UniVerse | Volume 23 | Issue 8

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Tuesday 3rd March Volume 23, Issue 8 TridentMedia.org

Building new accommodation on College Lane campus

Oliver Price | UniVerse

Herts lowest cost accommodation rises by 24% Oliver Price | Contributing Writer

What comes up must come down. And next academic year, with the construction of the new accommodation on College Lane, the old Halls must come down.

Unfortunately, the prices have sharply risen. This academic year, the price floor (lowest weekly cost available) for a single, on-campus room was £93.10; in September, the cheapest available single will be £115.85 a week at Telford Court.

To put this into context, next year the maximum available maintenance funding, loan and grant combined, (from the Student Loan Company) will be around £7,320, available to those with the lowest household income. This means that when rent, deposit, and a second deposit for the next year’s accommodation are subtracted, a student is left with around £40 a week for the renting period, to cover food, books and other expenses.

Art student Kerrie Littlefield, added that some courses require a lot of supplies costs, further reducing the amount of money available for living costs.

“One off purchases’ don't really apply for us art students,” she said. “For example, I am a 2nd year SFX student and for every project a lot of our student loan goes towards buying materials which can get very expensive! Not for the faint hearted!”

Rebecca Marsh, a Law Student at the University, brought up the fact that people could seek employment to cover the costs.

“They are gonna have to pay the rent money back anyway,” she said. “Why not get a job?

Responsibility, work experience, and out of Halls rent is much cheaper.

That's always an option, but living in Halls you don't pay bills, don't have crappy insulation and get the convenience of living on campus.

You pay more ‘cause you get more.

But you don't have to live on site.”

Ollie Brad, another student, criticised the expensive rents, saying, “not everyone will be able to either find work to supplement their loans, or find the time due to other work/life commitments. From my perspective these rates are ridiculously expensive for what we are and what we get we're not commuting to London to work the city, we're students who

need the weekends to revise and learn - especially those of us who do clinical placement 8-6 on weekdays anyway.”

Josh Broughton merely said, “The prices of houses this year are complete bull**** compared to previous years.” (Cntd. on pg. 4)

Andrew May, the Director of Estates for the University of Hertfordshire disputed the estimated figure of £40 a week. Regarding using the deposits in the calculation, he said that, “you get that money back.”

His revised figures gave the figure of approximately £60 a week to live on.

However, this fails to acknowledge the fact that deposits are not reimbursed until the end of the academic year, meaning the funds aren’t available for living costs during term time.

May said that any students who are having financial difficulties can access a “hardship fund” provided for the university or can go to the Students’ Union for “Debt and Hardship advice”. However, the hardship fund is only supposed to be used as a last resort and is only available to a limited number of students.

(Contd. on pg.4)

News • NUS Hotline calls for end to unpaid internships | Page 6

Features • Should the streetlights be turned off in Hatfield at night? | Page 11

Health • Campus Pharmacy support Stop Smoking Day | Page 16

Sport • The psychology of coaching and under-performance | Page 18

4

Editorial •

Accommodation costs cntd.

Literature MA student James Crowley also criticised the new accommodation buildings. He said: “I'm confused. I just don't see why anyone would think it's a good idea to build what are essentially luxury flats for people on student budgets.”

When asked about how the new rent figures were reached, May said that they look around the local area and, “eight or ten other universities”. When compared “likefor-like”, taking into account similar facilities such as internet access, 24 hour security, and utilities, he said

that the prices were “competitive”.

However, when UniVerse compared the lowest-cost rooms at Herts with the lowest-cost rooms (with similar facilities) of 30 other universities, we found that the University of Hertfordshire had amongst the highest price floors for weekly rents, rivalling that of both Durham University and Bournemouth.

The price floor of University of Hertfordshire accommodation was actually higher than even Imperial College London by about £10 a week.

When compared to the geographically

closest universities, Brunel, Bucks, and Beds, Herts still has the highest price floor for accommodation.

With applications to the University of Hertfordshire reaching an all-time high, will an increase in the cost of living affect the experience of those students?

For advice on fees and funding, contact the Student Centre on 01707284800 or Hertfordshire Students’ Union Advice and Support at advice@hertfordshire.su.

Prices sourced from university websites.

Correct at time of printing (26 Feb 2015)

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

Oliver Price Aiden Perrins Melissa Nadarajan Iqra Dahir Abdi Caz Ataman Jennie Couling Kat Clements Matt Creasey Kieran Burman

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

Kealie Mardell | Print Editor

Another busy issue underway! This time we’ve got news on accommodation costs, unpaid internships, university results and more. We’ve also got all the updates from the first Student Publication Association Conference hosted here at UH. The day was a great success and an opportunity for us to meet student media publications from around the South East. Moving into features, you’ll find the Model UN Society and tips of developing your online presence. Our regular debate tackles the question of

street lights in Hatfield; should they be turned off at night?

There’s lots of great health opportunities to get involved with this month, including the Daffodil Appeal and National Stop Smoking Day. Kat Clements is back with our new “Healthy dose of science” column before Matt Creasey updates us on campus football.

Don’t forget it’s also time to vote for our new Elected Officers! Head to Hertfordshire.su/elections to vote and follow our elections coverage at TridentMedia.org!

Published by Iliffe Print Cambridge Winship Road Milton Cambridge CB24 6PP

@

TridentMediaUK

• News 5 One in six students now leave uni with a first class degree Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor

A recent report from the Higher Education Statistics Agency has revealed that one in six students leave university with a first class degree. The class of 2012 received 61,605 firsts, which has tripled since 1999 where 20,700 firsts were awarded.

Questions are being asked by higher education groups and Universities UK whether this increase is due to grade inflation by particular universities, or whether students are developing and learning at a higher calibre.

With the tough job market and high tuition fees it appears that students are working harder to ensure the best results and to guarantee that their education will not go to waste.

With employers looking for students who have achieved a 2:1 or higher, students are determined to do their best.

This being said, some are arguing that universities have noticed this trend and in order to attract more students they are making it easier for the higher results to be attained. It is in the university’s interest to project good results across the board so that they get more ‘customers’ and investments.

Freedom of Information requests have revealed that some universities may be inflating grades for this reason. Documents from the University of East Anglia say; “To put it bluntly, too few students are being awarded 2:1’s and firsts.”

Suspicions also arose with the scandal of online businesses offering tailor-made essays for students to pass off as their own. Whilst this issue is being looked into, it has meant that people are also critical of tutors offering feedback on first drafts, allowing students to improve their work before submission.

However, this can be seen as a vicious cycle, as more students attending a university means more investments, which in turn results in more resources for better teaching and equipment, thus better results.

This leads to the fact that it is much easier for students these days to access more knowledge.

Technological advances are allowing students to listen and watch recorded lectures, research information on more databases and have access to past papers. Universities can now also afford more subscriptions to libraries and archives giving students an upper hand in research.

Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, Bahram

Bekhradnia, said: “We do not know why more students have been getting firsts. It could be that they are working harder or that they are better taught than in the past. It could be that the nature of assessment has changed with a greater emphasis on coursework and less on a single exam. Or it could be that marking is less rigorous. I suspect it is probably a combination of these factors.”

The ‘coursework vs. exams’ argument has also been circulating, and raising questions about whether exams are only beneficial for those who cope best under pressure and who can store short-term information.

Second year History and Mandarin student, Tia Marsom, said: “I definitely prefer coursework as it is more lenient and you’re able to utilise the skills you’ve learnt over the year.

You are able to get greater in-depth research.”

Marsom went on to say that exams “stress her out” and she ultimately does poorly in them. She added: “I do think it is good to have exams as it gives you an inkling into what the working world is like. Getting used to working under pressure can’t be a bad thing I suppose!”

Second year Radiography student, Regina Cleary, was of a different opinion. “I prefer doing

exams than coursework because I hate writing essays!” she said. “I cope well under pressure, and I think doing exams tests your knowledge more as it make you learn things in far more detail than you would doing coursework.”

Chief Executive of Universities UK, Nicola Dandridge, also expressed that the current awards system is a “blunt instrument” that does not show what students actually achieve at university. The Higher Education Achievement Report agrees with Dandridge’s views and hopes to eventually provide employers with an accurate impression of graduates, rather than labelled by their degree classification.

There are obviously a lot of questions being asked and suspicions being raised about whether universities are ‘dumbing down’ standards to boost their reputations and attract students, or whether students are simply using the tools given to them and working hard to make it in a competitive working world.

What are your thoughts on the increasing firsts debate? Have your say @TridentMediaUK!

Kirsty Jukes

6 News •

NUS Hotline calls for end to unpaid internships Jennie Couling | Contributing Writer

There are at least 22,000 people working as unpaid interns at any one time, according to the Sutton Trust.

Working for free not only means missing a wage, but research from the Confederation of British Industry calculates the average cost of an unpaid internship as £926 a month in London and £804 in Manchester.

As internships can be the crucial difference between yours and someone else’s CV, many have argued that unpaid internships reward the rich and punish those who may be just as talented but lack the financial support needed.

Last week the National Union of Students (NUS) teamed up with Intern Aware to create an unpaid internship hotline. The companies reported will be publicly named in the run up to the UK elections.

Both Intern Aware and NUS are campaigning for the government to make sure work experience that lasts longer than four weeks is paid at or above the minimum wage.

“Without my parents, I couldn’t have done it,” said Hertfordshire graduate Elisabeth Schuetz.

Schuetz worked as an unpaid intern for a restaurant PR company for three months and throughout her Masters year. She received £200 expenses a month, most of which went on tube tickets alone.

“I’d have restaurant launches after a nine to six day and would be on the door until 10,” she said.

“I met with clients. I was a proper member of staff. It was Devil Wears Prada…I was made to get coffee, buy underwear, deliver presents.”

Schuetz eventually left the company for a paid internship that lead to her getting a job with them.

She said: “I can’t understand why a charity can pay me but luxury restaurant [PR] can’t.”

Kealie Mardell, final year Mass Communications student said: “I think it’s important to draw the distinction between volunteering and unpaid internships. Giving your time

to a good cause can be extremely valuable, but commercial companies shouldn’t take advantage of young people and expect them to give their time without getting anything in return.

“So much emphasis is placed on the importance of work experience that companies think they can get away with exploiting people by promising ‘experience’. If it's a demanding full time position, your time is worth more than the experience being offered.”

However, paid opportunities can be found. Final year English Language student Charlie Green had a paid internship with Santander.

“I applied for big companies around my home town of Milton Keynes as I wanted a summer internship. I used websites like Milkround and things to see what was available,” she said. “I really wanted a paid internship, I didn't even consider non paid ones.”

When asked if she’d have done the same internship if it didn’t pay, Green said: “If I knew I was guaranteed a job after then yes probably. But it would have been a lot of work so for no money, I don't think it would've been fair.”

If you did an internship and had set hours, specific duties and responsibilities and were doing a job that otherwise a paid member of staff would have to do, it is possible you qualified for the national minimum wage whether you agreed to work for free or not.

If you’re looking into internships, internaware.org is great resource for learning your rights and they also offer support to people who want to claim back pay they’re entitled to.

Share your views on unpaid internships in on Facebook or Twitter @TridentMediaUK.

Conservative plans to force unemployed young people into community work Oliver Price | Contributing Writer

David Cameron has recently announced a new policy promise if they win the general election in May, that will see 18 - 21 year olds who have been unemployed for more than six months doing 30 hours community work and 10 hours job seeking a week in order to keep claiming their youth allowance of £57.35. If this were an hourly wage it would equate to less than £2 an hour, which is less than half the minimum wage for this age range.

If a young person refuses the community service, then they could risk their youth allowance being docked, leaving them with no money

to live on.

In a recent speech, reported by the BBC, David Cameron said that one of the reasons for doing this was to ensure that young people “don’t get sucked into a life on welfare.”

The Labour MP and shadow Work and Pensions Minister, Stephen Timms, criticised the pledge, saying, “The proposal the Prime Minister has made today will do absolutely nothing to get young people into real jobs.”

Labour have offered a different scheme, guaranteeing a taxpayer-funded job for the same group. Under their scheme, unemployed 18 - 24 year olds out of work for a year will be guaranteed a

25 hours a week minimum wage job and training from the employer. The £5.5 billion scheme will be funded by a tax on bankers’ bonuses.

David Cameron said that the sort of work the youth could be, “making meals for older people, cleaning up litter and graffiti, or working for local charities.”

From this list, it appears that the jobs being offered are jobs that would normally get paid at least minimum wage for (as opposed to just voluntary positions), for example a Hertfordshire Community Meals driver position offers £8.54 an hour.

Lord Dover, a second year Astrophysics student vitriolically criticised the policy promise,

“Workhouses are coming back into fashion.”

Andy Marshall, a second year Physics student showed cautious support for the idea: “The actual concept of the idea is good and many many people agree...There are a lot of people who aren’t attempting to get work - I understand that people who are attempting are also affected by this - and if they are made to do things such as charity work for their benefits then fair play.”

What do you think about this story? Have your say at TridentMediaUK!

• News 7

Take Me Out in the EleHouse Iqra Dahir Abdi | Contributing Writer

Samantha Dukelow

Sebastian Scott

Samantha Dukelow

Our local pub hosted a night of karaoke and popular TV show game, Take Me Out. The event was organised by students to raise money for a volunteering trip to Thailand.

Samantha Dukelow and Emily Stevens held the event at the EleHouse on Valentine’s Day. They both hope to travel to Thailand to teach school children and help mistreated elephants with the funds raised.

The EleHouse saw a role reversal for their version of Take Me Out. There were a group of 10 men picking a woman to take on a date. Seven rounds of Take Me Out were played with five women getting dates. After the game show had ended, students ended the night with several rounds of karaoke.

Take Me Out is traditionally played with a single man being picked by a group of 30 women. Candidates for Take Me Out reveal interesting things about their life, in a hope to secure a date. The group of women have a light to signify their interest in a date. Those with their light on are interested in a date and those with their light off are not.

In between rounds of Take Me Out, Stevens sold raffle tickets to raise money for the FutureSense Foundation. The charity supports development in some of the poorest regions of the world. Winners from the raffle draw won prizes including a bottle of wine and a free drink on draft.

Taylor Hunt, participant in Take Me Out, said: “It was a good laugh and it was nice seeing the audience getting into it.” Although Hunt did not get a date during the game, he adds that he had fun anyway.

Hunt kept the audience entertained throughout the game show. Presenter of Take Me Out, Sebastian Scott, asked hopeful candidates questions that would reveal more about them. Scott said: “My favorite answer came from Taylor. I asked why he turned his light off and he said ‘I’ll reject her before she rejects me’, classic!”

Following the game show, karaoke began in the EleHouse.

There were duets, lone performers and group acts. Songs included: Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy in Love’, Nicki Minaj’s ‘Anaconda’ and Electric Six’s ‘Gay Bar’.

One singer blew the audience away with a performance from the late Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’. Liyana van der Sijp says: “I was a bag of nerves, but that was soon gone when everyone cheered me on. It was an amazing experience and I would love to do it again.”

Following popular student support of the night Bradley Johnson, Raise and Give Chair, commented that the night was a “fantastic success.”

He also applauded Dukelow and Stevens for organising the event.

Elliott Moore, an audience member, commented on the evening.

Moore said: “It was interesting. I did not realise the event would be so popular or so funny. I don’t usually go to these events, but I will be after this.”

The event was only possible due to the help of Hertfordshire Students’ Union, according to Dukelow. A pub quiz is being organised by her and will be held in the EleHouse on the 15th of March.

Dukelow hopes this event will be as popular if not more. Contact the EleHouse with any questions or suggestions for future events.

Sebastian Scott

8 News •

Student Publication Association South East Conference Kealie Mardell | Print Editor Hertfordshire Students’ Union and Trident Media hosted their first Student Publication Association conference on Saturday 21st February. Student journalists visited Herts for the second South East Conference, featuring workshops and industry speakers.

The Student Publication Association (SPA) is made up of student media outlets coming together to share training, advice, and to recognise their successes.

Attending from SPA was Chair Sophie Davis, Digital Media Officer Aubrey Allegretti, and regional officers Katrina Chilver (Midlands), Marion Legran (London), and Jem Collins (South East).

Delegates included representatives from Le Nurb, The Edge, The Badger, The Stag, Wessex Scene and Inquire Live.

“I was really pleased with how the day went,” said Sean Howlett, Volunteer and Societies Coordinator at Hertfordshire Students’ Union.

“One of the main concerns with hosting an event like this is whether people enjoy the day. Fortunately they did, and I was really proud of the Trident lot!”

After an early start, travelling delegates were greeted with coffee and pastries in Hutton Hall. Starting the event was Julie Palmer, speaking about local news. Palmer began by explaining her own journey into journalism, entering what was previously a male dominated field of sports journalism, before becoming the first female editor of the Hertfordshire Mercury.

Palmer spoke about the importance of local news outlets, who are often trusted more than national papers as they can build a sense of community with their readers. She said: “It’s all about finding out who your audience is and delivering to them.”

Through a question and answer session with the delegates, Palmer affirmed that “this is not the end of newspapers, it’s an interesting time to get involved in media,” although the way in which news is printed is changing.

Katrina Chilver, who is also news editor of De Montford’s The Demon paper, said it was a “brilliant start to the day” with Palmer’s talk echoing her “love of local news for making a difference.”

Following the conference, Palmer thanked the organisers and said: “What the students do in putting together their publications is a huge achievement and I take my hat off to them.”

Creating shareable content

One important aspect of student media is the need for online success. Brenda Wong, campaigns executive for StudentBeans.com, delivered an engaging talk on creating shareable content. She revealed that student readers want content that is fun, identity-reinforcing, useful, inspirational and timely.

“People engage more with things they can relate to,” said Wong.

She identified the three elements of going viral and increasing audience engagement as content, social media and SEO (search engine optimisation).

“Peak people’s interest with your headlines,” she said. “If your content is good and your headline is good, people will want to read it.”

With social media, the key is to “make it visual” using photos and graphics.

On SEO Wong advised “sprinkle keywords here and there,” but that ultimately there is no secret formula for success.

The discussion also looked at the potential issues surrounding clickbait headlines. Wong advised avoiding them, although she acknowledged that they do work. She said: “You want to be as truth and honest about what you write as possible.” There’s no use in a shocking headline without the content to back it up.

Echoing Palmer’s feedback, Wong said she had “an excellent time” and that “the future of journalism is looking bright”.

Throughout the day delegates were taking to Twitter in a quest to win a bottle of wine, awarded to whoever sent the most tweets using #SPASouthEast. By lunch, the competition was heating up, with quotes of the day flying and all eyes on the prize.

Crunching the numbers

Exploring another potential aspect of student media, Duarte Romero-Varela said: “Data journalism is behind some of the biggest stories of our time.” He explained that it’s important for journalists to learn about data because it’s essentially unavoidable, and you should be able to analyse it yourself.

His presentation took some interesting turns, drawing comparisons between data journalism and punk culture, and using examples relating to PornHub, masturbation and selfies.

Before the day came to and end, culminating in drinks at Hertfordshire’s own EleHouse, it was time to count up the tweets and award the sought after bottle of wine.

I’m proud to share that the highest number of #SPAsoutheast tweets came from yours truly, tweeting from @TridentMediaUK, winning a bottle to share with Team Trident.

Looking forward

`Romero-Varela advised that the best places for student journalists to find data is through local authorities, social media, and free online resources.

The final speaker of the day was Laura Garcia, freelance multimedia journalist. Following Garcia’s advice on securing those journalism jobs, “if you want it enough, you are going to get it,” the group’s motton soon became “never give up, never surrender.”

Sharing entertaining tales of her own experiences and advice for others she warned that freelancing can be exploitative, but that you have no choice. The quest for work experience (usually unpaid) can be down to part luck and part shameless questions. You won’t get it you don’t ask!

“If you play enough cards, something will out. It’s statistics,” she said. Once you’ve secured work experience, make the most of it: “Bring the skills and willingness to learn.”

“It’s not a boring job, it’s really exciting,” Garcia said. “It’s waking up on a Monday morning and not knowing what you’re going to do for the rest of the week.”

Alongside the presentations from industry speakers, delegates also had a chance to discuss the issues facing student media outlets, and to give feedback on each other’s work during a publication swapshop.

“There are some amazing student newspapers around,” said Chilver. “It’s great to see the hard work of editorial teams from other universities.”

Hertfordshire’s South East Conference was an incredible opportunity for student journalists to come together, reinforcing the importance of a group like SPA.

South East Regional Officer Jem Collins, said: “It was great to see so many people from so many universities coming together for SPA South East and I really hope everyone took something valuable away from the day. All of our speakers have been in touch to say how wonderful they thought the delegates were and we’ve also had great feedback from the people attending, so thankfully it seems to have gone well!

“The team at Hertfordshire have been absolutely fantastic and on behalf of the SPA I want to thank you so much for helping to make such an excellent day. We’ll definitely be doing more South East things, so stick with us.”

Digital Officer Aubrey Allegretti, also said: “It was an awesome chance to get together with other budding journalists to socialise, network and learn from one another. We’re hoping to put on plenty of events like this across the UK to help train and bolster student media on every university campus!”

In April, SPA are hosting their national conference, SPANC, at the University of Southampton where delegates from across the country are invited to attend for industry meets, training, practical and breakout sessions, before ending the weekend with the Student Publication Association Awards.

Hertfordshire Students’ Union and Trident Media hope to be involved in further opportunities with SPA, and would like to thank everyone who came to our South East Conference!

• Features 9

Images by Ginnie Hastie, Ashley Hogg & Aiden Perrins

A candid account of the Harry Potter Yule Ball Aiden Perrins | Contributing Writer Hammered, trollied, absolutely rat-arsed; whichever is your favourite word, I am all of them.

The night of Thursday 12th February was the Harry Potter Society's Yule Ball.

This was a free event which took place in The Attic of the Forum Hertfordshire. Despite the fairly low attendance, there was certainly no lack of enthusiasm.

According to witchcraft and wizardry enthusiast Simon Gray, the evening consisted primarily of "slut dropping

everywhere".

From where I was standing this seems like a fair assessment of the event, with multiple spontaneous dance-offs being initiated at any point and the heavy inclusion of samesex grinding. Hardcore party animal Matthew Young said that there were "shapes being thrown on the dance floor so futuristic that they're not yet legal". The banging tunes were being provided by the DJ Society, who played classics of our generation from the ‘90s and early 2000s.

Young also described it as "Downton Abbey turned Project X"

and "the single wildest party since 2001".

There were themed bags of sweets handed out with 'Honeydukes' labels on them and contained chocolate frogs (Freddos), Bertie Bott's every flavoured beans (normal jelly beans) and any other sweets which can be bought in bulk.

When I asked president Ashley Hogg about the night she told me how much she wanted to go to McDonalds, and although this is irrelevant information it does help me boost my word count. I then turned to the other president Lauren

Griffin to find out her opinion of the night, she said: "Do you want like a quote or can I just say it went well?”

When I woke up in the morning I felt like Hagrid had been sitting on my head for for a day and a half.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the night and will hopefully spread the word about the hottest society at the university.

If I were to rate the night out of ten, I'd have to give it nine and three quarters.

Technology has already taken over nearly every aspect of the world - let’s not allow it to take over relationships too! I’m all for love letters, random confessions of love on a Sunday morning, a surprise bunch of flowers or bringing someone a cup of tea for when they wake up; I can guarantee that will mean way more to anyone than the satisfaction that the whole of Facebook now knows that you love your baby so much and could never be without them…

As a side note, if you can’t relate to this post then you probably are the PDA couple. Abort your next status/tweet and think is this really necessary for everyone to know or will anyone actually care?! I can deal with a picture of your date night every now and then but there is always a

line. Although this is Grumpy Corner, I do wish everyone every happiness and luck in love, just make sure your partner knows it not for your followers!

P.S I would never write a status like the one below, it was purely for artistic purposes!

Grumpy Corner That PDA couple

We’ve just had Valentine’s Day so I can excuse a few mushy statuses; but there is always that one couple (or a few if you’re really unlucky) who seem to clog up every social media feed with declarations of love for their other half.

I’m all for love and have been with my boyfriend happily for three years but telling him how I feel seems a lot more meaningful than an Instagram post with #love, #boyfriend or even worse #bae. Snapchat has made declaring your love even cringer with their new filter option with me and my bae on Valentines Day and unless it’s a picture of you with Netflix, a takeaway or joking – this will be cringe worthy!

10

Features • Isa Abu

Sean Ryan

Meet the Model United Nations Society Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor

One of the most active societies out there at the moment is the Model United Nations (MUN).

They have won numerous awards, including the Students’ Union Best New Society Award, attended conferences around the country and are currently planning for their next excursion.

MUN is run by a committee of Law, Film and Business students who all have an interest in The United Nations and are passionate about debating contemporary world issues.The committee include; Chair Person, Sean Ryan; Secretary, Matey Avgustinov; Vice President, Gayduo Kpardeh; Treasurer, Andrew Straw; and Events officer, Zeeshan Khan.

The society is a studentbased simulation of the UN and each week members learn about the procedures of the UN and how to debate world issues. Trident Media were able to attend MUN’s session on "International measures to protect and promote LGBT+ rights and freedom of sexuality.”

Each member chose a country

to represent, including; Russia, UK, North Korea and France. They were required to attend the meeting prepared with a Position Paper explaining their country’s views on the topic. At the beginning of the meeting Ryan set up the minutes, ready for recording, addressed the ‘delegates’ asking for any motions, and then allowed the debates to begin. Each member was required to speak for a minute about their country’s views.

The idea behind each topic is to reach a solution to the problems.

Ryan explained that some topics can take a month to solve.

“Sometimes this is down to the fact that members have assignments and cannot attend the meetings, but other times it is due to the nature of the topic,” he said. “It is better to finish a topic than to just move on to the next.”

As well as working hard to tackle issues, the society also go down to Club de Hav after each meeting to unwind and enjoy a drink, says Ryan. They are quite a social group and are always planning film nights and trips.

International student, Kirsty Barfoot, explained that when she first came to the University she joined several societies to get a feel for UH and get to know people.

“I have had the best experience here out of all the societies I joined,” she said. “It’s social and interactive.”

Barfoot went on to talk about the various trips and activities the society offered: “We had the opportunity to go to Oxford and the Isle of Wight, and even celebrated National Food Day.”

Trident Media also asked Barfoot if she found the Position Papers and preparation for each meeting daunting and time consuming alongside her studies. She said: “Not at all. I really enjoy writing them. It’s only one side of A4, doesn't take long and its better to come prepared than sit there and say the wrong thing.”

Ryan commented saying that they accommodate to members and give them guidelines with the preparation: “At the national conferences people pick up on everything so you can’t be wrong.”

At their last conference in Reading in November, MUN UH won

eight awards. Some were serious and notable, whilst others were ‘funny awards.’ Barfoot received an Honourable Mention; Khan won ‘Most likely to be a dictator’; Avgustinov won ‘Delegate with the dirtiest mind’, and Best Position Paper for research; Straw won ‘Funniest Member’; and Ryan won Best Delegate, Best Speaker and Most Diplomatic. It’s fair to say the society are doing very well.

MUN were also recently affiliated with the United Nations Association-United Kingdom (UNAUK), which supports independent analysis of the UN and allows the UN’s presence to grow across the UK.

The society’s current plans are looking at attending conferences in Bath, New York UN Headquarters and Paris this year, so if you love to argue and love to travel, MUN is certainly the society for you.

They meet every Thursday 5-7pm in N003 at De Havilland Campus and anyone is welcome! If you are interested make sure you check out their website uhmun.com.

• Features 11 Should the streetlights be turned off in Hatfield at night?

In each UniVerse, two of our writers go head to head on an issue. The opinions expressed here are their own and are not endorsed by Trident Media or Hertfordshire Students’ Union. If you’d like to have your say then message us on Facebook or Twitter @TridentMediaUK!

For: Turn them off.

Embrace your dark side!

Against: Leave them on!

Melissa Nadarajan | Contributing Writer

Shelby Loasby | News Sub Editor

Since 2012, Hatfield’s grey, damp streets have undergone a nightly plunge into darkness when, at the stroke of midnight, the town’s streetlights are switched off. The decision has left residents angry and fearing for their safety with dozens of petitions and campaigns launched in an attempt to have them reversed. Despite the backlash, the lights are still routinely snuffed out. Three years on, have we learnt to live with the changes?

The ultimate aim of the partial lighting scheme is to reduce financial and environmental costs as part of larger, nationwide budget changes. On their website, Hertfordshire County Council reports “significant financial savings over the coming years” of an estimated £1.3 million annually, which is not a figure to be sniffed at. The partial lighting scheme is also working towards reducing the county’s carbon footprint.

The streetlight switch-off doesn’t mean a complete blackout. Only 70 per cent of street lights across the county are switched off between midnight and 6am, leaving A-roads, town centres, roundabouts and pedestrian crossings still lit throughout the night. Orange ‘residential lighting’ is left on along larger public roads, otherwise smaller streets and lanes are left in the dark. Research suggests that this may not be such a terrible idea. A survey conducted by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) reports that 50 per cent of respondents have their sleep disturbed by light spilling into their bedrooms at night, and that 68 per cent have fitted thicker curtains in their home as a result. This type of intrusive light pollution at night time, the CPRE claims, can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone needed by the body to maintain its internal biological clock. Thanks to darker nights, Hatfield should be experiencing a better night’s sleep.

Hertfordshire is not alone in switchingoff; counties nationwide are participating in the same or similar schemes. A total of 106 councils across the UK are turning off or dimming their lights, with some going as far as replacing their existing lights with LED alternatives which use less electricity, are cheaper to run and create less impact on the environment. However, it is not only CO2 emissions from streetlights that environmentalists are worried about. Scientists have coined the phrase “Photopollution” to

Ever walked home from The Forum Hertfordshire or a late night study session at the LRC in the pitch black? It’s not fun. The streetlights in Hatfield turn off around midnight and students are left walking home in the dark, worried and scared.

UniVerse surveyed 60 students on the fears and anxieties of walking around Hatfield at night. 50 students agreed that the lights should be kept on, whilst only 10 believed the lights should be turned off.

Students Laura Webster and Nattalak Ruchsirisopon explained that they use the torch setting on their phones on their way home, not only because they are scared, but so they can actually see where they are going. Ruchsirisopon also said that when she finished studying at College Lane LRC, there was no shuttle bus running so she waited until she saw someone she could trust and walked behind them for safety.

Webster explained that she has to “walk through two subways on the way home and they aren’t always lit. It’s not great walking through dark tunnels on your own in the middle of the night.”

Student Cilem Temiz even drives to university and parks a few roads down, despite living nearby. She said: “It’s not because I’m lazy, rather because if I decide to go to the library after a lecture I won’t have to walk home alone in the pitch black!”

Tunde Osundina, another student at UH, also explained that he had to walk with his female housemates last year even if he wasn’t going out, so that they would feel safe.

“The council could compromise and could always put every other streetlight on,” he said. “Then the road is lit and better than pitch black.” Tunde continued to say that he knew a few people who had been robbed and beaten up on their walks home in the dark.

Not only is it a matter of safety against potential attacks, keeping the streetlights on could prevent car accidents. Student Sean Scurr explained that: “Your headlights don’t always help you see everything; if someone’s drunk after a night at the Forum and stumbles in front of a car out of the shadows, not much good will come from it.”

It is clear to see that students are genuinely worried and scared when the streetlights are turned off. Some may argue that turning the lights off saves energy, but surely it is more important to save lives and to make a university town safer for students?

describe light pollution that specifically has a detrimental effect on animals. Artificial lighting reportedly affects the migration of birds and the hibernation and reproductive cycles of animals. Keeping the night time dark has benefits extending far beyond our own species.

Concerns have been raised by local residents who fear an increase in crime and accident rates. In response, the Hertfordshire Constabulary have a web page dedicated to reassuring the county’s inhabitants and businesses. Chief Constable Andy Bliss declares that the police have “seen no evidence that reduced street lighting results in crime increases.” Known problem crime areas are exempt from the partial lighting scheme at the request of the police and remain lit.

At present, Hertfordshire County Council refuse to consider any further complaints from residents concerning the matter, so eat your carrots and keep a torch handy, because it looks like the scheme is here to stay.

12

Features •

Meet your Students’ Union: Carly Benton Kat Clements | Contributing Writer

Kat Clements | UniVerse

Carly Benton is Hertfordshire Students’ Union’s Assistant Student Activities Manager. She is in charge of a number of programmes including the Give It a Go! initiative.

Carly has been working for the Union for three years, having taken the job after her gap year. She did a degree in Sports Psychology but, after volunteering herself, she decided that she wanted to work in volunteering.

The role has expanded since then to include charity work as well as the various fun and social aspects of the Give it a Go! programme, although she would like to move the focus more on charity.

Carly’s job is hugely varied as the nature of the volunteering service means that people with different passions and interests, work with her on projects – whether they’re one-

offs or long-term.

The Give it a Go! programme, which is a programme of events and activities aimed at engaging with students who otherwise don’t have much to do with volunteering or with the SU, is about both having fun and developing skills. Examples of recent events include workshops on developing an online self – useful for graduates looking for jobs – and trips to the Harry Potter studios. It’s about incorporating both societies and charities, and it’s about giving people a chance to try new things without huge time commitments.

“When I was at Uni someone said oh, you should go volunteer with this and I wasn’t sure,” Carly said.

“Because when you’re a student you have so much to do, so many other commitments. But I went along and it was related to my degree, sports coaching, and I loved it, and then

from there just got involved with other things.”

Volunteering doesn’t have to be boring or time consuming. She gives the example of Jailbreak, the recent event in which students compete to get as far away as possible from Hertfordshire; including Morocco!

Ultimately, Carly’s job is to make things possible for students. The SU’s programme is about facilitating what students want, and that’s why they offer so many programmes and events both on and off campus, and they work to allow any student with a passion or an interest to set up their own events or groups.

To find out more about volunteering events visit Hertfordshire.su or email Carly at c.benton2@herts.ac.uk.

Interview with an Elected Officer: Gurpreet Singh Iqra Dahir Abdi | Contributing Writer

Semester B is well underway, exams are around the corner and before we know it we’ll be waving goodbye to some students and hello to others. There is an important group of people that will be leaving their posts this year and they have fought to protect all students and improve student life throughout the University. If you guessed your Elected Officers, then give yourself a pat on the back and if you haven’t, shame on you!

With elections and campaigns gaining full momentum, it’s important to look back and reflect with the current President of the Students’ Union, Gurpreet Singh.

Many have trusted his abilities this year, but even he was doubtful about how far he would get this time last year.

Now it’s all good and well knowing Gurpreet’s title, but what does it actually mean? The role President of the Student’s Union entails: overseeing the part-time and full-time officers, chairing the Students’ Union Trustee Board and sitting on various other University Committees.

So what does this mean for us, the students? After quizzing Gurpreet, a recent example had been securing £10,000 for small projects around the University. Last

year Gurpreet spent this money on microwaves for the LRC, water fountains and benches. Gurpreet says: “These aren’t massive, massive things, but they are things that will make a difference.” So next time you warm your food, or have a seat, think of your Elected Officers.

Gurpreet, has yet to spend all the funds for small projects this year.

He welcomes any “quality ideas that will make a difference to University life.”

Just like me and you, Gurpreet started as a student at Hertfordshire University. He was a Joint Honours student studying Mathematics and Business. The mix and match between the two subjects gave him “a fantastic range of skills.” The journey that propelled him to an Elected Officer began with being elected as a Student Trustee.

“It opened a whole host of opportunities and a new world for me really, in terms of the Students’ Union and what it did,” says Gurpreet. From there he went on to be on the Sikh Society’s committee and the Election Committee.

Quite frankly is fair to say Gurpreet has always been a busy man.

Keeping on top of demands as an elected officer requires motivation.

After serious thought, Gurpreet notes that there was a turning point in his life when he joined the Sikh Society. Learning that his religion

encourages selflessness and giving back to society encouraged him to do more. There was an opportunity to apply “what I was already doing to a wider group through the Student Trustee position.”

Gurpreet mentions that aside from religion, there is the obvious motivation of getting wins for students. “That is the real buzz and the real motivation.”

Being involved in University is something we should all be doing more of – sometimes this is easier said than done. Gurpreet has advice for those that want to get involved but are hesitant. His suggestion is to surround yourself with positive people. Also, he stresses pushing yourself outside your comfort zone saying that: “If you’re comfortable then you aren’t challenging yourself and you may not know what you’re capable of.”

It would be silly – and impractical as there are five fulltime positions and nine part-time ones – to assume taking part in University elections is for everyone.

Gurpreet addresses this: “We have leaders throughout our student population, be that through societies, volunteering, media, sports or clubs.”

He argues that University gives you access to people you wouldn’t have otherwise met and we should all take advantage of this. However Gurpreet emphasises the importance of finding

something you enjoy and seeing how far you can take it.

Despite all our differences, we all have one thing in common: finding a job in the professional world. Some, including myself, have a fear of the term ‘professional’. Now, there is something you can do to make sure you don’t look like a lemon in the professional world, prepare! Gurpreet suggests an agenda: “Know what you want to ask and what you want to get out of something. It will mean you don’t have to suffer through any awkward pauses.”

The future is as unclear for Gurpreet as it for all of most students.

He is considering undertaking a Masters degree or finding a job. It is certain that Gurpreet is good with people and he will continue this in the future.

Finally, looking back on his entire time at the University, Gurpeet says: “It’s the people that have made it so spectacular. I mean, I’ve made friends for life and grown to someone I didn’t think I could be.”

Gurpreet Singh has been an amazing Elected Officer with wonderful character. He strives for personal growth and reflection. Who wouldn’t take this advice on board?

If you have any suggestions for the small project fund, email president@ hertfordshire.su.

Don’t forget to vote for next year’s officers at hertfordshire.su!

• Features 13 Developing your online you: Tips, tool and what to avoid Jennie Couling | Contributing Writer

In a time when 80% of employers Google search jobseekers before inviting them to an interview, cultivating your online presence has never been so important. On 17th February, as part of Give it a Go!, Volunteer and Societies Coordinator Sean Howlett and ex-Trident Media Editor Eliabeth Schuetz ran a workshop on ‘Developing Your Online You’. Here are some of the highlights:

• Connect accounts: This one needs taking with a pinch of salt. Yes, include your Instagram in your Twitter bio to make yourself seem like a coherent and consistent person, but don’t link your Facebook and Twitter and annoy all your friends while you live tweeted the Oscars.

Four steps to clean up your online presence:

• Develop your own voice: Be aware that potential employers can see what you’re doing but don’t let this strangle the

personality out of your online presence.

• Share already existing content: If you like it, odds are other people will too.

1) Google yourself: See if you find anything you should know about e.g. pictures or posts you wouldn’t be happy for an employer to see or someone with the same name.

• Keep things updated! Nothing looks as bad as an account that’s only resurrected once a month.

2) Remove dead accounts: Unless you want people to be able to see 13 year old you and your Bebo account, it’s probably a good idea to go back and delete.

3) Look at your accounts from an outside view: There’s a tool under privacy settings on Facebook which lets you see your profile as someone who’s not your friend would. For other social networks, try opening an incognito window and looking at them.

4) Remove anything you’re not happy with: Most things can be easily hidden. Facebook posts can be made visible to only a select few and tweets and pictures can be deleted. However it takes a while for search results to be updated, so this is not one to be done the day the job hunt starts

The Do’s: • Keep posts short and snappy: The internet is a busy place and rarely people have the time or patience to read a 1000 word blog post about how much you love your new mascara. So keep content concise and to the point - there’s a reason Twitter caps you at 140 characters.

• Share the things you’re passionate about: It’s your space after all. Employers aren’t looking at your social media expecting to see posts about how many hours you’ve put in that week - they want to see you’re a person too.

Three useful tools:

1) Hootsuite - Lets you create different feeds for different things on Twitter instead of repeatedly searching terms, hashtags or groups. It also allows you to see how many people have seen your tweet and schedule tweets.

2) Google Alerts - Get a notification every time a term you choose appears anywhere on the internet. Great for keeping track of who’s talking about you or any of your platforms.

3) Flipboard - Have all of your feeds in one place in a personalised magazine like layout, making reading updates and tweets more convenient and easy on the eyes.

If you’ve social media tips @TridentMediaUK!

• Open a LinkedIn account: You’re not a highflying professional yet, but keeping a track of all the extras you do outside your course and picking up recommendations from people you’ve done work experience for will make starting the job hunt a lot less painful.

The Don’ts: • Don’t just throw content online: Subtweeting may be therapeutic but filling your profile with it makes you seem boring and whiney.

Social media is made to connect people, so do just that! Talk to other people, talk about things other people are talking about.

• Don’t be a keyboard warrior: If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t say in on the internet.

• Take a step back and think before you post: How would someone who doesn’t know you take it?

• Don’t create second profiles: Iit only looks like you've got something to hide.

• Don’t swear when it’s not appropriate: This one differs according to people’s personal tastes. Some people don’t mind it in certain contexts; but avoid swearing at people, dropping the c-bomb or using it so often that it looks like you’re incapable of expressing yourself in any other way.

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14

Features •

Should teens be able to vote at 16?

Taveena Atsu | Features Sub Editor

It seems as if young people are becoming increasingly concerned with their right to vote in the UK. Here, we explore the extent to which others agree with the NUS that the voting age should be lowered to 16.

In a report for The Guardian, Youth Pariliament member Connor Dwyer said: “Politics is not just for a select few, it is for and it affects every one of us. There are particular times in our lives when the decisions made by our elected officials matter most significantly to us.”

He believes that young people aged 16 and 17 are at a crucial age and should be able to vote as the decisions made in politics around these ages affect young people the most, tuition fees being just one of them. Another reason Dwyer believes the voting age should be lowered is the increased independence at this period in their lives; for example ‘the transition into further education, work or an apprenticeship.’

“The eligibility to pay tax, join the armed forces, get married, have a child and gamble are just a few of the responsibilities that lay heavy on the shoulders of young people at that age,” says Dwyer, aged 15. “At

this age you can make life-changing decisions and contribute greatly to society, yet you aren’t eligible to just place their vote in the ballot box.

The NUS have set out to lower the legal voting age through their petition, as, according to them, voting is the fundamental way we have our say on issues: “We think that at 16, young people are mature enough to be properly listened to.”

A 16 year old can pay taxes into a society where they aren’t allowed to decide where the money goes. This sends the message that they are only part of the wider society when it benefits others. People who have no interest in politics are pushed to vote, yet we have key members who desperately want to vote and aren’t being listened to, even though we live in a democratic society. It’s crucial that individuals feel like instrumental parts of the society they are a part of in order to encourage active participation in the wider society.

With a turnout of 84%, the Scottish valued the opinions of their youngsters and displayed this by allowing them to vote in their Independence Referendum. Also, in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, David Cameron will allow 16 and 17

year olds Scots to vote, so why not let the young people in other regions of the UK vote too?

It is “consistently argued that the views of young people remain unheard by politicians” according to a study carried out by social researchers Clarissa White, Sara Bruce and Jane Ritchie, “as well as this youngsters think there’s very little education about how the system is organised.”

If young people are to vote, at the ages in question, it’s crucial that they know what they’re voting for. As Mercedes Brazier, University of Hertfordshire student, states individuals ‘aged 16 have a range of views and want to be a part of the changes that can happen for them and their area’ having said this ’until politics and its effects are taught in schools, and they have a deep understanding into what they are voting for and the impacts associated’ Brazier still doesn’t think they should be able to vote.

The Youth Parliament in Wales have had their funding slashed although it seems there is an increasing demand for political involvement. This is rather worrying, considering that we’re the ones who have to live in the society that has

been built for us.

Despite this view, other students at the University of Hertfordshire don’t seem to agree either. Pearl Agyemfra for example, believes that ‘it’s very important to have a voice;’ but thinks that 16 is ‘too young.’ Agyemfra believes that the voting age should only be lowered for people with a strong interest in politics: ‘why lower it when half of the population couldn’t care less about what happens in the government’ she says.

And James Cantwell agrees, ‘many at the age of 16, 17 would just go along with their parents.

They wouldn’t have an independent perspective.’

Cantwell considers individuals at the age of 18 to be more mature, so are therefore more suitable to be given the responsibility of voting.

To be given huge responsibilities such as being able to fight for our country, implies that an individual is responsible enough contribute to our society (a democratic one at that). So, if 16 and 17 year olds shouldn’t vote, then why can they legally marry and raise a family?

16

Health •

British Heart Foundation Dechox Challenge Caz Ataman | Contributing Writer

Following the roaring success of challenges such as Jailbreak, (kudos by the way to everyone who was involved), I thought I would take this opportunity to raise awareness of other charitable tasks you could get involved with.

The first one is the British Heart Foundation Dechox. I am sure like me many of you have started (and possibly stopped) the postChristmas detox. That one New Year’s Resolution that never seems to get to the end of the January. But here is your chance to give up the ‘Biccies’ and make a difference to the world as well as your waistline.

Question: What do you need to do? Answer: Give up cocoa e.g. chocolate sweets, treats, biscuits, ice cream, cake – and even the chocolate on your latte, for the month of March.

In the words of the British Heart Foundation: “Whether you’re an undercover chocolate eater, a crafty nibbler or a full-on midnight fridge raider, now’s the time to dump the chunk and give chocolate the finger!”

Chocolate not your Kryptonite? Fear not you can still take part! Why not give up some other tasty snack. Perhaps swap that trip to the vending machine at the LRC for a tasty piece of fruit? Or refrain from buying that bag of Pick N’ Mix from the Students’ Union shop? Big or small any change can make a huge difference.

For more information visit dechox.bhf.org.uk.

Great Daffodil Appeal 2015 Kat Clements | Contributing Writer

From the 1st of March, you’ll be seeing a lot of yellow around.

That’s because the annual Great Daffodil Appeal will be kicking off and the flowers start blooming left, right and centre.

The Great Daffodil Appeal is an annual fundraising campaign run

by Marie Curie Cancer Care, a UK charity which provides nursing care to patients with terminal illnesses, either in their own homes or in one of the charity’s nine hospices.

The campaign has been running since 1986, when it was launched in

Scotland, and has become as much a part of Britain’s yearly landscape as poppies in November.

Marie Curie is the largest provider of hospital beds and care outside of the NHS, and it is committed to researching, promoting and providing end-of-life care.

People in Britain are living longer, and many make it to the end of their days with complex and nuanced medical – and emotional – needs.

Palliative care is a severely underresearched area, and Marie Curie is exclusively dedicated to helping people to die where they want to be – in their home, surrounded by those

they love, and in comfort.

Marie Curie invest around £3million in end-of-life-care research, and care for around 38,000 people every year.

Daffodils, with their cheery bright yellow hue, are a traditional symbol of spring, rebirth, and hope; they are also associated with healing and rest.

So this spring, help the flowers bloom all over Britain, and donate some money to Marie Curie Cancer Care, to give people the care they deserve.

For more info, and to set up your own event, visit mariecurie.org.

Campus Pharmacy ready to support you on National Stop Smoking Day Rona Robinson, Superintendent Pharmacist at the Campus Pharmacy shares advice and information on quitting for National Stop Smoking Day on March 11th.

100,000 – That’s the estimated number of people who die every year in the UK due to smoking.

It’s a shocking statistic but for many people, stopping smoking can be extremely difficult because of the addictiveness of nicotine.

When cigarette smoke is inhaled, the nicotine alters chemicals in the brain which causes mood and concentration levels to change. This may lead to feelings of pleasure and many smokers find this enjoyable.

However, the more you smoke, the more your brain becomes used to the nicotine which makes stopping smoking difficult. Although it may seem impossible, there is help at hand and with No Smoking Day fast approaching people have a great opportunity to find out about the services available to them on their doorstep to help them stop smoking.

As a pharmacist, I’ve helped many people to stop smoking. In fact, every month in the UK, 4,000 people quit smoking with the help of NHS counselling in community pharmacies.

This involves a consultation with a pharmacist who can help create a programme to improve your chances of stopping

smoking. During this consultation, you’ll be asked to set a quit date.

It’s important to be as realistic as possible. For example, if you have an important exam coming up, it’s better to set the quit date for after this. Once the quit date is set, I encourage people to let their friends and family know as their support and encouragement can be invaluable.

It’s also important to stay positive and this can be helped by saving the money you would have spent on cigarettes and treating yourself to something you enjoy.

If you’re struggling with nicotine withdrawal cravings, most pharmacies provide Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) which

helps to reduce cravings by replacing the nicotine from cigarettes but without the toxic chemicals such as tar and carbon monoxide. NRT is available in patches, chewing gum, lozenges, tablets, sprays and inhalators. Your pharmacist can help you to choose the most suitable product for you.

To find out more about stopping smoking or other pharmacy services, simply pop into the Campus Pharmacy in the Hutton Hub. Our one-to-one quit smoking service is completely confidential. All our staff are trained stop smoking advisors and are happy to help. Alternatively, call 01707284054 to make an appointment.

• Health 17

Eating Disorder Awareness Week Jennie Couling | Contributing Writer

Last week saw the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week aiming to raise awareness and funds and to campaign for better research and access to treatment.

On Friday 27th February the national eating disorder charity Beat ran their annual Sock It To Eating Disorders fundraiser, encouraging supporters to wear colourful, crazy and odd socks for the day and donate a £1 to Beat. If you missed out but would still like to donate, text UAUA05 followed by your donation amount from £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070 (for example to donate £1 text UAUA05 £1).

What is an eating disorder?

Those with eating disorders have an unhealthy relationship to food that dominates their life at detriment to their mental, and often physical, health.

The three most common types of eating disorder are: anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating disorder. There is also a fourth diagnosis of EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) for those whose symptoms do not fit into one category or do not meet the full criteria for a particular diagnosis.

However, this does not mean their eating disorder is any less severe.

The facts:

• According to statistics collected by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence, it is suggested that 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder, of which around 11% are male. However, another survey suggests up to a quarter of those who displayed signs of an eating disorder were male (Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, 2007).

• According to Beat, Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, from medical complications associated with the illness as well as suicide.

• Research has found that 20% of anorexia sufferers will die prematurely from their illness.

Bulimia is also associated with severe medical complications, and binge eating disorder sufferers often experience the medical complications associated with obesity.

• Around 46% of anorexia nervosa patients fully recover, with a third improving, and 20% remaining chronically ill (Steinhausen, 2002).

Similar research into bulimia suggests that around 45% of sufferers make a full recovery, 27% improve considerably, and 23% suffer chronically (Steinhausen & Weber, 2009). There is very little research into recovery rates of those who suffer from binge eating disorders.

• Research carried out in Australia suggests that the average duration of anorexia nervosa is eight years, and of bulimia nervosa five years. The research also suggests that the earlier treatment is sought, the better the sufferer’s chance of recovery.

Myths about eating disorders

You can tell if someone has an eating disorder by looking at them - People who suffer from eating disorders are all shapes and sizes. Someone with anorexia may never appear emaciated.

Equally those with disorders such as bulimia, binge eating, and EDNOS can be underweight, a normal weight, overweight or obese and often fluctuate in weight.

Eating Disorders are caused

by Photoshopped images in the media - Lots of people are exposed to photoshopped pictures of models and not all of them develop eating disorders. Social ideas of beauty and weight can negatively impact a person’s body image and make them feel under pressure to look a particular way but they cannot cause an eating disorder. A person’s biology, genetics and psychology affect whether they are susceptible to an eating disorder.

Anorexia is the only life threatening eating disorder research based on individuals seeking outpatient treatment shows mortality rates for bulimia and EDNOS are similar to, and higher, than those for anorexia. Bulimia had a 3.9% mortality rate and EDNOS had a 5.2% mortality rate while anorexia had a 4.0% rate. (Crow, S., et al. 2009)

Eating Disorders are a result of over controlling parents and dysfunctional families - Families affected by eating disorders are very diverse. Between 50-80% of a person’s risk for developing an eating disorder

is due to genetic factors.

Purging is an effective way to lose weight - Purging does not result in ridding the body of ingested food. At least half of what is consumed during a binge typically remains in the body after selfinduced vomiting. Laxatives do not prevent the body from absorbing calories either, because they impact the large intestine and most calories are absorbed in the small intestine.

Laxatives can provide an illusion of weight loss but this is due to loss of fluids and dehydration. Purging does not prevent weight gain. In fact, over time, the binge/purge cycle affects the body’s metabolic rate and can contribute to increased or accelerated weight gain. For these reasons, many people with bulimia are average or above-average weight.

Eating Disorders are a lifestyle choice or someone can choose to stop having an eating disorder - there are a number of contributing factors that make someone develop an eating disorder including genetics. Many use their eating habits as a way of coping with emotions or difficult life events.

Recovery is extremely hard work and involves far more than sufferers deciding to not use behaviours. To recover, someone needs medical monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation as well as learning better ways to cope with stress and emotions.

How can you tell if someone has an eating disorder?

Trying to tell if someone has an eating disorder is tricky, as many try very hard to keep their illness a secret. Ultimately it’s down to the

sufferer to get treatment and decide to recover, but if you’re worried about someone signs to look out for include: • Skipping meals • A reluctance to eat in front of other people • Reluctance / refusal to eat food that • Doesn’t have nutrition labels or that they have not prepared themselves • Cutting out particular food groups • Rapid weight loss or gain • Excessive exercise • Cooking elaborate meals for others • Dry skin and hair • Feeling cold • Swollen cheeks • Only eating a small range of foods • Having mealtime rituals • Eating strange combinations of food

How to get help

The Student Wellbeing Counselling Centre has a drop in session every weekday during term time 1:30-2:30pm on first floor of the Hutton Hub on College Lane Campus (next to the Forum). It’s confidential and no appointment is needed however students are seen on a first come first served basis. Alternatively you can make an appointment by phoning 01707 284453, emailing Counselling.Centre@herts.ac.uk or filling out a form on StudyNet.

The Student Wellbeing Counselling Centre also has a range of self help resources and student support groups on their StudyNet page.

18

Health & Science•

A healthy dose of science

By Kat Clements Working out what science stories matter and which ones are just a flash in the pan can be tricky, especially if you don’t have a science background.

UniVerse is here to help with our regular roundup of the biggest news in science, environment and health.

New planets beyond Pluto

Philae Phone Home

Research published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters journal suggested that there are at least two undiscovered planets, at least as big as Earth, in our Solar System.

The two new planets, if they exist, lie beyond Pluto, the dwarf planet thought to be the last significant body in our system. The evidence comes from a region of space full of floating space rocks known as “Extreme Trans-Neptunian Objects”, or Etnos. These rocks behave in a way which doesn’t quite add up without something big pulling on them beyond Pluto. From the exact deviations in their orbital paths, the scientists have deduced that the planets, if they exist, are at least the size of Earth.

The lead scientist, Prof.

Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, was quoted by the Spanish news service Sinc as saying “This excess of objects with unexpected orbital parameters makes us believe that some invisible

In case you’ve been living under a rock since November, Philae is the probe sent out by the European Space Agency to explore Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (try saying that three times fast), and it made a triumphant landing on the comet – to much internet excitement – and began to beam back data before, er, vanishing.

According to ESA scientists, Philae bounced when it landed and is now in a dark ditch, where its solar cells can’t gather enough power to contact Earth. So the next time you think you screwed up by crashing a remote control helicopter into a hedge, remember Philae, lying in a ditch on a comet millions of miles from Earth.

It’s not all bad news, though – as Comet 67P gets closer to the sun, light will start to fall on Philae’s solar cells, and the scientists are confident that even if they can’t find it the probe will “call home” some time in May or June.

forces are altering the distribution of the orbital elements of the Etno, and we consider that the most probable explanation is that other unknown planets exist beyond Neptune and Pluto.

“The exact number is uncertain, given that the data that we have is limited, but our calculations suggest that there are at least two planets, and probably more, within the confines of our solar system.”

This isn’t the first time that people have looked for new planets at the edge of our system. Ever since Neptune was discovered in 1846 people have looked for new planetary bodies beyond it, because the orbits of the gas giants – Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune – weren’t quite what they thought they would be.

They called this planet “Planet X”, which sounds like a comic book, but it’s a serious theory. When Pluto was discovered in 1930, people initially thought that it was Planet X, but it simply does not have enough mass

to account for those orbital changes, sparking a brief search for a Tenth Planet. The Planet X theory was dropped in the 1990s when more detailed measurements revealed that the unexpected orbits were actually due to a miscalculation in the mass of Neptune. The concept, however, lives on, and this is the latest piece of research in an ongoing debate.

But you probably shouldn’t get too excited – even if they’re there, they’re only the size of Earth. They won’t have any of the conditions necessary for life, and even if they did, they’d be far too cold – that far away from the Sun, things are cold and dark. To give you an idea of exactly how cold Planet(s) X might be, Pluto has a mean surface temperature of around -229°C.

30 Seconds to Mars – Or not

Cervical Cancer Vaccine

Mars One, a Dutch non-profit, has a big promise. It aims to put people on Mars by 2024 – only 9 years in the future. 100 people have been shortlisted for the mission, including five Britons.

But new research suggests that this is just science fiction.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology predicted in October that, given the current specifications, the colony would lose oxygen after around 60 days, killing the crew.

The blueprints were quickly updated, and the Mars One plans have been changed since, but there

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in British women. In 2011, around 970 people died from it, and there are around 3,000 diagnoses per year. It’s caused by some strains of the HPV (human papilloma virus), which is spread via sexual intercourse.

Currently, the NHS offers a free vaccine against HPV to all girls aged 12 & 13 – you might remember it from your Year 9 jabs. That vaccine protects against 4 strains of the virus, all of which cause cancer.

Now, a new vaccine has been developed which protects against nine types of the virus – seven of

are still serious concerns about the specifications and budget.

The trip would be a one-way ticket – nobody has yet devised a way to make it back, and even if they could, the conditions on Mars would cause physiological changes in the colonists which would kill them should they ever return to Earth.

So let’s not get too optimistic – no holidays on another planet for us yet.

which are cancer causing – and was found to be 97% effective against the various cervical, vaginal and vulvar diseases caused by the others, in a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The new jab, Gardasil 9, “offers the potential to increase overall cervical cancer prevention from 70 to 90 per cent, nearly eliminating this cancer among vaccinated women,” the Times quoted co-author Jack Cuzick (Queen Mary University of London) as saying.

For more information, search HPV vaccine at nhs.uk.

• Health & Science 19

It takes three

The hot-button issue of the month has been the recent approval of so-called 3-person babies by Parliament.

“Three-parent-babies” are foetuses created using IVF to combat crippling mitochondrial disorders.

Mitochondria, in case you were wondering, are the cell’s powerhouses; they generate energy and play a vital role in respiration. Without them, the cell can’t produce ATP, the chemical form of energy used to power most of the body’s processes.

Mitochondria are unlike every other part of your body in that they are inherited directly from your mother.

They normally hang out inside cells – they’re one of the organelles, mini structures that do various jobs to make your cells function. When an egg (the female gamete, or sex cell) is formed, it has a nucleus, a few other organelles, and mitochondria from the mother’s cells. The sperm, on the other hand, has no organelles – just DNA. So all your mitochondria are copied from the ones in your mother’s cells.

Three-parent babies is really a misnomer. The technique simply

involves taking the mitochondria from a healthy woman and using them to replace the faulty ones. The actual DNA is unaffected, and nothing except the mitochondria changes in the child. The mitochondria contain mDNA, which makes up less than 1% of your overall biological makeup.

So the woman who donates the mitochondria is the “third parent” – but her contribution is minimal and she has no influence in the child’s overall makeup.

Objections to this procedure are that it is not proven to be safe; although three parent children have indeed been made, and are now around 10 years old, the long terms effects of mDNA transfer haven’t yet been explored. However, these children are wholly healthy, and extensive testing has failed to reveal abnormalities.

Other objections are on ethical grounds; the Church of England has now officially come out against the procedure, declaring that it is “playing God”. People are concerned that the manipulation of mitochondrial characteristics will lead further down the path to “designer babies”.

Expensive fakes work better than cheap ones

A study from the University of Cincinatti, building on work done in 2008 by another team, found that when they gave patients pretend drugs (placebos) and told them that they were expensive medicines, the patients improved more than another group given the same placebo and told it was cheap.

Confused? Let’s break it down.

Placebo is a word used in science for, basically, a fake. In experiments where you want to work out if giving someone something

– say paracetamol – does more to relieve their headache than if they hadn’t taken it, you need somebody to not take a pill. But if you don’t give them anything, they are going to behave differently to the person who took the paracetamol, because they know they are meant to feel worse. So you give them a fake pill – just pressed powder with no medical effects, but indistinguishable from the real pill. This means that they don’t know what they’ve taken isn’t really medicine, and helps to show how much of the effect of the

paracetamol is really medicinal and how much is the power of belief. The brain is a powerful organ and it plays a lot of tricks, and one of them is this placebo effect – that if somebody thinks that a medicine will make them better, it often will despite having no real impact. This extraordinary effect can be seen even with purely physical illnesses – for instance, people who have a limp due to a muscle injury can be seen to walk better and less painfully if they think they’ve been given a medicine that will fix their muscles.

So two groups of patients are given the same fake drug, which they’re told will treat their Parkinson’s disease. And some of them are told that what they’ve been given is a really expensive new drug, and others are told that the drug is really cheap and easily available. And the ones who were told their drug was expensive got better faster! The human mind is a wonderful thing..

20

Sport •

UH Campus Football: Mouthampton and Midlothian lead at the Mid-Point Matt Creasey & Kieran Burman Contributing Writers

Weeks three and four in League A saw Jägerbombs pick themselves up off of bottom spot and shoot above both Redbourn Reborn and Friendly Foxes, with notable performances by goalkeeper Mateusz Plazie and central midfield partnership Dan and Emilio. It’s also been a week that has seen much courageous out-the-box goalkeeping by both the Mouthampton goalkeeper and Dixie Normous stopper, Liam Rivers.

The past fortnight has also seen Nike Elites have the wind knocked out of their sail by last year’s overall champions as they look to contest that top spot in the league. Additionally, Dixie Normous have held on to 5th position in the table thanks to some inspired

performances from box-to-box midfielder Idriss. More importantly as I said in commentary last week on the Recap Show, week 4 played host to title contenders Mouthampton, a team who were sat top of the league at the time separated by goal difference, play FC Royalty who were down in third with a win being enough to draw them level on points with the league leaders. This was a toughly fought match, half-time was showing signs of the game ending a passionately disappointing 0-0. Solid performances from Darryl Smith, Jon Choi, Luke Durrant and Benny ensured that Mouthampton came away with a 3-0 victory and those vital 3 points in the bag. Mouthampton seem to be coasting at the top of the league, yet to be beaten, however one slip from them will open up the whole competition.

League B has been full of

goals, slips and controversies in weeks 3 and 4. Herts of Midlothian are still running away with the league with Lee Rix and Jordan Coleman the stand out players, with a somewhat invisible captain, Alfie, who has chipped in with a few goals himself. Hangover 96 suffered two losses in a row, however are still sat in 3rd place. They do however have contenders for Goal of the Semester and Miss of the Semester, with Jamie Williams’ goal against ManChestHair and Connor Hurst’s miss against Ball again Ballers.

Joe Beard is still their stand out player, with the centre-back proving useful at both ends of the pitch. 2 goals 1 Cup have climbed the table from a respectable 4th place to a competitive 2nd place and it seems as though they will now keep Herts of Midlothian looking over their shoulders. Their captain Toby now

needs to rally the troops and keep them performing - it could be an interesting final game of the season.

Herts Army have proved to be the biggest flops of the Semester with a good group of individual players including Captain Mario Lamaa and target man Matt Flynn, however they are yet to grit together and work as team; with them holding the rest of the league on their shoulders.

Want all the latest UH Campus Football news? Check out the weekly highlights show from UnionTV!

• Sport 21

The psychology of coaching and under-performance in athletes Taveena Atsu | Features Sub Editor

With almost 15 years of experience in coaching a variety of nearly thirty sports, including rugby and football, Sion Thomas delivered a sports psychology workshop at the Hertfordshire Sports Village on the 18th February. As part of coaching education week, Thomas gives us an overview of what a sports psychologist is, some insight into underperformance and how to prevent it.

According to Thomas, a sports psychologist’s job is to “help athletes to manage arousal levels, develop strategies to improve concentration and confidence” as well as “help them understand themselves and provide “support for athletes with addiction disorders.”

A self-fulfilling prophecy is when an individual lives up to perceived expectations of them. For athletes, these can often be negative ones, and it’s a sports psychologist’s job to try and help prevent this.

Thomas tells us that the control of emotions, more often than not, can lead to better performance.

An example given in the workshop was an athlete involved in the triathlon. They were a brilliant indoor

swimmer and an excellent cyclist overthinking). Choking, VS panicking too, but their fear of open water (which is when ‘you forget about what lead underperformance when it you should be doing’) are terrible really mattered. Another example wastes of concentrated energy. This of underperformance given by one is crucial, as according to Thomas of the coaches in the “concentration talk was over arousal in doesn’t get lost” archery, which can often but instead “gets lead to over thinking redirected somewhere and a decreased control else.” of the shot. Having Nonetheless, said this, there are athletes may just athletes who are able be experiencing to manage themselves what’s called and can do their sport UUPS (unexplained automatically, and as a under-performance result their performance syndrome)..

Sion Thomas | Sports isn’t affected.

Basically burnout, Psychology Interventions

Another reason so it’s essential that Thomas gives for undersome degree of is performance is a ‘negative spiralled rest taken during busy times. mind set’. The frame of mind an “Coaches generally don’t athlete puts themselves in throughout spend enough time watching and their performance is crucial to their observing they spend too much time achievement. Positivity really does telling,” says Thomas. Being able to breed success! take a back seat and watch what your

According to psychologists students are doing is a fundamental Costas Karageorghis and Peter Terry skill for any sports coach to have, in their book Inside Sport Psychology, as it may be just what they need. choking is a ‘symptom of anxiety that Bombarding an athlete with “excess occurs when players focus excessively noise” and distracting and negative on the execution of skills rather than thoughts can be what takes them allowing them to flow automatically away from their ultimate goal: without conscious effort’ (i.e. winning.

In addition to this, it’s vital not to impose your expectations on the athlete, rather use what they have to the best they can, as ‘outcome related thinking is extremely dangerous..

Paradoxically we’re increasing our anxiety levels immediately.’

On the other hand, outcome related goals are important in order to progress to the next level, but only if they’re not too harsh. Coaches should therefore be careful with the language they use when trying to set these goals.

To keep an athlete focused on what’s important, try to help them adopt what Thomas calls a “one thought principle” and not think of too many things at once. As well as this, ‘have a good routine in place’ because ‘we waste so much energy prior to our performances’ which can be extremely damaging in the long run.

Being a sports coach isn’t easy, but sticking to these principles should put you and your students in good stead for the future. If you want to find out more about coaching, visit sportinherts.org.uk for more info.

Herts Halls League Hall Bellingham Court Fern Spalding Coales Hadham Redbourn Ashwell Lemsford Telford Court

Points 14 13 12 9 6 6 6 4

Participation 44 58 46 76 49 31 27 80

Hall Butler Chapman Broad Welwyn Shenley Watton Sandridge Sarratt Kimpton Aldenham

Points 4 3 2 2 1 1 0 0

Participation 50 73 31 14 27 19 23 13

Correct at time of printing 26th Feb

Throughout the academic year, Halls will get points for 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