Bristol May 2017 by The University Paper

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BRISTOL EDITION May 2017

P24 Playing live should be like cave people dancing Success blows my mind DUA LIPA

Fishing villages across the world helped by Bristol students’ design and dedication

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P11

WHALE OF A TIME Duo row across Atlantic

P19 P13

GRIME’S J HUS Tells us he’s a bit boring

Vital vests offer lifeline

 VALENTINA BULAVA Thousands of the world’s poorest people have been saved from drowning thanks to a company started by Bristol students. Alex Sanderson, who studies geography at Bristol, founded Vestability while working in Madagascar in 2015, after speaking to women there whose husbands and sons had drowned at sea on ﬁshing trips because there were no life jackets in their small villages. Vestability makes buoyancy vests using only recycled materials such as rice sacks and plastic bottles, meaning its products are as sustainable as they are vital. Alex told TUP: ‘These ﬁshers

With no life jackets, fishers become exhausted. Many drown

Alex Sanderson, Vestability founder

have no access to affordable safety equipment. After capsizing, fishers must swim long distances back to shore. With no life jackets, fishers quickly become exhausted. Sadly, many drown. ‘Although I was only 19 at the time, I was shocked that with all the NGOs and international institutions working in Madagascar, there was very little attention paid to this issue.’ When she enrolled at Bristol, the 22-year-old recruited seven fellow students to set about finding a sustainable solution to the problem. ‘I found working on Vestability much more exciting than going to lectures,’ Alex said. ‘Now I am used to the workload and easily balance it with my studies. As a Continued on Page 3

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May 2017

REVIEW So much more than your old-fashioned chippy FOOD AND DRINK Catch22 College Green



 Tianna Graham We all have a beloved chip shop where the smell of salt and grease is evident as soon as you hit the door – the chips come in newspaper and the fish is mostly batter but we wouldn’t have it any other way. So when you first approach aquaticthemed Catch22, with its fishing nets and nautical monster movie posters on the walls, you may be surprised to find it is pristine both inside and out. The day myself and my brother arrived at the restaurant was a delightfully sunny afternoon and we were both itching to get our hands on some old-fashioned grub. The concept of fish and chips has been done to death, so you may have assumed it was a pretty short menu but fish was not all that was on offer.

My cod was so light and fluffy inside that it fell off my fork in the best way

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Catch of the day: The restaurant’s bumper-sized plate of cod and chips

House dirt a winner Overflowing bins bag one housemate £500  John Shaw A worktop full of dirty crockery and a cooker caked in burnt food and grime has helped one student win the dubious accolade of the UK’s Worst Student Digs. UWE Bristol student Brittani Cooper bagged £500 after winning the competition organised by online blinds retailer web-blinds.com, Profitable pigpen: The winning home after seeing the company was looking for the untidiest and dirtiest tidiest during the past year. link to the article as a joke because student hall, ﬂat or residence in ‘I decided it was worth entering he knew that my housemates and the UK. Brittani said: ‘My Dad sent me the I didn’t exactly keep our ﬂat the with some images of our very

messy kitchen, and now I’m so happy I did. ‘My dad is now saying he wants to share the money 50/50 with me, but that won’t be happening as I’m going to use it towards decorating my new student house for my second year. ‘I’m aiming to keep my new home a lot cleaner.’ After seeing the selection of images of the communal kitchen Brittani shares with her three female and two male housemates in Bristol, judges agreed the unhygienic shots were worthy of being awarded the £500 cash prize and free window blind for the student accommodation.

The classic cod was present, along with the standard haddock, salmon and plaice. But the menu also offered beef, chicken, halloumi or veggie burgers with various toppings, salads and pies as well as prawns and mussels. When the food came we were happy to say that it was delicious. Taking a bite out of my brother’s burger, the chicken was succulent and tasty and my cod was so light and fluffy inside that it fell off my fork in the best way. The chips were chunky and full, although a little dry and we enjoyed our large portions. When it came to the desserts we had neither the room nor the stomach to pay £2.35 for a single Magnum ice cream and decided we had seen enough. With Catch22 being a stone’s throw away from a university and attracting those on the go or who are looking for a quiet sit down in a relaxed family friendly restaurant then I would not discourage anyone from popping in.

Strikers’ call to cut it out Rent strikers at the University of Bristol have demanded a 4.5 per cent halls price cut. The campaigners have refused to pay up since April 28 and say their demands are ‘highly reasonable’. Bristol, Cut The Rent said: ‘The high rents solicited by University of Bristol’s accommodation services are unfair.’ It said running costs for uni halls should be published, called for rent to be rolled back to 2015-16 levels and added that Bristol should ‘re-examine its rent setting policies’. But the university said it ‘simply seeks to cover its costs’ and its rents were similar to those of other universities and competitive with private housing in the city.

NEWS

Lifesaving work will continue after uni « Continued from page 1 geography student, a lot of the work I do for Vestability feeds into my university degree and vice versa. The only time I have struggled was this term while I wrote my dissertation. ‘Thankfully, I have surrounded myself with a brilliant team who I have been able to share the workload with.’ Vestability is building an alliance of organisations worldwide to help spread its innovative product across the globe. The non-profit organisation is also equipping people in fishing communities to make their own buoyancy vests. The vests help people feel safer at work, leading to increased reliability in their trade. Security and stability is the goal of most foreign aid outlets working in lowto-middle income countries like those Vestability targets. And the team have already begun to receive positive feedback for their work. ‘When [Vestability co-director] Pritika and I were in Madagascar last summer it was incredible to meet so many fishermen and to see their reactions to our buoyancy vests,’ Alex said. ‘Vestability is built around our beneficiaries, so the best feedback is when we hear that fishermen are using the buoyancy vests and are fishing safely. ‘However, high fishing death rates are not only a problem in Madagascar. We are now expanding into mainland Africa, to help save more lives. Vestability will definitely continue.’

News

Puppy power

Students across the UK are discovering the calming effects of canines as part of pet therapy We investigate the use of dogs on campus and the science behind feeling all fluffy over fido  Valentina Bulava

Canine cuddles: A session run by Guide Dogs UK with Oxford students

Unless you’re allergic, chances are a cuddle with a cat or dog will put a smile on your face. And universities have embraced this, with many arranging for their students to interact with puppies. ‘Puppy room’ events are popular at many universities around exam time, while some students can book regular appointments with dogs at their unions. But how big an impact do these sessions actually have on students and are the dogs OK with it? Ailie Robertson, a student advisor at Heriot-Watt students’ union in Edinburgh, described a typical Therapet session, which

May 2017

the advice hub organises with the Canine Concern Scotland Trust and volunteer dog owners. ‘I’ve been incredibly surprised and quite moved by how lovely the occasion is,’ she said. ‘Every session has 150 students passing through, broken down into different slots, and it’s always fully booked. ‘We usually have about ﬁve or six dogs and owners and each have a circle around them with the dog on the mat. ‘It’s not that big a space and there are 30 students per 20-minute session but it’s an incredibly calm, quiet space and the students lose track of time. ‘The dogs go into this amazing zone of loving the attention. The owners always say they love coming here.’ Research backs up the good feeling many get from making a furry friend in these sessions. Having a specially-trained dog improved the quality of life and

Although there are 30 students and five or six dogs, it’s incredibly calm and people lose track of the time

The trust that comes from opening up to a dog is a very good way of managing stress

Prof Daniel Mills, behaviour expert

Ailie Robertson, Heriot-Watt SU

boosting furr-apy, many unis team up with local organisations to bring the pups to campus. One charity that works with students across the country is Guide Dogs UK, which brings puppies being trained to assist blind people to unis, along with their handlers. Sue Richardson, head of the charity’s Atherton training school, said the sessions helped the

These sessions help teach our puppies good manners – behaviour we would expect

PICTURES: GUIDE DOGS UK/LIVERPOOL SU

working relationships of disabled people in a study by Elanco Animal Health, results published in February show. Families with a dog in their home also got on better and worried less, according to the research, which surveyed more than 300 clients either with a specially-trained dog or on the waiting list for one. Research for the Dogs Trust has also found it’s very likely having a dog can help reduce blood pressure. Prof Daniel Mills, a veterinary behavioural medicine specialist at the University of Lincoln, said as well as providing puppy therapy, universities are increasingly letting students take pets into lectures and exams to ﬁght anxiety. ‘The anecdotal evidence is that it does calm these people – you speak to them and they wouldn’t be able to turn up if it wasn’t for that,’ he said. ‘If you’ve got a dog, it gives you a focus so it redirects your attention from the stress.’ He said humans had been learning to identify with animals since our time as prehistoric hunters, making us good at telling pets our problems. ‘The sharing of intimate thoughts and the trust that comes from it is a very good way of managing stress,’ he said. ‘One of the beauties of

Clockwise from top: A Guide Dogs UK puppy, a happy student, a dog learns to socialise, directions for a Liverpool SU session and positive feedback

Sue Richardson, Guide Dogs UK

something like a dog is if you talk about things that are troubling you, then you know the dog is not going to betray your trust.’ Georgii Popov-Lvov, a ﬁrst year illustration student from the University of Brighton who has felt

Paws for pleasure: Students often leave the dog petting sessions calmer, above

the beneﬁts of puppy sessions ﬁrst-hand, said: ‘I love dogs, so I really liked dog therapy. It made my mood better.’ But he added: ‘To avoid stress, it’s better to be prepared for exams in time.’ In order to deliver the mood-

puppies involved and the guide dog movement as a whole. ‘Socialising is key for our dogs, as long as it’s done appropriately,’ she said. ‘We have very clear protocols and the welfare of the dog is at the forefront. Basically, they’re being taught good manners – behaviour we would expect of them.’ But she said the sessions also educated people at university about guide dogs and their owners. ‘We

Have you relied on a pet to get you through a tough term? Email your experiences to editor@unipaper. co.uk

have students with guide dogs around the country so it’s useful for the university to have that disability awareness,’ she added. Other universities have their own dedicated therapy dogs. Vinnie helps stressed students at the University of Leicester SU, coming in every week for two hours’ worth of 15 minute sessions, with up to three visitors at a time. The black labrador joined the Education Unit team after he proved too timid for a guide dog training scheme. Naomi Willett, advice development co-ordinator at the SU, said: ‘Vinnie’s been getting on really well. Some students have said they ﬁnd it relaxing to have a dog to pet when they’re feeling stressed and anxious in the run-up to assignments and exams.’ The sessions are made even more beneﬁcial by the fact most students are not allowed pets in their accommodation. ‘Other students seem to get comfort from Vinnie as they miss their pets back home,’ Naomi said.

6|Research

May 2017

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Pubs close down as supermarkets sell cheap booze Research finds drink is still easy to reach

was three times more accessible in more deprived areas. The research showed 85 per cent of postcodes have an outlet which sells alcohol within 500metres, with the average distance being just 323metres. Colin Angus, who led the study, said: ‘Our research shows a major change in how people obtain their alcohol. Small supermarkets and convenience stores, where alcohol is commonly available at low prices, have proliferated in recent years. At the same time, the numbers of pubs – which sell alcohol at a higher price – has decreased dramatically. ‘What is especially concerning is these trends are most pronounced in deprived areas, which we know are particularly affected by alcohol Closing time: One in ten pubs shut down from 2001 to 2013 related harm.’

 Amy Denman

Many of us have our loyalties to a local pub, whether it’s for the garden, the atmosphere or the pool table. But it seems more and more people are ditching their local boozer for the cheaper plonk at the ofﬁe. One in ten pubs closed in England between 2001 and 2013, while the number of supermarkets and convenience stores has more than doubled, according to research from the University of Shefﬁeld. The study, conducted by analysts from the university’s Alcohol Research Group, also found booze

Women given less time to talk

When you think of comedy, you tend to think of male comedians such as Peter Kay, Michael McIntyre or Jimmy Carr. A reason behind this may have been found by researchers from Birmingham City University. Scientists from the institution found female panelists spoke much less on the popular BBC show Mock The Week than their male counterparts. Dr Robert Lawson and Dr Ursula Lutzky analysed an entire series of the comedy news show to see how frequently panelists of different genders spoke, how long they spoke for and the number of times they were interrupted by other speakers. The results showed only four per cent of nearly 60,000 words were spoken by female panelists. It also revealed that in ten episodes, male guests had 2,199 turns to speak, whereas the female guests had just 125 opportunities to

speak. Dr Lawson said: ‘We would expect that with six panelists on Mock The Week the talking time would be equally divided between all six comedians. ‘Our research shows, however, that this doesn’t seem to be the case. ‘More research is needed to compare the amount of talk produced by male and female panelists in series after 2014, when the decision was taken to ensure that at least one female panelist should be present on each episode.’

The team’s research looked at series ﬁve of the show, which aired in 2007 and has 12 episodes, as it was seen by the pair of academics as having a comparatively higher number of female guests than other series.

Sad face: Show’s guests are mostly men

Bullies and victims more likely to want surgery Insecure: 11 per cent of victims want plastic surgery

Bullying is a horrible thing to experience. Most of us know the reasons people pick on others is because they are insecure. This has now been proven by a study from the University of Warwick which has found bullies and their victims are more likely to want to have cosmetic surgery. The research looked at roughly 2,800 UK secondary school students aged between 11 to 16. They were screened for their involvement in bullying through both self and peer assessment. The pupils were then asked to complete a number of questionnaires which included questions on their views on cosmetic procedures. A sample group of around 800 participants including bullies, victims, and those unaffected by

bullying was analysed for emotional problems, self-esteem levels and their desire to have plastic surgery was measured. The results showed 11 per cent of teens who were bullied were interested in procedures. Whereas 3.4 per cent of bullies desired surgery and 8.8 per cent of those who are both a bully and a victim expressed an interest in such procedures. Prof Dieter Wolke said: ‘Being victimised by peers resulted in poor psychological functioning, which increased desire for cosmetic surgery. For bullies, cosmetic surgery may simply be another tactic to increase social status to look good and achieve dominance. ‘Our results suggest cosmetic surgeons should screen candidates for psychological vulnerability and history of bullying.’

New camera technology inspired by animals’ vision Glagsow scientists help cams to ‘see’ Researchers have taken inspiration from animal vision to improve the way digital cameras capture images. Scientists from the University of Glasgow have developed a new method which allows a camera to focus on an object, in the same way a hunter can hone in on its prey. The sensor will identify the main object in the frame and allocate the

majority of its detail to that. For example, if a tree was blowing in the wind the camera would produce a high-resolution image of the tree and objects in the background would appear more blurry. Lead researcher Dr David Phillips, from Glasgow’s School of Engineering, said: ‘I started to think a bit about how vision works in living things and I realised that building a programme which could interpret the data from our sensor along similar lines could solve the problem. By prioritising the

information from the sensor in this way, we’ve managed to produce images at an improved frame rate. We’ve also taught the system a valuable new skill.’ He added: ‘We’re keen to continue improving the system Bird’s eye: Camera inspired by animals’ sight

and explore the opportunities for industrial and commercial use, for example in medical imaging.’ The eyes and brains in humans and animals work together to focus on objects in their ﬁeld of vision, for example during a chat, visual attention is focused on the

person speaking – Dr Phillips’ new method works in a similar way. His research was published in the journal Science Advance. The news comes after an experiment saw Google’s new smartphone camera take detailed images in environments with small amounts of light. The experiments were performed by a Google Daydream software engineer. During the trails, the new camera was able to capture an image of space by using the light from nearby stars.

IN BRIEF

Grant could save lives A professor from the University of Liverpool has been awarded £850,000 to develop a life saving device. Prof Andrew Weeks received the grant to develop the Postpartum Hemorrhage Butterfly. The invention helps to stop postpartum bleeding, which occurs up to 24hours after birth, and diagnose the source. PPH is the cause of around 25 per cent of maternal deaths around the world and it affects around 40,000 British women every year.

Learning bots catch disease Scientists have developed new artificial intelligence which can more accurately predict heart disease than current technology. Research from the University of Nottingham has shown that self teaching AI tools were significantly more accurate at predicting cardiovascular disease than the established algorithm. Dr Stephen Weng said: ‘These AI algorithms have the potential to help save more lives.’

Fingerprint tech on trial New fingerprint technology developed by Sheffield Hallam researchers has been used in a real case for the first time. The technology, which analyses fingerprints to look into what the alleged criminal was doing before the crime, was used during an investigation into harassment in West Yorkshire. It works by mapping different molecules within tissue sections. Dr Simona Francese, project leader, said: ‘This is yet another step closer to our aim.’

Freedom: It works well Employees with higher levels of autonomy in their workplace reported positive effects on their well being and job satisfaction, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Birmingham’s business school examined changes in reported well being in relation to levels of autonomy at work. Dr Daniel Wheatley said: ‘Greater levels of control over work tasks and schedule have the potential to generate significant benefits for the employee.’

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Shaping young lives: When pupils are excited to learn, it is extremely rewarding

It’s a joy to see the kids learning

Science teacher Victoria Warren discusses how training helped her build her confidence and how her career is exceeding her expectations

 John Shaw T SOME point in your academic journey, you have probably had a teacher who has made a difference in your life. They may have made learning interesting, helped you through a hard time or challenged you to push your limits. But have you ever thought that special person could be you? After graduating, you may want to look into teaching as a career. Good teachers are in demand and there are excellent employment prospects. To attract the best and brightest people with the potential to be exceptional teachers, a range of tax-free bursaries and prestigious scholarships are now available. New teachers may be entitled to a tax-free bursary of £25,000 to train, or up to £30,000 for physics teachers*. Once you are qualiﬁed you can expect to start on a salary of £22,000 to £28,000 depending on location, which is competitive compared to other graduate jobs. It’s not too late to apply for teacher training starting in September and the Get Into

Teaching service can help you with your application. Applications are made through UCAS and will remain open until late summer. We spoke to Victoria Warren, a science teacher at Elthorne Park High School in London, to ﬁnd out more. When did you first decide to get into teaching?

I started tutoring when I was doing my PhD. For the last year and a half my funding was running out and I got an email from my university about them needing tutors. I started doing it and really enjoyed it. What were you afraid of before you started training?

You always think your knowledge is not going to be enough. If the kids ask you difﬁcult questions what are you going to do if you do not know the answer? You get over that quickly! No-one expects you to know everything, which is quite reassuring. What skills did you develop during your training?

I learnt how to deal with difﬁcult children and how you encourage them to learn when they do not

want to. They can be a challenge, but the training helps a lot. Before your training were you happy to stand up in front of people and speak?

No, definitely not! I was not at all when I first started. The training provides you with the confidence to stand up in front of a class of children, and the more you are put in front of young people and have to think of different ways to teach them the same thing, it continues to build that confidence. I am quite little as well so it is quite intimidating sometimes. So, how did you overcome that fear then? Is it a case of just doing it?

Yes, exactly. It is about having the conﬁdence. They’re still children at the end of the day, even if they’re bigger than you. You have just got to make sure they have the respect for you and appreciate that shouting doesn’t work. You have got to think of a different way to make them take you seriously. How did your training help you in developing those skills?

It was more about seeing the other teachers and how they deal with it. There is another female teacher at the school and she is tiny too. There is no point in her going in and shouting at the children. They are not going to pay attention to her at all. It is more about taking a stance. Her method is to stand there and give them a minute. If they are still not paying attention she will do a countdown. It is all about learning different techniques and how to deal with different age groups. Is there a good community between the teachers?

Yeah, it is a really tight-knit department. The science department is very close. There are lots of social activities as well and lots of helping each other out. They have a sharing system on the drive, where, if you have got a really good teaching technique, you can put it on there and the other teachers can see it as well. If someone was still deciding about going into teaching what would you tell them?

I would recommend going into a

school for an experience day. I contacted local schools and asked them if I could come in for a day of work experience and some of them got back to me. It was very casual like ‘yes, you can come in’. A lot of the schools are willing to have you come. Look for the ones who have vacancies, go in for a day, shadow a teacher and get a feel for what it is like. After I did it I thought ‘this is brilliant’. I think that is the best way to do it. Some people are worried about career progression. Was that something you were worried about?

No. My family friend is a teacher. She is the deputy head of a primary school so I had got some information from her about career progression in teaching. But your school will help you with career progression.

What is the most rewarding thing about the job?

When the students grasp a concept, get a bit excited about it and start asking questions about it. It shows you’ve got them gripped. *Subject to eligibility. Selected subjects only

CONTACT Want more? For more on bursaries, training and getting school experience visit: Website: getintoteaching. education.gov.uk LinkedIn: linkedin.com/ company/get-into-teaching Facebook: facebook.com/ getintoteaching Twitter: twitter.com/ getintoteaching YouTube: youtube.com/ getintoteaching Instagram : instagram.com/ get_into_teaching

Opinion

Jamie Jones, MK and Andy C have been handpicked by the Radio 1 presenter to perform and of course she will be putting in a set of her own. She takes me through some of the other acts to look out for. ‘The Black Madonna is an amazing selector,’ she says. ‘Also, Giggs and D Double E for being absolute cornerstones of the UK hip hop and grime scenes, and the six hour extravaganza from J.E.S.u.S – made up of Jackmaster, Eats Everything,

g of going somewhere I’ve never been before. I h as I used to so when I do it’s still exciting

to the muddy e backdrop to

must-have for ential but it tells me. ‘The els warmer y in the t on pool, boat

urge festivale for the chilly tists including

 Stevie French

Seth Troxler and Skream – will be a must-see experience.’ Inspired by the lineup and tempted to get myself a ticket for Lost And Found, I wonder how she manages to confidently select such an exciting list of performers. ‘Conviction and knowing your s**t,’ she tells me. ‘Not booking people because you feel pressure to book them from other people. You have to believe in it yourself.’ Although the pressure to organise a successful festival is high, the job does have its perks, travel being one. ‘I love the feeling of going somewhere I’ve never been before,’ the Londoner tells me. ‘I don’t do it as much as I used to so when I do go off

PICTURE: ENRICO

 Emily Wood

he Mac

e Malta as the day party. she says. ‘And ese government re so behind the o.’ also makes ace to party,

Male contraceptive won’t replace pill

After going to visit concentration camps in Poland, I realised we have not learned from the horrors of the Second World War

The experience of visiting Auschwitz concentration camp is hard to put into words. The mixed emotions of having been at a place of horror is akin to nothing I’ve ever felt before. Upon entering Auschwitz you’re welcomed with the sign that reads ‘arbeit macht frei’,which translates as ‘work sets you free’. It is the message Jews, Roma, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, political prisoners and others from across Europe and the world were faced with on a daily basis at Nazirun camps. It is estimated more than six million people died in the Holocaust, with nearly 1.5million murdered in Auschwitz. The remnants of the victims are everywhere – their possessions, clothing, even the hair shaved from their corpses. The sight makes you sick to your stomach. However, for me, entering Birkenau, the largest of the subcamps that made up the Auschwitz complex, was much worse. The sight of the tracks that brought so many to their deaths, and a freight car abandoned on them, is harrowing. Standing on the ramps where so many were selected for the gas chambers fills you with such dread. Plus the sheer size of the place was just disgusting. Watching documentaries and films simply does not prepare you for the sight of the masses of wooden bunkers in front of you. By the end of the visit my feet were sore, but I felt guilty for complaining about it as I thought of all the horrors the victims of the nterview Nazi regime faced in Auschwitz. When I came back to England, the dio 1 presenter tells us about trusting her first thing I did was check the news. To my horror I saw a story about

ing DJ Annie to do, it’s throw been hosting Festival in Bay for three formers from usic industry

May 2017

Want to have your say about a current event? Email your comment to editor@unipaper.co.uk

Message from the past: The Auschwitz I entrance

History could repeat itself

made a stupid comment about the gas attacks in Syria, claiming that Hitler didn’t gas his ‘own people’ – only to quickly retract this statement after being called out by the press – and went on to call the After what I had seen concentration camps ‘Holocaust the week before I couldn’t centres’ as if they were some sort of understand how this could day care for the Jewish people. happen The Holocaust is more than Emily Wood just a warning from the past, it’s Comment 25 9 important to remember the sheer Big waist of NHS cash scale of injustice after the war, with understand how this could happen. instincts, practising her DJ skills in the garden and catching all kinds of travelling bugs the rise of antisemitism and suicide Less than a day later, the White House’s press secretary Sean Spicer rates of survivors. Think of all the camps being set up in Chechnya, Russia, to hold gay men. After what I had seen the week before, at a camp which was liberated by Russia, I couldn’t

March 2017

Readers and writers have their say on controversial topics. Want to get your point across? Email your comment to editor@unipaper.co.uk

Self-care is just another factor that  Alice Ball becomes part of the balancing act. As I stand in line at a global There are many healthy and cuisine restaurant, I notice the affordable options on the market. A bag of frozen chips may cost £1, but man in front of me piling his so does a bag of frozen vegetables. plate with a bizarre combination It’s no longer realistic to suggest of chicken korma, stuffed potato government intervention is enough skins and Singapore noodles. There’s something vomit-inducing to reduce obesity. They can try to discourage consumers from buying about consuming as many calories fizzy drinks by introducing the as humanly possible to get your sugar tax, but it is still down to us money’s worth. whether we buy them. I’ve realised these disturbing Most of us understand the advice behaviours are not confined to buffets – the grazing, lack of portion that tells us to be more active control and unequal balance of food groups epitomises a growing issue There’s something with weight gain. vomit-inducing about According to the Health Survey consuming as many calories for England, 27 per cent of adults as humanly possible to get are obese. Obesity increases the risk your money’s worth of developing type two diabetes, and make healthier choices, but cancer and high blood pressure, which could lead to heart disease, a we choose to ignore it, believing a healthy lifestyle requires an heart attack or stroke – a giant yet excessive amount of effort. avoidable bill for the NHS. Money saved from treating When starting at university, students gain a lot of independence, obesity-related diseases could be spent on scientific research for from deciding where to go out incurable diseases. to what goes into their mouths. It is ironic so many people are It’s easy to fall into the trap of quick to criticise the state of the unhealthy eating because of a new public health system despite being hectic lifestyle, the cost of living or at risk of the many conditions the availability of fast food. associated with obesity. But it’s time to stop with the Essentially, the only way to save excuses and take responsibility for Let’s our be honest, most of us go to your favourite artist. Whyisnot our health service to take stop making growing waistlines. excuses. It’s to us to find the time festivals for the lineup. there isuni the opportunity to up discover some Everybody has But to balance to exercise it’sare upour to us what we always the potential for a clash that new acts instead?and Here work with extra-curricular activities, put in our mouths. has you frantically running fromlife. recommendations to check out while jobs, family and a social

is back in town In response to Stripping pays my way as a student on p11 of The University Paper’s February edition

 Aneeka Hussain

Misha sharing her story is not just brave, it is vital in taking a step towards abolishing a fallacy somewhere it’s still really exciting to around strippers. me,’ she says. ‘I don’t feel empowered by my The 38-year-old tells me about job, but then I don’t think you her favourite places to spin the should have to,’ she said while also decks, reeling off a list of enviable comparing stripping to working at destinations. ‘I was going home to spend the first Tesco. ‘I love Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow night in my new house. I rang the Not all pole dancers (or women for the spirit of the people,’ she says. doorbell at 2am and my boyfriend working in other areas of the ‘However, I love Miami for the fun, opened up. sex industry) are doing it for food and the adventures I’ve had ‘The first thing I did was fall down empowerment. there. Sonar in Barcelona is always on my hands and knees in the hall I feel the term is used to contribute amazing. Toronto crowds are always and throw up,’ she laughs. ‘Such a to a gloriﬁed ideal of how we wish super open minded and progressive.’ nice start to a new home.’ to see strippers when actually they But she doesn’t just travel for work, She had her second child with just see it as any other job. and names Jamaica and Mexico as partner Toddla T in January after This uninformed perspective stems Annie Mac her favourite places to kick back. revealing the pregnancy in a low-key Presents: Lost from the desire to sexualise women’s She also loves New York, where reply to a tweet from a fan asking And Found bodies. she worked in a vegan coffee shop why she was not on the lineup for Festival takes place from This is why I’m glad Misha April 13 to 18 at I came home from Ibiza with food poisoning. My boyfriend emphasises how it is just like any Numero Uno in opened the front door and the first thing I did was throw up another job. Malta It involves juggling commitments, one stage to another, trying to see at Lost And Found Festival. perks and annoyances. Her for a summer when she was 19 – a September 2016’s Bestival. Pregnant experience also proved there should time she has described as a rite of MistaJam has been covering the pause: harder. admire strippers to be a clear distinction between ability to balance reality makespassage. the path‘New to erasing York City is very closeWe should mother-of-two’s Radio 1 slotwork whileethic and Peckham rapper Giggs has had an incredible Annieand Mac for taking ownership of their bodies between education business and personal life. other the entrenched objectiﬁ of that changed to my heartcation as a place she has been away. year so far, touring the UK and collaborating Allowing idealised views to cloud women in our but also commend them forof their obligations. is preparing that little bit mysociety life,’ she adds. After a couple months’ leave

naked Sometimes it isThe better truth: It is just another job to confide in a friend In response to Could lecturers do more with mental health issues? on p9 of TUP’s March edition

 Valentina Bulava Tianna Graham wrote an interesting piece about mental health issues and whether lecturers could do more to help students who suffer. ‘Perhaps some day depression, sleepless nights and mental breakdowns won’t be common stereotypes of student life, but legitimate concerns,’ she said. Yes, such problems must be considered important – they affect people’s lives, ability to work and interactions with society. But universities do take the

problem seriously and provide the necessary help. Find theTianna finest performers is right, lecturers should notice if one of their students has a mental health issue and be concerned when students act Could lecturers do more with mental health issues? unusually. Offering help, even if it is Who would pay to abort? make students feel rejected, might better by letting them know that someone is concerned. However, and I can’t speak for everyone, but I believe in the case of mental health, it is important to speak with someone who really cares for you It is important to speak with and understands the problems you someone who really cares for might be going through, rather than you, rather than someone who someone who is just doing their job. is just doing their job It is great there are organisations Valentina Bulava with professional help, phonelines with people ready to talk and listen. It might be a good move to Do you want to encourage other students and staff to share your opinion? help each other – perhaps by doing Email us at editor@ group therapy or seminars to share unipaper.co.uk opinions and stories. Sometimes, all you need is a friend you can cry  Tianna Graham

We know there is a mental health crisis when it comes to university students across the UK. Despite the widespread statistics, there hasn’t been a conversation about staff intervention. As editor of the mental health section for Epigram at the University of Bristol, I regularly receive messages from suffering students. A common grievance is that students believe their anxiety or depression is visible, yet professors don’t notice. If a student is un-focussed, they are perceived as lazy, if they are falling behind, it isn’t followed up with concern. A second-year student, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: ‘I conﬁded in my tutor that I had been diagnosed with PTSD because of trauma in my childhood and it was having a negative impact on my uni work. After explaining this and breaking down in front of her I didn’t return to uni for weeks. I didn’t receive a single email of concern. ’ The counterclaim is that staff aren’t trained to counsel students and shouldn’t try to play agony aunt. Stephanie Codsi, a tutor of English literature at the University

Despite visiting some amazing places across the world, the Dublinborn DJ reveals she has had some travel disasters, namely ‘various bouts of aggressive food poisoning over the years’. ‘One came on just as I was boarding a plane home from Ibiza,’ she adds.

Want your opinions heard? Email editor@unipaper. co.uk with your thoughts

with Drake on a new song. His tunes, including to get back the presenter is looking forward to Lock Doh, Whippin Excursion and Who’s Dat? are on the decks returning to the decks. guaranteed to get the crowd proper gassed – as for her Lost ‘I’m glad I have been through this one might say. And Found before,’ she says of the return to Festival after work. ‘I know it will feel really nervehaving her wracking and really amazing.’ He calls himself the sexiest fat man in the secondmentally.’ child student is struggling Despite being away from DJing, she universe Charlie Sloth is a master at selecting January How do youintell the difference the finest tunes. If his popular Radio 1Xtra slot is has found a way to keep on top of her skills at home in Notting Hill.between a student that has pulled anything to go by, you’re guaranteed to go from and one suffering two stepping to dabbing and slow whining all in ‘I enjoy practising in my offian ceall-nighter at from insomnia? Or between the end of the garden and catching one glorious slot. anxiety and healthy nerves? up with all the music I’ve missed.’ She may have been DJing forIt13can be difﬁcult to spot the Dubstep DJ Skream is travelling all the way from years, but the nerves are stillsigns. there.However, when a student is the outskirts of south London to St Paul’s Bay ‘I’ll probably be a little selfconsistently distressed or absent, to bring some seriously danceable tunes your shouldn’t be ignored and if conscious but will absolutelyitlove it way. He hasn’t released anything of his own for a In response to Student’s petition matter – his petition shouldn’t have once I’m up and running,’ shethey says.conﬁde in staff, it should be while, but he knows how to get a crowd bopping to remove abortions from NHS been about removing the option ‘That buzz you get when youfollowed move a up. To assume they can by selecting the latest jams. sparks social media outrage found of abortion altogether, but rather handle their problems themselves crowd never grows old.’

of Bristol, said: ‘It is always necessary for a tutor to direct the student towards some professional help or to their personal tutor. ‘It is not recommended that the academic tutor get involved in personal issues, nor give advice, but should demonstrate a professional concern and, if necessary, follow up with the personal tutor on the student’s wellbeing. ‘At the same time, it should be understood that it is not always easy for a tutor to recognise when a

Staff aren’t trained to counsel students and shouldn’t try to play agony aunt

Tianna Graham, University of Bristol

on www.unipaper.co.uk removing the public funds that pay is to dismiss them. for abortion (though this does raise Mark Ames, director of student Listening to dance music in the Maltese warmth like Samuel Davies sounds a dream come true. And what some questions about equality, and services at Bristol, said: ‘The artists to university takes student health andbetter I won’t beprovide signingthe thesoundtrack petition. to a whether it should be a privilege for evening thanchoice, Dusky? but The duo will those who can afford it). wellbeing very seriously and wouldMediterranean Not because I’m pro tracks from album urge any students who are feeling bringbecause thetheir logiclatest behind it isOuter, whichWhat would have been more Wiley, Gary Numan and Solomon Grey.feasible for Emanuel would be to anxious, depressed or lonely to features misguided. seek support. [Petition creator] Emanuel makes petition for an ‘opt-in system’ that ‘We will continue to work with a valid point: ‘Why should I pay for would potentially have more of an Catscontrary and dogs areimpact, known for not taxpayers getting on.can choose where students to improve our support for health procedures that are Pets Recordings owners Catz ‘n they want to contribute their wellbeing and mental health.’ to my personal values?’Polish producers whether Dogz are known for gettingthis theprocedure catchiest tunes towards (though Many students feel defeated, as if Not only is it a valid question, onaand producingagain, some the electrifying cuts. Grab aneeded logistical process they are to suck up their feelings to but it’s one that deserves serious Sex On The Beachtoand along tovery the setwag thatyour up istail probably prioritise their grades. But the truth answer. house duo’s tracks. is, grades are achievements you However, his argument about thebestunrealistic). It’s an interesting thought to earn in a short space of time – your right to life, which he presents as the imagine who, once a choice is mental health is for life. raison d’être behind this petition, is available, would consciously pay Let us hope universities follow irrelevant to this issue and has only towards abortion. suit and perhaps someday succeeded in fuelling the atrocious After all, where people spend depression, sleepless nights online dialogue over abortion. their money shows what they truly and breakdowns will be seen as What the focus should have been legitimate concerns. on is the ﬁnancial aspect of the value.

writers, inventors, artists, scientists, doctors and others we lost because of this injustice. Think of all the minds of future generations that will be lost because of the camps in Russia and the words of Spicer spurring on hatred among antisemites and deniers. It’s time to remember the past and stop the injustice before it’s too late. As Tadeusz Borowski wrote: ‘There can be no beauty if it is paid for by human injustice, nor truth that passes over injustice in silence, nor moral virtue that condones it.’

to and get a hug and a cup of tea from. And for many people, no amount of professional workers could replace one close person. Also, not everyone is happy to share their personal problems with strangers. Students should know there is nothing wrong with asking for help, but they should never be forced into talking. As a student myself, I understand the problem from the inside. I have friends with mental health issues and I have difﬁculty when it comes to sleepless nights before deadlines, and private problems. And trust me, the ‘it’s gonna be OK’ line does not always help, especially when it comes from a lecturer who says it as a stock phrase to everyone, just because they have to. Everyone is different and has different needs, but it is important to stay compassionate, as it is to offer help as a professional.

According to the government the contraceptive pill, at the time of its introduction to the NHS in the 1960s, promoted promiscuity and free love. I’m calling bull. OK, maybe it enables women to have more sexual partners without the fear of getting pregnant and having their life, and a child’s life, called into question. But wait, sexual promiscuity and no risk of getting pregnant – why does this sound familiar? Oh, that’s right, because it’s exactly what men have had the freedom of since we evolved from single-celled organisms. I guess I owe a thank you to the government for being a lot less anal, not only about where wild oats are being sown but about the ﬁelds that might not want those oats to come into fruition. Thank you for giving me the option to do more than stay at home and raise kids, even if the choice comes with unwanted side effects including acne, potential mental and emotional chaos and a change in libido that makes the whole point of taking it moot. But hold on to your diaphragms and put down your pills because there’s a new contraceptive on the block, and it’s for the men. Vasalgel is essentially a plug for sperm. The injection doesn’t involve any of the nasty side effects hormone-based

contraceptives have – the ones us women have to deal with, without an alternative. The same effects, in fact, that halted drug trials on a male version of a hormone-based contraceptive because 20 out of 320 men found them intolerable. I’ll assume the reason scientists seem to value men’s comfort more than women’s is a silent acknowledgment of our place as the fairer but stronger sex. I mean, it wouldn’t be another example of the rife double standards when it

I bet a moment of pain in the penis is still too much of a sacrifice

Stevie French

comes to sexual health... no way. But I digress. Do I think this Vasalgel sounds awesome? Absolutely. Do I think it will change the blame and responsibility of unwanted pregnancies being unfairly laid solely on women? Not in my lifetime. I bet my not so impressive student bank account a moment of pain to the penis is still too much of a sacriﬁce even to save a lot of ladies physical and emotional aches.

Women’s responsibility? The contraceptive pill

Be proud of your bare face Of all of the quotes which circulate online, my favourite is ‘you don’t owe prettiness to anyone’. The concept is basic enough, but when properly digested it can be life changing. The idea behind it is that it often seems physical beauty, or at least attractiveness, is something you owe to the people around you. It can feel like you have failed if you do not live up to the beauty standards in society. I often ﬁnd myself apologising for the way I look if I don’t have any makeup on, or I didn’t get round to washing my hair, and my friends are the same. The cursory ‘sorry I look awful today, I didn’t have time to do my makeup’ is something which is said all too regularly. But the idea that we need to be apologetic for not being at our most attractive has a deeper effect. To apologise for not looking pretty means you feel negatively about

showing a ‘less attractive’ side of yourself. The link between beauty and self-esteem often means if you don’t look good, you don’t feel good. This isn’t to say you can’t look presentable. I love experimenting with makeup and hair colour and will always snap a few selﬁes when I think I look pretty. But there’s an inherent assumption that we need

I often find myself apologising for the way I look to look visually pleasing in order to feel at our best. I’m not suggesting for one second you shouldn’t allow yourself to feel good – when you feel it, you look beautiful. But you don’t need to feel beautiful or even presentable in order to feel your best. Self esteem and looks are so closely tied together, but there is really no valid reason for prettiness to be the currency for self-worth.

Eleri Williams

Sponsored content

37 April 2017

 John Shaw F YOU haven’t got your hands on a festival ticket this summer and want to get involved in something amazing, Oxfam have the perfect thing for you. Sign up as a volunteer and you could enjoy up to nine festivals this summer! If rock is your thing then hit up Download on June 8 to 12 or even Reading or Leeds in August. If you’re looking for something a bit different there’s WOMAD, 2000trees or even Boardmasters on Newquay’s stunning coast. If you’re into your classic fests, why not go to favourites such as Bestival, Boomtown Fair, Shambala, Latitude and more. To be the eyes and ears of the festival head to oxfam.org.uk/stewarding, have a peek at their festivals calendar and see what you fancy. If you want to spread the word, sign up as a campaigner in which you would be encouraging people on site to Stand As One with refugee families. You don’t need to know loads about the refugee crisis as training will, of course, be provided but if you have a passion to help others then you can find out more at oxfam. org.uk/campaigners The pre-application process is simple: 1. Confirm your personal details 2. Submit a photo 3. Supply a reference 4.Confirm your interests Once you have submitted your preapplication you can then apply for as many festivals as you like. There is one refundable deposit requested, which will then be returned at the end of the season once you complete your shifts. So get involved today!

All smiles: Make friends and make a difference like these two did at WOMAD

Here’s your ultimate summer

Shout about it: Be an Oxfam campaigner

Jump for joy: You could go to nine festivals this summer

Get involved: Have fun at Boomtown Fair

Taking a stand: A volunteer at Latitude

It’s a sign: Register to be a volunteer

Your life

Students reveal their unique experiences at university.

May 2017

A big wave knocked me out and I came to with half my body in the water

KCL student Jack Galsworthy tells TUP how he and friend Freddie Wright faced storms, whales and flying fish to become the youngest duo to row the huge ocean

We conquered the Atlantic Ocean

FIRST thought about rowing across an ocean after talks I had in junior and secondary school by people who had done it: they showed me it was possible. Later, at uni, I thought ‘what do I want to do that’s a bit different and out of the ordinary?’ Rowing the Atlantic sounded pretty cool to me. I told my friend Freddie Wright about my idea and we decided to do it. When we signed up, more people

had been into space than had rowed across an ocean. We also knew if we completed it by the time we were 21, we’d be the youngest pair ever to do it. After we signed up, we had two years’ work to get to the start line, which is the hardest part of the whole thing – only 60 per cent of those who sign up actually set off. We had to raise £85,000 to cover all our costs for food, the boat,

shipping fees, a lot of things. I spent a lot of my student loan on it! After sending thousands of emails out to companies, we raised the money. Then came the training. We went to the gym a whole lot and ate constantly throughout the day. I had a Sainsbury’s meal deal in every single lecture I was in. I put on 11kg in muscle and 5kg in fat that year, raising my total weight from 80kg to 96kg. In the 47 days

we were at sea, I lost 25kg. Eventually we set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, in our boat Blue Steel, along with 25 other teams. We immediately started our shift patterns – we’d take turns rowing, two hours on and two off. We found ourselves in a storm quite early on and got led out by a school of dolphins. We followed them to the edge of the storm, until it was calm again, then the dolphins

PICTURE: BEN DUFFY AND TALISKER WHISKY ATLANTIC CHALLENGE

Oar-some: Freddie Wright, left, and Jack Galsworthy celebrate in Antigua

Jack, Atlantic rower

Do you have a story to share? Email editor@unipaper. co.uk

ﬂipped, turned around and headed back into the storm. The scariest moment came one night when I was just about to wake Fred up for his shift. There were some big swells coming, and I got hit by a huge wave which nearly washed me off the boat. I hit my head and came to with half my body in the water. I pulled myself back in and just held on. The heat also made things hard. We broke

our GPS, our radar, two iPods and our aerial just through sweat. For three days, it was so hot we couldn’t leave the cabin. We were both crammed into this tiny cabin lying half on top of each other, genuinely in tears because our backs were seizing up so badly. Despite my talk of storms and heat, it was the most humbling experience. The only man-made objects we saw were satellites. Flying fish would hit us in the face every night and a whale followed us for four days. We were so lucky – we saw everything on the list. Knowing all my friends were stuck in the library made it worth it, no matter how hard-going it got – there wasn’t a single moment where we wanted to get off the boat. We didn’t have a single argument. We arrived in Antigua in the middle of a lightning storm. The first thing anyone said to us was ‘you are now the youngest pair ever to have rowed across an ocean’. We were greeted by 1,000 people in Antigua, all cheering. It was the most bizarre and emotional thing. Then they made us sit on a stage in front of everybody. They brought us burgers and a pint, and because they knew we were students they made us stand and down the pints. I downed mine and fainted into Fred. Neither of us could stand so we both just fell on the floor, in front of 1,000 people.

What’s On

The Lowdown

May 2017

P18-19

ADVENTURES Seasoned travellers tell you how get out for less

 Amy Denman

HERE are many layers to grime artist J Hus, which is something I learn quickly during our conversation. He is cheeky but reserved and rebellious yet cautious. I quickly realise it will take more than

a 15 minute chat to get to know him properly. ‘There’s a lot to me. One day I’m like this, the next day I’m like that,’ he says. ‘I think that’s why my music is so diverse, because I’m constantly changing.’ Among the ambiguous answers, I manage to find out a few interesting things about the 20-year-old. Although his music is played in nightclubs across the country, he tends to steer clear of the scene. ‘I’m not really a party person. I’m more of an indoor person,’ he admits. ‘I don’t know why, that’s just how I am. I’m a bit boring to be honest.’ But to his fans, the cheeky one liners and catchy melodies make him quite the opposite. The lyric ‘I like my Fanta with no ice’ from his 2015 song

I have moments when I do stupid things and I think with different body parts instead of my brain

J Hus

Cheeky chap: J Hus is bold when using his lyrics and chat up lines

Friendly became a catchphrase – you only have to Google the line and Hus’ song is the first result. With an abundance of audacious lines, I ask if he has a favourite. ‘With every song I’ve got one. ‘So with Did You See it’s probably “I’d be a genius if I didn’t think with my penis”,’ he laughs. I ask why he chose that line in particular. ‘I don’t know, it’s a good lyric,’ he says. I push to find out if it stood out because there is an element truth to it. ‘I reckon there used to be, maybe, a little bit. I have moments when I do stupid things, and when I think I don’t use the right...’ he laughs. ‘I’m just using other parts apart from my brain. But it’s just guys innit, that’s how we are sometimes.’ In a couple of his songs he also offers to season his female listeners’ chicken, which I’m sure is a euphemism, but can’t resist asking anyway. ‘Yeah, yeah,’ he laughs. ‘Do you know what it is? It doesn’t really have a proper meaning, it just sounds nice. I wouldn’t really use it day to day like “I wanna season your chicken”.’ Intrigued by

P23

DUA LIPA Takes inspiration from her rock ‘n’ roll dad

his response, I ask what chat up line he would use when approaching someone he likes the look of. ‘The last one I used was “I wanna kidnap you”.’ Charming. Rather shocked by his reply, I ask if the line worked. ‘They liked it, they were like “yeah”,’ he laughs. Still taken aback by his choice of words and their effectiveness, I suggest his fame may have helped him get away with such a brash line, as many other guys may not have had such a warm response. ‘A hundred per cent,’ he says. ‘I get away with a lot because of my fame.’ I ask for the naughtiest line he’s ever managed to get away with, but he struggles to think of it. ‘What do I do? I do a lot of s**t,’ he says. ‘That’s a hard one you know, I couldn’t say.’ Another thing the 20-year-old pulls off is his outlandish sense of style. His latest fashion fix is fisherman hats – he wore one during the music video for Samantha, has a song named after them and is selling his own take on the accessory as merchandise for his album, Common Sense. ‘I just love fisherman hats,’ he tells me. ‘I kept on wearing them and everyone started calling me a fisherman.’ His own design of hat also features on the cover of his debut album, which is released on May 12. Random merchandise isn’t the only thing we can expect from the album. ‘It’s the same sound as before but I’ve advanced it,’ he says. ‘I’ve added things to make it sound more grown up.’ The singer tells me he is looking forward to playing his new tunes at Wild Life festival this summer. ‘It’s gonna be crazy – I can’t wait,’ he says. ‘I know I’ll be nervous before I jump on stage but it’s gonna be sick.’

I’m not a party person P24-25

KASABIAN Guitarist Serge shares his breakfast with us P30-31

Rapper J Hus explains why his music makes regular club appearances but he doesn’t

The Lowdown

15 May 2017

Hello

FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO DO

from The University Paper

The end is nigh, ladies and gentlemen. It’s all over. The fat lady has sung. No, I’m not talking about the nuclear disaster that’s hanging over our head like a boulder hangs over Wile E. Coyote. I’m talking about the end of the academic year! In many ways it’s a magical time when all exams are written, essays are handed in and the next deadlines are months away. For The University Paper team, however, the moment is tinged with sadness. It’s always a delight to be producing these papers and having to wait four months for the next is painful. Salve to our considerable wounds is www.unipaper.co.uk. On there you’ll still be able to find the latest news, biggest interviews and incredible deals and competitions. We’ll

ARTI CATC SUM

be continuing to update the website regularly and we’re always looking for more writers to join us. (Email editor@ unipaper.co.uk to find out how). But there’s still one more edition to get out the way before we chuck on our shades and sombreros and venture off to sunnier climes. We think this summer special is our most exciting edition yet. We chat to Reading and Leeds headliners Kasabian about finding harmony, plus we talk to pop sensation Dua Lipa about her incredible rise to fame. Elsewhere, we introduce you to micro adventures and take a look at the best sporting moments this year. Enjoy!

Travel. Go somewhere you always wanted to, but didn’t for whatever reason. Because when you start a full-time job or begin a masters degree, you’ll struggle to find the time.

Much love

The TUP team

Family fortunes: Popstar Dua Lipa chats to us about her musical upbringing Catch up with friends. See all those people you’ve been missing because of deadlines, sleepless nights and hours in the library. It’s great to catch up with old friends and share some stories.

100 Oxford Street London W1D 1LL 020 7580 6419 www.unipaper.co.uk @TheUniPaper

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Send out your CV. Just do it in one go and then you can relax. Even if you don’t need a job straight away, or plan to travel, it is always useful to see what’s out there. You never know, you might find your dream career.

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Make new contacts. Go to different events like conferences or start-up fairs, open exhibitions or clubs – you never know who you might meet and it is always good to get your face out there. jessjenkins.co.uk

Valentina Bulava

Graduation moments

Drama amid the decorum Thick with tradition, graduations can all be a bit of a blur. But Valentina Bulava found ten students who ensured theirs would be remembered... A speech reminded everyone why they started their degree If everyone spoke publicly at each graduation ceremony, they would go on for weeks. However, for those who get the chance to have a say, the pressure is well and truly on. Donovan Livingston rose to this challenge with his speech at his Harvard Graduate School of Education ceremony, which has had more than 700,000 YouTube views. The five minute spoken-word poem about inspiring school children and breaking away from the legacy of slavery, was shared by Justin Timberlake and Hillary Clinton.

An activist took a stand against a protest ban When his university took out a high court injunction to ban ‘occupationstyle’ protests, Connor Woodman was not impressed. The 22-year-old unfurled a banner with ‘students against injunctions’ painted on it in the middle of his graduation ceremony at the University of Warwick. The stunt was part of a protest by Warwick For Free Education, which Connor was a member of. He called the indefinite ban on sit-ins, granted following clashes between police and protesters in 2014, ‘a gross violation of basic liberties’.

One of the graduands gave his folks financial freedom as a ‘thank you’ Andy Evans’ graduation ceremony was already a big moment for his parents – tutor and bank worker Jane and David. But as they all celebrated the 22-year-old’s 2:1 in graphic design from Staffordshire University, Andy had a massive surprise in store. The graffiti artist handed his mum and dad a letter telling them he

had saved up money from the freelance artwork he did partly while at uni to pay off their mortgage. ‘Today is a good day for our family and not just because of graduation, because I can finally do something I have spent five years trying to achieve. I’ve paid off the rest of your mortgage,’ he said in a letter, which he handed his parents on the day. He said he had wanted to pay the mortgage off since he was a teenager and was grateful to his mum and dad for helping him reach his goals.

The girl at the top of the class was proposed to Getting the top mark possible for her degree in psychology had already made Ashley Nelson’s day pretty special. Then, after being congratulated in front of her coursemates at Bridgewater State University in the US for maintaining such high grades, she turned around to see her boyfriend Josh Tillinghast, who got down on one knee and proposed, to the crowd’s delight.

17 May 2017

Someone fell over while taking a selfie in skyscraper shoes It’s every student’s worst nightmare. If you haven’t stressed out or worried about falling over at graduation we can guarantee you will. Most of us will do anything in our power to avoid it by wearing practical shoes and being cautious as we walk along the stage. But one Nottingham Trent University student decided to ignore

the warnings and wear the world’s most impractical high heels – think Lady Gaga meets NASA. Not only did Terri Winghei Ng wear sky high platforms to her ceremony, but while she was strutting across the stage to collect her degree, she attempted to take a selfie – which is when it all went wrong. She wobbled on one of her shoes and collapsed on to her knees. But that didn’t stop Terri. Her friends helped her up and she got her selfie.

A graduand stood for the first time since a debilitating car crash In the first year of his law degree, Jeremiah Daliel vowed to his classmates that on graduation day, he would stand unaided. And for the first time since he had been in a car crash five years before, that’s just what the UWE Bristol student did, getting a standing ovation from the crowd in the process. ‘As if I was dreaming, I pulled myself up unaided and put my hands forward,’ he said. ‘And guess what – I was stood on my feet unassisted for the first time in five years.’ The emotional moment was captured on video and posted on the university’s Facebook page, reaching 110,000 views in two days.

Boris became the most embarrassing dad ever

We all have our own ways of celebrating. While some are happy with a handshake or a cheeky wave, Robert Jeffrey Blank

When your father is a politician known for his headline-grabbing antics, you would hope he would avoid doing anything to overshadow your success on graduation day. Well, if you’re Boris Johnson in the middle of a Brexit campaign, that idea goes out the window. Boris saw the graduation of his eldest daughter, Lara JohnsonWheeler, at St Andrews University on June 23 last year as the perfect opportunity to get down with the kids on Brexit. While he was waiting for his daughter to receive her degree, he unveiled a poster which read ‘last chance to vote’.

The mum of a student graduating didn’t even know he was at uni Rhonda Blair thought her son Liam had been doing odd jobs in a fish factory for the four years leading up to his graduation. Her son had kept his studies secret from her, only letting on as he appeared in the pub where he’d taken her for an ‘early birthday

A cathedral full of people did the mannequin challenge It was all over the internet last year – even Destiny’s Child, Adele and Paul McCartney did the mannequin challenge. The great thing about watching the freeze-frame videos is marvelling at

how those involved managed to get their sports team or common room to stay in position for so long. So imagine getting 140 graduands and spectators at UWE Bristol’s ceremony in Bristol cathedral to sit or stand still for nearly a minute. The attendees, including the vicechancellor, managed it without so much as a wobble.

celebration’ wearing his graduation robe. Rhonda found it hard to believe him at first, then broke down in tears when she realised the 31-year-old was telling the truth. Liam studied psychology at the University of Dundee and was inspired to choose the subject by friends’ mental health struggles. His degree has helped him secure a job as a support worker for the Scottish Association of Mental Health.

PICTURES: FACEBOOK/TWITTER/YOUTUBE/WFFE

A novel celebration went horribly wrong

from Michigan’s Davenport University decided that was not quite enough and did a backflip. It could have been brilliant... if he hadn’t landed flat on his face – ouch.

Sort your summer

 Henry Edwards

REKKING your way across world-famous landscapes far from home, taking selﬁes with local people and ancient monuments, is a life-changing experience, guaranteed to give you a new perspective on life. It can also take a long time and leave you short of a few quid. But Alastair Humphreys, whose big trips have included cycling the world and rowing the Atlantic, wants to prove you can still change your life with ‘microadventures’,

Adventurer has plan to give us all wanderlust

Big dreams? Begin micro

In a tent you’re basically in a rubbish version of indoors – in a bivvy bag you’re outdoors which he describes as ‘short, simple, local, cheap yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding’. We’ve put together some of our favourite ideas for your own mini escapades.

PICTURE: ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS

Walk or cycle home from university for the summer

Into the wild: Explorer Alastair Humphreys

STUDENT

20%

If you’re leaving your uni city for the summer, why not send your folks off with your stuff and make your way home, cross-country? For example, if you study in Leeds and you’re heading back to Shefﬁeld for the holidays, you could

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19 May 2017

cycle back using part of the Trans Pennine Trail – a fully signposted coast-to-coast path. If just the thought of covering so many miles is enough to give you saddle sore, you could get the train half way and walk or cycle the rest. At the very least, you won’t have to spend a long, hungover journey cooped up in a car with your stuff.

Do a five-to-nine

On top of the world: Laura Bingham in La Paz, Bolivia and, below, near Asuncion, Paraguay

STARVING AND PENNILESS: GLOBETROTTER CONQUERS A CONTINENT WITHOUT CASH Five thousand miles from home, hungry, depressed and exhausted, adventurer Laura Bingham tells me she wanted to ‘crawl into a hole’.

We have to give full credit to Alastair for this idea. Get a few essential pieces of kit together, ﬁnd a spot not too far from the city, head there after work or uni, sleep rough for a night, under the stars, and head back at dawn. Alastair recommends taking a bivvy bag, which is a waterproof sack you can wrap around your sleeping bag to keep out the damp (but not the rain). A plastic survival bag costs about £5. ‘In a tent you are basically in a rubbish version of indoors,’ Alastair says. ‘In a bivvy bag you really are outside.’ His website has advice on safety, legality and ﬁre lighting and tips on how to get started.

If you’re not up to the whole route, pick the most interesting part. Alastair’s advice applies here: ‘If you want to do a big [adventure] you’re best off starting with something small.’

Go with the flow

Brew it yourself

Ever looked out at the river winding through your uni town and wondered where it all begins? Why not get to know more about it by following it from source to mouth? Comedian David Walliams swam the River Thames for Comic Relief a few years ago, picking up a nasty bout of ‘Thames tummy’, but you don’t have to get that stuck in to discover the course of a creek. Many of the UK’s great rivers, including the Thames, Severn and Trent, have long-distance walking routes marked out along their banks.

Her troubles came last year while cycling the Ecuadorian Andes, surviving on four to six stale bread rolls a day. The 23-year-old, who now lives in Leicestershire, had challenged herself to cross South America on a bicycle without spending any cash.

If your garden is as far as you’re prepared to venture, you can still

For more amazing stories, go to www. unipaper.co.uk

PICTURE: BRENDON GIESBRECHT

This is one that needs a lot of planning beforehand. We’re not suggesting you dive into any rushing torrents or ﬁlthy canals, and certainly don’t take a dip after a night out or go it alone. But nothing beats the feeling of ﬂoating in a large body of water in the great outdoors. While the shock of entering a lake or the sea will feel like a million tiny cattle prods zapping you all over, research suggests very cold water can help reduce stress.

PICTURE: HUGO ASEFF

No lanes here

I’m speaking to the British explorer nine months after she completed her mission, so I know it turned out alright, but still her struggles make me wince, particularly from the Ecuadorian leg of the epic journey. ‘There were very few people who gave us food and there was a lot of rejection,’ Laura tells me. ‘I built up a huge fear about being rejected just because it was happening so frequently.’ Aside from the physical pain, the lack of food also started to play havoc with Laura’s mood. ‘I was depressed,’ she says. ‘I just wanted to crawl into a hole most of the time. ‘I was really down because I was working hard physically and then I had no fuel to put in my mouth.’ After the ‘dark’ period in Ecuador, things turned around for her. She says: ‘When I got to Peru, [the fear of rejection] started to disappear and by the time I got to Paraguay and Argentina I was having to tell people to stop giving me food because they were being overly generous.’ The whole adventure sounds terrifying to me. Travelling is scary enough but take away the safety net of a credit card and, I think, most people would feel the risk is too big. To survive, Laura ate scraps from

the plates of restaurant customers, rummaged through bins and foraged in tips. But inspiration to complete the task came after speaking to the founder of charity Operation South America – which looks after homeless or abused girls and young women in Paraguay. ‘He told me the story of these two girls who physically didn’t know they were supposed to eat three meals a day,’ Laura tells me. ‘Their father would go to work and would come back every other day with food and they just thought

There were very few people who gave us food and there was a lot of rejection that you were supposed to eat once every other day.’ The harrowing tale inspired Laura to take on the challenge and raise money and awareness for the charity. I ask if she felt brave for doing it. ‘It was brave in a way because of the macho culture out there,’ Laura says. ‘Women aren’t [seen to be] as good as men [in South America] so I think it was brave from that aspect. ‘[But] I don’t really see it as that much of a huge thing. I see it as a learning experience – learning other people’s lives, appreciating them.’

it stands about 1.5cm taller than the bottom and make ridges around the outside with the back of a knife, a finger’s width apart. Slide the top half into the bottom and fill with medical alcohol, which you can buy in chemists. Once you light the alcohol, the flames rise up through the ridges. Balance a small metal pot of water with a handle on top

Microadventures are short, simple, local, cheap yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding feel a bit closer to outdoor living by making your ﬁrst cuppa of the day on a home-made camping stove. Take a drinks can (a beer or large energy drink can is a good size), cut off the circle of aluminium at the top and slice the can in half with a knife, levelling off with scissors. Next, trim the top half so

and it’ll be boiling in no time. Search ‘the original beer can stove video’ on YouTube for a fuller how-to guide.  For more microadventure inspiration and to buy the book Microadventures, visit www. alastairhumphreys.com.

Pack your bags: Alastair Humphreys has travelled the world but wants people to get out close to home

Join in the fun PICTURE: ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS

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Music

May 2017

We gatecrashed lectures

Little Comets on their graduation from uni performances to their epic gig at Thatchers Haze Sessions

 Tom Gellatly

‘We would spend all day driving to the gig thinking “this is gonna OR any new band, be amazing”, but only about five the urge to play to a people would turn up. large audience can be ‘Then we thought we should try overwhelming. and find an audience who won’t be But indie band Little able to leave,’ he laughs. Comets took this one step further Determined to play to a crowd than most by sneaking into lecture who had no choice but to listen, the theatres and playing impromptu band even came up with a crafty gigs to unsuspecting students. way of getting past campus security. ‘We actually had a lecturer ‘If we got stopped we used to tell physically throw us out of the them it was our mate’s birthday room,’ Rob Coles, the lead guitarist, and he was in the lecture and we tells me. This wouldn’t stop them were going to play Happy Birthday though. to him,’ Rob explains. ‘We had just got a booking agent ‘We got quite devious with it – it and we were playing gigs all around was quite worrying how naturally it the country,’ lead singer Mickey came to us.’ Coles, tells me. The band’s naughty habit soon

Humanities students seemed to love the gigs, but science ones didn’t really want to know

Rob Coles

turned into a UK wide tour of university campuses. ‘The best one was when we were in Leeds,’ Mickey recalls. ‘There was this one building that was literally just loads of lecture theatres – it was about ten storeys high. ‘We went down it playing in every single one. It didn’t get much better than that. ‘We also had one in Manchester Metropolitan University. The lecturer had put on a film and left the room. ‘We walked in and everyone was just bored and playing on their phones, so we stopped the film. It was like a proper gig, with the lights off and everything.

‘When we finished playing we walked out and the lecturer walked in a few minutes later, not having any idea what had gone on.’ Gigging in lecture halls helped the band learn a lot, including which types of students were more receptive to their unannounced performances. ‘Humanities students seemed to love the gigs, but science ones didn’t really want to know,’ Rob says. Having learnt their lessons gigging in lecture theatres, Little Comets produced a masterclass as headliners of the Thatchers Haze Sessions in Bristol on May 6 at Bristol’s Passenger Shed. Supporting them were Elder

Crafty Comets: (left to right) Mickey Coles, Rob Coles, Nathan Greene, Matt Saxon and Matt Hall