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UniVerse
NEWS
UH Graduation 2015 | pg. 6-7
tridentmedia.org
FEATURES
Society Showcase | pg 14-15
SCIENCE
Student designs new app | pg. 17
Volume 24, Issue 1 Wednesday 14th October2015
COFFEE BREAK
Freshers’ Comic Strip | pg. 19
Credit: Tobi Olasupo
Freshers’ Week Round-up 2015 Shelby Loasby | Head of Print Freshers’ Week is now sadly over, but definitely not forgotten. The week was jam-packed with activities, events, information and plenty of freebies for the new students. Freshers’ kicked off with the International Freshers’ Week with information fairs and free BBQs for all international students. Whilst they arrived a week early, they were not alone for long. After the Moving In Weekend on 26th and 27th September, hundreds of freshers arrived, settled into their halls and prepared for the first night at The Forum Hertfordshire: Freshers’ Welcome
Party. The night was completely packed out, with queues for tickets during the day, lasting for over two hours. Waking up with banging heads the next morning, Freshers’ were able to head down to the EleHouse for a weekend mingle with music, inflatables and games. It wasn’t long before the Forum was preparing for another busy night. This time it was the Thomas Nicholas Band, AKA Kevin from American Pie, hosting his very own Frat Party. After the weekend’s entertainment the rest of the week was a blur of non-stop events. With too many to mention, here are some of the highlights:
On the 28th September, Give it a Go! Laser Quest! transformed the Forum into a laser jungle, before underground and garage nation legend DJ EZ took to the Forum stage and gave the freshers a night to remember. The next few days consisted of a lot of free burgers and music provided by Crush Radio, all in preparation for the launch of Cheeky Wednesdays. The explosive new night was complete with stilt walkers, angle grinders, CO2 cannons and fire breathers. Despite the fire alarm causing an evacuation of the building, students returned to an epic night. The next big event was Hatfield Rocks on Thursday 1st
October. This saw the likes of Exit Black and Franklin supporting the indie English rockers The Pigeon Detectives. With mics falling around the stage, band members jumping on speakers, and water bottles being squirted into the crowd, the boys proved they could still put on a good show. Continued on pages. 4-5
2 Editorial •
Meet the team Head of Print
Print Editor
News Editor
Written, designed & edited by students, for students, and provided by Hertfordshire Students’ Union
Head of Print
Shelby Loasby headofprint@tridentmedia.org
Shelby Loasby
Huriyah Quadri
Welcome back UH students! And a big warm welcome to all the new Freshers this year. I’m Shelby, Head of Print at Trident Media UK. I’m a final year student studying History, Public History and Spanish. This is the first issue of your student Newspaper and is jam-packed with all the latest student news and fun things around campus. If you see anything you like, let us know at @TridentMediaUK or join us on hertfordshire.su. Enjoy!
I’m Huriyah, the Print Editor this year, and I hope you enjoy perusing through your first issue of UniVerse. There is already a lot of interesting content for you to read, from the RPS Student Championship and Society SnapShots, to funny horoscopes and Lashara’s Grumpy Corner rant. Make sure you sign up to join Trident Media! I look forward to seeing you around.
Innovation Editor
Design Editor
Laura Slingo I’m Laura and I’m your News Editor! I’ve recently returned from a year abroad in California and I’m very excited to be finishing my degree in English Literature and Creative Writing this year. At Trident Media we’ll be doing our best to broadcast your opinions, achievements and current issues. So get involved today! Happy Reading!
Sports Editor
Print Editor
Huriyah Quadri
Sub Editors
Robyn Cleo(Design) Laura Slingo (News) Charlie Pearson (Sports) Hannah Bicknell (Features) Robert Wheatley (Lifestyle) Katie Nobel (Entertainment) Betlehem Fekade (Innovation)
Contributors
Oliver Price Lashara Van Heerden Jacky Linares Aiden Perrins Bill Ahmed Tobi Olasupo Chloe Burowes
Editor in Chief
Betty Fekade
Robyn Cleo
Hello everyone, I’m Betty, Innovation Editor for Trident Print this year. I’m in my final year studying Biomedical Science. I’m hoping that the Science and Innovation section of UniVerse and BlueMoon will be entertaining, interesting and informative!
Hey, I’m Robyn and I’m the Design Editor for the print team! I’m a creative arts student studying Illustration so I hope to give this year’s Bluemoon and Universe a fun look. I’m also looking to feature some student artwork and recruit some talented students into the design team so give me a shout!
Entertainment Editor
Features Editor
Charlie Pearson I’m Charlie and I will be the Sports Editor for the following year. I am still finding my feet as I’m fairly new to Trident, but I am a second year student at the university studying History and Journalism. For all you sports fans I’ll be the one bringing you most of your sports content this year!
Lifestyle Editor
Bradley Johnson
Copy Editor
Kealie Mardell
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
Katie Noble I’m Katie and I’m the Entertainment Editor this year. I’m a second year studying English Literature with German, but this is my first year with Trident Media. I’m super excited about being involved and sharing lots of lovely student-led content with you all. Enjoy your first UniVerse of the year!
Hannah Bicknell Hi, I’m Hannah-Rose and I’m the Features Editor for Trident Media this year. I’m in my last year, studying English Language & Communication joint with Creative Writing. I can’t wait to get involved with all the schools and societies and start getting those amazing features out there for everyone to read!
Robert Wheatley I’m Robert, Trident Media’s Lifestyle Editor! I’m currently studying Philosophy and Journalism as a second year student. I love to write, both factual and fiction, and Trident Media has been a great opportunity for me!
@TridentMediaUK tridentmedia.org
• Editorial 3
Meet your Elected Officers
As President, I am the figurehead of the Students’ Union. My job is to ensure that student views are fully represented within the university, to make sure that every decision is made in the best interest of students!
Jack Amos
Before this I studied Geography, which I really enjoyed. I’ve got so many brilliant memories from freshers over the last few years, but from my first year, walking into the Forum for the first time, and the Freshers Fair are two things I’ll never forget.
I am the Vice President Communications & Media, my role gives me the honour of working with all of Hertfordshire’s student journalists who take part in Trident Media UK. It’s such a great privilege to work with such talented students who get involved in TV, publications and radio. My role also allows me to work with the Libraries and the SU/University marketing departments.
Brad Johnson
My advice to new students would be to get involved with as many things as you can – they will give you so many opportunities during your time at Herts!
vp.comms@hertfordshire.su
president@hertfordshire.su
Grainne O’Monghain
My role as Vice President of Democracy and Services is pretty fun. I ensure that the students voice is being heard not only throughout our services such as the Ele House, The Forum Hertfordshire and our two shops but also throughout the University, from Uno to the Schools. I work closely with the research and representation team here at the SU and the University to make sure our representation system is actually functioning and the best bit is working closely with all the amazing School Student Rep Organisers (SSRO) and their reps!
My name is Annabel Mabin and I am the Vice President of Student Activities. As part of my role I work with the student opportunities team to deliver a variety of activities such as societies, volunteering and fundraising. I am also the Athletic Union president and work within the AU office supporting our teams and members. A busy year but I’m excited that it’s finally here!!
Annabel Mabin
vp.services@hertfordshire.su
I studied Sport and Exercise Science and graduated with a 2:1. I had the best time at university and I hope you do to! My favourite memory from Freshers was the Freshers Ball and meeting my flatmates for the first time, we grouped in the kitchen and attempted to cook food!
vp.activities@hertfordshire.su
I was a Law Student, I loved my time here at UH not only working towards my degree but all the extra things I got to do either through cocurricular stuff in the Law School or taking part in all the amazing opportunities at the SU. It would have to be my birthday, it always falls during Freshers, but in my first year my flat mates (who I had known for under a week) made me a handmade card, got me a cake and had a pre-drinks party for me before heading to the Forum. It was such a good night and so strange to think they had cared so much to do all that after knowing me for such a short amount of time!
I have just graduated with a Marketing with Event Management degree and can’t wait to use my skills to develop student skills. I have so many great memories about Freshers’ but the majority of them include the Forum, so my memory is quite vague! Have an amazing year!
My name is Rana Omer Farooq, I’m your ‘Vice President Education & Welfare’ at Hertfordshire Students’ Union. My role allows me to look after students’ academic and personal issues. I work closely with Students Advice and Support Services where we help students with any problems and provide them with legal advice.
Rana Omer Farooq
I graduated last year as a Mechanical Engineer. My best Freshers’ memory is my first Fresher’s Fair where I met many other students and made friends.
vp.welfare@hertfordshire.su
4 News •
Freshers’ Week Continued from cover: Taking a break from the night time events, Hertfordshire Students’ Union hosted the Freshers’ Fair on 2nd October, where hundreds of societies, shopping outlets, caterers and information stalls littered College Lane campus. The Fair is always a highly anticipated event and didn’t fail to disappoint. The sea of students made their way around the stalls signing up for various activities. In previous years Friday night of Freshers was always referred to as Freshers’ Ball, however after popular feedbakc from students, the night was rebranded to a Freshers’ Fiesta which saw the Forum full to the brim. Before the week came to an official end with Danny Jones (McFly) performing a DJ set, the SU brought back one of the best events from last
year - Ultimate Colour Fest! Tickets for the Fest included a free goodie bag complete with a branded Colour Fest T-shirt, glasses, fake tattoos and sweatbands. Once the crowd had been warmed up with the help of Crush Radio, the race began. Hundreds of students stumbled through various obstacles around the course whilst being blasted with paint. The epic explosion of colour and celebration was an amazing end to the Freshers’ Week day events. Over the course of the week even more endless activities meant that there was something for everyone, making another successful Freshers’ Week at the University of Hertfordshire. Credit: Bill Ahmed
Credit: Bill Ahmed
Credit: Tobi Olasupo
Credit: Tobi Olasupo
Credit: Tobi Olasupo
Credit: Tobi Olasupo
Shelby Loasby | Head of Print Over Moving In weekend on 26th and 27th September, hundreds of fresh faces arrived at the uni with bags and boxes in hand. Amongst the buzzing atmosphere were four very excited students, eager to start their university experience.
Parin Patel Age: 18 years old Course: Business Studies Most excited about: I want to get my wristband so I can start partying asap and meet lots of new people
Lydia Moulding Age: 19 years old Course: Sports Studies Most excited about: Freshers’ Week! And I want to join the football team
Alec Roeper Age: 19 years old Course: Sport and Exercise Science Most excited about: Meeting new people and getting involved with football
Melissa Gahamnayi Age: 19 years old Course: International Tourism Management Most excited about: Settling in and joining a sports team!
• News 5
Round-up 2015 Brushing shoulders with Freshers’ Week Celebs Shelby Loasby | Head of Print
Credit: PixaBay
The Great British Tea Party Hannah Bicknell | Features Editor “Let’s get ready to rumble” boomed from the DJ deck and a sea of people swarmed to the EleHouse. Eagerness was in the atmosphere and the Great British Tea Party, hosted by the Students’ Union was in full swing! A queue the length of the EleHouse greeted new arrivals, and the smell of fresh cakes and milky tea stirring in the air helped set the scene. The event introduced a slice of Britain to all the new internaiontal students, and it soon developed into a resounding hub for fun and games, specifically, giant snakes and ladders and Hoopla! Crush Radio provided the soundtrack to the day, a ‘Best of British’ selection by British artists and musicians, that ranged from Elton John to the much loved TV personalities: Ant and Dec.
Societies, that mainly catered to the interests of international students, were available for the students to peruse. The societies varied from the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Adullam Campus Fellowship, to the Korean Pop Society and Marrow Society; all very happy with the turnout, and inspired by the amount of students excited about joining, with sign-up sheets filling quickly. Societies and Media Coordinator, Sarah Bennett,
commented on the event: “Today is a definite snapshot of what is to come for the next few weeks, especially around Freshers’.”
Credit: Lashara Van Heerden
Seeing as it was a traditional fair, there was an abundance of tea and a varied selection of baked British classics on offer, including 200 cupcakes and 150-something cookies, decorated with Union Jack flags and sprinkles, all of which were provided by the Boys Don’t Bake Company, run by Trident Media’s Social Media Manager Llyod Henly. Also among the choices were Mr Kipling favourites; good old McVitie’s Digestives, finger sandwiches, (yes they had cucumber ones!), and a scone stand. Here, students were given the opportunity to put their own scone together using clotted cream and jam. The culinary ventures were well received by the students and they seemed to thoroughly enjoy putting their own scones together. Some students had never experienced this particular tradition and of course, the age old debate of cream first or jam first came into play! A lot of students commented saying it was something they would definitely try again and some had mixed responses to the traditional tastes, but overall they were pleased to have had the opportunity to try them, and it was a very enjoyable experience.
the
Matt Bowman from The Pigeon Detectives
Kevin from American Pie AKA Thomas Nicholas One of the best, awkward coming-of-age comedies out there has to be the American Pie series. Littered with innuendos and endless observations that relate to every student’s life, the films have continued to grow in popularity over the years. One of the many stars of the shows is Thomas Nicholas, who played Kevin Myers, the initiator of ‘the pact’ for the guys to lose their virginity before they finished high school. But now with the “Tongue Tornado” and “Sex Bible” aside, Thomas Nicholas has embraced his other talents and is currently touring UK universities on his Frat Party tour with the Thomas Nicholas Band. Just before the band were due to perform at The Forum Hertfordshire on 27th September, Trident Media’s alumni, Matt Creasey, caught up with Nicholas backstage for a quick chat about his career, his passions and his ultimate Frat Party experiences. Considering the drinking age is 21 in America, Nicholas said; “I went to my first Frat Party when I was just 15 years old! I knew some guys…” To find out more and whether or not there is another American Pie in the pipeline, head over to YouTube to watch the full interview now at tridentmedia.org
Credit: Shelby Loasby
Credit: Shelby Loasby English indie rock band from Rothwell, Leeds, The Pigeon Detectives, put on a full energetic show at Hatfield Rocks on 1st October. With mic stands crashing onto the stage, band members jumping on speakers, and water being poured over the front two rows, the band proved to their fans that they were still out there, and still making music. Before the boys took to the stage, Trident Media’s Music Manager, and fresher, Andy Vogel, sat down with lead singer Matt Bowman to see what the boys had been up to during their quiet years and the stories behind their surprising rock and roll reputation. “Last time I was here [The Forum Hertfordshire] I gave Florence from Florence and the Machines a piggy back on the left side bar and broke a few glasses,” said Matt. “We got kicked out of our own gig!” To find out more, head over to our website now! Watch this space for more interviews with acts over the course of the year!
6 News •
ConGRADulations! UH students Shelby Loasby and Robert Wheatley After years of studying, months of stress, and countless nights spent crying in the LRC, hundreds of students were finally able to celebrate their hard work last month, with an emotional Awards Ceremony at the monumental St Albans Cathedral. Over the course of September, hundreds of students took to the stage from various schools around the University of Hertfordshire, including the School of Life and Medical Sciences and the School of Humanities. The ceremonies were led by university governors and senior staff , who were also joined by ViceChancellor Quintin McKellar and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Ian Campbell, and various lectures, professors and doctors of the corresponding Schools. Whilst the ceremonies seemed to last a long time, with extensive lists of names to read out, it didn’t take away the massive sense of achievement felt in the room. From the faculty staff to the guests eagerly waiting with a camera or phone in hand, everyone was in awe of the hard work and commitment the students had put in over their time at university. Once all the degree certificates had been presented, one student from each School who was chosen by the university, would speak on behalf of their fellow graduates. Amongst those chosen were Bradley
Johnson, now the Students’ Union Vice President of Communications and Media, and Rebecca Matthews. Both graduates expressed their gratitude to the university with Matthews describing her time at UH as: “Influential, enjoyable and enriching.” At the end of each ceremony that Trident Media attended, Campbell expressed his congratulations to the graduates with a reflective speech, noting that every student would leave university with four characteristics that would guarantee them a happy and successful future. He said:
“Self belief, motivation, focus and the ability to handle pressure and to bounce back from setbacks.” Campbell concluded, “Remember to always go the extra mile in whatever you do and work hard. And don’t forget us! We want to know what you go on to do with your life.” As the formalities came to an end, the sea of graduates were seen running over to family and friends, taking part in the inevitable hat throw, and soaking in the atmosphere that marked the start of a new chapter.
Credit: Bill Ahmed
Credit: Tobi Olasupo
Credit: Bill Ahmed
• News 7
graduate at St. Albans Cathedral
Credit: Bill Ahmed
Anil Tosar, 22 years old, MPharm Graduate:
Credit: Tobi olasupo Plans for the future: “At the moment, I’m doing my pre-registration in Boots and I’ve worked there a month, but after that I hopefully pass the exam I want to maybe work for them for a few years. I want to hopefully run my own independent pharmacy, but this is way down the line. I want to work for myself, eventually, because you can run the things you want to, and it will be such a rewarding experience to show you’ve come this far.” Tips for Pharm Undergrads: “Don’t get bogged down by your work. I didn’t have a timetable, and I wish I had done as it would have made things so much easier. Definitely don’t leave coursework last minute: I wasn’t a last-minute person, but you need to work ahead as I was stressed even a week before the deadline. Just be organised, and on top of yourself, and you won’t have any problems.”
Sarah Chinn, 22 years old, BSc Physcology:
Credit: Tobi olasupo Favourite part of University: “Probably today! I think it’s all summed up to this because you’ve worked so hard after the last three years, and you’re finally getting to see all your friends in their robes. I think the ceremony is the best bit.” Hardest part of University: “Exams, definitely. We have a lot of dates and names to learn; I think I learnt 50 names and dates for one exam, all off by heart. I had lists of 50 pictures - word association doesn’t work for me.” Words of wisdom: “Go to lectures! It’s so hard to catch up if you don’t go to lectures, and definitely read around the course; get background information because I started without any psychology knowledge, and everyone was a little bit more ahead so they knew what they were doing. It’s better to do some background reading.”
Laurie Hughes, 21 years old, BA English Literature with Philosophy:
Credit: Shelby Loasby Favourite part of University: it is very hard to think of a favourite uni moment - I have had so many, and not all are appropriate for this article! However, I loved my time in the UHSU drama society - performing in the panto was immensely fun, and the after show parties we had were just as crazy! What was it like to graduate? Graduation was something very special; the sense of achievement you feel is awesome, and it is all enhanced by the grand Abbey setting where thousands of students have reflected on their education experience for hundreds of years! Plans for the future? I have loved my time at UH so much that I am staying on to study my MA, I hope to stay well connected with the research community at UH and pursue a career in academia.
Karan Jhajj, 21 years old, BA History:
Credit: Bill Ahmed Favourite memory: “This is going to sounds cheesy, but my favourite memory of university has to be how eye opening my degree was. Over three years my modules ranged from the colonial relationship of Britain and Africa, to the early modern period looking into Bodies and Sexuality. Lecturers committed to helping you in every way to improve your research and writing, I couldn’t speak highly enough of the members of staff who teach history. What was it like to graduate? Graduation was a little surreal, but also a very proud moment.
8 News •
Credit: Oliver Price
Unfinished building work results in freshers placed into temporary accommodation Oliver Price | News Manager Students hoping to live in newly built accommodations on College Lane have been told, less than a month before they were due to move in, that they would have to live in temporary accommodation due to halls not quite being finished in time for arrivals weekend. Most students who will be doing so, have now moved into these temporary accommodations. The University of Hertfordshire has made significant investments over the past few years to deliver 2500 new rooms and 500 refurbished rooms to College Lane in a programme that finishes in September 2016. Of that, according to Andrew May, Director of Estates at the University, “almost 1500 [new rooms] have been successfully delivered and all 500 have been refurbished.” “What we are trying to deliver for this year [September 2015],” May informed UniVerse, “is very very roughly about 1000 rooms.” To date, slightly under a quarter of the rooms have not been finished: “About 770 have been successfully delivered and the remaining 230 will be finished in about a week or two.” Of the approximately 230 students who do not have their new
rooms finished; May stated, “[They] will be moving into the existing halls that we had not demolished… Broad and Coales Halls,” both of which are on the same campus. May said that they were going to stay there for a “week or two.” However, UniVerse has received prior reports from students , now living in Coales, claiming: “They told me one to four weeks.” May also made it clear that students were not going to Ridgeview, which is a former off-campus accommodation in Colney Heath. Most students still not housed will be given a room at the Mercure Oak Hotel, which is next to the College Lane Campus. The University have said they will be sending staff to the hotel on a daily basis. May continued that every student who applied on time [for clearing] will be housed,” in University organised accommodation, that being halls or the aforementioned temporary accommodations. When asked what caused the delay, he said it was “categorically not the case” that builders have not been working over the past few weeks and, “we’ve [University of Hertfordshire] had between five and seven hundred people a day on campus for the last months.” May then went on to say, “The plan was always to phase the delivery as we are doing.”
“We’re navigating a number of issues and part and parcel of that is things like Broad and Coales being made available in the event that the original plan doesn’t quite work out.” May also said that; “We would like to go on record to thank Bouygues our building partners who we believe have worked tirelessly to get the campus ready for the start of term.” When May was asked to elaborate about whether there was anything specific that caused the delay he didn’t give a specific reason. He did however reiterate that there was a “three year delivery programme, it was always going to be delivered in phases with various blocks coming over at various times.” UniVerse also talked to students affected by the delay. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, talked about a problem with lack of communication on the University’s part: “I can understand if they told us a month before they did, my friend going to Cardiff is in the same situation but he knew from around results day not like two weeks before move in day.” This student is referring to the fact that they, along with many other students affected, were told about the delay and need to move into temporary accommodation on
the 8th of September, approximately two and a half weeks before they were due to move in. When asked about the short notice, Geraldine Ward, the Dean of Students said: “Once we were certain that the rooms were going to be delayed all students were notified and advised of the alternative arrangements. “The Student Centre were on hand during that time for answering any queries or questions and to reassure students and their families or partners.” “Ideally,” she added, “We would have wanted all the rooms to be ready... but everyone’s been working hard to make sure that happened but the contingency plan would have been put in place, and we always put them in place with any new building on campus. “The Student Centre, Student Wellbeing, and staff at Herts Students’ Union have all contributed to the alternative arrangements to minimise the disruption to students” Ward added that for, “Anything at all [students] should contact the Student Support Team. All those contacts are given to them in their temporary accommodation, they’re available 24 hours a day 365 days a year.” As well as not being told about the delay until two and a half weeks
• News 9 before moving day, the previously mentioned student told UniVerse that they were not told the details of their move until “Tuesday [22nd September] night,” four days before they were due to move in. Rebekah Rogers, a third year Biological Sciences student said that: “Communications between students and Residential Allocations has been appalling.” In response to a question about the apparent lack of communication, Geraldine Ward said that; “The Student Centre’s been on hand, they let the students know as soon as we knew… they would have got the information as soon as it was available.” Ward said to contact the Student Support Team if any help is needed, “no matter how big or small.” Contact details for the Student Support Team can be found in the mini-guides handed out to freshers.
When asked about whether the University would be compensated for the delayed accommodations, Andrew May said: “The contract says what the builders have got to build and by when, then there are provisions in that contract for failure to comply… and yes, there are damages that are recoverable. “The more important question I think, is how will that be then passed onto the students, and the position there is that the temporary accommodation either on campus… or in hotels will be charged at £42 per week which is significantly and materially lower than it otherwise would have been to reflect the disruption that’s caused. “Students in hotels will also be provided with food vouchers which can be used to purchase food on campus, and of course the University will also be able to continue to provide the usual pastoral care and welfare
support and all of the University facilities that are available to all of the students.” Jack Amos, President of Hertfordshire Students’ Union, talked about how he and HSU had been helping with the situation: “As a lot of students were inconvenienced by the delays in the building work, I negotiated a large cut in the rent for students who were temporarily housed in Broad and Coales halls. At the Students’ Union we have had a lot of staff and volunteers around the halls of residence to create a nice sense of community, and on Monday 28th and Wednesday 30th we hosted free BBQs for students living in halls.” Grainne O’Monghain, Vice President for Democracy and Services at Herts Students’ Union, gave her opinion on the delay: “I understand that in large building works such as the new halls there can be delays, though I feel this should have been
encompassed within the time allotted during planning so as to ensure halls would have been completed before students were moving in or even early. It is a very large project which is to be completed in a very short period of time and has numerous variables, none the less the allotted time for this project is very tight.” As the situation develops it will become clear whether students will be rehoused into permanent accommodation swiftly.
It’s time to #CutTheCosts Katie Noble | Entertainment Editor In July, Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, announced that maintenance grants were to be scrapped as part of the 2015 summer budget. From the 2016/17 academic year, maintenance grants will be exchanged for maintenance loans that must be paid back when a graduate earns over £21,000 per year. The maximum loan available has also increased to £8,200, meaning that some students could be looking at debt of up to £52,000 after graduation. The current maximum is £3,387 with approximately 500,000 students relying on its help. On July 17th, the National Union of Students launched their #CutTheCosts campaign as a reaction to this development.
Credit: HertsSU
The aim is to lower the everyday costs of university (e.g. food, transport, and course supplies) to offset the loss of grants. NUS President, Megan Dunn, said: “Living in rat-infested houses or even having to sleep in corridors cannot continue to be just a ‘fact of student life’. Students living on beans because they cannot afford healthy food remains a punchline to a joke.” The NUS published survey findings showing that 35 per cent of students would not have chosen to go to university without the support of a maintenance grant. 52 per cent further stated that they find maintenance grants to be essential for their university attendance. On September 25th, NUS took the first steps in legal action against the government in regards to the scrapping of maintenance grants. A judicial review pre-action letter was sent to the Secretary of State for Business. This letter demanded equality implications are considered before any further steps are taken to change the law. It also set out points where the NUS believe that the government has failed to meet its obligations to students. Hertfordshire Students’ Union has also been getting involved with the #CutTheCosts campaign. Elected Officers have spoken to student representatives around the University to find out what the campaign means to them. Herts SU have also asked MP Grant Shapps and the University of Hertfordshire’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Quintin McKellar, to stop the scrapping of grants. At the time
of writing, they had not yet had a response. Herts SU President, Jack Amos, said:
#BallsUpInHalls
“Many students at Hertfordshire and across the region rely on dependable, secure maintenance funding to stay in university. We cannot risk finding students unable to house themselves, feed themselves, or get themselves to lectures because their income is swallowed by the cost of living.” On Thursday 8th October, Grainne O’Monghain, Vice President Democracy and Services at Hertfordshire Students’ Union, sent out a letter in response to complaints from students about the standards of temporary accommodation on College Lane campus. You can read the letter and watch UnionTV’s interviews with students inside Broad & Coales accommodation at: tridentmedia.org/ballsupinhalls.
Credit: HertsSU You can get involved with the SU’s own campaign by tweeting local MP Grant Shapps using the hashtags #CutTheCosts and #GrantForGrants.
10 News •
Student satisfaction rates rise at the University of Hertfordshire Laura Slingo | News Editor The National Student Survey (NSS), which was conducted amongst 3300 University of Hertfordshire students, has revealed that satisfaction has improved to a staggering 84 per cent across all areas of the University. The NSS is a nationwide run survey that is endorsed by all publicly run Higher Education Institutions in order to obtain the genuine opinions and attitudes of students regarding their courses and their evaluations on their course at their place of study. At the University of Hertfordshire, the NSS documented improvements across several areas of the institution year on year. Most notable advances at the University were in organisation and management, in which satisfaction improved from 66 per cent to 72 per cent. Similarly, the teaching of courses at this respected institution has risen from 84 per cent to 86 per cent. Other notable findings showed that:
Assessment and feedback improved from 66 per cent to 69 per cent Academic support improved from 81 per cent to 82 per cent Personal development improved from 83 per cent to 85 per cent Learning resources improved from 88 per cent to 90 per cent Findings from the NSS clearly highlight that Herts Uni is making continuous improvements to benefit its valuable students. Herts Uni is constantly recognising the importance of student feedback and, in return, has regularly re-evaluated key aspects of the University experience to support academic success and student satisfaction. Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian Campbell comments: “We are delighted that our student satisfaction rates have gone up in all areas this year. We have continued to build on the success achieved in 2014 and this reflects the hard work everyone across the University has undertaken over the last few years.
Credit: PixaBay “At Hertfordshire we are committed to making our students’ experience here as enjoyable, fulfilling and stimulating as possible, to set them up for a lifetime of success.”
With the new academic now underway, it seems that the University of Hertfordshire is off to the best start possible.
UH graduate employment rate at record high Laura Slingo | News Editor In recent months there has been much commotion over the state of graduate employment. Even though higher salaries have been peeking through, there has still been a lingering worry surrounding the deficiency in high skilled jobs that may not be able to cater the new, young professionals entering the workplace. However, the University of Hertfordshire has defied the odds According to the latest national Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DHLE) survey, 95.2 per cent of UH students are in work or further study just six months after graduating, therefore standing ahead of the national average which is at 93.2 per cent. Additionally, the rate of graduate employment increases across four of the University’s schoolsto 98 per cent including: Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, Health and Social Work, Law and Education This only proves that the University of Hertfordshire is
into the professional world. Professor Quintin McKellar, CBE, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hertfordshire comments: “We are delighted at this further evidence of the continued success of our students. This is a great result for our university.” With so many of the University of Hertfordshire’s graduates finding jobs so quickly, it only proves that there is still some value in a degree that should be left undebated.
exceeding all expectations. Complementing these outstanding results, figures from the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) highlight that UH has climbed 30 places in the UK Performance Indicators for Employment since 2013/14 and is now ranked 35th out of 152 universities in Britain. Overall, UH has also risen an impressive 75 places in the last two
Credit: CC LUftphilia years. Resultantly, the University is now ranked in the top two universities in the east of England in terms of employability, coming second only to Cambridge. Figures for graduate employment at UH therefore highlight the rapid evolution of the University as it endeavours to provide and prepare its students as they embark
• News 11
Staying safe: UH holds lowest crime ratings Laura Slingo | News Editor There is no longer a need for parents to worry about leaving their babies to fend for themselves at university. Well not as much as they used to anyway. Official statistics from thecompleteuniversityguide. co.uk have revealed that the University of Hertfordshire has the lowest rate of recorded ‘student-relevant’ crimes in the east of England. The trusted university site collated police data regarding the most relevant crimes to students, including burglary, robbery, violence, and sexual crimes from May 2014 to April 2015 occurring on university campuses or surrounding neighbourhoods. Following this, the site then ranked universities regionally, and Herts Uni had the lowest rate of recorded crime in the east of England for the fourth year running. Delving into statistics, figures revealed that from May 2015 to April 2015, just 20.02 incidents per 1,000 residents of the University’s
neighbourhood were reported to Hertfordshire Constabulary. This highlights Herts’ reduced rate of crime thanks to its efficient constabulary, especially in comparison to England and Wales’ average of incidents per 1,000 which stands at 41.6 per cent. Vice Chancellor, Quintin McKellar, comments: “We are proud of the highly productive partnership we have with Hertfordshire Constabulary and the Welwyn Hatfield Community Safety Partnership. We work closely with the University policing team to ensure our community is safe and welcoming for students, staff and visitors.” With such high standards and proactive measures for keeping Herts Uni safe, McKellar adds: “Parents and students are often concerned about safety whilst at university and we are pleased that we can offer students a safe place to study.”
Neighbourhood Inspector for Welwyn, Hatfield, Jeff Scott expanded on the community efforts to prevent crime in the Herts Uni area, stating that: “The University has a dedicated PC and two PCSOs, one of which is funded by the University, who work hard to keep both students and staff safe in and around its campuses. “Working closely with the University and our colleagues in the Community Safety Partnership, the team raises awareness amongst students of the importance of keeping themselves and their belongings safe, particularly during Freshers’ Week.” In light of Freshers’ Week, and incoming new students to an unfamiliar environment, it is essential that all students prepare themselves to stay safe. For more information on staying safe and preparing yourself for your UH experience, check out Herts’ Student Support pages online where you can also find the A-Z of the University of Hertfordshire; the comprehensive guide to life at UH.
Café Scientifique comes to Herts Katie Noble | Entertainment Editor For those who don’t know, Café Scientifique is a global network that aims to provide discussion spaces for scientific ideas, while promoting public engagement with science. These meetings take place in cafés, bars, restaurants, and other public spaces across the globe. Now, Café Scientifique is in Hatfield, organised by the University of Hertfordshire. The events are being organised by Dr Angela Madden, a dietician and nutritionist based at UH, and they are being held at The Red Lion on Great North Road. Dr Madden said: “This is a great opportunity to share ideas about science and research with people in Hatfield and invite them to get involved with discussions. These discussions with non-scientists are important and can lead to new perspectives that are well worth investigating.” The first free ‘café’ took place on September 14th and was led by the School of Life and Medical Sciences nematologist, Dr Keith Davies. Dr Davies’ talk – entitled ‘Art versus
Science’ – delved into the differences and similarities between science and the arts, focusing on chemistry and C. P. Snow’s The Two Cultures. Discussion explored how, in the 21st century, science and art have moved onto multiple dimensions and what impact this has on us. Future sessions will take place on November 9th, 19:00-21:00. Anyone interested in more information or leading a future session can contact: HatfieldCafeSci@ herts.ac.uk
Credit: Kieth Davis
Credit: Kieth Davis
News in Brief UH climbs the ranks in University league tables The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016 has placed the University of Hertfordshire 76th in the country, three places higher than the previous year. The supplement also revealed that 75.3% of graduates went on to secure professional jobs, and that the university ranked 42nd for graduate prospects. Vice-Chancellor Quintin McKellar has said he is delighted to see the hard work of the staff and students being borne out in the Times ratings. He said; “I am particularly pleased the guide references the employability of our students,” he added, “It highlights our commitment to ensuring students are employable after their time in Hatfield.”
Nutrition students receive prize from alumnus Two graduating nutrition students, Danielle Mills and Sarah Qabazard, have both been awarded a prize by Vitabiotics, the innovative health-care products company. The £500 prize for academic achievement was set up by Rohit Shelatkar, Technical Director of Vitabiotics, who graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with an MSc Pharmacology in 2003. Rohit said, “We are delighted to be able to support the BSc(Hons) Nutrition programme through this prize. It is particularly satisfying for me to help students from Hertfordshire, as I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying at the University and can see the benefits of industry supporting students.” Jonathan Tammam, Principal Lecturer and Programme Lead for Nutrition said, “This is the first cohort of BSc(Hons) Nutrition students to graduate and we are very grateful to Vitabiotics for their support.”
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Credit: Alyssa Smith
Herts alumni launches jewellery line for charity Katie Noble | Entertainment Editor Herts alumni and award-winning celebrity jewellery designer, Alyssa Smith, has recently launched a line with F1 presenter, Suzi Perry. Alyssa graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2008 with a BA (Hons) degree in Applied Arts and Marketing and has now been nominated for over fifteen awards as one of the top 100 jewellers in the UK. In an interview, Alyssa said: “Never in a million years did I expect to have the opportunities I’ve had since knowing Suzi… I am looking forward to making even more children’s dreams come true with this charity collection.” The latest collection - named Smith & Perry - is in aid of Promise Dreams; with select proceeds going to the charity, of which Suzi Perry is a patron. The jewellery collection features motorsportthemed pieces such as racetrack necklaces, cufflinks, and racing flag charms. Promise Dreams works to make wishes come true for terminally ill children and their families. Buying a pair of beautiful £25 earrings, could help fund a child’s dream. Suzi Perry comments: “I’m delighted to be working with Alyssa, she’s a talented young woman who makes the most incredible jewellery, and I’m so thrilled that Promise Dreams can benefit from this project.” Alyssa and her work have been featured in a variety of magazines such as Closer, Ultimate Wedding Magazine and Hertfordshire Life. Nothing short of inspiring news for any freshers unsure of where their degree could take them and how they could make a difference after graduation.
Alyssa Smith Jewellery LTD is a multi award winning company, being a finalist of or winning 15 awards in business and fashion in 12 months. Awards include: • •
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Winner of the Hertfordshire Business Awards 2013, for Young Entrepreneur of the year 2013 Winner of one of the top 100 Jewellers 2013 by the Company Of Master Jewellers and Professional Jeweller Magazine The Drapers Fashion & Footwear awards, Best Accessories Designer of the Year 2012 The SPECSAVERS Retail Awards by EVERYWOMAN winner of ‘Star of the Future’ for a business turnover of less than 200million SBS Theo Paphitis Winner One to watch ‘30 women under 30’ 2012 Smarta 100 Winner 2012
If you want to get in touch with Alyssa, send an email to atalyssa@alyssasmith.co.uk or tweet her at @AlyssaJewellery Credit: Alyssa Smith Credit: Alyssa Smith Check out the collection alyssasmith.co.uk/smithandco.
online:
• News 13
UH to host RAG Conference 2016 Shelby Loasby | Head of Print On 29th August, the University of Hertfordshire won the bid to host the 2016 Raise and Give Conference. Running against the likes of Loughborough and Oxford University, Herts won by a significant amount of votes at the Leeds conference this summer. With one vote per institution present, Herts received 28 votes, whilst Loughborough gained five and Oxford picked up three. President of Hertfordshire’s Students’ Union, Jack Amos, and Vice President of Communications and Media, Brad Johnson, presented the bid in front of members, and not only won the hosting, but were also elected into key positions within the National Student Fundraising Association. Brad Johnson said: “I’m super excited to be hosting RAG next year. We have lots of exciting plans in motion and aim to have an equal split of seminars and talks in order for people to make the most out of their visit.”
The 2016 conference will be held in August for three nights and four days. Over the course of the visit participants will be able to attend professional seminars, have the opportunity to take part in regional networking, and compete in the Annual Fundraising Awards. Any staff member or student at the University is welcome to attend the four day conference, and are encouraged to get involved. Tickets should cost £99, including accommodation, and will be made
available in coming weeks. “This year’s conference cost £110 so we are trying our best to bring the costs down,” said Brad. Hertfordshire’s RAG week is also coming up later this month, and with the success of Jailbreak back in February’s RAG week, it won’t be one to miss! To get involved or to find out more, head over to the SU website: hertfordshire.su/rag
Less than a month to go until Movember! Shelby Loasby | Head of Print
The charity East African Playgrounds is having an information meeting in Hutton Hall, College Lane, on the 21st of October at 6pm to 8pm. East African Playgrounds are a charity whose aim is, according to their website: “To provide safe, fun and creative playgrounds built by locally trained builders across East Africa for every child to enjoy.” At the meeting you can learn about the summer volunteering project that EAP are running. It runs over four weeks from June to September. EAP say that you can, “Have the the time of your life and do something incredible this summer by volunteering with East African Playgrounds and transforming an empty playing field into an amazing playground.” As well as building playgrounds during the week, “At the weekends [you can] take on more adventures such as going on safari, bungee jumping, and even white water rafting down the River Nile.” East African Playgrounds have gone from strength to strength since building their first playground
Challenges • climbing Mount Kilimanjaro • the Three Peaks Challenge • ailbreak! Special Events • Take Me Out • Zombie Chase • HIJACK Bar Crawl • Charity Auctions • Pub Quizzes & Many More! RAG Raids, where we go to towns, shopping centres, sport venues to raise money!
Credit: HertsSU
Get involved with East African Playgrounds Oliver Price | News Manager
RAG Events to look out for:
in 2009. As of 2015, EAP have built 30 playgrounds across East Africa. If you are interested in this fantastic volunteering opportunity and amazing life experience then check out their website: eastafricanplaygrounds. org or email them at volunteer@eastafricanplaygrounds. org. Don’t forget to attend their information meeting: 21st of October, 6pm to 8pm, Hutton Hall, College Lane.
Credit: HertsSU
It’s less than a month to go until the hairy month of Movember retrns! The Movember Foundation has been working hard over recent months preparing for the new campaign, which was launched just a few weeks ago. The campaign will continue similarly to previous years with men shaving at the beginning of November and growing the best moustache they can for the rest of the month. This year, however, will also see another initive introduced to the program called MOVE. The aim of introducing MOVE is to not only encourage more women to become Mo Sistas, but is focused on physical actitivtiy and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Throughout the month, MOVE will encourage people to take part in 30 minutes of exercise each day, which can vary from playing a sport to even getting off the bus to work a few stops early. The Movember Foundation is now in its 16th year and has continued to change the face of men’s health across the globe.
Starting off in a bar in Australia with two men joking about how the moustache had gone out of fashion, the charity is now the world’s leading men’s health organisation, focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and physical inactivity. To find out more about the organisation head over to their website; uk.movember.com If you are interested in signing up, taking part and raising money to donate to the charity, check out the UH Movember Facebook and Twitter pages, or email your Movember Student Ambassador at movemberuh@gmail.com
Credit: Movember Foundation
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Society Snapshots Hannah Bicknell | Features Editor Hertfordshire Students’ Union has over 160 societies ranging from subject-related and active to religious and music, all for the purpose of socialising and making students feel at home while on campus. Below are snapshots of two societies, one an upcoming cultural society and the other a well-established religious society, growing in popularity. The Adullam Fellowship Society. This is a religious society that is part of a larger network of religious organisations, overseen by the Open Heavens Church on Bishops Rise. The society meets at the Linhop Building every Tuesday and are devoted to helping the surrounding area. They aim to get students involved by providing activities and events that allow them to become a bigger part of the community, which everyone automatically joins when they move to Hatfield. The society is all inclusive, despite the cultural
or religious backgrounds their prospective members may come from, so everyone can get involved. The Open Heavens Church holds a big event for the freshers every year, as a welcome to the University of Hertfordshire and the community. They aim to provide a home away from home, counselling and other facilities. After Freshers’ Week, the first meeting will be the Big Bang Service, dubbed ‘King of Kings’, which new or interested members can attend and enjoy live music and performances. All year round, the society offers religious services, and holds social events and debates along with volunteering opportunities, such as being able to help out at the local food bank. If you are interested in joining the Adullam Fellowship Society, more information can be found via their Facebook page: Adullam Fellowship, or on the SU website: hertfordshire. su
K-Pop Society. The K-Pop Society stands for Korean Pop and will officially begin after Freshers’ Week. Despite being brand new, they have already gained 16 members and have seen a lot of interest from the international students. The society prides itself on being open to anyone and everyone who enjoys Korean pop and dancing, but it is primarily about introducing the Korean culture in a fun and active way, quoting the society’s page, K-Pop is not just about music, it is “a lifestyle”. After Freshers’ Week, their plan is to hold social events for their members that range from dance events and classes, BBQ nights, language exchange corners, and many more to really immerse their members in the world of Korean music, dance and culture. If you would like to get involved, you can add the society on Facebook: HSU K-Pop Society or get more information on the SU website: hertfordshire.su
Grumpy Corner Using phones in lectures! Lashara van Heerden | Features Manager When asked to write this little rant, the first thing that popped into my mind was mobile phones. I feel like people are incapable of functioning without them, especially in lectures. It is as though the mobile phone has become the adult pacifier. People go out and use their phone in company, take photos of every meal, walk, talk and drive while texting, and the list goes on! Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of using my phone a bit too much too, but I feel like some take it to the next level. In my humble opinion, there is nothing worse than sitting in a university class and seeing everybody on their phone or tablet. There are a multitude of reasons why I hate this: 1) It is rude. You are insulting the lecturer who is there to teach you. Imagine you study for years to become a professor and you end up teaching a group of mindless zombies who are only capable of scrolling through Facebook during your lecture. 2) You come to class to engage and learn. Research by Kent State University has proven that, “high frequency mobile users tend to have a lower grade point average, higher anxiety, and lower satisfaction with
life (happiness) relative to their peers who used their phones less often”. So basically, if you use your phone in class you are making yourself stupid, angsty and depressed. So for the sake of the human race – just stop. 3) Classes work best when everyone is on the same page, not their Facebook page. Showing interest, being proactive and participating will allow you and other students to enjoy their academic experience to the fullest. After all, a wonderfully large amount has been paid for you to be in class. So why not get involved and make the most of it? Got something to be grumpy about? Tweet us @TridentMediaUK
Drama Society: Not just for actors Matt Yeoman | Contributing Writer Everyone has their own view of theatre and the performing arts. For most, it is something to avoid. The concept of being in front of an audience and acting is scary and puts a lot of people off. However, myself and the rest of the committee strive to eradicate those feelings and make sure your time with us is absolutely amazing! The society puts on two main shows during the year, during Semester A, a pantomime; and during Semester B, a darker style drama piece. If you don’t fancy doing that, don’t worry! There are so many workshops, events and short performances happening throughout the year for
you to get involved in. You may be thinking, well that all sounds wonderful, but what if I’m not interested in acting? The common misconception about the society is that it is only for people who want to act. Lots of people come and talk to me at Freshers’ and tell me that they can’t join the society because they can’t act or don’t want to act. The truth is, we want anyone! Drama welcomes those with an interest in acting, tech, music, costume, makeup and so much more, with any level of knowledge! So if you want to get involved in a society that allows you to make strong friendships and give you an opportunity to learn something new, then don’t delay in signing up on the hertfordshire.su website!
• Features 15
Baking Society: Could you be their star baker? Hannah Bicknell | Features Editor If you enjoy spending lazy afternoons in the kitchen donning your apron and cooking up a ‘doughverload’ of baked goods, then the Baking Society might be just up your alley. The society continues to earn more and more members due to their friendly nature and all sharing, as the name suggests, a love for baking!
This year, the committee has been refreshed and they are ready to recruit new students.They also plan to diversify their activities, Chairperson, Amabel Richardson, said: “We’ve got some great new ideas, which include going on excursions to chocolate factories and food festivals, as well as teaching more exciting and varied recipes for beginners and experts alike.”
There are several events planned for the year ahead, including their very own mini bake off inspired by the Great British Bake Off (which is every baker’s staple TV show), following twelve homebakers battling it out to be crowned the UK’s Best Amateur Baker. At the end of every month, the Baking Society recreates their own small competitions, so that their members can demonstrate the skills they have learnt within the past month for the chance to win some small baking-related prizes! Like so many of the societies at The University of Hertfordshire, the Baking Society enjoys raising money for charitable causes. Last year, they held a number of bake sales where they raised around £200 for Hope for Children and for the third year Fine Art students’ end of year exhibition in London. They did this through a range of baking inspired events, such as the traditional bake sale, quizzes and a cake-in-a-mug sale. They are still in the process of deciding which causes to support this year, but you can expect to see them dotted around the campus, selling their wares and by being involved in all of the major upcoming holidays. As part of the Give it a Go! scheme, set up by the Students’ Union to get students involved in activities around campus, the Baking Society provided an open class where students could walk in and learn cake
decorating as a trial for the Society, which was dubbed as being extremely popular. Annabel commented, “It was great to meet new enthusiastic people who were really interested in baking and volunteering. It would be great to do something with ‘Give it a Go’ again.” If you would like to get involved with the Baking Society, anyone and everyone is welcome to attend the weekly meetings regardless of having paid for the subscription or not – but at only £10 it hardly breaks the bank! Information about the meetings can be found on their Facebook page.
Facebook: UHSU Baking Society Twitter: @UHSUbaking Email:uhsubakingsociety@gmail.com
Meet Sarah Bennett: The new Societies & Media Coordinator Hannah Bicknell | Features Editor The Students’ Union is full of marvelous and hardworking individuals. They form one unit for the sole purpose of making student life here at the University of Hertfordshire as enjoyable as possible. Amongst those individuals is Sarah Bennett, a great example of how students can make the most of their time at uni! Sarah studied Television Production at Middlesex University, and became Vice President of Art, Design, Media and Performing Arts along the way. She represented all of the students who were part of those schools and campaigned for the changes they wanted. On top of being VP, Sarah also became Editor-In-Chief for the MDX Times and launched Middlesex Students’ Union TV. Luckily for us, Sarah is our new Societies and Media Coordinator, and enthusiastically explained to me what her role involves.
“My job means that I support societies in various ways. These can be by affiliating new societies, checking their finances, so they can do what they want throughout the year and just being there for help. It’s similar for media as I help organise training for them and help the committee provide for Trident Media throughout the year.” When describing a typical day at the SU, Sarah commented: “I don’t know if I can describe a typical day, that’s one of the things I love about the Students’ Union, work every day is different.” Sarah joked: “Today for example I built some Lego towers and had a Freshers’ Angel give me a piggy back.” It was all part of their team building exercises, but she made it clear that serious work takes place as well: “We have loads of new committee members for societies, but they might not know how to go about running a society themselves, so I’m here to help them.” Sarah also works alongside
Trident Media and she lends a helping hand whenever she can. Grinning, she said, “I think Trident Media is great, in my role at Middlesex I always looked at other student media to see what they were doing and they have always been one of the first I’d search!” It was clear from Sarah’s responses that she is devoted to helping the societies and Trident Media reach their full potential. In her spare time, Sarah loves to do her alternative fitness classes, which not only keep her busy, but healthy as well. “About a year and a half ago now I started doing pole fitness, aerial hoop classes and antigravity yoga.” Having the confidence to take new challenges is a wonderful thing, which Sarah has clearly mastered. She is hoping to enter a few competitions for her pole fitness in a few years. If you would like to contact Sarah about help for your society, you can email her at: s.bennett8@ herts.ac.uk or visit hertfordshire.su for more information.
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Study Abroad Blogs At UH we are lucky enough to have an extensive study abroad programme, allowing us to travel to a large variety of different universities all over the world. Our Study Abroad blog series will meet different people along the way - some who are joining us at UH this year, and others who are off around the world. Jacky Linares | Contributing Writer
My parents are the kind of people who get angry with me when I come home five minutes late after curfew; even if the curfew is something like 8pm on a Friday night. They’re overprotective and I was nervous about telling them that I was going to study abroad in England. I mentally prepared myself for the excrement to hit the fan. However, it didn’t, and they were supportive of the idea. This boggled me for a while. After many cups of coffee discussing this with friends, we have arrived as to why: they realised that I was raised by the British. I’m a Guatemalan-American, California grown nineteen-year-old and British have had a significant
Aiden Perrins | Contributing Writer So, my year abroad has begun, almost a month in now and it’s starting to feel like my home from home. First of all, I need to say that Utrecht is a beautiful city, a perfect mix of the vibrant city centre with wonderful buildings, and luscious green countryside. Okay, so I might be using a lot of adjectives, but this place is really worth it. You can’t say anything about this city without using that kind of description.
hand in raising me. My parents are acknowledging it, and for the first time, so am I. J. K. Rowling was the one who wrote the books that helped me learn English in elementary school, when my immigrant parents could not. Those books helped me pass my spelling exams in the first grade, when my Spanish-only brain didn’t understand words like ‘socket’ or ‘broth’. When I was learning the word ‘success’, I asked my dad what it meant, and he told me about the Beatles. How they were the greatest band that ever graced human ears, and to reach that level of glory was to be truly successful. “It is be like one of the 4!” he shouted with his heavy accent over Lennon’s voice blaring on the radio. Later, Steven Moffat’s Sherlock would make me feel better about being called a jerk by my high school peers. I’ll admit that I was acting awful towards them, but Sherlock made me understand that an ‘arrogant know-it-all’ isn’t the worst thing to be. Better than being an idiot who takes a history Jeopardy Review game too seriously anyway. Please.
I could go on. But to sum up how British culture has shaped me, I chose to be an English major despite the many warnings I got about being unmarketable, with a ‘useless degree’ in a bad economy. I know well enough, that the little that I do know about British culture is the sprinkling amongst the American ideals and education that got shoved down my throat. Stuff like watching Doctor Who and knowing that Shakespeare is a god. This is what makes me nervous about studying abroad. People warn, “Don’t meet your heroes!”
This is kind of like that. What if my American humor (because I’m very funny there, I assure you) comes off as rude? Or what if people don’t understand what I’m saying due to my American accent that’s drenched in Californian lingo? And is it true that the British put milk in their tea? I want to believe that my concerns are petty, and that I just need to keep calm and carry on. Right?
The first thing you’d notice when you arrive at any Dutch city would be the bikes. There are bikes absolutely bloody everywhere. I myself now have a bike, but these are nothing like ‘English’ bikes, oh no. These bikes are messed up. Let’s say you have to stop, you would normally pull the brakes on the handlebar right? Wrong. You have to pedal backwards to brake in this country. So there I am as an Englishman riding on the right side (or the wrong side in my opinion) trying to work this damn
bike and not crash into other bikes, pedestrians and even inanimate objects. As for the language barrier? There isn’t one. Almost everybody speaks perfect English. There are even some signs that have an English translation written below the Dutch, like they do in Wales. It also helps that a lot of Dutch words are similar to English words, so when reading you can generally work out a fair few words, and possibly understand the gist of the sentence. Naturally, the most important part of study abroad is the actual studying. Just kidding, it’s the partying. Although Utrecht is not a typical party town, there are a fair few good places to go out, and I have been sure to take full advantage of this. Riding a bike home after a night out is always a fun adventure too. As an added bonus, alcohol is cheaper over here than in England, and beer is basically a staple food, which is fantastic! If anybody reading this is considering study abroad, then I strongly suggest you go for it. Meeting
people from around the world and living in a different country is a great experience for anyone with even the slightest sense for adventure.
Watch this space for more about Jacky Linares’ experience!
Have you been on study abroad or are hoping to go? Tell us your story at headofprint@tridentmedia.org and have the chance to be feautred in our next issue of UniVerse!
• Health and Science 17
Health and wellbeing: keeping in shape as a fresher Laura Slingo | News Editor Mum is no longer here to look over your shoulder or to pester you to finish your plate and eat your veggies. While you’re away at university, it is of the utmost importance that you take full responsibility for yourself in mind, body and soul. You don’t have to adopt a hippy outlook on life, but you do need to pay attention to your mental and physical health. Here’s some exclusive advice on how to stay on top of your health and wellbeing while at university. Nutrition counts Apparently, a typical student survives off pasta and the reduced section at Asda. Well that’s not quite true. While you may have some pizzas in your freezer as a backup, make sure that you are consuming a balanced diet or you could experience several productivity slumps throughout the day.
Stay hydrated Similarly, keep the water flowing. If you’re not hydrated enough you may experience tiredness and headaches, which are not the optimal conditions for a hardworking student.
Sleep well While it is not uncommon for students to have the odd night out, you need to make sure that you are getting your full forty winks or you’ll burn yourself out. Remember, it’s okay to say you need to catch up on some shuteye and forgo a night out every now and then.
UH Campus Pharmacy
Be organised Organise every aspect of your life at university. That could be your workload, your bedtimes, your parttime job, your room, even your kitchen cupboards! By knowing where you stand with yourself and the responsibilities and deadlines that surround you, there’s a much stronger chance of remaining calm and collected; the best conditions for succeeding with your degree. Know your limits Don’t take on too much. While university is exciting with plenty of opportunities, don’t burn the candle at both ends. Remember that your university work is a priority and you may have to let other commitments go if need be.
Remain active Some of you may have never participated in sport, except when you were made to in P.E. class all those years ago. Whether you have a gym membership, belong to a sports team, or simply walk to and from your lectures, be sure to get your body moving on a daily basis.
The Campus Pharmacy is available for students and staff throughout the year to offer advice and support for a variety of health concerns, a full range of over-the-counter pharmacy services and a limited prescription service. Herts was one of the first universities in the country to have a campus pharmacy run by its own Department of Pharmacy, and aims to enhance the clinical training of pharmacy and healthcare students. The Campus Pharmacy offers: • General health and nutrition information • Minor ailments advice • Travel health advice • Chlamydia testing • Emergency contraception • Free stop smoking service • Private consultation room • Pregnancy tests • First aid and medical equipment • Safe medicines disposal • Limited prescription service available The Campus Pharmacy is located on the College Lane Campus near The Forum. They are open on weekdays from 10-2pm or can be reached by phone on 01707 284054.
Be aware of your resources If you are struggling with any aspect of your general wellbeing, you must speak up. The University of Hertfordshire has plenty of resources from counsellors, to wellness workshops, to self-help advice. If you’re ever in need of assistance do not hesitate to contact your personal tutor or check out the UH Student Wellbeing site for more information. Credit: Laura Noakes
18 Health and Science •
UH Pharmacy students names as Student Champions for RPS’ event Laura Slingo | News Editor The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has taken on board two talented University of Hertfordshire Pharmacy academics to be their Student Champions. The RPS is a well distinguished association for pharmacists and pharmacy in Britain with the aim to uphold and continue pharmacy as a valued profession for its members.
This year, it decided to host the first of many Student Champion schemes whereby two academics from Pharmacy schools within universities across the country attend the RPS headquarters in London for an exclusive training session. Herts Uni proudly nominated Shivani Singhania and Tadeh Tahmasi to participate. The UH students confirmed that the event fully endorsed its prestigious reputation covering
everything from information about RPS, development skills vital to pharmacy students, topics in the news related to their field, and even answered personalised questions from the students themselves. Tahmasi writes about his experience: “The President of the RPS, Mr Ashok ‘Ash’ Soni OBE FRPharmS, answered many of our questions, including the main question that is worrying pharmacy students: ‘Is pharmacy too saturated?’ As expected, he answered the question on point, expanding on plans for the future regarding a stronger focus on utilising talented and professional pharmacists in the right areas.” The UH Student Champions confirmed that this specialised event was extremely beneficial. Singhania explained: “Not only did we discover how other students in pharmacy were learning, but this event also developed our understanding of and built on our networking skills for the sector.” The RPS event has certainly prepared students for their future careers in pharmacy and has equipped them with knowledge to share amongst their fellow academics in their respective universities.
Thamasi comments: “As well as being a great addition to the CV, we have been trained to give presentations to our fellow students that will include comprehensive feedback about the event and the skills learnt. This valuable knowledge can then be utilised appropriately once in the working world.” Saying that this event was extremely advantageous couldn’t ring more true. Singhania sums up her learning experiences perfectly:
“I have learnt a lot that will help me… things that will make a lot of difference in the future and things that I want my fellow course mates to know, which is why I’m so passionate about delivering this presentation to them.” After such a successful experience, there could not be a better word to describe these students as anything but champions.
Student’s new Social Networking App on the horizon Oliver Price | News Manager A third year Law student, Toby Moneke, and a second year Electrical Engineering student, Jeremiah Umeni, have created Canadian software company called DOPE SOFTWARE CORPORATION. Both are students at the University of Hertfordshire. According to Moneke: “We intend to release good software applications, hence the name ‘Dope’, to make our lives much easier and better.” Dope Software intends to release a social media app, called Dope Instant Messenger, that Moneke says: “Combines the beauty of Snapchat and the chatting of Whatsapp. “I came up with the idea due to the inconvenience of having two apps with different features.” There were features about the app Moneke couldn’t talk about:
“There is a lot more to the app but we are not at liberty to release the information due to non disclosure agreements in order for people not to steal the app idea.” Moneke said that his team, “Started making it two months ago and we intend to release it next year by 1st January.” Dope Software were going to plan, “a Halloween release but we wanted to get it right the first time so we are looking to test this app numerous times before we release it onto the app store, windows store and android store.” Moneke needs testers for his app: “We are hoping for people to contact our emails for more info for testing and we are looking for 1000 people to test this.” If you are interested contact him at moneketobe@yahoo.com. Keep your eyes peeled on these app stores for Dope Instant Messenger, tentatively scheduled for release by January.
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WORDSEARCH
Horoscopes P F W Y C O L L E G E L A N E
I R V V E G N N W A X E M P C
Z E H A L H S A Q X I O M Y K
Z S L H E Y O E A M T S K M O
A H X E H V G B R H T E G D H
C E C D O V S S E U E O N I Y
O R N B U L L F D W T A R Y Y
N S X U S X O E S I L C Q N X
D F I L E R N R T L W Y E R O
O L N C U T E S I U L Q U L C
M U S M U H I V Y X L I T K X
S O F N S Z A S R A N I M E S
H R I E P H D X S H L S E X E
X O R S E U B U F Q F Z U G E
N F T D Q C W E S R E V I N U
Huriyah Quadri | Print Editor
Leo – You can get free condoms on campus, just sayin’. Libra – That fresher you fell in love with wasn’t the one, they just wanted your £1 pizza. Aries – You’re going to have a lot of spam from all of the societies you signed up for.
Scorpio – It’s a really crap month for you, blame every single Libra you know.
Taurus – You’re already behind on all of your assignments, well done. Gemini – Prepare for the awkward moments coming soon, maybe you shouldn’t have added everyone you met on Facebook. Cancer – Freshers’ flu sucks, we know.
FRESHERS WEEK LECTURES SEX STUDENT UNION DE HAVILLAND COLLEGE LANE FRESHERS FLU
CONDOMS PIZZA THE FORUM ELEHOUSE CLUB DE HAV SEMINARS UNIVERSE
Virgo – Someone will figure out that you’re the one labelling everything in the fridge and they will put an end to your nonsense.
Sagittarius – You’re going to wake up covered in flour and bacon midmonth, and you will never know why (who cares? Free bacon). Capricorn - Someone will find you attractive and then immediately repulsive after seeing you at The Forum Hertfordshire.
Aquarius – There are laws against the kind of things you’re tempted to ‘experiment’ with this month, and maybe you should get checked out.
Pisces – You’re seriously going to need to Netflix and chill.
COMIC STRIP
Freshers’ week is sadly over. It’s time to say farewell to all those takeaways you’ve been having and start using the kitchen for cooking rather than pre-drinking and partying. Chloe Burrowes shares one of her favourite little recipes for a quick, easy and tasty dinner. Whilst the ingredients in this particular recipe should normally be kept a part, we guarantee you’ll want to eat this one!
Coca Cola Chicken Drumsticks This dish is perfect with chicken wings, drumsticks or thighs; the soy sauce gives the dish a Chinese twist! Serve as a snack or as a meal with our side dish option. 2 cloves of garlic 6 x Chicken Drumsticks 1 tbsp of soy sauce Coca Cola • • •
Tweet of the Week:
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@deludedpaddy
Chop two cloves of garlic Seasoned drumsticks Put chicken, garlic and a tbsp of soy sauce into a saucepan or wok Add coke until chicken is fully covered Leave to simmer for approx 1 hour or until most of the coke has reduced
Great as a tasty side dish or to make it a meal; why not add some tasty sweet potato fries?
Tonights rascal number for my night at @theforumherts
Sweet Potato Fries • Peel a sweet potato and cut into fries • Preheat to oven to approx 200c • Coat the fries evenly in oil and season to taste • Pop in the oven for roughly 30 minutes or until crispy
#hertsfreshers
Photo of the Week: President of Hertfordshire
Student Hacks
Students’
Union,
Amos,
the
at
Jack
Ultimate
Colour Fest - 3rd October Credit: Bill Ahmed
Robyn Cleo | Design Editor Make your timetable your Lock Screen! We all know that starting university can be quite daunting but with the right guidance you’ll soon feel at home. I know that my first day was quite hectic, mainly because I couldn’t remember which room I was in at what time. Lectures, seminars and practical sessions packed into one week can all be a bit full on when you’re new to it! So to make life that little bit easier, I made my timetable my lock screen for the first few weeks, which made life all that bit easier. What to do: Just login to Studynet on your phone Scroll to the bottom of the page Click timetable, screenshot it, and then make the image your lock screen You’re done, with one less thing to worry about! The university’s mobile friendly website makes this a piece of cake! Organisation is key to a successful time at uni but remember to have fun! Stay tuned for more student hacks!
The Beauty Counter Katie Noble | Entertainment Editor
Oil-based makeup removers aren’t new, but have you ever thought of removing your makeup with an oil? Now I’m talking not about regular cooking oils, I’m talking about highquality organic oils like jojoba, argan, or sweet almond. Surprisingly, oils make great makeup removers and unlike wipes, they leave your skin thoroughly cleansed and super soft. And if you have oily skin, jojoba is great as it’s extremely similar to our own skin oils. It really gets deep into your pores and helps balance your skin. Use oils, and your skin may even end
up less oily, awesome! Plus, buying organic oils is a lot cheaper than buying multiple packs of makeup wipes that strip your skin (and your bank balance). All you need to do is pour a little organic oil into your hand (organic is important), smooth over your skin to dislodge the makeup, massage in, and then remove with a warm, damp cloth. What oil should I use? For really dry skin: argan, rosehip, sweet almond, shea. For normal to dry skin: rosehip, sweet almond, extra virgin olive. For combination to oily skin: jojoba, rosehip.
Make sure your oils are cold-pressed, organic, and unprocessed for optimal effect!
DELIVERING
UNTIL
4AM FRI-SAT EVERY DAY
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Interview with Ex-rugby player Brett Major Shelby Loasby | Head of Print
The good and the bad
Ex-professional rugby player and former All Blacks Junior, Brett Major, tells us about his rugby career, the dangers of the sport, and advice on going pro. In case you’ve missed the hundreds of adverts, #WearTheRose on Twitter, and the sudden outburst of sporting knowledge from your friends, the highly anticipated Rugby World Cup is upon us – and is being hosted in the home of rugby. In honour of World Cup season, Trident Media was given the rare opportunity to talk to former All Blacks Junior and ex-professional rugby player for Italy, Brett Major.
Reflecting back on his rugby career Brett pointed out his favourite and worst moments. His favourite was of course learning and performing the Haka before every game - no New Zealander is complete without it! His worse memory, however, referred to the dangers of the sport. When playing a friendly match five years ago in the States, Brett’s teammate MIchael Jones from the Albany Knickerbocker rugby club, was involved in terrible accident during a scrum. The accident resulted in Jones breaking his neck, and he is now sadly paralysed from the neck down. The accident is still a very sore subject for Brett and he continues to support Jones and his family. It is a stark reminder that whilst rugby is fun, competitive sport, there is always the risk of danger that needs to be taken into account.
Starting young Born and bred as a true Kiwi in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, Brett was introduced to rugby as soon as he could stand on two feet, and started to actually play when he was just five years old. “I’m a New Zealander! We start playing rugby early!” He added, “We used to play early in the morning, breaking the frost on the grass with our bare feet.” Starting early would have its advantages, as Brett found out when he started playing at his school, Otumoeti college. Whilst Otumoeti was not a big rugby school and hardly had any coaches or scouts visit, Brett still managed to make the New Zealand schools’ All Blacks juniors team back in 1985. His coach contacted a selector, asking them to come in and take a look at Brett’s game. Luckily for him he was selected for the team, which was coached then by All Black fame, Sir Graham Henry.
Life as an All Black Junior Being affiliated with one of the best, world class teams was of course an honour. “As a New Zealander growing up, it was EVERYONE’S dream of wearing the black jersey,” Brett said. “I was lucky enough to wear it and it was one of the proudest moments in my life to be selected.” “You have to understand, the WHOLE country is passionate about rugby and we all stand behind our national team - we live and breathe rugby.” He added, “It was an enormous thrill for me to have my parents see me take the field wearing the black jersey.” Brett toured with the team around Australia for one season.
Words of wisdom
Brett Major in Black, credit: Bay of Plenty Times His time with the team was cut short when he was expelled from school. “I was not much of a scholar and really only went to school to eat my lunch and play rugby,” he said. “They put up with me until the end of the rugby season!”
Rugby in Italy Despite leaving the All Blacks Juniors, Brett’s aspirations in the world of rugby didn’t stop there. In 1989 he moved to Milan, Italy and played a season of professional rugby. “Back in my day we only had a few choices of where you could go overseas to play; Italy, Japan or France.” He said. At the age of 22, Brett was living in a foreign country, didn’t speak a word of Italian and was experiencing a complete culture shock. He noticed the difference between the two countries love of the sport too. “It was very different to NZ rugby. If there was an important soccer match on TV you would only get a couple of guys turn up for training!” He said.
“And being a foreigner in Italy was like you had a bullseye on your back; I was targeted! I was punched and kicked more in Italy than in all my rugby playing career in NZ!” Brett eventually stopped playing for the Italian team, especially considering rugby was not fully professional at this point and he didn’t see a future in it.
Brett also offered some advice to budding rugby players at the university: “Rugby is different now to when I took the field and players are far more mobile, stronger and fitter. Fitness is so important, the All Blacks are such a phenomenal side because their fitness and conditioning is second to none. You need to be fit and dedicated.” With the World Cup well underway, Brett expressed how excited he has been to watch it. “I’ve been looking forward to it for months and will try and watch the majority of games!”
Life after Rugby Since his professional rugby days, Brett has lived and worked in Italy in restaurants and ski resorts and has now been working in the luxury yacht industry for 17 years as an Engineer and Captain. Whilst he spends most his time at sea, Brett still makes precious time to watch as many New Zealand rugby games as possible. “I will do anything to watch NZ play rugby.” He said, “Iif we are at sea, I will always do what I can to make sure we can see the game; I once upgraded our satellite internet service just so I could stream a game of rugby, costing me around 1,500 dollars!”
Brett Major now, with long term girlfriend Gina Loasby If you have any questions for Brett Major, tweet us at @ TridentMediaUK and we will pass them along!
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UH Rugby: Meet the Squad Shelby Loasby | Head of Print
It’s World Cup season in the home of rugby! With The Telegraph releasing their ‘everything-you-need-to-know’ guides about the teams in the World Cup, we thought we’d do the same with UH’s very own Rugby team! Here’s what they had to say for themselves; Weight of Squad: Whilst last year’s 46 man squad wasn’t the largest squad the university had ever seen, we had an average weight of just over 85kg and the combined weight was still in excess of 3.85 tonnes. (3,856 kg). That’s one heavy bundle to be on the bottom of! The biggest player, Steve Negus, is almost 200kg.
Did you know?: The UH Rugby squad has some of the university’s most diverse characters; from international rugby players from the Phillipines and Gibraltar, to a WBFF Body Builder. The squad also includes several athletes and Britain’s answer to Magic Mike. The stereotype of the team is… ...a rowdy group of drunk lads.
4) de Hav Campus, on a Wednesday afternoon. Our first game is on the 14th of October. If you were playing in the World Cup, what odds do you think you would have to win? Ambitious odds of 1000-1! Although, we’d back ourselves against South Africa.
Ranking in the leagues: Last year, first XV finished in second place. This year we are hoping to improve on that by winning the league. The second XV were also title contenders and are hungry for victory this year in both the league and the cup.
Want to get involved with UH Rugby? Come along to training! Monday 6-8pm (4G Pitch, De Hav Sports Village) Wednesday 2-4pm (Pitch 4, de Hav Sports Village)
Awards won: First XV and second XV both won the league in previous years, as well as getting to several cup finals.
Don’t forget that Rugby isn’t just for men! The UH women’s rugby team also meet on Mondays at 6-7pm on New Generation Pitch 2 at the Sports Village.
Best moment in UH Rugby history: Winning the Varsity match last year (2015) against Bedfordshire. It was huge for the club beating a team several leagues above. On a social side, Varsity is also brilliant, with the Spartan socials and Kangaroo Court. Worst moment in UH Rugby history: There are no bad moments in UH Rugby. We win with a smile and learn from their mistakes when we lose. Player of the year (last year): Tom Webb. He started the year as a fresher and is going into next year as Vice Captain. He is an experienced and talented back row and leads by example. Coach: We have a brilliant coach who also coaches the county of Hertfordshire and works for the RFU (Rugby Football Union). He has a lot of time for the players and works hard on improving the individuals as well as the team.
How have you found the World Cup so far? It’s a brilliant spectacle of sport. The opening ceremony was amazing and we’re glad to see England start with a win. SA v Japan was a great game, the SA side played pretty well, the Japanese side were so organised and took their chances. I’m sure we’ll see more surprises over the next five weeks.
Credit: Tegan McCann The reality of the team is… ...a warm and welcoming bunch of high spirited individuals who enjoy sharing beverages together on a Wednesday night, or any night in fact. UH Rugby is without a doubt the most sociable squad at the Uni; someone from Rugby will be out every night of the week and most of the time the squad is out together. Often, people join rugby just for the social side. Numbers are forever growing and with it our third team is constantly developing. What national anthem would you have? We have our own song. To see it for yourself come along to our games at 2pm on The Rugby Pitch (Pitch
It’s going to be a great year for the sport as well as the club. So even if you’ve never played before go aong to their training sessions and try it out! For more information go to uhsport.co.uk/sports-clubs/rugby
Do you think you will see an increase in members due to the World Cup? We hope so. The nature of university sport is that at the end of each year approximately a third of the team leave, so it’s important to fill those positions with new players . Fortunately, we have only lost a hand full of leavers from last year, which means our squad this year has the potential to be particularly large. There’s places for everyone, from elite academy level players to first timers. Positions in each team (1st, 2nd or 3rd) are never guaranteed, players are chosen on their performance at training and in games, meaning if you start by playing for the third team, there is no reason you can’t play for the first team after performing well.
Student wins free gold gym membership Shelby Loasby | Head of Print Trident Media launched a Twitter competition to win a gold gym membership with Hertfordshire Sports Village in the first issue of BlueMoon last month.
Entrants were tasked with taking a selfie wearing gym gear with the hashtag #HertsGetFit. With the handful of entries put into a random generator, the winner was chosen and announced on 4th October. The winner was 20 year old Nariece Sanderson from Essex.
The second year English literature and Creative Writing student was over the moon when she heard. “I’m quite surprised I won!” She said: “I’m not a massive gym goer but hopefully this prize will be a great reason to start!”
Winner: Nariece Sanderson with her entry for the BlueMoon competition. If you want to join or attend a few classes before you try it out, head over to their website now: uhsport. co.uk
UniVerse
SPORT
UH Rugby: Meet the Squad | pg. 23
Interview with Brett Major | pg. 22
Student wins gold gym membership | pg. 23
Credit: UH Racing
UH Racing impress at Formula Student Germany Shelby Loasby | Head of Print The University of Hertfordshire’s student racing team UHRacing gained an impressive sixth place at Formula Student Germany (FSG) in Hockenheim from 29 July - 2 August. Months of hard work and late nights for the student engineers paid off as UHRacing was by far the highest placed UK team out of over 100 other competitors. The team consists of University of Hertfordshire Engineering and Technology students, but is open to anyone trying their hand at Formula student. Member Ashley Craig said, “We were thrilled that after the
many thousands of hours work by up to 25 students, the team finished sixth overall at the biggest Formula Student event in the world. This was a credit to both the hard work of our talented team of engineers and to the University, which has given us fantastic opportunities, teaching and support to help us get this far.” Germany saw the team take things up a gear, following a successful race at Silverstone the previous month, in which they came in 26th overall. Over the course of the year, the team have seen results of: 15th in Design, 30th in Cost, 9th in Business, while dynamic events saw 17th in Skidpad, 44th in Acceleration and 20th in Sprint. The team finished
seventh in the 22km with a time of 1487.71 seconds and finishing this event allowed the team to score efficiency points, in which they placed 6th overall. Professor Reza Sotudeh, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at the University of Hertfordshire, said: “We are extremely proud of our skilful team of student engineers and would like to congratulate them on delivering such a fantastic performance in Germany.” Sotudeh added; “This outstanding result is testament to the high-calibre of our Engineering and Technology students, who have spent many months developing an exceptional car, and the expert staff
who support them. We hope that in the future many of these young people will go on to successful careers within the automotive industry, including Formula One.” Impressively, every Formula 1 team currently has a UH graduate working in it. In June UH Racing launched their most advanced single seated car yet - UH18. The guest speaker at the launch event was ex Formula 1 driver, team owner and Le Mans winner Jackie Oliver. You can find out more about UH Racing through its social media channels: @UHRacing (Twitter), UH Racing (Facebook) and UHRacingTeam (YouTube).