UniVerse | Volume 23 | Issue 6

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Tuesday 27th January Volume 23, Issue 6 TridentMedia.org

Welcome back UH

Brad Johnson and Shelby Loasby What seemed like just a few weeks has actually been a whole semester! With Semester A over and all those stressful exams out of the way, Hertfordshire Students’ Union put together a jam packed fortnight of events to kick off Semester B in style.

Whether you’re doing stuff in the day or the night, the SU guaranteed that there was something to float your boat.

To start the fortnight of endless activities, Flirt! hosted their Geeks Vs. Nerds night on Friday the 16th of January. The event was the perfect celebration for the end of exams and assignments, and saw people geared up with glasses, braces and bowties.

Geeks and Nerds were not the only ones at The Forum Hertfordshire, with parody band The Midnight Beast making an appearance. Band members, Stef, Dru and Ash, took to the stage to play a DJ set of music like Limp Bizkit, Spice Girls and even their own songs.

To add to the excitement, the band handed out free shots of Jack Daniels and even filled up a supersoaker with Cider. Let’s just say it was a messy night!

Monday 19th January saw the first of the Movie Nights in the Forum

Foyer which gave commuters and those living on campus the chance to see cult classic for free. Following the movie experience, the Forum Hertfordshire opened its doors to Sound of Uni Life (S.O.U.L) and the insane grime artist, Lethal Bizzle. Lethal Bizzle is best known for his track ‘Oi’ which reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart in 2002.

Tuesday 20th January was your chance to get skates on and take a roll in the Forum’s UV Roller Disco. The event was a huge success with loads of students taking to the rink. Following the success of the event, the SU hosted its second movie night in the Ele House with tonnes of free popcorn.

After Lethal Bizzle shook the Forum on Monday night, it was time for the Desi Superjam team to take over on Tuesday! Re-Freshers was only two days in and even us at UniVerse were a bit exhausted.

Wednesday saw the return of the Forum’s midweek party BONK! However, before that, Hertfordshire Students’ Union hosted a conservation project at Bayfordbury. If that wasn’t for you, there was a movie night in the Forum Foyer.

If you weren’t feeling too rough by then, Thursday saw the whole of the

Hertfordshire Students’ Union team out for our deHavilland Campus Fun Day. There was a bunch of activities and tonnes of free gifts and prizes up for grabs. Before the even, Grainne O’Manghain, deHavilland Campus Officer said: “I am so excited for campus fun day, it’s gonna be such a laugh can’t wait!”

In typical Hertfordshire ReFreshers style, after the Fun Day, there was another film night in the Ele House followed by Breakout’s Disney Party in the Forum Hertfordshire until the early hours of the morning.

Friday was by sure the busiest day of the Hertfordshire Re-Freshers calendar. In the day, the Re-Freshers Fair took place in the Forum. This was your chance to meet the elected officers, societies, volunteering projects, as well as some of the SU’s commercial partners.

If that wasn’t tiring enough, it was time to dig out that school uniform for Flirt!’s Skool Disco! closing the week of crazy antics with Danny Howard taking over Smirnoff Saturday in The Forum Hertfordshire.

What was your best bit of #HertsRefresh and what would you like to see next year? Let us know @TridentMediaUK!

News • Students still being housed in Ridgeview | Page 2

Features • Meeting the Musician’s Society | Page 7

Health • Cervical Cancer Prevention Week | Page 11

Sport • Nine fun ways to keep fit for the New Year | Page 14

2

Editorial •

Students still being housed in Ridgeview accommodation Kealie Mardell & Brad Johnson In November 2014, UniVerse reported that the University had placed students in Ridgeview, off campus accommodation in London Colney. Following this, Ross Renton, Dean of Students, stated that: “The University has no intention of using Ridgeview next year or at any time in the future.”

However, a source suggested that on the weekend 17-18th January, 54 students moved into Ridgeview, with a further 104 students moving into deHavilland and 158 into College Lane. This has been disputed as only 23 students between Saturday 17th and Wednesday 21st, bringing the total students at Ridgeview to 46.

UniVerse contacted Renton regarding the unexpected new intake, and he replied with: “I can

confirm that the University moved all the Semester A students from Ridgeview who wanted on-campus accommodation. It remains that the University has no intention of using Ridgeview next academic year (2015/16).”

Renton also gave assurances that the accommodation would only be used for “a few weeks for approximately 20 new Semester B students.”

In our previous article, Renton detailed that Ridgeview has a number of benefits, including being over £50 a week cheaper than a new build Halls room, amenities such as a communal lounge with Sky TV, a pool table, table tennis, free parking, and proximity to a number of large shops.

“As Ridgeview is away from campus it is inevitable that we

cannot re-create the comprehensive amenities and facilities that a student living on campus will benefit from,” said Renton. “We do everything we can to ensure that the students who live off campus feel part of the university community and part of their own community within Halls of Residence.”

Students living in Ridgeview made complaints regarding issues including out-of-date facilities and inefficient transport to campuses.

Renton claimed that Ridgeview is “of a comparable or better standard” to other housing offered by private providers.

What do you think of the university’s decision to continue housing students in Ridgeview accommodation? Let us know @TridentMediaUK.

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

Print Editor

Kealie Mardell print.editor@tridentmedia.org

Deputy Editors

Brad Johnson Laura Noakes deputy.print.editor @tridentmedia.org

Sub Editors

Emma Langschied (Design) Shelby Loasby (News) Mercedes Brazier (Sports) Taveena Atsu (Features) Krystyna King (Events) Rebecca Harding (Photos)

Contributors

Chloe Burrowes Charles Smith

Editor in Chief Shannen Rock

Copy Editor Sean Howlett

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

Trident Media wants you!

Kealie Mardell | Print Editor Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed the winter break and are ready for another great semester at Herts.

I’m excited to announce that on 21st February Trident Media and Hertfordshire Students’ Union are hosting the second Student Publication Association Regional Conference here on campus.

This is an opportunity for us to meet other student media outlets from the South East and engage with industry professionals. Now is a better time than ever to become a member of Trident Media and join us for the

event. Whether you’re interested in print, radio or TV, joining Trident Media can be your platform to develop your skills and experience.

Trident Media is the voice of student news, views, and opinion here on campus, but we can’t do that without a great team.

Membership is £15 for the year and can be purchased at the Students’ Union or online at hertfordshire.su/ TridentMedia.

@TridentMediaUK tridentmedia.org

• News 3

Hertfordshire rated as “internationally excellent” and “world leading” for research

results.ref.ac.uk

Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor

The Government’s 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) announced that the University of Hertfordshire has been rated ‘world leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ for over 55% of the University’s research.

REF assesses the quality and impact of research submitted by UK universities across all disciplines. The results are then used by the funding bodies to allocate block-grant research funding to universities from 2015-16.

Impact is a new criterion of the REF and the university was pleased that 100% of its research demonstrated impact with over 90% being classed as ‘considerable impact’ and 51% as ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable.’

Hertfordshire was the only university in the country to receive a 100% 4 star or ‘world leading’ rating for its history research impact, and topped all other University Alliance group universities for the quality of

history research.

Professor Jonathan Morris said: “I am delighted that our world leading research in history and the history unit’s commitment to generating outstanding impacts across all the dimensions of its research has been fully recognised by the REF.”

The two impact cases submitted by history researchers at the university were; Threads of Feeling: Exhibiting the Foundling Textiles’ by Professor John Styles; and ‘The Old Bailey Online: Bringing Criminal and Legal History into the present’ by Professor Tim Hitchcock. The UH Heritage Hub and Everyday Lives in War also contributed.

Other areas were also particularly strong for Hertfordshire, including; Philosophy, which achieved 80% outstanding and very considerable impact; and Nursing, which achieved 100% outstanding and very considerable impact.

Woman charged with property fraud offences in Hatfield Kealie Mardell | Print Editor

A woman has been charged with property fraud offences in connection with incidents which are suspected of occurring in Hatfield recently. It is thought that victims may include students at the University of Hertfordshire.

According to Hertfordshire Constabulary it is alleged that, on a number of occasions, a property was falsely advertised for rent in Hatfield and deposits were being taken from people. However it is believed that the property was never intended to be rented out and the deposit money was never returned to the alleged victims.

Jecintha Krishnan, aged 34 of Cherry Way, Hatfield, was

charged on the 18th January with fraud by false representation.

She appeared at Hatfield Remand Court on the 19th January and was remanded into custody, according to Herts Police.

PC Dave Murray from Hatfield Police Station said: “I would like to speak to anyone who believes they have been a victim of this type of crime in the Hatfield area. Please contact me via the Herts Police non-emergency number, 101 as soon as possible.”

If you think you may have been affected by property fraud visit Hertfordshire Students’ Union Advice and Support or email advice@hertfordshire.su for more information.

4

News •

Students take on the Jailbreak Challenge Laura Noakes | Deputy Editor

This February a handful of very brave students will be attempting Jailbreak.

Jailbreak is RAG’s challenge to get as far away from the University of Hertfordshire as possible in 36 hours.

Sounds simple? Well, not quite - they will have to do it all without spending any money.

Previously Herts’ students have got as far as Paris and Milan! This year, Jailbreak will take place from Friday February 6th to Sunday February 8th.

There will be teams of two to three people and each team will be monitored by a tracking system and texts whilst the challenge is ongoing! There will also be updates posted on social media so everyone will know how each team is doing.

Not only will teams be aiming

to get as far away from Hatfield as possible, they will also be fundraising money - there’s even a prize for the team who has raised the most cash before the challenge begins! So if you aren’t feeling like participating in the

challenge itself, why not donate some money for a great cause?

This year all money raised from the challenge will go to one of three of RAG’s chosen charities; Teens Unite, Haven House Children’s

Hospice and Young Minds.

Teens Unite supports teenagers suffering from cancer, Haven House Children’s Hospice looks after children with lifelimiting and lifethreatening conditions and supports their families, and Young Minds help young people who are suffering from mental health problems. Each team will have a JustGiving page for donations.

Jailbreak is a great way to raise money for charities who do amazing work, and it’s also such a unique and fun experience for those involved. If you know someone participating make sure you show your support for this incredible challenge by posting on social media or donating. Let us know how far you think they’ll get this year @TridentMediaUK!

Hutton Hub development plans Laura Noakes | Deputy Editor

Over the Christmas Holidays, essential services for students were moved into one handy location on College Lane Campus; Hutton Hub. Hutton Hub is located right next to The Forum, and now contains services such as the Student Centre, Careers Employment and Enterprise, Student Wellbeing, the Medical Centre and Pharmacy and the SU. This re-location is an important part of the campus development plan that is currently ongoing and is expected to upgrade facilities at UH.

Not only does Hutton Hub hold key services in one place, but it also has a great social area where students can meet their friends or study. The university expects to be able to lease a unit to a high street bank within time and also expects to open a juice bar Hutton Hall opened this January, so why not head over to College Lane to check out the new developments. As always, let us at Trident Media know what you think by tweeting us @TridentMedia or writing on our Facebook page at facebook.com/TridentMediaUK.

Kealie Mardell | UniVerse

Vice Chancellor’s Awards 2014-15

Who would you

nomin te?

To find out more or to make a nomination:

go.herts.ac.uk/vca or call:

01707 286593

Celebrating Excellence GA14747/DS/11_14

6

Features •

What do you think about resolutions? Have you say @TridentMediaUK!

Shelby Loasby | UniVerse

Do New Year’s resolutions really work?

Opinions are the writers own and are not endorsed by Trident Media or Hertfordshire Students’ Union

NO!

YES! Laura Noakes | Deputy Editor So it’s the start of a New Year. The Christmas decorations have been packed away, the last of the turkey has gone and you’re probably suffering from a postfestive hangover. Uni is starting back up and there are exams to prepare for and assignments to submit and yet January is the time of year that most people start anew, turn over a new leaf and make some New Year’s resolutions. Most people think New Years resolutions are fads - good intentions that last for a few weeks and then fade into nothingness by mid-January.

But I think New Year’s Resolutions can, and DO work.

Think about it: Christmas is all about overindulging - eating and drinking WAY too much, spending copious amounts of money, receiving presents that you’re never going to use. After all that overdoing it, January is the perfect time to go cold-turkey (pun intended) on whatever your guilty pleasure is.

It’s the quintessential fresh start; the line drawn between the old and new. So get healthier, drink less, learn to play an instrument, say yes more - whatever your New Years resolution is, no matter what Uni/ life stress lays ahead, DO IT! And even if the cold chill of January has got you down and the excitement of the New Year has worn off, think about that resolution - think about the wish you made on January 1st and why you wanted to achieve that - and recommit yourself to that resolution.

By December 31st 2015, it will definitely be worth it.

Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor Yes, New Year’s resolutions are the perfect way for you to attempt to have a fresh start and new beginnings. BUT, the novelty of the ‘new year, new me’ is just that - a novelty. People cannot simply change overnight or just completely stop eating chocolate (I know from experience). Changes to your lifestyle and personality take time and commitment, and nine times out of ten, the commitment of a new year’s resolution only lasts the first two weeks of January. And think about your resolutions from last year. Did you manage to cross any off? Or have they made another appearance this year?

A friend of mine, who also happens to be a cynic, said that New Year’s Eve is simply the “arbitrary passing of time” and “a concoction of industries to make more money out of a pointless celebration.” Whilst this puts a massive damper on New Years, he does have a point. And his point relays onto the New Year’s

resolutions. We set goals for ourselves all the time, and it has actually been proven that goals made at any other point in the year, are more likely to be met than at the beginning of the year.

There are 364 other days for you to make life-decisions. So why narrow it down to this one day? Because at New Years we try to think of resolutions that we should be doing, rather than what we want to be doing.

I’m not saying don’t make new years resolutions - go ahead and join the bandwagon - but what I am trying to say, is that if you’re going to do it then think about it carefully, be realistic and commit to it. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time and energy and will end up disappointed when you don’t reach your goals.

What you could do instead is forget the resolutions and just start the New Year thinking about what you want to change or start doing. Don’t set yourself targets, just make little alterations here and there, and before you know it, you will see changes.

• Features 7

Photos by Liam Richards

Meeting the Musicians’ Society Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor

Trident Media caught up with the Musicians’ Society last month, in the midst of their rehearsals for the Drama Society’s Panto, Robin Hood: A Game of Crowns. Before being serenaded with a christmas medley, we were able to grab a few words with Liam Richards, Chair, and Jacob Wing, Treasurer.

Formerly known as the Chamber Orchestra, the Musicians’ Society has undergone a ‘revamp’ this year under the lead of Liam Richards.

He believed that the original society was often considered to be elitist and wanted to rebrand the society as a place for anyone and everyone to come along and share their musical talents and appreciation of music.

Whilst there are some other

niche music societies at UH, the Musicians’ Society provides people with a network of like-minded people who can develop skills and keep their passions alive. The committee aim to accommodate to everyone’s standards and don’t want people to be intimidated - they are a group of very friendly and enthusiastic people.

The society generally meets every Thursday, 7-9pm, to play as an orchestra or to explore different music genres, chosen by the members. Richards and Wing stressed that “anyone can turn up with their instrument, request a song to learn and play, and have the chance to relieve their musical frustration” - take that as you will.

They also expect people to show dedication to rehearsals and give a hundred percent in performances

and concerts.

When they said ‘anyone’ could join, they really did mean it.

The society is currently made up of 18 members who are studying a range of different courses. There’s computer scientists, pharmacists, environmentalists, film and TV ‘ists’ and the society even welcomes graduates and members of staff to come along. Richards himself is studying aerospace engineering, but is also classically trained and has won several conductor competitions - so you know you are in safe hands.

Over the past year, the Musicians’ Society have started to gain more and more recognition and have made several appearances around the university at open days and events, and also had the opportunity to perform at the Galleria. They are also

often found down at the EleHouse having a few drinks after practice.

After all, no society social is complete without a drink or two!

There are lots of exciting plans for 2015, from murder mystery music to film titles and symphonies and the committee are encouraging anyone to join for a small membership fee.

They are specifically on the look out for brass and percussion musicians to make their orchestra even stronger.

Does this society sound like something you would be interested in joining? Head over to hertfordshire. so/societies to sign up, or check them out on Facebook and Twitter @HertsSUmusic.

George the Poet sparks up a conversation Taveena Atsu | Features Sub Editor

Island Records

George Mpanga is a young poet who sets out to send a powerful message: ‘There’s a lot of power in your decisions, but you decide how much power.’ At King’s College, Cambridge, George studied Sociology, Psychology and Politics where he was able to learn about issues that affect the generations of today.

Mpanga isn’t new to music.

He’s influenced by rap artists such as Tupac, who also started out as a poet, and has been writing since the age of about fourteen. Mpanga tells us, “I started writing lyrics, because I wanted to discuss what I was saying,” he said. “But when I was 19 I realised that it’s better for a live performance if I can talk my lyrics, so I decided to be a poet.” He prefers to deliver his

message through poetry as it allows him to deliver his messages with more impact. That’s not to say that rap music is a bad thing, but Mpanga believes that as a rapper it’s often “quite hard because they put you in a box. As a poet, all the doors opened up to me.”

At the moment, Mpanga is doing a university wide tour to start a discussion about issues such as premature parenthood and other issues that young people are faced with in today’s society. George came to perform at The Attic, where he and the crowd engaged in a controversial conversation on relationships and other things that can impact them.

The crowd were fired up by this, alongside the messages he delivered through his poems from his EP The Chicken and the Egg which is ‘about

the cycle of premature parenthood.’

‘The UK has the highest teenage birth and abortion rates in Western Europe,’ according to fpa. org.uk. ‘And groups who are more vulnerable to becoming teenage parents include young people who are: in or leaving care, homeless, underachieving at school, children of teenage parents, members of some ethnic groups, involved in crime, and living in areas with higher social deprivation.’ It’s no wonder George feels so strongly about it! Mpanga aims to start a conversation, and get everyone involved in order to start making young people think before they act.

You can listen to more from George the Poet on iTunes and find out updates from him at georgethepoetblog.tumblr.com

8

Features •

Meet the lecturer: Penny Pritchard English Literature

Taveena Atsu | Features Sub Editor

Penny Pritchard helps us to draw the lines between working in communications and being a teacher.

She also gives some advice on what to do if you’re unsure about what career you’d like to go into.

Her previous positions were concerned with marketing and PR, though in different industries, she says. Pritchard has weaved her way through a number of jobs in communications, including PR, sales, and marketing. She has also run a number of marketing departments, including the West End, and Chelsea.

These jobs could be seen as quite similar, as they all involve “having direct contact with potential clients.”

Teaching, on the other hand, she said: “Isn’t about ‘selling’ something to an individual, teaching means facilitating others’ learning – and this is particularly the case for university-level teaching.”

As any university student

would know, independence is crucial for your studies in order to do well.

Pritchard constantly engages her students and is passionate about what she does.

“One of the delights of teaching English Literature is that I get to spend my professional life thinking,” said Pritchard, “and sharing ideas, something which I love and which continues to fascinate me.”

Although there are similarities between the two that have helped her: “In both sales and teaching, you have to be able to think on your feet, be prepared to try different tactics.”

Pritchard, like many others made a career change that she didn’t regret.

She tells us that she gets “professional satisfaction from teaching that I had never experienced in any of my previous jobs.”

Being asked what we want from life is not a question that many students are prepared to answer, and Pritchard agrees. “I just think that it’s

very hard for many students to have any clear idea of what they want to do with their lives when they leave university,” she said. If you don’t know which field you’d like to get into, why not try different paths?

How do you really know what you want to do unless you try?”

Pritchard believes that people should “be open-minded about what the future holds; remember that you are acquiring a whole spectrum of skills above and beyond the subject of your university degree,” she says, “which will appeal to potential employers.”

Who knows, there may well be jobs out there that you’ve never heard of, she said. “Getting started in an unexpected direction could be the beginning of something amazing!”

Penny Pritchard is a prime example of how we’re not doomed to one field within our careers. If you’d like more info in different career paths, go to careerhub.herts.ac.uk

Grumpy Corner: The Facebook Rant Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor

It’s the new year, time for fresh starts, new beginnings and all that malarkey. So what could there possibly be to moan about? What has reignited the wrath of the Grumpy Corner? Well it has a little something to do with Facebook.

Last year we were bombarded with Ice Bucket Challenge videos and the no make-up selfies under the pretense that they helped raise money for charity. I, myself, even took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge so I’m not one to judge. BUT, 2015 has been taken over by the most irritating and pointless trend; reposting the ‘first profile pic.’

The trend is pretty selfexplanatory. You post your first profile picture and then nominate three friends to do the same. It’s basically #TBT but for every waking second of the day. It’s a way to embarrass everyone and is actually a

lose-lose situation for those involved and for those unfortunate ones, like myself, who have to deal with looking at a gazillion photos every day.

First thing I want to say about this annoying craze is NOBODY CARES. Even if people did want to see your shameful and awkward emo picture from six years ago, theres a little thing called Facebook Stalking.

Everyone has done it, and everyone will continue to do it. I don’t want your ‘OMG can’t believe I looked like that’ post on my timeline. If I truly cared enough, I would find it for myself.

Next on my agenda is how utterly pointless this craze is. Whilst a small number of people have started donating to Mental Health Ireland, there’s no official charity attached it, so you don’t get lulled into a fake sense of ‘I’m helping people by being nostalgic and vain on Facebook.’ No one knows where this started either, which is lucky for the creator really

because I’m sure there’s hundreds of people out there who are sick and tired of scrolling through their news feed and thinking ‘I want to kill whoever started this!’

Finally, the people that annoy me the most with this trend are the ones who say ‘ Don’t know why I’m doing it but here’s my photo.’ Where to start with this? Well the obvious thing must be said, if you don't know why you are doing it...DON’T DO IT. Save yourself and hop off of the bandwagon, come back and join the normal Facebookers. If enough people don’t join in, the craze will just die off and we can live in peace again.

People who disagree with me will say, ‘Well just ignore it then; don’t go on Facebook; yada yada yada.’ Fair enough. But you don’t understand my frustration and slight increase of stress levels by the fact that my Facebook has been hijacked by something so vexatious. I just

want to keep in touch with friends and family and keep up to date with Ladbible. I don’t want to see your old profile picture!

So to bring this rant to an end, please take what I said on board and think twice before joining in Facebook crazes like this one. Think about the amount of people you may be annoying. And most of all, think about the about of ‘Facebook friends’ - and real friends - you might lose in the process.

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10

Health •

Beat the January blues Chloe Burrowes | Contributing Writer Along with the postChristmas lull, freezing temperatures and exams; January also gives us the most depressing day of the year – Blue Monday on the 26th of January. The date was originally identified by academic Cliff Arnall in 2005 who calculated based on weather conditions, debt levels, failed New Year’s Resolutions and going back to work after the Christmas holidays, that most people would feel down the most on this day. (However, there is some discrepancy between this date and the 19th of January) Twitter also takes a turn on this day, with an increase in negative language and tweets all

indicating towards a distinct drop of mood in this month. Luckily, there are facilities in place and things to do to lift your mood, making Blue Monday a little bit easier.

With stress in the student population rising in recent years; places like the Advice and Support centre are on hand to help you.

The Advice and Support Centre on campus gives students ‘the opportunity to sit down, with a cup of tea, and talk about what is worrying them’.

Faith Goligher, Student Welfare Advisor explains how the centre “provides practical support and guidance for students, and may also refer them to external support services (such as the Counselling Service) where appropriate.”

The mentoring team are also on hand; providing support in everything from studies to personal well being.

If it’s not professional advice you need, there’s plenty of stuff to do at home to help curb the January blues. Bake a cake, light some candles, read a book you’ve been meaning to for a while or just do something you have always wanted to. Blue Monday doesn’t have to get you down, it’s just another day in January – but if you aren’t feeling upbeat; a duvet day may be your best option!

For more information from Advice and Support call 01707 285022 or drop into the Students’ Union!

• Health 11

Laura Noakes | Deputy Editor

If you think you may have overindulged a little too much over Christmas, then Dry January may be for you. Dry January is an annual campaign by Alcohol Concern, a charity that works on alcohol-related issues. To take the challenge all you have do is give up the booze for the entirety of January. You can also sign up for a JustGiving page, and get people to donate to support your

alcohol free month.

Last year, more than 17,000 people signed up to Dry January, and this year it could be you. Natasha, a second year Psychology student at UH, has decided to take the challenge this year. ‘I had a great time over Christmas’ she says, ‘but I wanted to kick off 2015 in a healthier way. It’s been okay so far - it’s a bit weird not drinking when I go out - but I’m not missing alcohol that much.’

Even if giving up the booze

isn't for you this January - there are plenty of other ways to get involved.

Why not donate to Alcohol Concern, or raise money by fundraising in a different way - take on a sporty challenge or set up a cake stand.

Alcohol Concern is an essential charity for those suffering from the effects of alcohol dependence; only 5.6% of dependant drinkers have access to treatment and hospital admission rates for liver disease have rose over 100% in under 30s in the

last 10 years.

So even if you don’t fancy giving up alcohol this January there are plenty of ways of getting involved and raising funds and awareness for Alcohol Concern. If you are taking on the Dry January challenge this year, let us know how you’re getting on by tweeting us @TridentMedia.

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week Shelby Loasby | New Sub Editor

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week falls on the 25th to the 31st of January this year and is hoping to raise more awareness and support than ever before.

Everyday in the UK, nine women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and three women will lose their lives to the disease. These odds can be reduced and prevented through the help of cervical screenings and the HPV vaccination programme.

However, one in three young women fail to attend their screenings when invited, because they either think it is an embarrassing or painful test, or they simple believe it to be unnecessary.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is one of the leading charities for Cervical Cancer. They make it clear that ‘early detection of the disease is key in increasing survival rates, so educating everyone on the disease’

is essential. They explain that the screenings are designed to help save lives and detect abnormal cells on the cervix before they develop into cancer. It is important that people are aware of the risks, and even more important that they attend their screenings.

Robert Music, Chief Executive for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said; “Every day we see the devastating impact a cervical cancer diagnosis can have on both a woman and her loved ones. It’s now time that we see a shift in awareness of cervical cancer and an understanding of the importance of smear tests.”

In the past two years, the trust have accomplished countless achievements.

They produced symptoms awareness videos, distributed over 90,000 materials and launched five new support groups across the UK. They even launched the ‘Put Yourself in The Picture’ campaign in 2014, which saw the utilisation of

social media platforms, and people pledging to attend cervical screenings and sharing an image of them in a pink cardboard picture frame. This campaign even reached celebrities like Hannah Spearitt (SClub 7) and Lauren Goodger (TOWIE), which helped to promote the Prevention Week.

All this hard work has definitely paid off, with the 2014 review showing a 3% increase in Twitter followers and a 5.4% increase in Facebook likes over the week. To some, these figures may not appear very high, but for the Trust, it shows promising results that more and more people are aware of cervical cancer and are going to get tested themselves. The trust also raised £773,582 last year, which saw a significant increase the previous year’s income of £650,977.

The plans for 2015 are just as ambitious as ever. With social media being such a successful platform

for campaigns, the trust launched #SmearForSmear at 11am on Sunday 25th January. They asked people to take a lipstick smear selfie (apply lipstick and smear across your cheek) and to nominate their friends to do the same, with the #SmearForSmear.

This will allow them to reach many more women and help spread their prevention message. So make sure you get involved on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to donate!

There are also plenty of other activities and fundraising events you can get involved with all year round, ranging from cycling and walking to skydiving and mountain climbing.

You can even organise your own events like cake sales, boot sales and dinner parties.

To find out more information or get yourself tested, you can go to the charity’s website, call them on 020 7250 8311 or visit the SU Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.

• Sport 13

Activator Interview: Luke Trevillion Activator Luke Trevillion

Mercedes Brazier | Sports Sub Editor UniVerse meets sports Activator Luke Trevillion to find out more about the role and other sporting activities available at the university.

UniVerse: What made you interested in becoming an Activator?

Luke Trevillion: A career in Sports Development is what I want to pursue, and being an activator gives me direct experience for this. It also teaches leadership, which could also be seen as coaching, and this is something I have a lot of experience in and wanted to expand. Also the initiative is one that I am proud to be involved in, as it can potentially change lives, and as one of the faces for active students it makes me happy to be helping give others great sport sessions free of cost.

UV: Have you taken part in sport from a young age?

experience as coaching P.E. lessons are different to usual coaching.

get off to an effective start, but after a few sessions it settles down and I’m getting to know the group in general.

UV: What do you enjoy most?

LT: I really enjoy working one on one with individuals when they need a bit of help with certain skills, but also I like the happiness of students when they learn something and they are proud with themselves! If there is a student whom you feel isn’t too confident in their ability and they are really getting into the sport and it’s helping their confidence, I think that is the best thing ever.

UV: Do you get a chance to take part in some of the sessions as a normal student?

LT: Yes, some of the sessions have specialist coaches and I enjoy learning new techniques such as Olympic lifting; I’ve never done it before!

UV: Have you taught any sessions that you have never done before?

LT: I’ve not always been a great admirer of sport, I was more arty. I didn’t get that enthusiasm for it until I was in around year 9, but even then I hated my P.E. lessons!

LT: Although I have a level 1 coaching qualification in Basketball, I do not have any experience in Basketball, and this is one of my sessions.

UV: Do you have to have any past experience in teaching sports?

UV: Was it difficult something new?

LT: I’ve had a lot of experience in voluntary coaching (over 150 hours), including coaching my secondary school year 7 and 8 football team for a term. I also was a teaching assistant for a bit which was a fantastic

LT: The Basketball session involves a lot of man-management, and some leadership, but I seem to be doing fine in this. It’s not the sport that’s the difficult part, but with new and unfamiliar faces it’s a little harder to

teaching

UV: What do you hope to get out of being an activator?

LT: Experience. Being an activator is not just about leading a group, but also involves different aspects such as marketing, time-management and some general creativity so it can offer a lot of skill enhancements. Also the contacts that can be made by liaising and meeting with different people can be very good for future career development.

UV: What would be your dream sport/activity to put on?

LT: Roller Hockey. Even though we already offer this within our roller skating session. I absolutely love it!

I learnt how to roller skate through playing roller hockey through Active Students two years ago, and now I am the activator for it. My second choice would be field hockey though.

UV: Does it interfere with your studies?

LT: It’s very flexible so I choose the sessions that I would be able to do. If there is a time we cannot do a session, then someone else could potentially cover it, so it does not interfere at all.

UV: Are you a member of an AU team?

LT: Hockey! I am also the Hockey 2’s

captain.

UV: Do you see the same faces at every session? Or new ones?

LT: It depends on the session. Ones such as basketball we would usually get the same faces, but at football and Olympic lifting, we do get a high turnover of different faces.

UV: Do the sessions you put on have the same routines and techniques, or do you change them around?

LT: Basketball keeps to the same routine, as it’s what the students want, and if we tried to change it then they wouldn’t be happy. But for football the session is usually different depending on who turns up, but I try and keep it fresh and change it up once in a while. What I learnt through coaching is to cater for the group not yourself.

UV: Do you take part in any other activities/volunteering outside of Active Students and your studies?

LT: I am the project leader of a volunteer group called Be In Sport which is about getting students opportunities to volunteer within local sports clubs, but also giving them rewards for volunteering through our funding. We have tried to copy Active Students in a way, by not just being a project, but trying to create our own brand to stand out from the crowd and be recognised a bit more.

14

Sport •

9 fun ways to keep fit

Charles Smith | Contributing Writer

Many of us have indulged in a plentiful amount of chocolates and sweets over the Christmas period and now that you are back to a normal routine, you have lost all motivation to keep fit. Sound about right?

You may keep telling yourself that you will start being healthy as soon as the last remains of your Christmas chocolate stash runs out, but who are you kidding. Chocolates and sweets are forever around us, if it’s not from Christmas, it’ll be some other occasion. It is time to put them to one side and get started with the new healthy you which you promised yourself on New Year’s Eve.

Exercise is often stereotyped with lifting weights or running on a treadmill until you become miserable; this is simply not the case. If you don’t like doing it, then don’t do it. Exercise is a way of getting fit and healthy. In order to reach that goal a healthy lifestyle has to be maintained – and the only way to achieve this is by exercising in a way that you enjoy.

However difficult it may be, these 7 fun ways to keep fit will make your New Year’s resolution slightly easier and a great deal more enjoyable.

Lucy Parker, Vice President of the University’s Rock Climbing Club says, “Climbing is good exercise because it uses pretty much every muscle in the body. It pushes your body to the limit and increases muscle tone”.

Not matter what your age or ability, work those muscles you didn’t know you had with Rock climbing.

Act like a kid again

Not in the nonsensical sense, but as a child you actually performed an array of beneficial exercises to keep you fit, without even realizing it.

Hula Hooping

Hula Hooping is no longer just a 1950’s craze, it has hit the mainstream as an ideal 2015 exercise that will tone your stomach, arms, thighs and butt. This body toning workout only requires a hula hoop; a small child’s one will not do – you will need a large and heavy one to perform this activity for best results. According to health.com you can burn 300 calories in 30 minutes; a fun way to relive your childhood while keeping fit.

Rock Climbing

Jump Roping

Rock Climbing is not just for those adrenaline junkies out there, anyone no matter how amateur can join in and have fun. Quite different to that of running, it is an anaerobic exercise which builds your strength and balance throughout the body.

A common playground activity, skipping, or more technically known as jump roping is another easy way to get fit, “Jumping rope torches a ton of calories, builds athleticism and looks incredibly cool—if you do it

right. If you’re tripping yourself up on every rotation of the rope, you’re not likely to impress anyone. But you have to start somewhere and the best place, of course, is the bare basics” says muscle and fitness.

Handstands

Handstands are very much an underrated exercise, yet they are extremely beneficial for your health. Many people presume that they are unable to perform such an ‘advanced’ action. You don’t have to have been a gymnast or yoga practitioner; whether you do them against a wall or freestanding you will still reap the rewards. Not only will they bring out the inner child, they also improve your upper body strength and balance. Obviously you will have to have the strength to hold yourself up, even if it’s for only 5-10 seconds, as well as keeping control over your body to keep your body up.

These activities can be performed inside and out, perfect for any daily routine, no matter your lifestyle.

You will be able to turn the clocks back and enjoy being a kid again, if only for a few hours a week.

Create or join a team

Fun exercise which is relatively painless is perfect for those who just want to keep active.

The opportunity do so is through inter-campus football. You have the option for 6 or 11 aside; whichever you may prefer.

There are two ways to get involved: The first option is to

assign yourself captaincy and gather together a few mates to create a team. The second option is to attend a ‘Get into football’ day where you’ll be scouted by team captains looking to fill their team. These sessions are held at the beginning of every semester; the next one will be on Wednesday 21st January from 12.30pm on New Gen 1, de Havilland campus.

“The structure of the Campus Football programme, alongside Active Students, also allows students to play a format of football every day of the week. Meanwhile whilst gaining the health benefits, you also are building those social interactions” says James Tierney, Sports Development of Officer at the University of Hertfordshire Athletic Union.

Peter Krustrup, who led the Copenhagen-based study regarding the physical benefits of football says, “Recreational football is a highly intermittent sport with numerous brief intense actions, including sprinting, turning, jumping, tackling and shooting, interspersed with lowintensity activities.”

Active Students

With the University offering a vast array of sporting options, the opportunities are endless, so why not get involved and try something new. Work your cardiovascular system in a new way to your regular exercise by part taking in exercises and sports that you may have never tried before; this will help with your endurance and keep fat burning at an optimum.

• Sport 15

for the new year

See more pictures on Instagram! @ActiveStudents James Kent an Active Students activator says, “It is about having fun, getting active, making new friends and building or learning new skills… One of our objectives is to encourage people that have not participated in sport before to give something a try.”

Whether it be Tennis, Zumba, Gymnastics, Roller Skating or even snowboarding, active students is here to help you keep active, so why not take advantage on what they have to offer.

discover.

The cardiovascular exercise, walking, strengthens your heart and lungs. These are not the only health benefits as Dr Craig Williams a sports science lecturer at the University of Exeter says, “keeping a brisk pace at moderate to high intensity - can burn the same amount of calories as jogging or running. So it is useful for helping with weight loss”. Do not underestimate the health benefits of walking, so maybe it’s time to get out of your room and see where the road takes you.

Expand your horizons Tough Mudder There is plenty to get exploring in the local area, so why not take a nice stroll – you never know what you may find on your adventures. If Hatfield’s not exciting enough for you, St Albans has some lovely scenery waiting for you to

For this year why don’t your try something new, something completely out of your comfort zone, something that you will have to strive towards. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Nothing in

the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…”

For those of you enthused to pushing your body to the extremes why not set your mind onto completing a Tough Mudder run.

At this University, there is a Tough Mudder society, so you’ve got one foot in the door to make those mental goals a reality. Tough Mudder runs are no walk in the park I might add. They are designed to test your body to the limits through a 12 mile endurance race catalogued with challenging obstacles.

Dominic Pollio, Chair of the Tough Mudder Society, says: “It's an all over workout and a great way to stay functionally fit.”

training by yourself can be boring causing a lack in motivation. A simple solution to this could be to try and find a friend with similar goals to team up with so you can work together. Having someone to talk to will make the experience a far more enjoyable one.

Andy Rix, a health and fitness coach says: “When you come in with a friend, like buddy training, sometimes you just help motivate each other and bounce of each other whatever your training goals are… just to have that companionship and encouragement will help you get through certain pitfalls to achieve those goals that you want to hit.”

Let us know how you’re keeping fit @TridentMediaUK!

Have a training buddy Often going to the gym or

Herts Halls League Hall Bellingham Court Fern Spalding Coales Hadham Telford Court Butler Chapman Broad

Points 14 13 12 6 6 4 4 3

Participation 41 58 45 72 44 77 48 71

Hall Ashwell Lemsford Redbourn Welwyn Shenley Watton Sandridge Sarratt Kimpton Aldenham

Points 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0

Participation 72 26 29 14 25 19 23 13

Throughout the academic year, Halls will get points for either their success in competitions (such as Quiz Nights or sport competitions) and for their participation in events. Make sure you let us know loud and proud which Hall you are in. Not only will the winning Hall be crowned Hall League Champions at the Students’ Union Awards but they will also win an exclusive Hall Party in the Forum! For the all the latest from the league visit hertfordshire.su/halls

Correct at time of printing 23rd Jan