The Trident | Volume 1 | Issue 2

ISSUE NO. 2

THE TR DENT Love & Sex Edition

Campus Wi-Fi What’s going on with it, and when it’s going to be fixed {Pg. 4}

Fundraising for Fiji Using fancy-dress to crowdfund for humanitarian work abroad {Pg. 12}

Huskis Interview The society talks about its upcoming trip to El Pas de la Casa {Pg. 13}

Sensible & Consensual Sex There’s only one way to do it {Pg. 19}

Illustrations: UHATS Society; Rosy Vega; ‘Clker-Free-Vector-Images’ on Pixabay

Image credit: LoggaWiggler on Pixabay

Image credit: DesignedByJess

Trident Media 2018

Written, designed & edited by students, for students, and provided by Hertfordshire Students’ Union

Run by students, for students. Here’s some of our achievements this year!

Editor in Chief

1,081 posts 1,089 followers

Rosy Vega VP Activities

Print Editor

Robert Wheatley robertwheatley21@yahoo.co.uk

Deputy Editors

1007 followers

Matt Dowse stationmanager@ tridentmedia.org

Over 195,000 views on TridentMedia.org

Contributors

{Magazine & Website} Zoe Fripp Robert Wheatley Lara Owolabi Matt Dowse Oliver Read Mia Batrisyia Pelumi Agboola Latifah Smyth

Issue 2! I guess we’re doing something right! With that in mind, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed our first issue of The Trident, and especially to those who have been in touch with comments and feedback on our debut magazine. We really want The Trident to have a lasting legacy and continue for years to come, so it’s been great to see so many people reading our content in the Elehouse, LRC, and other key locations across campus. This is also our very first issue of 2018, with our release pace set to increase over the coming months. Why not get involved and help us shape this paper? We’re the voice of the students, so Matt Dowse | Chairman of Trident Media come and let your yourselves be heard!

Contact Us

vp.activities@hertfordshire.su Vice President Activities Hertfordshire Students’ Union College Lane Hatfield Herts, AL10 9AB Published by Iliffe Print Cambridge Winship Road Milton Cambridge CB24 6PP

The first edition of the magazine was a brilliant success and I am so proud of Rob and The Trident team. The interesting content produced by students reflects what amazing talent we have here at Herts. I am already extremely excited to see what the guys have put together this time round!

Rosy Vega | VP Activities

Robert Wheatley | Print Editor

@TridentMediaUK tridentmedia.org

While this was supposed to be the Valentine’s Day edition of The Trident, it’s landed a little later than expected. Still, love goes beyond a mere day of the year, as you’ll hear from some of our writers who have talked about key issues of consent, safe sex, and, very interestingly, how we can think about love beyond the typical romantic relationship. Everyone has written some incredible pieces for this edition, so have a read and see their brilliant work!

Editorial • 3

Meet The Team

With an all new year comes an all new Trident Committee! We’re determined to really push ourselves this year to be the voice of students across the University of Hertfordshire, and that all starts with ‘The Trident’! Who exactly are ‘we’ though? Read on to meet your Trident Committee for the upcoming year!

Matt Dowse

Hello! My name’s Matt, and I’m the Chairman of Trident Media for the 2017/18 year! I’ve been working in radio for nine years now, and was last year’s Radio Manager for Trident Media Radio. I graduated from the Film and Television Production course in September 2017, and my role for the next twelve months is to oversee the entire output of Trident across all three outlets!

Catch me on TMR 8-10 on Mondays!

Hey, I’m Robert Wheatley, and I’m this year’s Head of Editorial. I’m studying Philosophy and Journalism, so my role with TM is super important to me not just as a writer but as a person that likes to be analytical about things when possible; giving my perspective on current news and social issues. Otherwise, I just love writing anecdotal stories, and try to offer as much insight into myself as I can, either to help people or simply be entertaining. I can’t wait to work with new contributing writers, editors and other sects of Trident Media; a team I’m loving already!

Head of TV

Robert Wheatley

Head of Radio Nicola Brown

Jono Godlee

I’m Nicola, a second year Film and TV Production student.

I joined Trident Media in my first year as I wanted to join a society that suited my interests as well as giving me an outlet to be creative alongside my studies. I love all things film and TV and as the Head of TV, I want to be able to work with like-minded people to help produce quality content which is fun and exciting. I hope to make Trident Media TV a recognized platform around campus, with everyone involved having fun whilst gaining valuable experience at the same time!

I have just completed my first year in Film and TV Production and am passionate about Trident Media Radio and about music. Currently, I host my own two-hour show on Trident Media Radio (Takeover Tuesdays). I’m on air every Tuesday from 6-8pm, and try to make the show as interactive as possible.

I am passionate about music and am particularly interested in new developments on the music scene.

I have a wide-ranging taste in genres and always look for quality.

Treasurer

Social Secretary Martin Ringwood

I have loved photography and visual art since I was very young and have practiced them ever since. The same goes for financing as I have had a lot of experience in that field during college, and this has lead me to be treasurer of Trident. Trident Media allows me to practice what I love, while also learning something new – Radio has quickly become a hobby of mine as a result. During my time as a Treasurer I want to make sure that people get the same passion as I do for Media, and ensure that everyone’s voice can be heard!

Latifah Smyth Hey Guys, I am your social secretary for this academic year. I’m a final year Journalism and Creative Writing student who is passionate about social media marketing, presenting and writing articles and short stories. I am in charge of Trident Media’s social platforms and will help to advertise your radio shows, articles or any other feature of interest in these platforms. My aim is to raise the level of engagement from students across Trident Media as a whole and get more of you involved with your fantastic ideas.

What’s going on with the Wi-Fi?

By Manny Hakimyar

In any University, if there are any issues with Wi-Fi, it will cause an uproar as it’s one of the first things students enquire about when they move in.

In halls, students will connect their games consoles, tablets, phones, laptops and, nowadays, even their TVs to the Wi-Fi which are the devices that they may use every single day.

The Students’ Union and U-Living conducted a survey on student living on campus and the top 3 less satisfied aspects were: Wi-Fi, Laundry and the common rooms.

After years of trying to better the Wi-Fi, the University of Hertfordshire has committed to invest a huge amount money towards the Wi-Fi over the next two years.

In the past year there has been a high level focus and determination in improving the Wi-Fi. The Library and Computing Services are heading the project after a significant amount of investment by the University over two years. Following independent technical reviews last term, the Library and Computing Services are acting on recommendations to improve Wi-Fi services on both campuses.

Here’s just some of the work that has been carried out or is being done now: • 450 new and upgraded Wi-Fi access points have been installed across the halls of residence and across the university and lecture theatres.

• In Telford Court Halls of Residence, the access points have been upgraded • The University Network and Telecomms team has two additional members of staff who respond quickly to any Wi-Fi enquiries and spend much of their time out and about dealing with people face-toface and carrying out surveys with new monitoring tools.

• The Library and Computing Service Team have introduced Wireless Warriors: a team of skilled support staff who provide hands on support to help students connect to Eduroam Wi-Fi service particularly during the moving

in weekends and at each start of term.

• During semester A, proof of concept tests of different products were conducted in different halls on De Havilland and in large teaching rooms. Each supplier surveyed the Halls, then designed and installed their best Wi-Fi solution.

• The pilot took place in the period between September – November 2017, and involved nearly 200 student residents in Watton and Hadham Halls. Throughout this period, Wi-Fi performance was continuously monitored by the suppliers and the UH Networks Team.

Hearing that the Wi-Fi Project will take 2 years as a student must sound frustrating. However, with the amount of investment into this big issue it’s going to take a great amount of time, surveying and tests to ensure that the next move will be the right move to help increase student and staff satisfaction

David Combes, University Head of IT Services, explains why the project is likely to take at least two years to complete:

“... The most significant challenge for this project, and the principal reason why it will take at least two years is gaining access to rooms in halls and lecture rooms to install the new wiring and access points. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor and adjust the current Wi-Fi infrastructure to ensure students and staff receive the best service possible”.

A survey was also conducted amongst the students; their feedback from these trials has contributed greatly to the supplier selection process.

Now, following many months of exploration, trials and evaluation, the University of Hertfordshire expects to award a contract shortly for the supply and installation of new equipment to improve the Wi-Fi provision across campus.

Judy Angel, University Network and Telecomms Manager, said: “This is an exciting milestone in the Wi-Fi improvement project and our aim is to increase student and staff satisfaction”.

Get involved!

Image credit: Students Union

We would like to know how you are getting on with Wi-Fi and whether you are having specific issues with it.

So, if you have trouble connecting or need help connecting to Eduroam, please contact the Library and Computing Services Helpdesk at helpdesk@herts.ac.uk.

Or, call 01707 284678, and drop me an email at m.hakimyar@ herts.ac.uk with a quick note with a summary of the issues you are experiencing so I can discuss them at the meetings with the Library and Computing Servicesstaff.

Features • 5

MEET YOUR Sarah Kwedi – Vice President Education Getting elected as Vice president Education was a great experience, with high levels of adrenaline on results night, but little did I know the actual depth of the role and what the job entailed. However, looking back on 8 months back it has been an amazing ride.

Being Vice president for Education entails quite a number of responsibilities from; representing students’ views on Academic board and other meetings, working closely with all the course reps to ensure student feedback, leading on academic campaigns, and every issue that affects students’ academic experiences.

What I have done so far in a few words include: • Setting up a centre for academic English and Maths support, which is available in both libraries. The aim being to support students in academic writing going from course

works or dissertations, and to provide additional help for students studying mathematics courses.

• I worked closely with the equality office to organise events for black history month in October, we had some movie screenings, debate sessions and talks within the schools and they were quite well attended.

• I have also worked on setting up the role of BME Advocate where 10 students across the schools work closely with me and the University on raising issues and discussing ideas to support the BME (Black and other ethnicities) community.

• We also ran residential weekends as a training opportunity for the student reps, this was the first time the student union will be taking reps off-site for training and activities, and it went with some success but more importantly a lot of lessons learnt.

• I organised drop-in sessions for academic feedback on topics such as (assignments and feedback, Wi-Fi, teaching quality, buses and transport, etc.) This was very successful with over 500 students providing feedback, which we are now sending to the vice chancellors office with some suggestions • I also ran an academic misconduct campaign (Stressless) to inform students on the danger of cheating and to encourage them during exams with our “exam survival kit”.

Which contained free bottles of water, fruits, pens and pencils and even rulers.

As highlighted above the vice president role has a lot of opportunities and there is no limit to how much you can, this is just a brief summary of my 8 months and I hope that my electors will be proud of my journey so far.

Manny Hakimyar – Vice President Community This year is the first time there has been a Vice President Community and I am pleased and grateful that I have been first to be in post for this position.

When I first came in post I started immediately on the Wi-Fi. I have actively been involved in the improvement and bettering of the Wi-Fi, the University invested a significant amount on improving the Wi-Fi. I sit on the Wi-Fi upgrade meeting, which is where the Library & Computing Services Team update everyone sitting in the meeting the update on how the Wi-Fi is doing. The time that it is estimated to solve is 2 years.

Moreover, U-Living conducted a survey on student living. The top three services students were unhappy with was: Wi-Fi, Laundry and the Common Rooms.

As a student I thought laundry was difficult and expensive on the College Lane campus. I have been liaising members of staff in U-Living and Circuit to do some work around the laundry prices and offering incentives to persuade students to top up the minimum rate of £5. I am booked in to meet with U-Living and Circuit to propose couple ideas such as: if a student

tops up £5 to give them a free wash with it, if they top up £10 to give them a free wash and dry and if they top up £20 to give them two free washes and two free use of the tumble dryer.

I currently sit on the Collegiate Campus Life and I focus on the improvement of the common rooms. Students feel as if the common rooms are just another kitchen.

So the CCL project have invested money into improving the common rooms. We hope to improve the common rooms so that it is used more by students. So far I have asked U-Living to see if they can open the common rooms 24/7 and they have done so, so hopefully for now the usage increases.

I am also working on a Pay Later Taxi Scheme, which is where a student can get a cab home after the Forum and pay for it the following day. This idea came about as the shuttle bus stops coming at 03:30am and there will be still numerous amounts of students hovering around outside the Forum and due to the dark streets

by Bishops Rise, I’d like our students to get home safely and securely.

Shelby Loasby – President

Where do I even begin? Being President of Hertfordshire Students’ Union has been life-changing. I know that sounds clique and cheesy but It has genuinely changed my life and my outlook. I have developed so many skills – especially for a 23 year old university graduate – and I have met so many different people who have inspired me in different ways.

Whether I am chairing Trustee Boards and representing students on countless committees, or networking with Lords and Ladies and supporting students with their big ideas, I have the Students’ Union and the University of Hertfordshire to thank. What an amazing opportunity!

I started this all as an undergrad History and Spanish student. I got involved with the SU working for the shop, then working my way up through Trident Media to Head of Print, TV Presenter, and Radio broadcaster, and also joined a few societies and raised money for charity as a Movember Student Ambassador. I then

Image credit: William Ahmed

ELECTED OFFICERS!

ran in the elections and won! Firstly as your Vice President Communications and Media, and then as your President.

So far this year I have negotiated the prices of the Park and Ride, introduced the new Go Herts Awards (coming to you soon), and represented students on almost every committee across the University, including the Board of Governors. I have also been busy electing and training our NUS Conference delegates, working with the university on government consultations, recruiting external trustees for the Union Board of Trustees, and chairing a Rent Affordability Review on campus.

And of course, let’s not forget my amazing team of Vice Presidents who have been some of the most enthusiastic and dedicated people. We have all worked hard to make sure we represent your academic interests and make your student experience the best it can be. Bring on the next few months!

Adil Ur Rehman – Vice President Services The Main purpose of my role is to represent students. I do this by proactively seeking the views of students and work to fix any issues that have been raised, either through meetings or campaigning.

As well as this, I ensure I am always feeding back to students on the outcomes and updates of any issues that have been raised. I love every minute of my job, I truly believe I have the best job in the world! My role specifically is Vice President Services which means I am the leading officer of all the Student Union and University commercial

services including the ELeHouse, Uno Buses and The Forum.

I would like to highlight what I have been working on so far. I have been involved in different projects such as, the Oval gym and making it open 24/7, the common space & multi faith centre on De Hav, securing funding from the University for a multicultural event, I have managed to gain free entry into the Forum for students groups (students Rep, volunteer, part time officers, school community officers, students staff) and successfully kept the university services open for the first time

for international students during Christmas holidays. This list will continue to grow in my last couple of months as representing you all.

In my manifesto that I go elected based upon, I stated that I will make many changes for students and everyone’s response was that it’s impossible to make a difference in one year, however I feel I have achieved a lot in a short space of time. I always believe that if you are passionate, there is always a way to make a change and if we work together we could achieve more!!

Rosy Vega – Vice President Activities The last 8 months can only be described as a whirlwind of craziness and fun! I have loved every day of being Vice President of Activities.

Being the VP of Activities my role includes representing students who are a part of societies and AU sport clubs, our student media group ‘Trident Media’ and all our wonderful student volunteers without forgetting every student that studies at the University who takes part or wishes to join in with any activity across both campuses.

I’d like to think that in my journey so far as being an elected officer I have achieved a fair bit that will benefit the student groups I represent! A few of my achievement this year include; changing ‘Halls league’ to Battle of the Campus which has been a great success so far, organising Match Day Events for AU sport

teams, reviewing the society processes and bye-laws, winning a bid of £6.5k that will be spent on Battle of The Campuses (more T-shirts, a leader board, bigger and better events etc) as well as winning a bid for £8k which will be spent towards academic societies and encouraging the affiliation of more whole school based societies, I have worked alongside the University staff to enable societies to be part of the open days, launched the new edition of ‘The Trident’ student newspaper, the list could go on!

I am really proud of my achievements so far and have enjoyed working alongside Student Union staff, University staff and of course, students! I look forward to achieving more as the Vice President Activities in my last few months.

News • 7

UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE STUDENT IS RAISING MONEY FOR HUMANITARIAN PROJECT IN SOUTH AFRICA

By Robert Wheatley Humanitarian work is often regarded as extremely valuable: it’s knowing you’ve truly made a difference to people’s lives in places of unrest, and have acted altruistically to help those in need. What is more, having any form of volunteer work on your CV is a smart move, and one that can truly help you stand out among the crowd; especially, as with Aimone’s case, you desire to pursue humanitarian work.

Aimone Sharif is a recent graduate of the University of Hertfordshire, and while she completed her degree in Sports Studies, Journalism and Media Cultures, her desire to help others has inspired her to diverge into pursuing a Master’s in human rights and social law. To do so

without an undergraduate degree in law makes the situation a tad more difficult, but Aimone understands that pursuing work that promotes human rights is one effective way of boosting one’s successful application to a Master’s.

Her project, a social and humanitarian effort led by leading international volunteering association Projects Abroad, will see Aimone travelling to South Africa from the 16th April to the 3rd May to help those in dire situations. Volunteers have the possibility of getting involved in sports coaching, teaching positions, environmental work, and even journalistic opportunities.

Despite being a journalist at heart, Aimone realised that if she wanted

include ‘bagpacking’, where one helps people in stores to quite obviously packing their bags for a tip; holding a raffle and movienight combo and even spending a night on the street.

“In South Africa, poverty can be so severe, so if I were to show the stages of homelessness and the severity of the experience I could fundraise to eventually help those on my trip,” Aimone explained. “I’ll have to do this soon, though, as time’s running out.”

While these donationdriven ideas should aid her funding, the best way for people to support her project is to visit her Projects Abroad fundraiser page.

“I’ve linked to the donation page on my Facebook and Instagram, so people can donate to me directly. Otherwise, talking to friends, sharing the donation page on Facebook and other social media will help loads — you never know if someone comes across it and might want to help with the project!”

To support Aimone on her travels, you can visit her donation page below, or simply share it on social media. When she’s on her travels, make sure you follow her progress, as she’ll be documenting it all on her Instagram! https://www.myprojectsabroad. org/fundraising/mRJ0xB

Image credit: Matt-80 on Wikimedia Commons

Credit & person in photo: Aimone Sharif

to pursue humanitarian work, the human rights and social law enterprise offered by Projects Abroad would be the perfect opportunity.

“I wanted to work on abuse and rape cases against women, social rights cases, and issues of freedom of speech, especially in countries where women are often oppressed. I’ve always been a feminist at heart, and that attracted me to this cause,” Aimone explained.

What one does on this humanitarian project varies based on not only one’s abilities, but also, according to Aimone, how much one can handle without being overwhelmed.

“It can be hands on if you want it to be, but if you would prefer to relax your mind and do paperwork, that’s fine. For me, at least, that sort of office job is for the future: it’s always been me to be hands-on, so for this project, I want to be on the front line assisting people in need directly.”

Because of the nature of the project, Aimone must raise some money, and while she has already raised £105 so far, she has a while to go until she reaches her actual target. To gather some funding, Aimone plans to try a variety of methods to raise the cash, including taking some inspiration from comedian Kevin Hart.

“Kevin Hart decided to become more than a comedian and inspire people by training for and successfully completing a marathon after months of hard work – he did it all for charity,” explained Aimone, referring to the American actor who did indeed raise a whopping $300,000 for the Help From the Hart scholarship program.

On that same Idea, Aimone would like to raise money for her project by challenging herself physically. From a young age, Aimone has been mortified of water but is now ready to learn how to swim and make us part of her journey, and document her expedition on social media.

Other ideas to raise funds

Image credits: C. R. Martin and dre2uomaha0 on Pixabay

FREE SPEECH FEARS ARE BEING “WHIPPED UP”, UNIVERSITY LEADER CLAIMS

By Zoe Fripp A University Vice Chancellor has claimed that fears about university free speech were generated to “create moral panic.”

Professor Adam Tickell, from Sussex University, delivered his argument to a Parliamentary committee during an inquiry into campus free speech.

The inquiry comes after former Universities Minister, Jo Johnson expressed last year that he felt free speech is limited at some universities. He said that campuses could face fines in the future from the Office for Students if they ban certain groups from contributing to debates because their views could be controversial, often referred to as a ‘no-platform policy’.

Professor Tickell was quoted by the Independent as saying he did not consider there to be a chilling of free speech:

“There’s something of a generic misunderstanding about the nature of what is happening in universities at the moment.

“I can’t see any systemic evidence that free speech is being inhibited. There’s free speech every day in the classrooms and the seminar rooms because that’s how universities thrive.”

Part of Mr Johnson’s argument regarding free speech at universities is that potentially controversial and offensive books are reportedly being removed from university libraries.

In a speech given on Boxing Day 2017, Mr Johnson said: “However well-intentioned, the proliferation of safe spaces, the rise of no-platforming, the removal of ‘offensive’ books from libraries and the drawing up of ever more

By Zoe Fripp

extensive lists of banned ‘trigger’ words are undermining the principle of free speech in our universities.”

Professor Tickell denied these claims, however, and told the Parliamentary committee: “Not a single library book has been removed from a single shelf in a single university research library in this country to the best knowledge of any of the librarians.”

He did, however, confirm that particularly controversial books, like those written by AntiSemite David Irving, have been moved to restricted areas in some cases so that copies are still available but not easily accessible.

The Director of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, Baroness Amos said that although she hasn’t experienced anyone being ‘no-platformed’ in her 10 years at the university, she did find “a squeezing of our ability to be open, diverse, inclusive”.

She believes this is due to the new Prevent Strategy implemented by the government, intended to stop extremism taking place in Universities.

“There are a whole range of things, how we treat refugees, our visa policy, how Prevent is implemented. All of these things are having an impact on how young people of colour, and Muslims, actually feel in terms of being under additional scrutiny,” she told BBC News.

Edinburgh Student Union president, Patrick Kilduff agreed that the Prevent Scheme is having a potentially damaging effect on university free speech.

He told the BBC: “If we believe that free speech is so that

people can hold truth to power, especially marginalised groups, this is stopping marginalised groups, Jewish students, Muslim student, black and minority ethnic students from being able to voice their concerns and host events.”

This isn’t the first time the Prevent Scheme has been accused of restricting free speech, as Just Yorkshire, a charity promoting

racial justice and equality told The Guardian that they felt it instilled “fear, suspicion and censorship” in universities.

SOURCES: BBC News, The Guardian, The Independent

A QUARTER OF UK GRADUATES ARE RECEIVING FIRST-CLASS HONOURS

Official data shows that the percentage of graduates receiving first-class honours has risen by 44% in the last five years.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) released figures that show more than 1 in 4 graduates were awarded a firstclass last year, compared to only 18% in 2012-2013.

The data released by HESA also showed that 75% of students graduated with a 2:1 last year, which has risen 68% compared to 2012-2013, the first academic year that increased tuition fees were

introduced.

The statistics have created concerns that degrees are becoming too easy, leading to qualifications having less value and employers finding it hard to differentiate between candidates.

A professor of education at the University of Buckingham, Alan Smithers, told the BBC that universities have every incentive to grant these grades compared to GCSEs and A Levels.

“They are free to award as many firsts as they like,” he said.

However, universities are warned that if they are found to be

awarding higher grades in order to maintain high rankings, they may face regulatory action.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Telegraph that institutions suspected of doing this will be monitored and analysed, and if it is proven they could face being “publicly listed”, or even having their degree awarding status removed.

“The new Office for Students (OfS) will, as a matter of routine, undertake analysis of degree classification trends and identify

any cases where the pattern may suggest good or poor practice,” they said.

“The agreement of clear, sector-recognised standards will also be key to enabling the OfS to take strong regulatory action where grade inflation is happening.”

Currently, institutions are in control of grade boundaries and how their final degree classifications are calculated, which is a system that some have suggested is exploitable.

SOURCES: BBC News, The Telegraph

News • 9

STUDENTS OF UH “INVALUABLE” IN ASSISTING AT FUN SPORTS EVENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

By Zoe Fripp

Thirty physiotherapy volunteers from the University of Hertfordshire were crucial to the success of the first-ever ‘Winter Wonderwheels’ event on the International Day of Disability in December.

The event, created by Paralympian Sophia Warner, attracted over 500 disabled participants, and formed part of the ‘SuperheroSeries’; created to enable people with disabilities and an interest in sports a chance to participate in a variety of events, including running and cycling in 1km, 5km and 10km challenges.

“There are no cut-off times and all types of gadgets and gizmos are welcome, from day chairs, hand cycles, walking frames and trikes to tandems, race runners, blades and bikes,” Sophia explained.

“The physiotherapy student volunteers from the University of Hertfordshire, by far the largest group we had, were invaluable as their specialist training meant they understood how to lift and best to help our athletes.”

Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the University of Hertfordshire, Danielle Ramsey, who led the volunteers shared Sophia’s pride: “By volunteering as Sidekicks our students have experienced the true meaning of inclusion and participation and how a person with a disability should never be under-estimated.

“Helping people reach their Superhuman/Superhero potential is, as physiotherapists, what we should be working towards. It is incredible to see just how inspired the students are following this event and I am very excited to see how this next generation of physiotherapists from the University of Hertfordshire will apply this experience in practice.”

Previous events held as part of the ‘SuperheroSeries’ in the Summer of 2017 include a Paralympic Triathlon, with three elements of cycling, running and swimming and a ‘Side- Kick Tri’ where participants could have as much help from a family member or friend as needed — no

Image shows: Invictus Games and Paralympic medal winner and Hertfordshire Alumni David Henson MBE (dressed as Santa); Paralympian Sophia Warner (holding the ‘Superhero’ sign); Senior Lecturer and physiotherapist Danielle Ramsey (holding the ‘Phew’ sign); and University of Hertfordshire students.

rules applied, and there were no equipment restrictions.

Sophia, writing for Disability Horizons, explained that disability sport is available to disabled people that need rehabilitation, or those aspiring to become Paralympians, and so she created the SuperheroSeries to bridge the gap in-between and make sport “available for everyone, in any circumstance.”

To find out more about upcoming, or past, events in the Superhero Series, visit their website: http://superheroseries.co.uk

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UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE STUDENT BRINGS HOME BRONZE FROM WORLD RAFTING CHAMPIONSHIP A University of Hertfordshire student competing as part of the GB U23 Girls Rafting Team has been awarded an overall Bronze Medal in the R6 World Rafting Championships in Japan.

India Wayland, a Sports Therapy student at the university, was captain of the team when they competed in October. Kimberly Woods also participated, a recent graduate of Sports Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. The team was awarded one gold and one bronze, leading to the overall bronze result.

Miss Wayland said: “We were pleased with this result; however, not 100% satisfied knowing we could have done even better, we are going to fight hard to hold our place for selection in 2018 so we can represent GB in Argentina and retain our R4 World Championship titles in the Sprint and Endurance Races.”

She continued by emphasising the significance of the sport and future dreams for the team: “The World Rafting Championships holds such a deeper meaning than just being a sporting event. It is a chance for cultures to come together and learn about each other, it is an amazing sport to watch and we hope one day this will make it to the Olympics alongside Canoe Slalom.”

In previous years, India has competed in Indonesia, Dubai, and Japan. She thanked the university for allowing her to be flexible with her studies so she could continue as part of the team.

Hannah Darling, Performance Sports and Scholarship manager at the University of Hertfordshire, said: “We’re thrilled for India and the GB rafting team and their success in Japan. We support all of our students to ensure they are able to achieve their best, and with the sporting elites like India we tailor their education so they can fit it around their sporting commitments.”

Competitors spanned across different divisions, and Great Britain participated in a variety of them. They were in the Open Men, where they ranked 8th overall, and Open Women ranking 3rd. They also competed in the Masters Men’s division, where they ranked 5th overall. Great Britain also represented in the under 23 Men’s division, and under 19 Men and Women.

The R4 World Rafting Championships will be held in Argentina between the 22nd and 29th October 2018, through the Aluminè River.

To find out more about the results visit: http://www.internationalrafting. com/live/.

Image: India Wayland | Image credit: University of Hertfordshire Press Office

By Zoe Fripp

Spotlight • 11

Image credit: The Forum Hertfordshire

University of Hertfordshire Students Fundraise for Fiji

By Zoe Fripp the school, so I feel like I’ve got more skills to teach them as well,” she said.

Jazmine has never volunteered abroad but, similar to Annie, she has previous volunteering experience such as working at a disabled horse-riding centre during school, and has volunteered for the RSPCA as well.

When asked what she most was looking forward to, Annie answered: “Doing the restoration work, as I’ve not done that before.

We’ll literally be building toilets, buildings, etc. and I look forward to it.

“I’ve been quite privileged to go on holiday to the nicer parts of Sri Lanka, where you drive past places stricken by poverty and you realise it’s not fair; it’s nice to give back and help them out, so if I can do that I want to.”

Although this is something that many dream of, to make this dream a reality requires funds; something that most students do not possess themselves.

Fundraising is the perfect solution as it lets others get involved and feel like they are also doing their part to help, and it also promotes the great work that you are going to be doing.

Annie and Jazmine initially started the fundraising for their trip, by doing glitter face painting in the Forum, but by booking the table they did not make much profit as it was expensive. The next upcoming event they are planning is a fundraising Fancy Dress Party on the 27th February, and they have also created a poll, so others can message them ideas for the future.

“We plan to dress as a duo, probably cartoon characters,” Annie said.

“If we raise enough money before a certain time we want to do a run around campus, or a tough mudder, so we can continue fundraising for the next couple of months as well.”

If people would also like to contribute to the fundraising but

are unable to attend the events, Annie said there are other ways:

“Sharing our fundraiser page would be great to encourage contributions, anything will help us out! We prefer direct to PayPal under the family and friends option, however, as this money will go directly to us which we will use for fundraising, and we’ll be sure to show everyone where that money goes.”

The money raised will go towards the building supplies, paying the locals to help them, and their accommodation costs whilst there which involves staying with a local Fijian family.

They also plan to spend an additional week travelling to various islands, which they have funded themselves.

If you would like to donate directly to the cause, the PayPal link is: maymayclarke@hotmail.com Alternatively, you can check out their Facebook event, entitled ‘ Fiji Fancy Dress Fundraiser-UH’.

Image credit: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Flickr

We all know crippling poverty exists across the world, a factor many choose to ignore, but what if you could combine your travels and new experiences all the while making a difference while you’re there?

Annie Clarke and Jazmine Brooks are doing just that, the two first year Biomedical students at the University of Hertfordshire having chosen to use their Summer to volunteer in a village in Fiji.

The trip will last for just over two weeks between July and August, and during this time the pair will work in a village to build water sanitation units to collect the rain water to be decontaminated and drank; to help build toilets to take the waste away from the village; and to also help build schools for the local children.

Annie is not new to the volunteering world, and her passion for it began during a threeweek trip to Ghana in 2014, during Year 10. While she was there she undertook similar tasks such as teaching in a school, painting the building and helping manage the garden. The trip to Ghana inspired her to travel further and continue to help people, this time in Fiji.

“I went to Ghana in 2014 and loved meeting new people, exploring the culture, and I’d later watched a few documentaries about Fiji. It’s really weird, I was on Facebook, and Jazmine and I were looking through a few pages about Fiji, and on that same day someone in our lecture talked about a trip to Fiji!” she said.

“It’s not one of those places you’ll get to go otherwise, and the idea of helping everyone out at the same time sounded great, so it seemed like the right thing to do.”

She has also volunteered at a disabled adults club and continues to volunteer for Red Cross, so she has acquired many skills along the way, which she feels will benefit her in Fiji.

“I feel like I’ve got the right attitude, and right skills. When I was in Ghana we were teaching in

Spotlight • 13

By Robert Wheatley

SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT: HUSKIS

The University of Hertfordshire is known for its wide array of sporting activities, boasting an impressive array of physical activities available for students; including some, perhaps, unexpected sports, including our very own rock climbing facility.

Still, while we may have a giant rocky wall to scale on campus, we have yet to have our own skiing and snowboarding facility, which is where Huskis steps in.

One of the largest societies at the University of Hertfordshire, Huskis offers students the ability to access snowboarding and skiing trips and equipment at discounted prices, as well as join them on a brilliant trip abroad to really get a taste of these exhilerating winter sports.

The Trident sat down with the committee at one of their many themed socials. and spoke with Chairman Aran Wilkinson, Vice President Ken Jochimsen and Social Secretary Nick Wills, to find out more about this unique society. While their Treasurer, Brittney Meads, was unfortunately unavailable that evening, the team ensured The Trident knew she was there in spirit.

WHAT IS HUSKIS, AND WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

held a welcome party, and around 70 people turned up to that, which was great.

Aaron: Sometimes we’ll go out for dinner, we went out for Christmas… and, at the end of the year, we’ll be going to El Pas de la Casa on the 29th March, for a week -- can’t wait!

WHERE ELSE HAS THE SOCIETY BEEN ABROAD, THEN? Aaron: Previously, we’ve been to Tignes and Alpe D’huez… and this year will be our first trip to Andorra, between the border of France and Spain; there’s cheap booze, cheap food; a cheap trip!

Ken: This year’s tour is going to be special.

Usually we go out with about 60 from the society, but this year we’re going out with two other universities, Exeter and Strathclyde; the latter’s bringing 50, but Exeter is bringing 600. (We know that we are going with 12 other universities)

Nick: Huskis is the University of Hertfordshire’s skiing and snowboarding society, we’re a bunch of people that like to enjoy the snow, party, we go on trips to Hemel Hempstead every couple weeks, and at the end of the year we have a tour somewhere in Europe; this year it’s in El Pas de la Casa, Andorra.

600 STUDENTS?!

THAT’S LOADS!

Aaron: Everyone of all abilities are welcome: the more the merrier!

Nick: and Oxford brings around 3000 students; I mean Oxford fills a whole trip; Huskis is actually one of the smallest winter sports societies.

Ken: It’s a great socialising, as well.

society

for

WHAT KIND OF EVENTS DOES HUSKI HOLD? Nick: We go to Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre every two weeks on a Tuesday night; socials every month, themes vary (tonight’s one is a Hawaiian themed night); we

Aaron: It may sound a lot, but some universities have different demographics.

Ken: Manchester has around 2000 in its Snowboarding and Skiing society, actually.

IF SOMEONE WANTS IN ON THIS, HOW MUCH IS IT TO JOIN? Aaron: It’s £15 to sign up to Huskis, and that gives you access to merchandise, socials and our trips. The base price for the tour is is around £479, and for Hemel

Hempstead, if you can already ski, it’s £25 for the trip and travel there and back; lessons around £40.

DO YOU PROVIDE THESE SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING LESSONS YOURSELVES? Aaron: Oh no; professionals for the lessons!

Ken: You’re not allowed to access certain slopes if you haven’t got a particular skill level, so you’ll get an instructor to help you if you’re a beginner and you’ll be on a particular section of the slope.

WHAT HAS YOUR SOCIETY IMPROVED ON FROM LAST YEAR? Nick: We’ve tried to make it more welcoming, previous years it was very close, so we tried to get everyone involved this year.

Yeah, I think this kind of thing is our main focus this year, as we’re trying to get the numbers up there so that when we leave, we can carry on the society’s legacy.

Ken: We’re trying to get our name back from last year; typically the society brings around 100 for the tour, but last year, when we were on placement, the committee only got 30 members over two trips. We’re the biggest society, so we want to get more involved so that when we’re gone, someone can keep Huskis going.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT HUSKIS? Aaron: Definitely the tour. After all dissertations are handed in, a week later we’re off skiing, eating good food.

Ken: What happens on tour, stays on tour.

Aaron: (Laughs), yeah. Oh, and the socials as well; you meet so many

people, loads of people bring their mates to our parties.

Ken: I’ve met loads of friends here, including these guys, who I met in my first year. We’ve been mates ever since, and now we live together!

WHAT CAN YOUR SOCIETY OFFER STUDENTS, EVEN IF THEY DON’T THINK IT’S FOR THEM? Ken: At the beginning of the year, and the beginning with Refreshers, we hold taster sessions, so if you want to find out more, come along!

If you end up enjoying it, then it’s definitely worth joining.

We like to say as well that, even if you’re a beginner, have never skied before or anything, you can come and try something new; and, with discounted trips if you join.

ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HUSKIS? Nick: There’s still spaces on the tour if you want to come, and it’s probably one of the best holidays you can have; this is my third year doing it, and I’ve loved it every time.

Ken: We also have discounts; one of our sponsors is Absolute Snow, and they provide all our equipment. You can buy ski jackets, skis, poles; Huskis get a 15% discount!

Aaron: Sign up, meet some mates, make friends-Ken: Come meet us!

Want to learn more about Huskis?

Check out their Facebook, @Huskis, to catch up on what events they’re holding and, most importantly, how you can tag along for their trip to El Pas de la Casa!

Spotlight • 15

RESPONDING TO MUSIC FOR SRI LANKA

By Robert Wheatley There are all manners of raising funds for humanitarian ventures, as we’ve seen earlier: costume parties, face-painting, swimming, you name it. Sometimes, however, you want to go with what you know, and that, for Chairwoman Janine Simpson and her team at the University of Hertfordshire Art Therapy Society, is art.

The Art Therapy society, or ‘UHATS’, is a relatively new society, and one that promotes the use of art as a therapeutic technique within psychotherapy, to allow persons to express their emotions through their work. The UHATS team, consisting of Janine Simpson, Secretary Megan Jones, and Treasurer Violeta Camarero,

all of which second year Art Therapy students at the University of Hertfordshire, have decided to use their skills to help people further; all the way in Sri Lanka.

“Recently, we have been invited to do an art project in Sri Lanka with an organisation called Arts Action: the project is about implementing psycho-social change, so you’ll go to a country affected by conflict,” Janine explained.

“Sri Lanka itself has been in a civil war for quite some time, lots of difficult things have happened. This Art Action group went out last year and did some work with children in schools, so we’re hoping to go out with that

same project this year.”

The venture itself was partially inspired by the team’s current art therapy programme leader, who previously developed a large organisation in South Africa that used art to help predominantly poverty-stricken youth who may have experienced trauma as a result of this.

“Personally I’ve found that really inspiring, and this organisation [Arts Action] are her contacts. For me that’s a very key thing; she’s like a role model, and there’s similarities to her work out there, it’s very psycho-social.”

In Sri Lanka itself, UHATS wishes to fundraise to bring art

materials on their trip, as well as a Polaroid camera, as there are not any photo development services there.

“We’ll take Polaroids and the children can take different pictures, and maybe talk about them and do artworks based on them -- it gives them opportunities to make artworks based on their own environments. We’re fundraising for materials like that, and obviously paints and pencils and paper.

“At the minute, many of our students are self-funding too, so we’re hoping to recoup some of that. The project isn’t due until June, and we only started the society in January, so it’s a really short space of time for us to fundraise. Some of the costs will be going towards travel, and hopefully this project will run again next year as other AT students come through the university.”

Megan and Violeta also agree, the latter seeing the project as fundamental to producing a sustainable project that can be redone; something the team hopes to maintain.

“We’d love to be able to set up a kind of legacy for the next year groups, set the foundation for it, because then other students can take it on and build upon that experience and learn from things that have gone well, and things we could’ve done differently,” Megan explained.

Of course, what better way to raise funds for the trip exists, other than doing what one loves?

UHATS came up with the brilliant idea of using a specific art therapy technique, response art, a method of examining material one develops in their therapy work, which can include responses to other art, writing, and even research. Music is often known for its inspirational aesthetic, inspiring politics, social change, and more, so it makes sense that it could inspire other means of art.

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Background image credit: StockSnap on Pixabay

Interested in helping UHATS’ project further? If you want a beautiful piece of artwork as show here, Janet suggests directly visiting the College Lane SU’s reception, next to the Hutton Hub, to place an order for the artwork, where there will be a form available to fill out.

Otherwise, follow the QR code to the product page to get started.

Art credits: UHATS

In order to do this, the team have set up a product page over on the Student Union website, one that allows students to commission artwork based upon a song (one that you can access by scanning the QR code next to the painting!). All one needs to do is provide the band, the song’s title, and, if they desire, a little bit about the track so the artists can respond to the piece.

To promote these products the team will be holding a stall on Valentine’s Day as well, between 10am and 6pm.

For an unbelievably fair price, one can commission up to five pieces of artwork for £25; some of which shown on this page that I have personally purchased, in response to They Might Be Giant’s brilliant song ‘Answer’.

But, this is hardly where UHATS wishes to end their project. The team later on hopes to have a fine art auction, but one with a twist; instead, using postcards.

“It’s an arts auction, with lots of artists doing work on postcards. You never know what artist you’re going to get; it might be a famous artist that can hopefully join us! Or, it might be a smaller individual artwork that someone has made in the local community.”

UHATS also wishes to further expand its project into other countries as well, according to Violeta.

“We want to do this sort of project in the UK, but this opportunity appeared in Sri Lanka first; we’re looking for different possibilities to do a similar project in the UK as well,” the Treasurer explained.

Megan added further: “We’ve already got interest from our year group for some UK projects, so this society has opened up a lot of possibilities.”

Entertainment • 17

Apple Watch Series 3: Ticking away... the gimmick boxes

By Martin Ringwood The Apple Watch Series 3 is a beautiful looking device; like with most Apple products, it doesn’t fail to visually impress. This can also be extended to the strap, where one can choose which one you have, not only at the time of purchase but beyond that.

There is, of course, a selection of Watches to fit your wallet size; some made with Ceramic, now with an added black version as well. These look incredible but not as amazing as the amount of customisation you can do on the software side, with Watch faces to suit every desire, I chose to use the ones with more information on screen, ‘Siri’ Watch face I found to be particularly useful for this purpose.

The biggest draw factor for me towards this Watch was how it had the ability to be free from the iPhone, which would be amazing... but that’s not how it works.

You can be free from your iPhone, but only for about 2 hours which, granted, is what Apple quoted, but it does still beg the question: why not just get the cheaper series 2 for half the price when you are just going to be towing your iPhone around anyway?

The answer is: well, yeah.

This being my first wearable piece of technology, I found that it quickly becomes annoying to charge two devices at once even with the use of wireless charging.

Another significant issue is that Apple decided not to sync the Alarm clock App with the iPhone; a massive overlook from Apple, in my opinion, especially when

you consider how much better the speakers are on the iPhone in comparison to the Watch - it only makes sense to use the iPhone, you would think.

But, no: Apple decided to have the Watch tell the iPhone to effectively mute its alarms and, instead, output the alarms via the Watch; effectively meaning that you can easily miss your lecture because of how bad the volume is on the Watch’s tiny grill speaker.

Saying that, though, the Watch is good when it comes to calling and results in a nerdy-looking, yet decent, calling experience in all but noisy environments. On the other side of the call, people heard no difference when I called them from it, though it may be worth, in future versions of the Watch, having stereo microphones so that one doesn’t have to move the orientation of the watch based on getting better microphone audio.

When it comes to communication, calling is great and the method of speaking is clearly how Apple wants you to interact with the Watch. Still, in the real world, screaming at your wrist is not always practical, even with wireless headphones, and this is why I prefer to use the ‘scribble’ feature; a good idea on paper, but something else in practicality.

I found myself using this more than I should have because I began using it for conversations which ultimately takes a toll on the battery and also makes life very hard for yourself. I began to think, “I should just use my phone,” but, then, what would I use my Apple

Image credits: charlie0111 on Pixabay; energepic.com on Pexels

18

Image credit: Oliur Rahman Watch for?

It began to turn itself into a gimmick, making me ask who the Watch was for. Who fits into the demographic for this wearable?

Like most wearables, it tends to go to those that are more active. Even then, using the Nike App is still not as good as using your phone, and since GPS updates every second on the Apple Watch the iPhone fairs much better in this regard, as the constant tracking of your location eats up the battery very fast.

I think you can see the pattern here: the Apple Watch Series 3 is for a very niche group of users, like those more active and those who needn’t worry when their battery dies. Now, don’t get me wrong: the Watch is something that suits people out there, but I just don’t see the need for it at this current stage.

With a better battery, this device could be a very competitive and very good product, but at the moment it simply isn’t good enough yet. When the LTE technology is a little more revised and refined, the device may be more useful but, nonetheless, in a device this small all you are getting is something that effectively serves as a cut down extension of what you already have in your pocket and pay monthly for.

In the UK, as of writing this review, EE is the only carrier to support it, and they even charge an extra £10 per month on top of your phone bill for them to include this watch and add it to your LTE plan.

I may be a student, but I

strongly feel that this technology just isn’t at the point where one can pay the cost of admission and feel they are getting an experience worth the cost. For me, this quickly became apparent when I bought it, as one employee had to go through several members of staff in order to talk to someone and ask if the speaker on the Watch can be used for calls (it didn’t work till after I updated the watch OS –that’s not good).

While the Watch can make calls, the fact that a small percentage of staff actually own one and are knowledgeable about it, in my opinion, says a lot about the wearable industry and why it simply never took off how companies hoped it would.

If you really feel that the Watch is worth getting, then I ask you to do what I did: simply buy one, see how you feel, and then within two weeks take it back and get a full refund.

It was a nice watch to have, but I really don’t see nor recognise a reason to get a high-end version of the Watch series, nor do I think it is smart to compare this with a Rolex Watch - if I spent over £1,000 on a luxury watch like that, it can at least be passed on as an heirloom, whereas an Apple Watch cannot due not its reliance on a non-permanent lithium ion battery.

Also, you’re student, are you not? Spend your money on a good night out instead!

Image credit: Jess Watters

Spotlight • 19

Healthy Sex: Protection, Consent & Fun

By Pelumi Agboola Nothing is better than sex, but with Valentine’s Day recently having passed it’s important to understand and inform yourself on all the issues concerning sex.

Of course, while sex is great, it’s okay if you don’t want to have it as well; but, this advice might still come in handy.

some other form of communication: what matters most is the now. As soon as yourself, or the person you’re with, feels uncomfortable or says no, stop and don’t pressure them – a “no” doesn’t mean keep trying. If you have to convince your partner to consent, it’s not consent.

QUESTION NO. 1: WHAT MAKES GOOD SEX?

You’re drunk...

Above all, consensual sex is the best sex and is the only sex you should be having. It’s important to know what consent is and be sure that your partner, or partners (wink wink), have consented. A spontaneous occasion is definitely great, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about consent, or protection; something also very important.

IS IT CONSENT? The following scenarios might seem consensual when taken at face value, but are they really consent? Let’s think further.

In relationships...

Just because you are in a committed relationship, or dating each other, doesn’t mean there is consent. Sure, maybe you want to have fun one night, but either of you can both opt out of sex, or whatever comes between, if you don’t feel like it. It’s as simple as that: you don’t owe them sex, and they don’t owe you.

In dominance or submission...

Regardless of your role in the bedroom, it doesn’t mean one person gets to decide if sex is going to happen or not. It doesn’t matter what gender you are, what kind of relationship you are in, or anything else: both, or all, partners need to consent. The dominant person is allowed to say no as well! Consent has no gender or sexuality; everyone counts.

You’ve had sex before...

It doesn’t matter if you’ve had previous encounters with a person, whether that was physical or over

Regardless of relationship status or previous encounters, drunk consent is not consenting at all.

Even if you think it’s okay, you’re best waiting till the morning; it’s not worth the miscommunication.

They didn’t say ‘No’...

Just because someone didn’t say no or remained silent, doesn’t mean they consented. It’s important to read body language and facial expressions when being intimate with someone, and if you’re unsure then ask!

WHAT CONSENT REALLY IS: It’s only a non-pressured, ongoing yes that is consent – if you or the other person isn’t comfortable saying no at any point, then an adult discussion needs to be had before.

If you ever feel like you have been in a position like this that has made you feel uncomfortable, or of being raped, sexually assaulted or anything alike, tell someone. It doesn’t have to be the police, but it is important you seek help and have someone listen. Never feel like your gender or social status will make it embarrassing or shameful to tell someone - anyone can be a victim and you deserve to be listened to.

SAFE SEX, OR NO SEX. Although consent is extremely important, protection is as well, regardless of your sexuality and who you’re having sex with! I know it’s boring and many would have heard all of this from their secondary school’s poor attempt at a primarily heteronormative sex education, but yes: protection is important and is essential to a happy sex and a healthy sex life.

Whether you’re in a committed

monogamous relationship, an open relationship, or just having casual fun, protection of some form is essential.

No glove, no love.

A classic is the condom; boring, maybe, but extremely effective with its 98% success rate. Carry them around, and don’t be ashamed about it: you’re entitled to safe sex, and if someone wants to judge you for it then don’t have sex with them! You can get free condoms from contraception clinics, sexual health clinics and some GP surgeries; including from College Lane’s Campus Pharmacy.

If you come across a person allergic to latex, get some non-latex condoms: they sell them almost everywhere they sell original condoms, so don’t use that as an excuse. Women having sex with women should still be aware of the risk of STI’s, so using condoms on any sex toys and cleaning them in-between partners is a good prevention; and, for all genders, avoiding oral sex if you or any of your partners have any cuts or bumps in your throat or mouth, as this increases infection risk.

The pill, the patch, the coil, vasectomies...

There are many methods of contraception available,and all are great for the long term, but don’t forget that they only protect against pregnancies - not STI’s.

If you are going to sleep with someone unprotected, don’t be shy to ask them when they last got tested and to ask for evidence.

It may seem extra, but honesty is always the best, and that way you can have sex worry-free and don’t have to wake up with that heartdropping feeling the next day.

Plan B...

Shit happens, and many have been there, waking up the next day, thinking: “What the hell have I done?”

If pregnancy is your worry and you haven’t used any protection, then you can always get emergency contraception; of which there are two kinds.

“Levonelle has to be taken

within 72 hours (three days) of sex, and ellaOne has to be taken within 120 hours (five days) of sex. Both work by preventing or delaying ovulation (release of an egg)”, according to the NHS.UK website.

So, as soon as you think you are pregnant and wish to prevent it attend your local GP, a contraception clinic, a sexual health clinic, or the College Lane Campus Pharmacy.

STIs...

With STIs, don’t feel ashamed to check: clinics aren’t the hell they’re made out to be, and the people that work there are often very nice and non-judgemental. Tests are confidential without anyone knowing, and if you do happen to have an infection it’s better to get the treatment you need to tackle it early on.

With HIV, you can take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication to reduce your risk of getting the virus, and it’s available for those at high risk of HIV infection. But, using condoms and other protection, like with other STIs, are the most effective method of preventing transmission.

Even though the topic of protection and consent can sound like a broken record, it’s a very important aspect you need to consider before sex or anything else intimate.

KEEPING IT SINGLE: You don’t have to be in a relationship to have sex. If you want, have casual sex but don’t feel pressured to have intercourse at all, whether that is for personal or religious reasons -- if you want to have fun by yourself, there are many way to be sexually fulfilled on your own, too!

Valentine’s Day, and all other days, aren’t just about sex though; it’s about love, too, and these don’t necessarily imply one or the other. However, if you are going to have sex, make sure its protected and consensual, and, most of all, fun!

SOURCES: NHS.UK

Image credit: Robert Wheatley

Lifestyle • 21

Students opinions on...

Valentine’s Day

By Latifah Smyth and Rosy Vega

We wanted to find out what students at Herts really thought of Valentine’s Day, so we took to the Students’ Union’s Instagram to find out. See the results below!

Make sure you follow us on Instagram to see what Trident Media gets up to. You never know, we might even do some more polls to find out your opinions! @Tridentmediauk

LOVE ANALYSIS: Beyond Valentine’s Day On Valentine’s Day let’s celebrate the love with our coffee buddy, with whom we can drink litres of coffee and talk for a thousand hours. Let’s give them a warm hug full of love and tell them they are special. Let’s give a simple rose to our movie buddy, the person with whom every movie becomes the best movie in the universe. Why not show your love to the person with whom all walks become a path to a joyful destination, and the one who can count the stars in the dark sky, laying on the green carpet of nature full of red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, and all other vibrant flowers smiling at our strong bond of love. Why do we seek love in just one person; why not let life give us characters with all different roles, in the play of our life. Celebrate the love with each character in your life every Valentine’s Day.

By Aishwarya Upadhyay The poem justifies the love of a human with other humans.

Love has many meanings, and love is not only the feeling which you have for your life partner, but is also the short time spans we spend with others and get happiness in exchange; people who play small roles in our big life.

On Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate love to the fullest, let’s make every heart dance with the joy of someone showing them the purest form of love by gifting them innocent smiles and warm hugs.

Background credit: Karen Arnold on Public Domain Pictures

Lifestyle • 23

THE TRIDENT’S FAVOURITE

HOOK-UP

STORIES FROM

UH STUDENTS

By Robert Wheatley

* The Trident was given permission to anonymously post these stories by the original authors

We get it: dating and hooking up with folks is pretty difficult and, at times, embarrassing. While you may have followed Pelumi’s excellent advice on page 17, and been your honest, true self in front of a new stranger you hope to hit it off with, sometimes... things still don’t go as well as they could.

A while back, we asked University of Hertfordshire students to tell us* about these bizarre but hilarious tales to pop in our latest edition, so here they are in all their ‘glory’.

The breadwinner

“I brought a girl back from the bar, was certain I was gonna get some. Instead of going into my room, as I’m unlocking my door she picks up my loaf of bread and then pisses off without saying a word.”

Doing your research “I did a YouTube video about my course last year and this girl had watched it, found out all my social media accounts and then found me on tinder and super liked me... went on the date and she already knew half my life before I even knew her last name...”

Love-sick “It’s my first freshers night out, and I got absolutely wasted - if anyone remembers I was the madman who necked 13 straight shots of Vodka in a row. So I’m dancing, and I start dancing with a girl, and I ticked all the boxes so she whipped out her phone to hand me her number. In my head I’m celebrating thinking, “Yes, I made the right investment in condoms!” But, at that very moment, my stomach decided to perform the ultimate cock-block and just emptied itself all over the poor girl’s hand and phone. She ran to the toilet distressed, and I faded into the night never to be seen again.

Do I know you?

“I met this guy on a social media platform called 2go one time. So, we started chatting and all, and I started falling for him, but the thing is that I haven’t met him yet. Before prolonging the whole thing, we decided to meet, but the guy I saw was different from the pictures he sent to me. Man, I gas, fake it that I don’t know him and ran a 440m race away from him that day as he was so short; as short as I am, even though I was a little taller than him. He then ran after me like I was a thief, saying that ‘I couldn’t deny him.’”

Image credits: RobinHiggins on Pixabay; VapePig on Wiki; GitHub

Trident Tips:

5 Tips to Settle into UH as an International Student

By Mia Batrisyia

Moving away is difficult. Even more so, if it’s to another country and you are on your own. You leave the comfort of your friends and family, home cooked food and a familiar language. I share these concerns as I’m an international student myself.

I’ve always been spoilt and pampered by my parents so settling in wasn’t a simple task, but the experience living and learning in UH has taught me many life lessons that have helped me. So, here are five Trident Tips to help you settle in:

1. Do not overpack food items when coming to the UK. Our favourite dishes should come with special ingredients, but do you really need to bring all those instant noodles, pre-packaged meals and soy sauces? Perishables are not a good idea to bring along as they affect the weight limit and waste luggage space, and I assure you that your Asian spices are available for purchase in the many Asian stores around the town centre.

2. Study smart, shop smarter.

It is not as common to see the local supermarkets back home having a ‘reduced’ section, but it is a frequent practice in the UK. Asda often has a range of items from raw meat to cleaning products which have discounted prices.

Foodstuffs in the reduced section are often near their ‘best by’ dates, but this does not mean the quality is reduced - they are often up to 20% off their original price, and this is could save you a few pounds. I recommend getting food and throwing them in the freezer to make them last longer.

On top of that, practice price comparisons. Don’t just pick up popular brands or shop for everything at Asda: there are certain foodstuffs that you will likely find cheaper in Aldi. More importantly, Asian, Middle Eastern and European grocery stores often have the same products in-store at different prices, so spend some time to check out every store before you pick a favourite.

If you’re willing to have meals planned throughout the week, make time to head to

Hatfield town centre on Wednesdays, or Saturdays when the markets are open. The various vendors sell a wide range of items from fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, as well as clothing.

3. Cheap thrills.

We all want nice things, but we can’t necessarily get them on a student budget. Whatever you are looking for, including white shirts, winter gear, bedding or even décor, try looking for them at thrift stores and charity shops first before handing your cash to expensive brands.

To be honest, we are not going to pack everything up to bring back to our home countries, so why spend £50 on new bed sheets and storage containers?

Most of us do not live in countries with cold weather, either, so there is no need for expensive coats.

The closest thrift store to the university is the Isabel Hospice Charity Shop in the Galleria, and there is Scope and Debra in the town centre. My personal favourite cheap store is the Clearance Outlet located next to Poundworld - they sell anything and everything for a mere £1.

5. Get the help you deserve.

Living on your own requires a lot of courage and discipline. If you have gotten as far as enrolling in the university, you are already halfway there. The university provides an abundance of support for all students, including medical help and services for mental health.

For students living on campus, the main reception on both campuses and housing services should be your go-to destination. You can request trash bags, an internet cable, and lodge complaints or concerns. If you have troublesome flatmates or bust the microwave, they have a 24-hour line to ring where Resident Assistants are always available to help figure out the solution to any problems that may arise in your flat.

Reach out to your lecturers and tutors should you have any struggles with studying, as they are more than willing to help you. The Student Union is also a reliable source of information if you have lost your way, want updates on on-campus activities and, most importantly, raise any concerns and opinions you may have. The university also provides acceptance and support for all religions through the chaplaincy team who often host a gathering of tea and biscuits. There will always be someone to help you, no matter how small the problem is.

I sincerely hope that my advice could help you settle down comfortably. Before I finish off, I wish you the best of luck during your studies and I do hope you enjoy the time you have left in UH.

4. Make memories that count.

Shopping at Asda and on Amazon is exciting: most of us do not have either of these back in our home countries, and whatever we have does not compare to the large selection of goods we can get at the aforementioned stores. But, don’t get too excited buying novelty gifts: instead, save that money for travelling.

While you are here, why not save up some pounds and travel through the UK or Europe? As a student, it is drastically cheaper, and the travelling time is cut down significantly. Being a student is one of those rare phases in your life where you can travel solo, or with a group of friends, and explore places tour guides will not take you.

Sure, you can occasionally have a few rounds of alcohol with friends, party at the Forum, or splurge on a shopping spree but, speaking from experience, studying abroad is the best time to see the historical beauty of Europe.

Image credit: Hans on Pixabay

C

#THROWBACK he he t f yt o e b m o eld s t sh a k ent ! c a ev on b k e Uni o lo somts’ A e n awude St r Run

Colou

Freshers’ 201 7

Love SUs Week

Christmas with the Students Union!

VARSITY! SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

If you’re one for sports, you probably know all about Varsity: the biggest annual sporting event between the University of Hertfordshire and the University of Bedfordshire. But, to those out of the loop The Trident is here to give you some insight with the assistance of Senior Sports Development Officer Lynne PestleBass.

{Both schedules are subject to change}

WHAT IS VARSITY?

SO, WHAT’S VARSITY ALL ABOUT, LYNNE?

SOUNDS REALLY EXCITING! WHEN’S IT ALL TAKING PLACE, THEN? We take it in turns to host the event, but it’s our turn in 2018. It’ll be taking place here at the University of Hertfordshire on the de Havilland Campus on Wednesday 28th March, and the first fixture will kick off at 10.00am with Women’s Futsal taking on Bedfordshire’s team, in the Sports Hall Show Court at the Sports Village.

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK WE’VE GOT IT IN THE BAG AGAIN? This year’s the 9th Varsity event, and we’re holding a current 7-1 lead over Bedfordshire. We don’t like to be overly confident, but history speaks volume; we’ll still continue to perform at the same level as we have in previous years, so we’ll prevail!

IF STUDENTS WANT TO SUPPORT HERTS AND COME ALONG TO WATCH, HOW CAN THEY? Just come onto the de Havilland Campus, grab a flag, a foam finger and make some noise for the University of Hertfordshire! Get involved in all of our social media platforms and use #HertsvsBeds and #GoHerts to let all of your friends and followers know what’s happening on campus too! There will even be opportunities to participate in the Active Students programme and access some free sessions, as well.

Venue

Time

Badminton

Badminton Hall

Drop in between 11.00am - 1.00pm

Table Tennis

Outside Hertfordshire Sports Village

Drop in between 11.00am - 5.00pm

Volleyball

Grass Pitch 2

Drop in between 11.00am - 1.00pm

Ultimate Frisbee

New Gen 2

Drop in between 11.00am - 1.00pm

Boxing

Coach Drop in between Education Room 12.00pm - 1.00pm

Zorb Football

New Gen 1

Drop in between 12.00pm - 4.30pm

Lacrosse

New Gen 2

Drop in between 1.00pm - 3.00pm

Kickboxing

Cricket Hall

Drop in between 1.30pm - 3.00pm

Rounders

Grass Pitch 2

Drop in between 3.00pm - 5.30pm

Fencing

Cricket Hall

Drop in between 3.30pm - 5.00pm

Match/Activity

Venue

Start Time

Women’s Futsal 1

Sports Hall

10.00am

Men’s Futsal 1

Sports Hall

11.00am

Mixed Tennis 1

Hard Courts

11.00am

Dodgeball 1

Cricket Hall

11.30am

Men’s Football 2

Grass Pitch 1

11.30am

Women’s Rugby 1

Rugby Pitch

12.30pm

Netball 1

Sports Hall

12.45pm

Boxing*

Coach 1.00pm Education Room

Women’s Hockey 1

Sand Astro

1.00pm

Volleyball*

Grass Pitch 2

1.00pm

Men’s Football 1

Grass Pitch 1

1.30pm

Men’s and Women’s Badminton 1

Badminton Hall

1.30pm

Women’s Basketball 1

Sports Hall

2.15pm

Men’s Rugby 1

Rugby Pitch

2.30pm

Netball 2

Hard Courts

2.30pm

Men’s Hockey 1

Sand Astro

3.00pm

Women’s Football 1

Grass Pitch 1

3.30pm

Men’s Basketball 1

Sports Hall

4.00pm

Winners Presentation

Sports Hall

6.15pm

* Non competitive

MEET THE

VARSITY CAPTAINS

What really makes a good Varsity is a team of dedicated players and leaders, and it’s for this reason The Trident sat down with current Varsity Captains Michael Scanlon, Chairman of Men’s Rugby, and Caoimhe O Reilly, Captain of Women’s 1st Football.

Michael: It’s the pride of putting on the shirt every time you go out to play for the university; it’s the same thing as going out on a Wednesday [to rugby club], but now you’re doing it on a much larger scale.

Are you feeling nervous about this?

What inspired you to accept your role as Varsity Captain?

Caoimhe: No: I don’t want us to lose Varsity, because we last lost a long time ago, and I don’t want to be the Caoimhe: It’s an honour to first to lose in a long time. represent the University of Hertfordshire; Michael: I don’t feel under something I couldn’t say pressure either, and as no to. much as we’re here to Michael Scanlon

Varsity is a chance for both UH and Bedfordshire students to compete against teams they don’t usually come up against in their weekly BUCS fixtures. It’s campus-wide, also including Active Students and Athletic Union Club taster sessions; and there’s food, drink and music throughout the day which creates a fantastic atmosphere!

Social Activity

FIXTURES

Background credit: Fabricio Trujillo on Pexels; Engin_Akyurt on Pixabay

PREPARE FOR

Caoimhe O Reilly

Sports • 28

motivate our teams, at the end of the day it’s about more than us and about every individual playing.

Michael: For me, it’s passion; I’m really prepared and don’t like losing, I’m not good at losing and get the hump What can you when I do. Whatever bring to the role as I put my mind to, I’m Varsity captain? always passionate about it -- I’ll try my utmost Caoimhe: We as a football to stop us from losing. team sometimes travel Our coach said to us that for away games with the the one thing they can netball team, and I always never fault us for is our ask them how their passion. games went - I care how they’re doing as much You’re up against as the football team is Bedfordshire: what getting on... I don’t just makes you sure care about my sport, but Herts has got it in the university teams as a the bag? whole.

Caoimhe: A lot of our teams are doing really well this year; if they’re not first or second, they’re not far off it.

Michael: I think we get immense support from the university; we’re not just a team going out to play, we’re all under one roof which is fantastic as it means everyone gets the same support.

Across the board, we’re performing at a higher level which outshines whatever Bedfordshire are doing.

Image credits: Simon Wright

THURSDAY 29 MARCH

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN Performance Coach of the Year

Outstanding Sporting Achievement

Awarded to the most successful performance Coach in terms of performance and achievement.

Awarded to a non-BUCS team or individual that has excelled in an external event.

Greatest Commitment to a Club

Coach of the Year Awarded to the Coach who has made an outstanding contribution to their club and sport. We are looking for commitment over and beyond the call of duty.

Most Charitable Club Awarded to the club who has raised the most money for charity and/or have provided their services for charitable causes.

Club Purple Club Purples are awarded to individuals who have provided an outstanding contribution to the running, administration, operation and activity of the club during their time at UH. Club Purples may also be awarded to individuals who have shown outstanding loyalty, commitment, support and dedication in representing their club.

NB: Holding an important club position is not an automatic qualiication for a Club Purple Award

Club of the Year Awarded to the club that has shown improvement in terms of Performance, Participation, Personal Development, Club Management and makes a conscious effort to be sustainable and plan well for the future.

uhsport.co.uk

Awarded to the club member who has shown the greatest commitment to their club over 3 years or more. ey must have had a membership with this club for stated duration of commitment.

/UniofHertsAU

Full Purple is is awarded to a member of a club who has represented their country at international level in their sport.

@UniofHertsAU

@UH_Athletic_Union

Health & Innovations • 30

LOVE:

WHAT THE F@#% IS IT?!

By Lara Owolabi

PHASE 3: ATTACHMENT

Love is not just all butterflies and falling head over heels for that special one, but it actually has a science behind it. According to the BBC, there are three main phases to falling in love, and each phase involves a different hormone.

Obviously, we can’t be stuck in the attraction phase for ever and so ‘naturally’ the next phase is the attachment phase. This is the phase that allows relationships to build into a long-lasting commitment and keeps couples together. In this stage, two hormones are released by the nervous system which play a role in social attachment: oxytocin and vasopressin.

Oxytocin is released by both sexes during orgasm and it may create a deeper bond the more they have sex. It is also a key hormone for giving birth because it cements the strong bond between mother and child, also allowing a mother’s breast to produce milk.

PHASE 1: LUST Scientifically, lust is actually driven by testosterone and oestrogen hormones. I know what you’re thinking: how? Well, these hormones are not restricted to the sex you usually find them in; testosterone plays a major role in the sex drive of women and can be known as the “get you out looking for anything” hormone, at least according to Helen Fisher.

Meanwhile, Vasopressin is an important controller of the kidney, and without it the bond between couples would deteriorate immediately, they would lose their devotion and fail to protect each other from new suitors. This was actually discovered in a study where prairie voles, a type of rodent, had their vasopressin’s effect reduced, which resulted in the animal’s complete loss of devotion to its mate.

IS THERE SOMETHING IN YOUR GENES, OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME? Now, now, we’re talking about science here, folks. Scientists have relied on

evolutionary theory at times to explain how humans pick out their potential mates. According to this theory, it’s in our advantage to pick out those with the best genes to pass these onto our children, who will thereby pass these genes on in the future.

When we look at a potential future partner, according to some scientists, we’re actually assessing their appearance and pheromones; the latter something many animals do in order to quite literally sniff out a potential mate! It sounds incredibly vain, but that just seems to be the nature of the human condition; love is incredibly complex, both scientifically and socially, but we’re getting better at understanding it, down to the genetic level.

PHASE 2: ATTRACTION Think about the last time you feel in love with someone: you couldn’t think of anything else, right? Some people might even eat and sleep less because they’re too busy daydreaming about ‘the love of their life’. There’s still a science behind this:

A group of neuro-transmitters called ‘monoamines’ play a very important role in the ‘attraction’ phase. They consist of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, and a combination of all three of them gush through our bodies when we become attracted to someone. These will give us various ‘symptoms’; the racing of the heart, sweating, and an almost irrational focus on another human being, relative to our typical responses to them!

Image credits: Cacycle on Wiki; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, ProSmile, mcmurryjulie on Pixabay

Hey, you!

The Trident is always looking for new writers.

To find out more, speak to the Students’ Union office over on College Lane, or check out our Facebook page @TridentMediaUK Send us a message, and we’ll get you started.

THE TR DENT