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Monday 3rd November Volume 23, Issue 3
Revamping with Repstival and QuizQuintin Brad Johnson | UniVerse This year, the Student Representative service at Hertfordshire Students’ Union has been totally overhauled and developed. As stated in the Union’s core principles, the Students’ Union is the ‘Independent Voice of Students’ and this is at the heart of the whole Student Reps programme. As part of this major revamp, the team launched the new look Student Representative Conference, Repstival! The Repstival saw a host of headliners including Vice Chancellor, Professor Quintin McKellar, Sophie Stephens from Citizens UK
and Professor Ian Campbell, Deputy Vice Chancellor. The event was opened by Ross Renton, Dean of Students, who highlighted the importance of being a rep at the University and also focused of the benefits that students can achieve through being reps on their course. It was evident from the amount of senior University staff members present that the Student Representative scheme is a very important part of the university and the overall student experience. Following on from Ross Renton’s opening speech, Sophie Stephens from Citizens UK took to the stage in the Western
Auditorium to give her keynote speech to a packed room of Student Representatives. Sophie is a Senior Organiser with North London Citizens and famously got David Cameron to have a discussion with Citizens UK regarding child imprisonment following issues with the expiration of their visas. Sophie raised some key points about how the student voice can create change at all levels. One key soundbyte that went viral and was retweeted various times at the Repstival was: “If you’re not round that table, you’re probably going to be on the menu.” Cntd. pg2 Brad Johnson | UniVerse
Student Accommodation
Are some students being overlooked? Kealie Mardell & Brad Johnson With new accommodation developed at the university as part of the Estates 2020 Vision, Trident Media can reveal that some students may be being overlooked in out-dated off campus accommodation.
While it was previously believed that students would no longer be housed in Ridgeview Lodge, at the time of writing there are 90 students living there, with others also placed in local hotels this year. The University of Hertfordshire advertises its accommodation on de
Havilland and College Lane, but it is lesser known that there is also off-campus accommodation in London Colney. With previous plans to close Ridgeview put on hold, students are still living in Halls of Residence which fall short of the luxuries and amenities of those of Coales,
Butler, or Fern Hall. On the university’s accommodation website, a price was listed in 2013/14 for Ridgeview, but with no price listed to 2014/15 it appeared that the university did not intend to have students living there this year. Cntd. pg3
News •
QEII Accident & Emergency Shutdown | Page 5
Features • How valuable is your degree? Our writers go head to head | Page 11
Health • Become a bone marrow donor and save a lives | Page 19
Sport • Campus football kick off | Page 23
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Editorial • Phil Mackay, CEO of Hertfordshire Students’ Union
Repstival cntd. This shows just how important it is for students to be in discussion with their programme leaders to ensure that all change is in the best interest of the students on the course. Following Sophie’s rousing keynote speech the conference broke into four breakout sessions with either elected officers or staff members of the Students’ Union. Breakout Sessions The ‘Representing a Diverse Student Population’ session hosted by Jack Amos, Vice President Democracy & Services; Rana Omer Farooq, Vice President Education & Welfare and Phil Mackay, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire Students’ Union, looked into how reps can identify keys issues that affect certain groups at the University that can often be overlooked. Jack Amos, Vice President Democracy & Services, opened the session by displaying some key statistics including student ages, ethnic origin and disability. Zeeshan Hasan Khan, a Business Administration student explained how there is numerous problems with transportation back and forth from Ridgeview accommodation in London Colney, he said, “all of [us] have the issue with the bus timings.” Phil Mackay, CEO of Hertfordshire Students’ Union
Kealie Mardell | Print Editor
followed up by agreeing with the student and adding that: “It impacts on student experience because you’re dictated to by when the buses are going to take you to and from the university.” In a different session, Grainne O’Monghain shared how she balances her time amongst her studies but importantly stated how vital prioritisation is and that her “degree always comes first”, an important piece of information for all Student Representatives. Scott Grace, Research & Representation Manager said, “I am really impressed with the turnout from our Student Representatives. It is great to bring them altogether to hear from some great speakers and give them the best start in their roles.” QuizQuintin The highlight for many students at Repstival was the ever anticipated annual event of #QuizQuintin. This is the students opportunities to grill, without restrictions, the Vice Chancellor of the University. Many points were raised by students at Repstival and Professor Quintin McKellar replied to all of them. A few key points included Quintin announcing that part of the new strategic plan of the University would focus on being “internationally renowned as the UK’s business facing university.”
This issue is packed full of student news and views from things that are happening here on campus. Our university aims to respond to the needs of students and here at UniVerse we are raising the issues faced by students and bringing them to those who can help make a difference.
Written, designed & edited by UH students, and provided by Hertfordshire Students’ Union
Print Editor
Kealie Mardell print.editor@tridentmedia.org
Deputy Editors Brad Johnson Laura Noakes
deputy.editor.print@tridentmedia.org
Sub Editors
Emma Langschied (design) Shelby Loasby (news) Mercedes Brazier (sports) Taveena Atsu (features) Krystyna King (events) Rebecca Harding (photos)
Brad Johnson | UniVerse
Parking at the university was one key theme raised at #QuizQuintin sparking numerous tweets during the event. An anonymous Dietetics Student Representative raised the point that students who commute and arrive after 10am find it very difficult to get parking, even including the Park and Ride car park. Professor McKeller replied by explaining how the university has been “reconfiguring the car parks”, believing there was “sufficient car parking space” and he “didn’t realise we were beyond capacity already”. Another point that Professor McKellar “wasn’t aware of” following a question from a Postgraduate Computer Science Student Representative, was how the route to the LRC from the Forum Hertfordshire has a “badly damaged” pavement and they “can’t imagine what it is like for someone who is in a wheelchair or is not physically able to get through that bit”. Professor McKellar stated how he “walks that area occasionally” and “they
will address” the issue if it is deemed to be dangerous. Jack Amos, who is responsible for the Student Representative programme at the Students’ Union said: “It was great to see so many enthusiastic student representatives and SSROs at Repstival. The feedback after the event was so positive and I’m glad they found it useful and beneficial! This year is set to be a fantastic year for student representation and this event was the perfect way to kick it off!”
The last issue saw two of our writers going head to head over the question ‘Is Freshers’ all its hyped up to be?’ and in the next instalment we discuss how valuable our degrees are. What I think is clear throughout is that the most important thing for students is the extras alongside
their degree. Whether that’s joining a society or taking part in volunteering opportunities, these are things which help students to go further. If you’d like to share your views with us please visit tridentmedia.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter @TridentMediaUK
Contributors
Oliver Price Lashara Van Heerden Rachel Smith Jennie Couling Sofia Rosidi Amelia Carter Charlotte Green Melissa Nadarajan Betty Fekade Charlotte Mullin Periye Bisina Chloe Burrowes Christina Aroldi Imogen Wallis Matt Creasey
Other key points were raised by the Student Representatives, which Trident Media will continue to cover in future articles. This includes issues regarding accountability and the university’s commitment to its students. Repstival was closed by the Dean of Students, Ross Renton. The event was a huge success and inspired the next generation of reps at the university. If you would like more information about the Student Representatives programme, head to: hertfordshire.su/reps
Editor in Chief Shannen Rock
Copy Editor
Ciaran O’Brien
Contact Us
vp.comms@hertfordshire.su VP Comms & Media Hertfordshire Students’ Union College Lane Hatfield Herts, AL10 9AB Published by Iliffe Print Cambridge Winship Road Milton Cambridge CB24 6PP
• News 3
Student Accommodation cntd. All photos: Zeeshan Hasan Khan
Dean of Students, Ross Renton, responded over email to UniVerse. He said that the use of Ridgeview, “formed part of our contingency planning, which was implemented in response to the level of demand during Clearing.” He also noted that many other universities have offcampus accommodation. According to Renton the students in Ridgeview, “either made this their choice, applied to the university between 15-31 August or arrived in the UK very late due to Visa issues. He said, “We support our students coming through clearing by supporting them to find accommodation, as this is very late in the year we had to use the offsite halls.” “It is felt that it is better to offer this off-site accommodation rather than students having to find alternative arrangements within the private rental market,” said Renton.
Life in off-campus accommodation
Student concerns with Ridgeview Speaking to UniVerse, many students living in Ridgeview raised issues about the accommodation. “The only good thing about this place, in my opinion, is that my room is quite bigger than most accommodation on-campus,” said Zeeshan Hasan Khan, Business Administration student and current resident of Ridgeview. He also said that there is a Sainbury’s within walking distance, and that the people and staff are nice, but these were the only good things that came to mind. Khan then went on to list the negatives of living at Ridgeview. “The accommodation is extremely old,” he said. “The bathroom system is really bad in my opinion; my room’s sink doesn’t work. We have a free bus transport but the timings are pathetic. Sometimes you have to [wait] four hours before your first lecture because it will save you £4 on an UNO bus ticket…We can’t walk to the uni since we are in an entirely different city.” Problems with travel connections to campus were one of the biggest issues, repeated by other students living at Ridgeview.
students to apologise that it has taken longer than expected to move them to alternatives and reassure them that they can be booked in for a further period.”
This lack of service affects their student experience and could lead to disruptions around their studies. “There wasn’t anything good about Ridgeview,” said student Alexander Moore. He complained that the showers were out-dated and that, “the buses were also ridiculous, very often not on time or just didn’t turn up….the uni just seemed to forget about us.” In response to concerns raised over buses, Renton detailed the services of the 602 Hatfield-Watford Uno bus which runs every 30 minutes, and the 632 which runs every hour. The free shuttle service runs seven days a week, but only provides “a morning service from Ridgeview to Campus, an afternoon service and an evening service.” “The Students’ Union has a copy of the full timetable and the
students staying at Ridgeview have been briefed on the service,” said Renton. One of the other issues raised by Khan was over housing contracts at Ridgeview. It is here that there seems to be a conflict of information between students and the university. “We are on a permanent contract and the housing office hasn’t been co-operating with us either as to what happens when our contract end,” Khan said. “Don’t know about the others staying here but I’m looking forward to move out as soon as I get an opportunity.” To his knowledge, Renton said: “Any student wishing to leave Ridgeview has not been held to any contract liability…Initially Ridgeview students were booked and charged up to 31 October. The allocations team are in the process of writing to all
In the 2010/2011 academic year, Chris Pritchard, Post-Graduate Paramedic Science student, felt his time at Ridgeview was “awesome,” but even then there were still concerns over buses which have not been resolved. Pritchard concluded that the “building probably needs either more decoration, modernisation or to be replaced.” Renton detailed that Ridgeview has a number of benefits, including being over £50 a week cheaper than a new build Halls room, amenities such as a communal lounge with Sky TV, a pool table, table tennis, free parking, and proximity to a number of large shops. “As Ridgeview is away from campus it is inevitable that we cannot re-create the comprehensive amenities and facilities that a student living on campus will benefit from,” said Renton. “We do everything we can to ensure that the students who live off campus feel part of the university community and part of their own community within Halls of Residence. Previously, Ridgeview was not included in the new Halls League, although it has now been added. Ridgeview was the only student accommodation not to be included at the beginning of the year. “The SU were not aware that Ridgeview was going to be used as long term accommodation for students this year and therefore Ridgeview was not included in the Halls League,” said Elected Officer Shannen Rock. “Now that the SU has been made aware that Ridgeview is going to be used for longer than originally planned we have accommodated for those students by creating a new Halls League team to ensure inclusion and hopefully an increased sense of community for those students.” Rock added: “During the period that Ridgeview did not have a Halls League team, those students
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Student Accommodation were never excluded from any of the Halls events. Likewise, all students are invited to participate in Halls League events and associate with this scheme whether they live on campus or not.” “It is recognised that all accommodation can have issues from time to time, however, our Estates department and Student Life team work with students to resolve these as soon as possible.” Located at Ridgeview there two members of the University Student Life team, Antoniah and Tope, along with a 24 hour security presence. “Antoniah and Tope deal with the day to day running of Ridgeview and provide welfare and pastoral care to the students,” said Renton. It would therefore be advisable to ensure that all concerns and issues at Ridgeview are brought to their attention.
Are other accommodation issues resolved? Over discussions about Ridgeview accommodation, some students also raised concerns with their on-campus residence, including the new Spalding Court on College Lane. “Living in Spalding, the problems we put on the inventory form haven’t been fixed,” said Tom Boon, Aerospace Engineering. “Every time you report a problem you get ‘we already know, you have to wait.’ I still don’t have blinds in my room, so I have to have bin bags up so Bellingham don’t see me changing and getting out the shower.” The negative comments were also interspersed with positive aspects of the accommodation. Boon said: “The beds are amazing though, so it’s not all bad.”
Plans for the future Renton stated that by the end of the week ending the 26th October there would be no students in hotels, and that re-location from Ridgeview would commence from Monday 27th October. He said: “We are endeavouring to move the remaining students before the end of the semester.” With it being unclear whether the use of Ridgeview was planned this year, UniVerse clarified the university’s
cntd.
position on using Ridgeview in the future. “The University has no intention of using Ridgeview next year or at any time in the future,” said Renton. “It is our understanding that it will not be available in future years once we hand it back to the owners.” As the 2020 Estates Vision continues, Renton revealed that next year there will be 3300 rooms across College Lane and de Havilland Campus, an additional 900 rooms compared to this year. “By 2016 we hope to have a total of 4100 rooms across both College Lane and de Havilland Campus,” he said. “In total this will be an additional 1500 new rooms, one of the largest developments of any university in the UK.” With such an excess of students admitted through clearing this year who could not be accommodated with on-campus housing, it is surprising that Renton believes these new facilities may also be available for some second and third year students. It seems a far stretch to be considering this while there is still not enough accommodation for first year students who should be housed on campus. UniVerse also contacted Residential Allocations and spoke with Clare Sapsford, Head of Frontline Services and Residential Allocations. She said that they had co-ordinated with Ross Renton in his responses so were unable to provide any additional information at that time. Moving into university accommodation is a key aspect of the student experience for many people. While it is clear that there are new developments being made, and that students are making the most of their time in Halls, there is a serious cause for concern when issues such as these are not being addressed. Renton urged students requiring support or guidance to contact the Student Life Team in Halls @UHstudentlife, housing.services@ herts.ac.uk or on 01707 284062, or 01707 285973. If you are living in Ridgeview and would like to share your views with us send them to our Facebook or Twitter @TridentMediaUK. All photos: Zeeshan Hasan Khan
• News 5
Accident & Emergency shutdown Is it as bad as it seems? Oliver Price | Contributing Writer An easily ignorable leaflet came through my letterbox several weeks ago. This wasn’t for a takeaway. It wasn’t asking me if I’d heard the good news of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. And it wasn’t a death threat for a change. It was actually to tell me that the Accident and Emergency Department at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, our closest hospital, was going to be replaced with an Urgent Care Centre for minor accidents. This leaves our closest full A&E service at The Lister Hospital in Stevenage, which is over three times the distance (from my house at least) and could take more than twice as long, up to 20 minutes each way in no traffic, for an ambulance to get to a patient in urgent need. This was my original introduction; thinly veiled anger at a local critical health service being shut down. However, after learning some facts in an interview with Dr Hari Pathmanathan, the chair of the East and North Herts Clinical Commissioning Group, my anger subsided. While I was still concerned, I also had the feeling that, if executed properly, this could be a good decision. When asked why the A&E at the QEII was shut down, Dr Pathmanathan said: “We looked at the evidence around the country, locally, and internationally and what we discovered was that patients when they’re seriously ill… do much better in a specialist centre, where they treat serious injuries all the time.” Using the example of heart attacks, Dr Pathmanathan said that: “15 years ago, people used clotbusting drugs… but now the gold standard for treatment is an operation within one hour of the heart attack or an angioplasty. That means a whole lot of kit, an operating theatre… and that it has to be done by specialists. The beauty of the heart attack centre at The Lister is that we’ve now got 24 hour a day, seven days a week coverage
because we’ve got 12 consultants in the same place delivering those procedures whenever people need it.” These new facilities at Lister have been funded by an ‘over £150 million pounds’ investment. He also made clear that the UCC at the QEII, “...will still treat eight out of ten people who used to attend the A&E department,” including “majority of minor illnesses and minor injuries,” such as, “muscle or joint injuries, suspected fractures, broken bones,” and that, “ambulances still go there [The QEII]...” but the, “...small percentage of life threatening cases will be treated up at The Lister.” He also assured me that, “this project has
been worked on for over seven years... and the ambulance service have been working out the travel times and staffing ratios, and so on, across the area.” He asked me to advise students to call the free 111 service in case they don’t know what sort of action should be taken after an injury or illness. However, a student paramedic drew a comparison to the replacement of the A&E at Chase Farm with a UCC, saying not to, “get pulled in by how fab they supposedly are, we rarely take patients there as it is too much aggro with what they will accept and what they won’t,” and that, “they take minor injuries- the majority of
our calls are chest pains, breathing problems, diabetic problems, trauma, infections... the majority of which aren’t accepted by the UCC at Chase.” However, she did add that it, “Might... be different around here [Welwyn Hatfield].” The Welwyn Hatfield Conservative MP, Grant Shapps, was severely disappointed with hospital bosses for making the decision to close the A&E, saying that, “Despite twothirds of the public believing the QE2 in Welwyn Garden City was the most appropriate location (it sits centrally within Hertfordshire), the previous government decided to build the major services at The Lister Hospital in Stevenage instead.” It is clear that he does not believe that the services were moved to The Lister for clinical reasons and was in fact, “politically motivated.” He has also brought up a 7-point agreement that was signed by hospital bosses in 2010. The agreement included a provision that The New QEII will include a, “provision of a local A&E.” Mr Shapps believes that the replacement of the A&E with a UCC was a “betrayal” and he wants hospital bosses to, “Apologise unreservedly to the local community for blatantly ignoring the 7-point agreement that they themselves signed.” There has been a fundamental lack of communication about why these changes are being made, because after having the reasons explained, they do make a lot of sense, especially since they appear to be based on clinical evidence. One of the points not well publicised is that 80% of people will still be able to go to the QE2 for nonlife threatening injuries, according to Dr Pathmanathan. These changes will only work as long as ambulance services and hospitals are as organised as well as Dr Pathmanathan says they will be. Many of us may fear about history repeating itself, considering the major failures with the Chase Farm A&E shutdown. Only time will tell if the best clinical decision has been made.
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A huge success for RAG Week Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor After a full week of fundraising, Raise and Give’s biannual RAG Week raised just over £500! The whole team were blown away with the support from students and staff at the university. The week saw the RAG Committee host a selection of events targeting all groups of students. Most notably was the ‘Campus Collections’ on both College Lane and de Havilland; one student took home a £30 prize for raising over £15 in just five minutes! On Tuesday 14th October, Raise and Give hijacked the EleHouse to host a special game of Play Your Cards Right; this gave students the chance to raise money for Raise and Give’s charities (Haven House, Young Minds and Teens Unite) while also having the opportunity to take home some money for themselves. By this point in the week, the committee had already put on four events and there was no stopping them. After attending Play Your
Rebecca Harding | UniVerse
Cards Right, Rebecca Harding, final year Photography student shared with us that she, “‘loved going back in time and playing Play Your Cards Right, the hosts were excellent, the atmosphere was buzzing, I didn’t win... but I’m
more than glad that the money went to good causes!” During the rest of the week, a Bake Off was hosted on the de Havilland Campus where students entered to win Galleria vouchers! Volunteers
then sold off the winning cakes and all money raised went straight to the Raise and Give charities. The week opened and closed with two packed out quizzes in the EleHouse. Although Raise and Give is taking a break from quizzes for a bit, there still will be student groups running them nearly every Sunday. Mercedes Brazier, RAG Rep said: “RAG week was a fun and active week that helped to create awareness for our chosen charities this year, the activities raised a generous amount of money, so thank you students for taking part and working with us towards some great causes!” No matter what event you attended, everyone who got involved helped raise a lot of money in one week that will positively affect the lives of those supported by the charities. The next RAG event will be the Zombie Chase on the 1st November! More information on Raise and Give can be found at hertfordshire.su/ rag
Charity Bake Off Words and pictures Lashara van Heerden As part of RAG Week, the Charity Bake Off saw many entrants baking show stopping cakes and delicious cupcakes. From teddy bear biscuit cakes to banana and chocolate glitter cupcakes, there were many delectable choices for students to choose from. The treats were sold to students at a suggested donation of around 50p to £1. The judges were Brad Johnson from Raise and Give, Student Activities Manager Carly Benton and a representative from the Baking Society. The competitors’ entries were judged according to taste, texture and of course, presentation. The winner was a Frozen themed Barbie extravaganza.
All the participants put in a lot of effort and those who won were rewarded with a Galleria voucher. Johnson was “so impressed with the level of skills in some of the cakes” and with how many entries there were this year. “We raised over £50 from selling the cakes,” he said. As with the amateur bakers of The Great British Bake off, all small beginnings start somewhere and perhaps we will have one of the students go on to be the next Nancy Birtwhistle. The proof is in the baking. If anyone is interested in entering next year or would simply like to know more about other interesting activities on campus, be sure to check out the Students’ Union website to see any upcoming competition or events.
• News 7
Guide Dogs come to Herts Rachel Smith | Contributing Writer As many of you are no doubt aware, Hertfordshire was recently visited by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. For just a couple of pounds you could go and see the dogs and meet the people whose lives have been changed by them. Most of the people there were volunteers who take care of the dogs until they are old enough to enter training to become an official guide
dog. Olivia’s owner, Edith Preston, has raised many dogs to enter guide dog training, Olivia herself is dog number 29. The carer keeps the dog for about the first 12 months of its life and teaches it certain basic skills including: obedience, learning that wearing the vest means it’s time to work, and staying away from and not reacting to other dogs. To care for and train a guide dog throughout its life costs around £50,000 but the cost to legally buy a
guide dog from the charity? 50p. It has to have monetary value because the dog legally has to be signed over to its new owner but the fee is so small that it does not discriminate against those who may not have the funds to otherwise acquire a guide dog. The carers made it clear that it is hard, but very rewarding, work raising a potential guide dog for a year and they also made it clear that without the volunteers who choose to help, The Guide Dogs charity would not be
Dorrie, 4 months old
Kuba, 10.5 months old
Olivia, 5 months old
Thomas, 5 years old
able to do nearly as much for visually impaired people as they do now. The charity truly changes people’s lives and it needs all help possible. There are many opportunities to volunteer with the charity and more information can be found at guidedogs.org.uk/volunteer or by contacting 08453717771 or volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk.
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Black History Month and The New Black screening Jennie Couling | Contributing Writer On the evening of 21st October, students gathered in the Attic to watch a screening of The New Black. The film and pizza night was one of the Equality Office’s events for Black History Month. The New Black is a documentary that follows ‘activists, families and clergy on both sides of the campaign to legalize gay marriage [in Maryland, USA] and examines homophobia in the black community’s institutional pillar – the black church – and reveals the Christian right wing’s strategy of exploiting this phenomenon in order to pursue an anti-gay political agenda’. Examining issues surrounding colour, religion and sexuality, Head of Equality Min Rodriguez and Equality and Diversity Officer Sarah Bowes-
Phipps explained that the film was part of a move towards “trying to look at people having multiple identities”. Feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive. Many were surprised by the film’s content, expecting, because it was shown as part Black History Month, that it would only look at race. But many reflected one student’s views that it was a “touching and thought provoking movie”. When asked whether the issues explored in the film were applicable in the UK, one student argued that it “applies everywhere in all different countries”. Another adding “it’s still an issue [in the UK] but not as bad’ although ‘[LGBTQ issues] are not spoken about in the black church.” The Equality Office’s celebration of Black History Month
continued on Friday 31st October with a Black Film History Day. The day included a guest lecture Dr Ruth Doughty from Liverpool John Moores University followed by a screening of the Spike Lee film Bamboozled. Bamboozled is described as “a dark, biting satire of the television industry, focusing on an Ivy-League educated black writer at a major network. Frustrated that his ideas for a ‘Cosby Show’-esque take on the black family has been rejected by network brass”. The event was free to attend with students welcome to attend the lecture, film or both sessions. If you went to see The New Black or Bamboozled let us know what you thought!
Preparing for a harsh winter Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor Brace yourselves for a cold one this year, with some weather forecasters predicting that Britain is on track for the coldest winter of the century. Reports from The Express have said that ‘significant snowfall is likely in weeks with savage frosts and thick winter fogs.’ Whilst we may experience a whiteout like 2010/11, it won’t be all fun and games and building snowmen. The severe arctic conditions could last for up to five months, causing widespread commuter problems and a general standstill for many areas in the UK. It doesn’t help that we have already been experiencing the gale force winds and heavy rain of the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo. The ex-hurricane has rolled over the Atlantic from its first victim, Bermuda, where it caused between $200 million and $400 million worth of damage, according to Reuters. The remnants of Gonzalo arrived in the UK on Monday 20th October with 50-100 mph gusts of wind. Since then, many flights
Hurricane Gonzalo | NASA Satellite
have been cancelled with some planes experiencing shaky landings. Hundreds of traffic jams have been reported, with tailbacks on the A1(M) due to an overturned lorry and several train lines that have been interrupted by felled trees. The severe weather has also resulted in three deaths in Kensington, Essex and Merseyside,
with another five people believed to be in critical conditions. Fortunately, the extreme wind and rain is coming to an end, and just in time. With the artic freeze on its way, Britain needs to recover from Gonzalo and prepare for even more damage, disruption and misery. Make sure you are prepared.
The cold winter can have damaging effects so you need to ensure that you are wrapped up, you are aware of how the heating works and who provides your energy, and that you take care when walking around Hatfield. The gritters are always a bit of a hitand-miss with coverage so just be careful of icy pavements and roads. The pathways around the university campuses are always well maintained but it’s important to be cautious. You can also find helpful information about how to prepare for bad weather on the Herts County Council website under ‘Services’. It is important that you try your best to make it into university, but just in case you become stuck at home make sure you let your lecturers know. You can always fill in a Serious Adverse Circumstances form with evidence of why you cannot attend. To find out if the university closes due to bad weather, check the following website; www.uhemergency. co.uk and make sure you follow @ UniofHerts to keep you updated.
• News 9
Students get creative at The Big Draw Sofia Rosidi | Contibuting Writer It was definitely a great start to the weekend when The Big Draw was being held here at the University of Hertfordshire on October 24th! Organised by David Allen, Senior Lecturer in Art Education, and greatly supported by Annabel Lucas, Collection Manager & Exhibitions Curator/UH Art Collection and Galleries, the event was held from 9.30am till 2.30pm with the purpose of linking into the National ‘Big Draw Event’, which is the world’s biggest drawing festival. Other worthy objectives of The Big Draw are to provide opportunities for teachers and children in two of the School of Education’s partnership schools, whilst enhancing the artistic
experience of the students of the University of Hertfordshire. The day had a series of exciting, interactive art activities which were based around the theme of ‘It’s Our World’, taking part at the Atrium and the foyer of the Weston Auditorium. The art activities included spontaneous mark making on huge sheets of paper using long sticks with graphite, wax crayons and chalk pastels attached, three dimensional interactive sculptures inspired by children’s split/flick books with different styles of heads, bodies, legs and feet, and drawings using the ‘wrong’ hand, patterns inspired by emotions, pictures drawn with a pencil taped to the palm of the children’s hand and ‘quick fire’ drawings inspired by moving wildlife
videos, in which all these images were culminated in a giant world map montage. Not only that, there were workshops, based around the University’s art collection, ran by the students of the School of Education alongside a professional artist who originally studied Fine Art at UH. To make things more interesting, The Big Draw event had a range of Live World Music, orchestrated by Carol Timson, Senior Lecturer in Music Education and Professional Lead for the Foundation Subjects, acting as a stimulus for the art activities, along with a display of Djembe Drums, Tibetan Singing Bowls, Slovakian Flutes, Mbira, and other percussion. Malcolm Smith, who is incredibly multi-talented, performed music from Bali, Senegal, Slovakia,
Lots of pics in links folder Make pretty :)
Tibet and sang Call and Response songs from Africa with those who participated in the event. The School of Education’s Year Three Music Option students even performed in a Samba Band. A Djembe Drumming Ensemble of Adults and Children concluded the joyful day. The event was a definite success as the students from the partnership schools, our own UH students, lecturers and staff, who took the time to participate in the drawing activities, enjoyed themselves throughout the creative and educational event! Missed the opportunity to show your creative side? Check out The Big Draw festival’s website for more events: thebigdraw.org.
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Give it a Go: Fright Night at Thorpe Park
Shelby Loasby | UniVerse
Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor On Friday 24th October, the Students’ Union arranged for around 50 students to go to Thorpe Park’s annual Fright Night as part of the Give it a Go programme. Being the ‘unlucky’ 13th year of Fright Night, the scare factor had truly upped its anti, and whilst the weather was less than desirable, the rain managed to hold off and actually created the perfect spooky atmosphere. However, the bad weather did mean that some rides, such as Stealth, had to remain closed for the day. Once inside the park, actors could be seen wearing long black cloaks and holding chainsaws, whips and ropes. They would occasionally appear in crowded areas throughout the day and taunt unfortunate onlookers. There isn’t anything more haunting than a pale white face with blood streaming down it, staring directly at you for a good 30 seconds. The actors travelled in a group, and as soon as the ringleader ignited the chainsaw engine, the group would jump and chase the spectators. Lauren Faires, a fellow UH student, was unlucky enough to be chased by one of the actors and ended up hiding in one of the nearby toilets.
Whilst she was scared, she said: “That’s what I came to Fright Night for. Being chased by a scary person gets my adrenaline going. I want more!” More frightening things were found around the park. The first thing you notice is the eerie music being played out of almost every speaker, preparing you for what is in store. You can also see Halloween decorations and scary signs dotted around, along with scary make up stations that could turn your face into something truly revolting. Five of Thorpe Park’s awardwinning roller coasters are also kept open into the dead of night for those brave enough to ride them. But the most important parts of fright night are the live action horror mazes. The mazes this year included; My Bloody Valentine, The Blair Witch Project, The Cabin in the Woods, Saw, and new this year; Studio 13. Each maze had a scare rating out of five and was complete with a criteria list and warnings about what to expect. Heart problems, epilepsy, pregnancy, scare easily? No entry. The actors inside the mazes are allowed to touch you, and unless you kick up enough of a fuss, there’s no running and no escaping. Studio 13 is especially hyped up as it is new to the park, and runs on the premise of the ‘Director’
auditioning guests to be part of his new movie, The Motel. The description of the maze says ‘not to expect a happy ending,’ and this is definitely true. When you first go inside, you are greeted by a receptionist covered in blood who leads you into the pitch black maze. You then encounter several actors who jump out from the shadows and scream in your face. The strobe lights don’t help either, making you disorientated and making your heartbeat just a little faster. After meeting a few more ‘interesting’ characters and stumbling into rooms dosed with blood, you are chased out by a madman with a chainsaw. William Ahmed, another fellow UH student, said that he was at the front of his group inside Studio 13 which meant that he had to act as a human shield for everybody else. He said: “It was really scary. But the four minutes of terror didn’t make up for the two and half hour wait.” This was a common downside and criticism of the Fright Night. Most of the mazes were between 90-120 minutes queuing and would only last a short while. Quite a few people gave up halfway through queueing and were able to enjoy at least three more rides in the time it took to get into the mazes. Despite the long queues,
however, most people enjoyed the suspense and frightening activities and came away looking forward to Halloween, and of course returning to Fright Night next year. There is also an additional package for those brave enough to experience; The Extra Cut. This package is another new addition to Thorpe Park this year and is strictly for those aged 18 and over who book into the Thorpe Shark Hotel. When the park closes at 10pm, the gates shut and the overnight guests are then locked inside the abandoned theme park. The guests are then bagged, blindfolded and dragged from their hotel rooms by dishevelled and bloody actors and enter the horror mazes. From here they are chased by a ‘sacrificial cannibal cult who feast upon human flesh.’ The Extra Cut package continues until 2am and can even include an option to have creatures hiding in the shadows of your hotel room and a Bedtime Gory Teller. The Fright Nights are on until November 2nd so make sure you get your tickets and see how much scary stuff you can stomach! If you have been to Fright Night already this year, let us know what you thought and feel free to share your pictures with us @TridentMediaUK!
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How valuable is your degree? Against
For Amelia Carter | Contributing Writer Increasingly, many students find themselves wondering whether obtaining a degree is worth the stress, hard work and ultimately how much value does it hold in the real world, when trying to gain employment. First and foremost having a degree puts you leaps and bounds ahead of other candidates when applying for a job. Not only does it show knowledge and commitment for actually completing your degree, but the other experiences you’ve gained from being at university such as; gaining useful contacts; developing employability skills; work placements and life experiences which are all associated and come with your degree. All these attributes bundled together adds extra value to your CV that other people without degrees simply never could have. Arguably, having a degree adds job security as it is shown that when employers lay off workers, people who hold degrees are more likely to
The nightmare of customer service If you have ever worked in customer service then you can understand that some people are nightmares made flesh. This isn’t an exaggeration, it’s a fact. Earth is round, six is smaller than seven, and some customers make me wish I could shoot laser beams from my eyes, so I could make them vanquish from my till point. This type of person comes in various forms. Each fall into their own category, which I’ll be venting about throughout the semester. It seems like a good way to reduce stress, because right now I fear for my blood pressure. I’ll also decide on an appropriate punishment for their transgressions, because these are clearly horrific crimes against humanity. The current offense - people who put items back in the wrong place! Don’t get me wrong, I understand everyone has the right to change their minds. You might not have enough change, or you just
stay on at the company because of the added worth that the degree brings. This also leads on to the fact that holding a degree most likely means a higher salary. Having a degree is usually synonymous with going into a high paying job, even if the person in question is younger, if they hold a degree they are often moved quickly through the ranks to bigger positions of power and responsibility, which consequently leads to a higher salary. It is my opinion that a degree adds value to all areas that an employer may be looking for, whilst enriching the individual’s life giving them experiences they never would’ve had without studying at a university. In this way the broad opportunities that having a degree opens you to makes it extremely worth the hard work.
Charlotte Green | Contributing Writer Of course your degree is valuable to some extent. It can put you first in line for a job and you can develop a variety of skills whether these relate to team work or academic writing. However, when it comes to the future it isn’t only about your degree –you can’t go into a job interview with just that on your CV can you? As an English Language major I was told many times that I was doing the wrong degree to progress into a corporate company. But when I was sat in an interview at an assessment centre for an internship, surprisingly it wasn’t my degree that I was talking about. It was the retail positions I’d held since the age of 16, my achievements through kickboxing training, as well as the school commitments, volunteer work and university societies I had joined. I’ll admit, I wouldn’t have been able to apply for an internship without my degree as it was a minimum requirement. But even then the degree
flat out decided you didn’t want it. That’s fine. What’s annoying is, when you can’t be bothered to expend the minuscule amount of effort it’d take to move a few feet and put it back where you found it. ‘Aren’t you paid to clean up after people and make sure everything’s neat?’ I hear you cry. Well, no. I’m a cashier, not a maid, although you are right about one thing - I am paid to make sure everything’s neat. Only, that refers to lugging stuff onto shelves fresh from a delivery, not fishing out a melted chocolate bar sandwiched between two tins of soup. Seriously, leaving frozen meat by Pringles isn’t something that one should be reminded not to do! It goes against the basic rules of food preservation! If you leave something in the wrong place and it gets damaged, we’ve lost money. Nobody wants a squashed loaf of bread, or warm yogurt. Not only that, but it just looks messy and creates more work for the employees, and we end up struggling to give the best service we can. Thanks for the inconvenience, Captain
Inconsiderate. Mainly though, I have found the mindset of some customers incredibly rude. Essentially, the line of thinking here is ‘I am too important to move my legs across a room. Somebody else will clean up my mess, I can do whatever I like!’ Also, my shop is only about twenty feet wide, so I’m not exactly asking you to embark on a pilgrimage. Just have a little respect. I genuinely consider it a victory if I go around at the end of my shift and everything is in its proper place. That’s pretty sad actually, but hey, working in retail is all about the little things. Appropriate punishment: Every time the offender comes home, they find that objects have been moved a few inches, until entire rooms have been completely shifted. This eventually culminates into a psychological breakdown. What are your customer service pet peeves? Send them to us on Twitter @TridentMediaUK!
title and exact course content didn’t matter. It was the experiences in a variety of situations outside of my degree that were most helpful. Now I have some great opportunities waiting when I leave university. All students can say juggling assignments has helped build time management skills and working in groups builds communication skills. But what happens when you’re up against a whole load of graduates in the tight job market? The way I see it is that your experiences are more valuable. If I hadn’t put myself forward for certain projects, hadn’t had a few challenging days in retail, and hadn’t set myself some ambitious goals then I wouldn’t be who I am today. When it comes to the real world there are just some experiences you can’t get from a degree. What if there’s someone at an interview with the same degree under their belt? What will make them pick you?
Grumpy Corner
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Study Abroad Blogs
Egidio De-Souza in
China I have been in China for about a month now and so far it has been an extraordinary experience, people are very friendly and the culture is completely different from the United Kingdom. There are so many people in Xiamen and the majority of the public drive mopeds and motorbikes because cars are too expensive, whereas in the United Kingdom people tend to drive cars more than any other vehicle. The studying in China compared to England is more demanding; I have been having intensive lessons every day from 8:00am till 11:40am as well as homework. In addition the work ethic of the Chinese is just unbelievable. Many of the students have night classes from 11:00pm-2:00am which is unheard of at universities in the United Kingdom. The work rate in China is really inspirational, even banks are open on the weekends.
Jimei University is like a mini island; there are lakes, palm trees, boats and many surrounding buildings. On this campus there is no excuse not to study because each school department has at least one library. There is more competition in China because of the high population of people compared to the United Kingdom. In China I like the fact that I’m out of my comfort zone because it gives me the chance to improve my Mandarin Chinese speaking skills which I have been learning for the past nine years and there are only two other British students on my campus. Therefore, the only way to communicate with other students and the general public is by speaking Mandarin Chinese which encourages me to learn more so that I am able socialise with Chinese students, such as attending a sporting
event on the main campus where I won a 100m sprint. I’ve met many Chinese students who are teaching me more about the Chinese culture and language, I think that socialising with people is the best way to improve your Mandarin speaking skills because you can distinguish the differences of accents and language which is really important in China as there are many dialects which are completely different from the Mandarin Chinese language. I’m absolutely astonished at the amount of money you can save living in China! The price of food and drink is really cheap in contrast to the United Kingdom, for example I can buy a full course meal in China for less than £5, and at the corner shops it’s rare to find a drink that costs more than 50p, unless the drink is more than three litres!
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Andrew Anthony from Australia Hopping off my 20 hour flight and placing my feet down in England was surreal to say the least. I think “holy oh my gosh is this real life even” sums up how I was feeling. The weather upon arrival was as expected, grey and gloomy. Since being here though I’ve come to appreciate the sunny days that we get here and there; I’ve been told to expect the weather to get worse and worse approaching Winter. Here’s hoping I survive. In the three weeks I’ve been here I feel like I’ve seen quite a bit of England already. London is amazing (of course). I knew there would be red busses and phone booths but I never expected the city to be teeming with them! It literally was like stepping into a movie with the familiar London landmarks all popping up quickly. It is truly remarkable. I love that Brits love the tea and biscuits, because so do I! I cannot tell you how many Jammy
Dodgers I’ve consumed in the last few weeks. I always laugh about how all the British students go on and on about Chocolate Digestives (and yes I’ve had one, and yes… it was delicious). Food overall is pretty similar to Australia here; nothing’s too out of the ordinary, EXCEPT… (wait for it)…popcorn. Yes popcorn. I was at a free student BBQ and I picked up some popcorn, put it in my mouth expecting the familiar salty taste…and it was sweet!?! Apparently sweet popcorn is a thing here! I mean, if ASDA sells it then it must be true. That was really crazy for me because sweet popcorn is a bit of a novelty back home. I was so excited to be able to travel to Stonehenge in my second week. It was truly beautiful and the bus trip gave me the opportunity to see the green British countryside that I was hoping for. The weather was remarkably British at Stonehenge. It was so cold and
so windy and so wet. Of course I had forgotten my rain jacket and umbrella so I got to soak up Stonehenge whilst soaking up the rain. Nevertheless it was beautiful. I’ve got some more trips coming up soon. England is the perfect home base for travel and I am so happy to be here right now. Don’t get me wrong I’m also studying quite a lot actually and it does take some adjusting to get used to balancing study with university life and then travel on top of that. I still wake up and don’t believe it. I want time to drag on forever so that I may live this experience as long as possible. This time last year I never dreamt that I’d be in the middle of England, writing this article. I cannot wait to see what studying abroad brings me next.
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Meet your Students’ Union: Sean Howlett Taveena Atsu | Features Sub Editor Being at university is amazing, especially when you make the most out of all it has to offer! Sean Howlett is a great example of how we university students can be the best we can be! His role as the Volunteer & Societies Coordinator involves lots of exciting things, “Haha what doesn’t it entail?”, he laughs when he begins to tell us about what he gets up to on a daily basis. “On a basic level, I’m here to help people find out about voluntary opportunities, participate in and run student-led projects and help with different societies’ events, money, bookings, membership, all the boring paperwork like Risk Assessments – yay!” Howlett jokes. “I love it though,” he admits. He also works alongside the university’s very own Trident Media offering a helping hand to the team with
everything from running induction sessions to copy editing this very newspaper! “So basically I am the go-to person for the radio lot to come and nag,” he said. From managing Fresher’s Fair to website development, Howlett tells us, “I’ve been able to get involved in loads of things. Stuff that affects every student, like the #MarkMyWork campaign last year.” Getting involved can be helpful in the long run, “Oh gosh.. start early if you want to pursue a career.” Howlett was applying for jobs in his final year and he knows people who didn’t find it hard to find jobs at all. The skills you learn while getting involved in societies at university teaches you the great skills employers are looking for in prospective applicants. It’s not always that easy, but seeking advice from the careers office or someone who really knows you
will really help you whittle down your strengths so you can really focus on applications. “If you’re going to join online CV sites like LinkedIn, make sure you commit to it,” said Howlett. “No one’s going to bother hiring you with something that’s half-arsed. Always ask for feedback, even if they don’t give you any. If you apply again they should be able to see that you’re inquisitive and want to better yourself.” Having the confidence to take new challenges all the time is great, and you’ll learn a lot and greatly improve on your skills too, be careful though: “recognise your achievements but don’t make a song and dance about it. Watch what you say on Twitter! And a lot of luck is involved, so good luck!” If you want to find out more about how to get more involved, go to hertfordshire.su/societies
Student Ideas Forum Brad Johnson | Deputy Editor The 16th of October saw the first Student Ideas Forum take place in its new location in Hutton Hall. The Student Ideas Forum is an open platform for the discussion of student views where students can speak directly to their elected officers. This event, which takes place around once a month, is also the chance for students to hold the officers to account when they present their monthly reports. All full time officers were present at the Students Ideas Forum with the exception of VP Media and Communications, Shannen Rock, who was sadly absent due to an injury sustained during Freshers’ Week. Part time officers in attendance were Chelsea Anderson, Mature Students’ Officer, and Grainne O’Monghain, de Havilland Campus Officer. Brad Johnson also attended as a
to be on. These committees included scrutiny committees for Student Services, Commercial Services and Elections. The reports focused on what the officers have been doing since the last Student Ideas Forum during the last academic year. Following these reports, including that from the Trustee Board, points were raised during the main forum regarding the new layout in the College Lane LRC Cafe. Other issues raised were the availability of services for placement students who work nine to five, and some points regarding timetabling were once again raised. The next Student Ideas Forum is on 20th November in Hutton Hall.
representative of the Students’ Union Trustee Board. During the Student Ideas Forum, O’Monghain was elected as a
student on the Academic Board at the university. Scott Grace also briefed the forum about the scrutiny committees that would need two students to stand
Got an idea? Leave a post on the Student Ideas Forum part of the SU website. hertfordshire.su/ representation/ideasforum/
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Student Lock In? More like student take over! Jennie Couling | Contributing Writier On Thursday 17th October, thousands of University of Hertfordshire students flocked to The Galleria for the annual Student Lock In. For the third year running, shops were offering up to 30% discount on items on top of normal savings. Favourites amongst buyers were Nike (predicted to have around 1000 customers an hour) and Funk Rock. Whilst some shoppers took the opportunity to treat themselves, some were savvy enough to save on the essentials. Others expressed a wish for there to be a more student friendly selection of shops. Natasha Wilson said she feels like the Galleria, “doesn’t cater to students at all’ and “would rather go into London to shop.” However, Tim Walker, Centre Director of the Galleria reassured that, with a high turnover rate, exciting things could be round the corner. Most shoppers seemed satisfied, as customers in Nike looped
the whole length of the shop and the queue for Nandos vouchers snaked through nearly half of the top floor. It wasn’t all about the shopping, as The Galleria was filled with club promoters, fitness instructors, charity collectors and stalls handing out freebies. DJ Trunk kept the upstairs buzzing while outside Waste Not Want Not, Sandy Hop were partying 1930s style. Despite the Student Lock In only happening once a year, Tim Walker insisted that shopping at the Galleria all year round should be “a complete no brainer” for students with prices 50% off normal retail prices and many of the restaurants offering up to 40% discounts with an NUS Extra card. You can get yours from the Students’ Union on either campus for just £12! To keep updated with the latest news and deals, visit galleria.co.uk or follow @the_galleria on Twitter.
Markener Rosemond bought herself this birthday treat for £5
Aaliyah Hudson, was so proud of her TK Maxx find, she didn’t want to be seen in it until the time was right for it to make its debut
Nick Donoghue and Ben Spode who were buying supplies for their geography trip
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A trip down memory lane at the
Vintage Fair Melissa Nadarajan | Contributing Writer On Thursday 23rd October, a touch of retro was brought to UH when the Vintage Fair came to The Forum. This gave students the opportunity to do a spot of shopping on their lunch break, with some even bagging a few last minute Halloween costume essentials. From floral dresses as cute as a button, to torn denim biker jackets, racked alongside 1960s style beige corduroy jackets and the screaming 80s cliché that is the polyester shell suit, the fair made for an interesting trip through the decades. Run by partners David Minter & Lorna Pepperrell, the Vintage Fair touts itself as “a unique vintage fair purely dedicated to the student market.”
The team have been providing a free to enter ‘pop-up’ vintage event at universities up and down the country, where they have pitched their wares at over 20 Freshers’ Fairs this semester alone. They are looking to set up shop at another 13 events before December. “It’s definitely worth all the travelling,” says Minter, “We’ve done about 20 Fairs through Freshers, from down in Plymouth and Exeter and right up to Huddersfield next week. It’s been really good and the students really seem to like it.” After selling vintage clothes for over eight years, Minter and Pepperrell started running the Vintage Fair a year and a half ago. “We mostly specialise in the 80’s look, a little bit of 70s and 90s on top of that. We try to follow the trends that are on the high street, in shops like
Topshop and Urban Outfitters. We’re kind of like the original alternative to what they’re selling really, it’s cheap and the students seem to like it.” Amongst the embroidered granny satchels and cut off denim hot pants, the faux fur coats and plastic dinosaur toy necklaces, there was a distinct lack of what usually characterises a more traditional vintage fair, such as clothing from earlier, more classical eras. “We’ve had people who brought that kind of stuff before, the classic 20’s and 30’s, 40s vintage” explains Minter, “But they didn’t really do all that well. This event is tailored for the youth market.” Perusing to the hoppy, new romantic tunes of The Cure’s ‘The Love Cats’ and Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ student shoppers were
All images, Melissa Nadarajan | UniVerse
definitely not deterred from spending their loans. “We can’t walk past a vintage shop without stopping and buying something!” said self-professed lovers of vintage styles, Molly Greene and Molly Jeanne. “I was surprised to see something like this here,” Isoa Tupua said while trying on different shirts and jackets, “I usually go to places like the Portobello Road Market.” If nothing else the Vintage Fair was a trip down memory lane. It’s bizarre to think that the odd fashion decisions of our 1990s childhoods are once again popular, but the boxes of scrunchies, and bindis definitely made me nostalgic. Picked up a piece of fashion nostalgia from the Vintage Fair? Send us a picture @TridentMediaUK
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The Revivals
Live at the EleHouse
Betty Fekade | UniVerse
Betty Fekade | Contributing Writer The Revivals are not just another cover band, and their set list does not include yet another bad karaoke cover of ‘Sex on Fire’ or ‘Brown Eyed Girl’. After seeing their performance in the EleHouse in October, I can confidently say that they are the best Hertfordshire has to offer with covers of timeless 60s classics and cultural curveballs. The main demographic for The Revivals is not what the EleHouse is used to, with a considerable portion of the audience being made up of the punk generation and mod revivalists who were there for, “A good variety of music,” and a search for, “Something
different.” In the interval, I had the chance to talk to the lead guitarist, Matt Cleverly. UniVerse: If you had to describe your set list in one phrase, what would it be? Matt Cleverly: Brit Pop. We cover mod, 90s and some naughtier stuff too. Everything but Queen; I don’t think Pat has Freddie’s voice. (laughs) Don’t tell him that I said that though. UV: What would you say is the most challenging thing about performing at a small venue like the EleHouse? MC: It’s very hard to get people up in small venues. A hundred people might be nerve-racking but they get into it fast: but when it’s an old man and his
dog, it gets awkward really fast. UV: What do you think is the best part of performing at the Ele? MC: This is the third time we have performed at the EleHouse. It’s something really different, always a great crowd with great atmosphere. UV: Do you have a favourite musician? MC: Oh, definitely Noel Gallagher. UV: You have a full set list, have you ever made a mistake during a performance and how do you handle it if you do? MC: Not so much with our current set list but we have one coming up now which is a bit tricky. When you make a mistake, you listen quickly and try to follow the boys. UV: Do you get nervous before a
performance? MC: Not really. I mean with new sets there is always some nerves but we have been doing this set for a while now. The only thing we get nervous about is making it good for the audience. We want the crowd to have a good time; if they do then it is all worth it. The Revivals are a nostalgic trip down British guitar music’s memory lane with great energy and a set list that had the whole of the Elehouse on the dance floor. So the next time The Revivals (hopefully!) return to the EleHouse, make sure you’ve grabbed the front seat! Did you catch The Revivals’ show? Let us know what you thought!
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Bringing down the EleHouse with the Alternative Music Society
Charlotte Mullin | Contributing Writer
Robbie Cavanagh
Matas Mazas | Alt Music Society
The Twirling Canes
On Thursday 16th October, the Alternative Music Society kicked off their first event with a free gig at the EleHouse, featuring the charming Robbie Cavanagh and Hertfordshire’s own The Twirling Canes. The event was the last hurrah of former society presidents Matas Mazas and Raj Bhasin as they handed down the mantle to Georgie Galvin. I had the opportunity to interview all three before the show, and they gave us the true meaning of ‘alternative’. A term frequently assumed to mean ‘metal’ or some other hardcore genre, in reality it refers to ‘anything not in the charts’. The exploration of this range consequently allows the music taste of the general student body to be massively expanded. On the night, the EleHouse had the perfect atmosphere - pleasantly full and chipper, with no signs of chaos as we’ve seen on occasion. I once queued for 40 minutes for a drink and still have nightmares about it! Playing from his album The State of Maine, an intimate documentation of his experiences in America, it was easy to recognise why Robbie Cavanagh cited folk and country as his influences. His set-list ranged from upbeat to gut-wrenchingly emotional; whether playfully asking the audience to ‘pretend you’re in Portugal’, or begging ‘don’t forget me, the boy from the fair’, Cavanagh’s powerful voice managed to completely captivate the entire room. His mix of rambunctiousness and poignancy culminated in a resonating finale to lead onto The Twirling Canes, who possessed a decidedly darker, more mysterious sound, and yet weren’t shy in making phallic jokes about their name.
In a preliminary interview, The Twirling Canes described their music as a “southern Gothic romance novel” in musical format, and this turned out to be pretty accurate. In contrast with the perfect road-trip mix-tape that was Cavanagh’s set, the Canes’ soundtrack, comprised of their six-song EP Roark as well as new material, was reminiscent of Brand New in its haunting captivation. On the first glance, you wouldn’t think that the duo, Matt Davey and Matt Pugh, would be able to emanate such balefulness whilst clad in patterned shirts and braces, yet deep croons of lyrics like ‘I fear I’m losing my mind when I close my eyes’ combined with sublime melodies kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Mind you, their dedication of a song to me may have made me slightly biased! Nonetheless, The Twirling Canes had an intense stage (er, corner) presence, switching between ominous uttering to fierce electric riffs, all the while bopping around and stamping their feet, to make it clear they were there solely to give a good time. All in all, if this experience was typical of an event planned by the Alternative Music Society, I’d heartily recommend joining. Current president Georgie says that, while there are no regular meetings, the society aims to hold fortnightly events. In fact, October marks the resumption of their monthly Alt Invasion at Club Batchwood, so you should absolutely strap on your dancing shoes and get going!
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Give a spit, save a life Periye Bisina | Contributing Writer Every year, there are 11,700 cases of lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system in the UK alone. It is the most common blood cancer in young people aged 15 to 24. For many of these patients, a stem cell transplant is their last hope of life. That’s where Marrow comes in. Marrow is student group that is affiliated with Anthony Nolan, the UK Blood cancer charity. It was created in 1997 by a student at Nottingham University, James Kustow, who received the news that his childhood friend was diagnosed with leukaemia. Joining forces with his friends, James contacted Anthony Nolan and they organised a one-off recruitment event on campus, it was such a success that his fellow volunteers decided to put together a team to run frequent recruitment drives and raise greater
awareness for years to come. Today, there are Marrow groups in 40 different universities across the UK. Marrow was on campus on Tuesday 21st October providing information and asking for student to register as donors. “We are here to get students to join and save a life” said Zoë, one of the representatives of Marrow. They set up a stall at the Forum Foyer and stopped those who cared to listen
to try and persuade them that they should join and register. “To sign up, you have to be aged 16-30 and then all you have to do is fill out a form and spit into a cup, then you’ll be able to donate till you’re 60 but there’s only a 1 in 200 chance of you becoming a match,” said Zoe. Their DNA samples were then sent off to the Head Office so the donors could be matched with those that need it. Many students were eager to
donate and help, resulting in a lot of signups for Marrow. Students Zahoor and Cameron said that they were signing up to help people out. Bethany and Neha wanted to be donors so that they could add it to their ‘repertoire of donating’, because they were already blood donors. Sorwsh said he was donating, “because it could save a life.” There were a lot of sceptics present too. Meghan said she was not sure as she was scared of the pain she might feel while doing it, but would probably consider it. Another student said she wouldn’t donate due to the problems it could cause for yourself, “it’s like breaking your arm on purpose.” This scepticism was put to rest because according to Marrow, the only side effects donors might experience are mild flu-like symptoms such as headaches and pain in muscles and bones which usually disappear within 24 hours.
All images Periye Bisina | UniVerse
To find out more about being a donor, go to: anthonynolan.org/marrow
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Dyslexia Awareness Week Kealie Mardell | Print Editor The week commencing the 3rd of November is Dyslexia Awareness Week 2014. The theme this year is “Dyslexia Matters…” and addresses the ways in which dyslexia matters to everyone, across both education and business environments. According to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), dyslexia affects one in 10 people in the UK. This means that in an average class of 30 people, around three would be dyslexic. The BDA defines dyslexia as a learning difficulty which affects the process of learning reading, spelling, writing, and sometimes numeracy. People with dyslexia may also have accompanying weaknesses in short-term memory, sequencing, and the speed at which they process information. Emma Diston, Deputy Head of Disability Services at the University of Hertfordshire, said that there are approximately 100 students with a diagnosis of dyslexia who have contacted Disability Services so far this year. They expect to assess a further 200 students who have not been diagnosed yet. For these students, Disability Services can create an individual Study Needs Agreement, which identifies their
needs and can be shared with teaching teams to “ensure differentiation takes place appropriately,” said Diston. The agreement can include entitlement to things such as additional time in exams, specialist tuition, a Disability Adviser, or support with disclosure. “The most effective mode of differentiation is when lecturers or presenters give accompanying notes or hand-outs in advance of the lecture or presentation,” said Diston. “This enables students to annotate slides or hand-outs and not have to write notes and listen to the delivery.” Another method is to use a digital voice recorder so that students can replay the information given at a later date so it can be recorded in their preferred method, she said. According to the BDA, some of the other ways dyslexia can be supported in classrooms is with varied teaching methods using visual aids, and by changing the background colour on presentations to ensure it is easy to read. Dyslexia is often identified within schools, and the earlier it is diagnosed the more support that can be offered. It is something that can affect people throughout their education and into the world of work after they graduate. If you have been diagnosed with dyslexia or find yourself
struggling and think this may be the cause, Disability Services are there to help. You can attend drop-in sessions which are advertised on StudyNet, or book an appointment or assessment by contacting disabilityservices@ herts.ac.uk. “The University are hoping to run some additional study skills sessions for students and additional drop-ins to discuss the advantages of engaging with Disability Services,” said Diston. “I will also be tweeting
information throughout the week!” By raising an awareness of dyslexia, the BDA hopes to take a big step forward in creating a dyslexic friendly society where those with dyslexia can succeed and reach their full potential. For more information visit bdadyslexia.org.uk or speak to a member of the Disability Services team.
Epilepsy Awareness Month Chloe Burrowes | Contributing Writer If you were asked what one of the most common neurological conditions was, epilepsy probably wouldn’t be one of your first thoughts. Despite affecting one in 100 people, this illness does not dominate headlines. In November, America celebrates a National Epilepsy Awareness Month aiming to create noise and awareness for new and old sufferers, yet in the United Kingdom we don’t mark this. Only a week in May and a day in March; but is this really enough for a condition that affects so many?
Gemma Marshall, a former sufferer in childhood, explains why she thinks a month like this is so vital: “Personally, I think epilepsy is a bit forgotten, you don’t see it anywhere. I feel like it’s not advertised very well. I think a month here in England like the month for cancer would be helpful, maybe selling a badge or something like the pink ribbon.” Underfunding and a lack of celebrity recognition can sometimes be seen as the key to lack of awareness. Celebrities suffering from other illnesses are much more vocal, for example TOWIE star Sam Faiers
with Crohns Disease, but you would struggle to find promotion through celebrity epilepsy awareness. “It is one of the last taboos with people unwilling to talk about it and celebrities reticent to admit to having epilepsy because of the perceived stigma,” said Deborah Pullen of Epilepsy Research UK. Encouraging epilepsy charities to face this head on is the recent research from the Epilepsy Society into public understanding. With 1% of the people questioned stating that epilepsy was caused by evil spirits and is also contagious, it is clear that we
have problem! Angie King of Epilepsy Society also described some events in the public eye aiming to dispel these myths, for example a new Coronation Street storyline and using the hashtag #StopEpilepsyStigma so sufferers and non-sufferers alike can see epilepsy being discussed in the public sphere. Although more needs to be done awareness is progressing is the right direction. Purple Day is on the 26th March and is the next major international event. But who knows, maybe next year will be our time for an awareness month.
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Get Active with Pongathon Cristina Aroldi | Contributing Writer Get Active is an initiative that offers a wide range of free sports and activities for students from American Football, to Zumba and Pongathon. If you’re a person that commonly associates sports with trying something new, and you want to enjoy the social side to sport, Pongathon is perfect for you! Pongathon is a Ping-Pong Party where it is all about having fun! The sport is surrounded by an atmosphere of performance, music, and art with the matches set to singles, doubles, and round–thetable games. “Pongathon started last year when our tennis tables broke and
students wanted them back,” said Bella, Vice President of Student Activities. “We applied for the Pongathon National League in order to receive funding to buy new tennis tables. It was so successful that we decided to continue it. Teams can compete within their house leagues and score points for their teams.” John from the National Organisation of Pongathon in London stated that: “Pongathon is run by a mobile company that travels around the country aiming to combine music with the sport, and bring people together.” Every Tuesday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm you can have a shot at joining Pongathon. It is set up in the Forum on College Lane Campus, and
will be moving upstairs into the Attic from next week. Halls League Assistant Margot said that: “Pongathon brings sport to unusual places like bars or clubs and aims to create friendship among students who play the sport together. It is both a social and a sportive event. You can listen to various types of music, and spend your evening participating in a friendly game, and also have the chance to meet the Pongathon Robot. Polly, the Robot, fires balls at you for 60 seconds and you have to hit them to score points, sometimes you you are blindfold, sometimes you can sit down. Your scores are registered so each week there is a PongBot winner, which is celebrated on the Facebook
page and on the website.” If you sign up to the Facebook page, or the newsletter, you will receive regular updates with all the information and upcoming events. If you want to compete nationally with your team sign up with three other people at pongathonchallengecom, create crazy names, profiles and selfies, and do your best in the Pongathon Doubles League. But remember: no previous experience is needed! It is not about competitiveness but meeting people and having fun. Leave your daily grind behind and have fun with Pongathon!
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Herts Halls League Hall Fern Spalding Broad Bellingham Court Hadham Butler Chapman Welwyn Shenley
Points 9 9 3 3 3 2 2 2
Participation 38 30 27 15 6 28 19 10
Hall Watton Telford Court Coales Kimpton Redbourn Sandridge Sarratt Aledenham Ridgeview
Points 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Participation 9 35 31 18 13 13 9 4
Correct at time of printing 28th Oct.
Throughout the academic year, Halls will get points for either their success in competitions (such as Quiz Nights or sport competitions) and for their participation in events. Make sure you let us know loud and proud which Hall you are in. Not only will the winning Hall be crowned Hall League Champions at the Students’ Union Awards but they will also win an exclusive Hall Party in the Forum! For the all the latest from the league visit hertfordshire.su/halls
Active Students sessions: Bootcamp Herts students power through Imogen Wallis | Contributing Writer With Christmas only two months away, for many this is an opportunity to get fit and make sure we look our best for the upcoming party season. Thanks to the Active Students scheme, students can get active together, make new friends, and improve their overall fitness with a variety of sessions to choose from. One of these great options is the Indoor Bootcamp, but don’t worry, it isn’t as terrifying as you may think! With the help of strength and conditioning instructor Charlie, every Friday at 1pm in the Sports Village, he’ll get you through a great workout session to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Following a circuit training regime you will find yourself performing high intensity workouts including burpees, star jumps and knee tucks. Not forgetting to work your core as well, Charlie will push you to raise your hips and
legs high during the exercises, making sure to end with the famous plank position. Despite feeling exhausted by the end many of the students have a great time during these sessions. “It’s a tough workout but you feel great after working your entire body,” said Engineering student James Smith. “I especially like the fact it is equipment free so I can try all the exercises at home too.” Still prefer the idea of running on a treadmill? Unlike steady state cardio, high intensity training is connected to a far better after-burn known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), meaning you’ll continue to burn more calories even after the session has ended. So if you fancy next week’s session involving hand weights and death runs, don’t forget to attend next Friday and burn some calories for the weekend. Alternatively you can take a look at activestudents. co.uk for other free sessions throughout the week.
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Campus Football Kick Off Matt Creasey | Contributing Writer More eagerly-awaited than the much speculated summer signings of Louis Van Gaal, Manager of Manchester United Football Club, was the sound of the whistle being blown at 1.15pm on Wednesday 22nd October 2014 at the New Generation Turf Pitches on the deHavilland Campus in Hatfield, to signal the beginning of a new season for UHCampusFootball. After an incredibly successful ‘Get into Football Day’ on Wednesday 15th October that saw somewhere in the region of 200 footballers take to the “New Gen” pitches, all with the aim of impressing team captains and being asked to join an existing team. There were a number of strong outfits taking to the field of play and organisers have said they’ve never been more excited to see a season of CampusFootball get underway. And boy did it live-up to expectation! Dixie Normous vs Herts of Midlothian 1-1 On paper this was set to be a great match between two wellestablished sides and looked to be an incredibly exciting prospect, tipped as “the one to watch” if one was looking for excitement, slick football and, most importantly, goals. Unfortunately all of the hype and anticipation from the fans watching was clearly felt by all of the players, who were unable to
respond positively and played out to a woeful draw full of misunderstanding, arguing between players, and late tackles. It was a match where tempers could have quite easily have boiled over, but referee Jordan Marin kept control of the game very well and ensured that it was played within the rules. Dixie Normous started the game with a solid formation and were very organised throughout the first half, they managed to pass the ball around well for short passages of play but didn’t manage to create any chances or attack with venom. Their organisation paid off late on in the first half when they were testing out the Midlothian goalkeeper; a shot was fired-in from the left side of the penalty box and the goalkeeper was unable to clear his lines at the first attempt, getting the ball tangled around his
feet, and it bobbled straight out into the path of the Dixie right-winger who, doing his job of arriving late at the back post, slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the unguarded nearpost. A well-deserved opening goal. The second-half spelled a much different story for Dixie; whose shape fell apart with the re-shuffling of Midlothian’s formation, pushing Lee Rix out of the heart of defence and into the middle of midfield, where he patrolled and successfully snuffedout almost any attacking threat that Dixie posed. As a result, Midlothian were able to attack more in the second half and made the most of this by gradually building up pressure and using set pieces to their advantage, what with the aerial presence of both Rix and Jordan Coleman. After less than 10 minutes of the restart they were back on level terms. Utilising this threat they posed from set plays,
Midlothian skipper Alfie Jackson floated in a corner that was met by an unchallenged Rix who headed the ball back across the face of the goal and off the post. The ball then fell to a luckily positioned George Thomas, who was able to volley it home from 6 yards despite the traffic in the goalmouth. The game then fizzled back down again after the goal, both teams confined each other predominantly to the middle third of the pitch, Midlothian looking for cross-field passes or through-balls to set their forwards free but it was not to be the case. A notable mention must go out to Lee Rix of Herts of Midlothian, whose second half performance in front of his defence, and header that provided the equaliser, was excellent, despite the fact that a number of his challenges were on the verge of attracting attention from the articles in the referee’s pocket. For the opposition the key man was Jordan Ndoli, wearing the unlucky number 13 shirt. Had it not been his unlucky day being marked by Rix for the second half, he could well have produced a goal. Both teams have some work to do on the training ground before matchday two, however, they will be pleased to have points on the board after what was, by both teams’ standards, a disjointed performance.