FREE
APRIL 2019
ISSUE 287
Your officer team 2019/20
Elections '19
liberation
Food
6
14 Why We Need to Talk About Intersectionality
22 Making your own Chocolate Easter Egg 23 Passover
features
film
Culture
8 9
16 Moneyball: Best Sporting Movie Ever?
24 Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage
Your Officer Team
Managing YOU Euthanasia: Boon or Bane?
Tech
creative writing Sport
10 Signifying Home: How Welsh Culture is Recognised in Gaming
18 The Sky is Not Blue 19 White Noise
26 Club in Focus: Sailing 28 BUCS Indoor Athletics Nationals 2019 Report
Photography
Wellbeing
Puzzles
12 The Rule of Thirds
21 Going to University with a Disability
47 Country Wordsearch, Number Pic, Sudoku & Magic Square
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
FILM
Joshua O'Mahoney
Alex Udraufski-Osborne
waterfronteditor@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontfilm@swanseastudentmedia.com
SUB EDITOR
FOOD
Caitlin Jones
Jacob Fleming
waterfrontsubeditor@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontfood@swanseastudentmedia.com
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
LIBERATION
Charlotte Husbands
Zoya Chisti
waterfrontphoto@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontliberation@swanseastudentmedia.com
DESIGN & ARTWORK
MUSIC
Iain Fisher
Fin Hardie & Joshua O'Mahoney
waterfrontdesign@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontmusic@swanseastudentmedia.com
PROOFREADING
PUZZLES
Caitlin Jones & Kathryn Hayne
Laurence Brown
proofreader@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontpuzzles@swanseastudentmedia.com
CULTURE
SPORT
Kathryn Hayne
Jessica Hayden
waterfrontculture@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontsport@swanseastudentmedia.com
FASHION
TECH
Open position (contact our editor to apply for this role)
Leah Slowinski
waterfrontfashion@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfronttech@swanseastudentmedia.com
FEATURES
WELLBEING
Canisha Chakadya
Olivia Rogers
waterfrontfeatures@swanseastudentmedia.com
waterfrontwellbeing@swansea-union.co.uk
STUDENT MEDIA COORDINATOR Iain Fisher
iain.fisher@swansea-union.co.uk
THIS MONTH'S CONTRIBUTORS Shannon McDonald • Vipul Bhatia • Leah Slowinski • Charlotte Husbands Zoya Chishti • Harvey Stanton • Lizzy Brown • Sebastian Fletcher • Olivia Rogers • Nathan Taylor-Kitching Eleanor Maunder • Kathryn Hayne • Anna Stubbs • Julia Cook • Laurence Brown
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATHAN ROACH
WATERFRONT IS A FREE PRINT AND ONLINE PUBLICATION FROM SWANSEA STUDENT MEDIA AND YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION. SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
Joshua O'Mahoney Editor-in-chief I was going to try and come up with a funny ‘April fools’ inspired introduction for this month’s issue, but nothing’s coming to mind. If you were to describe April 2019 in one word, you’d probably have to go with ‘mental!’ This month is one of the biggest of the year so far. The most significant event by some distance though, it has to be said, will be Welsh Varsity. While we are returning to Cardiff this year, you better believe that the Waterfront will be going along to support our athletes through every step. Varsity tickets sold out in a little over half an hour this year, so we’ll be expecting to see you all out there cheering along with us. In this issue, we have dedicated our time to giving our readers as much information about the big day as possible, with interviews and themed articles throughout, for freshers and Varsity veterans alike. Good luck to all of the teams competing before or on the day, you’re going to smash it! Josh
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
Elections '19 They campaigned and you voted - now meet your new elected officers for 2019/20 Event photography by Nathan Roach // Portrait photography by Joshua Harrigan
ELECTIONS 2019
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Grace Hannaford President
Teresa 'Tee' Ogbekhiulu Education
InĂŞs Teixeira-Dias Societies & Services
Ffion Davies Sports
Ana Guri Welfare
Megan Fflur Colbourne Welsh Affairs
Liza Leibowitz BME
Georgia-Rose Williams Environment
Charlie Wells Ethics
Joe Davern General Secretary
Maona Manyau International
Jade Easthope LGBT+ Bay
Courtney Davies LGBT+ Singleton
Lavinia Cramer Mental Health Awareness
Quin Davies Disabilities
Rex Fox O'Loughlin Trans/Non Binary Awareness
Scarlett Ross Women's
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
BY SHANNON MCDONALD
Managing time is a hurdle that every individual has to navigate, even after finishing university. Now that exam season has arrived, it quite easily tops being the most stressful times of the year. On top of lectures, coursework and socials, study time needs to be accounted for. According to a Ted Talk given by Laura Vanderkam in 2017, the idea of time management was broken down modestly into “looking at the whole of one’s time and seeing where you can fit in the good stuff”. The simplest way of thinking about time management is by placing it into four categories. The first being time that can’t be negotiated such as family events, lectures, birthdays, holidays and so on. Prioritising is key - by pencilling in these key dates it makes it easier to place more leisurely events in between. Similarly, we can all understand that dreaded feeling where we’ve looked up at the time and realised that it’s already 5.30 in the evening and little or no work has been done. Categorising the time that is in definite excess means an end to that dreaded feeling. These are places in a week where there is a guarantee that the whole day will be free. A
space where it is plausible to spend a long amount of time on a specific task. Time can be dissipated here in a more efficient manner. This could be a free day with no lectures, or a Saturday morning before work. Some tasks are better for certain times of the day, and personal time is taken into account in this case. Placing emphasis on the practicality of time is important, for example, perhaps studying after a full day of lectures or going to the gym straight after a training session is a bad idea. Finally, once all the necessary elements of a day has become important the leisure time can be filled in. If categorised and prioritised correctly there is room to socialise and be successful at the same time. There are many tools that can help you manage your time. Digital apps, such as Rescue Time and Focus Booster, are prime examples. The best tool for me has been keeping a diary: both a physical one, and sometimes a digital one on Google Calendar. The idea is that it is accessible when you are on the go, and I can make edits to my schedule as and when. I like to plan my day in the week, then every morning add any new task that needs to be done. I draw tick boxes
in my diary and fill them once complete. It becomes an unwritten contract with myself, as having a physical box to fill in when a task is completed makes me more positive, productive and boosts confidence within myself. Sticking to a managed time table can be hard for a lot of people. In order for time management to work it has be realistic, allowing a fair distribution of your energy. Ensuring that there is time for rest and time for creativity, as well as getting the essentials done, is key. Allowing yourself to have room for failure is important too, not every task can always be completed. The best way to deal with this is to allow yourself to reflect on what you have completed that day or even that week. It’s easier to take into account what you have accomplished and take that as a positive, rather than berating yourself for what you haven’t. Time management is one of the most essential skills to anybody looking to be successful in life. It is so important when you are on a path of self-discovery; it can give you the time needed to find out who you are. Let this exam season be a learning curve and not a deterrent.
FEATURES CANISHA CHAKADYA
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Euthanasia: Boon or Bane? BY VIPUL BHATIA
Derived from the Greek language, the word ‘euthanasia’ refers to the act of consciously ending one’s life with the intention of relieving them from unbearable pain. The target group generally involves persons nearing the end of their life, mainly because of a terminal illness, but in extraordinary circumstances it may also include those suffering from incurable mental illnesses. Upon request, the doctor administers a lethal dose to the patient thereby granting them a dignified end. Although illegal in the UK, the growing population in favour of it has made the issue of euthanasia one of the most hotly debated social matters, second to only abortion. But you might think, how can this act of altruism, which is often desired by the patients in palliative care, be illegal in the first place? To understand this, we must dive deeper into the arguments made by those against it. Often denoted as a slippery slope, critics argue that legalization may pave the way for the attitude that instant end is better than prolonging suffering which is often believed to drain the resources of health services, giving doctors too much power. They also argue that the vulnerable patient’s decision to be euthanised may be heavily influenced by pressure put upon them by selfish families. Criticism is also stark from the religious communities who believe that it is wrong to end your own life given that those on the brink of death are presented with the opportunity for a moment of healthy self-reflection that comes from suffering at the end of your
time. But none of these criticisms come close to the one presented by those who practice the art of medicine as less than 50% of practicing doctors are in support of the notion of euthanasia. This reluctance mainly stems from the fear of prosecution on the charge of murder based on wrongful termination of patient mainly due to an incorrect diagnosis of the patient’s condition. We must realise that extraordinary things do happen and those in pain now may feel better or adapt to it later in life. The situation becomes even more complex when we consider patients who have given a written directive instructing the doctors to euthanise them should their condition later in life deteriorate, to the point that they lose their ability to rationally decide. But not all hope is lost, 82% of the public support the idea of euthanasia. Some compelling arguments have also
been put forward that blow most of the criticism away. They contend that euthanasia will never be legalized without control mechanisms that effectively deals with the problem of misuse by cost-conscious doctors. It is also maintained that religious arguments are not of utmost importance to people, especially during a time of suffering. Those who may want to adhere to these principles may do so, but it should not come at a cost of depriving others of a dignified death. A utilitarian argument which aims for highest happiness implies that there are more people who will be happier if the pro-euthanasia law comes into effect than those who would not be. Personally, I believe that small steps lead to big changes. We can start by legalizing assisted suicide first and gauge its cost and effect, and if beneficial, it could pave a way towards legalization of euthanasia.
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ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
Signifying Home How Welsh culture is represented in the gaming industry Gaming has become a way in which to discover a whole host of possibilities, but how much of Welsh culture, or indeed Wales itself, have we been shown? BY LEAH SLOWINSKI
Video games have reached a peak. We are in an era in which playing a game has gone beyond simple mechanics and into the realms of immersion. Forget simple polygon structures, block colours or sandbox cities. I’m talking about games that allow you to wander, explore, immerse yourself entirely within the new realm, or indeed, a forgotten one. Want to parkour around Renaissance Florence? No problem. Perhaps you’d relish in hunting through Azeroth on your epic mount? Absolutely. What about flying endlessly through the vortex of space, being chased by abominations? Why not. When consumers think of an RPG, typically Japanese based games spring to mind. These made their emergence in the early 1980s and have altered the way in which we as gamers experience narrative within a game. Classics such as Final Fantasy, Pokemon and Shadow Hearts have led the way in terms of cultural storytelling.
Edward Kenway in Ubisoft's Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag.
TECH LEAH SLOWINSKI
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Mr Drippy (centre) from Studio Ghibli's Ni No Kuni speaks with an authentic Swansea accent
Most famously, the Studio Ghibli JRPG, Ni No Kuni (on the PS3), springs to mind. In this highly colourful and engaging game, you follow the young Oliver as he journeys to other realms to rescue his mother from the clutches of evil. During this fascinating adventure, he is aided by a character named ‘Mr Drippy.’ This persona has an indisputable Swansea/ Valleys brogue and even uses colloquialisms to express himself. If you play this game (and I suggest you do) you can witness such gems as “Tidy, I’m free!” and “curse lifted is it?” Undeniably, this was an excellent moment for the title. You should play the newest title to see more of the character. JRPGs aside, more ‘celtic’ based narratives are now being produced based on local myths, legends and even historical figures. You may find links to your Welsh heritage in Fable, The Witcher or even Dragon Age as they all draw their storylines from similar canon to Welsh folklore. In the classic franchise Dark Souls, a player can acquire Llewelyn/ Gwynevere armour that is a clear link to historical myths surrounding King Arthur and the Celts. In these ‘medieval fantasy’ games, the setting may appear to be semifeudal, and perhaps not identifiable
as outrightly Welsh. However, they do incorporate a range of language that may sound familiar. In the highly popular game The Witcher, some people may not recognise the use of the words such as ‘gwyn’ or ‘bleidd’. The ‘Elder speech’ in the game has been directly lifted from the Welsh language, not to mention the Welsh accents and characters you encounter. Returning to Dark Souls we are introduced to Domnhall of Zena (a typical merchant character) who greets players with a kind hearted and welcoming “shwmae.” If you thought that Welsh representation ends with the simple “hello” of a character, you are far from right. After Ubisoft’s release of Assassin’s Creed 3, feedback was related to a lack of immersion due to the protagonist being less relatable than others. In response to this, Ubisoft created Edward Kenway in their 2013 release of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. Kenway is a West Indies pirate, whose entire backstory is influenced by Wales and, more specifically, Swansea. On top of this, Kenway is voiced by voice actor Matt Ryan, who also hails from Swansea. During the game Kenway is proud to be Welsh, and engages in altercations when mistaken for an
Englishman. Brilliant! If that wasn’t enough for you, a player can witness a range of Welsh accents within the game; you can even partake in a Welsh brawl if you so please! In terms of brief mentions of our beloved country, you may find it amusing that in Grand Theft Auto V, Chakra Attack Station’s host (Ray De Angelo Harris) recalls a trip and ‘accidentally’ depicts stereotypical Wales. He mentions Welsh rarebit, male voice choirs and the fact that most people’s surnames are Jones or Davies which highlights the game’s satirical nature and Wales’ reputation. In Resistance: Fall of Man, you get the opportunity to play as a survivor of an attack. During the gameplay you fall back to an army base in Cardiff. The game also includes the Welsh coastline, which allows the British forces to regroup and form other alliances. In this game, Wales plays a key role in moving the plot and action forwards. It doesn’t end there, with the inclusion of a wider range of Welsh designers in the games industry, with Welsh folklore and myth being utilised. Wales is most certainly featuring more prominently in video games as time goes on.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
by charlotte husbands
Pipes and Beaches. Subjects left and right guideline
Taking a professional looking photograph is easier than it seems, and by following the ‘Rule of Thirds’ this varsity, the photos you can
capture will look like those seen in the sports section of a magazine. It gives you the opportunity to capture your own moments, whether it be the perfect try, or if it comes to it for Swansea, a horrifying loss.
PHOTOGRAPHY CHARLOTTE HUSBANDS
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Walking to Mumbles.Subject left gridline, horizon top guideline
What is the ‘Rule of Thirds’? This rule states that the most important factors of a photograph, such as a person or animal, should be placed either along the gridlines or, more importantly, where the gridlines meet. By doing this, and placing these elements away from the centre of the frame it balances the composition of the photo. Obviously, the Rule of Three isn’t compulsory to taking photos and sometimes really effective photos have deliberately placed the object in the centre. Any professional photographer will swear by this rule, it is one of the easiest and most important ways to compose a photograph well. Most SLR cameras have legend lines that you can add to a photo before taking it. This is done to straighten and align photos, which is basically the Rule of Three. On newer versions of phone cameras, you can put these gridlines on too. This means anyone (yes, even you) can follow the rule of three. Landscapes and The Rule of Thirds Landscapes are the main type of photo that any budding photographer should use. Landscape photos can look jarring if you place the horizon along the centre of
the photograph, so it is recommended that the horizon should fall in the lower third gridline. The reason for this is because the sky, and everything above the horizon is probably a lot more interesting than the foreground subjects. However if the foreground is the focus then the horizon should fall in the top grid line. The Off-Centre Subject Before you take any photograph your first thought should be: what is the subject of this meant to be? As soon as you decide this, it’s a question of where you, as a photographer, desire the positioning to be. Whilst taking a photo and having the subject as the central image can be really powerful, if you wish for the subject to be off centre, the rule of thirds can help you. If a horizon is included in the photo it is recommended that the horizon and the central subject should both fall in the top third. If the horizon is not a focus point in your photograph, I would recommend putting the subject to either the left or right hand side, or the bottom of the photo. Active Photos and Gridlines For active shots (such as sports photos) the Rule of Thirds is perfect. For active photos
it is recommended that you put the subject, in this case the athlete, on either side of the page. This is because you want enough space in the photo to show the athlete moving into the emptiness. To take good active photos I would recommend using a DSLR camera. This is because the shutter speed on a camera allows the photographer to take a good, focused active photo. With a phone, whilst some of the cameras on them are very good, some of the photos may come out blurred and you would have missed the perfect shot. Get Shooting! Now that you know the basics for the Rule of Thirds, it’s time to go out there and practice. Take your phone or camera, go on a walk and see how you can experiment with this rule. To add more experience, keep practising at varsity - I’d love to see what you come up with. Happy Shooting! If you wish to contribute to the Swansea University Photography Section with the photos you take this Varsity, please contact the editor at waterfrontphotography@ swanseastudentmedia.com
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
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Why we need to talk about intersectionality BY ZOYA CHISHTI
Intersectionality is a word that we’ve heard a lot over the course of recent years. In a world as diverse as ours, it only makes sense that intersectionality is becoming a more widely spoken about topic. The term “intersectionality” was originated by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a legal scholar and a critical race theorist in the 1980’s. Intersectionality is defined as being the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination and disadvantage, arising from the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class and gender.
LIBERATION ZOYA CHISHTI
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Kimberlé Crenshaw and the case of Emma DeGraffenreid In her highly recommended TED talk, The Urgency of Intersectionality, Crenshaw discusses how intersectionality came about as a concept. While focusing on a case brought against a car manufacturing company by a woman named Emma Degraffenreid, Crenshaw realised there was a massive problem with the justice system and policy. In the case, Emma was denied a job at the firm, and was claiming it was done so on the basis that she was a black woman. However, the court ruled that there wasn’t a case of discrimination; the firm hired black men, primarily to work in the garages, so it there was no racial discrimination; the firm hired white women to work in the office, so there was no basis for a case of gender discrimination. The firm hired people of her gender, and of her ethnicity, but just not people who were both. This case made up large part of the groundwork for Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality. Emma faced gender discrimination from one direction and racial discrimination from the other. The law failed to address the double discrimination, and this is the case in many other aspects of society today. The media is guilty of this too; looking at cases of police violence against black people, it becomes clear that there is a massive underrepresentation of the acts of violence against black women in comparison with that of black men. In her talk, Crenshaw starts by naming people, and asking members of the audience to sit down when they hear a name they don’t know. A majority of the audience remain standing as she reads the name of black men killed by police violence. However, as she reads the names of black women killed by the police, there are only 4 out of approximately 500 people still standing, proving her point about the failure of the media. Politics and policy fail to address the issue of intersectionality. Take the recent case of Shamima Begum; many young males who have gone to Syria in the past have been allowed to return to the UK and have not had their citizenship revoked, on the basis that they were groomed. Yet, Shamima is being painted as a danger to society and has been publicly dragged through the dirt, despite being taken advantage of and groomed, while she was still a child under the eyes of the law. It is clear
Kimberlé Crenshaw, legal scholar and originator of the term of 'Intersectionality'
that there needs to be a better understanding of intersectionality in the political sphere, as well as its effects on certain marginalised groups, particularly women of colour. What needs to change? Society likes to place everyone and their various identities into nice, neat boxes that don’t crossover or intersect. We need to change and evolve our understanding of the way different identities interact, and the way in which certain overlaps of identity relate to structures of oppression and discrimination; spheres of social identities that operate on multiple levels, and result in a range of multidimensional experiences. It’s not just about gender and race. This can be applied to a range of identities, from disability to sexuality to age. By being aware of the fact that this problem exists, that policy, law, politicians and the media continuously fail to address the discrimination that exists as result of oppressive structures, we can begin to take strides towards being better. Ultimately, you can’t fix something that isn’t seen as a problem. People are not one dimensional, there are many aspects to a person’s identity, and this diversity shouldn’t be penalised, but instead should be celebrated.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
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How Moneyball is an outside shout for Best Sporting Movie Ever BY HARVEY STANTON
With Varsity rapidly approaching, the focus on sport has really picked up, infiltrating the thoughts and actions of everyone at Swansea. No? Maybe it’s just me… Either way, thoughts of sports are constantly in my head, and who am I to stop them? So, I’m going to explore what is, in my opinion, the best sporting movie I have ever seen: Moneyball.
FILM ALEX UDRAUFSKI-OSBORNE
Above: Stephen Bishop as David Justice Below: Brad Pitt as Billy Bean & Jonah Hill as Peter Brand
My nominee for the best sporting film is one that managed to snatch up six nominations at the 2012 Oscars. Best Picture, Best Actor and Supporting Actor (for the two leads respectively), and Best Adapted Screenplay (adapted by Aaron Sorkin, a modern genius when it comes to adaptation who has a spectacular ability to capture realism with his dialogue) were the most notable of the lot. Bizarrely, it was also nominated for Sound Mixing, which was most definitely because of the movie’s portrayal of Billy Beane and Peter Brand as the founders of the Moneyball approach to signing baseball players. This approach to film is apparent in its story, being based on the focus on ability and the financial price tag, instead of just going for big names. For example, players were often undervalued despite possessing great ability, but were overlooked for a multitude of reasons, like preferring to throw the ball in an unfavoured way, or simply because they did not look like a baseball player. Due to this signing method, they were able to build a talented team for a fraction of the price that bigger
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teams like the Red Sox pay. Though this revolutionary way of thinking was born out of necessity due to the poor financial situation the Oakland A’s found themselves in, it later emerged as a viable approach for the biggest and best teams to operate with. The Red Sox actually won the 2004 World Series using this very system. But its success isn’t limited to baseball: it has been utilized in other sports. Football teams like Dortmund have used a similar strategy. They look for cheap, young players that have potential that other clubs may not be willing to take a punt on, and give them the platform to perform to a high level before selling them on for an inflated profit. This is what happened in the cases of Ousmane Dembélé and Jadon Sancho. This may sound rather monotonous and statistical, but stay with me. The film couples this signing strategy with the more mundane and routine jobs within the team, making them appear both interesting and incredibly difficult. This is conveyed expertly by Brad Pitt playing Beane, the Oakland A’s General Manager, and Jonah Hill, as Peter Brand, who takes on the role of the young assistant GM straight out of Yale. Together, they form a fantastic double act. Balancing the statistical expertise needed for talent identification and the charm and negotiation skills required to be a GM, they both bring their A-game and it really pays off. The Sorkin dialogue grounds the characters in realism and with the insight bought by dealing with the harder parts of a sport, like transferring a player for another or releasing a player from their contract, or the stress of sticking with the same team over a development period, whilst they lose game after game. These moments in the season of the A’s are excruciatingly hard to watch, making you wonder how you would cope in that situation and inviting you into the world of being a General Manager. It also spreads the message that you don’t have to look or necessarily play like the best to be the best, as the most unorthodox and inventive play can get you to the top: don’t conform to the masses. Unfortunately, this film didn’t win any of the Oscars for which it was nominated. In my opinion, Moneyball should’ve won the awards purely based on its inventive way of presenting the life of a General Manager, instead of focusing on the upcoming star or the veteran that has still got something to give. The beauty is that it does cover those topics, but it is hidden within the former. This also acts as a fantastic metaphor for the job of a General Manager; that of diverting the spotlight on to themselves and away from the players when times are tough, so they can get on and work harder. So that's why I think Moneyball is the best sporting movie. Sure, Rocky and Chariots of Fire both won Oscars, but this is better. Trust me.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
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The Sky is Not Blue By Lizzy Brown
The sky is not blue. But I know it’s blue, I can see it, And to believe something you need to see it, right?
Further I went and still further I now go But I did say goodbye, I’m now higher than the low But it knows that goodbye is never goodbye But if it did learn, I know I wouldn’t cry.
The sky is not blue, But I can see the sky and the sky is blue, And seeing is believing, right? Then tell me why does this little voice in the back of my head keep telling me that the sky is not blue, I know it is, I can see it, I just don’t believe it. I don’t understand where it’s coming from What it sings is not a song But eventually it got closer And its face grew almost kinder. Before my eyes it took its own form As if it’s for what I always longed I shook its hand and became its friend This was the beginning of the end. It had me tight, so very tight And all in all it took my sight No longer could I see the truest me And I forgot how to simply be. I was fading out at the mercy of its hands I followed its orders, as if sheet music in band But this tune I was so convinced was good
For it’s always here, wherever I go, I can hear it now, I know, I know You think I’m mad but really all this is Confusing, I know. Let me make a list. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bed, Run, Shower, Food, Head, Clothes, Long, Tired, Heart, Food, Water, Locked, Can’t. Fifty, Forty, Five, Three, Why can’t I just exist and be Lights, Mirror, Mat, Shoes, I know it is, but the sky is not blue. All I’m asking from you now Is that you don’t mention or ask how, Keep the conversation general I promise, I’m trying not to fall. See this thing I’m talking about, It’s not an easy thing to say out loud And although it means lots of lying, I promise I really am trying.
Gave away all my should, woulda and coulda. Because I can see the sky. I couldn’t see anything until that day But people around me would always say How it looked good on me, it really did But blind I still was, down the slope I still slid.
And I can see it’s blue. And although it’s more of a slog than a fight, I think I’ve found my sight, I will be alright.
CREATIVE WRITING RHYS SWAINSTON
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By Sebastian Fletcher
Perpetual roaring static Sputters and gutters in the night Flailing and trailing in high pitched buzz Against striking backdrops of white.
Snow settles with slothful approach Edging its domain inch by inch It cascades across each surface The screaming screen doesn't care to flinch.
An uncanny visage takes form Machine and nature in reverse Like a scrap snowman built backwards Muffled tones and wildlife averse.
The buzzing dims, the snowfall stops At last, a quiet peace is won Final flickers try to take shape And then, that too, is gone.
WELLBEING OLIVIA ROGERS
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Going to University with a learning disability BY OLIVIA ROGERS
Throughout my entire sixteen years in full time education, I have always been aware of having a learning disability. In my case, it’s dyspraxia. As a young child in primary school I was definitely one of the bottom in my class, so much so I was sent down in some classes to ‘catch up’. I think it's safe to say that nobody who taught me then would think I would now be in my final year at university. Despite the setbacks in my early education, I persevered and gradually my ability increased, and I came out of sixth form with a decent set of A-Level results. However, when it came to university, I did have anxieties about whether I would be able to cope with the trials and tribulations of higher education. Dyspraxia is a developmental coordination disorder, which basically means you’re clumsy (extremely, in my case). When I first moved away to university, a few of my housemates made light of my lack of coordination when out on Wind Street. I acknowledge that this is a small thing, but for me it was part of the process of having to explain my dyspraxia to people. Of course I didn’t mind the fact people sometimes found my dancing funny - it allowed for a natural flow of
banter - but at times I did and still do feel embarrassed about dancing when I’m on a night out. In terms of academia, its the small things that I find difficult. For example, holding a pen and writing neatly is something I must place a great deal of focus on; when giving presentations I must write a full speech, as sometimes my sentences may get jumbled and will therefore not make any sense. Dyspraxia also heightens my anxiety, and I tend to get stressed easily, which can be debilitating when it comes to completing assignments. To deal with this I organise my workload way in advance: I write down all my assignments on whiteboard and set a completion date, which allows me to stay focused whilst also calming my anxiety. Since being at university I have received help from the disability office. When writing essays, both coursework and exams markers are made aware of my condition so they can take it into consideration when marking. Additionally, I receive extra time in exams. This, for me, is the best decision I have made during my years in education. Prior to Year Thirteen I declined receiving the extra 25% I was entitled to in fear of being different,
but on reflection I see how this has hindered me in my earlier years, and by now accepting help it I’m able to fulfill my potential. This fear of being different is something that I feel that goes away with age (well that’s what happened to me, at least). If you do feel your entitled to extra support, my biggest word of advice would be to ask for it. Do not jeopardise yourself in fear that people may ask uncomfortable questions or make fun of you - if they do they are simply not worth your time. What I have learnt from being at university with a learning disability is that I am capable of a lot more than I give myself credit for. I have learnt that I am an organised and hardworking individual. Obviously, I cannot speak for everyone at university with a learning disability, but vhave gained a great deal of confidence within myself since I started here. Four years ago I was embarrassed to say I had dyspraxia, but now if people ask why I go to Kier Hardie for exams, or why I struggle with tasks that require a great deal of dexterity, I’m honest and say I have dyspraxia. Most of the time I have to explain to them what dyspraxia is, and the number one response is ‘ah, it all makes sense now’.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
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Making your own chocolate Easter egg
Those of you with a sweet tooth will probably be looking for something special to sate your appetite this Easter, and what is a more perfect solution than a chocolate Easter egg? However, sometimes your average branded Easter egg seems far too costly for what you get and you might be looking for another option. With this in mind, let me suggest making your own this Easter! Treat it as perfect opportunity to express your inner chocolatier. Finding Easter egg moulds is straightforward. You can order them from any number of online retailers. The next step is choosing the right chocolate to use and deciding how much to use; I would recommend somewhere between 400g-600g depending on how thick you want your Easter egg to be. If you’re willing to spend a bit extra, I would recommend cooking chocolate over
BY NATHAN TAYLOR-KITCHING
Cadbury’s. A cheaper alternative may also serve you well, as it is smoother when melted, making the process simple. Feel free to experiment with the different types of chocolate; I myself used milk chocolate for the large egg, and dark for the smaller ones. Of course, for those of you with allergies or are vegan, you can use non-dairy chocolate instead. Starting with the large egg, break up your chocolate into chunks, as to make sure it melts well, and place into a microwaveable dish or bowl. You’ll want to heat the chocolate for a minute or so, stopping every thirty seconds to mix it. You can also sit a bowl, containing the chocolate, on top of a pan with boiling water inside. The heat created will melt the chocolate
just as nicely. Next you will want to grab either a pastry brush or spoon and spread a thin and even layer of chocolate into the mould – too thick and it will slide. Place in a refrigerator to set and repeat by adding 3-4 more layers, letting each layer set before applying the next. With the smaller eggs, there is no need to layer them. You can go ahead and fill them each slot without layering. Once this is done, carefully remove the chocolate casts from their moulds and stick them together with some warm chocolate. With this, your very own Easter eggs is ready to be eaten! What’s nice about making your own chocolate Easter egg, rather than buying brand ones, is that it’s quick, easy and affordable on a tight budget. An added benefit is that you can do this time and time again, with friends and family.
FOOD JACOB FLEMING
Passover By Eleanor Maunder
This time of the year means so much to so many different people. Around the corner are many religious holidays which people all around the world will be celebrating! These festivities bring with them a large and colourful range of food and traditions. One of these is one of the most important in the Jewish religion: Passover. This is a spiritual time between the 19th and 27th of April this year, celebrating the Jewish liberation from slavery under the rule of Egypt. The event is most synonymous with the story of Exodus, as it it the final plague that befalls the Egyptian people. Moses told the Hebrews to mark their houses with lamb’s blood to show God they were to be passed over, and spared from the killing of the first born son. During Passover, Jews are not allowed to eat leavened products such as pasta, bread and cereals. This is because when the slaves fled from Egypt, they did not have enough time to let their bread rise. It is traditional to remove all leaven from the house before Passover starts, symbolising the removal of arrogance and pride from the soul. Food is quintessential to this festival which lasts eight days. The first and last two days are set aside as
rest days. One of the special meals is known as the Seder meal. The appetiser for this meal is a small piece of vegetable (such as a bit of onion or boiled potato) which is blessed and then dipped in salt water. The Seder Plate is a special plate with unique cutlery where each member of the table eats clockwise around the dish. This meal is composed of lettuce, lamb bone, charoset (a paste of apples and nuts), horseradish with beetroot paste, celery and roasted egg. During this meal unleavened bread is eaten three times symbolically and four cups of wine are drank, in order to symbolise the four times God promised freedom, with an additional cup which is left for Elijah, the prophet. This food is eaten in a reclined position to celebrate their freedom. This is then followed by a feast known as Shulchan Orech. This feast is customarily started by the dipping of the egg into the salt water. Different traditions occur within different communities and families, however it’s renowned by all as a very important festival which is intertwined with food and eating traditions. So in order to wish someone a happy Passover you can easily say ‘Happy Pesach’ or ‘Chag Sameach’!
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ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage
Dirty Dancing manages to achieve a sense of intimacy in such a largescale production
BY KATHRYN HAYNE
The revamped version of the timeless classic did a brief stint at the Grand Theatre at the end of February. Being a colossal fan of the iconic movie, I couldn’t resist popping down to check out what the latest production had to offer. It also got me thinking about how the story now over 30 years old - has stood the test of time and now holds a special place in the hearts of a whole new generation. The lights are dim onstage, but it’s easy to make out Baby, perched beside an overflowing suitcase and writing intently. After a moment, in a tone so soft, yet so full of longing, she sails into the opening notes of ‘This Magic Moment’. All the while, couples silhouetted through
a curtain, dance behind her. Such is the opening to Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage. There’s a lot of things that Dirty Dancing - the story of a young girl’s holiday romance with a dancing instructor - could have been. It needn’t have been more than a feel-good summer film - full of sixties nostalgia, attractive actors and a catchy soundtrack. And of course these elements are present, but at the same time, rather unexpectedly, Dirty Dancing also tackles a number of challenging issues. A crucial element of Baby’s storyline that is often overlooked is her moral dilemma; her struggle with the realisation that the world isn’t as black
CULTURE KATHRYN HAYNE
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Kira Malou as Baby with Michael O'Reilly as Johnny
and white as she had once anticipated. Moreover, upon the film’s 1987 release, critics commended it for its progressive stance on abortion. Nestled amongst the step-ball-changes and campfire songs is a sincere message about the loss of innocence and standing up for what you believe in. What I found most impressive about the stage production was its immersivity. When the holidaymakers partook in a dance class or caught an evening show, the audience were right there along with them in the crowd. We were made to feel less like observers of a scene, and more so like we were a part of the experience. In a theatre, it can be difficult to erase the
invisible barrier that exists between the performers and their audience. The fact that Dirty Dancing manages to achieve a sense of intimacy in such a large-scale production is commendable. The acting, albeit as cheesy as one would expect from an eighties musical, was assuredly convincing. Kira Malou’s Baby is adorably naive, whilst Michael O'Reilly fits into the role of Johnny like a pair of old shoes. Special mentions go to Simone Covele, who played Penny - whose dancing abilities were utterly mesmerising - and Alex Wheeler, who played Billy. What I particularly enjoyed about the stage adaptation is that characters who didn’t necessarily
get an abundance of screen time in the film have since been fleshed out a little. So, I was pleasantly surprised when Wheeler performed ‘In the Still of the Night’ by himself, a gorgeous ballad that (much like Billy) did not receive enough attention originally. The backstory of Jake and Marjorie Houseman’s relationship was also a welcome addition. The atmosphere of the show was equally incredible. It was fun to be a part of a crowd where everyone was singing along, and you could really tell that the actors had a genuinely great time performing. The iconic closing number ‘I’ve Had the Time of my Life’, featuring the entire cast, was particularly spectacular to watch. As we made our way out of the theatre after the final curtain, it was clear that this was a performance that no one would be forgetting for quite some time. There’s a moment in the theatre which struck me as particularly memorable, as Baby and Johnny dance together for the first time; he spins her and she twirls awkwardly, then passionately, and as the seconds draw on you wonder perhaps if they’ll just leave her there - immortalised in the feeling of belonging. But you know the story, you know Baby, and of course her step falters, and in a flawless transition suddenly it’s daytime and she’s on the lawn playing Simon Says again. The sun is hot on her back and the night before feels like a dream she once had. There’s a reason that, 32 years after the film was released in cinemas, the story of Dirty Dancing lives on. As well as simply being bloody good, the themes it embraces are those which are still applicable to the current moment, and will be for generations to come. I’m grateful that the new production is striving to keep it relevant.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
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Club in focus Sailing BY ANNA STUBBS
Swansea University Sailing Club kicked off the year with a sizeable intake of first years who came along to our taster session, showing mixed ability from complete beginner to first team potential. The team’s racing season began with three teams heading to Plymouth in late October which saw Swansea return in third place. All sailors had a chance to improve their team racing skills in their new pairings. In early November we sent seven experienced sailors to Fleet Racing, all of which represented Swansea well. Mid-November saw the club hosting the Swansea Spartan team racing event, with over seventy races completed on the Saturday. The Sunday brought strong winds, meaning the races were brought down to two flights of boats. Thirty three races were completed
with another twelve for the petite and grand final. Overall, Exeter came in third, Portswood Pirates following in second and Swansea University Alumni Sailing team came in first and won the Stanley Mon Cup which was presented to Commodore Bella Cooper. The weekend ran smoothly and was yet another greatly successful team racing weekend. The following weekend, two Swansea teams headed to Cardiff to compete in the Welsh Dragon. The Saturday saw Swansea Green win half of their races and the new team, Swansea White, won one of their races whilst also improving on their team racing by learning new skills and tactics. The Saturday results meant that both teams qualified for the Bronze fleet on the Sunday, with Swansea Green finishing joint first place.
SPORT JESSICA HAYDEN
After a break for Christmas and the exam period, two teams were sent to Warwick for the first team racing event of 2019, all of whom were very excited to get back out on the water after a long break. Saturday saw some successful races for both Swansea Black and Swansea White, with both teams winning two out of their six races. Strong gusts and full rigs meant that a few sailors in Swansea Black went in swimming. Unfortunately sailing was cancelled on the Sunday due to 30 knot winds. Results saw Swansea White finish in a comfortable twelfth place with Swansea Black coming in at sixteenth. Late January brought mid season training, prior to qualifiers and in foresight for the rest of the year.
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The cold weather meant for some freezing sailing out on the water, but everyone had fun nonetheless. The expert coaching meant that all sailors learnt new techniques and were able to practice and improve in preparation for future team racing events and Varsity later in the season. As well as more team racing events including National Qualifiers, the club will be competing in Yachting Nationals in April. The club will also be hosting a yachting weekend away to the Solent in mid March to train. After last years result of fourth place in the Silver fleet and twelfth place overall at Yachting Nationals the club are hopeful to achieve as strong a result with a team of keen yachties led by an experienced skipper. The club has also been taking
part in The Green Blue Challenge again this year after coming in third place last year and winning a prize of ÂŁ100 at the Southampton Boat show. This University challenge is run by the RYA and British Marine as part of an outreach programme to improve boating sustainability. The club is taking this opportunity to achieve the tasks set to make the training facility as environmentally friendly as possible. In an attempt to reduce the impact on British waters and the British marine wildlife, the club has been raising awareness about the spread of Invasive Non Native Species, reducing the amount of single use plastic by taking reusable water bottles out on the water and by teaching sailors about how to use oil spill kits and where to find one.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
BUCS Indoor Athletics Nationals 2019 Report
BY JULIA COOK
In what is always one of the most exciting weekends of the athletics calendar, BUCS Indoors was upon us once again and saw the Swansea University team make the journey up to Sheffield for the National competition. Not only did we get some great results but it was also incredible to see the tremendous hard work and effort from the athletes, both leading up to the events and at the championships themselves. A few last minute injury hits meant taking a slightly smaller team than
expected, as well as a very young team, 39% of whom were freshers. But, nevertheless, a great three days of athletics still ensued, with a plethora of PBs and University records falling. Every single one of our 16 athletes who competed performed amazingly. Here are a few highlights of the weekend: As always, the competition started off with the 60m. Max Heavens impressed in the heats, comfortably booking his place into the semi-final with a SB where he improved this even
SPORT JESSICA HAYDEN
further, running tantalisingly close to his PB. And whilst the final wasn’t to be this time, he shows great promise for the years to come. Day two saw Alfie Yabsley dominate his heat to book his place in the semifinals, with a sub 4 minute 1500m and a university BUCS Indoor record! In the semi-finals later in the day Alfie ran faster still, improving on his record, and was incredibly unlucky to miss out on a place in the final. As just a fresher, I’m sure we’ll see plenty more superb performances from him in the years to come. Fresh off the back of being crowned Welsh Champion with a massive PB two weeks ago, Ceirion Hopkins impressed once again, smashing both the all time University record and the BUCS Indoors record in the long jump. A massive no jump in the first round would have seen him progress easily through to the final but unfortunately the red flag halted his competition there, seeing him just one place away from making the final. However, there are surely great things to come at BUCS in the future for Ceirion, and it was great to see him compete in the Swansea vest for the first time. In the 3K, Conor Smith ran a strong race, and was another athlete finding their best ever BUCS finish. He was incredibly unlucky to miss out on the final by just one place. One week later Conor impressed yet again, taking the Welsh U20 XC title. After a highly successful XC season, during which she earned her Wales vest, Abigayle Goodrick-Latham took on the women’s 3K and, after a very strong start and a classic AGL sprint finish, took 4th in her heat.
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The men’s relay comprised of a new team featuring two returning members from last year, Max and Bradley, and the two fresh faces of Charles and Jack, who both rose to the occasion magnificently, running absolutely fantastic legs. The team finished a strong third in their heat, and with a few relay practises, the 4x1 and 4x4 will be looking dangerous in time for BUCS Outdoors. Yet another fresher, Fynley Caudery, massively impressed and, after setting a massive PB of 4m70 a few weeks ago,
he finished a close 6th overall, bowing out at his PB height and showing that there’s plenty more to come in the next few years in a Swansea vest. For now, our attention must turn to the outdoor season with the InterVarsity match at Exeter in March approaching thick and fast, as well as with the Welsh Varsity (6th April on home soil; details to follow soon) and Outdoor BUCS on the horizon. One thing’s for sure - this weekend has shown what a great deal we have to look forward to.
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
PUZZLES BY LAURENCE BROWN
L J A M A I C A X T J O E P C N S E N A N E O N S V R A X D B Q N P Z E A L C Q
E E S Y L O H W N V J I Z W A B A Z I T O T T A T S V I E J P B G P N B I O R V
U I Z N B A R B A D O S W U E R M I N I R A Z J Y C O R N D P S L I B W L M G L
A D U B R A B D N A A U G I T N A L E R T S G I N L K A W G P P A A O O A E P W
K Y E J A C F X S T V U H I C H H E B W H F G A U B L G L U T M K K M I R S Y D
B O Q O I A E G D O F P A U R N A B K S K K T B M L B L Q C E J M B B B T O N C
H I U R D N R U H C U B F Q N E B A P G O C W R Z W N U V F X N I G O K S A A M
G M A D N A I X G A U T N C J E L V Q T R S C E U Q Y B E T P A S J L W U C M K
W N T A I D T Q U R N A H L M O C A T L E V H Z K B I C D O D D A A I K A A R N
A G O N T A R Q A J R I H K G A Z Y N V A V A A N Q H O G F Z J R G V T N R E W
J N R K V K E R T I E B S N O G P A P D A E D Z O I G W C Q T I U O I A C U G N
O X I O G Q A L E P F Z A T H R R Y B R Y P C L N N F Q I F P B D J A L I C K N
L X A V A N B N M X T C K F A L E A Y N U A K A O V Q T E H W O N S M Z L J M Z
COUNTRY WORD SEARCH L B L D O E O U A L B M U A V N E A P D N S K C T E Z Y A E X U O M G N B X G K
U Q G E L G C H L H Q S N B A Z F T V I R Y E L C D C O C N X T H E K E U H N K
G N U G S E E G A A W A E U A C E I T V K H V U A P J I Z V D I M S B P P C C S
X Y I K L T A Z I F W O E T T S G N D A T K A T N H K Q T R N O B C A P E C O Y
V U N H O I O G R S Z K C L T J E D D F I D S K N K N N A U G A R E M E R K Y I
M P E G R S R N T E E A T N U G O H O G O D A Q B I I K K B I D X R G O N B Y D
D L A T A O O O I A H X Z A R U W C A R C Z O R K A O J X T U D G H A N A I O R
Q O S G E B B V S A F D N A L J I P A I A A U B I Q F Y A K R A M N E D C M U X
H U M G V N O T O E C W N T N L G I H K H N D B M O U O Y Z N A G U X T I I J G
A S X I R L T N I T E F B A B I P Y H X E C M H I A R P U K U W A I T N R C B R
A Y E J N I G T Y R D R G U A O A S J I M A E S P C C K B B F L M C I B F E P K
V D B D M I I Z I L N G P R I I T R Y M G V R Z G T J W B L B E J C J B A L R U
N C A O A A C O Q I A E Q H D A N A H S H A Q R C F A A B A R X A P V W L A K Y
A A R N H L V A A R R T T P N E I S O A E M E L I H C S N V H N G D P C A N P S
D Y T T E I G N R C T E I X D H T T O L B I B W Y O M I R V R C P T E O R D J B
S Z C U D R H N I R O D A V L A S L E B J S K V N J A K Y E B L Q Z N Y T H T X
E C B E H U G T A L I Z A R B Z J Y R C E L D K P W E H P I S B I Y G I N I G P
U D T K N B A Z F B F E G F E W E I T A B I R I K N J U C M B C D H W T E P C W
I O R G G R K Y R G Y Z S T A N P U E K L P S N Y G B U E L I F U B D V C B B N
C N A E C A R M E N I A X D Q Q V Z C U B G X A X L A Z B B U R K I N A F A S O
A R D O V X L A N A Y U G P S H R I E T U U A E I H A C I R A T S O C X W U J Y
Y M M O S O Q H S L N O O R E M A C E Q R F R C I Y C O M O R O S F R A N C E O
X E R G N I B H Y G X H E W H C F Y R C B H J U F Z G A D B J K O U V J T N Q B
D B N U I E S A L E K R G R M J K Z G X Z B B R N O L X U U Q R I N A P A J J O
Q K H O B K S O C R Y V Y B V F I J I W T B B U V D U N S K X W G G G U Y Z C A
E S W A T I N I U I G A P G D Y X F M Y T R B W E T I I B Q M G N F L N M M U U
S U R A L E B J A A Z H T V E P N Q C D F I N L A N D T Q U K J M V S S J J F N
AFGHANISTAN ALBANIA ALGERIA ANDORRA ANGOLA ANTIGUAANDBARBUDA ARGENTINA ARMENIA ARUBA AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA AZERBAIJAN BAHAMAS BAHRAIN BANGLADESH BARBADOS BELARUS BELGIUM BELIZE BENIN BHUTAN BOLIVIA BOSNIAANDHERZEGOVINA BOTSWANA BRAZIL BRUNEI BULGARIA BURKINAFASO BURMA BURUNDI CABOVERDE CAMBODIA CAMEROON CANADA CENTRALAFRICANREPUBLIC CHAD CHILE CHINA COLOMBIA COMOROS COSTARICA COTEDIVOIRE CROATIA CUBA CURACAO CYPRUS CZECHIA DEMOCRATICREPUBLICOFTHECONGO DENMARK DJIBOUTI DOMINICA DOMINICANREPUBLIC EASTTIMOR ECUADOR EGYPT ELSALVADOR EQUATORIALGUINEA ERITREA ESTONIA ESWATINI ETHIOPIA FIJI FINLAND FRANCE GABON GAMBIA GEORGIA GERMANY GHANA GREECE GRENADA GUATEMALA GUINEA GUYANA HAITI HOLYSEE HONDURAS HONGKONG HUNGARY ICELAND INDIA INDONESIA IRAN IRAQ IRELAND ISRAEL ITALY JAMAICA JAPAN JORDAN KAZAKHSTAN KENYA KIRIBATI KOSOVO KUWAIT KYRGYZSTAN LAOS NORTHKOREA SOUTHKOREA
PUZZLES LAURENCE BROWN
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NUMBER PIC 8
24
26
1-UP! Colour in the grid cells, using the values listed in the rows and columns. To help, we've started you off with a few. Clue: Each separate value has at least one empty cell next to it.
442
271
1221 1231
8
511
511
1231 1221
271
442
26
24
1
222 222 343 2 10 2 1221 1111 1111 1221 66 16 4114 2112 11 22 10
SUDOKU 2 7 6
4
5 1 8 3
9 2 5 7 4 9 3 6 4 1
MAGIC SQUARE Explanation: Fill in the spaces in the boxes with the numbers 1-9. Each number can only be used once. The equations along the rows and columns should be equal to the number at the end of each .
1 8 7 9 8
+ +
8
2 9
+ +
/
12
+ /
+ 1
117
x
+ 10
/ 4
4
8
Hello from your sports officer Sophie Hargreaves The Welsh Varsity is the sporting highlight of the year for me and many other players. I was very fortunate to play in last year’s Varsity, in Swansea; I understand the pure buzz and excitement that Varsity brings to all teams, and the great sense of achievement that playing in the competition brings to all the competitors. This year, we are playing away in Cardiff and I believe that this is our year. I would love nothing more than to beat Cardiff on their home ground to win the Varsity Shield. With the Green and White Army behind us, we will showcase our fantastic sports teams and celebrate all of the sporting achievements from the past year.' Sophie
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ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
VARSITY IS BACK! APRIL 10TH IS GONNA BE A DAY OF SPORTS, FUN, AND FOR A LOT OF YOU, ALCOHOL. A WHOLE LOAD OF STUDENTS IN ONE PLACE CHEERING ON THE GREEN & WHITE ARMY COULD GET MESSY. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO. DON'T RUIN VARSITY FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR MATES. 1. HOLD OFF ON THE PREDRINKS It's a long day. The earlier you start, the drunker you'll be for the rugby. T he drunker you are, the less you'll remember. 2. DRINK LOADS OF WATER It's likely to be sunny and v hot, and combining alcohol with dehydration makes for an almighty hangover. Download the Refill app to see where you can get free water. 3. DON’T GET TOO DRUNK IF you do, your ticket will be taken off you. 4. DON'T CHUCK YOUR RUBBISH IN THE STREET Swansea may be the prettiest city in Wales, but Cardiff ain't half bad either. 5. DON'T TRY AND SNEAK ALCOHOL INTO THE VARSITY VENUES It'll be taken off you when you're searched, and you'll have to just buy more anyway. 6. KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING If you're going for a wander, arrange to meet your mates somewhere. I t can get busy and Cardiff is a big old place. 7. EAT Again, it's a long day. Treat yo' self with a burger or a bag of chips to keep you going. 8. DON'T GET INTO A FIGHT We all love a bit of healthy competition but getting into a punch-up will get you kicked out and you could get arrested. 9. LEAVE YOUR FLARES AT HOME They're expensive, they're messy and they'll get you kicked out. 10. DON’T DO DRUGS The police will be checking the bus queues. If you’re caught, you’ll get kicked out and arrested. 11. GET ON THE RIGHT BUS Check the time on your wristband. If you miss the bus, you miss the game.
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6 8.1 8.2 8.3 9 9.4 10 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19.2 24 28 32 32.1 33 34 36
Bus Stops
1
Santander Cycles
1
2
Taxis
Mosque Faraday Building Faraday Tower Talbot Building Wallace Building Margam Building Botanic Compound Glyndŵr Building Vivian Tower ch The Shed ea ss Black Data Rock Science BuildingB cce A Point Grove Building Grove Building Extension Richard Price Building Amy Dillwyn Building Haldane Building Gower Fulton House 4 Square Union House Energy Centre Digital Technium Standby Generator Taliesin Arts Centre Egypt Centre Institute of Life Science 1 5 Llŷr Building Institute of Life Science 2 / Centre for NanoHealth Porters’ Traffic Control Lodge ORACLE 4
Medical School Physics Politics and International Relations Psychology Social Policy / Work War and Society
11.2 4 11.2 11.1 4
ON THE DAY COACH PICK-UP POINTS FROM SWANSEA Catering Facilities
Baby Changing Facilities
1
Defibrillator
Multi-Faith Centre
Music Practice Rooms
6
Nature Trail
40 43
Student Residences Margam Square
3 2 1 3
n ly ym Cr
1
ay W
B U S
19.1 20 21 21.2, 21.3 22 23 25 26 27
Services / Facilities 2.1 8.3 17, 18, 32 17, 18 17 7 2 4 11.1 17 30 23 2 13 6 13 17 32.1 9.4 17
Kilvey Preseli Cefn Bryn Rhossili Penmaen Horton Oxwich Langland Caswell
4
1 2 13 8.3 3.1
3Academic Areas 3 4 34 9, 9.4, 11.2 13 11.2 3.1 3
Adult Continuing Education American Studies AquaCulture Biological Sciences Chemistry Childhood Studies Classics, Ancient History & Egyptology 8.1, 8.2 Computer Science 14 Criminology 3 Cymraeg/Welsh 24 Education 11 1.1 3 English 3 French 9 Geography 1 14 3 German 11.1, 11.2, 16 Health Science 3 Hispanic Studies 4 History
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SPORT WALES GRASS PITCH SPORT WALES NATIONAL CENTRE SPORTS WALES HOCKEY ASTRO SPORTS TRAINING VILLAGE – TALYBONT* MAINDY LEISURE CENTRE* CARDIFF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION CARDIFF ARMS PARK PRINCIPALITY STADIUM
*APPROX. 25 MIN WALK FROM SPORT WALES. TOILETS AND FIRST AID AVAILABLE AT ALL VENUES VALID TICKETS FOR THE EVENT ARE REQUIRED FOR ACCESS TO ALL VENUES ON THIS MAP
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
VARSITY 2019 SCHEDULE Sport
Venue
Time
Wednesday 3rd April Sailing Mens Canoe Polo Womens Canoe Polo Athletics Rowing Triathlon Equestrian Womens Lacrosse Swimming Golf Tae Kwon Do Archery Womens Ultimate Frisbee Netball Rifle Womens Badminton Mens Badminton Womens Fencing Mens Lacrosse IMG Football American Football Mens Squash Womens Volleyball Mens Cricket Womens Tennis Mens Tennis Mens Ultimate Frisbee Freshers Rugby Womens Basketball Mens Football Womens Cycling Mens Cycling Mens Fencing Womens Hockey Womens Squash Womens Water Polo Kickboxing Mens Basketball Mens Volleyball Boxing Mens Water Polo Womens Football Mens Hockey Womens Rugby Mens Rugby
Cardiff Bay Yacht Club Wales National Pool Swansea Wales National Pool Swansea Saturday 6th April Sketty Lane Athletics Track Channel View Leisure Centre Wednesday 10th April Maindy Centre Triley Fields Equestrian Centre Astro, Sport Wales Cardiff International Pool Radyr Golf Club Dojo, Sport Wales Jubilee Hall, Sport Wales Llanrumney Playing Fields, Cardiff Unviersity Main Hall, Sport Wales Penarth Rifle Range Talybont, Cardiff University Talybont, Cardiff University Talybont, Cardiff University Astro, Sport Wales Llanrumney Playing Fields 3G, Cardiff Unviersity Llanrumney Playing Fields, Cardiff Unviersity Squash Courts, Sport Wales Talybont, Cardiff University The Vale Cricket Club Cardiff Lawn Tennis Club Cardiff Lawn Tennis Club Llanrumney Playing Fields, Cardiff Unviersity Cardiff Arms Park Main Hall, Sport Wales Grass Pitch, Sport Wales Maindy Centre Maindy Centre Talybont, Cardiff University Astro, Sport Wales Squash Courts, Sport Wales Cardiff International Pool Dojo, Sport Wales Main Hall, Sport Wales Talybont, Cardiff University Y Plas, Cardiff Students Union Cardiff International Pool Grass Pitch, Sport Wales Astro, Sport Wales Principality Stadium Principality Stadium
TBC 13:00 14:00 08:00 10:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 09:30 09:30 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 11:30 11:30 11:30 12:00 12:00 12:30 12:30 12:30 12:30 13:00 13:00 13:15 13:30 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 16:30 19:05
VARSITY 2019
VARSITY 2018 IN PICTURES
ISSUE 287 APRIL 2019
SWANSEASTUDENTMEDIA.COM
VARSITY: HOW DO SWANSEA TEAMS PREPARE? By Harvey Stanton On April 10th, thousands of Swansea University students will descend on Cardiff for the most hotly awaited event of the year- Welsh Varsity. For most students, Varsity preparations may include lining stomachs, finishing any assignments, and stocking up on green and white glitter. However, for the athletes representing Swansea University, the preparations have been far more rigorous and started months ago.
NETBALL This year the Netball team have been doing everything they can to ensure that they are ready for the challenge awaiting them, spurred on by the close defeat of last year. The team have taken new measures to help improve their performances.
Most notably- the strength and conditioning sessions conducted by Gareth Beer, coupled with the Netball and interval sessions, have forged a new balance in the training regime for the team, something that they are hoping will propel them to the next level. In addition to the incredibly important physical sessions, the team are also focusing on team-bonding. The
girls have been working hard to improve their cohesive nature which should help the team to operate in high-pressure situations in addition to allowing the team to execute complicated teammoves with ease.
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tough but rewarding training schedule with weekly early-morning fitness and weight-lifting sessions, on top of multiple training sessions each week. Captain Jess McCreery says the team is focused and ambitious and hopes to continue the team’s winning streak.
EQUESTRIAN
Women’s Rugby are looking to win for the third year in a row against strong competition, Cardiff. Women’s Rugby 1sts have this season been promoted to the Premier South Division, meaning they have had competitive fixtures every week, and have performed fantastically.
The Swansea University Equestrian team will be competing at Triley Fields Equestrian Centre in Abergavenny. The Swansea outfit, consisting of 8 members, will be striving for glory in the annual event for the third year in succession.
The team is part of a HighPerformance Group, an initiative set-up by the university to help high-achieving sports teams, and have kept up with a
The team have been striving to put themselves in the best position and condition for the event, utilising
VARSITY 2019
a myriad of training techniques to ensure that all involved are in the best condition to be successful. Preparation consists of rigorous weekly sessions at the team's headquarters in Dinefwr, Ammanford where each team member is performing to the best of their ability ready for the big day. These sessions are important for the physical challenge and have also benefited the squad by allowing them to further bond as a cohesive unit, creating the platform for them to push each other to be the very best they can be. These weekly sessions, combined with weekly Pilate sessions to improve strength and flexibility, add an extra dimension to the already phenomenal Swansea University Equestrian team, that will be hoping to complete the treble at this year's Varsity fixture.
KICKBOXING The Kickboxing Club is going for their third win in three years. Having won the last two fixtures, the Swansea Club is looking like favourites for Varsity this year. To prepare, the club are taking training and development very seriously. The Club Captain, Will Ashwood, says the fighters have shown “great dedication” whilst also developing a great “passion and love for the sport”. This year the Captain says the buildup towards the Varsity has definitely put the club in “good stead for another victory”.
ATHLETICS The Athletics team are the team to watch in this year's Varsity with the team last year scoring the greatest point total in all Varsity events. The aim is for the team to retain their crown from last year’s Varsity and build on their physical and mental condition, which they have done by introducing new intensive training and conditioning sessions. Hopefully, the team will put the Cardiff squad through their paces at the Outdoor track at the Sports Village, and bring home the victory that their preparation deserves.
CHEERLEADING For this year’s Varsity performance, the Swansea Sirens will be performing dressed in their new uniforms designed by club Captain Sasha Theobalds. The routine has been in the pipeline since January, undergoing rigorous planning and innovation.
The Varsity performance is the biggest in the club’s calendar and something the athletes have been working hard on. This year, the team say their performance will be the most creative and ambitious yet. Due to the non-competitive nature of the performance, the show will be a more entertaining and fun event. The final performance of the season for the Sirens is on March 16th, allowing for any training afterwards to be focused on their performance at Varsity.
level this year, going to great lengthsboth figuratively and literally- to prepare the team for the event. The Team travelled to Totnes in Devon for a week of intense training and received professional coaching from the Dart Totnes Rowing Club giving the team a new and improved edge. This training session was conducted at the end of January and since this, the team have continued their intensive training schedule, with the senior team training up to seven times a week, including both water and land sessions. The athletes have shown great commitment and effort levels illustrating how much the boat means to them. The preparations have never looked so positive, and the team hope the performance levels shown in training translates to a successful Varsity for the Rowing team.
HOCKEY This year the Swansea Hockey Club are striving to throw everything at Cardiff in this year's Varsity Fixture. This fixture is the focus for most of the club’s season and this year they are implementing a high-pressure training camp two weeks before the event.
SAILING For the third consecutive year, the Swansea Sailing club is primed for the win against Cardiff on their home waters. Sailing is one of the most successful Swansea teams at Varsity, and they have been preparing throughout the season with this important fixture in mind. The team have improved this year by sharpening the focus of training sessions to tactics and communication skills. This combined with the extraordinary support from the entire club and University, the Sailing team are hoping to end the season with a well deserved and expected triumph.
ROWING The Swansea Rowing Club have been taking Varsity preparations to the next
The team say that these training sessions will involve a lot of “stick and ball” sessions to perfect their already phenomenal skill and make sure of tactical intricacies. The team bonding and fitness sessions will also be vigorous to prepare them for the physical challenge. Conor Baverstock the 1st team Captain said that the team have had a “very good season overall, so we know going into this year's Varsity that the pressure is off”. Baverstock adds that winning Varsity would “complete a near perfect season”.
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