University Express Volume 25: Issue 3

University Volume 25 | Issue 3 | Tuesday 12th October 2021

Express

‘It’s Heartbreaking’ – UCC Food Bank Reopens

UCCExpress.ie

IMASHA COSTA Editor-In-Chief On Wednesday, 6th of October, UCC Student’s Union had to turn away students from their food bank as they ran out of food to give. On speaking to Asha Woodhouse, SU President, she recollects her experience from that day.

‘I remember when we started, there was loads of food there. I was in meetings therefore I couldn’t come when we first started letting students come in. The number of students started clocking up and things were going very quickly.’

Woodhouse states that within almost 50 minutes, the Food Bank ran out of things. A staff member who was generous enough to give them 60 euros allowed the SU exec to run to the nearest shop and buy more things. But by the time that they returned, there was a line of 20 students waiting. One crate and one shopping bag worth of food provisions was not enough.

and they get to see what is really happening. an initial priority. Caoimhe Walsh, Welfare Officer ‘There was just nothing there. It was heartbreaking had students approaching her, since the beginning UCC Students Union started a GoFundMe and very difficult to see how food insecurity is of the year, many stating that they could not on the same Wednesday and within 19 hours faced by students. In the past years, there were afford the basic necessities after paying their rent. were able to raise 15,062 euros out of their usually 20 to 30 students that used the food 5000 euro goal. Woodhouse states that people bank. But this time, there were 100 students. Penny Dinners were the first to donate toward the have been generous, and it is not just staff and Food Bank. Asha states that Caitríona Twomey saw ‘But these are just the students that are showing an increase of students coming to Penny Dinners, students but also people from outside Cork. up to ask for help, there are also students availing of their services to receive a hot meal for So many people wanted to donate and support. who feel ashamed to come ask for help.’ the day. With those encounters, there were students ‘All that money will go to buying stuff (food UCC Students Union Food Bank was first that were either thinking of dropping out of college provisions and hygiene products). We will bulk buy introduced in 2019 by then Welfare Officer, or even deferring because they were so starved and it so that it is cheaper. Like we did not get much for Naoise Crowley, but was then not accessible under pressure to even afford their basic necessities. the 70 quid that we used at the shop on Wednesday during the pandemic. The current SU exec had The SU finds themselves in a difficult but CONTINUED ON PAGE 3.’ found bringing the Food Bank was a necessity fortunate situation where students come Image Credit: UCC SU especially with everyone coming back but was not with their issues to them, to speak to them

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EDITORIAL Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief – Imasha Costa (Editor@UCCExpress.ie) News Editor – Orla Leahy (News@UCCExpress.ie) Designer – Aoife E Osborne (Design@UCCExpress.ie) Features Editor – Maeve O’Keeffe (Features@UCCExpress.ie) Sports Editor – Sam Curtin (Sport@UCCExpress.ie) Opinion Editor – Claudia Zedda (Opinion@UCCExpress.ie) Eagarthóir Gaeilge – Caitríona O’Connell (Gaeilge@UCCExpress.ie) Online Editor – Edel Lonergan (Online@UCCExpress.ie)

TOGETHER WE UNITE This week, the University Express gives their hearts to those that are struggling to access higher education this year. With the UCC Students Union reopening their food bank, for the students that are struggling. I remember 2 years ago, when I first moved to Ireland, I was struggling, there was a point in my life where I had to consistently be asking for help, and I did use the food bank, and it was a lifesaver for me.

My education here in Ireland has really allowed me to open my eyes to the things that are not spoken about and the fact that it is actually quite hard for people to access higher education, and this applies to international students as well. There needs to be a change, education is not a privilege it is a right, and it needs to be accessible to every single person. Whether it is education, housing or even the basic necessities of life.

This issue covers a lot of heavy themes. This week’s Bystander includes an interview with Margo Noonan, head of SATU. It contains themes of sexual violence and harassment and if you feel you may be triggered please skip that article.

I was very grateful to actually go into SATU and meet the amazing team that does amazing work for victims. Being able to visit the place and put an idea as to what the place is and understand how it would feel for anyone walking in really allowed me to write this article.

Our Opinion Editor also writes a fantastic article on why Ireland needs to reconsider their thoughts on foreign languages, and it is a brilliant read.

I also would like to extend a welcome to those who would like to write for different sections of the University Express, if you would like to write for features, opinions or even sports send an email to me!

I would also like to welcome our new News Editor, Orla Leahy, I am really excited to work with you for the rest of the academic year!

Once again, thank you for picking up this fantastic issue with brilliant writers!

Marketing Executive – Imasha Costa (Marketing@UCCExpress.ie)

Imasha Costa

Photographers – Méabh Lonergan; Jack Murphy (Photographers@uccexpress.ie) Byline Editor – Jack Coleman (Byline@UCCExpress.ie) (Deputy Editor) Food & Health – Nathan Carey (Food@UCCExpress.ie) Arts & Literature Editor – Cian Pierce (Arts@UCCExpress.ie) Gaming Editor – Chloe Barrett (Gaming @UCCExpress.ie) Music Editor – Florrie McCarthy (Music@UCCExpress) Fashion Editor – Claire Watson (fashion@uccexpress.ie) Film & Television Editor – Cormac McCarthy (Screen@UCCExpress.ie) Sexpress Editor – Emily Osborn (Sexpress@uccexpress.ie) Deputy Features – Roisin Noonan (Deputyfeatures@uccexpress.ie) Deputy News – Ciara Browne (Deputynews@uccexpress.ie) Staff Writer: Billy O’Connor

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

Editor-In-Chief

editor@uccexpress.ie

SAY YES Hello dear readers! Two weeks ago, I was treated to an exciting surprise outside the Boole Library. Imasha approached me to give me a copy of Issue 2 of the Express, and to also offer me the position of News Editor! It has been a pleasure to work with such a fantastic team so far, and I am looking forward to our year to come.

In light of my whirlwind introduction to the Express, I have been reflecting upon some advice that Irish Olympian Jessie Barr offered at an event that I was at some three years ago. Standing before a room full of secondary school students, Barr encouraged us to say “yes to opportunities.” Barr drew a comparison between her career and the importance of saying yes. She stated that she would never have had texperiences as a 2012 Athletics Olympian, an RTÉ Athletics Analyst, a PhD student, and as a Sports and Performance Psychologist, had she not said yes to each of those opportunities.

Barr’s advice has resonated strongly with me. Three weeks ago, when Imasha, and Emer (Motley Editor-In-Chief) informed me of the opportunity to apply for News Editor, I immediately said yes to the opportunity, and sent in my application. For those of us who have either studied or are familiar with the poetry of Robert Frost, perhaps the poem “The Road Not Taken” is another indication of the power of saying yes. He claims that for him, “two roads diverged in a yellow wood”, and the reality is that with every opportunity, two roads diverge, one saying yes, and one saying no. It may not be possible to say yes to everything, but saying yes when we can, I believe, opens up doors that we would not know existed otherwise.

I, for one, am delighted that I took the opportunity to say yes to put in my application for News Editor. So, when another opportunity, whatever it may be, comes your way, seriously think about that path saying yes, I doubt you’ll regret it!

Orla Leahy News Editor

news@uccexpress.ie

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

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UCC’s Continued Plight for Access Equality to Medicine ORLA LEAHY News Editor

With the medical world constantly changing, there is an increase in the number of initiatives striving to ensure greater access equality to medicine in UCC. These range from initiatives aiming to reduce Covid-19 transmission, to de-stigmatise and to alleviate period poverty, to general health services.

At the beginning of this academic year, Mervue Ltd. donated 20,000 bottles, worth €40,000 of hand sanitiser to University College Cork’s Students’ Union to “help keep students Covidfree as they returned to education.” The director of Mervue Ltd., UCC Alumnus, William Twomey, claimed that “It has always been part of our policy to give back, so we are delighted to partner with the Students’ Union in UCC to help protect their students as they return to campus.”

The beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic witnessed a dramatic increase in demand, and consequently, supply in hand sanitiser with an alcohol content Cover Story Continued ‘I suppose we thought that people wanted to help, people wanted to drop food in and stuff, but also people wanted to give money donations as well.’

There has been no response yet from Simon Harris TD, Minister for Higher Education.

Woodhouse states that she has had no direct contact, even though her phone has been ringing all day.

‘I did miss a call from the Minister, but I do not know if it was in relation to this or something else.

‘The issue is the government, the issue is the political climate and the funding model for Higher Level Education and the fact that landlords and private developers have been out of control. I sympathise with the University, but it is the responsibility of the government.

Yes, there are funds here and there, but it is just a plaster over a very cracked wall, in my opinion.’

Asha Woodhouse finally states that ‘this is very sad and heartbreaking, but I also think that it is a powerful thing. I think we should also take solace and comfort in the fact that people are so willing to come together to support people and share, and care for people. And that is a very positive thing, an environment and culture that allows you to promote and cherish more. When we forget those things, that’s how we end up in this political climate that we are in now.’

IMASHA COSTA

of above 60%. Sanitiser in a way, became a form of medicine as it prevented the transmission of Covid-19. Mervue Ltd.’s response to the pandemic’s run-on sanitiser, turning part of their animal nutrition manufacturing plant into a hand sanitiser production unit, in partnership with Irish Distillers is indicative of the adaptability required to overcome barriers facing access to medicine.

in a country in need. Consequently, the UCC UCC Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Emer Connolly, plans on launching a campaign in to destimgatise period poverty and to promote greater access equality here at UCC, in conjunction with the UCC Feminist Society. Emer says that the availability of free, organic, eco-friendly period products in UCC’s restrooms will help contribute to the existence of an environment “where everyone In the midst of a pandemic, increased production, feels socially accepted, respected and supported, and such donations, help to alleviate the regardless of their beliefs or background.” barriers facing students’s access to medicine.

Mervue’s donation, Director of Student Aside from the above initiatives, UCC has a Experience, Paul Moriarty, stated “not only long-term culture of ensuring all those within the helps students to stay safe, but also helps to community have improved access to medicine. spread the message of keeping safe at this time.” The Student Health Services offer a variety of treatments, from physiotherapy to eye tests for Greta Thunberg, climate and environmental considerably lower charges than clinics open to activist, has campaigned for more equal the general public. General consultations with distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. According to a doctor, nurse or psychiatrist are free of charge. the New York Times, as of August 2021, 84% Similarly, the Student Counselling Service offers of vaccines administered were administered to free counselling to students, and Chaplaincy those living in high- or upper-middle-income also offers free mental health support services. countries. With Covid-19 vaccination walk-in clinics frequently organised on UCC’s campus, The President of University College Cork, the most recent having occurred between the 27th Professor John O’ Halloran, recently stated that and 30th of September, the Student Health Service he is “committed to developing an inclusive is actively facilitating equal access to vaccines culture at UCC, where equality is upheld, and for students, staff and the local community. diversity is respected.” The variety and scope of external donations, internal grassroot movements, However, when it comes to equitable distribution in and long-term dedicated services demonstrate greater society, UNICEF’s ‘Get a Vaccine, Give a UCC’s strong development of a university that Vaccine’ campaign offers those who avail of UCC’s supports greater access equality to medicine. vaccination service to provide a free vaccine to either a healthcare worker, or a vulnerable person Image Credit: Mike O’Sullivan

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Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

UCC Students Face Cost of Living Increases ORLA LEAHY News Editor

(HEA)’s in 2020. The HEA claimed that the “imbalance between supply and demand will not be resolved by known or estimated future developments.” Therefore, despite the futuristic prospect of additional student accommodation, further action, such as improved investment and purposeful, efficient planning is required to support students.

In the interim, it is initiatives, such as the UCCSU Food Bank and Vintage Clothes Market that support students and alleviate some of their costs.

The University College Cork Students’ Union (UCCSU) have been “disheartened” to have to reopen their food bank to “support students who are experiencing food insecurity on campus.” The food bank reopened from 5-7pm on Wednesday, October 6th, and unfortunately ran out after 45 minutes. The high demand for the bank’s resources highlights the financial strain that students are currently under. UCCSU stated that their reason for reopening the bank is the increased cost of living that students are facing. This arises from a number of factors, but primarily the housing crisis and the general cost to students of attending third level education.

Caoimhe Walsh, the UCCSU Welfare Officer, has drawn attention to the fact that students have had to avail of Cork Penny Dinners’ services. Due to the extortionate costs students are facing, they simply do not have enough money left over for food. 100 students have been living in a hostel in Cork City for the first month of the academic year, while others live in B&Bs, and many other students commute up to four hours a day.

Whilst the National Planning Framework, published on October 4th acknowledges the issue of student accommodation, and underscores the need for future development of “purpose-built student accommodation” in close proximity to both the college and “accessible infrastructure”, it is at odds with a statement from the Higher Education Authority

Students may also face blackouts this winter, according to Eirgrid, as may the general public, due to what the Minister for the Environment, Climate Action and Communications, Éamon Ryan, voiced as “tight” electricity supplies. However, the increase in more sustainable power supplies, battery power and upcoming auctions combined may prevent blackouts. The uncertainty concerning the supply of electricity this winter is not helping students who are overcoming current financial strain. UCC became the first third level institution in Ireland to use solely renewable energy sources in 2016. It is this sustainability initiative that may ensure that the campus remains bright for the duration of the winter, as UCC would not have been relying on older energy plants which have now closed.

Should blackouts occur, UCC will need to continue to adapt to support students as is currently to be seen with the food bank.

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

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Female Students Feel Unsafe!

This article contains mentions of sexual violence and assault. If you feel you may be triggered, please skip this article.

CIARA BROWNE Deputy News Editor A number of studies have been conducted in Ireland over the past four years which explore the safety a young woman feels while out in public and on public transport. With the ongoing housing crisis in Cork City, many UCC students are commuting to and from college each day. According to the ‘Safe in Ireland’ study conducted

by Children’s Rights Charity, and Plan International Ireland, nine out of ten women have said they feel unsafe in Ireland because of their gender. Another key finding from this report was that more than one third of women have eperienced sexual harassment in public and six in ten women do not feel safe taking the bus.

Paul O’Brien, CEO of Plan International Ireland said whilst speaking about the report “It’s a stark reality for women in our country, especially young women, that harassment and fear are part of daily life. It’s clear that our young women are faced with significant barriers as they strive to achieve their full potential, barriers which men don’t seem to have to factor-in to everyday life.”

After speaking to five female UCC students who are commuting to college on public transport, three out of five said that they feel unsafe whilst taking the bus. Following the recent court case in which a Cork man aged 64, was jailed for sexually assaulting a 17 year old teenage girl at Cork City Bus Station, the fear female students experience has been heightened. The accused man, Andrew O’Donovan of Butlersgift, Drimoleague, Co. Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault on the 17 year old victim on August 20th, 2020, and has been jailed for 27 months. The 64 year old widower previously avoided a custodial sentence after sexually assaulting a teenage patient in CUH. A female UCC student who wishes to remain anonymous said that she now “fears waiting at the bus station having heard of the assault”. Another UCC student who wishes to remain anonymous, considers herself to be an “independent and educated woman, yet still finds herself praying a man will not sit beside (her) on the bus”. This student

went on to explain how the evening trip is “more difficult than the morning” as Cork is very much a busy city, buses can be “packed” and the chances of not only a man, but a man who is drunk sitting beside you is “higher, and when under the influence of alcohol they tend to be more verbal towards you”.

In September 2019, the Cork Sexual Violence Centre announced that college students report in high numbers. The centre’s founder, Mary Crilly, warned students, particularly females, that they are extremely vulnerable during Freshers’ Week. The annual report for the centre that year revealed that more than 60% of their new clients were under the age of 29. To follow that, 75% of their clients were 23 or younger at the time of the assault. Dublin Rape Crisis centre, a sexual assault support organisation has warned to students that sexual assault has become a feature of college Freshers’ Week in particular. Mary Crilly spoke to the Irish Times back in August 2020, and stated that “universities need to come out with their policies and act on it. The guys need to be called out and told this is not on”.

A study conducted by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) found that one third of female students have been raped, while two thirds have experienced and been victims of sexual assault. UCC’s Bystander Intervention programme was introduced in 2019 and has had positive feedback and developments logged since beginning. The programme is led by Professor Louise Crowley of the UCC School of Law, and provides training and other resources on how to safely step in, speak up, and support others in situations of sexual misconduct and sexual violence.

The programme is available to all UCC staff and students, and the training includes definitions, scenarios, role-plays, questions, action steps, and resources to provide us with an understanding and expertise to safely be an active bystander. For more information, please email bystander@ucc.ie.

If you have been affected by the contents of this article, please contact UCC Counselling, counselling@ucc.ie, or telephone 021 490 3565, UCC Niteline, 1800 32 32 42, or the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, freephone 1800 496 496.

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Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

SATU to Open New Clinic on UCC Campus: IMASHA COSTA Editor-In-Chief

Not knowing about a place could be scary, not understanding what a service or an organisation does could also make it even more terrifying.

Today’s Bystander features an interview with Margo Noonan, Head of the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) in Cork. SATU is renowned for its discretion for victims of sexual crime and allows victims to have a safe space to come to. I had the privilege to visit the unit in the South Infirmary and get a sense of the space. There is no music played, no sprays of perfume scents and just white walls; the nurses do not wear nurses uniforms, allowing victims to not be triggered eventually when they leave the space. I spoke to Margo in early September, before the SATU opened a clinic in Bantry, West Cork. It is the first sexual assault treatment unit to be opened in West Cork, saving vulnerable men, women, and non-binary people their time, the trauma, and the expense of having to travel to and from the city for after-care appointments.

This article contains mentions of sexual assault and violence. If you feel that you may be triggered, please skip this article, or contact any of the helplines mentioned at the end of this article.

What does SATU provide?

SATU provides a service to those that have experienced a sexual crime.

They will give you immediate medical, psychological, and emotional support that you would require. This could include: Medical examinations as well as treatment for injuries •

Emergency Contraception

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STI check-ups

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Emotional support

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Collection of evidence for An Garda Síochána

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Organising follow-up care

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Providing useful information

What is something that people should understand when coming into SATU? The most important thing that people should realise is that nobody is under any obligation to report their assault. For anyone above the age of 18, there is no obligation, whether it be medical, societal, or personal reasons, everything that we do here at SATU is free. There is no charge for medication, nor for our follow-up care. However, outside the unit, at the talks and classes that I do, we do ask people to make small donations to patient funds so that if we do need to buy stuff, such as tents, sleeping bags, clothes, etc.

How did you come around to working with Bystander?

I met Dr Louise Crowley when I was just talking away to students, giving talks, and because my background is in nursing, I was able to easily connect with the students. Louise had just started the Bystander Intervention, and I was discussing with her as to how I worked in Student Health for a while and we were discussing what students need and how we could proceed.

Many students that do come to us are usually part of the Bystander initiative, as they are getting to know us (SATU) through that forum and then working with Dr Emer Clifford and you know, kind of breaking down those walls. I think the Bystander Intervention should be compulsory for almost everyone. I am just such an advocate for it and you would usually see me doing it when I meet up with the third, fourth and fifth years in secondary school. From the stories and from what these kids in secondary school know, they do not really know what sexual violence is. […] And if you do not know something, you do not know how to stop it. I would always try to talk about Bystander with them (secondary school kids), you know, we’re starting off with the basic skills. And then when they do get to UCC, they are going to be doing this program. And I just think that it is so important. It is so important to give the people the skills to intervene, to give them the confidence to intervene.

You opened a SATU clinic in Bantry, but you are also planning to open one up in University College Cork (UCC) later this month. Can you talk more about it?

We are very excited about it. Dr Louise Crowley had first come up with the idea. This clinic will be providing follow-up care and a space to provide information. I think for students, this will be the best place to access.

There will be no forensic pod in this clinic, to make it less traumatising for victims, but if something has happened, you can drop into the clinic on campus and we can organise it for you, and work around your schedule to get you here (to South Infirmary). After that, all your other cares will take place in the clinic on campus, you will not have to look at this place (South Infirmary) again. This is going to be in a place where it does not disrupt your day. We’ve had fantastic students come to our unit in South Infirmary to promote the unit and I think it has been really successful and we have been taking the time and working with students.

I believe we are a very different healthcare facility in the manner that we work around the person’s schedule rather than our own. So if you have an appointment and you actually do not feel like coming in that day, you can ring us, and we will say that it is okay and that we will see you the next day. And to be able to facilitate students that way has been really beneficial and I think when they see how the service works and they see and meet us – I mean the team is phenomenal.

We know that a lot of students are not going to come. A lot of students who are not going to come in here, a lot of students who will never admit what has happened here and more so a lot of male students that are never going to admit, and we also have a portion of students that do not actually know something has happened. And I think as long as we keep saying that “that’s okay”, that we are here and to get them to understand that they do not need to remember everything. I think that was the fear that many students had was that, if they did come to us, there were going to be Gardí sitting here and making the victim make a literal decision. However, our main priority is to support the victim, and there are no Gardí here.

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express What do you hope to see if Bystander fully kicks off?

We have a fantastic service here. We have services that are free and confidential. And we have the experience and the skills. And I think, there is a bit of me going, “God if Bystander kicks off, I might be able to retire early.” But I see us all as standing, you know, […] it’s a breath of fresh air to know that there are other people out there trying to stop somebody (a victim) from coming to me. I see it as a level of series. If we implement Bystander, then it is going to filter, you know. There are going to be less people that are going to come to us because we are going to stop it. Therefore, we can make more time for those who really need us – I mean everyone needs us, but you know what I mean? If we can drive down the numbers, it shows that we can make an impact. I feel Bystander and SATU complement each other, and I think that when you have two very strong proven programs working together, it gives you more kudos and it gives you more people who are inclined to listen. I think you are stronger and unified, rather than working in separate silos.

Knowing what it is and knowing how to intervene, but also if it does end up happening, you do then know where to go for help. And that is where SATU comes in. We do know that we cannot eradicate sexual violence but this unification, I think it is really important.

It gives us students who are more inclined to accept us because we are affiliated with their college, and I think there is nothing bad that can come out of this collaboration. Only good. It is only going to be good. The students have amazing skills and experience, and they are teaching us as well. It is, especially when you are all working towards one goal, its going to be good and strong. Its going to be powerful.

The Sexual Assault Treatment Units provide three different options: SATU provides medical alongside emotional care. An example of medical care includes giving antibiotics prophylaxis against STIs especially if the perpetrator could be a possible high risk for HIV. It is not just access to medical care, but any type of care. There is no time limit for when you can come into SATU to access the services.

SATU also provides Forensic examinations in the case where the victim would like to make a report and it falls within the 7-day period, and then gives it to An Garda Síochána.

SATU also provides a third option, since 2017, for those that are over the age of 18, within the 7 day timeframe, and are unsure of whether they would like to report or not, a sexual offenses kit can be administered and then held by SATU for up to 2 years.

SATU is free.

If you have been affected by anything in this article, please reach out to these helplines: Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) South Infirmary 021 492 6297 Weekdays 8 am to 4.30 pm 021 492 6100 Weekends and after 4.30pm; ask for SATU

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Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

Imposter syndrome and perfectionism – the next behavioural endemic?

ROISIN NOONAN Deputy Features Editor

The terms “imposter syndrome” and “perfectionism” are by no means unfamiliar to any of us. From celebrities to artists, poets to playwrights and singers, even the most famous and talented among us confess to experiencing them. Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez and Emma Watson have all confessed to feeling like an imposter at different points in their lives, while artists like Monet and Michelangelo were known for their destructive perfectionist tendencies.

However, it is now seen as a more widespread phenomenon occurring very regularly in both men and women. Similarly, the causes of imposter syndrome are thought to be different today than when first studied in the 70s. Researchers and psychologists believe that imposter syndrome nowadays can stem from a wide range of factors in an persons’ life, including their upbringing and early childhood, individual personality types and the culture that they were raised in. For example, children who are raised in families that tend to praise and focus on achievement or Imposter syndrome is defined as having feelings of self-doubt and success over anything else, have a higher chance of experiencing imposter incompetence about one’s own ability. Doubting your skills and talents syndrome at some point in their adult lives. Either when entering university, despite your achievements and success, education or training. It can lead to starting a new job, or taking on a new role professionally or otherwise. people feeling as though they are a fraud in their work and being found out as such by others. You might down play your successes or attribute them to luck Dr. Valerie Young in her book on the subject, identified five different types instead of recognising it was your own hard work that got you such success. of imposter syndrome. “The perfectionist” is someone who will only accept a 100% perfectly done job. If they cannot or do not reach this impossibly Although it has the potential to lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, high standard that they have set for themselves, they will feel unworthy or stress, low self-esteem and depression, imposter syndrome is not classed as a fraudulent. “The superwoman/man/person” will overload themselves with mental health disorder, but rather a phenomenon that can occur in an individual. work to try to make themselves feel like they are not an imposter in their job, The term “imposter syndrome” is not a millennial conception contrary to and will feel guilty when not working or studying. In contrast, the “natural what one may have thought. In fact, the phrase was coined in the late 1970s genius” type is used to getting straight A’s without the effort. They must by two American psychologists researching a group of 150 women. In their obtain their high standards with speed and with ease to avoid feeling like a essay “The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics failure and they do not need help from others to do so. Similarly, the next and Therapeutic Intervention”, Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes category, “the soloist” will not feel they have accomplished or succeeded developed the phrase and created the notion of the syndrome itself after in any task if they have accepted help or if they have not completed it on carrying out research with a group of successful women from different their own. The final category “the expert” may feel as though they never fields. The study found that despite having high standards of education have enough knowledge or education to be capable or able to do a job. and having been recognised by colleagues for their academic successes, Chances are that one of these categories has resonated with you or has set this group of 150 women would not acknowledge their own achievements off alarm bells. If that is the case then you are not alone. Recent studies as being a result of their own abilities and intelligence. Some wrote are now suggesting that over 70% of people will experience imposter them off as being a result of luck and some said that it was merely others syndrome at least once in their life. These statistics are only expected to overestimating their abilities. In 1978 when the essay was published, the increase in the coming generations, as pressure to do well and to succeed phenomenon was thought to be really only prevalent amongst women, mounts on young people thanks to the constant presence of social media. and that it was a cause of gender roles and familial stereotypes at the time.

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lead to the development of eating disorders and chronic fatigue. Sarah Egan, researcher at Curtin University in Perth, stated in an article to BBC Future that there are now studies which show that “the higher the perfectionism is, the more psychological disorders you’re going to suffer” Again, similar to imposter syndrome, perfectionist tendencies are thought to develop from the familial surroundings and social environments in which we are raised. Interestingly however, there is also some research that concludes that some perfectionism can be genetic and is therefore passed on to younger generations. Parental and guardian behaviour can also lead to perfectionist traits in children who model their parents’ example.

In a Harvard Business Review article Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey argue that “imposter syndrome” is a misdiagnosis imposed on women as a result of biased, racist and unequal working environments. Their argument is that in order for us to stop feeling like an imposter we have to begin by changing our working environments. We as a society have to move away from cultures that value over-working and perfect standards that feed imposter syndrome.

If we feel insufficient or fraudulent or not good enough, the first or most natural response may be to make ourselves work harder, to push ourselves more and to impose higher standards on ourselves to do better. This is where the perfectionist tendencies can come into play.

There is a strong link between imposter syndrome and perfectionism, as research has shown, and it flows both ways; perfectionism can be both a consequence and a cause of imposter syndrome.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines a perfectionist as someone who demands of themselves “an extremely high or even flawless level of performance”. Traditionally, perfectionism might have been seen to be a good personality trait. Having high standards for yourself and your work is something that we are all told about and taught to strive for when we are young. Wanting to do your very best and striving to succeed are traits nurtured in most children from early infanthood. However, there is a difference between working hard and striving to do your best (which may be referred to as conscientiousness) versus constantly holding yourself to impossibly high standards. Perfectionism is now thought by psychologists to do more harm than good, with the APA citing that it is “associated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental health problems”. It is now sometimes even referred to as a personality disorder.

Thomas Curran and Andrew Hill from Bath and York universities respectively, carried out a study of over 40,000 college students from America, Canada and Britain between 1989 and 2016, investigating perfectionism through the generations. Their study found that in this time frame perfectionism has increased by 33% since 1989, with social-prescribed perfectionism seeing the most dramatic increase. This category of perfectionism as set out by Curran and Hill relates to those who believe that they must be perfect in order to “fit in” or be accepted by others in their social circle. It is not surprising that this was the type of perfectionism that increased the most given the dominance of social media in the last decade in displaying unrealistic standards of body image, wealth and celebrity status that are deemed “ideal”.

Perfectionists criticise themselves to the extreme. The fear of starting a task and failing or not reaching the impossible standards they set for themselves, can lead to a paralysing kind of procrastination. They would rather put off doing the task than to try doing it and “fail” (by their standards), it is an all or nothing mindset. They will ruminate on mistakes, on what they should have done or could have done better. Their focus on end results and unrealistic goals can lead to crippling stress out of fear of not reaching them. If they don’t reach these standards they may feel like a failure or a fraud i.e., imposter syndrome.

Perfectionism has been linked to several mental and physical disorders also, just like imposter syndrome. Studies have shown that perfectionists are more prone to severe stress, depression and anxiety and it can even

The reality is that most people will relate to some if not all of what is written above. Most people today have experienced imposter syndrome at some point, if not on an ongoing basis. Most people will have perfectionist tendencies in at least some areas of their lives, and most people will probably say that it has had a more negative impact rather than a positive one on their mental health.

Given the research on the increases of these tendencies in the younger generations, there is no doubt that the prevalence of these issues will become more and more widespread with each new generation. Both imposter syndrome and what is known as “toxic perfectionism”, will become more serious issues in society. Researchers have even questioned if it will become the next public health endemic.

Mental health sites and google searches are awash with advice about how to overcome imposter syndrome and perfectionist tendencies.

First of all, acknowledging that you are certainly not the only one to have ever felt like a fraud in a job or in a college course, even if others don’t outwardly say so. Yoga is thought to help us to learn to speak kindlier to ourselves, to inject some positivity to the inner self critic in all of us. Trying to let go of the perfect standards – this goes to improving both imposter syndrome and perfectionism itself, because as seen above these two tend to go hand in hand and feed into each other.

The bottom line is that perfection in anything is an impossible standard. We have to lower our own standards for ourselves and stop comparing ourselves to others. We need to realise that sometimes good enough is better than perfect and “I tried” is better than “I succeeded”.

‘The bottom line is that perfection in anything is an impossible standard.’

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FEATURES

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

“When I grow up…” The Pressures and Stresses of Career Decision-Making MAEVE O’KEEFFE Features Editor

Perhaps you were born with an innate desire to work in a certain job. You popped out of the womb, and just like that, had your calling to become a data analyst, Geography teacher, or civil engineer. OK, maybe you weren’t born with this knowledge, but perhaps it was evident from an early age where you wanted to end up in life. I have friends in Medicine who say that as children, they used to pretend their teddy bears were ill so that they could nurse them back to health. I have other friends in Teaching who used to complete homework exercises for their dolls, so that they could then go and correct the work, give feedback, and impose “school rules” all from their childhood bedroom. For others, the call to a vocation may have come a little later. Maybe you did a week’s work experience with a solicitor or pharmacist back in the transition year, and realised that you could see yourself being really happy in that profession down the line. Without wishing to suggest that the road to college is ever easy, having a clear idea of what you are aiming towards in university certainly irons out one aspect of the daunting challenge that is starting and finishing third level education.

wish I could time travel to some indistinct point in my future, and catch a glimpse of how my life would turn out based on the course I selected as my number one on the CAO, so that I could make an informed choice on my application. How would I live if I studied English, as opposed to Dietetics, or Midwifery, or Psychology, or any one of the flights of fancy I toyed around with in my final year of school? How fulfilled would I be, how successful, how happy? I agonised over the decision making, torturing myself by churning out dozens of imagined futures for myself. Of course, the exercise was totally futile. It’s a cliché, but we can never know what the future holds. Though I envied the kids in my class who had a dream pathway set in stone from what seemed like infancy, I have a different perspective now.

You see, the hype surrounding the CAO, college courses, points, and places, is just that - hype. Media outlets like to fixate on the Leaving Certificate each year, because it is close to a universal experience of being educated in Ireland. Leaving Cert points league tables by school, and spreadsheets showing the points increase for each course are nice newspaper fodder. Radio shows can discuss the merits of same sex or co-ed schools, private or public education, or how girls get better grades than their male classmates. Each year the same stories crop up, as inevitable as inane comments about how the weather always improves right as the exams start. That doesn’t mean that the discourse holds much significance in the grand scheme of things.

Or perhaps the road to college was not so straightforward for you. The immense choice leaving cert students are confronted by in filling out CAO applications can be overwhelming. At the ripe old age of seventeen or eighteen, we are expected to make a huge decision regarding our future.

And for those of us who come to university to study something broad and “keep our options open,” anticipating that we will figure it all out along The reality is that many of us stumble into university courses based on the the way, we are often disillusioned when we reach final year, and still feel whims of our immature adolescent selves. It might not feel like it, but the overwhelmed by the array of options that present themselves to us, from people who have had their entire careers mapped out for them for years are entering the workforce, to various Masters and postgraduate programmes. in the minority. We do some googling, take Qualifax quizzes to ascertain There is often a tendency to think of the decisions like the our interests, and sit in front of generally well-intentioned, but occasionally CAO and postgraduate options as ultimate, and final. It’s disinterested career guidance teachers who ask if we’ve considered going to reminiscent of Frost’s famous poem, The Road Not Taken. We see Maynooth? To think of our adolescent brain, so malleable and moody, bearing the burden of such crucial decisions about careers is a little scary, especially endless possibilities stretching out before us, without truly when, at the time, it seems that the decisions we made were set in stone. knowing what choice is best, and feel sorry we cannot travel along each and every pathway. When I was in school, I used to What many of us fail to realise prior to starting

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express college is what exactly a university education equips us with. Though many modules will incorporate practical information for a given job, so much of the learning we do is not centred on concrete information. Yes, we acquire a certain level of knowledge and expertise, and hopefully this knowledge will be relevant to the field we ultimately progress into.

However, I see the real benefit of university as learning to learn. Critical thinking may seem like no more than the beloved buzzword of our college tutors, but it truly is a skill that is necessary in the current world of work, and becoming more so. In an age of information where knowledge is more accessible and easily disseminated than ever before, it is vital that we can think critically about the sources we are presented with, the broader context in which we find ourselves, and ethical dilemmas of a changing world.

Moving beyond the traditional view of education as the learning of information, to viewing it as a progression through new perspectives towards independent thinking can be so liberating if you’re someone who does not necessarily have a fixed goal in mind for the end of your degree.

Jobs are more flexible than ever before, and the most recent statistics reveal that the average person will change careers about 3 to 7 times. The idea of a “job for life” that so many previous generations held in such high esteem is being eclipsed by a more dynamic working environment where the need to upskill and adapt to new technologies and systems is seen as rudimentary and essential. More of us are aspiring for growth and advancement in the workplace. Chances are, many of us will end up working in fields that seem, at least on a surface level, completely unrelated to our undergraduate degree.

Though some may be daunted at the idea of an ever-evolving career pathway and a constant need to improve to keep up, others may find solace in the fact that we are not necessarily restricted by the decisions we made in the career guidance teacher’s office when we were in school.

Some of the most successful people in life carve out their careers in areas completely unrelated to their undergraduate degree. Love or loathe Pat Kenny, his successful broadcasting career was preceded by a chemical engineering degree. Lisa Kudrow studied psychobiology before landing her iconic role as Phoebe Buffay in Friends, and Angela Merkel holds an undergraduate degree in physics, as well as a doctorate in quantum chemistry. In fact, recent statistics show that 46% of graduates in Ireland are employed in areas unrelated to their undergraduate degree.

With that in mind, some would argue that it’s not about what you study in college, but more on how you make use of your time in college. Critically engage with the readings, make it your business to encounter new perspectives, and learn by questioning. Think of how young children learn so much simply by asking “Why?” and questioning the things that adults take for granted.

Research in work and organisational psychology illustrate trends towardsthe desirability of soft skills such as creativity, effective communication, adaptability, and stress and time management, as opposed to simply being able to recall the hard skills or knowledge acquired through your studies.

FEATURES

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New technologies render so much information obsolete in a short period of time, so employers are looking for candidates who can think on their feet, research and communicate new ideas, and problem solve when faced with challenges in an ever-changing work environment, be it virtual or in person.

But what if it’s not enough? The investment of time and money that it takes to go to college cannot be underestimated, but it would be glib to suggest that once you’ve completed your undergraduate, you’re set for wherever life takes you. Though third level education is by no means totally accessible, the reality is that more people have an undergraduate degree than ever before. In our moments of self-doubt, we can find ourselves wondering what makes us stand out to future employers, in a sea of well-educated eager graduates hungry for opportunities.

It is crucial that we optimise the limited time we get to spend in the cocoon of diverse and developing perspectives that university offers us.

Embrace the vibrant culture of societies and clubs in UCC and discover what you are passionate about. Many of us get sucked into the limited mentality of viewing participation in college life as some kind of boxticking exercise. “It’ll be good for the CV,” we say, when considering involvement with campus life. Granted, becoming an OCM in a society or two won’t look too bad on your LinkedIn profile, but with a less cynical mindset, you could view your role in campus life as a vital aspect of self-discovery in establishing what career path you would like to pursue.

Maybe you know where you want to end up, and view your involvement in campus life in a similar way to your degree – as a stepping-stone towards reaching your end goal. But your involvement can be more than a means to an end; it can provide insight into what your ultimate goal is.

Maybe you got the role of public relations officer in a society you were roped into as a bright-eyed first year, and you discovered that you are really good at communicating information in a visually appealing way. Or perhaps your teammates made you captain of your sports team and you surprised yourself by realising that you’re a natural leader. Maybe you found you were fulfilled by volunteering to help students with Nightline or Peer Support, and want to pursue a career that centres around supporting others. Or maybe, you got involved with student media on a whim, and learned that writing articles like these is what makes you happy…

I’m still daunted at what lies ahead. I still feel dread when people ask me what I want to do when I graduate. However, though you may feel as clueless as you did while seventeen and sat in careers class in secondary school, it is important to remind yourself of all that you are learning, all you have learned so far, and all that you will learn in future. We are all still figuring it out, improvising and trying out different roles like we are playing dress-up, trying to find a costume that suits us so well, it stops feeling like a costume. Remember that it’s not a race. There is no deadline on the journey of figuring out what you’d like to do, and it’s ok if the road to your dream job is unconventional. Because in today’s world, unconventionality is a strength.

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OPINION

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

Ireland Needs to Reconsider Foreign Languages CLAUDIA M. ZEDDA Opinion Editor

UCC has a student body of more than 20,000 people, of which 3,000 are international students. Our campus welcomes students from over 100 countries, each with its different history, culture, and language. Yet, many Irish people are not able to speak a foreign language.

Ireland itself is home to two main languages, Irish and English. Even though English is currently the most spoken language in the country, Irish is the national and first language of Ireland. In the whole world, there are around 1.2 million people who can speak Irish. Of this number, 170,000 people speak Irish as their first language. A census conducted in 2016 estimated that only about 10.5% of respondents spoke Irish on a daily and weekly basis. When considering active speakers, that number dropped to 4.2%. But what about foreign languages?

According to Eurostat, over 70% of Irish people cannot speak a foreign language. This compares to only 1.1% in Luxemburg and 35.1% in the UK. While in most European countries it is mandatory to learn a foreign language in schools, this does not apply in Ireland. While children experience bilingualism from an early age being exposed to both English and Irish, Ireland is one of few countries which does not offer a foreign language to pre-school or primary school children. Secondary school students can choose to pick up a foreign language, but it remains optional for the Leaving Certificate. Although 70% of students take up a foreign language for their LC, only 4% decide to continue the study of languages in higher education, reports professor Jennifer Bruen from DCU.

ability, better listening skills and enhanced concentration.

Multilingual individuals also show signs of better creativity and flexibility. Studies also showed that the brain activity of bilingual seniors was much more efficient, more like those of young adults.

Knowing a second language can postpone the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s by an impressive 4.5 years, independently of education and immigrant status, according to the American Academy of Neurology. being able to speak a foreign language is a vital skill that opens up thousands of doors. Whether you decide to learn Spanish to go on holiday to Formentera or pick up some French to be able to work in Paris, there are many benefits related to language learning. First and foremost, it allows you to connect with others. Being able to communicate in a different language is one of the most rewarding feelings you’ll ever experience. In particular, communication with people from different backgrounds and cultures enriches your knowledge and allows you to reach out to people you would have never talked to before. You’ll be influenced by a new culture, make new friends, and feel like you’re a local in a place you have never been before.

In your professional career, a second or third language can give you a meaningful advantage compared to your monolingual peers. You could have the same professional skills, but you’d be able to use them in a country (or countries) your colleagues won’t have access to. You will be able to do business internationally, and you won’t be confined to your own national market. Many In today’s increasingly interconnected society, employers are now looking for professionals with excellent communications skills, often in more than one language. Additionally, language skills also lead to increased salaries and hiring bonuses. Whatever your career aspiration might be, speaking a foreign language will make you 10 steps ahead.

If these two reasons are not enough to make you want to learn a foreign language, here’s a third. Many studies and research proved the cognitive benefits or learning languages.

People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, multi-tasking

“Those fluent in only one language may soon find themselves without a job” reports the Irish Mirror. Employers in Ireland have expressed concerns about a future shortage of candidates with a second language. On Jobs.ie, the jobs requiring a foreign language make up 4% of the total jobs posting. On the website, 29% of those require workers to be able to communicate in German, followed by French (22%), Dutch (13%), Italian (6%) and Spanish (6%). General manager of Jobs.ie Chris Paye affirmed: “In today’s competitive jobs market, an extra language competency can often be the key differentiator between you and another eligible candidate.” Even though Ireland benefits from being an English-speaking country in a world where English is the primary language for international communication, this might not be enough. Now that the UK has left the EU, relationships with non-English speaking countries will be more important than ever, as many international companies set up their European headquarters in Ireland.

Whether you want to pick up a foreign language as a hobby, for travelling, for its mental benefits or for improving your CV, you definitely won’t be wasting your time.

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

OPINION

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Let’s Talk About Money: Financial Literacy in College CLAUDIA M. ZEDDA Opinion Editor

According to a new survey, four in 10 college students say they struggle to afford living expenses, while 88% of them worry about money. SpunOut and the Irish League of Credit Unions found that higher education students stress about finding a job, travel expenses, rent, books and affording college fees. In order to cover living expenses, the majority of students (71%) plan to work part-time, others are supported by their parents and work parttime (59%) and finally, 40% are covered by the student grant. When it came to financial topics, 26% of those surveyed said they don’t know much about finance at all. Over half (52%) said they have some understanding, while 20% said they have a good understanding.

When it came to specific areas of finance, 79% of students affirmed they were not knowledgeable about Personal Contract Plans (PCPs); 31% were not knowledgeable about mortgages and 40% did not know how to invest. When asked what financial topics they would like to know more about, the majority (73%) wants to know how to invest; 60% of them said they would like to improve their money management/budgeting skills; over half (51%) would like to know more about mortgages. The survey also reported that the majority of students (72%) learn about finance from their family and friends, followed by news websites and social media.

Being financially literate means to understand concepts such as savings, investing and debt, which lead to an overall sense of financial well-being and self-trust. The goal of financial literacy is to establish a feeling

of control over your finances while using your money as a tool to make choices that build greater life satisfaction. Financial literacy plays a huge role in students’ lives as it equips us with the knowledge we need to manage money effectively, even when we don’t have much in our bank account.

Many people take decisions about their finances, but they don’t always feel comfortable to do so, nor knowledgeable enough to evaluate the wide variety of services available to them. Obviously, the financial decisions students make in college will have a significant influence on their life after college. Moreover, their financial situation in college can have a great impact on your academic performance.

A study by Lyons (2003) showed that one in three students reported their financial situation to be ‘likely’ or ‘somewhat likely’ to affect the ability to complete a college degree. Another study by Walker (2004) reported that students receiving at least partial coverage from their parents for tuition fees and other college expenses were more likely than self-financed students to fail their courses, to be placed on academic probation, or to get lower grades.

If you are struggling to get your finances right, here’s a few tips that can be helpful for you.

Did you know there is a Student Financial Supports and Advice Service in UCC? This section provides a number of financial services to full-time and part-time students who are struggling financially while in college. As part of their services, there is also a section dedicated to budgeting, which will guide you through a few simple budgeting practices that

can make your college life a little bit easier.

A budget is a simple exercise where you calculate the cost of living for a certain period of time (i.e. the academic year) in relationship with your available income. Ideally, the income should be higher than the expenses.

On the website, you will also be provided with useful material such as an Excel Monthly Budget Spreadsheet, a Spending Recorder and a Money Planner. You will also find useful tips and tricks to save more effectively, and you can also book an appointment with the student budgetary advisor if you wish.

Spunout also offers a few tips for managing your personal finances (check out “Making a budget and sticking to it!” on their website) and a chat service where you can advice on financial wellness (check out “Need some guidance about financial wellness? Chat with us now”). The chat puts you in touch with a Youth Information Officer who can help you with topics such as budgeting, finances, student loans and scholarships. The service is available Monday to Friday between 4 pm and 8 pm.

As we get used to being on campus again and deal with fees, rent, bills and food, being able to manage your money is a vital skill that can really make the difference.

Economic stability contributes massively to our mental health and well-being. Financial literacy can help you manage your money more effectively, but if you are experiencing serious financial difficulties, please reach out to either studentassistancefund@ucc.ie or studentbudgetingadvice@ucc.ie.

BYLINE VOLUME 7 ISSUE 3

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EDITORIAL

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ISSUE THREE Hello everyone, and welcome to another issue of Byline! It’s hard to believe that this is my third year as a member of student media in UCC. And they’re finally paying me for it! Just kidding, of course, student media has some of the most passionate people you’ll find in UCC. I’m beyond honoured to be a member of the student media community and the Express. I hope everyone is settling back into their campus communities, it was a long year and a half for all of us. And I hope others are exploring new passions! Life is all about new experiences and college is a great facilitator of new experiences!. Anyway, onto the business at hand.

Today’s cover is a drawing of MacCurtain Street by local artist Alan Hurley. I absolutely adore Alan’s art style and I’ve been meaning to buy a few of his prints myself. As a Cork man, there is no easier way to get money out of my pocket than making art that reflects on some aspect of Cork. MacCurtain Street is underrated, I’ve had many a lock-in at Bru Bar & Hostel and the burgers at Son of a Bun are to die for. MacCurtain Street is also home to Patrick’s Hill and everyone reading is surely aware of the amazing views one can get atop the hill on a nice day. You can get Alan’s work yourself at alanhurleyartist.com, he has many beautiful drawings of Cork landmarks among other things. My interview this week was with Kevin “Kevaman” Jardim-Lalor of Munster Rugby Gaming and it concerns the story of Munster Rugby in esports as well as Kevin’s own story of playing semi-professional League of Legends.

In the rest of this week’s edition, you can learn how to make a perfect bowl of ramen (god I love ramen so much), the shortcomings of the ill-fated WiiU console and if the new Bond movie was any good as well as so much more! What are you waiting for? Turn that page.

Jack Coleman Byline Editor

byline@uccexpress.ie

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Gaeilge

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Agallamh leis an Ionadaí gaeilge, Darragh Ó Caoimh CAITRÍONA O’CONNELL Eagarthóir Gaeilge

dheis, táim ábalta barra Chaisleán Cheann Toirc a fheiscint.

Sin caisleán a thóg na Cárthaigh, Clann Mhic Chárthaigh agus bhíodar san mar phátrúin ag Aogán Ó Rathaille. Is cuimhin liom féachaint ar chlár faisnéise ós na 70dí ar YouTube, ceann a dhein RTÉ “Voices from a Hidden People: Sliabh Luachra” agus bhí Aogán Ó Rathaille á phlé agus ceann des na dánta a luadar ann ná “Is Fada Liom Oíche Fhírfhliuch” agus tá Ceann Toirc luaite sa dán san. “Carathach, rí Chinn Toirc, in uaigh ’s a chlann” agus nuair a chualas é sin bhain sé siar asam agus bhíos saghas faoi gheasa ansan, mar thuigeas gur bhain an Ghaoluinn liomsa. Sin cúis amháin is tá mórán cúiseanna eile, ach chomh maith leis sin, b’fhéidir go dtiteas isteach le dream iontach daoine agus thosnaíos ag cothú cairdis.

Cén saghas meoin a bhí ag na daltaí eile ar scoil i dtaobh na Ghaoluinne?

An formhór gur chuma leo ann nó as í chun na fírinne a rá.

Féachann siad, an formhór is dócha, formhór na ndaltaí scoile in Éirinn ar an nGaoluinn mar ábhar scoile thar aon rud eile. Rud amháin nach ndéanfadh daoine ar scoil ná; ní théidís chuig an nGaeltacht sa tsamhradh. Ba mise, is dóigh liom, an t-aon duine amháin des na daoine i mo bhliain ar fad a chuaigh go dtí an Ghaeltacht; b’fhéidir go raibh beirt nó triúr. Bhí daoine im rang is bhíodar go hiontach chuig an Ghaoluinn, is go hiontach chun í a fhoghlaim, ach bhíodar á Cá bhfuair tú do chuid suime sa Ghaeilge?

Bhí ana-spéis ag mo sheanmháthair sa Ghaoluinn. As Trá Lí di, tá sí caillte beannacht Dé léithi. Dhein sí an-chuid Gaoluinne ar scoil is dhein sí ana-chuid ábhar trí Ghaoluinn. Bhí spéis éigint aici sin sa Ghaoluinn, cé nár labhair sí Gaoluinn liom agus bhíodh sí saghas ag aithris filíochta is bhíodh sí ag caint faoi Raiftearaí agus Aogán Ó Rathaille agus daoine mar sin. Chuireas suim sa Ghaoluinn ansin ach b’fhéidir an chéad uair go dtosnaíos ag cur suime sa Ghaoluinn i gceart ná nuair a chuas chuig an nGaeltacht in 2014 go dtí Ceann Trá ar chúrsa samhraidh trí seachtaine. Fé mar a deir siad as Béarla, ní fhéachas thar n-ais ina dhiaidh san, bhíos sa Ghaeltacht gach aon samhradh ina dhiaidh san i gColáiste Uisce thuas i nGaeltacht Mhaigh Eo. Bhaineas ard-taitneamh as agus sin an tús, is dócha.

Cén fáth gur maith leat an Ghaoluinn?

Tá sé ábhar randamach do duine as Ceann Toirc. Níl mórán Gaoluinne timpeall an bhaile s’againne, tá sí ar scoil ar ndóigh, fé mar a bhí ag gach éinne. Cé nach bhfuil mórán Gaoluinne sa cheantar, tá ana-chuid staire…mar shampla, má shiúlaim amach cúldoras an tí age baile is má fhéachaim uaim síos ar

Táim ar Choiste Feidhmiúcháin an Aontais, Choiste na Cuallachta agus suím ar Bhord na Gaeilge, chomh maith. foghlaim i gcomhair scrúduithe agus ní dóigh liom go raibh an tuiscint sin acu gur bhféadfaidís í a úsáid amach anseo agus gur teanga bheo í. Bheinnse ag moladh go ndéanfaí níos mó scoláireachtaí a thairiscint do dhaltaí meánscoile, ó scoileanna nach dtéann go dtí an Ghaeltacht de ghnáth, mar tá scoileanna agus seolann siad ana-chuid daoine chun na Gaeltachta. Ach tá sé sin fós ana-thábhachtach ar fad, dar liom,

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gaeilge

daoine a chur go dtí an nGaeltacht, tá sé chomh simplí leis sin.

Conas ar éirigh leat baint a bheith agat leis an gCuallacht is leis an gCumann Drámaíochta nuair a tháinig tú chuig an gColáiste?

Is cuimhin liom a bheith suite, b’fhéidir an chéad nó an tarna seachtain, i léacht Ghaoluinne agus bhíodar ag lorg ionadaithe ranga agus níor chuireas mo lámh in airde. De ghnáth, ní bhíonn aon drogall in aon chor orm mo lámh a chur in airde ach níor dhein a babhta san ar chúis éigint. Ach ansan, chonac an fógra don Chumann Dramaíochta agus bhí a fhios agam gur theastaigh uaim a bheith sáite i gcúrsaí Gaoluinne agus chuireas isteach ar an gCumann Drámaíochta. Bhíos ann mar Ionadaí na Chéad Bhliana agus bhíos páirteach sna drámaí agus bhí craic agam ann. Mo chomhairle d’éinne atá ag iarraidh dul suas na céimeanna, dar liom nach bhfuil sé chomh deacair san mar tá siad ag lorg daoine chun postanna áirithe a dhéanamh. Tá ganntanas foirne agus ganntanas daoine agus fiú amháin muna bhfuil tú ar an gcoiste, d’fhéadfá a bheith i do ghníomhaí Gaeilge. Mholfainn do dhaoine a bheith páirteach, má tá smaoineamh ag éinne amuigh ansin nach bhfuil á dhéanamh ag an gCuallacht nó ag an gCumann Drámaíochta, téir i dteangmháil leo nó téir i dteangmháil liomsa, mar is mó rud nach gcuimhním orthu agus is mó san cuimhneamh maith a bhíonn ag daoine eile, is breá liom iad a chlos.

Conas mar ar éirigh leat a bheith i do Ionadaí Gaeilge agus Cultúir de chuid an Aontais?

Thaitin an toghchán go mór liomsa caithim a rá, agus toghchán as an ngnáth a bhí ann mar is eol do chách; ní raibh mórán daoine ar campas in aon chor is mar sin a chaitheamar an feachtas ar fad. Ní raibh aon chead imeachtaí a chur ar siúl timpeall an champais, chaitheamaran feachtas ar fad a athrú ar line. Bhí an t-ádh dearg liom; bhí bainisteoir feachtasaíochta ana-mhaith agam, Eve Ní Chathasaigh, agus táim ana-bhuíoch di. I ndáiríre bhí ana-spraoi againn i mbun an fheachtais, ag cur físeáin amach ar na meáin shóisialta agus ag cur teachtaireachtaí go dtí daoine ag roinnt méimeanna greannmhara. Bhaineas ana-thaitneamh as an óráidíocht agus an díospóireacht. Bhí beirt iarrthóirí eile maithe san iomaíocht Katie agus Megan, agus dheineadar go hiontach, do bhí feachtas iontach láidir acu. Chabhraigh sé sin liomsa go deimhin mar chuir sé piobar lem’ thóin d’fhéadfá a rá!

Thaitin an toghchán go mór liomsa caithim a rÁ!

Cad atá i gceist leis an bpost mar Ionadaí Gaeilge?

Táim ar Choiste Feidhmiúcháin an Aontais, Choiste na Cuallachta agus suím ar Bhord na Gaeilge, chomh maith. Sin iad na trí rud mhóra atá le déanamh agam agus seachas san tá scóip ana-mhór agam mo rogha rud a dhéanamh toisc gur jab páirt-aimseartha atá i gceist. Níl aon saghas foirmle fé leith ann cad a chaithfidh tú a dhéanamh. Tá cúpla rud beartaithe agam chun an Ghaoluinn a chur chun cinn laistigh den Aontas agus san ollscoil go léir. Ceann des na rudaí a bheidh mé ag féachaint air i mbliana ná scéimeanna teanga. Níl aon scéim teangan ag an Ollscoil ó 2009 agus táim ag iarraidh gabháilt amach canathaobh nach bhfuil. Níl aon scéim teangan nó scéim Ghaeilge nó polasaí Gaoluinne ag Aontas na Mac Léinn ach oiread. Beidh mé ag féachaint air sin mar déanann an tAontas obair na gcapall gach aon bhliain ach teastaíonn uaim go mbeadh an Ghaoluinn fite fuaite san obair sin. Mar shampla, de ghnáth chuireann an tAontas féilire amach gach aon bhliain, féilire pleanála bliana gur féidir le mic léinn é a chrochadh ar a’ bhfalla agus ní bhíonn aon Ghaoluinn air sin. Sin sampla den tsaghas rud a bheadh i scéim teangan an Aontais; go mbeadh sé scríte is go ndéanfar é sin go dhátheangach. Ó thaobh cad is féidir liom a dhéanamh do mhic léinn; má tá fadhbanna ó thaobh na Gaoluinne nó ceisteanna nó smaointe agaibh, téigí i dteangmháil liom ag irish@uccsu.ie.

INTERVIEW

20

“Stand up and Fight”

An Interview with Kevin “Kevaman” Jardim-Lalor of Munster Rugby Gaming JACK COLEMAN Byline Editor

Last April, I was as surprised as anyone when Munster Rugby decided to get involved in the rapidly expanding world of esports. Sure, lots of traditional sports teams have significant investments in the sphere but a rugby team, especially an Irish rugby team, seemed an unlikely candidate. The majority of sports teams currently involved in the industry are the largest football clubs as well as NFL franchises and NBA teams. Munster was fully committed to their esports offshoot, bringing in big names like former League of Legends European Championships (LEC) players Nubar “Maxlore” Sarafian and Aleksi “H1IVA” Kaikkonen.

In order to transition into esports smoothly, Munster partnered with an existing Irish esports organisation, Phelan Gaming.

Unfortunately for Munster, their relationship with Phelan quickly soured. Unknown to the general public and many in the local League of Legends scene, Phelan was actually just licensing the Munster name as opposed to working directly with the organisation. The Munster organisation itself had very little involvement in the day to day operation of the team. Phelan had been operating as, for all intents and purposes, an amateur esports organisation previous to their involvement with Munster.

The step-up was clearly too much for the organisation and its owner Ciaran “Wings” Walsh. According to Adam Fitch of Dexerto, the teams’ contracts were riddled with mistakes and did not appear to be written by lawyers and payments were

delayed by months as Wings seemed to promise salaries that the organisation simply couldn’t afford. After all this information became public, Munster severed ties with Phelan.

Surprisingly, this wasn’t the end for Munster in esports as they reformed the team to compete in the third tier of the United Kingdom’s League ecosystem, the United Kingdom Esports League (UKEL). This time Munster were acting independently.

Enter the subject of our interview, Kevin “Kevaman” Jardim Lalor is a well-known figure in the Irish League of Legends scene. The Dublin man is known for his aggressive playstyle and strong work ethic. When Munster reformed to compete in the UKEL, the organisation acquired two Irish players for their roster, Kevaman and Connor “Goose” O’Brien. Prior to joining Munster, Kevaman competed in the Irish scene. Ireland has a strong grassroots League of Legends community with tournaments being held regularly. I asked Kevaman what interested him in trying his hand at competitive League of Legends in the first place, and what made him make the push to elevate his ambitions to the wider (and larger) United Kingdom scene: “I’ve always been playing sports competitively from a young age, so once I was introduced to League of Legends it was only a matter of time before I began looking for teams and leagues to play in.

Once I began to win Irish tournaments at the grassroots level, I decided it was time to push into the UK scene and luckily

21

INTERVIEW

that lined up to Munster’s return to the scene. Being pro has always been a dream of mine, and it became a goal near the end of college when I knew I would have the time to drive on”.

I figured getting the call up to play for one of Ireland’s biggest sporting organisations must have been an honour for Kevin, I asked him how he felt getting the call from Munster: “Joining the team felt huge, I watched Munster play in the NLC (Northern League of Legends Championships) and always dreamed of not only making it to that level but playing for them. Once I got wind I would be playing for them a few days before my first UKEL split I was almost starstruck and it pushed me to want to improve even more”. It was a tough start to UKEL life for Munster as the team registered only one victory in their first ten games. However, there were some promising signs for the future as the team managed to win three of their last four games.

Though Munster finished last place, they managed to survive relegation with the help of new players Tim “Beartree” Guthrie and Neyas “Raizins” Guruswamy. With Kevaman, Beartree and Goose, there was a solid platform to build on for the next split.

The next split was indeed more positive for Munster as they finished sixth place in the regular season with a record of 6-8, qualifying for playoffs. An impressive playoff run saw Munster defeat the fifth-placed Demise Gaming and fourth-placed X7 Esports before losing out to eventual winners LDN UTD, finishing fourth overall. I asked Kevaman how his experience was playing in the UKEL and if he saw significant improvements in his gameplay: “My UKEL experience had its ups and downs, playing with a lot of rookie players and for a ‘rookie org’, it was evident during our first split. But I trusted the process and we became a top-four team by the end of the year. That was a huge confidence booster for me as a lot of the players in the tournament were quite high ranked and a lot of the organisations had either money or experience. I pushed myself hard during this time and was lucky to have the support of Munster’s infrastructure, as well as my family and friends. This made me significantly better and at the end of the two splits, I felt a cut above what I was before”.

Of course, life outside League of Legends has its own obligations and challenges. While playing for Munster Rugby Gaming in the UKEL, Kevin was also pursuing a degree in computer science from University College Dublin. As a final year student attempting to balance writing a dissertation with my own amateur competitive League pursuits and a personal life myself, I was curious to know how Kevaman handled this balancing act: “Balancing Munster and final year was a huge task for me and didn’t come easily. It came with a lot of sacrifice in other parts of my life and a lot of understanding from people around me. Dealing with the guilt of playing games while I had a final year project to complete was tough for me but in the end, I got through it with a 2:1 degree and 4th place in the UKEL, which I am immensely proud of”.

The future for Munster is uncertain. There has recently been a shakeup in the Nordic and U.K. League of Legends ecosystem and as a result, teams are being asked to requalify across each tier. Munster has been given an opportunity to qualify for the NLC, the first tier of competition. Kevaman has been named as a substitute on this roster and as a starter for the team’s

roster competing in the Winter Cup. As a local player to which the organisation seems committed, I asked Kevaman what he thought of being Munster’s de-facto “franchise player”: “Munster and I share a lot of similar ideologies about sport and we work well together. I would love to continue working with them and I feel that reciprocated back. The biggest thing for me is to make this a career option and in an ideal world that would be with the growth of both Munster and I together”.

The qualifiers for the NLC are shaping up to be very competitive.

I enquired what Kevin, as an insider in the organisation, thinks about Munster’s chances of qualification: “From seeing how hard the team is working in such tough circumstances, I feel they show a lot of promise to do well. With all the teams in similar situations, it’s hard to tell where all the teams will end once the dust settles. From my side, however, it’s looking good and I hope the team can qualify for the division one spot”.

Esports is a rapidly growing ecosystem, there are job opportunities everywhere within the industry. As someone who just finished college and is hopeful of a career in the industry, I asked Kevaman if he would recommend young people interested in the space to pursue esports seriously: “I would recommend anyone with a passion for esports in Ireland to pursue it. Our representation is low even with how many talented individuals we have, including people who aren’t players like CrimsonCyclist”. David “CrimsonCyclist” McGarry is a regular in the Irish League of Legends scene, known for handling production matters in the various amateur tournaments that occur. As someone with an avid interest in esports myself, I too would recommend esports fans to at least entertain the idea of working in the industry in some capacity if they have the passion. I wish Kevin the best of luck in his possible career in esports and I’ll be rooting for Munster in both the NLC qualifiers and the Winter League. You can catch Kevin streaming daily on his Twitch Channel at twitch.tv/kevaman1.

photography

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POLITICAL LEADERS AT UCC PHOTOS BY MÉABH LONERGAN

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climate change protest PHOTOS BY jack murphy

photography

FILM & TV

24

film reviews

CORMAC MCCARTHY Film & TV Editor

NO TIME TO DIE - 3/5

FIRST COW - 4/5

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s a new Bond film out. From a 250 million dollar film, to a two million dollar film, They’ve been keeping it very quiet. Luckily, I caught wind of it First Cow is almost the opposite to No Time to Die’s and headed down to the Gate Cinema in Cork City on Friday. ostentatious scope. Here, the only star of the film is No Time To Die has had a very tumultuous production process, the unspoiled American landscape, and the only action with Trainspotting and Yesterday director, Danny Boyle, is a brief chase scene towards the climax of the film. slated to direct originally but was subsequently replaced by Beasts of No Nation director Cary Joji Fukunaga. The writing process was also steeped in delays with Phoebe WallerBridge providing rewrites in late 2019. Nevertheless, after a year and a half of a delay it has finally reached our screens.

From the outset, this Bond outing is rather different from the rest.

Gone is the flamboyantly bombastic stunt generally expected.

Instead, it opens with an almost horror-genre inspired passage that demands the viewers attention. Praise must be given to the cinematography as every scene shines with an effervescent glow, giving life to a series that many thought be on death’s door.

While the runtime of just under three hours may put some viewers off, the film more than manages to keep the audience’s attention. The film manages to balance its breathtaking action sequences with its more poignant moments effortlessly. Here, we see a Bond that is more than ready to be vulnerable to those closest to him while remaining stoic in his duties.

The plot is simple. It concerns the arrival of the first dairy cow to the American frontier in the 1820s. Even then, the film doesn’t really concern itself with such things as the cow does not arrive until after an hour has passed in the film.

Instead, the director chooses to linger upon the naked beauty of nature’s most simple treasures, be it a mouse scurrying over the mossy fields or the lapping water of the river on which the cow arrives. Kelly Reichardt keeps the pace of the film intentionally slow, pointing out all the things you don’t get in a Bond film. Even the aspect ratio of 4:3 has a painting-like quality to it, as the camera sits still, voyeuristically watching the action unfold in front of it.

Instead of a daring caper, the film’s main objective is to portray the theme of friendship and the new beginnings that come with it.

The setting of the 1820s as a perfect canvas for this theme as the landscape itself is seeing an influx of enterprise and trade. The friendship in question is between a young cook and a man falsely accused of a murder, who cross paths multiple times before meeting properly at a settlement in a primitive version of Oregon.

The two men strike up a business arrangement where they sell cakes to the villagers whose palettes have not experienced such sweetness in quite a long time. They steal the milk to make the cakes from the local governor, the owner of the titular cow.

A delightful departure from the film is the rampant sexism that has often plagued the series as the female cast more than command the attention of the viewer. Ana de Armas delights as the hotshot rookie eager to earn her stripes, as she steals every scene she features in. Likewise, Lea Seydoux’s Madeline Swan is not willing to be the damsel for I must admit that I did not think very highly of this film at first, her knight, and more than holds her own against Bond’s vigour. as the lack of discernible plot and runtime of two hours left me While it is only one criticism, it is a large one that looms large in a tired state. However, a rewatch allowed me to truly slow over the film; there are just too many villains. Rami Malek’s down and appreciate the magnificent pastiches of what life scenery chewing is not enough to save the film from this was like 200 years ago. While slow in pace, the relationship plight as the title of the main antagonist gets passed around between the two characters drives the film forward. The film is between four different characters, including M at one point. not commenting upon anything other than that sometimes it is It leaves for a rather muddled second act where not enough best to have someone to trust than to be alone in the vast world. time is given to either villain for them to be truly menacing.

25 FILM & TV NOSTALGIA JUST ISN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE: How a particular period setting has replaced fantasy as the world to escape to CORMAC MCCARTHY Film & TV Editor “They just don’t make rose-tinted glasses like they used to. “The word “nostalgia” refers to the notion of how we tend to remember the more pleasant aspects of our past and look back on older times more fondly. Thus, the negative aspects can become forgotten entirely as the allure of the relative innocence becomes stronger. This is often why the audience finds themselves retreating to the same tracks repeatedly because of a reluctance to take a risk in what they watch. It is a way for the audience to escape the monotony of modern life to a time when life was relatively easier.

In the early 2000s, the method of escaping to another world was largely through the fantasy genre. The box office was dominated by Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Avatar, Twilight among others. The Star Wars prequels could also be included in this list. In all these series, a lot of time and energy was spent on innocuous details by the production team which added depth and life to the film. These minor details, while inconsequential to the overall plot are crucial as the viewer feels a closer connection to the film, a desire to be within them and to walk around in the environs. While not many tv programs followed this genre, there were a few successful entries with the likes of Game of Thrones and The Witcher.

However, in recent years the period setting of the 1980s has replaced the fantasy genre as the world of choice in which to escape to. Examples of this include films such as Wonder Woman 1984, Ready Player One, Captain Marvel and television shows like Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy and Sex Education. All these films evoke a sense of nostalgia, particularly for the 1980s.

What is particularly curious about this, however, is that these films and shows are largely marketed to an age demographic that has no memory of these time periods at all, thus creating a fictionalised version of these times. This has always occurred with Victorian and Georgian era settings, where the time period has been heavily sanitized by only focusing on the lives of the wealthy classes. However, what is different about these forms of entertainment is that they are set in a time just out of reach of the memory of those watching the show.

held for fantasy memorabilia like Harry’s wand or “The One Ring”.

As a result, this can often lead to a quality in films where a negative aspect, such as having a poor plot or shabby dialogue, can be overlooked because the viewer is enthralled by the wonder of the seemingly idyllic 1980s. Wonder Woman 1984 and Captain Marvel were such culprits. There was no artistic reason to have the films set in this time period other than to sooth the viewer.

The fact that that Wonder Woman 1984 would be set in the 1980s was deemed worthy enough to warrant an announcement in itself. The marketing team knew that the new world of choice to escape to wasn’t Paradise Island with the rest of the Amazons but a Blockbuster Video Rental Store in 1980s Washington D.C.

As a result, the target audience has a sense of nostalgia for a time in which they did not exist. The creators of these forms of entertainment have managed to manufacture a fictionalized version of a time period in which the audience yearns to escape to.

Ready Player One is perhaps one of the worst offenders of this trend. The film throws references at the viewer in the same manner that you would jangle your keys in front of a crying baby to shut them up. It is full to the brim with references and call backs to films that came out ten years before the target audience was even born. It substitutes a well engineered plot for warm, friendly reminders that you could very easily be watching a much better film.

This was most notable in Stranger Things where a poll revealed that 31% of respondents between 18-29 had seen every episode of Stranger Things. In the younger demographic it was also prevalent. There was a significant rise in demand for “retro” items that was attributed to the show’s release. These included Walkman’s’, Dungeons and Dragons sets and Nintendo 64s.

These commodities were treated with the same awe and wonder

Many shows choose a composite of both modern elements and items from the 1980s. Such an example is Sex Education which is trapped in a world filled with 80s and 90s era cars, furniture and cameras but still uses the modern world’s attitudes, smartphones and fashion. This results in a rather fractured fantasy where items are cherry picked and mixed around to achieve a sense of nostalgia for the modern world. A very confusing thing indeed.

FOOD & HEALTH

26

Level Up Your Packet Ramen NATHAN CAREY Food

I will never quite forget the first time I tasted authentic ramen. In 2017 I had the privilege to travel to Japan. During my two week sojourn, I made it my priority to try as much food as possible. At one point during my stay, after marvelling at the ‘snow monkeys’ bathing in their hot springs, I found myself at the base of the Jigokudani Yaen Kōen nature reserve. Tucked in behind the towering trees stood a small café with a sign out front promising bowls of hot ramen inside. My mind lit up with excitement. After years of enjoying instant packet ramen, I was finally about to taste the real thing. Chewy noodles bathed in a creamy Tonkotsu broth, topped with lightly charred pork belly and a slew of fresh vegetables. The first sip of broth was ambrosial, truly unique and unlike anything I had tasted before. From that moment on I strived to make every bowl of ramen taste even half as good. A couple of years on, and literally hundreds of bowls of ramen later, I’m here to share how to level up the humble packet ramen. As students many of us are very familiar with the small rectangular pouch of dried noodles and flavour packets, and while great in a pinch, with just a little love they can be transformed into something great.

For the unindoctrinated, what exactly is ramen? It’s believed that ramen originated first in China and then made its way

and Health Editor

hasn’t changed much over the years. At its core ramen consists of wheat noodles and a broth (traditionally made with pork or chicken). There are a plethora of regional variations, all with their own unique broth recipes and toppings. The well-known instant ramen was first introduced in the late 1950s and quickly rose to worldwide adoration.

In 2017 the World Instant Noodle Association (yes you read that right) reported that over 100 billion servings of instant noodles were consumed annually for the first time and the number has grown in each subsequent year.

In each packet, you will find a block of dehydrated noodles and one or two flavour packets. These packets usually contain a spice blend that you add to water to create a soup base, and sometimes fragrant oils to add flavour to the dish. To cook, you place the noodles in 500ml of boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the flavour packet. Boom, you have ramen. You can see the appeal right? A meal in less than 3 minutes is pretty tempting. The ease of making instant ramen is a clear factor in its rise in popularity, but by giving yourself just over double the amount of time and some pantry staples you can elevate the humble noodle dish into something so much more flavourful.

27 Soup Base One of the main ways to boost the flavour of your ramen is by building up the soup base. The flavour packet can do a lot of the heavy lifting so don’t toss it! To begin, add about 500ml of water into a small pot along with the flavour packet. To add some extra umami flavour I always add a teaspoon or two of miso paste.

Miso can be found in most supermarkets but if you’re having trouble finding it, check your local Asian grocery store. The latter option is actually my preferred way to get my hands on miso as you can get a much wider selection. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans and kōji (which itself is fermented rice). This paste is overflowing with flavour. It comes in lighter and darker varieties giving sweeter or deeper notes. I also like to add about a tablespoon of soy sauce, to boost the umami flavour even further. You can also add aromatics at this point if you’d like. Some finely minced garlic or ginger is always a good call, and if you like some heat, definitely go with some freshly chopped chilli. For even more heat try adding gochujang paste, another fermented ingredient that packs a punch. If you can’t tell already, I like my ramen super spicy! Once all the extras have been added, boil the noodles in the broth for about 2-3 minutes until they are cooked through but still have a slight bite to them.

toppings Here’s where you can let your imagination run wild. I usually start with a protein such as chicken, pork or tofu. Roasting your protein first gives it a nice colour and keeps it juicy. Marinating the protein before you cook is another great way to layer flavour, some garlic and soy sauce would work great. You can slice or shred the protein depending on your preference.

When it comes to vegetables I like to add mushrooms that have been lightly fried in sesame oil and glazed in a splash of soy sauce. Fresh scallions sliced on a bias add a bright contrasting flavour to the deep umami of the soup – they also look visually appealing. I often add sliced chilis to add a pop of colour and more heat, sometimes I even add steamed dumplings to the broth! Honestly, the list of toppings could go on, and the combinations are virtually endless, so try out your own!

FOOD & HEALTH RAMEN EGG One of the most striking features of a bowl of ramen is a perfectly boiled egg. Bright whites surrounding a jammy yolk, there’s nothing quite like it. If you have trouble getting the perfect cook, follow this simple guide for perfect eggs every time: 1. Before you begin cooking, prepare a bowl or jug filled with cold water and ice, this ice bath is key to getting the perfect yolk consistency.

2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and drop in your egg(s). Start a timer for 7 minutes immediately.

3. When your timer goes off, remove the egg from the pot and plunge into the ice bath. Stir gently and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

4. Carefully crack the egg all over and peel.

By following these 4 simple steps I guarantee that you will consistently make perfect eggs. From here there are a few options you can take. The first is to simply slice the egg and serve with your ramen. The second option requires some foresight but yields an even more delicious egg. Take your egg(s) and place in a jar or cup with 1 part soy sauce, 3 parts water. Make sure they are completely submerged.

Store in the fridge for at least 1 but up to 3 days. Marinating the eggs like this gives the outermost whites a tan colour and an amazing flavour. You can make a couple at once and have soy-marinated ramen eggs ready to go all week!

FINISHING TOUCHES When you’re ready to serve, lay the noodles in your favourite bowl. Pour over the flavourful broth and add your protein. Arrange any vegetables and other toppings on top of the noodles. I like to nestle my egg just below the surface of the broth to warm it up. Depending on the flavour packet used, I sometimes add a spoonful of chilli crisp, extra soy sauce or a dash of sesame oil.

A sprinkling of sesame seeds brings the whole dish together, all that’s left to do is grab a pair of chopsticks and dig in!

If you make yourself a bowl of ramen or any of the other recipes featured in the Express, we would love to see them! You can post a picture on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #ExpressCooks.

MUSIC

28

TikTok and the Music Industry FLORRIE MCCARTHY Music Editor

I think most people reading this article would agree when I say it would be difficult today to find someone who hasn’t at least heard of TikTok, if not knowing what it is or understanding the concept.

The way that the social media platform swept the globe will never cease to amaze me. It was launched by Chinese company ByteDance in 2018 and started growing steadily in popularity then, but the real craze came thanks to the global pandemic that was COVID-19. We all may have very quickly grown tired and frustrated with not being able to go outside, socialise and generally get on with our normal lives - and of course masses of people the world over dealt with much worse troubles - but being imprisoned in our own homes worked out very well for TikTok. With the amount of users growing more than sevenfold from 2018 to reach one billion users in 2021, the stats speak for themselves. People kept themselves entertained sharing nuggets of pandemic life and dancing - lots and lots of dancing.

For the small cohort that defy my opening statement, this is why I am writing about a social media platform in the music column of the express. TikTok was actually formed as a merger of two platforms - “Musica.ly” and “Douyin”, a Chinese app. The former had some popularity already as a music performance app, with lots of videos of users singing along to backing tracks or playing instruments themselves. TikTok put a different spin on this and created a general theme of making short video clips with music playing in the background. Not all TikToks(the word can be used interchangeably to refer to the platform or one of its videos)have music now, but a massive number of the trends that came up on the app since its creation are associated with different songs, or just small, novel snippets of them that allow for all sorts of of cinematic timing. As you can imagine, these trends can cause a certain song to completely implant itself in ones brain, becoming an (sometimes infuriating) ear-worm. While the most popular section of a TikTok song - a song which is recognised because of TikTok - will forever be the part that is used in the trend(the

“sound”), it is not at all uncommon for people to like or even just be interested in a certain sound enough to find the song in full and listen to it. The name of the song is also presented at the bottom of the TikTok with the username of the creator as a link to the sound and the other videos that use it. Thus we have countless playlists on Spotify full of TikTok songs, some updated regularly with the most common current songs intended for others to use.

So we’ve seen why music is used in TikTok, and how it is used - but the magic is yet to come, in the distribution. While we’re all used to other social media platforms showing us content that we specifically signed up for from content creators who we chose to follow, be they our friends, certain companies or favourite celebrities, TikTok famously chooses to expose any videos to absolutely anyone - within certain parameters. The main feed of TikTok, the “for you” page, shows you videos based on content you have liked in the past, content you have ignored in the past, the region and language of your device and, in the case of younger users, profanity and age-appropriateness, among other factors. Outside this, however, the point is that you do not have to be following someone for their TikTok to appear on your “for you” page. If enough people find it entertaining it will gain traction in the form of likes and the probability of the TikTok appearing in people’s feeds will increase. Thus you could scroll through your TikTok feed and find videos with very few likes, or TikToks that are very popular that your friends might already have seen.

All it takes is one funny moment, cool trick or anything else instantaneously appealing for one user to like a video or even send it to their friends. This is the magic of exposure on TikTok. This is a very, very powerful tool for musicians, a really excellent way of getting their music exposed to more and more people.

By making their tracks available to use on TikTok they allow any creator to put it as the backing track in a video, which, again, needs only a small uptick in engagement to start a fast climb to lots of “for you” pages around the world. With the boom of

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popularity a video might reach with a newly discovered sound, there is the chance that a trend of any sort will form whose identity lies within the accompanying song, and you best believe that if that trend gets big enough, a user will hear it multiple times in one day scrolling through their for-you page.

These TikTok trends may more often than not be short-lived, but if they blow up they do so in an extreme blaze of glory with a quick death. Regardless, the accompanying song that drills itself into people’s heads gets its moment in the spotlight, and as we learned earlier if people like it enough they will listen to it in their own time, even after its associated trend dies.

This form factor, the playlist, really is massive these days. Not that it’s new, of course - the legendary mixtape definitely had its time with cassettes, and before that - but streaming platforms like Spotify make it easier than ever. Generally, Spotify has a controversial reputation in musical circles, and the topic of singular songs being spoon-fed to consumers who are spoilt for choice has had no lack of discourse from grumpy elitist music-heads(myself included, at times). Alas, it is still the way, and it does leave a tendency for listeners to take single songs as suggested to them by Spotify, add it their playlist and keep listening to similar songs, never going past that layer of abstraction to discover the actual artist and the rest of their music. It is only natural that this habit applies, then, to songs people know from TikTok that they find on Spotify as well.

Obviously, I don’t mean to say that this is an absolute rule of

MUSIC

my rough generation, plus or minus one; this concept exists to different degrees, so of course, there are people who will go beyond the curtain of the playlist to find out more about the artist.

Thus, in small ways, whether dug up from Spotify or the TikTok page that accompanies a sound, artists can in fact manage to make a name for themselves. There is no better example of this than the global pop-rap sensation that is Lil Nas X. A normal kid from Georgia in the United States, he was writing rap music for fun in 2018 at the age of nineteen. He happened upon a beat he liked online on a Dutch website which he bought for 30$, no real fame to his name, and soon released the would-be big hit “Old Town Road”. Nas put some work into promoting the track on his social media pages, where he was known for being very active, but the real work in promoting the track did itself - on TikTok. A trend for making videos in Wild West outfits that adopted the brand #yeehaw took the song as its TikTok identity and went through the roof, helping it climb to number one on the Billboard hot one hundred chart. In the three years since Lil Nas X has become an absolute icon of pop rap.

There are obviously many other artists who have either strengthened or created their following on TikTok, but this article would be too long if I tried to name any more of them. I should hope it is evident by now just how massively impactful TikTok has been for the music industry in the past year, and who knows where else it will take us.

GAMING

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Captured in Motion: Familiar Faces in Games CHLOE BARRETT Gaming Editor In recent years, games have truly transcended to another level. In terms of actors participating in the gaming world, lending their voices is not the only job they do now. New engines have been utilised to their fullest abilities and motion capture is now a commonly used feature. By tracking actors’ faces with sensors, recording their specific movements and editing them into games, the result is an almost scarily degree of realism. But just how many actors can you remember that featured in some fan favourite games?

Until Dawn was developed by Supermassive Games and released back in 2015. It is an interactive, thrilling choice-based game with eight playable characters trying to survive on a mountain.

When you think of motion capture in games, this is possibly the title at the forefront of your mind. It contained quite a few wellknown faces, such as Rami Malek, who played the older brother, Josh. Jordan Fisher stars as the friendly and likeable Matt, who also features alongside Hayden Panettiere, often deemed a fan favourite for her performance as Sam. The entire cast is a memorable one and the game itself received a lot of high praise.

Buckle up though, as it is an experience you will not soon forget.

Keanu Reeves made quite an impression on the internet, resulting in him becoming a meme back in 2019. By complementing the audience before him at an Xbox conference, saying the unforgettable words “You’re Breathtaking” the entire internet went wild. People scrambled to google the game he was featured in, and it was none other than Cyberpunk 2077, developed by CD Projekt Red. Reeves lent his acting abilities to the character of Johnny Silverhand, a military veteran who fought against the corrupt government featured throughout the game. The game itself boasts an open-world adventure for the player to explore, complete with role-playing based gameplay. It was a high demand game that gained a lot of traction and was finally released towards the end of 2020.

Developed by Kojima Productions, Death Stranding features none other than Norman Reedus who acts as Sam, a delivery man who proudly journeys across the United Cities on a mission to save mankind from certain extinction. The long time The Walking Dead star suited up in a complete motion capture suit to film the game and acted out his stunts in a studio for the highly anticipated 2019 release. Other famous actors were also featured in the game, such as Mads Mikkelsen, Guillermo del Toro, Margaret Qualley and even Conan O’Brien had a brief cameo.

The popular series Call Of Duty came out with an instalment titled Infinite Warfare which was developed by Infinity Ward. It is a beloved series that had a few surprising faces pop up, delighting fans who played the game. The first-person shooter lets the player experience the space setting through Captain Nick Reyes eyes, who is played by Brian Bloom. But an antagonist is who caught players by surprise. Kit Harington, who was a main character in the

award-winning series Game of Thrones, decided to switch things up while filming the popular show to feature in this 2016 hit. There was no shortage of recognisable talent, however, with David Harewood popping up, Claudia Christian making an appearance, and Conor McGregor featuring alongside David Hasselhoff, whose familiar voice appeared as an announcer within the game.

The final popular title that features a few stars is none other than Detroit: Become Human. The game which was nominated for numerous awards was developed by Quantic Dream back in 2018. It is an interactive adventure game that follows three androids who find themselves in peculiar situations while navigating a high-tech setting. On its release, the game was met with exceptionally high praise on multiple factors, such as gameplay, story, and the cast. Valorie Curry is Kara, a servant android who manages to escape her violent owner alongside his young daughter who she is determined to protect. Jesse Williams features as Markus, an android whose objective features around the rights that androids deserve in the futuristic world. Bryan Dechart is the first actor the player meets when beginning the game, and he stars as Connor, the android sent

by Cyberlife with a focus on hunting down androids who have become sentient. However, the most surprising actor who played an important role in the game was none other than Clancy Brown. Many know him from voicing the famous Mr Krabs in SpongeBob SquarePants, alongside countless other famous roles. Detective Hank Anderson is a character begrudgingly prominent in Connor’s story, who is not fond of androids.

There are many other games out there that feature familiar voices and faces, even older ones you would not realise until researching and making the discovery. Some people exclusively act in games and are highly praised for their convincing portrayals which bring the game to life. Without voice actors, many favourite games would be very different to what they are today, so thank you immensely, voice actors!

31 GAMING Did Nintendo Overpromise the Wii U? CHLOE BARRETT Gaming Editor

On my twelfth birthday, I asked for a Wii U as my present.

The console was being advertised on the TV almost every day, and if you stepped into a game shop you were greeted with a colourful display full of Wii U exclusive games. As a young kid, I was delighted with the console. Whether it was my friends coming over to play some party games on it or me just happily anticipating new releases, I got a lot of fun from the console. However, it did not exactly go down as Nintendo’s best invention, some have even called it their worst.

On my twelfth birthday, I asked for a Wii U as my present.

The console was being advertised on the TV almost every day, and if you stepped into a game shop you were greeted with a colourful display full of Wii U exclusive games. As a young kid, I was delighted with the console. Whether it was my friends coming over to play some party games on it or me just happily anticipating new releases, I got a lot of fun from the console. However, it did not exactly go down as Nintendo’s best invention, some have even called it their worst.

After Nintendo’s phenomenal success following the numerous DS consoles and the fan favourite original Wii, they tried to expand on their selection. What about a system that you could play on the TV but also as a portable gamepad?

No, not the Switch! The Wii U. Maybe in 2012 the idea was too advanced, because Nintendo did not deliver. Or perhaps they waited too long to release the console that was frequently marketed as the successor to the Wii as many of the players gravitated towards other brands in the six years.

After Nintendo’s phenomenal success following the numerous DS consoles and the fan favourite original Wii, they tried to expand on their selection. What about a system that you could play on the TV but also as a portable gamepad?

No, not the Switch! The Wii U. Maybe in 2012 the idea was too advanced, because Nintendo did not deliver. Or perhaps they waited too long to release the console that was frequently marketed as the successor to the Wii as many of the players gravitated towards other brands in the six years.

Some of the common critiques about the system are very understandable ones. The portability factor was a disappointment to many. While the Wii U console was plugged in and you had the gamepad in your hands, you could play games on it. But that was providing you did not move too far away from the console whilst playing. If you walked away, the game would lose connection and be unplayable until you returned to the room where the console was situated. It was not portable! The heavy, clunky gamepad was also not a desirable device to be carrying around even if it was portable, nor was the appearance of it particularly appealing. It had some

Some of the common critiques about the system are very understandable ones. The portability factor was a disappointment to many. While the Wii U console was plugged in and you had the gamepad in your hands, you could play games on it. But that was providing you did not move too far away from the console whilst playing. If you walked away, the game would lose connection and be unplayable until you returned to the room where the console was situated. It was not portable! The heavy, clunky gamepad was also not a desirable device to be carrying around even if it was portable, nor was the appearance of it particularly appealing. It had some

SEXPRESS

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That’s it, I’m Kinkshaming EMILY OSBORN Sexpress Editor

In 2019, Pornhub released a list of the most commonly searched terms on their platform. The list was dominated by terms such as ‘teen’, ‘step mom’, ‘gangbang’, and bondage proved to be one of the most popular categories on the website.

Meanwhile, on TikTok, #kinktok was in full swing, with videos ranging from cringeworthy images of tv characters, to how-to videos on tying your lover to your bedpost. The public interest in kink, fetish, and rough sex has exploded into the cultural forefront in recent years. Society is becoming more sex positive daily, and people no longer shy away from discussing sex outside of the bedroom. Fifty Shades of Grey, often attributed with bringing BDSM to mainstream media, sold over 15 million copies since it was first launched. A range of sex toys can now be bought in stores like Urban Outfitters, and even some pound stores, as opposed to in shady stores strictly under the counter.

Pornography, and even hardcore pornography, is now easier and cheaper to access than ever before. All of this means that people are able to explore their sex lives in ways that they never could before, but this oversaturation of sex in the media also has destructive effects on people’s image of sex, sexual interests, and the kind of sex that people deem as ‘normal’. pornography who haven’t had sex yet can easily be lead to When the brain sees the same thing over and over again, it assume that rough sex is the standard, and entirely expected begins to assume that it is normal. People now have unbridled of them. People can often feel pressured by the media or by access to the internet, and pornography for many young the people around them into performing rough or kinky sex, people, fills in the gaps left by subpar sex education. This can when ordinarily this would be out of their comfort zone. The lead some to believe that pornography is an entirely accurate normalisation of rough sex also leads to a large amount of depiction of sex, when in reality, the opposite is true. Porn is people performing sexual acts associated with kink on their manufactured to look as real as possible, and this can cause partner without seeking explicit consent first. A BBC survey from people to forget that what they’re viewing on their computer the UK found that nearly 40% of young people they interviewed screens is nothing more than fantasy. In many porn features had experienced unwanted hitting, spitting, or choking during depicting rough sex, all parties involved are shown to be really sex. It seems a lot of young people feel extremely pressured into enjoying themselves. It’s hard to find a porn video where at. performing more extreme sexual acts just to fit in with the crowd least one person isn’t screaming in pleasure for the duration. TikTok is a platform entirely overflowing with explicit content, This understandably leads people to assume that these acts with trends such as “things girls want but don’t ask for” and are always enjoyable, to everyone. Young people accessing #365days being popular throughout 2019/2020. This content, and the comment sections below them, also unfortunately has a theme of shaming users for not having an interest in rough sex or kink. One article by i-D quotes a young person, saying ‘vanilla is the new frigid’. Vanilla is a term used to describe sex without kink or fetish. Many discussions about kink on the internet generally praise rough sex, while at the same time putting down most other forms of sexual activity, thus, leading the term ‘vanilla’ to become synonymous with being boring, prude, and conservative. The rise of this form of shaming, and all of its online defenders, is a good indicator that kink and BDSM are becoming extremely commonplace in society.

BDSM, as a concept, is not the issue. The mainstream media representation of BDSM and kink solely as violence and aggression, while a distorted representation of the community, is the main reason why kinks are misunderstood online. The new idea is that in order to be sexually liberated, or in any way sex positive, the sex you engage in must be on the more

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SEXPRESS

extreme side. When kink is discussed online, and on TikTok specifically, sexual violence and non-consensual acts can become almost glorified. One video under the #freaktok even states “if you gotta consent to it it’s not a proper punishment”.

Aside from being a disgusting comment, this doesn’t even align with the views of people who enjoy rough or kinky sex on the regular. The BDSM community is a group that values respect, consent, and safety above all else, and videos and sentiments such as these are extremely harmful, not only for communities that engage in kink, but also for young people who may be lead to believe that this is the norm, and that nonconsensual acts and sexual assault somehow equate to sex.

content when they are the only person who knows about it. This has a knock-on effect in the sex work industry, where sex workers are no longer getting paid properly for the work they do. This major new interest in fetish porn creates a supply and demand chain, with new porn actors now having to agree to rougher shoots in order to secure themselves a job. One ex-pornstar interviewed for the documentary Hot Girls Wanted noted that she felt traumatised after her ‘rough sex’ scene, as she felt like her idea of rough sex was very different from what she was asked to do during the scene. When she brought this up with her boss, she was told “our buyers enjoy this”. She also described how most pornstars describe scenes they didn’t enjoy shooting But why do many people often stray to rough and kinky sex as ‘rough’ drawing a parallel between unenjoyable and kink. and away from so called ‘vanilla’ activities? Free porn online is To tie it all together, rough sex and kink can be great ways for so abundant that suggestions for the next video to watch are people to explore their sex lives and enjoy themselves. While plastered everywhere. Even if you didn’t search for it in the there are seemingly many negatives to the normalisation of first place, videos with varying levels of kink will be lurking in kink and rough sex, there are ways to make it a positive force the search results. The human brain is naturally curious, and in society. Sex education plays a massive role in making the this curiosity kicks off a release of endorphins. Suddenly, with normalisation of kink a safe, consensual, and fun thing, rather all the other content out there, its harder to become excited to than a bad thing. People who want to engage in kink and rough more ‘vanilla’ pornography. Over time, this desensitisation to sex need to be educated these activities; without education and porn leads people to seek out material that is more and more knowledge of informed consent and safety, rough sex isn’t sex, rough, in order to get the same feeling as before. This is a major it’s violence. Porn literacy is another major facet of sex education reason as to why rough sex has become so mainstream, with which often isn’t touched upon; and being more mindful about the pornography being such an oversaturated market, people have type of porn that is out there and that is being consumed can be access to whatever, whenever, and it becomes very easy to a great way to recognise what we are into, bedroom-wise. Being fall down a rabbit hole of fetish and kink. In the days before more porn literate is also a great way to support and protect the explosion of the free pornography market, ‘specialised’ sex workers, and ensure they are being treated and paid fairly videos with more kinky content were a rare commodity for for their work. Sexual interests and preferences are different those who wanted them. In addition to this, you would have for everyone- it’s important to realise that kink isn’t normal for to physically walk into a pornography shop and talk to the everyone, and that what seems like rough sex for one person, cashier to buy these items. The anonymity of internet porn might just seem like a regular Thursday night for someone else. sites allows people to search for whatever they desire, without Whatever your preferences, ‘vanilla’ sex, as well as kinky sex, anybody knowing so long as they delete their search history. can be a real bonding experience. With the right education

This is what leads to search terms like ‘barely legal’ rising to and resources on the topic, rough sex and kink becoming the top of the popularity list; people are more likely to view this mainstream will hopefully lead to a more sex positive future.

FASHION

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Out from the Closet: LGBTQ+ Fashion, Then and Now CLAIRE WATSON Fashion Editor

is no doubt that many Mollies and Tommies were transgender.

The phenomenon may have begun in 1857 France, Oscar Wilde believes himself to be the setter of the green carnation trend. The writer instructed his male entourage to wear the green boutonnière to the opening night of his comedy Lady Windermere’s Fan. These carnations are artificially dyed and became an important accessory to the 19th-century homosexual. They were a way of finding a community as well as friends and lovers. While we were all a bit disappointed in Elliot Page wearing a plain black suit to the MET Gala, his boutonnière had great historical significance.

Certain flowers have queer connotations. Violets are sapphic in nature due to the Greek, lesbian, poet Sappho who came from Isle of Lesbos, where the term lesbian derives from.

Pansy became a term for flamboyant gay men, though is often used as a derogatory term. Lavender historically referred to love between men but was later used to reference queer women also. In the late 1960s, lesbian activists wore T-shirt’s with the phrase “lavender menace”, reclaiming the derogatory term that was coined by Betty Friedan. Now the lavender has a similar meaning to that of the rainbow.

Not only can the things we wear catalyze self-expression, but they can be a way of finding like-minded folks. While clothes do not determine one’s sexuality or gender identity, those who find their voices hushed often find other ways to speak. And so, fashion became the secret language of The LGBTQ+ community and its sub-communities. The term “the closet” brings up images of queer people emerging from a cocoon of clothes, the term is more likely linked to the phrase “skeletons in the closet” rather than the LGBTQ+ community’s innate sense of fashion. Men’s fashion has always been popular in lesbian spaces.

Queer fashion has been consistently shaped by theatre. When Gay women used the sex’s dress as a way of rebelling against it comes to theatre, leave your gender norms at the stage door. society. In the 1920s, only the most daring of women would wear suits, rock a short haircut and sport the mystifying monocle.

Up until the late 17th century, women were not permitted Not every woman to wear a monocle was a lesbian, but they to act on stage, as it was “immoral”. Instead, men dressed were certainly popular amongst them. In the 1930s, a look into as women and this lead to the accidental representation of the Parisian lesbian bar Le Monocle, possibly half the women queer relationships and Shakespeare’s popularity among the wore the spectacle. This tradition of women in suits continued current LGBTQ+ community, and we all know Shakespeare into post-suffrage fashion trends with well-known women wouldn’t mind. Viewers of renaissance theatre had tickets like Marlene Dietrich opting for a more androgynous look. to watch the gender binary imposed and then torn apart right before their eyes. During the restoration, women were Gladys Bentley was a famous blues singer and avid wearer of finally allowed onto the stage, only the cross-dressing didn’t tuxedos and lover of women. Bentley not only danced along the stop here. Things got even more gender-queer. From about boundaries of class, sexuality and race, but also gender. If the the 1660s onwards, it became increasingly more common term had existed perhaps Bentley would have identified as nonfor women to play men on stage. These traditions still exist binary, or as a non-binary lesbian. Their fashion greatly inspired today. I find it important to mention the role theatre plays in the lesbian community as they claimed masculinity for their own. queer fashion. We joke that heterosexuals in theatre are a They owned four tuxedos: two black; one maroon; and one grey, minority, but most young LGBTQ+ people do find theatre white, and tan, each topped with a cane, top hat, and lipstick. to be a safe haven, with freedom of expression encouraged. 1960’s fashion was a wonderful explosion of gaudy patterns and bright, mismatching colours. Male silhouettes were loose 1800s England was populated by women named Tommy and men and flowy but tight at the hips. Regular shoes were swapped named Molly. Cross-dressing was a way for homosexual men for heels. In 1957 Scottish designer John Stephen opened and women to break free from the conservative and suffocating gender roles placed upon them. This subculture of Tommies and Mollies sprouted from the working class. Women, primarily queer women, often used cross-dressing as a way to make a living in a male dominated world. While this history of crossdressing is often viewed under the lease of homosexuality, there

When it comes to theatre, leave your gender norms at the stage door.

35 the first boutique for men. David Bowie is a perfect example of a ‘peacock revolutionist’. As is common in queer fashion history, the LGBTQ community rebelled against the imposed gender norms. 1960s’ fashion shows gay men moving away from societal expectations and to a more individual and feminine look. Of course, our transgender siblings have always been the lead explorers of gender expression, and we have amazing trans women like Marsha P. Johnson to thank for fighting for the liberation of LGBTQ+ folk.

As lesbian activists took to the streets, they strived to be as loud as possible, lacing up thick-soled boots that would reverberate their stomps throughout the streets. Thus, Doc Martens became a popular boot in lesbian spaces. In the UK Doc Martens were popular amongst skinheads, who used the colour of their laces, (when ladder laced), to communicate their ideals. Challenging this, Californian punks reinvented the lace code to be antifascist, with purple laces being an indicator of homosexuality.

As time moved on, people dressed more conservative again.

The 1980s turned away from the bright peacock revolution and its bright prints. Butch fashion was not a copy of men’s, rather it evolved from the masculine dressed women of the early 20th century. Feminist buttons, bandanas, and vests were lesbian staples, and I would argue, are still to this day.

Club Kids was a subculture of the drag community that experimented with fashion as an art form. They wore shocking costumes and makeup that aimed to distort their bodies and present themselves as art pieces. This culture thrived in New York in the 80s and 90s and grew into a fashion-forward movement among queer youth. Club Kids married sci-fi to haute couture, circus clowns to punks, horror to decadence.

Gender fluid and non-binary identities thrived in this scene as all gender roles and stereotypes were left at the door.

Pride flags are abundant in the LGBTQ+ community and are proudly worn by members at all times of the year, most commonly through patches, pins, or t-shirts. While cross-dressing has always been a part of the queer dress, we have drag to thank for a lot of our current trends. Nothing captures the campiness of LGBTQ+ fashion the same way drag does, but that is an exploration for another day. Crazy silhouettes, bright colours, sparkles and a disregard for the binary, drag takes everything that has been valued by queer people and takes it to new heights.

Lucy and Yak, an English clothing brand is quite popular among the community due to its bright colours, androgynous fits, and crazy patterns. Recently they posted a video to their Instagram stating, “Fashion has always been inherently linked to queer culture. For me, it allows me to express my identity and also make connections with other queer folk.” As society loses its interest in heteronormativity, we too begin to lose the gendered connotations of our clothes. We are not our clothes, rather our clothes signify how we choose to express ourselves on a given day. This being said, trends still thrive in certain communities. For example, it’s common knowledge (and an inside joke) among the LGBTQ+ community that cuffed jeans indicate bisexuality. Big, goofy earrings made from bric a brac are often worn by lesbians. Effeminate gay men often accessorise with a pearl necklace. Crazy patterned shirts, Doc Martens and Vans, while popular items at the moment, are staples of every member of the LGBTQ+ community.

FASHION

arts & literature

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NEW IRISH POETS Cian Pierce Arts & Literature Editor

Ireland is a nation of poets, always has been and always will be. We are all familiar with the bigger figures of Irish poetry, Ni Chuilleanain, Boland, Heany, Yeats, etc; but we should not ignore the new up and coming generation of poets.

Below is a list of biographies of eleven extraordinary poets who are living or are currently practicing in Ireland. The list is by no means neither exhaustive nor complete, but I think they are a great indication and starting point for those with an interest in contemporary Irish poetry. The following list is in no particular order, I highly recommend you check them all out!

Shasha Terfous Announced as the Poet Laureate for Wexford, Sasha Terfous is one of Ireland’s important figures in the poetic community. She seeks to narrate life’s experiences through her wisdom, eloquence and passion. Using her work as a form of activism, her work draws attention to the voices that need to be heard and issues that need to be raised.

Ashley O’Neal Living in the Gaeltacht area of Ballyvourney, Ashley O’Neal is an awardwinning artist, poet and philosopher.

She was the winner of the 2018 Kanturk Poetry Slam Competition, and she read her poems for the Sliabh Luachra Scully’s Fest in 2018. Her book ‘The Wren Is Near’ has been described as a “compelling compilation of the medieval legendary of gods and myths of Seamus Heaney and Ciaran Carson and the lyric grace and evocativeness of writers such as Michael Hartnett” and was shortlisted for the 2020 Shine Strong Poetry Award.

Sadhbh Goodwin Sadhbh Goodwin is currently a UCC Quercus performing arts scholar and poet from Co. Galway. They have written poems in both Irish and English and they have been published in the Wild Words anthology, Vox Galvia, and in Cinders magazine among others.

Jess Mc Kinney An English Studies graduate of UCD, Jess MC Kinney is a queer feminist poet and essayist. From Inishowen, Co. Donegal, she is based in Dublin city.

Her writing is informed by themes like sexuality, memory, relationships, nature, gender, independence and mental health. She often seeks to marry pictorial elements alongside written word. Her work has been published previously in Impossible Archetype, A New Ulster, HeadStuff, In Place, Hunt & Gather, Three fates and a few other local zines

Jade Riordan An undergraduate student at the University of Ottawa, Jade Riordan is an Irish-Canadian poet and a selection committee member with Bywords. Her poetry has been featured in, among other places, The Blue Nib, Cordite Poetry Review, Corvid Queen, Eunoia Review, Noble / Gas Qtrly and Room.

Anora Mansour Anora Mansour is a graduate from Oxford, she is African-American and Irish and currently lives between Oxford and Dublin. Online she has published a collection of Jazz Poems and has her own published collection of poetry and a blog.

Clodagh Mooney Duggan Clodagh Mooney Duggan originally trained as an actor and graduated from The Gaiety School of Acting in 2013. She wrote Made from Paper, which premiered in Dublin 2020 in The Scene and Heard Festival. The Women Who Loved ME & The Women Who Couldn’t is her first published collection.

Anna Walsh Anna Walsh is an Irish writer based in Glasgow. They have had both prose and poetry published in Fallow Media, The Honest Ulsterman and many other publications. Their debut poetry collection was published in 2020, in conjunction with the Small Trans Library in Dublin.

William Keohane William Keohane is a MA student in UL. His work has appeared in Hennessy New Irish Writing and his poems have been broadcast on the RTE Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany. His work includes a lot of trans-related themes.

Kayssie K Kayssie K, also known as Christie Kandiwa, is a poet and singer/songwriter and Poet Laureate from Bray, Co. Wicklow. She blends her Zimbabwean cultural heritage and her Irish upbringing in her work. A lot of her creative output works to intertwine Southern African myths and local languages, while also glimpsing nature in its multitude of forms. She explores the “stretches and beauty of being a black woman in modern-day Ireland, as well as what it truly means to be a diaspora baby”.

Denise Chaila Denise Chaila is an Irish and Zambian rapper, singer, poet, grime and hiphop artist based in Limerick. Her work confidently challenges both misogyny in rap and the Irish hip-hop identity. She was one of the performers at the ‘Perspectives: Imagining Ireland, Speaking Up, Singing Louder’ in the National Concert Hall in Dublin in 2020 and she appeared on The Late Late Show in 2020. Taken from her debut mixtape Go Bravely, her song “Anseo” is a playful yet spiritual depiction of the medieval era that has been praised and even studied in universities.

Jake Griffin Jake Griffin is a writer and poet from Co. Cork. His first collection ‘Lost Frequencies’ includes poetic works that will make you think, scare you and comfort you

arts & literature

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POET’S CORNER

Cian Pierce Arts & Literature Editor From this week on, I will be sharing a poem from each of the poets in the preceeding list. This isn’t to say that you can’t still submit your own work though, there is more than enough space to include everyone!

This week’s featured poem is ‘The Tale of the Vulnerable’ by Ashley O’Neal from her book The Wren Is Near.

The Tale of the Vulnerable The line at the beginning Of the old tale comes from the lips Of the beggar king as he waits In the doorway of old myth, His crown beside him is all rusted and worn.

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The day breathes a sadness and A wonder that only children of old know.

The rhythm of footsteps holds the march Of men who trampled on the wildflowers Of spring but, among the sounds, a bell rings so quietly.

She is there; She is there with eyes of love that humility tempers.

Prayers are made with each footstep.

Mantras are chanted by the smile that leaves the lips.

Surrender is a storm that never comes And the cracks in the sidewalk are the tunes For the ballads that keep getting sung in glens Where the desolate houses still breathe.

Off and away the farmer is walking His dog to oblivion As the rosary of existence Is said by the hands of the last fires.

What will the tale be when the old man Of the mountains passes silently into the mist?

Who will hold the soft hands of the ancient knowledge When the alarm of emptiness rings above the city’s sorrow?

Tragic days without rain I want to tell you the new tale but my heart Does not know the way to the pass where innocence resides.

Tell me how to whisper to the king so I might Show him where to drink from the well that renews.

Show me how to meet The soft doe of the woods so that I might Run with the warrior and stand with the woman Who rules the city where the crystal guards the threshold.

Tell me how to live with the ancient son whose tribe Knew how to preserve the gentle star at the end of the world For only now do I know what the beggar king tells with his eyes.

‘Iron Widow’ by Xiran Jay Zhao, is a young adult sci-fi fantasy novel that blends Chinese precolonial history and mechas, as if Pacific Rim had met The Handmaid’s Tale. The book also includes an actual love triangle which makes for some great polyamorous and queer representation.

“The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often die from mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it’s to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labelled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​ To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.”

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SPORTS

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

Disappointment for Europe in Ryder Cup but Immediate future for Ireland is exciting SAM CURTIN Sports Editor

Padraig Harrington’s Europe fell to a record 19-9 defeat in Whistling straits to a star-studded USA team which featured 8 out of the world’s top 10. With it, the US won just their 4th title in 11 attempts.

For Europe, their lack of form and world class players finally caught up with them and their golden era came to a conclusive end.

Despite this, Shane Lowry did Ireland proud in winning a point for his team while also displaying the passion and fight that everyone loves the Ryder Cup for. Despite being outclassed in his other two matches, Lowry embraced the redhot atmosphere at a hostile venue which featured very few European fans due the Covid-19 travel restrictions. While Rory McIlroy failed to catch fire until his singles victory, he did appear to be hurt by his performance in his post-match interview and will be keen to return to Rome in two years’ time.

Speaking of which, one of the main reasons why the future is bright for Irish golf is that Adare manor is due to host the 2027 edition of the competition which will be the centenary of the event. Owned by JP McManus, the whole resort reopened in 2017 after a makeover after one of the biggest restoration projects ever seen in this country. This years’ captain Harrington, who won there in 2007 at the Irish Open, has said “It’s second to none. A fantastic design, fantastic development, with the hotel and clubhouse. There’s nothing better.”

The last time Ireland hosted the event was in 2006 at the K club in Kildare which received great reviews from supporters of both teams. Hopefully the same will be said of Adare in 2027 as it is the only global sporting event Ireland has been able to hold alongside the Irish Open (also golf) in recent years. It will generate an enormous amount of money for the economy from tourism and is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our way of playing here. The JP McManus Pro-Am which is due to take place in July of next year will provide the perfect trial run for how the course will play and how

the event will operate. It will also give spectators an opportunity to see the best players in the world playing in Ireland with the likes of Tiger Woods having previously competed in the event.

How many Irish will feature on home turf? Lowry and McIlroy will hope to feature while there is a decent chance Graeme McDowell could captain the side. Kinsale’s own John Murphy is an outside bet if he can build on his performance in the Dunhill championships last week where he finished in the top 10 and was in contention for the title going into the last day. Mallow’s James Sugrue could also be an outsider if he can build on his start to professional life in which he has already played in multiple majors. Arguably the talent coming through does not match our golden generation of players which we have seen win multiple majors between them but there hopes for a contingent which can compete at least, for wins on the European Tour.

On the women’s side, Leona Maguire will be in her prime by then and should be one of the key players on the Solheim Cup team and competing regularly for majors. Maguire won a record 5 points for a rookie in the recent event and is certainly beginning to make good on her promise as an amateur when she was ranked number one in the world. Hopefully we can begin to see more Irish women playing on the LPGA and European Tours alongside Maguire and Stephanie Meadow, a successful pro in her own right. One would imagine Maguire’s success will whet the appetite for many.

Back to events of a fortnight ago, the future for the Ryder Cup looks set for a period of US dominance, with dozens of capable players to choose from. Europe needs to find fresh blood as the likes of Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter come to the end of their careers. While it may come too early for Rome in 2023 and even New York 2025, the European renaissance may arrive in Limerick 2027, a place that currently knows a thing or two about winning.

Issue 3 | TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2021 | University Express

SPORTS

39

Is this the most Important Appointment in Cork Football History?

SAM CURTIN Sports Editor

There is no doubt that Cork football is at a crossroads. Despite plenty of underage success in recent years, the senior side has failed to follow suit. With the women’s side taken care of after the appointment of Shane Ronayne. Attention turns to their male counterparts. With the potential championship restructuring also on the horizon, the future of Cork football is uncertain.

What is certain is that there are at least two candidates in the running for the job. The first being John Fintan Daly who has nearly 40 years experience coaching Cork and Kerry clubs. His most recent and perhaps notable work being his success with Knocknagree, a tiny rural club in West Cork. Daly has led the side from Junior to Senior in the space of four years picking up an All-Ireland along the way in 2018.

The key attributes that he would bring to the job is his immense knowledge of the club scene in Cork and would hopefully be able to make full use of the county’s natural resources and find a few hidden gems in the process.

From his recent success with Knocknagree, it is clear that he can get players to play above themselves and the current quality of the Cork senior side arguably at an all time low, JFD could be the man to turn its fortunes around.

There may be question marks about whether or not he has done it at a high enough level.

Daly’s only previous managerial stint at county level was with the Cork Under 21s where he delivered an All-Ireland however that was in the early 90s. The game has evolved massively since then but he does seem to have been able to change with the times based on recent results.

The second candidate is perhaps the most high profile to apply for the job. Keith Ricken has achieved immense success with the Cork under 20s in the past three years, winning an All-Ireland in 2019 along with two Munster titles. Some of the players that he has helped develop are beginning to make their mark at senior level such as Cathal O’Mahony and Sean Meehan. From speaking to players who have worked with Ricken, they speak very highly of him, especially his manmanagement skills and how he can galvanise a team of young players and mould them into

leaders. His emphasis on people is clear with his work as a games development officer in CIT proves that he knows what makes young people tick and the challenges that they face.

Like Daly however, there are question marks facing the East Cork man. It is still unclear as to whether he really wants the job as initial reports suggested that his preference was to stay with the under 20s and had to be convinced by the clubs to let his name go forward. Would Ricken actually be wasted at senior level? Inter county football is ultimately a results business with an emphasis on short term goals rather than making players for the future. There is obviously a far greater degree of pressure that comes with the job and Cork supporters are fickle at the best of times. At present, Ricken is the perfect man to have in charge of the conveyor belt with players such as Conor Corbett looking like its only a matter of time before he makes it at senior level. Therefore, it is a difficult choice to have to make.

It is not only the managerial appointment that needs to be looked at however. Matters on the field must improve and that starts with the players. It has been a case of one step forward, two steps back since 2019 when Cork made the super 8s. Since beating Kerry in 2020, performances have declined considerably with the lack of an evident game plan and ponderous attacking being a real cause for concern. What is especially disheartening is the lack of fight on display against Kerry in this year’s Munster final in Killarney. Once Cork conceded the first goal which put them three points behind right before the break, the game was essentially over and from there things went from bad to worse, ending in a record 4-22 to 1-09 defeat.

With that in mind, the first thing the new manager has to do is establish an identity that the players and supporters can buy into. One that is young, open minded and will play for the jersey and not collapse when the pressure is put on. One could argue that a rebuild is necessary with some of the current crop may need to be shown the doras to make way for the next generation. We have seen with the five year plan for Cork football which was published in 2019 and led by All-Ireland winning manager Conor Counihan but it doesn’t mean anything unless it leads to success on the pitch.

One would imagine that the immediate goal will be to get out of division 2. As we have seen in recent years, the gap is growing between the division 1 sides and the rest. Therefore it is crucial that the rebels are playing regular matches against the top teams which is not something they have had in recent years. With one of the proposals up for discussion later this month entailing the possibility of linking league and championship, it is critical that Cork are competing at the top table. With the size of our county, there are no excuses not to be.

Overall, Cork football is at a critical crossroads, with the hurlers showing signs of life again, football could be put on the back burner by supporters and it is essential that this doesn’t happen. 2010 was the last time Sam Maguire came home. However, if the right manager is put in place with a buyin from all parties, you’d be surprised as to how quickly it could come back again…

University

Sports

UCCExpress.ie

Volume 24 | Issue 10 | Tuesday 30th March 2021

No Joy for UCC in County Championships SAM CURTIN Sports Editor

It was a case of near misses for UCC in both the hurling and football county championships as the students bowed out at the opening and semi-final stage of the Cork Premier Senior championships (Divisions/Colleges).

Hurling The hurlers were the first team in action as they faced a tough challenge coming up against Imokilly at Pairs Uí Rinn. The East Cork side who were three in a row winning county champions from 2017-19. UCC led 1-19 to 1-17 going into the closing stages before Cork star Seamus Harnedy showed his class along with Barry Lawton and Ciarán Joyce who drove the side back into the lead. A county star in his own right, Shane Conway of Kerry levelled for the students before Mark McCarthy broke UCC hearts by getting his third point of the match in the last minute of injury time.

As a whole, the game took time to catch fire with both sides being tentative in their decision making which was reflected in the numerous wides hit in the opening 15 minutes. The turning point came when Harnedy set up Anthony Spillane for a goal which gave the East Cork side a five point lead before the students came back into the game to go in two behind at the break.

Once play resumed, the students roared into the contest through Eoin Power’s goal which put them ahead before Shane O’Regan levelled the game at 1-16 apiece. Despite the students going back in front with time seemingly on their side, the divisional outfit’s class and experience ultimately told in the end to progress to the next round. As for UCC, they can take encouragement from the fact they ran the perennial contenders so close and can hopefully build on it going into their Fitzgibbon Cup defence.

Scorers for UCC: C Bowe, S Conway (0-3f) 0-7 each, E Power 1-1, M Kehoe 0-2, E Carey, P Cadell, N Montgomery 0-1 each.

UCC (Cork clubs unless stated): D Heffernan (Blackrock, Limerick); C McGoldrick (Éire Óg), N O’Leary (Castlelyons), D Moran (Castlemartyr); E Carey (Kilworth), P Cadell (JK Brackens, Tipperary), J Keating (Kildorrery); K Walsh (Ballincollig), E Power (Ballina, Tipperary); C Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy, Tipperary), S Conway (Lixnaw, Kerry), N Montgomery (Abbeyside, Waterford); B Kelleher (Carrigaline), M Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary), O McCarthy (Inniscarra).

Subs: J Ryan (Doon, Limerick) for Walsh, F O’Leary (Inniscarra) for Kelleher (both 37), K O’Leary (Castlelyons) for McCarthy (48), K O’Dwyer (Killenaule, Tipperary) for Power (56, injured).

Football While the hurlers were always going to be up against it, the draw seemed to be at least slightly kinder to their football counterparts as UCC met Muskerry in the first round of the Bon Secours Premier Senior Football Championship (Divisions/Colleges section). The students had to fight hard, coming behind on numerous occasions after Fintan Gould rolled back the years to his Cork days by firing home an early score and a brace of goals from Chris Óg Jones for the divisional side which set the tone for a frenetic half of football where the students managed to get to the interval at 2-5 apiece through goals by Conor Geaney and Kerry senior football panelist Diarmuid O’Connor.

After the break however, the students began to make their class tell and outscored their opponents by eight points to six to progress to the next round. Their opponents were their nemesis from last year, North Cork divisional side

Duhallow.

Scorers for UCC: C Geaney 1-4 (0-2 f), D O’Connor 1-0, S Quilter 0-3, I Jennings 0-2, C Hayes 0-2, S O’Sullivan, D Geaney 0-1 each.

UCC: G Creedon (Kilshannig); C Gammell (Legion), B Curtin (Kilshannig ), E Fitzgerald (Gneevegulla); E Dodd (Canovee), D Phelan (Aghada), D Casey (Austin Stacks); D O’Connor (Na Gaeil), C Nyhan (Ballinascarthy); I Jennings (Kilmacabea), S Quilter (Austin Stacks), M O’Gara (do); S O’Sullivan (Adrigole), C Geaney (Dingle), D Geaney (do).

Subs: D O’Leary (Laune Rangers) for S O’Sullivan (35), C Hayes (Kieran O’Rahilly’s) for D Geaney (48) D Holland (Arigideen Rangers) for I Jennings (49), D Burke (Na Gaeil) for S Quilter (59).

Pairc Uí Rinn was once again the venue for the Divisions/Colleges section with the prize being a quarter final berth in the championship proper. It was a close, nervy affair where scores were like gold dust especially in the first half with the first score only coming in the 15th minute for Duhallow through former Cork hurler Mark Ellis from Millstreet. The score seemed to give the side confidence as they took control of the next quarter and went in 0-5 to 0-1 to the good at half time.

After the break, Diarmuid O’ Connor who had been nullified by the Duhallow defence, began to exert his influence on the game. Despite this, the students struggled to get closer than two points with Cork U20 star Conor O’Callaghan ultimately making the difference for the North Cork outfit and ended as the game’s highest scorer with five points. A star in the making no doubt and will certainly cause trouble for any team for the remainder of the competition.

For the UCC, it’s back to the drawing board and regrouping for another tilt at regaining the Sigerson Cup. Scorers for UCC: C Hayes (0-3), C Geaney (0-2), D Geaney (Mark), M O’Gara and D Clear (0-1 each).

UCC: G Creedon (Kilshannig, Cork); C Gammell (Killarney Legion, Kerry), B Curtin (Kilshannig, Cork), E Fitzgerald (Gneeveguila, Kerry); E Dodd (Canovee, Cork), D Phelan (Aghada, Cork), D Casey (Austin Stack’s, Kerry); D O’Connor (Na Gaeil, Kerry), C Nyhan (Ballinascarthy, Cork); M O’Gara (Austin Stack’s, Kerry), D Clear (Laune Rangers, Kerry), I Jennings (Kilmacabea, Cork); S Quilter (Austin Stack’s, Kerry), C Geaney (Dingle, Kerry), D Geaney (Dingle, Kerry).

Subs: D Burke (Na Gaeil, Kerry) for Phelan and J McEntee (Currha, Meath) for Nyhan (both h/t), C Hayes (K O’Rahilly’s, Kerry) for Jennings (38), S O’Sullivan (Adrigole, Cork) for Clear (48).

Overall, it was perhaps a slightly disappointing two weeks for both sides.

However, with the Divisions/Colleges section being a straight knockout, there is no room forever and the fine margins ultimately went against them.

Plenty however, to build on.