures and you probably wouldn’t have to pay £395 for a bus pass.” Swansea Students’ Union Welfare Officer, Charlotte Britton, expressed her concerns about the students living
at Hendrefoelan after the first section is sold: “I think if done properly [the sale and move], it won’t affect students in a bad way… but I do have concerns that if it’s not thought through enough students might feel a bit isolated when the first section gets sold off.” Resident William Kwabwe said: “I live in Woodside and it’s not exactly buzzing, but I don’t feel like I’m
isolated. It’d be a bit unfair for someone to spend their whole three years in Woodside, but that won’t happen. If it’s just for a year, you just get used to it.” The 44-acre site, which currently houses more than 1,600 students, is being sold off through sealed bids to the estate agent Savills. The first phase should be ready for redevelopment by 2015 and it is expected that the site will attract a great deal of interest from house builders. “These are very exciting times for the university as our ambitious expansion plans are now coming to fruition,” said the pro-vice chancellor, Iwan Davies. “We will be creating purpose-built student accommodation on the new campus and the sale of Hendrefoilan forms an integral part of our sustainable business plan for financing our campus development, both at the new campus and on Singleton Park. “These developments are also part of our commitment to improving the student experience.” The new campus will begin construction early next year and will focus on science and Innovation. The Fabian Way student residence is expected to open in the summer of 2015.
University gives £50k for student success by Chris Flynn
waterfrontci@swansea-union.co.uk SWANSEA University has given £50,000 for investment in the Academic Success Programme, so that it now helps all students as well as international students. The initiative is designed to equip Swansea University students with the academic tools they need to excel in their degrees. The Senior Management team of the University agreed to set aside the funds so that the programme will be open to all home undergraduate students; specifically targeted towards first year students, particularly those for whom study skills is not embedded within their courses. Alan Speight, Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience said: “I encourage all students, and especially new students, to make good use of ASP and to provide us with their feedback later in the session on its effectiveness.” Zahid Raja, education officer, said: “The Students’ Union is pleased to see this investment and excited to see how current students will benefit. It is important that the University continue to fund the ASP to introduce study skills directly into degree programmes.”
Purrfect ending for owner!
Intelligence Officers | £25,056 + benefits | UK based by Catrin Lewis
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk AN international student has become known as ‘the cat girl’ on campus, having decided to bring her pet cat, Tabitha, from America to Swansea. Ashley Wilkinson, an Egyptology Masters student from California, brought Tabitha to live off-campus with her despite all of the complications involving last minute vets’ checks, microchips and wrongly filled out rabies vaccination certificates. Just getting her out of quarantine took over five hours. Having been with Tabitha for 14 years, Ashley was keen not to leave her behind. Having had intensive surgery earlier this year, she became somewhat of a ‘therapy cat’, helping her with
the recovery process. Also, Ashley felt that moving so far away would be helped by having her ‘very loving and very loyal’ pet with her. Ashley said: “I do love Tabitha very much and I’m glad I brought her with me. She’s settled in quite nicely to Swansea.” However, even she is finding the furore over the whole story hilarious: “I keep running into people on campus, and when I tell them I’ve brought my cat with me, they say “YOU’RE THE CAT GIRL! OMG!!!” •Students are reminded that they are not allowed to have pets within student residences, whether on campus or in the student village, and to ask landlords permission if they are considering obtaining one.
Analysing information. Making connections. Seeing things others don’t. This is what MI5 Intelligence Officers do every day. Working together, we help safeguard national security. This challenging and vitally important work demands strong communication, analytical and organisation skills – not to mention attention to detail and great patience. If you enjoy solving problems, becoming an MI5 Intelligence Officer is one of the most rewarding and interesting career paths you could choose. Make sense of it at www.mi5.gov.uk/careers/intelligence To apply you must be over 18 and a British citizen. Discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.
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NEWS I 05
Student forum kicks off with new ideas to increase participation and accountability by Catrin Lewis
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk THE Student Forum is launching tomorrow night (Oct 16) with a new format, making it more interesting, accessible and transparent to students, as well as bringing meetings up to date. As normal, students will be able to put forward motions that they want to see the Union adopt as policy. In the recent past, this has included keeping the library open 24 hours a day during exam time, keeping prices low in JCs and banning the sale of Nestle products from union shops. It will also still be possible to debate current topics and hold your elected union officials, both full and part-time, to account. There will be three main changes. Firstly, all union officers will now be sat at the front of the meeting, making it far easier to see who is in attendance, and who has and has not given their apologies when they are not. Next, it will now be possible to have your tweets shown live during forum meetings. This will allow more people to have their opinions and feelings known, without the fear of standing up and talking to a room full of strangers.
Finally, and perhaps more importantly, it will now be possible to vote for all motions online for 24 hours after the forum. This both allows for more people to vote who could not attend, but may still be watching the meetings through the live stream. For those not aware of what submitting a motion involves, it’s a fairly simple process. Motions must be submitted one working week in advance. They must also be laid out in three parts. Our example (see the panel on the right) comes from Tom Upton, President of the Students’ Union, and is called Zahid The Super Education Officer.
“It would be way, way cooler and funnier if he did his role dressed as a super hero” Having submitted the motion, the proposer will have then two minutes to speak on their motion. Anyone with an opposing view will then also have two minutes to present their case. Following this, the seconder will have their opportunity to speak, before another opposing party is given the chance to speak. After this, the motion is open to all to debate on. “ Full rules for submitting will be published on the www.swansea-
Online sport and societies sign-up system is a winner by Catrin Lewis
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk THE latest figures from the students’ union show that fears over societies membership were unfounded. Societies had voiced concerns that the new method of taking payments for memberships and the new online system would put a dent in those choosing to sign up. The new system has meant the removal of cash from Freshers’Fayre, instead sending students to external tents to pay for all their memberships at tills, or doing it themselves online through the union website. However, it has emerged that memberships to all societies have increased despite a dip in sign-ups during the fayre itself; at the end of the two days, memberships stood at 6,300. This has now increased to 9,500. Josh Hayman, societies and services officer, said: “Signups to sports clubs and societies have been some of the highest ever this year, with online signups enabling memberships
ILOVESOCIETIES: Pictured Puti Fofana, Jacob Matthew Bath, Jeny Nevard, Samantha Winchester, Chloe Franchina and Nia Philllips. to increase by 50% since the Freshers’ Fayre. We now have more active members and greater participation due to the positive effects of the new system.”
Success for first end of year collection THE first End of Year collection was a success, sending items to SOS Africa and homelessness charity, Wallich this summer, writes Sam Booth. In the collection were 185 bags of clothes, 61 duvets and 23 crates of food. The event was led by postgraduate officer, Stephen Marshall, and environment and ethics part-time officer,
THE MOTION:
This union notes: 1. That Zahid is a good education officer. 2. That Zahid is a good education officer, but it would be way, way cooler and funnier if he did his role dressed as a super hero. 3. That currently Zahid does not wear a Super Hero Costume (sad face). This union believes: 1. That unless Zahid expands his wardrobe to include Super Hero items, education could be doomed for all students. 2. This investment will see a lift in morale for all members of our union and is vital for Zahid to retain his insane educational tekkers. 3. That Zahid will never reach his full potential to raise an army of course Reps, unless he looks cool. The union resolves: 1. To purchase Zahid his first Super Hero outfit to get him started (it’s only fair). 2. To mandate him to wear one at SUPER ZAHID: The education officer has to dress up as a superhero at least twice a least two days a week (weekends are acceptable) 3. Photograph evidence will be taken union.co.uk website, where the live meeting to go to @susugensec. and blogged. stream and voting will also be held. The first meeting will be on the 4. To release a charity calendar of his The hashtag for meetings will be 16th October at 5.30pmin the heroic outfits. #susuforum12, with tweets for the first refectory, with free pizza! Proposed by: Tom Upton Seconded by: Imogen Stanley
Rob Abrams and they recruited around ten volunteers. The team collected items from the university owned accommodation and offered an on-campus drop-off service. “Praise was received from the university accommodation staff and the estates. There was no overflowing of the bins as there had been in previous years”, says Stephen.
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NEWS I 07
Sunday Times ranking success as Swansea gets second place in Wales by Joshua Simonson
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk SWANSEA University has been ranked second in Wales, by the Sunday Times University Guide. Founded in 1920, Swansea University started with 89 students and was one of five universities in Wales at the time. Swansea has shot up the league table by twelve places, rising from 57th to 45th place in the overall UK rankings, a jump of twelve places. It surpassed Aberystwyth by 17 places in the UK listings and overtook it in the Welsh leagues. The teaching excellence levels which are from surveys by the students themselves (2165 students having taken part), is at 76.4% and third in Wales. The unemployment rate of graduate students is at 8.5%, having dropped significantly in previous years. 78.2% of students as found in 2013 go on to graduate level employment and Swansea itself overall has improved its status, and in each of the 22 questions on the survey it has made improvements since the previous year. Alan Speight, the Pro Vice Chancellor for student experience at Swansea
University said: “We are absolutely delighted that Swansea University has ‘powered up’ the UK League table,” he attributed this success to the “effective partnership” between student and staff. Vice Chancellor of Swansea University, Professor Richard Davies believes that Swansea will become a “Global Exemplar,” and hopes for future improvement within the university. Zahid Raja, Students’ Union education officer, said: “I’m incredibly excited to see the progress our University is making. As Alan pointed out, this is a true testament to students and staff working together as partners. This year, students will be more involved with determining and shaping their own educational experience than they have ever been.” The Sunday Times University Guide 2013 #uniguide2013 provides students and their parents with reference point on the path to finding a university place. The league table is drawn up from criteria including student satisfaction, teaching and research quality, entrance qualifications held by new students, degree results achieved, student/staff ratios, graduate unemployment levels and university dropout rates. SATISFIED STUDENTS: Swansea fans cheering on the Men’s Rugby at the annual Varsity game
Swansea falls off end of Times Higher Ed rankings
EDGED OUT: Swansea has been pushed out of the top 400 universities in the Times Higher Education rankings
by Alex Hughes
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk SWANSEA University has failed to feature in this year’s Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The rankings, published by The Times Higher Education, lists what it believes are the top 400 Universities in the world to be. This league table, released annually, is recognised worldwide and is one of the most influential international rankings. The results, released last Wednesday, saw Cardiff University rank 201-225 and Aberystwyth rank 276-300. In 2011-12 Swansea University was ranked 350400 but unfortunately was unable retain its place as one of the top 400 universities in the world. This league table attracts a lot of public attention and is internationally renowned. Swansea’s absence in the rankings could reflect poorly on the credibility of the University. A university spokesperson said: “Times Higher
Education only publish the top 400 world rankings. Unfortunately Swansea was just outside this year. At this end of the table the differences between the scores of the universities are slight, and small differences in performance can give a big difference in ranking. “Our score actually went up slightly this year, but a combination of other universities making greater gains and new universities coming into the project pushed us just outside the top 400. “There are over 12,000 universities across the world and therefore to be placed in the top 500 means that Swansea University is still holding its place in the world’s top 5% of universities.“ Education officer, Zahid Raja, said: “This year, Swansea University Students’ Union is working with the Employability Academy to increase the number of students who think of themselves as global graduates. He added: “Whilst it’s disappointing to have not made it into the 400, I’m incredibly excited to work with the University to break into the top 400 next year.”
Satisfaction At Swansea Soars by Jon May
front@swansea-union.co.uk THE results from the National Satisfaction Survey (NSS) shows Swansea has leapt up the tables to the top third. ‘Satisfaction levels’ have climbed from 82% last year to 87% this year, beating the Welsh average (84%) and UK average (85%). Swansea University is now ranked 42nd out of 136 institutions for student stiasfaction, up 38 places from last year. Materials and Minerals technology, Zoology and the now discontinued Adult Education Provision* came in top place for UK-wide student satisfaction and one in four subjects currently taught are in the top 25% of UK Universities. Professor Alan Speight, Pro-Vice Chancellor for student experience, said: “Students are at the centre of everything we do, so I am delighted to see that we are now in the top-third of all UK Universities.” Tom Upton, President of the Students’ Union, spoke of his delight on a high Students’ Union rating from the survey: “[We] are very proud to have achieved a score of 71% in the NSS. It is a testament to the hard work of all members of our Union.”
08 I NEWS
thewaterfront 15.10.12
Success at careers fair sees 50 graduate recruiters wanting Swansea students by Jo Davies
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk THE Careers Fair on 4th October was the biggest ever, with 50 recruiters attending. There was a real buzz with a massive flow of students throughout the whole day, and we estimate that around 2000 students attended. As you can imagine, a huge amount of time and effort goes into organising such an event, and we were very pleased to receive lots of encouraging feedback. Recruiters commented on the vibrant atmosphere at the fair. They were clearly very impressed with our students’ enthusiasm, understanding of the world of work and awareness about employability. Feedback from the student survey at the fair indicates that students found it very valuable and that, as a result of attending, they have gained more ideas about what to do next in order to boost their employability and find the right career options. If you missed the fair, you can still view the programme on the Careers and Employability website at www.swansea. ac.uk/careers/careersfairevents/.
It includes background information on the organisations who attended together with details the two workshops. The recruiters represented a diverse range of employment sectors. The programme also included two workshops that were both very well attended - The UK Immigration System and Graduate Work (for International Students) facilitated by Glyn Lloyd of Morgan Cole LLP Solicitors and Employability - Interviews, facilitated by Dominic Baker from Teach First.
employers’ talks and workshops there will be other events throughout the year covering key topics such as finding work experience opportunities and developing entrepreneurship skills – very useful even if you’re not necessarily planning to become self-
employed because all employers value an enterprising mind-set. We were delighted to see so many of you at the fair, and we do hope you will take advantage of our other events to gather more inspiring career ideas – it’s never too early to get started!
More events coming up For news of more events, keep an eye on our events page at www.swansea. ac.uk/careers/careersfairevents/; you will see a link on this page where you can register to view details and book online to attend employers’ presentations and workshops given by Careers Advisers. In addition, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on our news blog at www. swansea.ac.uk/careers. Posts from this blog are also published on the Careers and Employability Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ SwanseaUniversityCareers. Apart from the programme of
WINNING TICKET: Pauline McDonald, Head of Careers and Employability, giving a UniBus ticket to Yue Dai who won the Careers Fair prize draw. The prize was a Uni-bus ticket worth over £170. Yue Dai is from China and is studying Maritime Law.
Students take part in new TV drama A NEW television drama filmed in Swansea features Swansea University students. Mad Dog Casting are recruiting for new supporting artists for the BBC costume drama Da Vinci’s Demons. Samantha Booth, a second year English Literature student, has joined the casting agency that is based in London and Cardiff. “I signed up to Mad Dog in September and I’ve have a few texts asking me to be in the drama,” says Samantha. “I’ve yet to be chosen, but I hope I get picked soon. I joined the agency because I have done some extra work before on television shows and it was really fun. It’s one of those opportunities that doesn’t come up everyday.” The studios are based on Fabian Way, Swansea and hold set to 15th century Florence complete with houses, taverns and jails created by skilled carpenters and set designers. The series stars Laura Haddock (The Inbetweeners Movie), Lara Pulver (True Blood, Robin Hood) and Tom Riley (Lost in Austen, Monroe) as Da Vinci. Second year History student, Gemma Parry, was also recruited by Mad Dog Casting in September. “My first reason for joining Mad Dog was because it paid well and the hours were flexible. “I’d really like to have the experience on a film set and see what is going on behind the scenes.” To apply to join, just visit www.maddogcasting.com
BIG NAMES: Lara Pulver stars in the movie (Img: Gavan/Getty)
Women welcome science award by Gemma Parry
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk SWANSEA University will be reapplying to the Athena SWAN bronze award after having being awarded it three years ago. The award is put in place to encourage the recruitment of women in STEMM subjects; Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine. The Athena SWAN award bases itself on six main principles, which Swansea University STEMM colleges uphold. They are now encouraging individual colleges to further their efforts in upholding these six main principles. This then means that the colleges can start applying for their own Athena SWAN awards. The principles of the award work to address and tackle gender inequalities and unequal representation of women in STEMM science subjects. Athena SWAN also strives to address issues such as the high loss rate of women in science, the absence of diversity at management and policy making levels and both the obstacles women face when entering a sustainable career in sciences. Many universities and their academic colleges around the UK hold bronze, silver or gold Athena SWAN certificates. Swansea University currently holds the bronze award and is this year, reapplying to keep this title for what will be a second consecutive win.
WOMEN’S OFFICER: Becki Warrillow. The award should encourage more female undergraduate students to study STEMM subjects at Swansea University, which will make up for the drop in admissions to the university this year. Swansea University and the students’ union plan to work together in the networking, mentoring and promotion of the award, while making STEMM subjects more female friendly. Becki Warrillow, Swansea University Students’ Union women’s officer said: “I am very pleased to hear that Swansea University will be reapplying for the Athena SWAN bronze award and encouraging the individual STEMM colleagues to apply. “I am even more pleased that the students’ union and the university will be working in partnership to uphold the six principle values of Athena SWAN and raise awareness of this charter to the students.” For more information on the Athena SWAN award, visit the students’ union website to read the women’s officer blog.
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NEWS I 09
Students’ Union blasts Carnage night out that ‘demeans women’
Revolutionary subject rep system arrives by Emma Jones
waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk concerned the nature of the event is sending out the wrong message to waterfrontnews@swansea-union.co.uk students. Welfare Officer Charlotte A ‘Pimps and Hoes’ themed fancy Britton highlighted the current dress event that was planned for last research being undertaken by weekend has sparked concern from the Student Sex Worker Project at students and union officers over Swansea University. “There is amazing work being done the re-enforcement of stereotypes by the Student Sex Work Project , who surrounding the sex industry. The city centre event, aimed primarily are researching students involved at students, is one of many across the in sex work which really puts into country run by Carnage UK, and has perspective how inappropriate this been condemned by a number of event is. “ Dr Tracey Sagar the Principal Students’ Unions. Organisers have described the Investigator for The Student Sex Work event as just a fun night out and said Project said: “Sex work is a very complex issue. The the theme was chosen by students themselves, a sentiment not echoed ‘student sex work project’ is currently CARNAGE: Student event organisers. by Students’ Union Women’s Officer, striving to reach out to students in Wales who are also engaged in sex in any way reinforces “stereotypes Becki Warrillow. “An event of this theme is not light- work with the aim of offering good surrounding the sex industry”. “Similarly, our proposed event is not hearted fun. The belittling of the sexual health information as well as “belittling of the seriousness of the seriousness of the sex industry and its safety advice and systems of support. “This event theme sends out so sex industry” nor does it in any way effects on students is very disturbing.” Geraint Davies, MP for Swansea many wrong messages - not least of promote the “acceptability of sexual West has also spoken of his concerns, which is the acceptability of sexual exploitation”. “The fancy dress themes for our saying: “This drunken promotion of exploitation - pimping is abhorrent events are chosen by the students men selling women for sex degrades and illegal.” Varsity Leisure Group (“VLG”) is and not by us. The selection process Swansea and demeans women. It the owner of the Carnage UK brand. is conducted via social media polls in brings shame and ridicule to our city They gave us this statement: “We June and July of each year. This year, and should be struck off the calendar.” our proposed event SMU-PGCE-Wfront-hpage_SMU-PGCE-SWEP-hpage-17sep 17:39 Page 1students across the UK, which includes Students’ Union officers are utterly refute that19/09/2012
by A Waterfront Reporter
the students in Swansea, have chosen “Pimps and Hoes” as the fancy dress theme for their first event and “Beauty and The Geek” as the fancy dress theme for their second event. This is a fun fancy dress student event and nothing more. “We understand and respect the personal views of Ms Warrillow, Ms Britton and to Geraint Davies MP on this matter, and apologise for any offence caused to them personally; attendance at all of our events is of
THIS year, Swansea University Students’ Union has introduced a new system of representation that will involve replacing the Course Reps with Subject Reps and paid College Reps. The new system will guarantee three College Reps existing in each college; an Undergraduate Rep, a Postgraduate Taught Rep and a Postgraduate Research Rep who will help organise the Subject Reps in their College to better represent students to the University.. Being a Subject Rep increases your employability and will give you free upgrades on hot drinks in JC’s as well as invites to VIP social events each term. An Academic awards evening will be held for Reps who have demonstrated outstanding work throughout the year. Students who are interested in becoming a Subject Rep need to nominate themselves to stand for election between the 15th and 19th of October 2012. Students across the University will then be able to vote online for their Reps the first time via the Student Union between the 22nd and the 25th of October 2012. For more information, email education officer Zahid Raja: educationofficer@ swansea-union.co.uk
PGCE / TAR 2013 T WHAOUR Y ARE S AFTER ? PLANUATING D CH GRA DDW A FY EUD BETH’N EI WN CHI AR ÔL ? DDIO GRA
THOUGHT ABOUT TRAINING TO TEACH?
YDYCH CHI WEDI YSTYRIED CAEL EICH HYFFORDDI I ADDYSGU?
PGCE SECONDARY VACANCIES FOR SEPTEMBER 2013
LLEOEDD GWAG TAR UWCHRADD AR GYFER MEDI 2013
In your final year and about to graduate or maybe you’re uncertain about your future and looking for a change in career? If you hold, or about to hold, a degree or equivalent qualification in any of the subjects below why not study for a PGCE in secondary school teaching and gain qualified teacher status. Teaching is a rewarding profession which can offer great career prospects and competitive rates of pay. Vacancies exist in the following one-year PGCE Secondary programmes for September 2013 ● ART AND DESIGN ● BIOLOGY ● BUSINESS STUDIES ● CHEMISTRY ● CYMRAEG ● DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY ● ENGLISH ● GEOGRAPHY ● HISTORY ● ICT ● MATHEMATICS ● MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: FRENCH/FRENCH WITH GERMAN/FRENCH WITH SPANISH/GERMAN WITH FRENCH ● PHYSICS ● RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ● SCIENCE 11-16
Ydych chi yn eich blwyddyn olaf ac ar fin graddio neu efallai eich bod yn ansicr am eich dyfodol ac yn dymuno newid eich gyrfa? Os oes gennych chi radd, neu os ydych chi ar fin cael gradd neu gymhwyster cyfwerth mewn unrhyw rai o’r pynciau isod, pam na wnewch chi astudio TAR mewn addysg ysgol uwchradd a chael statws athro cymwysedig. Mae addysgu’n broffesiwn boddhaus a all cynnig rhagolygon gyrfa grêt a chyfraddau tâl cystadleuol. Mae lleoedd gwag ar gael yn y rhaglenni TAR Uwchradd un flwyddyn a ganlyn ar gyfer mis Medi 2013 ● CELF A DYLUNIO ● BIOLEG ● ASTUDIAETHAU BUSNES ● CEMEG ● CYMRAEG ● DYLUNIO A THECHNOLEG ● SAESNEG ● DAEARYDDIAETH ● HANES ● TGCH ● MATHEMATEG ● IEITHOEDD TRAMOR MODERN: FFRANGEG/FFRANGEG GYDAG ALMAENEG/FFRANGEG GYDA SBAENEG/ALMAENEG GYDA FFRANGEG ● FFISEG ● ADDYSG GREFYDDOL ● GWYDDONIAETH 11-16
Financial Support and Incentives*
Cymorth Ariannol a Chymhellion*
Eligible Welsh and non-UK EU domiciled students are entitled to a non-means- tested and non-repayable grant of £5,535 to cover fees above £3,465. Students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the cost of fees and may be entitled to a student loan for maintenance that won’t have to be paid back until you are earning over £21,000 per annum. Incentive Grants of between £3,000 and £15,000 are also available depending on the subject and final degree classification. Apply now through GTTR at www.gttr.ac.uk or contact kim.wills@smu.ac.uk for further details.
www.smu.ac.uk
*subject to final confirmation
Mae gan fyfyrwyr o Gymru a rhai o du allan i’r DU sy’n byw yn yr UE hawl i grant nad yw’n seiliedig ar brawf modd o £5,535 i dalu am ffioedd dros £3,465. Gall myfyrwyr wneud cais am Fenthyciad Ffioedd Dysgu i dalu am gost ffioedd a gallant fod yn gymwys i gael benthyciad i fyfyrwyr am gynhaliaeth na fydd rhaid ei ad-dalu nes y byddwch yn ennill dros £21,000 y flwyddyn. Hefyd, mae Grantiau Cymhelliant o rwng £3,000 a £15,000 ar gael yn amodol ar y pwnc a’r dosbarth gradd terfynol. Gwnewch gais nawr trwy GTTR yn www.gttr.ac.uk neu cysylltwch â kim.wills@smu.ac.uk am ragor o fanylion.
www.smu.ac.uk
*yn amodol ar gadarnhad terfynol
PGCE SECONDARY INFORMATION MORNING
BORE GWYBODAETH TAR UWCHRADD
THE SWANSEA SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, TOWNHILL CAMPUS If you would like to attend, please register YOUR place by contacting Kim Wills on 01792 481202 or email kim.wills@smu.ac.uk
YSGOL ADDYSG ABERTAWE, CAMPWS TOWNHILL Os hoffech ddod i hwn, cofrestrwch drwy gysylltu â Kim Wills ar 01792 481202 neu anfonwch e-bost i kim.wills@smu.ac.uk
THURSDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2012
DYDD IAU 8 TACHWEDD 2012
: tt n
front! ILOVESOCIETIES! P26 University love stories
Getting over freshers’ fright
We review J.K.Rowling’s new book
Blind date: When Jess met Jon
Postcards from China
>> 14
>> 15
>> 19
>> 23
>> 25
societies 26
careers 25
relationships 23
games 22
film 21
music 20
showtime 19
front row 18
fashion 16-17
11
food 15
15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
features 14
L i f e s t y l e f o r S wa n s e a s t u d e n t s
front
contents
features 14 >> A university love story
fashion 16 >> Spring-summer 2013 preview
front row 18 >> Your guide to what’s on in the next two weeks
showtime 19 >> A Casual Vacancy reviewed; The return of Red Dwarf
music 20 >> We talk to Chuck Ragan ahead of the Revival tour
film 21 >> The latest releases, plus netflix top 5
games 22 >> Borderlands 2 and Max Payne 3 reviewed
relationships 23 >> Agony aunt, agony uncle; Blind Date
travel 25 >> One student’s summer in China
societies 26 >> ilovesocieties kicks off the year in style
Ilovesocieties!
societies 26
careers 25
relationships 23
games 22
film 21
music 20
showtime 19
front row 18
fashion 16-17
food 15
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features 14
15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
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u n i v e r s i t y lo v e s t o r i e s
features
Left: The couple on their engagement night. Below: Kirsty and Chris at a school prom in 2007.
The engaged couple on Valentine’s Day 2012.
True love, for better, for worse Some couples are just meant to be. Samantha Booth meets two people that have been struck by the love bug for nearly six years after traumatic events that brought them through thick and thin.
A
IMS for life: go to university, graduate from university, try and get a job, meet someone rich and famous and get hitched. Well, maybe the rich and famous goal is too ambitious, but marriage is a goal that most students expect to score post-university. However, those lucky in love couples that have found the one, debatably have a different set of goals than this. Kirsty Lloyd, 21-year-old Medical Biochemistry student, is head over heels with her partner of six years, 23-year-old Chris Billingham. The pair, from Gorseinon, Swansea, have been engaged since December last year. Kirsty was 15-years-old at the time and had always had an attraction to her friend’s older brother, Chris. “I wasn’t looking for anything serious and I didn’t realise I liked him for a while, because I was good friends with his sister, Heather. “I never expected to get into a relationship with him but it just happened. He kissed me one night and it just went from there. And without sounding naïve, within two weeks, I knew I would be with him forever. It just felt right.” Unfortunately, it was not all plain sailing for the couple. Two months into the relationship, problems began to arise. Chris’ sister, Heather, had made it clear she was unhappy with them being together, leading to serious disputes and a parting of ways.
“His dad had a phone call from a band member saying they were cutting his legs off to get him out of the car” “Out of nowhere, Heather decided she wasn’t ‘ok’ with it anymore. I would not be allowed in his house if she was there because she didn’t feel comfortable in her own home. This continued for about four years and we would argue over it a lot as he didn’t feel like he could stand up to his family and I was too shy and timid back then to say anything myself. “We broke up for a short period in March 2010 but we quickly realised that nothing was worth getting between us.” Neither of them saw what would be coming next; at the end of April, Chris left for a month long European tour as a drummer in his band, Lost in Thought, to promote his album, Opus Arize. Whilst travelling in Slovakia, the band were in a serious car crash, cutting the tour short and leaving Chris fighting for his life. “Chris was the only one hurt in the crash and his band mates left him there, alone. “His dad had a phone call from a band member saying they were going to have to cut his legs off to get him out of the car. His family flew out to be by his side,
without offering to take me with them, and I was left in Swansea, agonizing about his life.” In Slovakia, Chris had to undergo several operations on his legs, none of which he has kept record of because of the language barrier at the hospital. Fortunately, the result of the operations was that surgeons were able to save his legs. “He returned to Wales where he was treated in Morriston hospital and for the past year and a half he has been recovering and he’s finally back on his drum kit, starting a new project with his friend, Dan Angelo, in a band called Pyrrhic.” Since the accident, the couple have gone from strength to strength in resolving the family feuds, with them allowing Kirsty to move in with him for a period to aid his recovery.
“He got down on his good knee and opened a box with a stunning, white gold, diamond ring in” “On our five year anniversary, Chris took me to the Grape and Olive restaurant where we sat at table 22, our anniversary date. “He led me to the window to admire the scenery and he told me to look over at the Grand Theatre where I saw the giant LED banner scrolling across it, saying ‘Will you marry me, Kirsty?’ “He got down on his good knee and opened a box with a stunning, white gold, diamond ring inside which I couldn’t have chosen better myself and he asked me with trembling hands to marry him.” Marrying at an early age is a controversial topic. Arguably, most students would see this decision as ‘life ruining’ and restraining on future choices. Kirsty begs to differ on this assumption, as she knows the life change will have an effect but is willing to take the leap. “It definitely does affect my life as a student. It was difficult trying to find time for study and work around seeing Chris whilst he was housebound, but I am finding it easier this year. It’s hard because I don’t want to feel like I’m putting him second to anything but he has been so supportive recently, it puts my mind at ease. “I never would have got engaged at this age. Before I met Chris, I had a plan to study hard, go to medical school and become an amazing doctor, earn loads of money, adopt babies and live life as a single mum. “In five years, I hope that I’ll be in a secure job and be working my way up. I wouldn’t mind a small wedding: just him and me but after such a spectacular proposal and an amazing engagement party, I think we deserve to celebrate in style.”
societies 26
careers 25
relationships 23
games 22
film 21
music 20
showtime 19
front row 18
fashion 16-17
food 15
15
features 14
15 1 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
No more nights spent skyping my cat F
Love birds! Don’t they just make you sick?
W
HEN I first came to Swansea, I had been with my boyfriend for more than three years. At first, it was nice. I was living with a bunch of strangers, and he was the equivalent of the chewed up comfort blanket. No matter how stressful my day, I could always rely on him for a quick, comforting phone call and maybe the odd tenner when I was broke... And they say romance is dead. I am a firm believer that you can happily go through university whilst in a serious, long-term relationship. Some of the best, most secure, most vomit-inducing couples I know have been together all the way through uni, and it gives me hope. However, I think there are caveats to this. Longdistance is romantic, but it doesn’t usually work, not unless you have a lot of spare time and money to burn. But not only that, university is all about new experiences and people, and sometimes these temptations are just not compatible with making sure you’re available for that hour-long phone call every night or taking off for a weekend at a time. When I made the decision to end my relationship, I managed to cry constantly and stop eating for three days. My housemates were concerned, my mum threatened to drive down and sort me out, and I couldn’t do anything but lie in bed and whinge. Despite the fact that it was my choice to do it, I was still lamenting the loss of my security and all the life plans we’d made, that looking back, terrify me. If I hadn’t ended it, in a year I’d most likely be Mrs Smithson. In another year we’d have had babies. Five years later I probably would have run off with the gardener in an act of desperation. So I watched Bridget Jones’ Diary, went to the pub with my friends and relished in my new found freedom. I didn’t have to book off entire weekends to go and see him, and I could finally hang out with as many boys as I wanted without a suspicion alarm going off. Becoming single at university isn’t exactly a rollercoaster - it’s not as if there’s a nightly orgy going on in Divas - but it definitely gives you the freedom that you need at this time. I didn’t realise quite how much I was holding myself back. That said, if you’re in a relationship, I’m very happy for you. But could you please stop groping each other in the library? It’s grim, and you’re getting in the way of my textbooks.
By Catrin Lewis
OR someone who gets nervous about coming into contact with the postman, the thought of going away to uni and having to interact with strange people was a terrifying prospect. My arrival, however, could not have gone better. Whilst stuffing bundles of my old life into the four walls that would become my new home, my roommates across the hall introduced themselves and offered an ice-breaking cuppa! This prevented me spending the next few hours telling my cat how much I missed her over skype. They would soon become my surrogate family and any awkwardness or nerves I’d felt moving in was quickly discarded (with the aid of an immodest ingestion of alcohol) and we hit Wind Street. That first night, I wound up horrendously intoxicated, dancing to quite frankly abominable music in a nightclub I swore I’d never grace with my presence and spent the night miming lyrics I didn’t know. I am now ashamed to say, as a fan of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, that after several visits to this club and sibling venues, I am fairly competent at singing these lyrics.
“I had to do the march of shame over to Preseli to collect the replacement key looking like Pikachu” When I finally crashed through the door of my accommodation building, I tried, with unyielding determination to use my key to enter my neighbour’s room, until I realised that I was actually staying next door. Only yesterday when I was practising my face-paint for tonight’s Pokemon party, I got locked out of my room (forgetting that my own door punishes me for leaving at any point by refusing me my return) and had to do the march of shame over to Preseli to collect the replacement key looking like Pikachu. Uni life is great but it has also taught me a lot - in just the fortnight since I arrived here! Independent living means I no longer rely on my mam to organise my washing and prepare my meals - now I let piles of washing build in my bathroom and the microwave prepares my meals! No teacher has arranged my timetable or enforces my attendance. I have quickly learnt the necessity of doing this myself, as well might I add, of the importance of budgeting and maintaining a calendar. When fresher’s flu struck me like a lightning bolt, I had to take care of myself. So here’s some awkward advice from an awkward fresher;
Laura Fiteni describes how she conquered freshers’ fright and found a warm welcome on her first day at uni •Join some societies. I’ve met most of my friends outside my flat this way. •Don’t accidentally tick fluent Welsh on the UCAS page. All written correspondence from the uni takes me at least an hour of translation! •Keep in touch with friends and family at home. They were there before you met anyone here. •Sometimes you have to put up with alien habits. My flatmates leave their washing up for days (yes, you flatmates, wash up your dishes!) but we all have our own ideas, so tolerate the trivial things. •Lastly, buy reasonable amounts in the supermarket. This means an amount you carry without staggering under the weight. This is hard to stick to when Lucozade is £1 a bottle!
Laura Fiteni
S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 3 with cat harris and fran llo y d
fashion
Spring/Summer 2013 The best of Fashion Week Paris New York Everybody knows that no-one does attitude quite like the Parisians, the city where the atmosphere can be rude, full of self-belief and has such a stimulating hold over fashion. Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013 was no exception, with so many of the big fashion houses putting on their most fierce show yet. Karl Lagerfeld will never leave you bored with his theatrical catwalk shows. This year it was 13 wind turbines and solar panels that filled the Grand Palais along with a star-studded crowd. There is nothing quite like the atmosphere at a Chanel show- I was lucky enough to be stood outside the big doors of the Grand Palais last February listening to drama of the show and watching the fashionstas stride in. Everyone wants to know what Lagerfeld will do next, being one of the most unpredictable designers in fashion. A bolero jacket teamed with a flared knee length skirt was the silhouette for the show with the classic buttons, chains, neat hemlines and oversized pearls. Twitter went crazy for Lagerfelds’ hula hoop-style quilted bag- it is amazing! We saw a lot of pastels, mesh trousers, and sheer dresses also on the catwalk that created a lot of energy for the show. The last two Louis Vuitton shows in Paris have had a romantic feel - making us wonder where Marc Jacobs would go next with the theme this season. However this time he went more sixties, bold and almost cold. The escalators led down to a fluorescent check board, that made the clothes appear more linear and was very effective. Despite the collarless jackets, pencil skirts, duster coats, the beehive hairstyles and kitten heels, Jacobs said after the show the idea was not sixties, he just wanted to avoid using the LV monogram and instead incorporate the LV squares. The theme of Dior was emblematic of freedom and liberation. Everyone was excited by the floral romantic motifs, metallic trousers, puffs of metallic fabric draped over shorts and the tailoring. With all the excitement of Kristen Stewart being on the front row of Balenciaga; Hermes proving themselves beyond the burkin bag; Chloe launching their exhibition on memorable moments from the last 60 years; Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen being called the Queen Bee of Paris Fashion Week with a beautiful and extravagant bee-themed catwalk that embraced the female form and of course… Vivienne Westwood with her unfinished look, rough edges, renaissance prints, African style and an overall fashion riot, it is safe to say that Paris Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2013 was one of the best. So before you go out spending your student loan - check out the online footage of the shows for inspiration, you cannot go wrong.
By Lowri Evans
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From the 6th - 13th of September, New York took its turn in hosting the prominent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, where over 80 top designers showcased their Spring/ Summer 2013 collections. The 8-day event was held at the Lincoln Center and enabled new collections to be seen by over 100,000 industry insiders, making it one of the major shows of the year for designers. Venexiana was one of the many highlights of the week, adorning the runway with extravagant and elegant gowns fit for the red carpet. Models in gorgeous shades of satin, each piece beautifully embroidered with intricate beading, emphasised the glamour and sophistication of the show. Each gown was beautifully constructed, with draped necklines or structured bodices, with flowing trains. Jenny Packham’s collection also embraced sequins and sparkle, ranging from light touches of beading to heavy show-stopping embellishment. One standout piece was a silver beaded two-piece jacket and skirt, resembling the effect of a disco ball, catching the light as it moved down the catwalk. Pieces were simply structured, giving them a very classic and timeless appeal. In contrast, Clover Canyon’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection experimented with brightlycoloured prints, drawing inspiration from road tripping around mountainous South West America. The pieces in the show had an easy feel, consisting of loosely-tailored shirts and trousers, as well as long draped jackets and dresses. There was a lot of variety in the prints used, such as vintage cars and stretches of road, and each piece was fun and memorable. Overall, New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was a great success, witnessing many designers accomplish eye-catching and unique collections. It’s definitely got us excited for this coming season!
By Jess Waymark
London Paul Smith
societies 26
careers 25
relationships 23
games 22
film 21
music 20
showtime 19
front row 18
fashion 16-17
Milan
Picture Highlights
Dolce & Gabbana
Fendi
Mary Katrantzou
Preen
food 15
17
features 14
15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
Blugirl
Anteprima
Jonathan Saunders
Fashion Events near you
Swansea Student Takeover at the Quadrant
Models in the Fashion On The Move Event
When I met James Kane, Manager of Superdry in the city’s Quadrant Shopping Centre, with the models at the Fashion on the Move event.
For the second year running, the Quadrant Shopping Centre will be holding its very own Student Takeover night, offering massive discounts in your favourite fashion stores. The buzzing shopping centre will be open between 7pm and 9pm on Tuesday, October 16, promising to be even bigger and better than the event last year, writes Fran Lloyd. James Kane, manager of Superdry came up with this idea for a special student promotion, he said: “I know that it can be tough for young people to make ends meet but at the same time they are very fashion conscious and keen to look good. It’s a really good way to show them that the Quadrant is a place where they can shop and that we have something for everyone.” You may have seen some of the great collections available in the centre at the Quadrant’s Fashion On The Move show, held on the first Saturday of October, where a team of top models paraded around wearing the latest trends. Stores involved in the Student Takeover include Superdry and Debenhams, who featured in Fashion On The Move, as well as Republic, 3 Mobile, Boots, Card Factory, Schuh and Perfume Shop. Not only will there be some amazing discounts and offers available but it is hoped that there will be a live DJ in the centre as well. Republic’s manager, Kerry Waters said: “It should be a lot of fun and there should be a great atmosphere with plenty of young people giving the place a real buzz.”
Swansea does Vintage On Sunday, October 7, the Garage in Uplands held its third vintage fashion fair, with great vintage products including bags, cardigans, dresses, belts, design patterns and scarves. If you missed out, don’t worry, this wasn’t your only opportunity to bag a unique vintage bargain! On November 18, the next fair will be held at the Garage between 3pm and 6pm, and if you can’t make that one, it will be held again on December 9. The event promises a mix of men and women’s clothing and accessories from up to ten vintage stall holders. There will also be a live DJ set, drinks offers at the bar, and there will be offers on hair and beauty treatments next door at Coccolare.
Get Involved!
We are looking for a brand new team of writers to join us at Waterfront Fashion to bring the latest style to the students of Swansea. If you are an enthusiastic writer/fashionista, get in touch with Cat and Fran at waterfrontfashion@ swansea-union.co.uk We are looking for features on student fashion, events, latest trends, shopping, hair and beauty, men’s fashions, and any other ideas you could bring to the newspaper! Get involved with Swansea University whilst boosting your CV, and doing what Swansea students do best; getting drunk at Fashion Writers’ Socials! We can’t wait hear from you all!
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W H AT ’ s O N W I T H O L I V I A R O S E N T H A L L
front row
Hadouken! and Astroid Boys Sin City, Wednesday 17 October
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Having emerged as part of the short-lived nu-rave craze midway through last decade, Hadouken! had their work cut out to stay sounding relevant. Early tracks such as ‘That Boy That Girl’ and ‘Get Smashed Gate Crash’ were nu-rave in a nutshell: samples and synths galore, with Skins-like lyrics detailing the intricacies of getting utterly ruined, being inconsiderate and breaking people’s property. Having ditched the early neon fluorescence and embracing a more subtle, drum & bass inspired style, the band have subsequently carved a niche for themselves next to the likes of Chase and Status and Foreign Beggars in the electronic music scene. New singles ‘Bad Signal’ and ‘Parasite’ are their first whilst signed to the Ministry of Sound label, and showcase the band’s move towards music that can be played at gigs, festivals or clubs. Having received favourable air play from the likes of Zane Lowe, these songs are set to take the band to the next level, while their live shows promise to be nothing short of incendiary. Support for the show comes from the Cardiff-based Astroid Boys, whose Enter Shikari-style mix of dubstep and guitar-based riffery promise to provide a powerful opening to the show. With the bass turned up and a hectic light show all packed into the intimate and sweaty surroundings of Sin City, both bands will surely deliver a night to remember - this is not to be missed. Alex Mckenzie
Hadouken! Photo by Katie Blench
Daytona Lights & Dance A La Plage Sin City, Friday 19 October
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Fancy a night of upbeat guitar music, similar to the likes of Two Door Cinema Club? Then head down to Sin City, as upcoming bands Daytona Lights and Dance A La Plage bring their bouncy melodies to Swansea. While Dance A La Plage have risen through the BBC Introducing scheme, Daytona Lights have gained popularity through a rather more unique avenue - they played themselves on Hollyoaks! After their catchy set at Bestival in September, they’re definitely an act to watch out for in 2013 - check them out at Sin on the 19th.
Flux
Diva’s, every Tuesday
4
Flux, Swansea’s newest night on campus will not disappoint lovers of indie music. Artists ranging from Mumford and Sons to Simian Mobile Disco, Flux promises to cater to the loves of any indie fan as well as providing drinks at great prices. Tuesday night’s now belong to those who love bands no one else has ever heard of.
Charly Bunker
Mozarts, every Thursday
Swansea University’s President TOM UPTON gives us five reasons as to why you should go to “Flux” on Tuesday nights... 1) We like to keep it alternative, so if there’s a track you never thought you’d hear played in a club, come down and be pleasantly surprised! 2) The atmosphere in Divas on a Tuesday night is a lot more chilled out, laid back and about spending quality time with your friends, then having a little boogie to as many tracks as you like.
Alex Mckenzie
The Crunch
FIVE REASONS...
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The Crunch is an informal and laid back poetry open mic night at Mozarts bar on Walter Road, Uplands. Whether it’s spoken word, ranting or a bit of comedy, the floor is always open to original material. Come along and have a drink, let off a bit of steam or just listen to some of Swansea’s poets at work. And if you’re a keen poet yourself, Mozarts is a notorious hang out for Swansea University’s Poetry Society, so if you fancy yourself as a Dylan Thomas in the making, you know where to go.
From the director that brought you “Pride and Prejudice” and “Atonement”, Joe Wright has dabbled once again into the realms of literary classics to bring you “Anna Karenina” on screen. Adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s world famous novel, the story is set in 19th century Imperial Russia, and depicts the intimate tale of Anna’s raunchy affair with Count Vronsky (Aaron TaylorJohnson). As the passion between the two heat up, Anna finds her life changing, but is it for the best? You’ll have to find out. Hey, it’s got Keira, Aaron and Jude Law; you’re bound to have fun.
Jacques Tsiantar
Olivia Rosenthall
Anna Karenina
Taliesin Art Centre, Monday 15 Saturday 20 October
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3) White labels, new tracks, your tracks, if it’s something brand new and you think the world should hear it, bring it along and we will play it loud and proud for all to hear! 4) A home from home, if you have a well established Indie night at home - I know I did when I first got to Swansea, why not let us know what else we can do to replicate it? 5) Finally, it’s a night where we want you to come up into the DJ booth, we want you to flick through our back catalogue and choose your favourites and load them up and hit play! This is your night so don’t be shy, come up and make sure we play what you want!
showtime
A difficult read, but your efforts will be rewarded H
OGWARTS provided a safety net for children, a place where one could go to escape the real world. After reading J K Rowling’s new book, A Casual Vacancy, there was no place I could escape, writes Emma Mackenzie. At first it was easy to put the book down and not continue; nothing overly begged me to keep reading. Characters multiplied in the first few pages, making the actual story less important than trying to understand who was who and forming a mental family tree of the village of Pagford, the setting of the story. However, once this was installed in my mind it became easier to distinguish the various personalities and I started having to pick the book back up to see whether someone would get hit, or whether someone’s paedophilic tendencies were revealed. “It scared me a little to know that this raw, compelling book was written by the same author who I used to read when I was seven“ In my view, A Casual Vacancy is very real. Rowling’s descriptions of certain characters, events and settings made my imagination run wild. I could picture everything in detail. The characters were very believable: fat ones who refused to lose weight, messed up teenagers who rebelled against their parents, women who
As we saw through Harry Potter, J K Rowling is well equipped to write about fantasy, and create creatures and spells that one can only begin to imagine. It scared me a little to know that this raw, compelling book was written by the same author who I used to read when I was seven. “Of course, I had cried when Dumbledore died, but this time the tears were different.”
accepted abuse from husbands... Each character had their own personality and their own flaws; no-one was perfect and it seemed Rowling’s aim was to make sure everyone’s secrets were laid out flat for the reader to see. Although it was well-written, the layout of chapters confused me. The book had seven parts which might have been a bit of an overkill; three parts would probably have been enough. The wording of the chapters confused me as well, they began with the days of the week after a council member had died, but somehow seem to morph into roman numerals which always began at one again after a new part started. In the end my brain didn’t register the chapters as they didn’t seem to add anything to the story line.
Before I’d even read the book I had understood that this was a story for adults. At first I thought, “well how bad can it be?” Truth is, when I finished this book I was left crying. Of course, I had cried when Dumbledore died, but this time the tears were different. I was crying for the realness of the situations Rowling presented. It’s hard reading about abuse, rape, and three year old children who have no chance in life when their mother is shooting up in the living room. Rowling wrote about real situations, situations that could easily happen to you or me one day. That was what had made me cry, that this was a book that I could not escape from. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is mature enough to handle such raw and horrifying themes. Although it may be difficult to understand in the first 100 pages, please persevere as I guarantee that by the last you will not be disappointed.
Showtime’s pick of the fortnight Poets at the Dylan Thomas Centre: Rona Laycock. October 18, 7:30pm. £1.60-£4.
like me you’re a lover of dragons, small dogs, and magic tricks, and nights that encorporate all three.
A former Creative Writing PhD student of Swansea, Rona Laycock is a well renowned poet, tutor, and editor of the writing magazine, Graffiti.
The Dylan Thomas Festival: The Dylan Thomas Centre. October 27 - November 9.
This evening will see her perform some of her work, and gives you the chance to do so yourself at the open mic session afterwards. Piff the Magic Dragon: Swansea Grand Theatre. October 25, 8pm. £12-14. Piff the Magic Dragon and his loyal sidekick, Mr Piffles, the World’s First Million Dollar Chihuahua™,
Piff the Magic Dragon return to Swansea for a night of ridiculous entertainment that has previously had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to have an accident. This is an act that shouldn’t be missed, especially if
The yearly celebration of Swansea’s most famous son is set to showcase some of the finest talent from Wales and beyond. Tickets are available for events including poetry readings, discussions with sports journalists, and a performance from Fernhill - said to be one of the finest folk groups in Wales. This is a showcase of all things cultural, those Dylan Thomas inspired, and the great man himself.
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15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
Red Dwarf returns! SPACE travel and Vindaloos meet again! Red Dwarf is back after 13 years off air yes, we're going to forget series 9 was ever even conceived - and the wrinkles on the original actors’ faces are making us all feel quite old. The last human being alive, Dave Lister, curry lover and endearingly unhygienic, is stranded on the mining space ship, Red Dwarf, three million years from Earth. To accompany him on the journey back home are the hologram of the deceased Arnold Rimmer (a pompous and neurotic soup dispenser maintenance officer), a human-like mutation of a cat (oh so originally named, Cat), and Kryten the servile droid whose first achievement on board is to learn to say "smeg". Together they have already spent eight series discovering new worlds and parallel universes, swapping bodies, fighting giant squids and monsters made entirely of Vindaloo (the perfect weapon was lager, in case you were wondering) and all the while being utterly hilarious. The brand new tenth series is here and we've all been quite excited. Can it be just as great as it once was or is it just going to ruin it all? Well, the first episode of the series, Trojan, has already created quite a bit of controversy on the matter.
Brightly lit sets and brand new technological props had some eyebrows raised (I’m not quite sure how they managed to find a PC World in deep space), and the generally dark feel of the show seems lost. Nevertheless the plot of the episode could fit quite snugly into any of the previous series without standing out as an obnoxious and desperate attempt to be funny - hurrah! The episode starts with good old Lister losing a £100 bet on a pig race and Cat wondering why moose were allowed to drive in Sweden in the 1970s. Once the first laugh is out, you forget it's been 13 years and just enjoy the smegging show. All in all real aficionados won't be ecstatic about it but the show is definitely worth watching. Remember though, if you do, don't change channel straight after reruns of the old series are being aired afterwards and only those will tell you what all the fuss is really about. By Alice Copello
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G o i n g f o r t h e r e c o r d - w i t h a l e x g i bb s
music
Chuck Ragan: Keeping the Music Alive T
WF What can fans expect from The Revival Tour?
HIS month, The Waterfront got the opportunity to chat with musical legend Chuck Ragan, who has been in the music scene since 1993 and is now embarking on The Revival Tour. Daniel Clifford is a great fan of Ragan’s music and jumped at the chance to ask him some questions.
Chuck One will never see the same show twice. The line-up and the set changes regularly so it constantly adds something different to each road show. An incredibly unique experience. The one thing that does stay consistent is this positive formula and attitude for a showcase and a communal feel. On The Revival Tour, we tend to break down the barriers and hierarchy in a sense to even the playing field. We spotlight songwriters and musicians that we all collectively believe in and think should be heard whether they are known acts or up and coming musicians.
WF Could you take us through a little bit of your song writing process and the things that inspire you to start working on a song? Chuck My writing process varies, depending on the time that I have at the moment to devote to it. Nowadays I’ve been able to document more ideas than I used to be able to in the old days. With so many different recording methods at our fingertips these days it’s a hell of a lot easier to capture inspirations before they’re lost. I consistently lay down ideas, parts, riffs, words, etc. sometimes it keeps flowing and sometimes it sits on the shelf for years. As far as the inspiration goes, it’s virtually endless. I’d say anyone, anything and everything may move me. WF How was the transition from punk music to country and did you receive any feedback from the hardcore fans of your punk band ‘Hot Water Music’? Chuck I’ve been playing acoustically longer than I’ve been playing amped and since some of the first tunes I’d learned were old folk or country tunes, it wasn’t a transition at all. To me it wasn’t anything different than what I’d done or known
WF Thanks for your time Chuck, Is there anything you would like to add?
Pic by Markus Unger
since I was a kid; it was just that the focus changed between the two. When HWM went on a hiatus in 2004, I continued writing and eventually recording my own work more often than I did when HWM was our primary focus. My wife was the one who encouraged me the most at that point to get out and record some of the tunes I was playing around the kitchen. After that, the feedback and response from our supporters was nothing but positive and encouraging. WF What advice would you give to any struggling musicians reading this article? Chuck If you love playing, writing
and want to make it a part of your life, continue doing so with a “take no prisoners” attitude. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. That said, be prepared to make a lot of sacrifices. It’s not an easy profession and one can find a massive amount of harsh realities in this business of music and industry of selling yourself. Stay focused and do all you can to hang onto that original passion. WF You’ve collaborated with musicians from different backgrounds. Is there anyone you would still like to work with? Chuck The list is incredibly long but the first person is Steve Earle.
Chuck I’m just honoured to be a part of another tour. There will come a time when I may not be on The Revival Tour and just help keep it alive and thriving. It’s about keeping it different and flowing and whether I’m on it next year or not, I hope to see it continue. I thank everyone who’s supported this tour and helped keep it alive up to this point. •The Revival Tour kicks off at Solus, Cardiff University’s Students’ Union nightclub, tomorrow night (Oct 16). It also features Cory Branan, Emily Barker, Jay Malinowski, and Rocky Votolato. Tickets from www. therevivaltourtix.com
Do you think a band or genre should be featured? E-mail us at waterfrontmusic@swansea-union.co.uk
albums Dry The River Shallow Bed
‘Shallow Bed’: A stunning debut from folk rock pioneers Dry The River that is sure to pave the way to greatness, writes Daniel Clifford. An irresistible combination of anthem rock and chilled-out folk make this band truly brilliant. ‘Bible Belt’ tells of alcoholism, hardship and aspirations of escaping a difficult situation finishing with the line “the trick of it is, don’t be afraid anymore”, injecting optimism despite the grim subject matter. ‘New Ceremony’ and ‘No Rest’ are perfect examples of Dry The River’s own epic sound and well-crafted lyrics. With the use of biblical language, it distinguishes the band’s songs from others, especially when combined with flowing melodies and frontman Liddle’s intense, brooding vocals. You won’t be disappointed.
singles Of Monsters And Men My Head Is An Animal
The Icelandic 6-piece band Of Monsters and Men have released their debut ‘My Head is an Animal’ which peaked on the album chart at number 3 earlier this year, writes Callum Walters. Their festival appearances have launched them into the musical spotlight, assisted by their surprise hit single ‘Little Talks’. Arrangements between co-singers Hilmarsdóttir and Þórhallsson are impressive; adding an extra dynamic to their songs. The album delivers numerous skillful folk tracks, and I would say some standouts include foot-stomping ‘Little Talks’, album opener ‘Dirty Paws’, inspirational ‘King & Lionheart’ and future hit ‘Mountain Sound’. This album gets 4 out of 5; hopefully this is the start of a remarkable career for these talented musicians.
Collectors Club
Tiger Blood
First To Know
Big Steve
Middlesbrough’s local band has released a cracking first attempt at establishing themselves as a distinguished indie-pop group, writes Alex Gibbs. Introduced by Smithson’s strong yet lively guitar beat, you will instantly be hooked by the animated atmosphere which this guitar creates. Whilst Smithson’s harmonic voice permeates the track with an undeniable charm, the use of percussion works flawlessly alongside the high-spirited energy coming from each guitar. ‘First to Know’ muses over the complexities of love and the delusions we have when it comes to relationships. Whilst the lyrics may suggest melancholic tones, Collectors Club keeps the tempo buoyant and energetic, reinforcing the typical indie-pop principles; clearly this freshly-made band knows what they’re doing.
This increasingly popular Essex-based band have been playing around the country for the past year, writes Olivia Rosenthall. From local universities to supporting greats such as Wheatus and Labrinth; Tiger Blood are definitely a band to witness. They have been compared to the likes of The Smiths and Bombay Bicycle Club with their jangly guitar riffs and enchanting harmonies reminiscent of Morrissey, and yes these boys will capture your heart. With their jerky rhythms and the glowing, unfaltering vocals of frontman Alex Condliffe and guitarist Jonny Fitzpatrick, ‘Big Steve’ is one you will have on repeat whilst dancing round the kitchen, thinking no-one can see you. This single is currently on iTunes for 79p, waiting for you to get your greedy little mitts on it.
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15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
film
reviews: film Looper
By Saul Masters
Time travel has long been a massive attraction to the creative mind. The likes of H.G Wells to Terry Gilliam have wrestled with its possibilities and paradoxes. Continuing this long tradition is Rian Johnson’s Looper, an interesting addition to the time travel catalogue. The story centres around Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is a Looper, an assassin in the year 2044 who kills people sent back from 2074 by future gangs. Part of the Looper’s contract is to eventually kill their future self; this is called closing your loop. This proves a problem for Joe when his future self, played by Bruce Willis (pictured), is zapped back, escapes and goes on the run. What unfolds is an excellent mixture of action and drama from director Rian Johnson. The promise he showed in his debut Brick is evident throughout Looper. Comparisons with Christopher Nolan are obvious, especially in the films Memento and Inception, but the film never seems to reach the intellectual heights of Nolan’s work. It does sit comfortably beside Duncan Jones’ Source Code as a mid-budget science fiction film that aims for a big idea. Much like Source Code, however, it gets lost on its way to reaching its goal, the film collapses in its conclusion which never proves as smart as you had hoped. With a cast that also includes Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels, Looper aims high but falls low. Johnson’s direction is perfect, all it was missing was a good script.
Perks of Being a Wallflower
By Lillie Halton
Based on Stephen Chbosky’s popular novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows Charlie, an introverted teenager and his worries about starting high school. Charlie, played by Logan Lerman, narrates the beginning of the film through a series of letters he is writing to an anonymous friend. Charlie is nervous about high school after recently losing his best friend to suicide, but manages to befriend his English teacher, played by Paul Rudd and two seniors, Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson, pictured). Watson proves that she is not just a product of the Harry Potter franchise with her first performance since leaving Hermione Granger behind. She is able to deliver a sincere performance, albeit at times perhaps struggling to grasp an authentic American accent. With the book’s author sat in the director’s chair, this film was set to be an impressive adaptation from the start, and Stephen Chbosky does not disappoint. Fans of the novel are sure to leave the cinema pleased. The film encapsulates a mix of light humour and dramatic scenes with the cast tackling intense themes such as violence, mental health and sexual abuse. Chbosky delicately handles the internal struggle of Charlie and his worries about home life, his friends and school. Logan Lerman embodies the character perfectly. The rest of the strong cast deliver equally charming and impressive performances.
Premium Rush
By Saul Masters
The cycling subculture of fixed gear bikes and bike messengers has exploded in recent years with hundreds of cities around the world participating in alleycat races. So it was no wonder this new popular form of transport was going to catch the eye of Hollywood. Premium Rush tells the story of Wilee, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, fashioning a post 50/50 buzz cut, a New York bike messenger who happens to pick up an incredibly dangerous package that attracts the attention of Michael Shannon’s dirty cop, Bobby Monday. David Keopp, a man responsible for the scripts of such films as Jurassic Park and Panic Room, is behind the camera as well as having writing credit. Keopp’s direction is smart, with some shots breaking away into GPS like navigation, adding something to what could have been a flat and 2D film. Instead of simply telling a story from start to finish, Keopp breaks up the story by starting at the finish and working backwards. Much like Wilee’s bike, the pace of the film never slows down even in the less action-filled sections. Michael Shannon lets down the cast with his over cartoonish police detective, yet Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on typical brilliant form, dedicating himself to his role by doing all his own stunts. It’s also admirable for an actor of his calibre, having starred in The Dark Knight Rises and Looper this year alone, that he is still committed to smaller films.
All the films and telly you could wish for P
ASSING time at university, in the space between the aching head and the subsequent evening’s event, is quite often difficult, writes Mike Samuel. Netflix is a great solution for this. For just £6, you can stream as much content as you like and there is quite a selection of films and television to choose from. Whether it’s a crammed episode of Modern Family between lectures, or a film night in the common room, Netflix has something for any occasion. This is my choice of TV and films for you to check out. FILM: King of Kong is a fascinating and involving documentary that reveals the dark side to competitive gaming, particularly arcade classic Donkey Kong. TV: Arrested Development is a wonderful and subversive comedy surround the dysfunctional Bluth family. TV: Breaking Bad is a compelling, funny and refreshing drama series that chronicles the rise and fall of a chemistry teacher turned drug dealer Walt White, following the news that he has terminal cancer. FILM: The Skin That I Live In tells a haunting tale of obsession as a plastic surgeon wrestles with his troubled past whilst creating the perfect skin. A wonderfully absurd and truly addictive and thrilling venture from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. TV: Firefly is Joss Whedon’s (The Avengers) televisual take on the sci-if-western, starring Nathan Fillion as Mal, the leader of a renegade crew on board the Serenity spaceship. Firefly is the perfect combination of action and comedy, and plays upon the brilliance of its cast.
The cast of Arrested Development.
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FOR GAMERS, BY A GAMER - OLI JONES
games
Max Payne 3: My Verdict
R
OCKSTAR Games has recently released Max Payne 3 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 and it lives up to all expectations, writes Harry Morrison. This is the first game ever to be developed entirely by Rockstar and this goes a long way to explaining why Max Payne 3 is so exceptional. The game offers breathtaking visuals and the best AI system I have experienced in a game. Rockstar did not forget about Max Payne’s unique features, such as the bullet time system where time can be slowed down to allow for precision shooting and the superbly entertaining shoot dodge system, which has Max throwing himself across the room in slow motion while shooting his enemies who are foolish enough to get in his way. One slight problem with the shoot dodge system is that it has a tendency to sometimes be ineffective and then frustrating as a small, seemingly easily moveable object will sometimes become as strong as a concrete wall and will have Max prematurely exiting
PREVIEW: Football Manager 2013 ONCE again you’re being put back in the managers hot seat as the latest installment of the award winning football manager is released, writes John Enright.
the dive motion and spin off into a corner of a room. Although this happens very rarely, when it does happen it is extremely frustrating and could anger the short tempered gamer. The story is based around Max’s life protecting rich and powerful men in the city of Sao Paulo, but it doesn’t go as
smoothly as he would have wanted and for more than 15 hours of game play you will be fighting your way out of trouble in some of the best action packed shooting levels that have ever been designed. The gritty and dark story of Max Payne 3 will have the player completely immersed and will have them begging Rockstar for
With the potential to cause more divorces than ever before, Sports Interactive have once again created a game that allows you to be completely immersed in the management experience.
Forthcoming games releases 19 OCTOBER : Skylanders Giants (Wii/360/PS3/3DS) 007 Legends (360/PS3/PC) Dance Central 3 (Kinect) Doom 3 BFG Edition (360/PS3/PC) Sherlock Holmes And The Mystery Of The Frozen City (3DS) Chivalry: Medieval Warfare (PC) Rocksmith (PC) 26 OCTOBER : Medal Of Honor:
Warfighter (360/PS3/PC) Forza Horizon (360) Professor Layton And The Miracle Mask (3DS) Moshi Monsters: Moshlings Theme Park (DS) Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz (PSV) Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition (360/ PS3) FIFA Manager 13 (PC)
Rollercoaster Tycoon 3D (3DS) Smart As… (PSV) Street Fighter X Tekken (PSV) Under Defeat HD Deluxe Edition (360/ PS3) Killzone Trilogy (PS3) – GAME exclusive Merlin (DS) Hotel Transylvania (DS) Just Dance: Disney Party (Wii/360) Everyone Sing (Wii/360/PS3)
Do you want to put a game in the spotlight? Email waterfrontgames@swansea-union.co.uk
TO describe Borderlands 2 in two words I would have to use gratuitously ridiculous, writes Mathew Jones. The over-the-top enemies and weapons, alongside the bizarre humour, make a great game that will keep you playing for hours on end. Similar to the first iteration, Borderlands 2 is a game of fastpaced run and gun combat that flows effortlessly from walking along serenely enjoying the cell-shaded environments, to full-scale fighting against the menagerie of enemies from Midget Shot gunners to massive robotic machines of death. This game is lacking, however, in that it is designed for a between two and four player co-op rather than a single player experience, with the best equipment only being given out when there are more players. This being said, you can play alone
REVIEW: Borderlands 2
The new classic mode makes it far easier for newcomers to learn the game, as many duties like training have been made far simpler. There is also a new challenge mode within the classic mode allowing you to test your skills over a much shorter time period. Significant improvements have been made to the 3D match engine, making the matches far more realistic. Training has been revamped giving you greater control to drag players back into training the day after a drubbing by your local rivals, or giving them a day off after a big win. The restructure of the manager roles with the addition of the role of director of football allows you to reduce your workload and with a greater specialisation of coaching roles means you will get better advice.
yet it does feel as if you are missing out on what the game is really attempting to give you. All in all, this is a definite recommendation, and if you don’t have it already I
suggest you pick it up, especially if you have a few friends to share the joy with you. Oh, and watch out for the Midget Psychos.
So whether you’re a seasoned pro or complete novice, FM 2013 will have you completely hooked from the moment it’s installed, even if it is through steam.
relationships
Agony Uncle Dear Kontroversial Queen, Me and my girlfriend have been together since freshers in our first year and we both graduate this year. We understand the label “university relationship” but we want it to work after we graduate even though we both want our careers. We’re both a bit confused as to what to do? Derek You huni, are too cute for words! But I’m glad you are being realistic because yes ultimately a relationship is nice during uni, if that is what you want, but you are here to build a career. It’s all about compromise, what are you both prepared to sacrifice? Can you both deal with long distance? Do you trust each other? Firstly graduation is a year away and you never know, touch wood, it could all bugger up next month and this problem solves itself. But on the chance it doesn’t, you need to get planning now. Where do you both wanna go? Where’s the work? Start making a list of places you wouldn’t mind being next year; London, Cardiff, Manchester etc. You can both build careers in most major towns and do any post graduate courses there. Once you’re settled on somewhere you can then plan the rest and start making applications and building the career whilst maintaining a relationship. One of you may end being further away from your families but you are adults now! Grow up and realise that you are now responsible for your own lives. Nowhere in the UK is too far to get to, you can jump on any old train and be anywhere in a couple of hours and see family/friends etc. But if you end up in that post graduate course you want or that dream starter job, guess what you won’t have the time to flit about seeing friends and family too much because in the words of Rupaul, “You gotta work!”
Agony Aunt
Blind Date When Jess met Jon
Jess Dunn, a 20-year-old civil engineering, and Jon , a 19-year-old zoology student, meet for the Waterfront blind date.
Jess on Jon
What were your first impressions? They were good. Good looking and very friendly and chatty. What do you think of the choice of venue? JC’s was appropriate, did get very busy towards the end which was a bit distracting, however very good for people watching. Any striking conversation points? He had done a lot of amazing stuff: sailing and volunteering which was interesting to hear. Any awkward moments or silences? One or two, but that’s to be expected isn’t it, and they didnt last long. If you were to be married and have babies, what would you want your baby to inherit? Bit deep for a blind date, but if I had to have something it would be the sense of adventure and the love of being outdoors. Out of ten, what be your compatibility score with the other person? Maybe a 5. He was really nice to talk to, but I don’t think we actually had that much in common. Would you introduce him to your parents? If we were together he would be great to introduce to parents, think he would make a lot of effort and always be polite, respectful but could be quite charasmatic too. Generally how did you think the date went? Think the date went well, overall it wasn’t uncomfortable, he’s a very friendly, chatty person which really helped to relax the situation. Would you like to meet again? I don’t think I would, well not in that situation anyway. If I saw him I would happily say hello and chat, but I don’t think there’s any romantic future there.
Jon on Jess Dear Aunt Catrin, The girl I’m interested in is very awkward socially. How do I tell if she’s just being awkward or if she’s not interested, without making a tit of myself? Are there any options that don’t involve putting my feelings out there and hoping not to be crushed in the tactless blunt manner only the socially inept can manage? Love and hugs, Mr Not-As-Stereotypically-Geekish-As-She-Is. Ah, Mr NASGASI. I feel your pain, I share your dilemma. Many times I have pondered along a similar line, unsure if my feelings of desperation and mild lust are shared with the other person. They’re usually not. I’m an acquired taste, much like Marmite, olives or skinny jeans. However, you may be more fortunate, so let me shine my light of wisdom onto your question. Ask yourself: what is she like with other members of the opposite sex? You may need to observe her intently for a while – I hear that pre-owned binoculars are really quite reasonably priced on eBay these days… Kidding! Please don’t start stalking her. It’ll get you noticed, sure, but more in a ‘your face on the front page of the local paper as you enter the Magistrates’ Court’ kind of way. Of course, there’s always the method favoured during my teenage years: just ask someone close to her to find out. Make sure they know the definition of subtlety, though. There’s nothing more awkward otherwise. On a serious note, I assume you are a grown man now. You know what this means? You take responsibility for yourself and you find out. Yes, it will not be fun, but you will have clarity. Life isn’t all rainbows, baskets of fuzzy kittens and free buffets, you know, sometimes you have to take the bad to appreciate the good much better. So go on, go and do it. Talk to her! The worst that’ll happen is that you have your self-confidence crushed, and the best is that you might get a brief spell of happiness before you tire of her awkward ways and throw her away like yesterday’s jam.
What were your first impressions? She was friendly and very easy to talk to. What do you think of the choice of venue? Expensive, JC’s needs to reduce the price of a pint! Any striking conversation points? She has lived in South Africa, I’m quite jealous of that! Any awkward moments or silences? Not really, she was easy to talk to so there weren’t any obvious silent moments. If you were to be married and have babies, what would you want your baby to inherit? Not a lot! Hair colour at most. Out of ten, what is your compatibility score with the other person? 3 - 5, difficult to say after meeting once! We had some things in common, like an interest in rugby, but differences as well such as our courses. Would you introduce her to your parents? I try to keep my parents away from people I know at uni, I’d prefer them not to know much about what happens in Swansea. Generally how did you think the date went? Better than anticipated. It was far less awkward than I had imagined. Would you like to meet again? I have nothing against meeting again, it’s nice to meet lots of people at uni instead of the same few everyday. •If you are interested in featuring in the blind date, email your name, age, course and level to waterfrontfeatures@swansea-union.co.uk.
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games 22
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music 20
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careers 25
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games 22
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15 October 2012 waterfrontonline.co.uk
travel
Postcards from China
Swansea students making friends with other international students outside the St Sophia Orthodox Church.
I
T is early morning and already I can hear a multitude of sounds; the squabble of street hagglers, the shouts of construction workers and the roar of the traffic. It dawned on me at that moment that I really was in China. This summer I bucked the student trend of returning home and getting a job, and instead signed up to one of the summer programmes the university has to offer. Swansea has set up a special partnership with Heilongjiang University in Harbin, which allows students to spend a month immersing themselves in Chinese society, language and culture. Many of you will never have heard of Harbin before, or even be able to locate it on a map. Harbin is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province, situated in the Dōngběi region of China, also known in English as Manchuria.
“For those with stronger stomachs than mine, visitors can buy poultry or animals to feed to the tigers” Located north of Beijing it is an urban metropolis that is hidden away from the regular tourist spots in Hong Kong, Xi’an and Beijing. This provides tourists with a real and authentic taste of China, only
Swansea students in their Mandarin class at Heilongjiang University.
a short, one hour flight from Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul. Travellers are not just confined to the city. Mongolia can also be reached by train for a mere 110 Yuan (£11) one-way fare. The journey itself is not an arduous one; whether you are a well-experienced traveller, or a newcomer to the Orient. In the space of just over 12 hours you can be transported away from the dreary atmosphere that is London Heathrow’s Terminal 4, and find yourself looking out onto Shanghai. A two hour flight later and you have arrived in Harbin. All airlines from London to China assist in your comfort, providing seat-back personal TVs, and free food and drinks (including alcohol). Students, backpackers and ‘no-hassle travellers’ alike can find plenty of activities in the city. For history buffs, there are several museums close to the city. They tell of China’s colonial past, in addition to Manchuria’s rich culture. For a more exhilarating experience, the Harbin Siberian Tiger Park is worth a visit. It is the largest natural park in the world for wild Siberian tigers, which have become an endangered species. It is a fascinating place for both nature lovers and those seeking out excitement. For those with stronger stomachs than mine, visitors can buy live poultry or
Harbin is renowned in Asia for its beer. Harbin Beer can be bought cheaply from many of the city’s open-air food courts.
In winter, the Harbin Snow and Ice Festival is internationally renowned.
animals to feed them, including ducks, chickens, and even cows. You can then watch the tigers preying upon them. Signs of Russian influence can be seen in the architecture of the city, most notably with the Russian orthodox-style churches. It is common in Harbin for newly-married couples to have pictures taken outside these churches, which makes for a fascinating photo opportunity for tourists.
“The average restaurant bill is anywhere between £1 and £3” Harbin can also be the ultimate paradise for students. Pitchers of beer (pijiu) frequently sell in Harbin’s outdoor food stalls for as little as 50p. The average restaurant bill is anywhere between £1 and £3, which can make for a much cheaper experience than backpacking around Europe. Zhongyang Dajie, also known as Central Street, provides for another shoppers’ haven with cut prices in many Western chains such as Zara, Levi’s, Calvin Klein and Walmart. China is in the midst of arguably humanity’s most unprecedented social and economic transformation. The Middle Kingdom’s importance in global affairs is growing. There has not been a
Harbin’s Jilesi Buddhist temple. The Jilesi complex is one of the largest Buddhist complexes in Northern China.
more compelling time to visit China than now. Swansea’s summer programme to Harbin allows for you to have 20 hours of intensive Mandarin lessons a week at Heilongjiang University. In an ever more globalizing world this could increase your career prospects, as well as bulk up your CV. The programme is heavily subsidized for students. For approximately £600 you could be spending your summer in one of the most fascinating countries on the planet. The accommodation in Harbin is acceptable to Western standards and will not disappoint. Students are provided with their own bathroom and the room includes a television and personal desk. Chinese people are among the most accommodating people in the world, ensuring that your experience is comfortable as well as memorable. Fascination with all things British ensures that you are treated as a minor celebrity during your stay in China. It is a common occurrence for the locals to ask to have their photograph taken with you. Known for its delicious cuisine, rich culture and accommodating nature, there aren’t many other adventures that can top spending the summer in China.
By Joshua Taylor
Swansea students enjoying one of the activities held at Heilongjiang University. It is common in China to create poses for photographs.
26
E nhance y our student experience
societies
Social Kicks Off The Year A
successful social at Oceana has kicked off the year in style in the ilovesocieities takeover of the superclub in Swansea, writes Jon May.
Biosciences Careers Day
The Swansea University BioScience Society presents a careers day to showcase some of the best employers and graduate jobs for students interested in a career in the biosciences 17th October | Dining Room A | All day bioscience@swansea-union.co.uk
Over 20 societies turned out in a huge collaboration that saw £750 profit being poured back into each society. After initial disappointment over signups at Freshers’ Fayre, the online memberships increased the total number by 50% to almost 10,000 memberships.
Physics society social
The Engineering Society started off with pub golf before the event, hitting a few of the local bars before finishing in the societies takeover. Rosie Hunnam, Societies and Student Development Co-Ordinator, created packs for each society, containing party game ideas which left some societies questioning how old they really were.
An American choice for the international theme
DJ Danny Howard from BBC Radio One played throughout the night. He is best known for his mix of electronic dance and hip-hop on his Saturday 4-7pm show.
were joined by President Tom Upton and education officer Zahid Raja, filling up the VIP section in the Disco balcony. You can still get involved with societies by joining online and you can browse the lists of societies to see what takes your fancy. From subject based to faith and performing arts, there’s a society for you to get involved with. Head on over to www.swanseaunion.co.uk/activites for the latest list of societies and you can now buy your memberships online.
Students enjoying the Disco Room
It might not sound like an interesting night, but the Physics Society are really a barrel of laughs. With customised cocktails and future stargazing socials, this isn’t one to miss out on for those who are into all things stringy. physics@swansea-union.co.uk
gLEE rEHEARSAL
The Glee Society are rehearsing every Thursday 5pm - 7.30pm where they will practice songs and pieces for the big Christmas show as part of the Performing Arts collaboration Thursdays | Divas | 5pm - 7.30pm glee@swansea-union.co.uk
Bone marrow stall
In JC’s Coffee Side there will be a stall for students to sign up to become bone marrow volunteers. The British Bone Marrow Registry are looking for blood donors who would be happy to donate to help the 70% of people whose families are not a match. annie.cottam@swansea-union.co.uk
History society pub quiz
The full-time officers also got involved with welfare officer Charlotte Britton joining the Choral Society and the Women’s officer Becki Warrillow joining the Xtreme Radio social. The European language societies (German, French, Italian, Scandinavian,
Society Socials and Events
Hispanic) and the Hong Kong Society
Josh Hayman and Rosie Hunnam at Oceana
Members of the Dance Society
The pub quiz is always a popular social for the History Society. Previously, lecturers and students have been pitted against one another to see who really knows more. 15th Oct | JC’s Coffee Side | 7pm history@swansea-union.co.uk
Want to know more about societies? Check out www.swansea-union.co.uk/activities
society SPOTLIGHT - SIFE & Enactus The Students In Free Enterprise, S.I.F.E. Society (soon to be rebranded as Enactus) is all about helping with community projects, using their business knowledge. A project showcase will be held in JC’s Coffee Side for students to find out all about the society and how they can get involved. At the S.I.F.E. World Cup in Washington D.C. last week, the organisation present in 39 countries revealed their name branding under the name of Enactus, which is all about the ENTrepreneurship, ACTion and US being the the members themselves. This year, the team plan to get to the national
competition against the other 51 UK universities held in Canary Wharf, London. Last year, the society were sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Centrica (who own British Gas among others) and won the ‘Annual Report Award’ from Bernard Hodes Group, a legal firm. Projects last year included teaching the elderly how to use computers, helping a primary school raise enough money to refurbish the toilets and helping a local mushroom grower link up with the school and restaurants in the community. Tues 16th Oct | 6pm | JC’s Coffee Side E-mail: sife@swansea-union.co.uk
SPORT I 28
waterfrontonline.co.uk Lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse club united together Focus is now fully on the current season to remember former captain by Finlay Boland waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
AFTER an outstanding season for women’s lacrosse last year, the team aren’t looking to be nostalgic and are fully focused on the season. With the league and cup titles to their names, Swansea women’s lacrosse are hoping to cement themselves as one of the feared lacrosse teams throughout the BUCS competitions. Varsity saw another defeat for the women’s team but they will be boosted by what was their
best Varsity display in their history, losing by just 7 in a 14-7 game. Women’s new captain Jocelyn Robinson and vice-captain Charlotte Guest both see Varsity being a big focus for this season, along with the aim of taking the bragging rights from Cardiff having been recently promoted to the same division. With many of the team this year being experienced lacrosse players, which previous years have not seen, the team hope to solidify their position and continue to put Swansea University’s women’s lacrosse team on the map.
LINKED IN PINK: The lacrosse club (above) coming together to raise money for charity at Lava Lounge, Swansea by Craig Hadley waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
SWANSEA University’s lacrosse club came together for charity as a mark of remembrance for former player Emily Jordan. The annual event took place at Lava Lounge in Swansea to
raise money for the Emily Jordan Foundation charity. The charity was founded following the passing of Miss Jordan while she was river boarding in New Zealand four years ago. The event was marked by the wearing of pink with many players coming together in support. Emily Jordan was a founding
member of the Swansea University women’s lacrosse team which started in her second year. She went on to captain the side in her third and final year. Miss Jordan graduated with a first class honours degree in Law. •To find out more about the charity go to: www. theemilyjordanfoundation.org.uk
Photo by: Jon Collier
SO CLOSE: Women’s lacrosse team after last year’s Varsity match
Rugby Union
Waterfront Sport
Photo by: Paul Schillaci
Seconds beaten in tense finale at Dunvant SWANSEA 2nd 10-16 GLOUCS 1st SWANSEA IN DISGUISE: Swansea were without kit and wore Dunvant’s kit in order to play their match against UWE at Dunvant in the season opener by Max Stevens waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
SWANSEA University’s men’s rugby union 2nds lost to University of the West of England’s 1sts after not “getting the basics right” according to their coach Oscar Savage. A tense finish saw Swansea pipped by UWE but with promising signs Savage will look to the next game to avenge this defeat.
Savage thought “the referee was a little bit whistle happy” and many decisions appeared to be given to the away side, but praised the performance of hooker Sean Byrne who was new to the side. A penalty try was awarded to UWE in the eighth minute which was converted and set the tone for what was to be further on in the game. Swansea were able to pull three points back when Jack Shields scored a penalty but UWE scored their own penalty soon after.
Tom Eddolls was then sin binned on the half hour mark for offside which was the final moment of note in the opening half. The second half continued in the same vein with Swansea repeatedly penalised in the breakdown, leading to two further penalties scored by UWE putting them ahead 13-3. The basic aspects of their game let them down; such as failing to complete easy passes, things that infuriated Savage who called the errors “stuff we should be doing”.
In the 79th minute, with UWE now reduced to 13 men after two sin binnings before a strong maul by Swansea from the line out lead to a George Bramley try. The kick was then converted by Shields taking the score to 16-10, to set up a tense finish. In the last minute UWE were reduced in number further when they had a player sent off for throwing a punch. Swansea couldn’t capitalise and UWE ended the game at 16-10.
Stories you may have missed: 11/12 by David Beale waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
IN a successful season in a variety of sports for Swansea University last time out, here are some highlights you may have missed. Medals galore for Swansea Jitsu club SWANSEA University’s Jitsu club were triumphant at the Randori Nationals in Walsall last year, winning 8 medals overall, consisting of an impressive four golds, two silvers and two bronze. The competition, held in Walsall, took place over two days. In this time the teams compete over three categories; throwing, ground work and open competition. Swansea swim to success EMMA Smithurst was the standout performer in a fine team effort for Swansea University at last year’s short course swimming competition held in Sheffield. The sports science student won four medals in total, breaking two BUCS records in the process, as the the team finished 3rd out of 44 teams, behind only BUCS giants Loughborough and Bath respectively.
American Football
Nick Keyse brought in hoping to find the way to success for Swansea by Simon George waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
SWANSEA University’s American football club face a major reshuffle following the departures of their club captain and several other key players. As well as these player losses, the off-season saw a re-structuring of the coaching set-up. Dean Jackson became the newest member of Swansea’s offensive coaching staff with Nick Keyse taking over as head coach. The Swansea Titans will look to go from strength to strength after maintaining the services of the previous coaches from last year. The team however suffered major losses on the playing side, with club captain Christopher Jones, Jamie Maunder and Dave Gatehouse among those leaving. Regardless of this the team hopes that incoming talent can replace, and exceed the achievements of these former players. Despite the departures both club captain Stephen Donaldson-Ellison and president Francis Pankhurst are confident prior to the season.
Novice rowers make history with first ever win in Welsh Varsity boat race DESPITE being the underdogs, the men’s novice team recorded Swansea’s first ever boat race win at last year’s Varsity. The race started as everyone had anticipated, with Cardiff leading the first half of the contest. However, when they ran wide, Swansea took full advantage of their inside line to seize a memorable win. Photo by: Oliver Crook
READY TO GO: Swansea are prepared for the new season following several new faces in their backroom staff Donaldson-Ellison hopes for a strong defensive display this year to mirror the good work in attack from long standing quarterback Chris Aldred. Pankhurst matches the positivity of his club captain, with play off dreams in sight for the president.
He said: “This season we are looking to make a real impression in the SWAC. “We are planning to make a concerted effort in our push for a play-off berth, for the first time in Titans history.” The competitive South West
Atlantic Conference league opens with back to back away games, with Swansea travelling to Gloucester and UWE. With the season approaching the Swansea Titans will feel that a winning season is well within their grasp.
WRU agrees deal to ensure Varsity’s future at the Millenium Stadium THE future of the Welsh Varsity rugby final has been assured by a new deal signed by the WRU (Welsh Rugby Union). This ensures the final will be played at the national stadium until 2014. Notable past students that have competed in this fixture include Welsh internationals Alun Wyn Jones and Jamie Roberts.
SPORT I 30
waterfrontonline.co.uk Sport Swansea
Our guide on how to watch your university teams in action B
WITH an incredible selection of sports on offer at Swansea University, why not get involved and support your university on a Wednesday afternoon? For those who are new to Swansea or have never watched a university game this guide is for you. For information on who is playing where check out our facebook page on the day of the games.
A
To get to Sketty Lane: >Head past the Haldane Building towards Singleton Hospital. >Once you’ve walked past the hospital you will then need to go over the two crossings.
E
C
E D
D
>You should then be able to see a Swansea University sign labelled ‘Sports Village’, noted on the map by the star symbol. Key: A - Pavilion Fencing B - Sports Centre Netball, Badminton, Squash, Basketball C - Sketty Playing Field Football, Rugby Union D - Ashleigh Road Intramural Football E - Astro Hockey
Rugby League
Football
Season opener sees firsts take on seconds
Swansea’s fitness levels cost them at Hendy
by Alex Powell waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
SWANSEA 1st 8-30 GLAMORGAN 1st SWANSEA’S BRIGHT SPARK: Matt Thomas (centre) produced some thrilling bursts to give Swansea some relief from constant Glamorgan pressure by Craig Hadley waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
RUGBY league captain Martin Jones bemoaned lack of conditioning following 30-8 defeat to Glamorgan at Hendy . The Swansea team were on the back foot for large periods of the game and that told as they were slowly worn down over the course of 80 minutes. Jones said: “I’m proud of the boys, they manned up in defence against some big lads. In an 80 minute
game, defending is a lot harder than attacking, we didn’t have much of the ball and a lot of that comes through fitness. “I’ve got some contacts, conditioning coaches; the lads will be ready for it in a couple of weeks for the next match. “I’m gutted with the final result but we can learn from this and I’m pretty sure we will come back in two weeks and put one over on Aberystwyth.” Glamorgan started well, controlling the ball in the Swansea half early on. Swansea however were the ones to break the deadlock. Having
successfully defended their ground, they broke down the left thanks to the speed of Matt Thomas who ran the length of the field. The ball was then offloaded to the right with James Smith touching down for the opener. The kick was missed by Alex Lee. Glamorgan came back at Swansea forcing them back to their own try line. Mike Connor forcing over to tie it, with Owen Davies scoring the conversion to make it 6-4. The away team took advantage of a Swansea offside and Glamorgan’s Jacob Bean crossing the try line.
Swansea looked noticeably nervous following the second Glamorgan try, with many misplaced passes. Before the break Chris Legshon went over for Glamorgan following a strong run with Davies scoring from the boot again to make it 16-4 at the end of the half. Swansea started the second half well with another fine run from Thomas, that laid the ball off to Tom Grigson to score. The following kick missed. Two more unconverted tries and one converted one followed for Glamorgan before the final whistle.
Hockey
Thorburn is confident going into the new hockey season
THE university’s women’s football teams will aim to start off their season with a bang as the first and second teams play each other in their opening match of the 2012/13 season. Firsts Captain Ria Llewellyn and Seconds Captain Sophie Titcombe are looking forward to the new season finally getting underway. “We’ve had a lot of promising talent come through this year so we’re feeling confident about the season ahead,” said Llewellyn. “We’ve got some tough decisions about who is in what team, but we’re very excited about what is to come.”
1STS CAPTAIN: Ria Llewellyn (right) Club captain Colette Bailey was also cautious when asked about upcoming selections with the influx of quality players to add to the established names. She added: “The new season is looking very promising with a lot of new and old talent and both teams competing in the same league for another year.” “There are so many good freshers this year; the team cannot be set in stone.”
CLUB CAPTAIN: Collette Bailey (left)
NO TIME FOR SLIPS: Swansea 1sts, 2nds (left) and 3rds (right) will be looking to avoid careless mistakes as they look to build on last season by Tom Nightingale waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
SWANSEA’S men’s hockey club are looking to build on a successful season last time out with clear objectives for the year. First team captain Rory Thorburn
has targeted promotion in BUCS having finished fourth last season, as well as aiming to win the Welsh Shield after losing in last year’s final. The season also saw the 2nds secure the BUCS Western 4B title, with the 3rds team pushing them all the way in the same division. However, the club’s good form
was not enough to prevent the first team slipping to a 4-1 defeat at Varsity in May, adding to defeats in the previous two years. Despite the Varsity disappointment, Thorburn is in confident mood ahead of the new season. “We had some ups and downs
last season,” he said. “I have been very lucky as captain to be left with such a strong group of seniors and am very excited to welcome along new freshers and see what we have to work with. “I’m confident that with the strength of team we’re looking to assemble, we can achieve more.”
The women’s 1sts had a strong season last year, coming third in the BUCS Western Conference 2B last season which came on the back of consistent high placed finishes in the same division over previous years. The 2nds teams had a tough season following promotion but managed to survive the drop and will look to build going into the new season. Both the 1sts and 2nds managed to also reach the quarter-finals of the BUCS Western Conference Cup last year. The 2nds will be raring to go for their cup tie with Cardiff on November 14, in which they will look to avenge their disappointment at Varsity back in May.
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Issue 218
waterfrontonline.co.uk All of our articles throughout the year can be found on our website, it’s updated regularly so check it out today !
15 October 2012
SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FOR SPORT SWANSEA
Inside This Issue Rugby Union
Errors cost Swansea in tight season opener
p29 Rugby League
Swansea beaten by travelling Glamorgan
CAPTAIN OF THE STEADY SWANSEA SHIP: Imogen Stanley (centre), Students Union’s Sports Officer, at promotional photoshoot with fellow staff by Craig Hadley & Tom Nightingale waterfrontsport@swansea-union.co.uk
IMOGEN Stanley, sports officer, has declared the Sport Swansea transition from the Athletic Union a success following numbers shooting up to last year’s membership levels. In the 2011/12 season it was estimated that 3,000 students signed up as members of the Athletic Union, and according to recent figures, Stanley believes they are on track to match that this year. “Membership has gone very well this year, almost at our target for the
whole year and we are hoping to hit this over the next couple of weeks,” said Stanley. “Lots of people signed up after Freshers’ Fayre to the clubs, and it is very similar to the Athletic Union in previous years, we won’t know exactly till the end of the year but we are on track.” With everything happening so fast for the new sports officer within the Students’ Union, Stanley was quick to praise her administration team for their help during this time. Stanley said: “Everything seems to be working well. “Sadie Thwaites is incredibly efficient
Latest Results Week 1 - October 10 Rugby League
Week 2 - October 17 Rowing
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SWANSEA 3rd p-p CARDIFF 3rd Rugby Union
CARDIFF MET 3rd 10-17 SWANSEA 4th Get the results quicker on our twitter.
“As well as discounts at the LC2, insurance, specific club benefits, discount for Varsity, as well as a £1 discount for Wednesday’s club night.” Over the summer Stanley has worked with the university to promote Sport Swansea throughout the university with promotional banners on display. She added: “The university branding of Sport Swansea, such as the banners all round campus has increased interest from students. “You can still collect your Sport Swansea cards from Fulton House steps every Wednesday between 9am and 2pm.”
Upcoming Fixtures for Weeks 2 & 3 - October 17 & 24
SWANSEA 1st 8-30 GLAMORGAN 1st SWANSEA v CARDIFF SWANSEA 2nd 10-16 GLOUCS 1st
and is making sure everything runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis so that I can deal with ironing out any problems that arise. “I think there is still slight confusion but that is to be expected with any new system but the captains and committee are patient and taking to the new system very well.” Membership has been priced at £15 and Stanley assures students there are many benefits to purchasing the card. She said: “You can have loads of extra benefits this year, for example a free T-shirt for the first 2,000 members who joined.
SWANSEA v CARDIFF SWANSEA v CARDIFF Taekwondo
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
Men’s Badminton
Week 3 - October 24 Men’s Fencing
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
Women’s Badminton Netball Netball
Women’s Fencing Women’s Fencing Men’s Fencing
Women’s Fencing
SWANSEA v CARDIFF Women’s Fencing
SWANSEA v CARDIFF Golf
SWANSEA v CARDIFF Netball
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
For the full list of fixtures for the upcoming weeks, you can go to our facebook page, see top of the page for details.
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