FREE
APRIL 2017
ISSUE 271
FEATURES // CULTURE // RELATIONSHIPS // TECH // CREATIVE WRITING // FASHION // FILM
GWNEWCH EICH MARC MAKE YOUR MARK
OFFICER INTERVIEWS With your new FTOs & PTOs.
TOKE MAKINWA Speaks to Aisha Nnaji.
NEWTON FAULKNER Speaks to Harry Ballmann.
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*Price is based on a student living on campus, insuring a phone and a laptop (or tablet) up to the value of £500 each. Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited acts as a Credit Broker exclusively on behalf of Premium Credit Limited (PCL), who arrange finance for monthly payments. **If your item is lost, stolen or unrepairable we’ll replace it within one working day of your claim being approved. Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This can be checked on the Financial Services Register by visiting their website at https://register.fca.org.uk Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited. Company No. 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE
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MARCH 2017
from the editor Declan Murphy
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
day a year we’re not Chelsea fans, Liverpool fans, Saracens or even Scarlets... We’re fans and believers of Swansea University.
Deadline season is here once again. If you’re anything like me you’re in-between procrastinating and going onto Blackboard to look at the work you should be doing. I’d like to say I’ve cleared my head of distractions but if I’m completely honest, there’s a bit of a special occasion coming up that’s getting me giddy... It’s that month. It’s Varsity. You ask any Swansea student what their highlight of the year is and I guarantee most will say Varsity. To many it is a second Christmas, a day long sesh. To others, a yearly Olympics. But to everyone involved, it’s a show of love for Swansea and to some, a show of deceit for our enemy. There is truly nothing like it. From the casual breakfast tinnie, to the roar of Swansea and Cardiff students fighting for vocal superiority in the Principality. Everything about the day is something unique. The one day a year where regardless of being English, Welsh or anything else, we put aside our differences and back the Green and White Army. The one
Well, I say Liverpool fans, one thing we do share is the inevitable “This year is our year”. But remember, “he who wins the Men’s Rugby wins the war”. We’re two and a half months out from the end of term and as such we’re still looking to add to our team! If you’re a novice or expert with a pen or laptop, drop us a line, we have a place for you. Not to mention working with Swansea Student Media now counts towards Gold Volunteering with the Union, which is always a nice little bonus. Contact myself, Iain or Hilary by popping down to the Student Media office in the Digital Technium or contact with the emails on the contact page! As always, have a good month and try to not munch on too many Easter eggs.
Editor Declan Murphy waterfronteditor@swanseastudentmedia.com
Features Hilary Webb waterfrontfeatures@swanseastudentmedia.com
Deputy editor Hilary Webb waterfrontdeputy@swanseastudentmedia.com
Film Rachel Sanders waterfrontfilm@swanseastudentmedia.com
Designer Hazel Stabler waterfrontdesign@swanseastudentmedia.com
Food Heather Wood & Nathan Lloyd waterfrontfood@swanseastudentmedia.com
News Waterfront Team waterfrontnews@swanseastudentmedia.com
Music Harry Ballmann waterfrontmusic@swanseastudentmedia.com
Sport Waterfront Team waterfrontsport@swanseastudentmedia.com
Relationships Shannon Jones & Faye Vlietstra waterfrontrelationships@swanseastudentmedia.com
Creative writing Zoe Stabler waterfrontcreativewriting@swanseastudentmedia.com
Societies Zoe Stabler waterfrontsocieties@swanseastudentmedia.com
Culture Sarah Harris waterfrontculture@swanseastudentmedia.com
Tech Declan Murphy waterfronttech@swanseastudentmedia.com
Fashion Ellie Thompson waterfrontfashion@swanseastudentmedia.com
Student Media Coordinator Iain Fisher iain.fisher@swansea-union.co.uk
waterfront is a free print and online publication from swansea student media and the students’ union.
elections
07
cymraeg
13
features
14
food
20
culture
22
relationships
24
creative writing
26
fashion
28
music
32
film
35
sport
39
tech
41
FTO interviews // PTO interviews
Tomas Watson interview
surviving at uni // The art of communication // TEFL course
brewstone // the swigg
toke makinwa
agony aunts // blind dates
monday evening // finding a friend
step into spring // idris elba
bonobo live review // newton faulkner interview
la la land // what makes a good twist // binge watch
top indoor sports
zelda
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ISSUE 271
APRIL 2017
ELECTIONS 2017
Elections 2017
Our new President: ‘I couldn’t be happier that there are three women in Full Time positions’ by Hilary Webb
For the first time in Union history our SUSU 2017 Elections fell on St Patrick’s Day, making for an even bigger celebration that normal. On Friday 17th March Fulton House Refectory, on Singleton Campus, was decked out in all
things Union and all things Irish. With live music in between results, hundreds of students, election candidates and their campaign teams showed up for an exciting night. In this year’s elections 3174 voters cast 22,203 votes. Every referendum on the ballot passed, five Full Time Officers and eleven Part Time Officers were elected. Swansea Student Media, that’s
Waterfront, Xtreme Radio and SUTV, had extensive coverage on the night, including a live stream panel that is still available to watch on our Facebook page. Keep reading for our interviews with our new FTOs and PTOs. Swansea Student Media congratulate all the elected and wish them the best of luck with the next year.
From L-R: Gwyn Aled (Sports), Chisomo Phiri (President), Emily Rees (Education), Chris Freestone (Societies & Services) and Shona Johnson (Welfare).
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ISSUE 271
Our first black, female SU President
by Declan Muprhy
Swansea students overwhelmingly voted to make Chisomo Phiri their next Students’ Union President. Phiri received 1059 votes, beating out competition from Richard ‘Gandhi’ Shah and Jack Stacey and will take over from current President Lloyd Harris this summer. Upon winning Chizi, as she’s also known, said she was: “Absolutely over the moon right now, I couldn’t tell you how much I’ve wanted this and to win means everything to me”. After being asked what campaign point she would really like to hone in on Phiri replied: “I’ve really pushed on social media my three-pound meal deal but what I really want to
achieve is to sort out Bay Campus,” following on with: “everybody keeps saying Bay Campus is going to be great in ten years time but it needs to be great now for the students that are there now”. Phiri’s manifesto does not disappoint in regards to Bay Campus, as you can see in her 11-point Manifesto: • A £3 meal deal on Singleton campus • Open a student nightclub on Bay campus • Open International food outlets selling world foods including African food, Chinese food as well as a wide and affordable range of Halal and Kosher meats on both bay and Singleton • Create a multi faith facility on Bay campus
• FREE shuttle bus between Bay and Singleton • Provide free to use lockers on Singleton and Bay campus • A bigger gym on Bay campus • More plug sockets, free printing and Apple Mac computers in both Bay and Singleton libraries • More student jobs in the Union • Better promotion of careers, recruitment and networking events for third years and postgrad students. When congratulated on being one of three women in FTO positions, including herself as BME female, Phiri told Xtreme Radio and SUTV ‘do we not know now that it is the twentyfirst century when we have three women in FTO positions?’ before leading a round of applause.
APRIL 2017
ELECTIONS 2017
Super Emily flies into Robiu’s place by Zoe Stabler
Emily Rees, a current fourth year Masters student studying Management, has been voted in as the education officer of Swansea University Students’ Union with 1019 votes. Rees will take over the role from Robiu Salisu who has been in office for two years. When asked what she will take from Robiu’s time into her’s, Rees
Mental Health Awareness PTO elected next Welfare FTO by Hilary Webb
Third year English Literature student Shona Johnson has been elected to be the next Full Time Welfare Officer after her #GiveItTheJohnson campaign. Johnson is the current Mental Health Awareness PTO and ran for Welfare against seven other candidates. After several rounds, putting Johnson and Ewan High ahead of the others, Johnson won with 564 votes. Seconds after an excited reaction on the stage Johnson told Waterfront that she felt
said that she would love to build on the Education Zone and Study Aid further, two of Robiu’s achievements over the last two years. Rees’ first action, she says, will be to get started on exam gaps, working to increase the amount of time that students have between exams as this was one of the things that most people clicked with. Rees also discussed her plans to introduce a part time Placement Officer as one of the lasting changes she would like to make during her time as Education Officer. Rees will start in her role in July 2017. She ran a hard campaign, including videos of her as a campus superhero, which paid off as she won against three others, with Naib Rahman not far behind with 960 votes.
“amazing” and that “I never thought I was going to win”. We then asked Johnson what was next, confidently, she said: ‘I’m going to drink and I’m going to find out what everyone wants to do within the union and I want to find out what everyone wants improved, and I’m going to do it’. Johnson campaigned across both campuses and busked on Singleton Mall. Her main manifesto points include Liberation workshops, improved support for Mental Health services, the difficult task of lighting up Singleton Park and making student rates available earlier on the busses. Asked if she would adopt any of the manifesto points of the other candidates, Johnson, former Waterfront Features Editor, said “there’s a few from my opponents’ manifestos that I’m going to be taking into consideration however, Ulysses Jones, who was running for Societies and Services,
had an idea to give society committees Welfare training – and that’s something I’d be very enthusiastic in taking forward”. Johnson will be taking over from current Welfare Officer Jack Fossey at the end of this academic year.
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ISSUE 271
Landslide win for Gywn Aled as Sports Officer by Emily WIlliams
As of last Friday, our Sports officer position for the next academic year was announced with an astonishing 1082 votes. Next year’s new full time officer, Gwyn Aled, was amazed by this landslide win and eager to celebrate afterwards After the announcement, Aled gave Waterfront some details as to how he was planning to tackle current issues and revealed some new ideas he plans to put forth for the following academic year. Aled has promised to stick to the
The Legacy of Chris lives on! by Heather Wood
In one of the closest elections of the night, Chris Freestone has been elected the new Societies and Services Officer for the next academic year winning with just 14 votes more than runner up Ulysses Jones. Freestone had 655 votes in total. He will take over from Chris Wilson this summer. Freestone is a postgraduate Geography student and has been involved in societies from first year. He has served on the Geology Society
points highlighted in his manifesto such as improving participation among Welsh language students and those of varied backgrounds. He also aims to develop facilities on campus and in the Sports Village by increasing availability of water dispensers and sport supplements. He further aims to follow on from the hard work of the current Sports Officer, Robyn Lock, by continuing her current developments such as match day filming. Waterfront asked Aled how he was planning to tackle issues regarding facilities on Bay Campus, such as lack of equipment in the gym. He expressed wishes to extend the overall sizing of the gym so to make room for more equipment. He also plans to add a “strength and conditioning section” like that introduced to the gym on Singleton Campus. He then further reiterated aims to extend opening times due to recent issues and complaints. Aled further expressed his
committee for three years, through two terms as President and his current role of Postgraduate Representative. When asked what his celebration plans for the evening were, he replied with what was a similar answer among the lucky winners “by drinking a lot”. He is most looking forward to implementing his Students’ Union App. Taken from his manifesto this would improve the ways societies can interact with their prospective and current members. The app would feature: • An events timetable where societies can share events with their members • Special offers available around campus • JCs hot drinks loyalty card • A way to purchase membership and tickets
motivation towards what he refers to as an “interdepartmental sports league”- common at many other universities. He labels this one of his key focuses for the following year as well as his interest to improve overall sports facilities. This will enable college departments in the university to compete against each other. An example of this, Aled went onto explain, would be if the College of Science were to compete against the College of Arts and Humanities in a tournament or league and so on for other departments.
• A way for students to leave feedback for the SU • A way for you to be able to suggest ideas to societies for events. When asked what he would consider to use from his opponent’s manifestos, Freestone informed us that he was excited to explore the storage options for societies as it is a major issue among many.
APRIL 2017
ELECTIONS 2017
2017 Part-time Officers by Shannon Jones & Hazel Stabler
BME Officer Fardowsa Ali
Winning by 74 votes, Fardowsa Ali was elected the new BME Officer. Although the victory came as a shock to Ali, she was ready to take on her new role commenting, “it seems like a challenge, but I’m up for it,” and was eager to put her manifesto to work. Heading into her new role, Ali aims to “be the bridge between the ethnic minority and black students and the students union”, hoping to make sure that “black students and ethnic minorities have a voice,” giving them an opportunity to put forward their own opinions on any suggestions or changes they have in regards to the university.
International Officer Charmaine Yip Charmaine Yip was elected
International Officer, winning by 577 votes. Awarded with best dressed of the evening, Yip commented, “although I have been elected, it is all the societies and members getting in involved in order to achieve success.” Going into her new role, Yip aims to follow up on the work with her predecessor, as well as putting her own manifesto into effect. Looking back on her campaign, Yip offered some advice for anybody running in next year’s elections; “be positive, and determined to get through the elections. It will be exhausting and tiring, but you’ve got to have the gut to get through it.”
Disabilities officer Chloe Morgan With a comfortable win of 746 votes, Chloe Morgan was elected the new Disabilities Officer. While recognising that the new role will be a challenge, Morgan was sure that implementing her manifesto would be achievable, and aimed to “try and achieve everything I’ve set out and promised.” Going into her role, Morgan pinpointed accessibility
around campus as her main focus, stating that “although a lot of it is accessible, there is a lot more to be done.” One problem Morgan was determined to fix was the lack of information of her predecessor. Morgan commented, “I don’t know who the predecessor was, because it’s not on the students’ union website, and that’s another thing I want to address in having a dedicated disability section.” Going forward into her new position, Morgan aims to meet up with her predecessor to build on top of their work.
LGBT+
Joseph Davern
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ISSUE 271
2017 Part-time Officers Joseph Davern was the elected LGBT+ Officer with a total of 92 votes. We caught up with him to ask about his candidacy, and asked what he most looked forward to doing when he entered the role. To answer, he told us that he was most looking forward to holding LGBT based fundraisers. These fundraisers would focus on raising money for LGBT+ charities. In a question of whether or not he would pick up on any manifesto points from his competitor, Davern told us that the idea of integrating LGBT+ societies within the Bay campus was something that he was planning on looking into, as more events need to be held there. To celebrate his win, Davern took to Tooters like most of the successful candidates of the night.
to breaking down stereotypes in order to represent all women within the university. Alderson also told us that, as the winner between two candidates, she would consider fulfilling a manifesto promise from the less successful candidate by creating a support network designed to help women with children within the university. When asked how she would be celebrating her win, she told us that she would simply be going home and ordering a Dominos; a champion’s victory meal if there ever was one.
Ethics officer Joshua Brooks
he was most looking forward to implementing, he said that working to reduce the level of discrimination and prejudice within the university is really important because everyone at Swansea University is here for the same reason, and to think about or act differently to another person because they are different to themselves is ridiculous.
Also on the night Mature officer Karen Charles (475 votes)
Women’s Officer Alexandra Alderson
General secretary Matthew Pilot (1160 votes)
Alexandra Alderson took the position of Part Time Women’s Officer for the night with a win of 149 votes. When we caught up with her, she told us that in beginning her role as Women’s Officer, she was most looking forward
Joshua Brooks was voted Swansea University’s Part Time Ethics Officer with 1203 votes. When asked why he initially campaigned for the role, he told Waterfront that he decided to campaign for the role as he has had a lot of experience studying ethics within Corporations and felt that his experiences would help to further improve the ethical conduct within the university. When asked which points of his manifesto
Environment officer Omar Mendy (748 votes) Mental health awareness Sian Slack (711 votes)
APRIL 2017
Welsh for all Tomos Watson by Megan McNab
MEGAN MCNAB // CYMRAEG
be had, especially between different courses. I know that on Bay, there are many mathematical courses, therefore I am aiming to focus more on the community on Bay, and to encourage more activities between Singleton and Bay, particularly with Y Gym Gym. I already know many people in Gym Gym, therefore I can start helping there. Are you eager to encourage people who haven’t come to the university from Welsh speaking backgrounds to learn how to speak Welsh during their time at Swansea University?
Our Welsh Language Officer for 2017/18 is Tomos Watson, who was elected with 1015 votes. Tomos will be taking the place of previous Welsh Language Officer, Alun Rennolf. I asked a few questions to try and focus on his main ambitions for the next year. Are you looking forward to giving back to the Welsh community in your new role? I am, that is what inspired me to apply for the role in the first place. After spending the past year as treasurer of Y Gym Gym, I’m looking forward to helping everyone who is a part of the Welsh community here in Swansea.
Yes, I am. As seen in my manifesto, I’m planning to offer mixed accommodation floors where people can apply for a Welsh floor, even if they are not Welsh, to offer a taste of what it is to be Welsh. This will encourage people to socialise, instead of being exclusive. Whether you speak Welsh or not, I want everyone to experience a taste of the Welsh language. The Gym Gym is arranging a trip shortly to St. Fagans. We have opened the invitation to everyone to come with us, as we want everyone to bathe in the culture and community, just as we are hoping many others will do over the next year.
How do you plan on offering equal opportunities between Singleton and Bay?
Ein Swyddog yr Iaith Gymraeg am 17/18 yw Tomos Watson, a gafodd ei ethol drwy 1015 bleidlais gan gorff y myfyrwyr. Mae Tomos yn cymryd lle Swyddog yr Iaith Gymraeg blaenorol, Alun Rennolf. Gofynnais ychydig o gwestiynau er mwyn ceisio ganolbwyntio ar ei brif uchelgeisiau dros y flwyddyn nesaf.
That is a difficult question, because there are different opportunities to
Wyt ti’n edrych ymlaen at roi yn ôl i’r gymuned Gymraeg
yn eich rôl newydd? Ydw, dyna beth wnaeth fy ysbrydoli i fynd am y rôl yn y lle gyntaf. Ar ôl treulio’r flwyddyn yn rôl trysorydd dros Y Gym Gym, rydw i’n edrych ymlaen at geisio helpu pawb yn y gymuned Gymraeg yn Abertawe. Sut wyt ti’n cynllunio cynnig cyfleoedd cyfartal rhwng Singleton a Bae? Mae hynny’n gwestiwn anodd achos mae yna gyfleoedd gwahanol i gael, yn enwedig yn gyrsiau gwahanol. Rydw i’n gwybod bod ar y Bae, mae yna lawer o gyrsiau mathemategol, felly rydw i’n bwriadu edrych yn fwy cymdeithasol ar y Bae i geisio annog gweithgareddau rhwng Singleton a’r Bae, yn enwedig yn Y Gym Gym. Rydw i’n nabod llawer o’r bobl yn Gym Gym, felly gallai dechrau drwy helpu yna. A wyt ti’n awyddus i annog pobl sydd heb ddod i’r brifysgol o gefndiroedd Cymraeg i ddysgu siarad Cymraeg trwy gydol eu hamser ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe? Ydw. Fel gwelir yn fy manifesto, rydw i’n bwriadu cynnig lloriau llety cymysg, felly gall pobl ymgeisio am lawr Gymraeg, er eu bod nhw ddim yn Gymraeg, ac i gael blas ar beth yw hi i fod yn Gymraeg. Byddai hyn yn annog pobl i gymdeithasu, yn lle fod yn “exclusive”. Os ydych chi’n gallu siarad Cymraeg neu beidio, rydw i eisiau cynnig i bawb flas o’r iaith Gymraeg. Mae’r Gym Gym yn cynnal trip yn fuan i St. Fagans. Rydym ni wedi gwahodd pawb i ddod gyda ni, gan ein bod ni eisiau pawb ymdrochi yn ddiwylliant a chymdeithas, fel yr ydw i’n gobeithio bydd mwy yn gwneud dros y flwyddyn nesaf.
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ISSUE 271
Picture: Flickr/Swansea University
ten tips
for surviving & thriving at Swansea Uni
by Lauren Putt
The lyrics from Hairspray’s Come So Far (Got So Far to Go) are very reflective as to how I feel about being a few months away from finishing my BA History degree and embarking on a new adventure outside of University life. I have certainly come very far, starting off as that inexperienced but excited
18-year-old girl from Plymouth living away from home for the first time in 2013; to experiencing living in a shared house with four friends between 2014 and 2015; to going out of my comfort zone by moving to the Netherlands for a year between 2015 and 2016, and to finally reaching that moment in my last year when my degree had become my life and my laptop and the library have become my new best friends. I have certainly got so far to go as
I have to think about what I want to do and who I want to be after graduation. They say that time goes fast when you are having fun and that is true as these four years have flown by! I have learnt a lot since being an 18-year-old first year, and I’d like to share what I have learnt in the form of ‘my top 10 tips for studying at Swansea University’ in the hope that I can share my wisdom and inspire people to really enjoy university life.
APRIL 2017
Make sure you look after yourself– I know you have all probably heard this many times from your worriedsick Mum and Dad but it is one of the most important things that you must do at university. Sleep well, eat well, think well, and all will be well.
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Don’t have any expectations – I know that is a very hard thing to do considering as we all have that in-built sense of what we expect from people, but really try not to let that get the better of you. It will only make you disappointed in the end if people don’t meet your expectations of meeting up as often or messaging you as much as you’d hoped, so just keep an open-mind and make an effort with those friends who make an effort with you.
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Become more involved in student life – whether that is through joining a society, becoming a committee member on a society, or even writing an article for Waterfront. Through becoming involved in student life, it will allow you to make yourself stand out on your CV. In my second year, I was the secretary for the History Society and it certainly enhanced my administrative skills which will improve my employability.
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HILARY WEBB // FEATURES
If you have the chance to go abroad as part of your degree, do it! - This is a chance for you to grow as an individual by putting yourself out there, experiencing a new culture and meeting international people! It was one of the best decisions I ever made! But again, please refer back to number 2 when preparing to study abroad for the first time!
Never forget that you have friends and family who love you and are there to support you – Your family and friends can be your lifelines at times! When you’re facing a difficult decision or are not feeling yourself, give them a call and ask for advice. A problem shared is a problem halved after all.
Have a drink from JCs Bar – If you haven’t been to the SU bar on either campus yet, please do go! They do amazing coffees and hot chocolates at affordable prices there to keep you going while studying. And maybe even have a panini there once in a while for lunch!
Try not to worry (too much) about grades – You can only do your best in your essays so try not to put too much pressure on yourself. As long as you know you have worked hard and put as much effort into your degree as you could have, that is the main thing! Gaining work experience and engaging in extracurricular activities is important too.
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Take a walk along Swansea Bay – I know you have probably all done this by now, but if you haven’t, get your flip flops on and go! On a lovely day, taking a stroll along Swansea Bay will give you a nice relaxing break from studying.
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Have more confidence and faith in yourself – When you are feeling down at uni just remember that you have worked so hard to get to where you are now and you can only do your best! I have thought to myself that if I can get through three years of uni already, I can certainly get through this last year!
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Enjoy the ride – I know that this is a very cliché statement but it is true. Accept that you are going to have great experiences at University, but that you are also going to have those challenging times where you will need support from family and friends. Everything is a learning curve and you are bound to make mistakes. As my grandma has quoted: “Experience is a hard teacher: she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.”
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ISSUE 271
The Art of Communication by Inês Teixeira-Dias
The way in which this generation has learned to speak, communicate and express themselves has forever changed and shaped the world around us. The development of social media offers everyone and anyone a platform for beautiful expression, but with such freedom comes danger. Take Twitter, for example. You have a limited 140 characters to tell the world whatever you are thinking, whenever you are thinking it, with very little of chance of somebody challenging you on the spot then and there about your ideas. This subsequently leads to the mindset that any opinion that you express unchallenged is harmless. However, if you made the same statement in real life, you will often find that someone challenges your opinions and helps you develop your argument, rather than just preach it.
This concept of ‘free speech’ nowadays has become widely interpreted by quite literally billions of people, often as being a card you can play in order to justify saying whatever you want. People want to feel like they are taking full advantage of that right, forgetting in the process that it is not always appropriate to do so, and that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. People refuse to accept responsibility for what they say, and furthermore, the way they make other people feel. We constantly hear people defend themselves in conversations with declarations like ‘this is a free country!’, ‘I’m entitled to my opinion!’ and ‘I have the right to do this!’. Yes, yes you do. However, you have to remember the following: your rights end where somebody else’s begins. Everybody should have
the right to walk down the street without being verbally abused for the clothes they wear that represent their religion or culture. And nobody should feel that the colour of their skin is somehow a measure of their value as a human being. People are getting so caught up in being able to politically exercise their ‘right’ to do things and are forgetting some basic human principles along the way. The person you’re excluding and abusing because of their religion/race/gender is a human being. Humans are not robots. We are completely governed by emotions and feelings which opens up the door for exciting possibilities to learn from others, but also the danger of hurting others. Essentially, if you are exercising your freedom of speech to devaluate other human beings, then you are abusing it. It seems that society’s second
APRIL 2017
favourite buzzword after ‘freedom of speech’ is ‘I’m offended’. Firstly, it is important to note that if someone says you have offended them, you do not get to tell them whether you did or didn’t. If we do happen to have offended someone, we become extremely defensive instead of trying to understand what it is that they find offensive and how it may have affected them. But equally, just because something offends you, this does not automatically mean that you are right. For example, if the legalisation of gay marriage offends you, you have the right to feel offended and to disagree, but you do not have the right to attack the rights of others. I think what is important with regards to this word ‘offended’ is to take more interest in uncovering the reason for someone taking
HILARY WEBB // FEATURES
offense, rather than going on the defence and creating a bigger divide in the conflict of opinions. People can agree to disagree, they can battle it out until the cows come home, but one thing we need to improve on as a society is this: don’t raise your voice, raise your argument. Learn to communicate effectively and cooperatively in a conversation instead of trying to simply prove your point and score against the other in order to try and make yourself feel superiorAsk more questions to open up the conversation instead of shutting it down with imperatives. Why has the world become so ‘us against them’ as opposed to ‘us alongside them?’. Ask yourself the following: am I engaging in this conversation because I want to teach and learn or because I want to defend and accuse?
The number of hate crimes post Brexit soared to a ridiculous 41% (compared to the same month the year before). This doesn’t necessarily mean more people are supporting these crimes, but feel extremely confident that they have the right to express themselves in such an aggressive way towards others. People internalise the confidence they see in publicly exposed politicians and celebrities and use that as an excuse to do the same themselves. We are now living through a time where powerful figures of authority and the face of modern politics can be racist, homophobic and sexist. Therefore, it is important that we each be the antithesis to this hate, using our freedom of speech to communicate and connect with people, endorsing always respect, tolerance and above all, love.
APRIL 2017
HILARY WEBB // FEATURES
Five reasons to do a TEFL course Having recently successfully completed a 120-hour online Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course, I would like to share my five top reasons why undertaking a TEFL course is a fantastic idea, particularly for University students.
It gives you different opportunities Doing a TEFL course can open up a whole world of possibilities for you in terms of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) either in the UK or abroad. Personally, I would very much like to start my own TEFL “business” during the summer, or do some teaching abroad for some time during the summer holidays, just as a starting point. There are lots of people who come to the UK from a variety of countries and it would be fantastic to help them to learn the English language. I think that doing a TEFL course gives you an extra career option after graduation for any degree discipline.
There are lots of courses and course providers to choose from I chose to do the 120-hour online course with the provider TEFL.org.uk;
by Emily Maybanks
however I believe that there are lots of providers for a huge variety of TEFL courses. The unfortunate side is that TEFL courses aren’t cheap, but with TEFL.org.uk, they often have discounts, and they do 20% off for students and recent graduates. With the online course I did, it was very flexible and I had six months to complete it although I managed to complete it in much less time.
You learn a variety of things during the course During my TEFL course, I was lucky to be able to learn different things from English grammar (I learnt stuff about my own language that I didn’t know before, like different types of nouns and verbs) to TEFL methodology including lesson planning, different classroom activities, teaching different styles of English such as General English and Business English, as well as two specialist modules: teaching large classes and teaching telephone classes. There was a lot to learn and it was fascinating and I really hope to be able to use my new knowledge in the future.
It looks good on your CV An extra qualification on your CV always looks good. I think that a TEFL qualification shows that you’re willing and eager to learn as well as able to manage your time to study. It also shows that you have TEFL theories which you can put into practice. It also improves your knowledge of the English language which can therefore improve your communication skills.
A TEFL qualification can take you anywhere Literally anywhere. I have this dream that one day; I’ll be teaching English is an exotic country like Thailand for example. For now, I think I’ll stick to starting up my own TEFL business at home during the summer to get myself practice or looking for voluntary positions so that I can start gaining experience in teaching English as a Foreign Language.. But, with a TEFL qualification, you can end up living and teaching anywhere in the world- Asia, Europe, or South America. Anywhere. It is important to say that you don’t necessarily need to have knowledge of another language to be able to teach English as a Foreign Language as you have to give students exposure to just English in the classroom.
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The Brew Stone Bar Goodbye lunches, Goodbye dinners, because more than ever people are flocking to restaurants for their first meal of the day. A relatively new place of dining opened up recently in Uplands high street, the Brewstone Bar, which features menus for all three meals of the day. Having just launched their new breakfast menu, Brewstone Bar invited myself and Nathan Lloyd, my co-editor to test it out. Walking into the establishment it’s easy to become confused by the area. From the outside, what appears to be a small and cosy bistro transforms into a three-floored restaurant with plenty of space; space that enables an eager student attempting to escape their noisy flat a chance to flock with a large party of six to sit in the booths next to the wall of windows. Brewstone is a multi-functioning establishment that appeals to even the most niche of a customer. An even more impressive part of Brewstone Bar is the wood fired stone oven they possess in the kitchen. This tool adds a special touch to their breakfast menu that you are unable to find in many restaurants. Our party were privy to try many different items on the menu. One of the most impressive items on the menu was their Cast Iron Breakfast, only £7, a few pounds more than you would have spent at Spoons! Their skillet breakfast included smoked streaky bacon, welsh dragon sausages, flat mushroom, free range fried eggs,
Heinz baked beans and wood fired home-made sour dough toast. The skillet ensured that the breakfast had a smokey taste, in addition added to the impressive presentation. The fine choice of ingredients ensured a wide range of flavours that complimented each other to conclude in a hearty and filling breakfast. This was paired with an impressive pint of freshly squeezed orange juice. Introducing a new palate of flavours, the Brewstone Bar offered a menu item that was smashed avocado, serrano ham and scrambled egg, on sourdough toast. This interesting meal was hardly a small one, with a full plate of hearty and fresh sourdough toast and topped with three eggs worth of scrambled egg with a crack of fresh black pepper. The smashed avocado was an impressive twist on this traditional breakfast type. The last meal I personally chose was their ‘New Potato & Slow Pepper Hash’. Hash is one of my breakfast favourites to try in restaurants as you can almost guarantee something different or new. The Brewstone definitely delivered on this front. They presented Diced New potato, roasted sweet pepper, avocado, cherry tomato & red onion with soft poached eggs
by Heather Wood
& fresh basil hollandaise sauce. I chose an extra topping of chorizo to present a smoky taste to this dish. Brewstone has proved so far that they do not present a small meal for your first taste of food for the day. They did not fail on this dish as it was presented to me in a cast iron dish with a huge amount of potato. Whilst the amount of potato overshadowed the other flavours within the dish, it was certainly a hearty and delicious meal. The Brewstone Bar offers a mid-range priced breakfast that would appeal to the pickiest of eaters. If you’re looking for somewhere for a hearty breakfast in a beautifully decorated establishment with fantastic service, this is your place!
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HEATHER WOOD & NATHAN LLOYD // FOOD
A Culinary Cwtch Picture: Nathan Lloyd
The Swigg relaunches by Nathan Lloyd The Swigg at Swansea Marina When describing Swansea to anyone back home the fact that it’s by the sea probably comes up at least once - great for surfing, ice cream and barbecues on the beach after exams are done - tidy! (as the locals would say). Scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find Swansea has a rich maritime history that dates further back than Dylan Thomas or the Industrial Revolution. The marina often gets bypassed by anyone other than locals or tourists because it’s a bit too off the beaten track. The recently reopened bar and bistro, The Swigg, should be more than enough to tempt you out of your normal comfort zone. Situated in the shell of the National Waterfront Museum’s older wing, directly opposite the iconic lighthouse and tugboats in the heart of the marina, The Swigg isn’t your typical chain bar or restaurant, this is a lovingly crafted experience offering something a little quieter and cosier than the usual boisterous bar on Wind Street. It’s inarguably more sophisticated than ninety percent of the bars and restaurants around as it offers the chance to sample something a bit different - a Welsh take on tapas. Well, more like ‘small plates’ than anything, but it’s an opportunity to try something uniquely Swansea.
A glance down the menu and you’ll understand what I mean - rich Glamorgan Sausages, sumptuous faggots and hearty cawl (a Welsh variation of stew). Not only that though, they’ve made a point of bringing local delicacies like laverbread and cockles out of the shadows and into the culinary limelight. The results are pretty spectacular. The lamb in the cawl, for example, has been slow cooked for eight hours and the addition of cockles into the broth makes for a flavour hit that you won’t readily forget. In addition to their Welsh fare they also have a “& Far Away Places Menu” from which you can sample some enormous Argentinian Tiger prawns in garlic butter or a fresh and summery beetroot and orange salad with mediterranean halloumi. For the veggies among us the options don’t get any less Welsh, the crumbed and gently fried Glamorgan Sausages pack a mature, cheesy punch, especially when dragged through the whole grain mustard they’re served with. If you’re vegan on the other hand there are still options available to you with their Thai vegan salad, the middleeastern tabbouleh or their electric pink beetroot hummus which more than hold their own on the menu. Much has been made of the handful of Welsh words that quickly pass into
common parlance the longer you’re in Swansea, the kind that people quiz you about when you go home. (“Sorry, did you mean the English ‘now’ or the Welsh ‘now’?”). Chief among them though, should be the word ‘cwtch’. For those not in the know it’s a word whose meaning sits somewhere between a hug and a gentle smothering. It can be quite a nebulous word to pin down but what The Swigg delivers is the epitome of a ‘cwtch’ in culinary form. The decor of the place is stripped back, its exposed brick walls celebrating the rich history of the building and lending that weight to the ambiance. Whether you’re chilling in the Cwtch Corner under the bespoke artwork, sitting at the bar or at a table you never feel like you’re just another customer. Whether it’s a quiet afternoon with a coffee and a slice of cake or in the evening with live music The Swigg is the perfect place to come to celebrate, get away from the hubbub of town or even bring your parents to when they’re down. Take them for a stroll past the statue of Dylan Thomas (selfies with the bard, naturally), before wowing them with the signature Swigg Burger and some Gower Gold Ale. If you’ve ever wondered what Wales can offer the world beyond cheese on toast, then The Swigg has the answer.
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‘On Becoming’ Toke Makinwa As presenter of the Xtreme radio show ITALK, myself and Teresa Ogbekhiulu got a chance to interview the Nigerian media personality (TV, Radio, YouTube) and best selling author of ‘On Becoming’ Toke Makinwa about her book, childhood and career. Hi Toke Makinwa! Congratulations on your book tour here in London! Becoming all what you are today, how do you know you chose the right career path? I tried so many things before I settled for this, I have done so many jobs before, I then realised I love and enjoy doing it. Who was your role model growing up? My mum, despite the fact that I was 8 when she died, she raised me to become this woman I am today. by Aisha Nnaji
Who is your biggest role model? There is always little to learn from everyone, but I will say the Kardashians and Oprah.
listen@swanseastudentmedia.com
They are unusual role models; why would you choose them?
I like their business style, and they are a very industrious family. Evidently, from your past interviews, you are as big fan of Oprah, and you would you like to be proposed to go on her show? Oh definitely! I am still looking forward to that. What inspired you to write this book? God spoke to me; friends spoke to me, I perceived God wanted to use my story to speak to others. We understand that your book is centred on your relationship, would you say your childhood or your background has influenced the book too? Well I am from a family whereby my parents were very hardworking people before their demise and I think that same energy transferred. Is cheating currently a deal breaker for you? Yes, I would say, I mean different people have their deal breakers but for me I would say cheating is a deal breaker.
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SARAH HARRIS // CULTURE
Aisha with Toke Makinwa What do you do daily to erase the past out of your life? You can’t erase the past, you have to embrace and work through it, let it be a reminder to do better. Do you have any dreams and aspirations you haven’t achieved yet? So many, there are lot of dreams I have not started at all. What advice would you give to the young ones? Enjoy your youth, don’t take things too seriously but remember to stay FOCUSED. Do you enjoy having such a great impact on so many people’s lives? It is just God’s doing, the amount of testimonies I receive from people make me appreciate God, and yes I enjoy the impact God is using me for. Why is chapter 10 empty?
Aisha with Toke Makinwa It is empty because I don’t have anything to say about the “other woman”, I have forgiven her and moved on, the quote in chapter 10 explains it all. We see you visit London often, what is spectacular about the city to you? I love the people, the scenery, and it is a great place to unwind and shop as well. Should we be expecting more books?
Aisha with Florence San (Toke Makinwa’s U.K. Manager)
Yes, definitely, more is coming. Would you consider going into any relationship soon? For now, I am just focusing on building myself and if any comes along the line, then that is fine. Thank you so much for your patience and time and we hope you enjoy your vacation here in the UK. ‘On Becoming’ by Toke Makinwa available on Kindle from Amazon
Mariam, Aisha and Teresa
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Agony Aunts
Shannon and Faye are Waterfront’s very own agony aunts and matchmakers. If you’re interested in going on a Blind Date or have a question you want to put to the aunts, contact them at waterfrontrelationships @ swanseastudentmedia.com
Dear Shannon and Faye, I’ve been seeing this guy for a while but for me it was completely casual and I’ve been talking to other people. Having spoken to my friends about it, I think I’ve accidentally ended up in a relationship with him. It’s not what I want, what do I do? Sarah, Third Year. RUN. From the sounds of it this guy seems a little too emotionally invested for what you want. You’ve got to make it clear to him that you are first and foremost single, and secondly that you’re not looking for anything serious. If you’ve already told him this then, once again, run! He’s clearly only hearing what he wants to hear and is going to try and turn you into the relationship type. From our experience, we know that a Bad Bitch can’t be locked down. As long as you’ve made everything clear you should not feel bad about this situation at all, he’s the one that decided to take it too far.
Dear Shannon and Faye, I’ve been with my girlfriend since first year and I know that she’s the one. We always talk and joke about being together after uni and getting married, but now I am starting to really consider it. We have been through our whole uni experience together, so what a better time than to propose that graduation. Do you think this is a good idea? Tom, Fourth Year. OH. MY. GOD. Personally, for us, important/special events in life should be separate. Both graduation and proposals are a big deal, and when looking back it could be awkward because one might outshine the other. If she is the love of your life, and you are both serious about the relationship then by all means go for it. But if you are dead set on proposing at graduation, subtly talk to her and friends and get a feel for if that would be something she would want. If not, you’ve been together for so long I’m sure another moment would be equally special.
While very knowledgeable, Shannon and Faye are not qualified to give out expert advice so Waterfront suggests that you take their advice with a pinch of salt and use the Students’ Union’s support services for serious guidance.
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We send our blind date couples to JC’s bar and coffee shop, which serves a range of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, speciality coffees, pub meals, panini and homemade cakes.
All of our blind date couples receive a complimentary drink courtesy of JC’s.
SHANNON JONES & FAYE VLIETSTRA // RELATIONSHIPS
Blind Date Felicity, a fourth year Law and History student, and Rhys, a first year Product Design student, met for a free drink in JCs. Here’s what they had to say afterwards.
about them and it’s their choice. F: He went for a straight double whiskey, which i didn’t think was a particularly wise choice for early afternoon...but each to their own.
Why did you agree to go on a blind date?
What did you think of their outfit? R: She had a really nice outfit. Her jumper suited her well, the red complimented her hair colour and eyes. Her skirt went well with the jumper too. F: He had a nice coat and jumper, it was a good effort.
R: Honestly, I was bored and thought it sounded like a bit of fun. F: A friend had been on one a couple of months ago, and she had fun so I thought I’d give it a go. What’s your favourite feature of a guy/girl? And did they have it? R: My favourite feature on a woman is her eyes, and yes, she did have lovely eyes. F: Confidence, he seemed a bit shy. What were your first impressions? R: She seems kind and like she takes pretty good care of herself. F: He was very creative. What did you think of their choice of drink? R: Nothing because what a person drinks doesn’t really say too much
Did you kiss? Or was there any potential for a kiss…or more? R: No, we didn’t. F: No, and quite honestly no. Out of ten, how would you rate the date? R: 8 out of 10. F: 6 out of 10. Any chance of seeing each other again? R: I would say it’s not likely but I wouldn’t be opposed to meeting up at a coffee shop some time to get to know her a little bit more. F: Probably not.
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Short Stories Monday Evening by Harry Ballmann
10:30pm. A Monday. You could have known by the weather that there was something in the air, a peculiarity hanging over everyone, everything. One second, glistening sunlight, shimmering street-lights and the next, an overwhelming sea of raindrops, coating the concrete in a thin film of oily water. Yet, as night approached, a calmness ensued throughout the town, everything was back to it’s rightful, normal place. As I walked home, I felt surrounded by this calmness, perhaps overwhelmingly so, almost like never before. I walked with a slow pace, thinking about nothing in particular: what music I was going to put on when I got home, what I thought was in store for me tomorrow – a whole host of things. I seemingly turned a corner and stopped. I had to stop. There was nothing I could do but look at this immensely beautiful scene. The man was carrying his suitcase with an annoyingly loud rattle along the pavement. Yet, it wasn’t that which attracted my attention. The way that the woman walked hand in hand with him, holding onto him, kissing his neck was incomprehensibly beautiful and pure. He must have
been away far, or away for a long time, perhaps even both. Maybe even just a day. Yet, to me, it was love. Pure, immortal love, you could almost see a visible connection piercing through them, drawing them closer. It wasn’t so much of a jealousy that overcame me, more of a feeling of complete an utter infatuation. I was so pleased to see something like that in the world, something so happy and care free, lost in one another. I continued my walk with a vague sense of optimism, not for me personally, but an optimism for the world, that there is light. The couple are best described as a small flickering candle amongst a raging ocean. The ocean, omnipotent in its power, a haunting rage as the waves crashed and flowed towards the shore. Yet, impossibly, one thing managed to stay afloat. A beam of light, so impossibly small that it couldn’t be overcome or drowned out by the menacing and malicious waves. There was without a doubt, very little direction to the way they were going, which was probably the most calming aspect of the couple – they were carefree, taken by each other, just as the candle may well drift across oceans for decades, or within the next day, be washed upon a beach somewhere entirely unknown. Anonymity is, ironically, an undiscovered and underrated sensation. In whatever form it comes in, shows itself to the world, it invokes responses which we cannot be responsible for. The couple remain completely anonymous to me, and little do they know the profound impact I’m having writing about them, nor do they realise that to me, they are
Send us your creative writing submissions to: waterfronteditor@swanseastudentmedia.com waterfrontdeputy@swanseastudentmedia.com a flickering light in a sea of darkness. Similarly, the lady I saw next will remain anonymous for some time to me. I presume so at least. I walked past her in my navy woollen pea-coat, the lapels raised to protect the back of my head from the cold, I could have been Sherlock Holmes if one only caught a glance of my slender figure as I walked past. That’s exactly what I did to the lady before turning back. I walked past, ignored her presence completely, only my subconscious held onto what she said. This made me turn around. She was on the floor, shivering in a blanket, obviously all she had. Her entire belongings consisted of a shoddy blanket, a bobble-hat with tassels and grey-green eyes. I approached, and asked what she needed – there was very little chance of me giving her money. I didn’t know the woman, after all. And that doesn’t solve the problem. All she asked for was some ‘pop’. I got her a cola and a bottle of water; her gaze was fixed on the water, not the coke. She gave a smile, a hungry, tired, but grateful ‘Thank you, God Bless’. As I walked into the night, knowing she probably watched me as a flickering light in the darkness, as I had watched the couple moments before, I felt an uncontrollable sense of melancholy, an unshakable sadness. I felt a tear stream, for why, I couldn’t quite understand. I had seen and come by plenty of people who were homeless, yet nobody had the profound impact that this woman had had. I was in awe. I had so much, I was going home, probably to have a warm cup of tea, curl up and read my book in the warm, the safe shelter of my
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attic abode, whilst she would, and still will, have to fend off the bitter wind, rogue and impolite, violent people. As I walked, looked up at the night, looked on down the street, all I could think of was the scale and scope of the injustice and inequality of the world. However cliché that might seem, it’s true. As I’m writing on my Macbook, with enough savings in my account to afford to give this woman a truly good start-up, another chance of a life she could leave, the realism within me slowly grows. As much as this sadness has had an impact on me, I cannot help everyone. There is still a scope to all of this, however. Do as much or as little as you can. That is all I ask. You may not feel obliged to do so, you may not have the means, the courage or the knowhow. But, sometimes, sudden urges are bestowed upon you, throughout you. That’s my eternal optimism at least. I do not do these things as much as I should, but I believe everybody has the capacity to be somebody’s flickering light amongst a sea of disturbing darkness.
Finding a friend by Emily Maybanks
She attempted to wipe the tears away with her trembling thumb but it was too late. “What’s wrong?” He asked again, in a firm but gentle tone that was full of concern. She shook her head, not wanting to look into his vivid turquoise eyes for fear of breaking down in front of him.
ZOE STABLER // CREATIVE WRITING
Yet, at the same time, she wanted, she needed to talk to someone because it felt like everything inside her- the worry and the dread and the sadness would keep building up inside her until she eventually burst. “I can’t say,” She mumbled, her voice choked with unshed tears. “You can, honey,” He uttered kindly, “You can talk to me; you can trust me. I want to help you,” After a few moments of silence in which she fought with the two voices inside her, as the hot mid-day sun continued to burn her already sun burnt shoulders. It also made her shoulder length cinnamon brown curls gleam. She turned around to face him and took in the concern and the sympathy that shone from those brilliant turquoise eyes. “I went to visit my Grandad this morning,” She spoke in a quiet voice, as a few more tears ran steadily down her flushed cheeks, “He’s in hospital and he has dementia. It’s only a recent diagnosis. It’s the first time I’ve been to see him all summer and it was horrible, it was… It was like he didn’t recognise me. I looked into his eyes; they’re brown like mine and they usually shine with love and happiness and pride, but today, it was as though he was looking right through me but not realising I was there. It hurt. It was like I was being stabbed right here,” She gestured to the spot above her heart before continuing, wiping her eyes as she did so, “But, he kept going on and on about the old days like it was yesterday or as if it was happening then and there. I’ve read about dementia, I’m not stupid so I know that it’s normal, but even reading about it didn’t prepare me for how upset it would make me feel. And, now, I’m not sure if I want to go back and see him, but he’s my Grandad and he’s all I have left of my
Dad and now I’m feeling guilty and torn apart all over again and I don’t know what to do. I’ve always thought that I’ve been strong, and in control, but here I am, going to absolute pieces and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” “You’ve nothing to be sorry for,” He sighed before gently drawing her against his soft cotton, green t-shirt for a comforting hug. She gratefully buried her face in the fabric and silently cried harder than ever, her whole frame shaking with sobs. “It’s not weak to cry, honey,” He murmured, rubbing her back tenderly, “I promise. You’ve a lot on your mind and it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed. Though, I am glad that you confided in me,” She pulled away from him, her face soaked with tears, feeling his hands move to her shoulders. “You are?” She voiced, suspiciously. “Yes,” He said, earnestly, “Of course. It’s a huge burden to carry on your own, and I want you to know that I am always going to be here for you! Okay?” She nodded and managed to force a weak, grateful smile. “Will it always hurt so much?” She asked quietly. “You’ve got through the hardest part,” He told her softly, “Each visit will get a little easier; you’ll feel more prepared,” She nodded before voicing the thing that was concerning her the most, “What if he never recognises me again?” Before breaking down in tears all over again, falling against his chest and sobbing. “He will,” He murmured. He planted a soft kiss on the top of her warm hair before wrapping his arms around her in a gentle, protective hug. She didn’t feel completely reassured, but she did feel comforted and less alone.
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ISSUE 271
Step into Spring and embrace a fresh wardrobe
by Ellie Thompson
The beautiful season of Spring is approaching and there is no better time to give your wardrobe a clear-out than now. Whether it’s selling unwanted clothes or just organising your wardrobe for the new term, here are some costeffective (and money making!) ways to give your closet a detox. In the UK, £44bn is spent on clothes annually with 30% of clothes in an average wardrobe not even being worn according to the BBC, with £140m worth of
clothing going into landfill each year. Thankfully, though, more and more people are choosing to recycle and the used-clothes market has seen a huge rise in the past five years, showing that pre-loved clothing is the way to go whether you’re buying or selling. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your closet space and make sure it’s arranged nicely so you can find your outfits easier during the morning-lecture rush.
Try your clothes on when you’re de-cluttering
Trying on clothes as you’re decluttering your wardrobe makes it quicker to find out what fits and what doesn’t so you can throw the unwanted clothes onto the ‘sell’ or ‘charity shop’ pile. Some clothing charity shops in Swansea include the British Heart Foundation, Cash for Clothes, Oxfam, Cancer Research UK and The Salvation Army.
De-clutter at the end of each season As Spring is nearly here, now’s the time to sort out all those coats,
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woolly hats and mismatched gloves that you probably haven’t worn half of during Winter. The same goes for summer clothes, too – if you have a pair of shorts that you’ve never liked, put them on the ‘sell’ or ‘charity’ pile.
Only hang up key pieces and what’s ready to wear Hang up clothes that you wear on a daily basis, like your favourite pair of jeans, and sore the lessworn t-shirts and other items in a drawer instead of your main wardrobe space. This way, you can find things quicker in the mornings and everything you love and wear on a daily basis is in a convenient place. Hanging up pre-washed and ironed outfits is also a good morning hack as you can chuck on your outfit and go, knowing you’ve planned it the night before so it looks good instead of rushing to uni half-asleep in your pyjamas!
Keep clothes fresher for longer and maximise space For those t-shirts and items that don’t get worn and washed as often, keep them fresh with draw liners. I find these are also really handy for keeping clothes fresh when you pack a suitcase so are great for on-the-go as well. Roll your clothes in your drawer instead of folding them as this keeps creases at bay and maximises space and consider hanging up anything that creases easily so you don’t have to get the ironing board out all the time.
ELLIE THOMPSON // FASHION
Colour code items and keep similar items together Another tip for making things easier in the mornings is to colour code your clothes in your wardrobe or even just put together clothing that goes well together. Something useful to consider is to keep trousers at one end of the wardrobe and jumpers on the other as it makes it easier to see what you have in your wardrobe and therefore you won’t buy more clothes unnecessarily.
Still too many clothes to organise? Use under-bed storage A sneaky but still neat way of keeping any other clothes that won’t fit into your wardrobe is to make use of the space under your bed. Buy large plastic storage boxes anywhere from Wilkinsons to Tesco and stick a label on each so you know what types of clothes – or even shoes – are in each box. Vacuum storage bags are also a smart way of storing seasonal clothes as they are compact, fit easily up the loft and keep your clothes clean in the process.
And lastly… make some money for yourself and sell your unwanted clothes online Make sure you sell within season, though, as it’s very unlikely that someone will want to buy a pair of shorts in Winter! Some good places to sell your clothes online are:
Depop Depop is a free and easy to use clothing app that you can download onto your phone. Listing an item is also free but Depop charges a 10% fee on the total price on each sale. The transactions work through PayPal so make sure you have an account and the fee will be deducted from there. Also note that you’re responsible for wrapping and posting the items yourself, too.
eBay With over 165 million eBay users, it’s clear to see why it is one of the most popular selling websites. Like Depop, it uses PayPal (but be careful because PayPal has additional fees between 1.4 and 3.4%) and the final value fee is 10% of your total transaction cost which includes postage. You only pay a final value fee if your item sells, and to list something under 99p is free. The good thing about eBay is that you have the option to auction or simply sell your item at a fixed price.
Vinted Hundreds of items are listed on this site every day and you just take a photo, write a description, then upload and your item is on the market ready to sell. You can also swap clothing, too, with one of the website’s 8.5 million users. Brands such as River Island, New Look and Missguided are popular so if you have any clothing of these brands that you want to sell then Vinted is a good place to do it. The seller pays a 15% commission to the website with £1 minimum fee.
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ELLIE THOMPSON // FASHION
Guess Who Has a New Fashion Line? by Adjoa Plange
Picture: Superdry
The following question is a clue. Have you ever wanted to style yourself like Idris Elba, the famous actor who is well known for being elegant and alluring? If you answered yes you will be pleased to find out that Idris Elba has a new premium menswear collection for A/W16. He created it with Superdry, a British store; it’s called Idris+Superdry. It was launched on 26th September 2016 in New South Wales. This is actually the second time he has collaborated with the store; his first collection came out in 2015. As many people would expect, his new fashion line showcases understated quintessential British style. Elba said that he designed his collection, so that the everyday man can find it easy to be sophisticated and suave from day to night. He was heavily involved in the vision and execution of it so wearers of his clothes should appear confident, successful and attractive just like he is renowned for. The stylish sports-luxe collection suits mature men whether they are old or young and the clothes are oh-so wearable and comfortable. Idris+Superdry has 250 items
Idris Elba at the Superdry Boxpark store launch from jumpers to trousers, shirts to hoodies and other similar items that can be mixed and matched. There’s also jackets and accessories, which all have his initials on them. His clothes have simple silhouettes and they come in many sizes from small to extra-large so they will suit many body types. Deep tonal, autumnal and cool colours like blue, grey, black and wine are featured throughout the collection. The clothes have many unique details, such as a signature scar image. His collection can be described as urban yet classy, fashionable and minimal. Although Elba’s line is a highstreet one, high-quality materials have been used to produce the items
including: 100% leather, cashmere knit and down-filling. Therefore, you can continue to enjoy wearing them winter after winter. Like tailored clothing, they are well made and they are fine. The prices range from £25 to £450. Since the line is affordable and durable, purchasing his clothes instead of cheaper versions could save you money. Men across Britain and outside this country have the opportunity to look debonair and dapper by purchasing items from the Idris+Superdry collection. They are now available to buy online and in stores in many British high-streets. Why don’t you see for yourself if the collection is right for you?
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Picture: Twitter/Bonobo
Live review: Bonobo by Harry Ballmann Bonobo at Manchesters Albert Hall Exploring different dimensions With every song moulding into one, there was a soothing coherence to the way that DJ and producer Simon Green (aka Bonobo) created fluidity to his live performance. He placed his emphasis on the most disconcerting fourth dimension, time. The DJ skills of Bonobo shone through, carefully selecting the songs in an elegantly ordered style. Naturally, he opened with the full orchestral backdrop of the title-track from his new album, Migration, with subtle notes of electronica until the heavy, less subdued bass-drop - a glimpse of what was to come. Migration was a carefully selected song; its very meaning implies a consideration of time, of fluidity and flow. With the orchestra in place, Bonobo could open up to the audience, dissipating the melee of sound throughout the Manchester Apollo. Bonobo’s wonder comes in his ability to transform songs entirely from the studio version and onto the stage. The next notable transition was a long-
standing favourite combination, the Prelude of Black Sands, brilliantly entwined with Kiara. At this point, the show transformed itself from a little orchestrally heavy towards a stunningly precise balance between melody and invasive bass. Here, the dimension of depth became increasingly apparent, perhaps best viewed as shallow and deep. Break Apart, featuring the contemporary vocalist Rhye illustrated the immense attention to detail in the treble, with delicately plucked guitaring at the forefront of the song. There was a slowness to the affair, Rhye’s voice as haunting as it was beautiful, perfectly matching the once again, subdued and low beats. Bonobo entwined dimensions throughout the entire show, and here, he brought the change in depth in line with a slowness of time. Break Apart seemed to last far longer than its studio equivalent (4 minutes and 34seconds) due to its hypnotic slowness and seeming beauty. The whole show was an aesthetic affair, where the array of lighting coupled with the equally aesthetically pleasing
sounds. There was an intricacy to the backdrop Bonobo used, displaying a variety of landscapes to match the songs he performed. Here, Bonobo’s stand-out studio track, Cirrus was noteworthy. A song of immense fluctuation, a seeming wave of sound, poised at different altitudes. This was helped by the visual effects, creating an almost hypnotic experience. Ultimately, one man couldn’t have hoped to perform such intricacies alone. As previously mentioned, the orchestra contributed to a great deal of the gig, their stage presence exemplified with the width needed to fit the various instruments onto the stage. Employing each dimension was certainly Bonobo’s forte, the width of his company was the only way to create such height and depth to the songs that were performed. The subtleties were the only way to demonstrate the subtle nuance of time throughout the gig, ultimately the most mesmerising performance. It was the first show that I have ever been to where a string of songs had managed to feel like a uniquely crafted musical experience. One song in many.
This was my second interview with acoustic guitar guru Newton Faulkner after announcing his new album, with the release date and album title still unknown to all. Newton played a small venue secret gig to all those who have already pre-ordered his latest album, and is about to embark on a tour supporting Amy Macdonald. Hey man, how’s it going? Actually, pretty hectic, I’ve got my son’s birthday tomorrow, I have to have music for a film finished by the end of the week, I played a gig yesterday and I’ve got the new album on its way… Yeah, you’ve had a pretty busy year, we were talking about this time last year…what’s happened since then? I know dude, time flies, I went to Norway to completely get away from it all, just stop. I was working for something like a whole year straight, absolutely no breaks. I needed to stop. It was pretty crazy though, not actually seeing another human being for a whole week, with the nearest shop literally 30 minutes walk away. I noticed Norway on social-media, you’re quite prolific on it. Are you taking a similar approach to the new album as you did with Studio Zoo where your fans can watch you record?
Yes definitely, I like to open up my ideas and flow of thoughts to my fans. I think it helps me get opinions about the sound of the album and its direction that I wouldn’t otherwise receive. After all, my fans and followers are such a large part of the musical process, it’s nice to be able to give something beyond just the album. So, the new album then, what can we expect musically from it, the same or a different direction? In the same way I’m opening up the recording process to my fans, I’m actually trying to open up the music, make it less condensed and make a more spatial feel. I’m also going back to multi-tasking as well, I’m trying to get rid of the insanely layered sound I’ve been trying, and get back to the ‘guitar, bass, drum’ sound. Presumably that extends to the tour as well? Supporting must be new for you too, when was the last time you did that?! Dude, I know! In fairness, I’m really looking forward to supporting, I see it as a massive challenge. I’ve been a headliner for so long which is almost kind of easy, because the people are there to see you. But, I’m going back to an early sound of just me on stage, trying to immerse the crowd and get them ready for Amy is going to be amazing fun.
by Harry Ballman
APRIL 2017
La La Land by Rachel Sanders
I love musicals. Like, really love them. I sing all day, I pretend that I’m tap dancing in one when cooking my lunch and if it’s raining and you have an umbrella, watch out. Imagine my excitement then when I heard Hollywood was returning to the good old days of musical glory and producing a brand new musical wonder entitled ‘La La Land’! Waiting for the release date was infuriating at best but finally the day arrived. I had managed to organise a date – with my mum (bless her motherly patience) – and the tickets were bought. I dolled up to the nines with my best 50s get up and pirouetted my way to the Odeon. Ha, as if I could ever pirouette. The popcorn had been bought, the ridiculously large fizzy pop had been balanced and we sat in eager anticipation, waiting for the delights to begin… ...we waited a long time. It was shit. Truly shit. Like, unbelievably shit. It was so shit I nearly choked on my popcorn laughing at how shit it was.
RACHEL SANDERS // FILM
Imagine my horror then when I heard this shitness had been nominated for a slew of academy awards and my absolute disgust when it won most of them (except best picture – hehehe). Let’s just deconstruct the myth surrounding this film for a second: A) None of them can sing – least of all Emma Stone who ludicrously won best actress for her painful attempts (Side note, if someone feels like they are whispering when they are singing in a film it is because they are covering up the fact that THEY CAN’T SING!) B) No one is dancing – tapping about three steps as you walk down the street is NOT A DANCE SCENE! There is one attempt at a whole cast dance in the opening scene/song, but the reality is that everyone stands outside their car door, smiles and REALLY QUIETLY (see previous note about whispering) sings a couple of lines while waving their arms about in a frankly demented manner. C) This film won Best Production Design, please enlighten me how re-using old Hollywood sets is creative? D) This film also won best Original Score and Best Original Song. This makes my blood boil. Want to hear a good song and a good score? Watch West Side Story, watch Sweeney Todd, watch Moulin Rouge! All completely different films but damn good musicals in every sense of the word. Sweeney Todd only won 1 Oscar and Moulin Rouge! only 2. I mean, where is the logic???
Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling E) Finally, my last gripe, and probably the biggest, is the plot. I have never watched such a pretentious, white middle class privileged, ignorant view of the world in all my life. This is something all Hollywood (and the media) were raving about – ‘it takes us back to the golden age, when life was simple!’. Life was never simple and neither was a damn good story. Simple is boring, mind numbing in this case. And I couldn’t identify less with the self-centred obnoxious protagonists if I tried. West Side Story – one of the greatest musicals of all time, told the story of real street gangs in New York, violent and brutal. Moulin Rouge is about poverty and prostitution and Sweeney Todd – well that’s not exactly a Sunday afternoon picnic with cucumber sandwiches. In a year where Hollywood was forced to confront its appalling lack of diversity, it seems the nominations for truly great films such as Fences, Hidden Figures and Moonlight (among others) and their respective great artists, directors and crew have been simply a token to keep people quiet while everyone in the Hollywood bubble grips on to the last vestiges of white middle class purity they can see. Frankly, it makes me sick. Rant over.
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ISSUE 271
What makes a good twist?
Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense
by Joshua Price
Movie twists can either leave us in shock and awe or confused and outraged. But what makes the crucial difference between a clever misdemeanour and an enraging betrayal? Using a twist is a decision that requires careful planning and construction - you want to catch the viewer off guard but at the same time leave them satisfied with the conclusion. On its most basic level, a twist is a subversion of our expectations; setting us up to believe one thing when in actuality it is something entirely different. This can be anything from a location to an identity, up is down, X equals Y, Vader is Luke’s father. Like any kind of mechanism different types of twists require different kinds of construction. Take the standard and often loathed “It was all a dream” twist.
The reason why this often infuriates people is because the notion that everything we have just witnessed and become invested in is a figment of someone’s imagination is tough to handle. We feel cheated because the stakes of a situation rely on us believing that there is a real consequence to every action. Taking that aspect away from us at the last moment devalues everything that has preceded it as well as everything that will succeed it. An effective way to use this twist would be to emphasise that the dream in question has real implications on the outside world - a textbook example is The Wizard of Oz. None of the events strictly happened, but are all intrinsically linked to how the characters interpret the real world around them - solving an internal problem through the symbolic dream. Sometimes, even non-dream related twists can feel ludicrous. The director most praised and most ridiculed for his love of twists is M
Night Shyamalan. In his first film, The Sixth Sense, the twist works as a superb misdirection but is also the culmination of a number of clues hidden throughout the movie. It is this aspect that makes repeat viewings of the film just as fulfilling as the first, with the audience being able to spot these carefully placed hints and re-interpreting each scene in the light of the information they now know. In contrast, when you look at one of Shymalan’s twists in The Village it is easy to spot his fatal flaw. Not only is there no indication of the eventual twist but it has nothing to do with the movie that has preceded it. What started as an intricate mystery-drama takes a sharp left turn into completely new territory; there is no new perspective to be gained because nothing we have seen is related to the information we are presented with. The strength of a reveal is proportionate to how well it is foreshadowed earlier in the film. The obvious danger with this is the risk
APRIL 2017
RACHEL SANDERS // FILM
of giving away the ending before it is set to be revealed. It is a careful line to tread but, as long as you keep the majority of the audience in the dark (and that one clever person isn’t obnoxious enough to tell everyone else), you can succeed. Another handy tool in revealing a twist is to make sure the protagonist of the story experiences it at the same time as the audience. This encourages the writer to place the twist in the character’s emotional arc which is intensely more satisfying to us as an audience. It also allows the filmmaker to employ subjectivity in revealing and hinting at that twist. A character cannot magically
exist without a reason, but if said character can only be shown to the audience through the eyes of our protagonist then the audience can adopt their subjective perspective. There is a difference between a twist and a revelation, the latter is simply giving the audience information they did not know prior to that moment. A twist has this aspect but more importantly it must subvert our expectations while playing into a larger scheme. It should be linked with our investment in the world of the film and serve as a means to further our understanding of it. These rules apply to twists in almost
any medium, whether it be films, books or TV. They may seem like insignificant technicalities but rest assured that even if you are unaware of their components, you will feel the difference between a good twist and a bad one.
Count Olaf; no mean feat following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Jim Carey, and allows us to delight in his wickedness. The children are so well portrayed that we are actually able to appreciate their talents (unlike the movie): Sunny the biter, Klaus the reader and Violet’s brilliant inventions - all bring a sense of fascination as we follow them through their unfortunate lives. The Tim Burton-esque sets are
wonderfully appropriate for the topsyturvey world in which the Baudelaire’s live and they help create the show’s afore mentioned mystery. Contrary to the film, this series pursues the mystery of the gang which their parents were part of and investigates the fire at the Baudelaire mansion which killed them. Overall, this show is well worth a watch for that nostalgic childhood feeling of solving a good mystery!
Some must watch twists for you to try and figure out: Sixth Sense (1999) The Usual Suspects (1995) Fight Club (1999) Identity (2003) Se7en (1995) Memento (2000) Primal Fear (1996)
Binge watch: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Becky Elms
“If you are interested in stories with happy endings, then you would be better off somewhere else.” If you have read and enjoyed the books, then I highly recommend you watch this show. Black comedy, postmodern suburban settings and vocabulary explanations are all rife in this authentic retelling. The involvement of the author, Daniel Handler, in this series is telling as we return to the mystery of the books which was lacking in the 2004 blockbuster. Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) brings his own unique, funny and tormenting aspects to the role of
APRIL 2017
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM // SPORT
Top Indoor Sports by Emily Williams
Perhaps, you’re tired of dragging your reluctant self over to the gym, only to spend the next hour boring your eyes into the wall. And in this recurrent weather, most don’t want to exercise outside either; especially with a summer that lasts a week. Yet, we often forget about the fun buried within certain areas of sport. And that is why I’m going to suggest two of the coolest sports available in both Swansea and in our neighbouring city, Cardiff.
Trampolining
A common misconception is that this is only for children. However, you’d be surprised in regards to the number of much larger ‘children’ hopping about. It’s also great for melting away the extra calories, the average adult burning close to 50 calories every 10 minutes whilst
jumping on a trampoline. Prior to my first visit, I thought, “I’ll look like a complete idiot.” But in fact, there’s a lot more involved than just bouncing up and down. At Infinity-Cardiff, for example, you can launch foam balls at other big kids within a game of dodgeball or throw someone off the battle beam. One of the best things about the park is that even the staff will take part on their own accord. Many of these staff members are also first aid qualified for your own safety. On the other hand, Limitless in Swansea also offer a similar experience with extra features such as the monkey bars. There’s also an electronic game posed on the wall which I find almost impossible to reach with my jumping skills. There’s similarly an opportunity at both parks to practice some tricks by flipping yourself via a trampoline into a pool of foam. For more information on either of these companies go to: www.infinitycardiff.co.uk or www.limitlessstp.co.uk.
Freerunning/Parkour
Newly opened in October last year is Fluidity Freerunning Park in Cardiff. This is the biggest park to open in the UK. It’s sparked increasing interest and recently got covered by ITV News at the start of the year. What is Parkour? For those unfamiliar with the term it is considered a form of movement over various obstacles by either running,
jumping, climbing, or somersaulting. Many perceive it as an artistic form of expression via the body. Who can do it? If you’ve never done anything like this before then don’t worry; neither have most people. The park incorporates people of all ages and occasionally sets aside those of a similar ability to practice cooperatively. If you’re especially new to the sport, there’s an eight-week introductory learning course available for all age ranges and capabilities. They also offer a range of ‘open sessions’ often for all members to participate in but also for certain age groups. They even provide ‘ninja warrior training’ which may appeal to those interested in the show itself. Other than that, for those looking for something less intense, they have also included weekly Pilate sessions in their timetable which can be accessed via their webpage: http:// www.fluidityfreerunacademy.co.uk
APRIL 2017 • WEEKLY EVENTS
01 SATURDAY 22:00 03:00 til
Swipe Right Night Sin
02 SUN 20:00 22:00 til
Quiz Night JC’s
03 MON 18:30 23:30
Mexican Mondays JC’s
19:30 22:30
Dock of the Bay 52 Degrees
til
til
04 TUES 17:00 19:30
Swansea Sessions Divas 2
20:00 23:00
Open Mic Jc’s
til
til
19:00 18:30 23:00 til
21:00 LATE til
Varsity Cardiff Varsity After Party Wind Street
Quiz Night The Wonky Sheep
19:00 23:30
Karaoke JC’s
22:00 02:00
Tooters Divas
til
ALL DAY
Quiz Night 52 Degrees
07 FRI til
05 WED
08 SAT EASTER BREAK
For further information on our events head to our Official Swansea University Refreshers’ 2017 Facebook event
06 THURS 18:30 23:30 til
Curry Club JC’s
APRIL 2017
DECLAN MURPHY // TECH
Legend of Zelda: Breath of Fresh Air by Declan Murphy
I don’t understand Zelda. I love it from the bottom of my heart, but somehow they always find a way to survive. Even after the other juggernauts of the age like Sonic have somewhat fallen by the wayside, Link and co. seem to always find a way back in. Breath of the Wild takes you on a new adventure in the world of Hyrule. You wake in a temple which has been restoring Link after a 100 year absence due to your last encounter with Ganon that left you mortally wounded. Your quest takes you around the ruins of Hyrule uniting the races of Hylia to ultimately do battle with Ganon and free Zelda after her 100 year battle with what we now call Calamity Ganon in the grounds of Hyrule Castle. You wake to find a Sheikah Slate, basically an ancient magic iPad that you can use for your menu functions, take Hylian Snapchats with and creep on Zelda’s old Instagram to see what she’s been up to. In reality however the Slate serves as your navigator and inventory but also as your way of manipulating the world around you to deal with the puzzles Nintendo has thrown at you this time around. The game feels classic Zelda but still somehow innovates in new ways to make it feel fresh and
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild fun. It keeps the right amount of elements from previous instalments of the franchise whilst throwing in new mechanics and plot points to spice up the experience. Things as simple as changing the colours of Link’s outfit to blue from green to more advanced changes where you have to climb towers to reveal parts of the map, similar to what you’d find in an Assassin’s Creed game. One such experience I’ve had with the game so far is dealing with one of the Divine Beasts. It featured a concoction of stealth, puzzle solving and boss fighting that, to me at least, summarised exactly what I’m loving about the new game. Also cooking. Cooking in this game is fun; experimenting to find new recipes and elixirs to help you on your quest seems to never be dull. You can use
different quantity of materials to boost certain elements of your new dish, from more chilis to boost cold resistance to more apples to boost how many hearts you get from it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has placed itself firmly as a solid 10/10, at least according to reviewers. In fact the only game rated higher by Metacritic is Ocarina of Time, which says it all really. Even after somewhat patchy spells like Skyward Sword, Zelda has managed to reclaim the lost ground and, for the moment at least, carry an entire console on its back. If you own a Wii U or a Switch I recommend this game solidly. It is a staple of the franchise and of gaming in general, highlighting everything that other games in the genre should be aiming for.
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ISSUE 271
Meet your Varsity competitors
Women’s Hockey
Netball
Men’s Ultimate Frisbee
Squash
Karate
“Are you gonna eat that?”
“It’s like Olympics for me to proudly represent Swansea on the biggest arena! Let’s go Swansea let’s go!!”
‘This year the captain aims to remain standing when on the mat... and in the clubs.’
Women’s Ultimate Frisbee
“Play for the name on the front of the shirt, and they’ll remember the name on the back”
“Varsity this year is huge for us as a squad, I can’t wait to step onto the court with such a talented team”
Cricket
Swimming
Men’s Hockey
Boxing
“This year, playing at a test match ground, we’re hoping to bring the trophy home.”
“The red will disappear as the GWA come near, Cardiff will drown when the Swans come to town”
“It gives us a chance to see how our carpet and lifted hockey competes against a solid Cardiff team. #Synergy”
“There were so many Swansea fans in the Prince of Wales that they managed to chase out anybody wearing a hint of red!”
Sailing
Men’s Lacrosse
Ladies Rugby
IMG Football
“The opportunity that we have been given to play before the boys on the huge platform that is the Principality Stadium is incredible”
“No Pyro, No Party”
“When we won the sailing in my first year, I got naked and jumped into the lake, I’m not sure I have recovered fully yet” - James Curtis
“I just want the travelling Swansea fans and players to make the Cardiff fans and players have the most miserable day possible”
“I can breathe underwater”
Men’s Volleyball “Vidi Vici Veni”
APRIL 2017
VARSITY 2017
Varsity Breakdown
The Shield
The rest of the day’s events are dedicated to the 40 sports competing for the Varsity Shield. Across the whole week there are a huge variety of sports battling it out to bring home the shield. Anything from Football to Archery, or Lacrosse to Water Polo, there’s a sport for everyone! Make sure you check the timetable so you don’t miss out!
2016
Swansea - 13
Cardiff - 26
Cycling
Rowing
Mens Squash
Equestrian
Archery
Ladies Hockey
Athletics
Rifle
Ladies Lacrosse
Swimming
Kickboxing
Ladies Basketball
Golf
Water Polo
Ladies Volleyball
Mens Fencing
Netball
Ladies Rugby
Mens Football
Tae Kwon Do
Ladies Squash
Ladies Ultimate Frisbee
Sailing
Mens Hockey
American Football
Mens Tennis
Mens Lacrosse
Canoe Polo
Ladies Tennis
Mens Basketball
IMG Football
Cricket
Mens Volleyball
Staff Netball
Freshers’ Rugby
Ladies Fencing
Ladies Football
Mens Ultimate Frisbee
Staff Football
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ISSUE 271
Varsity Breakdown
Picture: Tammy Schuh
The Cup
Historically, Swansea have come out on top when it comes to the Welsh varsity rugby match. Winning 13, losing 6 and drawing once. Many of our players go on to join semi-professional and professional clubs as a result of their performances in the Welsh Varsity. Alun Wyn Jones, one of the top MVPs, played varsity in 2007 where Swansea dominated Cardiff 18-0 in Arms Park; he has now gone on to captain the Wales team for this year’s Six Nations. Only the greatest study in Swansea!
Swansea’s ‘16 team, led by Jay Williams, Ben Madgwick and Tom WIlson celebrate their 16-10 win over Cardiff
APRIL 2017
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
Year
Venue
Captains
Result
1997
Cardiff Arms Park
Rob Crozier
Swansea 23 - 11 Cardiff
1998
St Helens
Ben Williams
Swansea 49 – 13 Cardiff
1999
Cardiff Arms Park
Ben Martin
Swansea 13 – 7 Cardiff
2000
St Helens
James Meredith James McKay
Swansea 28 - 18 Cardiff
2001
Cardiff Arms Park
Andy Boyd James Templeman
Cardiff 10 - 10 Swansea
2002
St Helens
Alex Luff Steffan Edwards
Cardiff 21 - 3 Swansea
2003
The Brewery Field
Sam Rees Hefin Evans
Swansea 18 – 12 Cardiff
2004
The Brewery Field
Jon Tenconi James Cole
Swansea 25 - 11 Cardiff
2005
The Brewery Field
Jack Dawson Owain Griffiths
Swansea 16 – 8 Cardiff
2006
The Brewery Field
Tom Hocking Craig Voisey
Cardiff 15 – 5 Swansea
2007
Cardiff Arms Park
Richard Watkins Matt Hopper
Swansea 18 - 0 Cardiff
2008
Cardiff Arms Park
Aled Mason Rob Evans
Cardiff 19 - 9 Swansea
2009
Cardiff Arms Park
Aaron Fowler Rhys Lawrence
Cardiff 9 - 6 Swansea
2010
Liberty Stadium
Kerry O'Sullivan Mark Schropfer
Swansea 16 - 12 Cardiff
2011
The Millennium Stadium
Rhodri Clancy Mark Schropfer
Swansea 28 - 18 Cardiff
2012
The Millennium Stadium
Richard Smart Jake Cooper-Wooley
Cardiff 33 - 13 Swansea
2013
The Millennium Stadium
Jonathon Vaughan Ross Wardle
Swansea 21 - 13 Cardiff
2014
The Millennium Stadium
Reuben Tucker James Thomas
Swansea 19 - 15 Cardiff
2015
Liberty Stadium
Ben Madgwick Ollie Young
Cardiff 26 - 22 Swansea
2016
Liberty Stadium
Jay Williams Ben Madgwick/Tom Wilson
Swansea 16 - 10 Cardiff
APRIL 2017
VARSITY 2017
Flying the Flag for Equality
Swansea University Womens Rugby team by Lois Williams
Being from any part of the UK (or even the world) you’ll probably know how much we in the UK value rugby. And 2017 sees the first year that both men and women’s rugby fixtures will take place in the Principality Stadium. The men’s rugby is seen as one of the most exciting events of the day, but Varsity organisers felt that this year, the women’s rugby deserve just as much coverage. I sat down with Megan Griffiths, the club captain for women’s rugby, to see what she thought of
this decision made by the Varsity organisers. She said: “The opportunity that we have been given to play before the boys on the huge platform that is the Principality Stadium is incredible and we are so thankful that we have the chance to play there. It’s not only a huge step for us as a University team, it is a gigantic step for women’s rugby as a whole, especially with it being after the 6 Nations and a few months before the biggest competition that is the World Cup. “ The women are set to play in the Principality stadium, which can hold almost 75,000 people, a privilege only seen by men’s varsity players or professional clubs up until recently.
Megan went on to say “I can definitely speak for the girls when I say that it has always been a dream of ours to be able to play before the boys on such a huge platform whether it be The Liberty or The Principality. Having this opportunity has only heightened everything that we have felt and done in the past. Everyone who is up for squad selection has fully committed to the event.” From the outcome of their recent games and the dedication seen by all of the girls, they deserve nothing less than their big Principality performance on April 5th. Safe to say we’ll all be there supporting the girls! Best of luck from the whole of team Swansea!
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ISSUE 271
Varsity preview Get ready for the Titans American Football Shannon Jones With the end of their regular season, the Swansea Titans are taking a small respite before their preparation for the biggest sporting event of the year, the Welsh Varsity. However, that hasn’t stopped them in preparation for the big event, as team captain and quarterback, Sam Huxtable revealed that the team ‘have a few ideas planned’ on how to approach the game in April. When it comes to Varsity training, Huxtable revealed that the team will be looking to build on their strength, training ‘as hard as they can with weight lifting, speed and agility’, as well as coming up with a few tricks up their sleeve to take on their Cardiff rivals. Undoubtedly the highlight of the Titans’ season was their victory over the Hertfordshire Hurricanes who went into the game undefeated. In what was an exciting and physical game, the Titans were able to demonstrate their own strength and endurance, managing to ‘keep the Hurricanes at bay’ and take the victory. Such a result bodes well for the Titans, putting them in a good position to claim backto-back varsity wins over Cardiff. With Varsity fast approaching, the team are all gearing up to put on a good performance, with Huxtable commenting that they are eager to ‘show what the team can do in front of the biggest crowd we get all season’. Further inspiring the team to perform
well is the fore coming loss of their head coach at the end of the year, giving the team more desire to come out with a victory for his final Varsity. Huxtable describes American football as a ‘spectacular sport to watch’, and the Titans aim to put on a display just as spectacular. Watch the Swansea Titans face the Cardiff Cobras at 11:00 on Llanrumney Grass at Cardiff University.
Athletics Ready For the Next Hurdle on April 1 Claire Cuddihy Swansea University’s Athletics team are gearing up for April 1st, (nope, not for an April Fools prank), but for the big day when they will once again face Cardiff University for the annual Welsh Varsity competition. Being a relatively new sport to the Varsity tournament, Swansea’s Athletics team are keen to make their mark even greater this year having trounced their red-vested Cardiff opponents last year in the sport’s debut performance in an exciting medley relay event on the track. This year is anticipated to be bigger and better. Club Captain of Swansea’s Athletics and Cross Country team, Alex Daley explains ‘this year marks the first year of the new system of competition. We now have a track and field events program covering all sections and event types, rather than just running. This allows our field competitors a chance to compete in Varsity. It was agreed that the set up this year will
stand as the system for future years’. The events will include: 100m, 600m, 5km, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot Put, 4x100m, 4x400m, 4x200m (mixed gender), and finally the ‘elimination mile’ (a 1-mile race around the track in which the slowest athlete is eliminated from the race at the end of each lap). Building upon the success of last year, the introduction of electronic timing and officials this year will make the meet more accurate and professional. Swansea’s Cross Country and Athletics Club has had a busy year thus far, with the completion of a highly successful trip up to Edinburgh to compete in the annual Braid Hills race, some stellar performances in the local Gwent and West Glamorgan leagues as well as the BUCS Cross Country championships in Sheffield marking just a few of their achievements. Most of our athletes have been training hard in preparation for selection for Varsity both on Tuesday and Thursday training sessions and in their own time. Daley points out that the Athletics season is yet to officially begin and so there have been few opportunities for participants in all disciplines to practice competitively. “Our track season doesn’t kick off until May, so varsity comes under ‘Pre Season’. That being said, we are using a very early (mid-March) meet down in Exeter against a number of SW of England teams as a ‘tune up’. A good team win there (and beating Cardiff who also will be in attendance) will be great preparation”.
APRIL 2017
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
Swansea University Athletics Club Like last year, this event will be taking place on home turf at Swansea’s very own international athletics track (by the Welsh National pool), kicking off at approximately 12.00 with events running through till 17.00. Varsity ticket-holders will be able to access seating in the stands alongside the track. Daley warmly encourages Swansea students and staff to come down to the track to spectate, claiming that the performances hold great promise. “An event on your doorstep shouldn’t be missed, especially when it involves the beating of Cardiff. Judging by last year, it should be a great event, there should be some good athletics on show. If the sun is out, you have no excuse!” If Swansea can retain their title as the winners of the Athletics Varsity shield, Daley is confident that the Varsity day itself on the 5th “will play part of the celebrations”. When asked if there were any pre-emptive commiserations for
Cardiff, Daley, who would regard himself as “unhealthily competitive” answered while trying to keep a straight face, “I’m sure they’ll try their hardest; that’s all that matters. Winning isn’t everything. Sport is about the taking part and all of that rubbish. You get the jist.”
Hoping for a hat-trick Swansea University Women’s Football Club Hilary Webb Hoping to take their third consecutive Varsity win, the women’s football team are heading to Cardiff under the leadership of their captain Grace Carney. So far this season the women have already won against Aberystwyth 1s, despite tricky weather conditions; they took away a huge confidence boost and a 15-0 win. The team have upped their training from twice a week to three times a
week for both their 1st and 2nd teams in anticipation of the challenge ahead in Cardiff. Carney told Waterfront how their ‘main tactic is to make use of our channels and to maintain good movement both on and off the ball’. For the majority of the team, including Carney, it will be their first Varsity competing in Cardiff and they are looking forward to the opportunity to play in the Cardiff Arms Park stadium. ‘The atmosphere at Varsity is always electric and because we haven’t played Cardiff 1s this season the anticipation is higher than normal’ said Carney. Striving of course to win, the women’s football team will be supporting both the men’s and women’s rugby teams at Principality Stadium after their game before celebrating on Wind Street with the rest of the university. ‘This year we could win Varsity for the third year running which is something that, as a club, we have never achieved before. To have a big crowd behind us will give us extra
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Swansea University Sailing Club confidence to bring home the win’ said Carney. Catch their match at Cardiff Arms Park at 13:00 on April 5.
Coming about… hopefully Swansea University Sailing Club Hilary Webb After winning in Plymouth and placing 2nd at both Cardiff and Warwick’s events, Swansea University’s Sailing Club look to continue their strong performance at this year’s Welsh Varsity. Commodore and first team helm James Curtis talked to Waterfront about their tactics to throw the opponents off their game; ‘we have worked on some call outs that mean absolutely nothing but will confuse them’. The clubs message for Cardiff is ‘sorry that you didn’t qualify for BUCS finals that we are at now, but enjoy watching your team lose the rugby’. Curtis is excited to compete in
Cardiff this year, one reason being that he doesn’t have to unlock the sailing club in the morning, nor be reminded about losing every time they do so in the future. Asked why students should come and support the sailing club on April 5, Curtis said; ‘you probably won’t know what’s going on or why people are going the way they are going but it will be fun and it will be “boozee”’. Sounds good to us, support the sailing club at Cardiff Bay at 10am SATURDAY OR WEDNEDAY TBC??? Captain told me they’re competing in days before Varsity but they are on the timetable?
Rivals on the pitch, friends off it Swansea Ultimate Frisbee Hilary Webb With the women’s team defending their 2016 Varsity title, the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team are hoping to finally bag a Varsity win.
Club Captain Barney West hopes that the men’s strong performance in the BUCS league, where they’ve placed above Cardiff and guaranteed their place in Nationals 2018, will spur the team on to take Varsity. West is confident that the women’s team will make it to Nationals too; ‘having both teams go through would reflect brilliantly the amount of hard work everyone has put in’. Training intensity has picked up for the club, especially as they will be taking a smaller squad than normal to Cardiff. While the rival teams have been training together, there hasn’t been much chance to peek at Cardiff’s tactics, with both teams keeping their cards close to their chests. Like most Swansea teams it has been a few years since the last Welsh Varsity in Cardiff and the team would love to beat Cardiff on home turf for the first time. West insures that the game is very easy to pick up and encourages students to support with a ‘party on the side-line’. Off the pitch the club are good
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Womens Basketball friends with their rivals and hope to celebrate with them win or lose. Watch Swansea Ultimate ‘bring it on the pitch’ at Swalec Stadium Outfield April 5, from 10:00.
Another chance for the underdogs Women’s Basketball Hilary Webb Following on from their spectacular 50 point lead win over UWTSD in the Welsh League, Swansea University’s women’s basketball team, captained by Kanny Smith, are looking forward to another Varsity. Smith told Waterfront how the team are often considered as underdogs, giving them ‘something to prove’. ‘We work on improving steadily with every single training session,’ Smith said, adding that ‘we do have extra cardio sessions in order to stay in the best possible shape’ for Varsity. The team have often been close to taking the Varsity win, and hope that
if enough students come and support the team that this year they can finally win it for the Green and White Army. ‘Ready or not, here we come’ is Smith’s message for Cardiff, and is excited for the celebrations regardless of the result. Support our women’s basketball team in the Sport Wales main hall at 12:00 April 5.
A historic match already Women’s Rugby Hilary Webb Regardless of the result, Varsity 2017 is already set to be historic for the Swansea University women’s rugby team. For the first time the women’s rugby will be in the Principality Stadium before the men’s rugby. Club President Megan Griffiths told Waterfront about how this opportunity is ‘a huge honour for us to be treated equally to the men’s team. For women’s rugby, it will be a huge promotional opportunity to push the sport as a whole.’
‘We love playing in Swansea, obviously because it is home turf but having the opportunity to play in the Principality Stadium will be a once in a lifetime thing’. Already this year the club have won 15-7 against the once unbeatable Hartpury team. Griffiths hopes that they will ‘carry that through to Varsity’. Their training for Varsity is relatively similar but they have increased the number of training sessions a significant amount, focussing on strength and conditioning, fitness and grass skills. Excited to showcase women’s rugby at a university level, especially as it is a Six Nations and World Cup year the squad ‘have performed better than ever before this season’ having only lost one league match all year and placing above Cardiff in the BUCS Western 1A. What’s more, if our women’s rugby team win their Varsity match this year it will be the first time in the university’s history. Whatever happens, this promises to be a historical match, so make sure you’re in Principality Stadium at 17:00 April 5.
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Varsity top tips
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Wear sunscreen We can’t emphasise this enough, just do it. I know it’s a pain, but is it more annoying than having an awful farmers tan for months?
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Drink lots of... water– Sorry to be the spoiler of fun, but when it’s hot and you’re getting quite merry, the last thing you want is a trip to A&E, be safe!
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Remember your ticket– Or risk being the centre of all jokes for the rest of your degree. Wristbands and tickets are needed to get in!
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As well as getting you entry to all the matches throughout the day, your wristbands will also get you travel to and from Swansea and entry into clubs, so make sure you keep it on for the whole day. Free entry into Idols until 23:15 Free entry into Walkabout all night
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Be fun - We all love a bit of healthy competition, but we wouldn’t like seeing our Swansea family shoved in jail for a night, so throw parties not punches!
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Look out for staff – there will be helpers throughout the day to direct you. If you’re lost or need a hand, then we will be happy to help!
Keep an eye on the weather! – We’ve been lucky enough to have beautifully sunny weather for Varsity weather but as we’re in Wales you can never be too careful! Sunnies are a must but prepare for cold and rain too.
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It’s going to be a long day so make sure wear appropriate footwear! This means no heels (trust us on this one)!
You’ll probably be going straight from Cardiff onto Wind Street (unless you want to go home afterwards) so also make sure you have everything you need for the evening too.
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Meet the Models by Lois Williams
An exclusive interview with the faces of Varsity 2017: Alex Bourn (Men’s Hockey) Bethan Phillips (Netball) and Sam Huxtable (American Football). How are you feeling for Varsity this year? A: Fantastic, already played and beaten them in the league 4-2 so confidence levels are high. B: I’m feeling really excited for varsity this year! We’ve been really focused on getting prepared for this day, so going on court alongside the girls will be a great achievement regardless of the outcome. However, this year the team is stronger than ever and we feel the win is definitely in our grasp. S: I can’t wait for it! The atmosphere is amazing with so many people watching! Opinions on it being in Cardiff? A: For hockey, it’s much better that it’s in Cardiff. It’s a reasonable size stand and can fit way more people around the pitch than in Swansea. Makes for a much better atmosphere.
Sam Huxtable
B: It’ll definitely be a strange feeling to not be playing in Sketty, as our last two Varsity’s have been held in Swansea. However,
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Bethan Phillips we’re all really excited to show up in Cardiff and make our mark, and show them what the Swans are made of away from home S: As I have only played varsity in Swansea it will be really good to have it in a different place and hopefully win in front of an even bigger Cardiff crowd. What do you do to psyche yourself up for games? A: Music. Loud, music. B: Team talk is always key before a match. It definitely lifts the mood, and has us all feeling really positive before taking court. A good pair of speakers & a quality playlist is also a necessity to get us psyched. S: I normally listen to music and visualise exactly what I have to do on each play against their defence. What would you say to encourage more Freshers/students in general to join sports teams? A: I can’t imagine life at uni without joining a sports team to be honest. Most of the people I know and hang around with are
Alex Bourn part of the club. I would know a lot fewer people if I wasn’t in it. B: The netball club has been a major part of my uni life and I would encourage everyone to join a sports team - it definitely gives you a sense of belonging and an escape from uni life. Some of my best memories & best friends in uni have been made through netball. S: It is probably the best way to meet new people as when you join there are about 70 teammates who you get to know really quickly. It’s also a really fun way of keeping fit with a little bit of competition which is always healthy. How does it feel being on the promo posters?
A: Pretty pleasing, it’s a decent photo and I’m glad that hockey is getting more coverage, plus Photoshop has done me a treat! B: The promo posters are always something we look forward to seeing in the lead up to varsity, so it’s quite funny seeing my face around uni this year as it’s not something I expected! It’s definitely a nice way to end my 3 years at Swansea Uni, and it makes me feel very proud to represent the Netball Club for Varsity 2017. S: It makes me feel aggravated at the lack of autograph requests, but that aside, it is pleasing but also pretty crazy seeing life size versions of myself stuck up all over campus. The photo shoot was great fun as well and I definitely recommend it if you get the chance.
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Varsity Schedule Here’s the run-down of every match that will be participating in Varsity this year. Remember events don’t just occur on the Wednesday – make sure you don’t miss a thing with our guide. Sport
Facilty
Time
Maindy Track & Pool
12:30
Rowing
Channel View - Cardiff Bay
10:00
Karate
Y Plas - Cardiff Students' Union
11:00
Athletics
Swansea University Track
TBC
Equestrian
Triley Fields Equestrian Centre
10:00
Boxing
Y Plas - Cardiff Students' Union
19:00
Triathlon
Maindy Pool and Track
09:00
Ladies Lacrosse
Sport Wales - Hockey Astro
09:30
Sailing
Cardiff Bay
10:00
Rifle
Penarth Rifle Range
10:00
Tae Kwon Do
Sport Wales - Dojo
10:00
Archery
Sport Wales - Jubilee Hall
10:00
Netball
Sport Wales - Main Hall
10:00
Ladies Ultimate Frisbee
Swalec Stadium Outfield
10:00
Swimming
Cardiff International Pool
10:30
Freshers Rugby
Cardiff Arms Park
11:00
Wednesday 29th March Cycling Saturday 1st April
Monday 3rd April
Wednesday 5th April
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Golf
Radyr Golf Club
11:00
Men's Lacrosse
Sport Wales - Hockey Astro
11:00
Men's Ultimate Frisbee
Swalec Stadium Outfield
11:00
IMG Football
University - CUSF - Llanrumney 3G
11:00
American Football
University - CUSF - Llanrumney Grass
11:00
Ladies Tennis
Cardiff Castle / Lawn Tennis Club
11:30
Men's Tennis
Cardiff Castle / Lawn Tennis Club
11:30
Ladies Basketball
Sport Wales - Main Hall
11:30
Men's Water Polo
Cardiff International Pool
12:30
Ladies Football
Cardiff Arms Park
13:00
Badminton
CUSTV - Talybont - Field Hall
13:00
Ladies Hockey
Sport Wales - Hockey Astro
13:00
Men's Cricket T20
Swalec Stadium
13:00
Men's Basketball
Sport Wales - Main Hall
13:15
Kickboxing
Sport Wales - Dojo
13:30
Ladies Fencing
Sport Wales - Jubilee Hall
13:30
Men's fencing
Sport Wales - Jubilee Hall
13:30
Ladies Squash
Sport Wales - Squash Courts
13:30
Men's Squash
Sport Wales - Squash Courts
13:30
Staff Football
University - CUSF - Llanrumney 3G
14:00
Men's Football
Cardiff Arms Park
15:00
Men's Hockey
Sport Wales - Hockey Astro
15:00
Ladies Volleyball
Sport Wales - Main Hall
15:00
Men's Volleyball
Sport Wales - Main Hall
15:00
Staff Netball
University - CUSTV - Talybont
15:00
Ladies Rugby
Principality Stadium
17:00
Mens Rugby
Principality Stadium
19:00
Canoe Polo
TBC
TBC
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Pictures: Tammy Schuh & Nathan Shaw
Varsity 2016
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Take a look at some of the highlights from previous Varsity days! Don’t forget to hashtags #GWA17 #WeBleedGreen to add to the memories!
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Travel Information Now you’ve collected your ticket and wristband, you will need to know all the ins and outs of traveling to, from and around Cardiff. Thankfully for you, we’ve got that covered.
Swansea to Cardiff
Drop off point:
Bus stop: Abbey Meadow Carpark
Buses will drop off at Lloyd George
Times: 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 Avenue, Cardiff. The journey is about There will be a bus time written on your
an hour so make sure you take water
wristband. Make sure you arrive 15
with you, but remember, no alcohol
minutes before your allocated bus time.
will be allowed on the coaches.
Cardiff to Swansea
Drop off points:
Bus Stop: Lloyd George Avenue, Cardiff The Strand, Wind Street Times: 20:30, 21:30, 22:30, 23:30
Singleton campus: Two shuttle buses will run from the Help
These times will not be allocated.
Point on Wind Street to Bay and Singleton Campus until 01:00.
Travelling around Cardiff Most things are in walking
Dragon Taxis: 02920 333 333
distance, but just in case you
Premier Taxis: 02920 555 555
want to hitch a ride, here are some
Capital Taxis: 02920 777 777
numbers you might find useful:
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from your sports officer Robyn Lock
It’s that time of year again. My favourite day of the year, a day where we come together as a Green and White Army to celebrate student sport! A day not just for student athletes but for supporters too. Although Cardiff may be hosting it doesn’t mean it isn’t Swansea’s time to shine.
I have had the pleasure of playing rugby at three Varsity events unfortunately never coming away with the score Swansea Women’s Rugby want or deserve but every year I have come to love it more and more. The buzz of playing alongside team mates and celebrating with your University friends afterwards is indescribable. Sport comes in all shapes and sizes and in my opinion there is a sport
out there for everyone, Varsity embodies that for me. Everyone comes together; regardless of race, religion, gender or sexuality to enjoy the day and to represent. Sport gave me confidence, best friends and ambition and I have no doubt it provide the same for every Swansea student. It’s sad to say that this will be my last Varsity as a player but I will be thrilled to return as an alumni Swansea member to enjoy the day for years to come. Varsity is for life, not just for Easter!
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EQUALITY
INTERVIEWS
Women’s Rugby play at Principality for the first time ever.
With the Captains of Varsity 2017.
VARSITY BREAKDOWN A look back at Varsity victories (and losses)