25.11.21
YORK’S AWARD-WINNING TABLOID NEWSPAPER
ISSUE 273
YORK’S NIGHT IN
How York has responded to the spiking epidemic
WENTWORTH STUDENTS FELT THE COLLEGE WAS BEING TARGETED
UNDER ATTACK Students Hide in Rooms as Intruders Scale Wentworth College Walls BY
RUTH KELNER AND SHARANYA KUMAR
MULTIPLE BREAK-INS at Wentworth College have left students feeling unsafe in their own homes. The first incidents were reported in early October with the most recent intruder being reported on 9 November. In one incident in October, two men managed to climb up into a first-floor kitchen whilst Wentworth students stayed hidden in their rooms, fearing the men might be dangerous. On this occasion the intruders damaged students’ belongings. The Wentworth security team arrived approximately half an hour after the students’ first call, by which time the trespassers had already left.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 5
YORK UCU PRESIDENT SPEAKS TO VISION PAGE 4
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NEWS
Thursday November 25, 2021
News 2 Editor Ruth Kelner Deputy Editor Niamh Irvine Opinion 6 Editor Katie Preston Deputy Editor Matt Rogan Features 24 Editor Dan Bennett Deputy Editor Claire Forster Lifestyle 26 Editor Marti Stelling Deputy Editor Sharanya Kumar Science & Tech 27 Editor Oliver Fisher Deputy Editor VACANT Climate 28 Editor Joe Baker Deputy Editor Kaitlyn Beattie-Zarb Sport 30 Editor VACANT Deputy Editor VACANT Stage S3 Editor Roxanne Star Deputy Editor Emily Sinclair Screen S4 Editor Jed Wagman Deputy Editor Gena Clarke Music S5 Editor Joe Radford Deputy Editor Ben Forsdick Games S6 Editor VACANT Deputy Editor VACANT Food S7 Editor Tom Willett Deputy Editor Navya Verma Relationships S8 Editor Naomi McGrath Deputy Editor Bethan Hubbard Travel S9 Editor Grace Swadling Deputy Editor Nicholas Chen Books S10 Editor Luke Horwitz Deputy Editor Caitlin Hyland
Editor Matt Ward-Perkins Editor Will Rowan Deputy Editor Matt Igoe SCENE Editor Charlie Gaskell Chief Subeditor Lucas Lefley Subeditor Isabel Head Subeditor Twiggy Yeung Subeditor Jack Batstone Subeditor Marti Stelling Subeditor Emily Jebb Illustrator Niall McGenity Managing Director Jasmine Moody Deputy Managing Director Bethan Hubbard Social Media Director Ella Peebles Technical Director Marks Polakovs Photography Director Vittoria Avigliano Marketing Director Alex Rich Opinions expressed in York Vision are not necessarily those of the Editors, Editorial Team, membership, or advertisers.
STUDENTS GIVEN JUST FIVE WEEKS TO FIND PLACE TO LIVE BY WILL
ROWAN
TWO IN FIVE postgraduate students who applied for on-campus accommodation this year were unsuccessful, a York Vision investigation has found. 700 students were unsuccessful in their application, with 90 of these being offered off-campus accommodation in Student Castle. Applications for continuing postgraduate students to live on campus opened in late January, leaving some students waiting over 200 days to be told they were unsuccessful. This left hundreds of students looking for other accommodation options in mid-August, less than five weeks before Postgraduate Welcome Week. Applicants were told that campus was now fully booked, with students being recommended to look to secure private accommodation in the city. The same email also suggested that students could book temporary accommodation on their arrival and look for accommodation once they were in York, linking to Airbnb, among other sites. One postgraduate student, who spoke to Vision, had been told they were unsuccessful in applying for the same room they had held in on-campus accommodation for the past year and would now need to find some-
700 POSTGRADS MISS OUT ON CAMPUS IMAGE: Will Rowan
where new to live before their contract ended in three weeks. This student told Vision: “I was at home, on holiday, when I found out. “I only had 1 week holiday that summer, and halfway through it I received the rejection email, telling me I had to find another place to live for the coming year. “So, I spent the other half of my holiday messaging people and trying to find a new place. “It was very stressful, because I wasn’t expecting this to happen, and because I only had a few weeks to find a new place, and I wasn’t even in the UK at that time.” Some postgraduate students were subsequently offered accommodation in Leeds. Four days before the start of Welcome Week, those postgraduate students still on the accommodation waiting list were asked to let
A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS Matt WardPerkins, Co-Editor
THE LEAVES ARE falling all over campus, and so is the latest issue of York Vision. We’re coming to the close of a term that’s looked much more normal. The novelty of missing a bus for a 9AM (assuming one shows up) may have worn off by now but we hope you’ve managed
to make the most of a campus out of lockdown. Whether it’s bumping into old friends or making new ones, it’s been wonderful to see how students have bounced back after so long apart. We’re delighted to welcome lots of new faces and voices to Vision this edition. That includes over 20
Will Rowan, Co-Editor
new section editors keen to keep you in the loop of everything happening on campus and in York. Grab yourself something warming and have a read. This issue, our front page brings you the vital story of students being scared to live on campus after multiple break-ins at Wentworth College.
the Accommodation Team know if they were willing to accept accommodation in Hull or Leeds. Students were given the two days before 19 September to make this decision, the day before the first campus tours began for new postgraduate students. Four weeks after Welcome Week began, those still waiting for accommodation were told their application had been cancelled. These students were told they would need to reapply to a new waiting list for in-year applicants to have a chance of securing a place to live in York during their studies. A spokesperson for the GSA said: “The GSA continues to lobby and work closely with the university to ensure a fair and equitable application process to university accomodation. “The GSA has been working to improve the experience of York
In Opinion, our Opinion Editor Katie Preston makes a strong case for how we can use the momentum of the Big Night In to help improve student safety for the long-term, and Deputy Opinion Editor Matt Rogan tells us why they are supporting next week’s strikes. Further in, you’ll find SCENE has gone abstract to celebrate the unusual, and sometimes the slightly mad. From travelling from home, to beer tasting and some of our favourte abstract music and films, there is something for everyone. Our unique Climate section is of course focused on COP 26, and Professor Ian Graham told us about his work leading the University of York’s delegation. York Vision sent a one-person delegation of our own, and Deputy Climate Editor Kaitlyn Beattie-Zarb has written about her experiences. Hes East and James’ charity rugby match, organised alongside The Last Taboo York, was really something to behold. Seeing so many people from York’s sporting community come together was special, and it was particularly moving to speak to Colin and
PGT’s previously guaranteed accommodation and located in Leeds by the University. In collaboration with YUSU we have so far helped to secure a rent reduction and travel subsidy for these students alongside a wider package of benefits in accessing services from Leeds University.” A University spokesperson said: “The process for postgraduate accommodation applications will not be changing for 2022, however we will make it clear, as we always do, that they are not guaranteed a room and should also explore private alternatives.” They went on to say that: “University accommodation allocations are made in the days following the UK’s A-Level exam results, to ensure we are able to accommodate all students who applied for a room and had an accommodation guarantee.”
Mandy Mackie from Spike Aware UK about the loss of their son to a spiked soft drink. It was a real reminder of how special sport can be, and showed off the best of our college sport teams here in York. We really hope this term has been everything it could have been, and while there’s a bit of relief at it coming to an end, the buzz of campus is something we’re both going to miss after next week. Between now and then, let’s make the most of a campus Christmas, the best excuse for way-tooearly Mariah, a weirdly formal meal in Santa hats, and just appreciating each other. Today is actually Thanksgiving for our friends in the USA, and while it’s been hard to know just what to think about 2021, we are both thankful for the teams we are lucky enough to work with, the York community that is coming back to life, and all of you for choosing to occasionally pick up a paper or visit our website to read our work. We’ll see you again on campus early in the new year. Merry Christmas.
NEWS
Thursday November 25, 2021
PFCC POLLS ARE OPEN
BY MATT
AT LEAST 25 AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED BY STAFF
UNI SPEND £750,000 ON GAGGING CLAUSES
WARD-PERKINS
POLLS ARE OPEN until 10pm tonight in the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner election. The election follows the resignation of Philip Allott, a Conservative who was elected last May. He stood down after an interview he gave to BBC Radio York in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder. He said that women “just need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested”. Allott also lost a vote of no confidence from the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel. YUSU Community and Wellbeing Officer Kelly Balmer told York Vision: “Last time the election happened, it was wet and cold, I’d registered to vote but the polling station, instead of being the one/two minutes around the corner, was 15 minutes away. “I decided not to vote, and I regretted it. I think young people’s voices more than ever on safety are really important and the only way we’re going to show that we are a group that needs to be listened to is by going out and voting. “So if you’re registered to vote, go and use that vote today - don’t regret it like I do.” YUSU launched an open letter to candidates ahead of the election, calling on them to proactively address issues around drugs, alcohol, and spiking, to build relationships with young people, empower reports of sexual violence, and address hatecrime. The University and YUSU were due to host a hustings for candidates last week, however this was cancelled because not enough representatives of the major UK parties agreed to attend. Labour candidate Emma Scott-Spivey said: “The candidates who don’t think that young people’s safety is a pivotal issue in the by-election should be empty chaired. “We demand young people engage with politics but won’t give them a platform to be heard.”
IMAGE: Harry Clay
BY
WILL ROWAN
OVER £750,000 HAS been paid out by the University in controversial ‘gagging clauses’ since 2016, a York Vision investigation has found. At least 25 settlement agreements with confidentiality clauses were signed by departing University staff over this period. Over £240,000 was spent by the University in 2018 alone on these settlements. These agreements often prevent the signed staff member from discussing parts of their time at the University, as well as the existence and terms of the agreement reached. They are sometimes signed when a staff member accepts payment in exchange for waiving the right to sue their employer. If the terms of the agreement are broken then the individual may be sued for damages. The confidentiality clause may cover trade secrets or a redundancy dismissal, but can also relate to allegations of bullying, discrimination, or sexual misconduct. A University of York spokesperson confirmed that none of the recorded settlements in the past five years related to these types of allegations.
It is standard practice that settlement agreements include an agreement that the employee will not initiate or continue any claims against the employer in relation to allegations covered under the Equality Act (2010), such as bullying, racism, or sexual misconduct. In 2016, research by the Liberal Democrats showed widespread use of these agreements in higher education. In response to these findings, then-Liberal Democrat party leader Tim Farron said: “Universities are supposed to be bastions of free speech and forthright opinions, yet our research has shown that confidentiality clauses may have been used not only to avoid dirty laundry being aired in public but now are just common practice in higher education. “This is simply outrageous. These gagging orders have a deterrent effect, employers seem to think that employees will just sign away the right to whistleblow. “The cold wind of gagging staff and stifled debate, much in the public interest, is going through the halls of our bastions of enlightenment and tolerance. “This must end, these practices must be stopped.”
YUSU President Patrick O’Donnell said: “While it would be inappropriate to speculate on individual cases, the sums described are staggering. “I think students would strongly agree that University funds should be used to improve our world-class facilities, attract the best academics to campus, and to enhance the student experience. “While it is unclear how many of these settlements relate to harassment, bullying and discrimination, I would welcome reassurance that these confidentiality clauses are not being used to silence victims.” A University of York spokesperson said: “There are no recorded settlement agreements for cases at York in the last five years related to allegations of bullying, discrimination, or sexual misconduct. “Our settlement agreements are only used in exceptional circumstances. “Agreements like these are used across many sectors, as a way of resolving a dispute between a member of staff and the employer. “This includes balancing potential costs associated with employment tribunals, regardless of the merits of each case.”
KELLY BALMER “DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THE RESPONSE”
WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS?
IMAGE: Will Rowan
BY RUTH
KELNER
A CITY OF York Council spokesperson has confirmed that there “are no plans to improve lighting at Walmgate Stray”, despite students telling York Vision they feel unsafe walking there at night. They said: “The Council has investigated the possibility of making improvements in the past but there were concerns about impact on wildlife as well as the significant cost of installing a power supply.” YUSU Community and Wellbeing Officer Kelly Balmer told Vision that she has “been disappointed to hear the response from [City of] York Council with regard to the lighting, or lack thereof, on Walmgate Stray.” Balmer had been meeting with councillors since the start of October, and felt that there had been some progress made despite “significant resistance from one of the councillors”. In 2013, Councillor Levene, councillor from 2011 to 2017, recognised that “there are still concerns about some areas in York”, saying that he’ll
be “working on improving lighting on Walmgate Stray”. The improvement made was to install ‘luminous way markers’ to help identify the alignment of the path. Third-year English Literature student Maia Bates told Vision: “I appreciate that they have tried to do something, but it’s not really enough, the lights that are there don’t do much.” Balmer said “the council has expressed concern for wildlife”, but she feels there are ways of making the area better lit without harming it. She also “feels that the cost of making a significant proportion of residents feel safer should not be a barrier to making people feel safe”. Third year International Relations student Sara Seth said that “the lack of adequate lighting on Walmgate Stray is a real concern for young women like me”. She added: “Improving lighting is such a small thing, but it makes a huge difference to how safe women feel on our streets”. When asked of any additional plans to protect women’s safety, Councillor Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer
Neighbourhoods, said: “We want York to be a safe, attractive and welcoming city for all. Whilst comparatively York is a safe city, we know there is more to be done to make our city safer. “City of York Council works with a wide range of organisations including Public Health and the Police to keep our city safe. Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in the city is a priority and the Council will be incorporating outcomes aimed specifically at addressing safety for women and girls in our work.” Sara also recognised that York was a relatively safe city, but added that “it can be scary walking alone in the dark given all of the terrible incidents of violence towards women that have been in the news recently”. The Council recently submitted a bid for funding to improve lighting in the city as part of the Safer Streets initiative. They are waiting to find out if they have been successful. In addition, Councillor Andy D’Agorne, Executive Member for Transport, has offered to host a meeting to discuss improving lighting.
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NEWS
Thursday November 25, 2021
BIG NIGHT IN HAS NATIONAL REACH OVER IN BIRMINGHAM, sports teams boycotted Sports Night in support of the Big Night In. Following public statements on their intention to boycott the night, the University’s Guild of Students announced that they would be cancelling Sports Night. Redbrick reported on widespread criticism after this annoncement, with some students believing that cancelling the event undermines the boycott. Leicester Student Magazine kept us informed over a U-turn made by Leicester Students’ Union concerning the boycott. Initially, the Union had released a statement encouraging students to continue to attend events held at the O2 Academy during the Big Night In. Following criticism from students, the Union released a statement encouraging students to boycott the O2 Academy as well as clubs. This shows the impact that students and student media can have in ensuring that these movements are represented on every campus.
TRAGEDY IN WARWICK THE BOAR HAVE provided important reporting on the tragic events seen at the University of Warwick that led to two individuals being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Students were evacuated from a campus accommodation block with emergency services at the site following an attack. These students were offered alternative accomodation while police remained on campus to complete their investigation. To their credit, The Boar managed to keep students in the loop in the middle of a rapidly evolving situation.
MATHS STUDENTS CHEATING IN DURHAM PALATINATE HAVE REPORTED that maths students are to face in-person exams after 46 students were caught cheating in online maths exams last year. The University Maths department has requested specific exemption from a University-wide policy of online exams due to these concerns. Durham University has announced that online exams would be the default for this academic year following positive feedback, especially from disabled students.
FOI DISASTER AT IMPERIAL LEADS TO DATA BREACH
IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON has been at the centre of an “enormous” data breach that was discoverd by its student newspaper, Felix. Here at Vision, we’re used to sending off Freedom Of Information (FOI) requests to the University to find out what’s going on. In this case, someone who FOI-d Imperial got more than they bargained for - the full names, UCAS numbers, home adresses, ethnicity, telephone numbers, and room numbers of thousands of students. Even worse, the data was made publicly accessible on FOI-takeaway-service WhatDoTheyKnow.com for nine days before being taken down. The original request to the College’s FOI team asked for the number of students per subject and their fee status. The requester received that information alonside thousands of extra rows of sensitive information. When they contacted the College’s FOI manager, they were initially told they could not see any of the described information. The requester had to follow-up to explain how to see the other rows of data. Perhaps they should try the metric system instead?
YORK UCU PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT
IMAGE: UCU
BY RUTH
KELNER
THE UNIVERSITY AND College Union has announced three days of strike action at the end of this term, from 1-3 December. York branch President Joanna de Groot told Vision that “frustrated and angered by their employers”, this was a “last resort” for UCU members. This term’s action will be the fourth round of strikes in as many years. De Groot stressed that “unless the employers come back into meaningful negotiations there could be further action”. She said this would mean a move from “the very negative position to claims and demands that employers have chosen to take” to open conversations where there’s “real changes on offer”. Many students are frustrated that strikes are going to take place yet again, but some staff say they are feeling the same frustration. De Groot said that the strikes are, in many ways, about the same things as before, telling Vision: “The 2018 strikes gained us the chance to reopen and renegotiate very important parts of our pension scheme. Putting a stop to some of the very hostile proposals that would have been very hurtful to staff in the pension scheme.” But since then she has said “things have slid backwards”, claiming that not only were there further problems in the implementation of changes to the pension scheme, but pay inequity and the casualisation of workers became increasingly frustrating, which led to the strikes in 2019, 2020, and this year. De Groot stressed her belief that the pay and working conditions that staff face have a nega-
tive effect on students’ studies. In a YUSU round table discussion last week, one Graduate Teaching Assistant said that they were only paid for one hour of prep time, but claimed that most GTAs were doing up to seven times that. De Groot said: “Overworked lecturers and tutors are worrying about whether they can pay their bills, and I do mean literally whether they can pay their bills, or whether they can care for their families.” She said it was because of this that she had to speak out and said that she is pleased that UCU have had an influx of “newer and younger colleagues” who she says are “very representative of a kind of new energy”. After years of COVID-19 disruption and strikes, she said she understands “student anxiety and anger at the prospect of more disruption to their studies”. “How could students not feel both anxious and possibly hostile? I don’t expect all students to be pleased about what’s happened. “I hope we can at least mutually understand each other.” While acknowledging rising concerns around student mental health, De Groot claimed that mental health concerns are also growing for staff, and they are “related to stress due to unsuitable workloads and financial insecurity. “Staff are not striking to hurt students but we have to do something so that student learning conditions can be as good as we want them to be. “Treating us decently puts us in the position to do the very, very best we can for students.” At the YUSU round table dis-
cussion, university management were resounding in their support for students during the disruption. De Groot wondered if this would be in ways which are “unkind or unfair to staff”. She said that she had concerns about “how pressure might be put on the postgraduates to teach, to do things over and above their contracts to substitute for other staff”. De Groot claims this shows “the employers are more interested in undermining the strike than they are in facing the problem, which is decent pay and pensions”. When asked how she felt students would react to the strikes, she said: “I think there will be some support, there will be perhaps some hostility, no doubt that people in the middle just will keep their heads down, and hope it all goes away.” The thing she said she asks for most is “respect”. In YUSU’s canvas of student opinion, 51.5% of students surveyed (a total of 357) wanted the Union to support the strikes, and over 63% of respondents said that they supported Action Short of a Strike. YUSU President Patrick O’Donnell said: “While students have told us, in modest numbers, that they want to support the trade union’s December strike plans, it’s also clear they need more information about the term ahead before we re-canvas them. “In the meantime we will be concentrating on supporting students’ rights and demanding that the UCU and the Universites and Colleges Employers Association find a way to end this dispute.”
NEWS
Thursday November 25, 2021
STUDENTS FEAR WENTWORTH ATTACKS WERE RACIALLY MOTIVATED BY
RUTH KELNER & SHARANYA KUMAR
MULTIPLE BREAK-INS AT Wentworth College have left students feeling unsafe in their own homes. The first incidents were reported in early October with the most recent intruder being reported on 9 November. In one incident in October, two men managed to climb up into a first-floor kitchen whilst Wentworth students stayed hidden in their rooms, fearing the men might be dangerous. On this occasion the intruders damaged students’ belongings. The Wentworth security team arrived approximately half an hour after the students’ first call, by which time the trespassers had already left. One student told York Vision that they had “bought a baseball bat” just so they could feel a bit safer at night. In an email on 7 October to Wentworth College students, the security team said that they were “working hard to get to the bottom of these very worrying incidents” and they have been liaising with local police to try to identify the individuals involved. In order to combat these incidents, they asked that all students help to keep each other safe by closing all unattended doors and not allowing anyone to enter a building who cannot show ID. As break-ins keep occurring, students told Vision in October that they were worried that the action taken by Wentworth security wasn’t going far enough. They told Vision that they wanted the college to provide increased security at night. YUSU President Patrick O’Donnell said: “We have raised concerns around the lack of overnight provision at Wentworth College Reception and lighting and CCTV in the area.” Following questions about policing in the UK, Wentworth College organised a North Yorkshire Police drop-in session on 29 October, continuing to encourage students to report any suspicious activity either by calling or using the Safe Zone App. A North Yorkshire Police Department spokesperson told Vision that: “While some
incidents have been reported to us, some have not and have only come to our attention after liaising with the University.” They encouraged students to report incidents to the police as they are happening or as soon as possible afterwards. The college’s security team has not been able to prevent further incidents. After students reported further break-ins in Wentworth accommodation, security sent a further email to all students on 10 November with the same advice. The security team urged students again to “shut doors behind them”, “not allow anyone you do not know to follow you through a door at any time”, “report any faulty doors”, and “download the Safe Zone App”. A number of students told Vision they felt panicked that it might be their block in particular that was being targeted as it houses a large number of Chinese international students. Students feared the intrusions could have had racist undertones.
and other colleagues across the University to review security arrangements, including increased Campus Security patrols in the area. We encourage all students to be vigilant and report anything suspicious to Security as soon as possible.” A Graduate Student Association spokesperson said that their priority is the safety and wellbeing of postgraduate students. The GSA have been meeting with the University and said that the latter have committed to: “Increased patrols, increased college reception opening times, more CCTV and better lighting.”
A University of York spokesperson said: “We appreciate the concern these incidents have caused within the Wentworth community, but it is important to note they are not all connected and there is no indication that Wentworth College students are being targeted. “We are working with the Police, GSA
BY MATT
North Yorkshire Police said their advice to students was to: “Always call 999, this gives us the best chance of finding the suspects on site. To report an incident after it has happened, call 101. “CCTV is also very useful in helping us to identify any suspects following an incident, so if you have any personal dash-cam footage or doorbell video this can be helpful.” Patrick O’Donnell said: “We’re working closely with University and College teams to make sure that students are aware of how they can seek help and support. “We understand a police investigation is underway and we would urge students to report any suspicious activity to Campus Security as soon as possible.”
WARD-PERKINS
NOISE COMPLAINTS MORE than doubled last year as students spent more time in their accommodation due to COVID-19 rules. York Vision found that the University received 336 noise complaints last year, more than the previous two years combined. Halifax complaints were up by over 520%, to a total of 81 in the 2020-21 academic year, while there were only 82 complaints there for the previous four years combined. Behind Halifax, Langwith College recorded 63 complaints, almost double the previous year, to put them in second place. Overall, every single college other than Vanbrugh recorded more noise complaints in 202021 than in any other year since 2016. A University spokesperson said: “Whether noise complaints are raised by students or the local community, we understand that excessive noise can cause annoyance and upset, and we take every step to deal with all complaints.”
VC PAY CRITICISED
BY MATT
Students fear their college is being specifically targeted with these reported break-ins
Wentworth College Reception has been closed recently
NOISE COMPLAINTS GET LOUDER
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WARD-PERKINS
YORK’S VICE-CHANCELLOR Charlie Jeffrey is paid more than six times the salary of an average University of York staff member, York Vision can reveal. Jeffrey’s £285,000 salary is higher than the reported average of £269,000 for university Vice-Chancellors, and the average staff salary at the University of York is £43,528. YUSU President Patrick O’Donnell said: “University Vice-Chancellors across the country are paid a huge amount, there’s no denying that. Yet the salary is not out of kilter with a sector where competitive pay is a key element of attracting candidates with the right mix of leadership skills and vision to navigate tremendously challenging roles. “Nonetheless, pay gaps in many institutions are a disappointing reality of today’s world and one that’s within our power to address in York.” Responding to the OfS’s report on Vice-Chancellors’ pay, UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said: “These figures, which further expose the cavernous gap in pay between university staff and management, will only make staff more determined to take [strike] action.”
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OPINION
Thursday November 25, 2021
Vısıon YORK
SAYS...
MERRY CHRISTMAS
YES, WE KNOW, it’s November… But, we’ve only got a week and three days left in which you can reliably expect people to show up to things in York, so embrace it. Let’s do all the things we couldn’t do last year, whether that’s making your favourite regular club night a Christmas-y one, changing up the kitchen playlist, going to one of the seemingly hundreds of college and society Christmas events, or maybe even buying a Christmas card for a friend you care about. It’s also worth remembering that, for plenty of students, York, or campus, will be where they are spending this Christmas, especially when travel rules in many countries could make it difficult for some to travel home. Let’s hope the University, colleges, and YUSU step up again, and make an on-campus Christmas the best it can be, and let’s take a chance in the season of goodwill to think about what we can do for everyone we share this beautiful city with.
BRING CLASSIC COURTYARD BACK
WITH THE FOREST another victim of deforestation and pretty much everywhere else closed at the weekend on campus, we’ve found ourselves in Courtyard quite regularly as of late. It’s been a time to sample the full menu of… a few paninis, chips, and occasionally pizza? Courtyard used to have a decent menu of reasonably priced food. It was the perfect place to nip in between lectures or when staying on campus late. Now the prices are up and the selection is like playing Russian roulette with an unloaded Nerf gun. Where’s the fun Courtyard? A few weeks ago, we went to find the menu reduced to just pizzas. Not great but a salvageable dinner until we learned they’d run out of cheese. Courtyard has struck the right balance before and can do it again. Sort out your menu, your suppliers, and put students back on the menu.
WELL DONE YSTV AND URY .
NOW, WE NEED to let you know that there are actually other student media groups in York. While that might be hard to believe, we’re often lucky enough to see the amazing work other groups produce. At the Student Radio Awards, URY were recognised for their Chart Show, and for their innovative coverage of the hybrid Roses Unlocked, where much of the technical groundwork was laid by our very own Technical Director, and all-round student media icon, Marks Polakovs. Their YUSU Elections show ‘Candidate Interview Night’ was an incredible feat during lockdown, and rightly won Bronze awards for Best Technical Achievement and Best Multiplatform Initiative. For YSTV, it was a ‘documentary’ about that duck that was recognised for Best Documentary or Factual at the National Student TV Awards, and the talented Kira Moore picked up a win for Best Dramatic Performance. York’s student TV station also walked away with a pile of highly commended prizes, in everything from Best Drama to Best Comedy, with recognition for their marketing and writing thrown in too.
OPINION LET’S KEEP TALKING ABOUT WOMEN’S SAFETY AT YORK KATIE PRESTON OPINION EDITOR @kxtieprxsten
AS WE DRAW closer to the end of a tumultuous term for university students, it’s vital that the conversation surrounding women’s safety keeps going. After an apparent national increase in cases of spikings, including through injection, it is important now more than ever that the safety of women remains at the front of our minds. Following successful boycotts of clubs and on-campus bars by the York branch of Big Night In, many students and staff are hopeful that changes can be made to protect us from the awful experience of being spiked. A national movement focusing on raising awareness and inciting change, Big Night In promoted increased club security, drink protection devices, and access to medical support. But I strongly believe that the battle for women’s safety is far from over. What should be a safe, fifteen-minute journey from the Minster back to Campus West, the walk from York city centre is quickly becoming yet another point of concern for female students. Not only are buses now more unreliable than ever, but the threat of being followed home remains a widespread issue. It’s disgusting that women have to be constantly concerned about being followed home in the first place, but after a friend and I were tailed back to campus, I knew that this wasn’t an issue that was going to go away. We’d had a great night out and decided to walk back to campus because we wanted to sober up and didn’t want to split an Uber. The man that followed us definitely wasn’t a
university student. What originally was an unfortunately all-too-common experience of being chatted up as we crossed paths on the street soon devolved into a distressing halfrun home.
“Women should be able to have fun night out and travel home as they please” I’d realised that something was off when he followed us into a local M&S and tried to strike up a conversation. He then persisted to follow us right back onto campus until we eventually lost him, and if I hadn’t been borderline sober, I doubt we would’ve been able to. What made it even more terrifying for me wasn’t just the fact that it took place in the early hours of the night, but that my friend hadn’t sobered up enough to even notice. The thought of intoxicated students being followed back to campus completely unaware is horrifying, and I strongly believe that my experience was probably one of many. Women should be able to have a fun night out and travel home as they please, they shouldn’t have to choose between spending money on a taxi or possibly threatening their own safety by walking home. And even then sometimes the former still isn’t safe enough. So, what can men do to try and make women feel as safe as possible? I think perhaps what is most obvious is that if a woman you are walking behind seems distressed and keeps checking you are there, cross the road and put some distance between you. Simple. Similarly, if a woman appears uncomfortable in a conversation, change the subject. Again, fairly
simple. Similarly, it’s probably safe to say that the average woman doesn’t actually appreciate being catcalled, so I would recommend avoiding doing so. For those with female friends, do the bare minimum and check that they get home safe after a night out. It’s disappointing that these sorts of things need to be pointed out in 2021, but unfortunately women’s safety is still a big issue worldwide. It ultimately comes down to treating women with basic respect, as you would any other human being. It shouldn’t be the case that catcalling, being inappropriately chatted up, and stalking has become a day-today experience for women of all ages, with the normalisation of misogynis-
“If a woman appears uncomfortable in a conversation, change the subject” tic male ‘banter’ becoming more and more harmful. Whilst movements like #MeToo have shed some light on the potentially threatening nature of male behaviour, the conversation around women’s safety needs to continue in order for female students to feel safer at university. There are so many men that are respectful towards women, but there’s still a huge minority that cause us to fear for our lives, and it’s vital that male York students don’t make up the latter.
Bottom Line: Let’s use the momentum from this term to make real change
OPINION
Thursday November 25, 2021
GSA SABBS, USE YOUR PLATFORM
OPINION TEAM KATIE PRESTON MATT ROGAN
BY
WHY I’M SUPPORTING THE STRIKES MATT ROGAN DEPUTY OPINION EDITOR @MattRxgan
AS YOU MAY have seen recently, university lecturers and other teaching staff around the country have voted to back strikes over pensions, pay, and working conditions; this includes the majority of voting UCU members here in York. These have been a regular occurrence over the last couple of years, with industrial action occurring in my first year in 201920, and I wholeheartedly believe that we should be supporting our striking lecturers. I’m aware it’s a very controversial opinion, but it’s one I firmly believe in. I’m sure we all agree that the last couple of years haven’t been easy: not on us as students, but also not on our lecturers. Teaching staff have had to take reactive
approaches at every step with changing COVID-19 restrictions: moving all learning online, changing course content so it can be done remotely, and in some cases completely changing the assessment because it’s not possible without a certain bit of lab equipment (I know this happened with my modules last year!).
“If we are going to be frustrated, we should direct those frustrations where they’re needed” So, after such an uncertain, tumultuous time, I believe we should be standing with our lecturers in their fight for better pay and working conditions. I also believe that the cuts to lecturers’ pensions gives us another reason to stand with them.
The UCU claim that staff pension contributions could rise by 35% and the UCU have said that: “The changes that have already taken effect between 2011 and 2019 will make a typical member of staff £240,000 worse off over the course of their career and retirement.” However, another important perspective is that our lecturers are also striking over casualisation and inequality. Not only are two-thirds of academics on nonfixed term contracts according to the UCU website, but the statistics also state “the mean gender pay gap is 15.1%” and that, currently, “it will not be closed for another 22 years”. The UCU also says that the disability pay gap is 9%, and the pay gap between black and white staff members is a staggering 17%. I think these numbers show a burning injustice that must be addressed for our teaching staff.
We shouldn’t show any animosity or frustration towards lecturers - it’s not their fault. I would also argue that the fact that many lecturers feel that they have no option but to strike clearly shows the urgency of the situation. The £9,250 yearly tuition fees aren’t going directly to our lecturers, they go to the University. If we are going to be frustrated, we should direct those frustrations where they’re needed: towards those cutting our lecturers’ pensions, controlling their working conditions, and influencing pay. The least our lecturers deserve is our support.
Bottom Line: We should stand in solidarity with our lecturers, not damn them for wanting fair pensions, pay and conditions
THE SUNFLOWER LANYARD IS NOT A MASK-FREE PASS MARTI STELLING LIFESTYLE EDITOR @MartiStelling
FIVE YEARS AGO, the sunflower lanyard scheme was introduced for people with hidden disabilities to signal that they may need help without having to do so verbally. Since the pandemic, the sunflower lanyard has become associated with mask exemption. While it is certainly true that a percentage of people with hidden disabilities are unable to wear a mask, the lanyard has began to be seen as a ‘get out of jail free card’. Time and time again, able-bodied people take privileges away from disabled people. Take the blue badge: disabled parking spaces are made to give those with disabilities better access arrangements and make them feel more comfortable. The same is true of disabled toilets; selfish, able-bod-
ied individuals often make these facilities inaccessible to disabled people by believing that they are entitled to privileges not designed for them. The phrase ‘history repeats itself’ could not be more the case now. Using the sunflower lanyard as simply a substitute for a mask could prevent people with invisible disabilities getting the help they need. I will never judge another using their freedom. That is, unless their freedom results in others suffering. Now that masks are no longer mandatory in England, it completely baffles me that people are still using the sunflower lanyard in replacement of a mask, rather than to indicate that they have additional needs. We will never know the full reasons why people wear the lanyard, and I would never accuse somebody of not having a hidden disability. Working in a supermarket, I have witnessed the lanyards being both a
positive, and a negative. More positively, the pandemic has made the lanyard more recognisable to the general public, increasing awareness of hidden disabilities. The sunflower lanyards have meant that my colleagues and I have been aware that a customer or colleague may need some help in the store, allowing us to make arrangements. It also means that if somebody is physically unable to wear a mask, they are able to communicate this without having to disclose personal or medical information. I have also witnessed people sharing lanyards before going into the store. I do not believe that they knew the real meaning behind the symbol of the sunflower, and thought it was simply a mask exemption. I do not believe that this was in any way a malicious action, however doing so fuels the assumption that the lanyards signal exemption and not a disability. I do not want to take away
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from the success of the sunflower initiative. Working with people with hearing, sight, and physical disabilities has demonstrated the benefits of having a simple way to communicate that assistance may be needed. However, I have also spoken to many people who had no idea that the lanyard was anything more than a mask exemption, meaning that if a lanyard user needed assistance, they may be less likely to receive it. Education of hidden disabilities needs to be a priority for people of all ages. Looking out for one another extends beyond social distancing and wearing a mask, it means having an awareness of the challenges other people face and keeping each other safe.
Bottom Line: Please remember what the sunflower lanyard was made for
WILL ROWAN
WHERE ARE THE GSA Sabbs? We’re friends on Facebook, you have our emails, and 13,000 people in a comically large Slack channel. Still, at every chance, postgraduate students have been left out of the loop and lacking a voice. 700 students were left looking for somewhere else to live a month before their studies started. Where were you? It’s been radio silence on a vital issue for student wellbeing. Acknowledge it, provide signposting for students, and tell us what changes you are asking for to ensure it does not happen again. The President hasn’t made a public Facebook post since taking office in September. Why? It’s a great platform to represent students. Use it. The GSA needs to be more than a social organisation. Postgraduate students need a voice.
I MISS U(B2)
BY KATIE PRESTON
WHAT USED TO be a fairly simple and reliable commute from East to West is now a complete shambles. With the end of the UB2, the route that was most commonly used between campuses after it was introduced last year, buses have become a total nightmare. Why they’ve collapsed the UB2 route back into the 66 and 67 I have no idea, but the ten-minute journey between campuses has been completely overtaken by crowded and unreliable buses. Not only are students sometimes made to miss buses when they’re full, but being forced to stand can be difficult for students with disabilities. Unreliable bus times mean buses are late and mean students miss lectures and seminars. The 66 and 67 were only this packed last year on a Friday or Saturday night, but now it’s increasingly difficult to get a bus on an average Tuesday, which is all you need after a seminar!
@ImogenWebbe
COLUMNS
Thursday November 25, 2021
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@ImogenWebbe
WORLD WIDE WEBBE IMOGEN WEBBE
POP CULTURE, POLITICS, AND PROBLEMATIC PEOPLE
“Music, like any art-form, can be a reflection of political feeling at the time” IT’S THAT TIME of year when it’s dark outside by the time you finish your lunch. Friday nights are better spent in bed with Netflix and a cuppa, and seminar numbers are dwindling from the size of a football team to more of a… chess team? Yet the pressure of deadlines and exams is upon us and we all need those moments when we can get lost in something other than reality. Like many of us, one of my most effective ways of switching off and relaxing is through music. I’m sure I’m not on my own when I say that I was born in the wrong decade - and this is reflected best in my taste for music: 60s soul and folk, 70s rock and reggae, and 80s pop. As I scan through my vinyl collection, I see the likes of: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; The Wailers; Kate Bush; Fleetwood Mac. You should see my Spotify. But is it just the rhythmic bass guitars and dulcet tones that I love, or does my appreciation run deeper than that? Music, like any art-form, can be a reflection of political feeling at the time, and - more likely than not - the artist’s personal beliefs. Some would say we’ve moved away from the protest songs prevalent in the latter part of the 20th century, but, in recent years, they seem to have made a comeback. See ‘This Is America’ by Childish Gambino or ‘Question Time’ by Dave.
But can we expect popular cul- systemic racism, and emotional ‘Cancel culture’ is a recurring ture to reflect our personal opin- trauma. By his own admission, his buzzword of the past few years. ions? And should we want it to? influences include Freddie King, Put simply, it’s the act of collecOne of the biggest artists of the Muddy Waters, and Buddy Guy. tively boycotting or ‘cancelling’ 70s, Eric Clapton, has come under people, brands, TV programmes scrutiny not for his and films when somesongs but instead thing is considered to for his controverbe offensive or probsial views. Anyone lematic. It’s a form of with a passion for protest. rock music will tell Last year, alyou how his song most-cancelled ‘Layla’ is a work Jameela Jamil reof art, and anyone ceived backlash for with an interest in appearing on pretty social justice will much-cancelled Rusdirect you to his sell Brand’s podcast. more-than-prob- Protest songs are making a comeback and reaching the mainstream. Subsequently speaklematic history of ing on ‘cancel culture’, xenophobia and racism that often So, it’s safe to say I skip ‘Won- Jamil said it was important to limit gets left out of two-dimensional derful Tonight’ whenever the song the amount of times someone overdiscussions surrounding the sing- comes up on my Spotify. steps a line and potentially causes er’s legacy. But wait a minute. I’m an aspir- harm to a marginalised group, but In 1976, a drunk Clapton made ing justice warrior. I pride myself also accepted the value of nuance his voice heard at a gig one night in on seeing the good in society and when it comes to ignorance. Birmingham. It was a classic, rath- believing in second chances, not In Jamil’s view, Brand has er unimaginative racist rant: “This simply writing people off when I “publicly own[ed] up to all of his is England, this is a white country”, don’t agree with them. If I stop lis- mistakes… If we cancel people forhe stated, “we don’t want any black tening to Eric Clapton, what does ever, when they have demonstrat**** and ***** living here. We need that say about me? ed immense change and remorse, to make clear to them they are not Like Clapton, public figures we devalue progress”. welcome. England is for white peo- such as David Bowie, John LenAnd, I have to say, I agree with ple, man. We are a white country.” non, Morrissey, and Ellen De- her. If we imagine what someone Of course, what makes this generes have all faced calls to be said or did was a recognised crime abhorrent statement even worse ‘cancelled’. It’s a call that extends to for which they served a sentence is that Clapton made his name as historical figures, certain breakfast for, is it fair to keep on judging or a Blues musician; the same Blues show hosts and even academics; punishing them indefinitely? largely created by Black musicians I’m ashamed to say some of my faThe Harry Potter franchise and in America during times of slavery, vourite TV shows, too. its creator, JK Rowling, is a sterling
MY HOUSING HELL IN OUR LAST issue I told you how I was one of the many victims of the precarious housing situation in York. For the first four weeks of term I experienced a mix of Bed & Breakfasts, AirBnbs and a friend’s bedroom floor. I was practically a participant in Four in a Bed only
there were no other contestants, and I didn’t mind that I didn’t get the sea-facing window or 100% Egyptian cotton sheets. As we plod on with the year, I’m pleased to say that I’m lucky enough to be settled in a house thankfully in York - but it wasn’t without its initial challenges (i.e.
general uncleanliness, missing kettles, broken boilers… the usual). Due to accommodation concerns, many of you will already be thinking about housing possibilities for next year. Perhaps you’re eyeing up potential housemates, or maybe you’ve already secured somewhere. But whatever stage you’re at on your housing journey, it can be a daunting experience. So, as a
third year with a penchant for improving the student experience, I have two pieces of advice. Firstly, it’s important to know what help is already available to you. YUSU, for example, has an accommodation support page with advice such as what you need to be sure of before you sign. Secondly - and this is the most important one - the accommodation situation in universities’ vicini-
example of this. Fans, it seems, have been left with a choice. Either stop watching the films and stop reading the books so many of us grew up with, or try to stop giving credit to anything Rowling says and enjoy the Philosopher’s Stone the best way they know how: snuggled up on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon with a tub of (unproblematic) Ben & Jerry’s, under a warm, cosy blanket of childhood nostalgia. So, can we really separate the art from the artist? I’m no fantasist. Even after the eye-opening and somewhat radical events of last year, the Disney and Harry Potter franchises still maintain strong international support. We can pretend when we watch The Lion King that our dear friend Mickey Mouse is something more than a not-sodistant cousin of the racist minstrel shows, so should we simply forgive, forget and move on? We should all strive to have a more informed, holistic picture of the people whose art we choose to absorb. They’re in the music we listen to, the TV we consume, the ice cream we love and the teabags we buy. Other people permeate every aspect of our interactions. Their views create our everyday. But maybe there’s a limit on how much a society can forgive and forget, and cancel culture is what happens when the teacup overflows.
ties has highlighted how the private rental sector leaves students vulnerable in a landlord’s market. The University cannot fail students by leaving us at the mercy of private landlords. Let’s voice our opinions to the people in charge and campaign for action - it doesn’t have to stay this way. We must ensure the shambolic housing situation of this year doesn’t repeat itself.
SCENE. THE ABSTRACT EDITION
INSIDE:
DIGITAL THEATRE PLUS SWEET DESSERTS & HOPPY DRINKS REVIEWS: FOCUS, RED & WEIRD ALBUMS ABSTRACT CINEMA INTERVIEW: HELEN O’ HARA
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CONTENTS
The Abstract Edition
Editor’s Note
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hen I wrote my last editor’s note for SCENE it was called FRESH. Which is also a fair reflection of how I’m feeling now the first term of uni is reaching its final weeks. I was once a fresh faced third year. Now, I’m a tired shell of a man. Is this an editor’s note or a cry for help? Seriously, university is a wonderful thing, but my God I forgot how exhausting it can be. Maybe it’s the previous year at ‘Lockdown University’ that made me forget, but I am genuinely shattered. But here we are and, I’m glad to say we somehow made it! Despite the illnesses and deadlines throughout Vision (and the rest of campus) our wonderful team managed to create something that I am genuinely very proud of. Having spent so much of the last edition welcoming the fresh faces to campus, I felt it was the right time to move SCENE in a different direction. This time, we’re embracing all things abstract; celebrating the unusual and discussing the obscene. Opening things up is the new Stage team who have reaped the rewards of their privileged Vision position - within their first weeks as section editors they were already swanning off to prestigious press events. Okay, it was a promotion for Elf: The Musical. Think more candy cane than champagne - but it was exciting
Charlie Gaskell nonetheless. Following on from that, Screen have selected the five best and five worst abstract movies of all time. Full disclaimer - all opinions are reflective of our Screen team. All complaints, angry emails and threats can be sent to the Screen email directly. Alongside Screen’s journey into the abstract is Music’s collection of live reviews, album discussions and we just couldn’t resist talking a little bit about Taylor Swift. As some of you will know all too well, there is plenty of fun to be had at York’s music venues. Our new Deputy Music Editor Ben Forsdick did just that when attending Focus at the Crescent. That’s right, Focus. The Dutch band that formed in 1969 have somehow stumbled into York’s crummiest venue, and apparently offered something “wildly entertaining”. I’m sure it was wild. We also have excellent insight into the abstract in our Travel section. It’s been a pleasure to finally be able to talk travel restriction-free (within the UK) to our hearts content. With this in mind, I’m glad to say that our travel team are discussing how to start your big post-COVID-19 adventures right from your living room. Let’s be honest, lockdowns one, two (and was there a third?) have all turned us into lazy couch potatoes - and many of us will settle for a bit of VR escapism. Take us into the metaverse, Mr Zuckerburg. Also embracing the abstract is our Relationships section. Our Deputy Relationships Editor Beth is taking us through our situationships concerns. My only concern is that I had to ask Beth to explain to me what a situationship was in one of our weekly meetings. And, after asking several times and reading the article several times over, I’m still none the wiser. In our nonthemed piece our section editor Naomi guided us through a fascinating interview with an LGBTQ+ student. Also tackling the unusual is our games section - led with a piece by Deputy Editor Matt Igoe. I recently saw Matt play with his band at the Crescent just a week before our Music team went to see Focus. Unsurprisingly, the 70s prog rock band from the Netherlands and the student band from York had very little in com-
SCENE: Our Edition in Images
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IMAGE: ALEX HOLLAND mon - other than that same old tagline, “wildly entertaining”. Accompanying the Games section is Food - a section which in this edition is a real treat. Literally. New member Navya will guide you through the weird and wonderful delights of Heavenly Desserts, while our Food Editor Tom takes us through all things light and brewtiful. Unsurprisingly, Tom had a wonderful time beer tasting at Brew York - and to this day remains a strong hoptimist. Embracing this edition’s double spread is our Books section - led by a dynamic duo of SCENE’s literature-literate literature enthusiasts, Caitlyn and Luke. While my interview with Helen O’ Hara takes up far too much of the pages (apologies for that) the rest of the content is really, very good. Caitlyn offers a spotlight on the authors less represented in mainstream media, while Luke collected the guilty pleasures of Vision’s reading habits. Well, that just about covers all the wonderful treats in our latest edition - with a few surprises left unmentioned of course. For example, you may have noticed that David Lynch’s face is somewhere below these words. Well, I’m thoroughly glad to say that this isn’t the last you’ll be seeing of him in this edition. It’s all part of a bigger plan. I’m building my own cinematic universe of chaotic but ultimately good dudes. Last edition we had Tommy Wiseau and now we have Lynch. Unfortunately I don’t think there’s many more. It was fun while it lasted. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading the Lynch edition. Forget abstract, SCENE is about to take some surreal and horrific directions. That’s if they don’t get rid of me first. I’m joking of course. I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the amazing committee who work tirelessly to achieve... well, you know what, it’s just turned 2AM, my eyes are strained and I think I can hear David Lynch’s voice. It’s time for me to leave. Thanks everyone!
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SCENE Editor Charlie Gaskell Chief Subeditor Lucas Lefley Subeditors Isabel Head Twiggy Yeung Jack Batstone Marti Stelling Emily Jebb Stage Editor Roxanne Starr Deputy Editor Emily Sinclair Screen Editor Jed Wagman Deputy Editor Gena Clarke IMAGE: IMDB Music
Editor Joe Radford Deputy Editor Ben Forsdick Games Editor Position Vacant Deputy Editor Position Vacant Food & Drink Editor Tom Willett Deputy Editor Navya Verma Relationships Editor Naomi McGrath Deputy Editor Bethan Hubbard Travel Editor Grace Swadling Deputy Editor Nicholas Chen Books Editor Luke Horwitz Deputy Editor Caitlin Hyland
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STAGE
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IMAGE: IMDB
Elf the Musical is ComRoxanne Starr ing to York!
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t’s the story we all know and love, and the film we’ve all watched hundreds of times over – the story of Buddy the Elf and his love interest, Jovie, is coming to York for Christmas! Having recently attended an Elf event, it’s clear that the brains behind the musical are taking things to a new festive level. With Christmas decorations that would put Buddy the elf to shame, the bright lights and festive delights were a definite indication of the seasonal extravaganza in store. The lead, Damien Poole, was fully prepared for his elvish appearance, having already appeared in non-traditional seasonal favourites Groundhog Day and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There is no doubt this musical will carry the same
infectious energy as Poole’s previous roles. Poole commented “the energy is crazy all the way through”. Alongside Damien is Sophie Hammond, who is returning to her roots in York to play Jovie. Hammond mentioned IMAGE: EMILY BRIGHTY her excitement at the opportunity to perform an adaptation of such a well-loved film, in such a rich cultural city. With music by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, the delightful songs like ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ and ‘Never Fall in Love with an Elf’ aim to put a refreshing twist on the story, updating the film and making it even more festive... if that’s possible. Elf the Musical is running from 25 November - 3 December at the Grand Opera House York.
Digital Theatre Plus: The Abstract Way to Watch Emily Sinclair Theatre IMAGE: URY
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website is accessible to all and easy to navigate making watching theatre easy. Karen Cecilia, a Theatre Professor from New York says Digital Theatre allows “access to world class performance that represent different cultures and perspectives” and it is this accessibility that makes Digital Theatre Plus such a great platform. If you’re into behind the scenes of productions and the core elements of acting and producing a show then look no further. With over 450 extra resources, Digital Theatre Plus allows you to delve as deep as you want into the world of theatre and fulfil your abstract guilty pleasures. Available 24/7 the platform means the whole process of creating a production is exposed and it provides invaluable information about how these productions come to be so enjoyable. Whether an interview with a specific actor or a doc on natural sound design, it is these free and niche gold-dust resources that makes Digital Theatre Plus so much more rewarding. Igniting the creativity of everyone, Digital Theatre Plus is great at ensuring that theatre is accessible to all. Through the website, art and creativity lives on and continues to influence viewers everyday lives, as well as providing some top-quality entertainment.
Auditions took place in the second week of Autumn Term and involved all three IMAGE: SAGAR PATEL musical theatre disciplines: singing, dancing productions is arguably the most crucial. and acting. With the crucial mantra “nothOnce successful, the production ing was pre-cast”, all 24 roles were up for process moves forward to cementing a grabs, making the audition process a long specialised team of people. but essential and enjoyable part of bringing As a Producer, Hannah had the role 9-5 to life. of ensuring the rights to the show were With 78 fellow students auditioning, secured. This step of putting on a profrom freshers to postgraduates, the production is one that requires networking duction team had the tricky task of whitwith the original owners of the show. Until tling down performers to the six leads and conformation is received the rights could 18 ensemble roles. be pulled. However, when speaking to the team it With each dance number taking “6 was clear that this process was both enjoyor 7 hours” to choreograph, during the able and collaborative. All of the executive summer Eleanor “set aside whole days” production team were involved in decisions in order to make sure that when rehears- and by the end of the audition week the als did start the visions for each musical cast was revealed meaning no performer numbers were nailed to then go ahead was left uncertain for too long. Equally, and teach. two welfare officers were hired by the 9-5
team to ensure all auditionees were happy and supported. This is something that was really effective, with cast actively saying that the show and rehearsals have “helped with mental health”. Getting to experience a wide range of talent, the auditions are an essential part of the theatre production process. It is these talented performers that on the surface bring the show to the stage. With the cast finalised and rehearsals in progress, the show is closer to becoming a reality. As a cast that is “so nice to each other”, the production process is an enjoyable one, yet still takes months of hard work in order to make the February show a success. It is this process that allows theatre to be so enjoyable and rewarding for audiences. So, next time you see a curtain call, just remember how much has gone into that moment of the final bow.
Emily Sinclair
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The Abstract Edition
e all know that nothing beats a live piece of theatre. Yet, we also all know it comes with a large dent to your bank account. With the arts greatly hit during the pandemic, quality live performances are becoming few and far between, yet ‘Digital Theatre Plus’ is a platform that allows world-class culture and performance to be kept alive. With over 500 productions, this online platform opens the doors to a new community of theatre-lovers from all across the globe, who can experience all their favourite shows and productions without spending a penny… that’s right, through University of York, Digital Theatre Plus is free. Founded in 2009 by Robert Delamere and Tom Shaw, the website is aimed at teachers and educational institutions as a way of allowing a diverse range of young people to be exposed to the culturally progressive and enjoyable world of theatre. The website allows opinions to be formed and evolve as we experience all sorts of social situations and circumstances whilst continually appreciating playwrights such as Shakespeare and Arthur Miller. Grouped in the genres: Comedy, Drama, History, Musical Theatre, Romance, Satire, Tragedy and Tragicomedy, the
Working 9 to 5: Student Production in Full Swing
he late 1970s musical 9 to 5 is set to be performed at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre next February. Due to the pandemic, live theatre had been impossible and with many cancelled opportunities the desire to get back on track was growing. Aiden Dixon, Musical Director, reached out to Lauren last year with his idea to pitch 9-5 to Central Hall Music Society (CHMS) as their next show. As a student run society, pitches are an essential part of the process determining whether a show will be given the funding to be performed. Saying it “felt like we’d been online dating” Eleanor described the virtual process of creating a top-notch pitch. Ensuring every detail IMAGE: CHLOE HODGSON is covered, this planning stage of theatre
STAGE EDITOR ROXANNE STARR DEPUTY STAGE EDITOR EMILY SINCLAIR
@YorkVisionStage
stage@yorkvision.co.uk
IMAGES: IMDB
SCREEN
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SCREEN EDITOR JED WAGMAN DEPUTY SCREEN EDITOR GENA CLARKE
Cinematic Societies on Campus
Gena Clarke
The Abstract Edition
The Best and Worst of Abstract Jed Wagman Cinema
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ost of the time when we watch movies, they’re fairly conventional and have plots that we can wrap our heads around. But some directors have pondered the questions “What if my film doesn’t have to make sense?” or “What if my film featured a homicidal telekinetic car tyre named Robert?”. Films that stray from the norm and are deliberately abstract can sometimes provide you with a moviegoing experience unlike any other. Sometimes they can just be pretentious wank. Five Abstract Films That Are Actually Good The Fountain (2006) Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to abstract film, having made films like Pi (1998) and Black Swan (2010), but it’s his 2006 film The Fountain that’s his most out-there yet. The stories it tells cross all of time and yet it’s an incredibly moving and human film. The Fountain is sure to take you on a journey spanning over thousands of years, and by the end you’ll have transcended into another plane of existence, with one of the greatest movie scores ever and an absolutely incredible finale. Memento (2000) Memento showed us that movies don’t have to be told in order. The film’s scenes are all jumbled up and not in chronological order but that only makes it more exciting, making us figure out the mystery and put all the pieces of the puzzle together at the same time as the film’s protagonist Leonard, a man with short-term memory loss. Despite being unconventional in its narrative structure and its storytelling, Memento is never too confusing, and when the final scene causes everything to click into place you realise just how much of a genius Christopher Nolan is.
@YVScreen
Cloud Atlas (2012) Cloud Atlas has six different plots all occurring across six different eras in time with the core cast of Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving and others appearing as different characters across these different timelines. There aren’t many films that try to tell this many stories all in one film, and to connect them all together, but Cloud Atlas does a great job, with every single one of these stories being really interesting to watch. Mulholland Drive (2001) David Lynch is a director who’s made his fair share of mindfuck films, and films that go beyond what traditonal cinema seeks to do, so any one of his films could have made this list. But watching Mulholland Drive feels almost dreamlike, as you’re never quite sure what’s going on how everything links together, or what on earth Billy Ray Cyrus is doing in it, and yet by the end it all, you know what’s going on and you understand exactly how everything comes together. Annette (2021) Music by pop duo Sparks, a baby played by a puppet and yet it somehow works. Oh, and Adam Driver becomes the first actor to sing whilst performing cunnilingus. Enough said. Five Abstract Films That Are Pretentious Wank Rubber (2010) A film featuring a homicidal telekinetic car tyre named Robert should be, in theory, one of the greatest films ever made. Is it one of the greatest films ever made? Sadly not. It’s a real shame because the premise alone is better than most films that have come out of Hollywood in
the last decade and yet the film itself is so bland. Very quickly the film loses its appeal, and it can never quite decide what it wants to be. Is it an action film? A comedy? A horror? Who knows? Certainly not me. John Dies at the End (2012) Do you know what’s the most frustrating thing about the film John Dies at the End? It’s that John doesn’t die at the end. If I’ve been promised that John dies at the end, then I’d quite like to see John die at the end. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020) The first half of Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things is actually rather good. It sets up an awkward but intriguing atmosphere with some good writing and great performances but by the second half of the film it’s almost as if the script was thrown out the window, run over by a car, stamped on by an elephant and then finished by a twoyear-old baby. Sorry to Bother You (2018) Sorry to Bother You tries to go deep with its metaphors, and it tries to tackle race issues and capitalism, but the film just ends up being an absolute mess and completely disorientating. Armie Hammer wants to turn his workers in to half horse-half people for reasons and the film ends up with its own less interesting version of BoJack Horseman. Mandy (2018) Nicolas Cage is one of those actors that is either going to strike gold and be incredible or the film is going to be so bad that you can’t wait for it to be over. Mandy is the latter. Every single character in the film is on LSD. Need I say more? Maybe do some yourself to make it bearable.
Y
IMAGE: YSC
York Student Cinema When: Meeting time is every Monday 18:15. Screenings are every Monday, Thursday and Friday, doors open at 18:45, films start 19:30. Where: P/X/001. YSC is a student run cinema with three screenings every week, showing all the latest films at competitive prices. Students can come Movie Society When: Every Tuesday and along as customers to enjoy the films, or alternatively, they Sunday 19:30. can join the society to take Where: V/N/045. “Movie Society is a society part in running the cinema whether that be in projection, for those passionate about cinema”. If you love watching, refreshments, or front of discussing and learning about house. A standard membership costs £5, and an annual films, then movie society might be for you. They screen pass costs £30. a wide range of genres, including world cinema. Not York Student Television When: Admin meetings only that, but the society also every Tuesday 19:00. organises trips to film festiProduction meetings every vals and cinemas, as well as Tuesday 20:00. hosting socials. Screenings Where: G/N/020. are free for members, and YST is an award winning memberships cost just £4 a television station run by year. students, for students. They produce a variety of content, World Cinema Society When: Every Friday 19:00. ranging from short films and documentaries, to live sport Where: V/N/045. The World Cinema Society broadcasts. Students can take part in any aspect of producmeets weekly to watch and discuss films from around the tion including writing, tech, world. A selection of films will editing or presenting. Membership cost £7 a year. be chosen based around a theme, from which members Spotlight Magazine can vote for the ones they Fancy hearing all the latest would like to be screened. The society also organises a student opinions on Film and few trips every year, including TV on campus? Why not check out York’s only film magazine? tickets to attend York’s Aesthetica Film Festival. Member- You can find them on Instagram @spotlightuoy. ship costs just £4 a year. ork’s Students’ Union supports over 200 student societies, within them there are many that students can take part in if they wish to explore their love for film and television. Here’s our list of all of York’s societies to do with the big or small screen, including when and where you can join.
screen@yorkvision.co.uk
MUSIC
MUSIC EDITOR joe radford DEPUTY MUSIC EDITOR ben forsdick
5 The Abstract Edition
Live at the Crescent: Focus Review Revisiting Red
Emily Sinclair
R
e-releasing one of her most popular albums about growing up and moving forward, it is incredible the response that the blonde country singer from Pennsylvania can elicit from her die-hard fandom of ‘Swifties’. Adding 8 songs to her original album, Taylor uses her matured voice to breathe new life into the fan favourites, ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ and ‘22’, whilst also highlighting some of the lesser known songs in the album such as ‘Stay, Stay, Stay’. With additional tracks collaborating with Ed Sheeran and a 10-minute version and short film of ‘All Too Well’ I see this album as a big power move for Taylor, and a protest to all who have taken a part of her by using her music. As an artist who has dabbled in a range of genres, Taylor’s version of Red sticks quite traditionally to the original genre of pop music and instead of a new take on things, the album just has an air of confidence. Opening up the discussion of growing up and continuing that journey, Taylor’s decision to re-release 9 years after the original album suggests that she is continuing to grow as an artist. Rather than new music, Taylor’s album provides listeners a chance to become nostalgic and re-visit the music in a new phase of their life. The raw emotion, intense vocals and eclectic mix of country and pop still serve to create an extraordinary and intimate experience for listeners both old and new.
The Abstract Edition
Truly Weird Albums
IMAGE: DAVID ZILBERBERG Luke Horwitz: Trust No One (Dave Navarro) I may be biased as this is probably my favourite album of all time, but this solo project of Janes Addiction and guitarist Dave Navarro is an abstract rock classic. This neo-psychedelic meets alternative metal album is a dark, sonically gothic, very personal account of loneliness and depression. It is angry at times, manic at others. I love it. Charlie Gaskell: Mother Nature’s Son (Ramsey Lewis) It’s probably not my favourite, but it’s one of the first that came to me. I mean, I’d hardly call it abstract because it’s exactly how music should sound. Listening to Ramsey Lewis have all the fun in the world with his jazzy renditions of The Beatles is a delight. It’s self-indulgent, a little bit all over the place - but hey? That’s jazz!
W
IMAGE: BEN FORSDICK
hen questioning the meaning of the abstract within popular music, all manner of bizarre musical explorations may come to mind. One may recall Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa’s 1960s experimentalism, Laurie Anderson’s pioneering electronically crafted oddness, Scott Walker’s creepy swansong ‘Bisch Bosh’, or La Monte Young’s compositions based around muscling a piano through a wall (yes, really); and the list of music that may legitimately be described as abstract goes on. But a natural place for the abstract to lie within popular music’s landscape is progressive rock. Never afraid to convey a whimsical complexity alongside instrumental musicality, progressive rock’s rich history was often abstract. Of course, on occasions, this was to the genre’s fault. It is worth saying that progressive rock was never intrinsically linked to the abstract. But if required to argue in favour of such a connection, Dutch outfit Focus would be an appropriate case study. The combining of folk, prog, and yodeling made Focus one of the most iconic, original, and abstract groups of the 1970s. The band still perform, and to the delight of a few hundred locals, the four-piece played a recent gig at The Crescent York. So, what are Focus like these days? They are still a prog band, that’s a given. This two-hour show featured no more than a dozen songs; I’ll leave you to do the maths. Much of these two hours were taken up by the 23-minute ‘Eruption’. I say 23-minutes as that’s the official runtime, but rumour has it that the band are in fact still playing this track, having started in 1971 and never stopped. Thijs Van Leer and
The seven band members decided to write all of their songs collaboratively, combining all of their unique musical backgrounds, which undoubtedly created something unexpected and abstract.
Matt Igoe: Long Season (Fishmans) Fishmans’ Long Season is one epic 40-minute Joe Radford: song. The experience of the album is so unique For the First Time (Black Country, New Road) that it’s intensely difficult to put into words to. It’s Black Country, New Road’s debut album, For the First Time, boasts a wide like walking through a forest and looking at the range of abstract influences, pulling from everything from jazz to math light filtering through the leaves onto the floor rock, to klezmer. below. That might sound pretentious but trust
@YorkVisionMusic
Ben Forsdick
Pierre Van Der Linden remain as (almost) original members, so the spirit of Focus remains within the group. Focus are still Focus; they are not merely a tribute to their former selves. Flute solos, yodeling interludes, and elongated instrumentals remain; can this be anything but the abstract? The evening’s setlist featured all the expected Focus staples - ‘Harem Scarem’ and ‘Focus III’ sounded as delightfully fun as they always were. But regardless of what one thinks of Focus, ‘Sylvia’ remains one of progressive rock’s finest and catchiest moments. The mostly instrumental guitar-led track sent the audience into a collective sigh of nostalgic emotion, with Van Leer joking that the song’s popularity in the UK is to blame for the group’s growth. Focus always slotted nicely into the UK’s progressive rock scene so Van Leer’s jests were founded within truth. But more than this was how well Focus slotted into The Crescent, appearing like a house band who so naturally belonged in the beloved independent venue. This far into reading, those familiar with Focus may have concerns regarding the lack of discussion I’ve awarded to Focus’ biggest hit. Of course, they played it! ‘Hocus Pocus’ is truly bizarre, no one wrote a song like that before Focus, and no one has done so since. Combining such an intensely aggressive metal riff with a surprisingly sticky yodeled chorus has no right to work, yet somehow it does, and the result saw an endearing crowd-singalong that embodied everything that makes Focus great. A collective display of oddness, fun and the abstract. Yes, Focus were always a somewhat niche entity and such a strange display of genres will inevitably be too strange for some listeners. But if anything comes out of this piece, please, experience the madness, the quirkiness and the good-natured madness that is Focus. Bands like this are rare and it is even rarer for a band like this to headline a venue so local. Focus are very abstract, that is true. They can be a bit mad, that is also true. But they can be wildly entertaining for two hours and this gig was the proof. me. It’s made me cry, multiple times, and I have no idea why. Sit down in a comfortable chair, get a good pair of headphones, and give it a shot. Ben Forsdick: Big Science (Laurie Anderson) Big Science is a beautiful and challenging record, with its rhythmic complexity and harmonic dissonances enveloping listeners into a dystopian fever dream. It is an intellectually enjoyable foray into the abstract landscapes of one of New York’s most bold musicians; without doubt an under-appreciated gem of avant-garde music.
music@yorkvision.co.uk
GAMES EDITOR position vacant DEPUTY GAMES EDITOR POSITION VACANT
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The Abstract Edition
GAMES
Gaming Culture A Strange History of the Luke Horwitz Controller Matt Igoe
I
knew that something was up when I started to enjoy using a GameCube controller. It’s this weird purple shape with a yellow nipple, weirdly shaped buttons, these massive grey plastic triggers; it’s just ugly. It’s horrible. Google it. I don’t know how or why anyone could design it like that. If we’re talking abstract, it’s as close to modern art as a controller will ever get. And yet, despite all of that, it feels amazing to use. It just sits perfectly in my hands and every button is exactly where it needs to be. It might not look pretty, but it gets the job done incredibly. What’s clear is that controller design isn’t the most logical process. What looks good probably won’t play well, and what looks like it plays well definitely won’t play well. So, obviously, when controller designers got started out, shit got weird. You won’t believe what they came up with just to play Pong. Imagine the absolute joy of consumers in 1982, when, after shelling out the equivalent of £600 on an Atari 5200, they received something that looked more like a phone than a controller. This, as you will see in the conveniently placed image to your right, was an ugly rectangle with far too many buttons on it. Controllers in the early onset of home video game consoles mostly looked like this: big useless joystick, loads of annoying tiny buttons. Until the magical year of 1985, when one japanese company decided to make a controller that actually made a tiny bit of sense: good old Nintendo. The NES controller was, well, pretty decent! The introduction of the D-pad (a pad with four directional inputs), although incredibly standard now, was a huge innovation, and set a standard that literally every other console manufacturer copied. SEGA followed with the Master System controller: literally the exact same thing but black. Then Nintendo refined the design slightly with the SNES, and SEGA copied them again. And then Playstation copied them and added some little handles on the bottom. So far, so good. We’re in pretty happy territory. Now, I don’t know what it was about the 2000s that made everyone lose their collective minds, but something about that decade rolling around really shook the design team about. Nintendo especially just went a bit insane. Firstly, they unveiled the Nintendo 64, with its distinctive three pronged controller. This was just silly. Pop quiz: how many hands do humans have? Answer: not fucking three. This controller, whilst revolutionary in its introduction of the now-standard analogue stick, didn’t allow you to use the analogue stick and the d-pad at the same time, which is frankly an oversight I cannot even process. Then, the aforementioned GameCube, which, apart from its incredible lineup of games, was a failure on all fronts. Maybe time for a bit of a rethink. Xbox and Playstation were beginning to normalise controller design, and stuck to a pretty standard combination of joysticks, buttons, and triggers that we’re still basically using today. This was the point for Nintendo to stop messing around and produce
a capable console, and reclaim the market dominance that they had in the 80s and 90s. But, no. Nintendo was still off smoking crack in the corner. When faced with increasing pressure towards fancier graphics, bigger processors, and more complex controllers, they took an absolute trust fall, and found themselves in the wild and untethered world of motion control with the Wii, and its plain rectangular Wiimote. It should’ve crashed and burned. What’s incredible is that it went on to be one of the best selling consoles ever. The Wiimote was not designed to be cradled and pressed. Not even slightly. It was designed to be waggled. The Wii broke down barriers of entry to consumer games, discarding the strange, abstract control schemes of the Playstations and Xboxes of the world, and instead opted for complete simplicity. You’ve got a guy on screen holding a sword. You’re holding a stick. Swing the stick, swing the sword. Even Grandma can play this one! The Wii went on to achieve absolutely massive sales numbers. Obviously, other companies soon began to catch on. Sony looked at the Wiimote and thought it was not nearly phallic enough, which prompted their pretty ill-fated Playstation Move. Xbox chose to get rid of the controller altogether, and introduced the Kinect, a strange little camera system that let you use your body as the controller... in theory. In practice, it was cool, and worked... for about 5 minutes before it inevitably asked you to recalibrate or just gave up entirely. This was also the age of gimmick controllers, where these corporations tried desperately to sell you more useless hunks of plastic that you’d inevitably only play with for a couple of hours. There was the Wii Balance Board, which made reminding yourself of how unfit you are fun, and there were the dance mats, which made reminding yourself of how unfit you are even more fun. A couple of companies hopped on the trend of the whole Guitar Hero/Band Hero thing, and made these cheap plastic imitations of guitars and drums and all that, with garish plasticky buttons, and a little thing that you waggled in the middle to imitate strumming. Safe to say, they also had their time. It’s strange that we’ve arrived where we have with controllers. Aesthetically, they make almost no sense, and functionally, only slightly more. But until we reach the day that we’re wearing haptic gloves and physically shaking Chris Pratt’s Mario’s hand in real life, we’re stuck with them.
@YorkVisionBooks @YorkVisionGames
T
o the uninitiated, gaming is, to put it simply, entertainment. Forget your essays, block out the noise, boot up, and go. Kill a few hours. But it’s pretty evident that gaming means so much more to many, many people, and the reasons people dedicate so much time to ‘playing’ is as varied from person to person as the titles they choose. So what’s going on? Why are people dedicating all their free time to the pursuit of what, on the surface, might seem like nothing more than a cheap pastime? Let’s have a look at some of the more niche motivations that keep people playing: Collecting The collection of a series of games or games consoles may seem pretty weird. Shelves and shelves of plastic boxes slowly collecting dust doesn’t appeal to everyone. And, obviously, no-one could have the time to play, and complete, all of those games. But for collectors, playing isn’t be the reward. A collector may see a series as an evolution; a tangible history of progression from rudimentary origins to the masterful latest release. Video games are notoriously difficult to preserve, and collectors can try to have their own piece of that history. The problem with game history is that so much of it is inextricably locked to physical media, like cartridges, floppy discs, and CDs. And physical media inevitably decays. If collectors can get copies of physical cartridges and disks, and preserve them, then they’re making a valuable contribution to the preservation of an important archive. Education Gaming has developed the unfortunate reputation of mindless entertainment; however, this could not be further from the truth for some gamers who partake in the pastime to stimulate or train their brains. While obvious titles like Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training may come to mind, a 2018 paper published in the peer reviewed Frontiers in Psychiatry suggests that even non brain training games provide excellent mental stimulation for cognitive and emotional development. Socialising For some the fun of gaming is in the online multiplayer interactions it offers. Gaming online is an excellent avenue for socialising with friends or other gamers: to some this provides more stimulation and enjoyment than playing the games themselves. These gamers may not care if its sports or a shooter, only that they are hanging out and having a laugh. During the dreaded lockdown, the only way that I kept myself sane was by hopping onto Call of Duty: Warzone with my mates. Escapism Games, particularly of the RPG, MMO, and fantasy genres, provide the escapist gamer with countless hours of entertainment. This vast experience of a characters life and activities offers a world without the stress and consequence of real life commitments or troubles. Many gamers, after a day of work or education, come home and switch on their title of choice to get away from it all for a few hours.
@YorkVisionScene games@yorkvision.co.uk
FOOD &
FOOD EDITOR tom willet DEPUTY FOOD EDITOR navya verma
DRINK
IMAGES FROM NAVYA VERMA
The Abstract Edition
A Slice (and a Slurp) of Heaven
M
odern ‘art’ desserts have had a bit of a surge in popularity recently. We’re increasingly looking for dishes that are as Insta-worthy as they are tasty, and so we’re seeking out hand-crafted, carefully designed sweet treats. I think that we can recognise these desserts as abstract art (of the edible variety). The perfect place for these artful plates opened in York this June and has sought to serve our collective love for desserts since. Heavenly Desserts drips of sophistication from the furniture to the decor to the menu. Flooded with picturesque backgrounds and drool-worthy dishes, this restaurant demands to be featured on your Instagram. Heavenly Desserts also stands as one of the only parlours with gluten-free and vegan options for their delicacies. Sparing no expense, Heavenly Desserts offers over 40 desserts and drinks. The wide variety of desserts paired with the charming setting makes this restaurant almost too irresistible to miss. For students worried about this fine-dining affair being pricey, they offer a 15% student discount for us to relish endlessly. And the best part? They deliver through all platforms! Their most popular dishes are the American waffle, cookie dough, Legendary Royale and Lotus
Biscoff milkshakes. However, their popularity does not hinder the uniqueness of their other delicacies, such as the Kunafah, which embraces the savoury, pastry side of desserts. On my first visit to Heavenly Desserts, I instantly felt welcomed and got the opportunity to try several dishes from their elaborate menu. I started off my visit with their Iced Rose and Lychee Latte. The presentation immediately excited me; the pink creation was beautifully garnished with dried rose petals. It tasted beautiful; the contents were deliciously sweet, and, thankfully, did not have the unhealthy caffeine component of a traditional latte. The second dish I ticked off was their bestselling array of Chocolate Shots. They specially arranged a triple-layered shot, which consisted of white chocolate, ruby chocolate, and milk chocolate at the bottom. The presentation was adorable for the little starter decorated with a fresh strawberry at the side. The richness of the chocolates could be felt in each layer, which made it velvety, but not heavy, as an accompaniment. The third dish was an underrated hero, the Pistachio Milk Cake: an incredibly unique concept rarely found in restaurants. The dish’s presentation was above and beyond; the spongy cake
Navya Verma
melted into my mouth and the softness of the cake complimented the nuttiness of the pistachios very well. The dish was also served with pistachio-infused milk syrup to pour over. Lastly, I tried the Passion Fruit and Vanilla Martini to undercut the sweetness, which is a special addition to their menu. The drink was served in a champagne coupe and adorned with half a passion fruit and dried rose petals to add to the aesthetic. The beverage, like the rest, was non-alcoholic in nature but had the expected bitterness. The fruity essence of the drink perfectly balanced out the bitterness desired in a cocktail. The impeccable food was complimented by the delightful service of the staff and their attentiveness towards the customers’ needs. Their service was extremely swift, and their warm smiles made one feel instantly comfortable in the quaint restaurant. The essence of Heavenly Desserts can be found in its superb setting, delectable food, and exceptional staff. These come together to give you the ultimate experience, making you feel special from when you step in up until when you stumble outside cradling your now-full stomach. I wholehartedly recommend you pay a visit next time you’re near the centre of York.
IMAGE: FLICKR
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The Abstract Edition
All Things Light and Brewtiful
H
ow can a beer be abstract? Well, in tasting some of what Brew York has to offer, you would assumed that some of these bizarre flavours would have remained in the netherworld. But no, Brew York have materialised the conceptual, and produced some truly abstract beers. When a fellow member of the Vision team and I arrived at Brew York, we were presented with a dazzling array of beers, and we wasted no time in sampling. I kicked things off with a taster of ‘Dreams of Brew York’, a smooth and fruity sour, which, somewhat surprisingly, I really enjoyed. I had never really experienced sour beer until the last year or so, and I cant say it’s an area I’m always comfortable in. Having a pint of what is essentially toxic waste (the popular sweet) becomes unpleasant relatively quickly after the initial novelty has worn off, but this sour is different. The smooth and fruity cherry overtones are accompanied by a bite of cranberry as the beer hits the back of your throat. Oh wait, is that a hint of cinnamon? Yes it is. ‘Dreams of Brew York’ is a special Christmas brew, and at 6.5 abv, this sour doesn’t hold back. Next, we both took a sip of another sour, ‘Granny Smith’s Brambling Habit’. The drink is tangy and sweet,
@FoodDrinkYork
Tom Willett
and neither of us can believe it’s not cider. Good, but not up to the standard of the first sour we tried. We then moved onto some sterner stuff: Brew York’s range of award winning stouts. Sadly my vegan accomplice could not partake in these delights, although it was later explained that they are aiming to phase lactose out of all their beers. I tried two of the more alternative stouts, a Blueberry and a Banoffee. Both were very interesting, but for me at least, maybe more of a half pint sort of drink. Now it was time for one of Brew York’s big hitters, a permanent member of their exclusive ‘core range’, ‘Rhubarbra Streisand’. It was delicious. Tart but creamy, this milkshake-IPA is unlike anything else I had ever drunk, and definitely worth a try. We then wound things down with a glass of another one of their classics, ‘Big Eagle’. It was big and bold much like the country that inspired it. This west coast IPA was packed with hoppiness, great stuff. At this point, we both realised that we had lectures to attend later in the day, the drinking halted, and it was time for a tour of the brewery. The main brewing plant has now moved to Osbaldwick, but the central site still does some brewing, often trying out the more experimental stuff. Back in 2016, when Brew York began, they had 20 staff.
They now have over 70, and tap rooms in Pocklington and Leeds as well as York. This is testament to the quality of their beers, and their business savvy, now offering a huge variety of their beers for purchase online. To round off our visit, it was time to sample their internal food vendor, Yuzu Street Food. We settled down with a pint of ‘Big Eagle’ and marveled at the menu in front of us. We both went for bao buns in the end. It was braised beef and fried chicken for me, and fried tofu for my partner in crime, both were stunning and just what we needed to bring the world back into focus after an afternoon of beer tasting.
food-drink@yorkvision.co.uk
RELATIONSHIPS
RELATIONSHNIP EDITOR NAOMI MCGRATH DEPUTY RELATIONSHIPS EDITOR bethan hubbard
Interview: LGBTQ+ Dating in York
D
ating can be tough at the best of times, but how do members of the LGBTQ+ community fare when dating for the first time? I interviewed a bisexual, transitioning man studying at the University of York to gain an insight into the world of LGBTQ+ dating. Have you noticed a shift in the way people behave towards you since coming out as trans? Definitely. It depends on the context and the person, but a lot of people feel more entitled to information about my body, as well as my transition. It can be difficult to navigate friendships and relationships as it’s not always clear how the other person perceives me. Is dating something you are currently comfortable with? There is a sense of anxiety and fear about dating, especially on a more casual basis. It is difficult to navigate the dating scene, which can be very focused on bodies. It can be annoying having to clarify what genitals and sex characteristics you have. If you don’t, it
can become dangerous very fast and even more so when alcohol is involved. Even when I am safe, there’s always a voice in the back of my head questioning if I am just a fetish. If I hook up with a man it is gay sex – but some men use me as an experiment without having to admit to having gay sex, which is quite a hurtful situation to be in. How do you tend to meet people? I’ve met most sexual partners through university, either in societies, on my course or in halls. My dating experience has been mixed, ranging from lovely interactions to quite scary situations that have made me feel unsafe. Other trans people I know have found partners on dating apps, and for them, the bad experiences outweigh the good. Do you feel you are supported by the university? I do think the university is generally very supportive about the community and provides safe spaces such as the YUSU LGBTQ+ network.
The Abstract Edition
8
Situationships: Navigating Relationship Limbo Bethan Hubbard
T
he combination of the words ‘situation’ and ‘relationship’, a situationship is an undefined relationship (romantic or sexual) that exists somewhere between dating and not dating. They differ from other kinds of casual relationships (such as friends with benefits) in the way that there hasn’t been a discussion of what’s actually going on. They’re ambiguous by definition. Relationships can be difficult to navigate at the best of times, but when we’re busy, still discovering ourselves, and relatively inexperienced with dating, like
@YorkVisionRelationships
IMAGE: PIXABAY
Naomi McGrath
Do you feel there is a stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ dating? I have been pleasantly surprised as there has never been any outright hostility towards me, but that is just my personal experience – I know a lot of people who have had worse exper-
transition time and time again, but it’s important that I am open to questions. I don’t think it’s bad to have a conversation about my body, but that doesn’t change the fact it feels alienating. What advice would you give to people who are just entering the trans/LGBTQ+ dating world? ences than me. It can be daunting, and most will Have you ever faced verbal deal with a lot of internalized transabuse or prejudice whilst dating? phobia and homophobia. They’ll be Luckily, I haven’t. If you use dating apps, what sort people who are uncomfortable with your identity, and it will hurt you, but of reaction do you get? you are worth more than other peoThere seems to be a mix of fascination and ignorance. A lot of people ple’s opinions. Do you have any favourite datwho are specifically seeking trans ing spots in York? people have fetishized me. Being a Lunar Café in York is an inclusive ‘afab’ (assigned female at birth) doesn’t safe space, and it’s a great place to go help because you get toxic masculinity, for your first date. People can meet transphobia, and misogyny, as most people think you fit both gender cate- each other and open up about their own identities – it’s a great place to gories. That’s not how it works! Are there questions people ask make friends and set the foundations or reactions you get which cross a for relationships. I would also advise people to use neutral pronouns until boundary and make you feel unasked, and people shouldn’t make comfortable or disrespected? It’s tiring to explain my gender and assumptions about gender.
often is the case at university, things can get messy. So how do you know if you’re in one? Here’s a few signs that suggest you might be: Have you Defined It? If you’ve been seeing someone for a while and have not yet defined the relationship, where you’re at, where things are headed, whether you’re exclusive, or maybe you haven’t discussed it at all, then it’s difficult to know if you’re both on the same page. Not knowing where you’re at can be confusing because you don’t know what to expect from each other or what is expected of you. Is the relationship compartmentalised? In a relationship, it’s standard after a while to start meeting each other’s friends. In a situationship, it tends to exist separately from the rest of your life. In some cases you might not even really see them outside of
a bedroom setting, despite you definitely being closer than just a hookup. They’re inconsistent or flakey Do they sometimes leave you on delivered for days, possibly even making you worry that they won’t respond at all? Or do they cancel plans at the last minute? Maybe they don’t really make committed plans at all. It’s important to know what you need from a relationship, which may take some soul-searching. Sometimes we want intimacy without commitment, but it takes introspection to recognise that in ourselves. Or maybe we do want that commitment, but don’t know how to ask for it or we don’t want to ask for it for fear of rejection. You might feel like you’re fine with things as they are, and maybe that’s true, but it’s important to be introspective and make
sure you’re not just willing to sacrifice your own needs to accommodate someone else. Once you’ve figured that out, the hard part is talking about it. Frank discussions are tough, especially when you’re not used to them, but they’re worth it. You deserve to be in a relationship that meets your needs, and to get to that from a situationship you’re going to have to communicate what they are. If your needs don’t match up with theirs then, as much as you might not like it, things should end. Remember, your needs aren’t compromisable. Unfortunately, there isn’t a magic spell or easy trick that can just make things go perfectly and make someone want the same things as you, no matter how much you like them. It’s better, at least, to know so that you can move on and find someone that is able to meet those needs.
relationships@yorkvision.co.uk
TRAVEL
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TRAVEL EDITOR grace swadling DEPUTY TRAVEL EDITOR nicholas chen
The Abstract Edition
Travelling from Home: A Postgrad’s First the Safest Ways to See Term of York-based Travel Nicholas Chen the World Grace Swadling
U
niversity is not just lectures, seminars, and drinking (and student media). It’s also about travelling. I managed to squeeze a lot into my first couple of months at York. Here are some of the highlights.
I
s it possible to travel from the comfort of your own home? This is a question I’ve asked myself many times, especially when I feel as if I’m chained to my desk. Whilst we all know that it is impossible to physically travel without jumping in a car, plane, train, etc, some people argue that it is possible to experience the emotions of travel without moving a mile. This can be done through both abstract means of meditation and ‘reality shifting’, and more literal means of engaging in VR and online travel simulators. Reality shifting is a relatively new phenomena, dominating TikTok and YouTube, in which one’s consciousness is moved from their current reality to their desired reality. This concept is based on the multiverse theory which argues that every decision or action we make shifts us into a new reality. Therefore, every possible decision or action we make creates an alternate reality. Shifting is a complicated concept to understand and has limited to no credible scientific proof, minimising its plausibility. Despite the numerous videos I have watched, claiming that people have ‘shifted’ realities to places like Hogwarts, I am not entirely convinced. However, if it is possible, it is a method of travelling to your dream destination without physically moving and even better, spending any money. Although, ‘shifting’ comes with the warning that these alternate realities may be so good that you won’t want to leave them. Who would want to return to their reality of 9am lectures if instead they are able to visit their dream destination? A slightly more realistic way to feeling the emotions of travel without actually travelling is through meditation, in particular guided visualisation. It has been proven that guided imagery can reduce fear, anxiety, the frequency of headaches, and psychological
@YV_Travel
stress in cancer patients. It is a practice which involves each of the five senses and supposedly sends healing messages throughout the body. The possibility of visualising a beach or another travel destination, alongside reducing stress is one I can get behind and something I intend to try out myself. There are also methods of experiencing travel from your own home more literally, without relying on unproven trends. Virtual reality has been on the rise in the past ten years and is no longer only for gaming. Some examples of travel in virtual reality are: National Geographic Explore VR (in which you can visit Antarctica or Machu Picchu in Peru), Ecosphere (where you can explore the savannahs of Kenya or the ancient jungles of Borneo), and Alcove (which includes city tours and hot air balloon rides). The concept of travelling through VR was also taken on board by the Marriott Hotel in 2014 as they created the 4D Teleporter which took guests on an immersive trip to London or Hawaii. This only lasted for eight weeks, but it is still demonstrates the ability to experience travel in a nontraditional manner. Similarly, travel is often intertwined with gaming, with popular travel destinations used as a location for various games such as Far Cry 4. Whilst this isn’t directly experiencing the emotions of travel, it is potentially the most literal way of experiencing travel beside traditional travel itself. After researching potential ways to travel from home, I came to the conclusion that it is somewhat possible to experience the emotions surrounding travel without literally travelling. However, nothing will compare to the feeling of exploring a new place, meeting people, and experiencing a culture different to your own.
spoons when you fancy a pint next time, there are a lot of interesting ones waiting for you to visit. Brew York is a standout, which isn’t just a pub, but a brewery too, and it has tours that last around one hour and gives samples of their brews to taste. The best recommendation for this winter is the drink ‘Fairytale of Ben Lairig Ben Lairig is the University of York’s Brew York’: rich gingerbread, cinnaMountaineering Society and it is proud mon spice and heaps of creamy vanilla makes one unique stout perfect for to welcome people who have no mountaineering experience. Their ex- Christmas. citing trips typically last a full weekend at places around York including: the Fossgate Social Peak District, Yorkshire Moors, Lake Excellent wifi and two floors of seatDistrict and more. ing, need I say more? The first floor’s I recently joined the society on a trip window looks straight out to the histo the Lake District, and I am pleased toric Merchant Adventurers’ Hall. Some to report that it is everything that it seats have plugs for charging; they promised to be. The first day centred know as well as us that laptop batteries upon the popular mountain, Blencath- last for an annoyingly short time. ra. As per the strict schedule, the socieIt is perfect for students who want ty left early from the entrance of YUSU to type up their work - academic or towards the Lake District. After a long not - with a nice cup of coffee to get (and somewhat tedious) journey we the creative juices flowing (iced in the arrived - and very soon the monotony summer and piping hot in the winter). of the motorway was forgotten as the When you get fed up with coffee, try beautiful, sweeping landscape cleared their cocktails. Saying that, my two everything from my mind. Overall, the favourites - a White Russian and an experience can only be described as espresso martini - both contain coffee. a ‘blast’, as the wind was so strong it Check them out on Instagram would blow people away if they didn’t @fossgatesocial. stop and make the appropriate duck and cover, but, we refused to let the North (York) Vs South weather interrupt our fun. While I don’t want to generalise, and To say Day Two had nicer weather speaking from personal experience would be an understatement, it was only, my brief reflection is that York is sunny, and while the wind was still significantly friendlier than the south, strong, it didn’t blow people away. The with a strong local community that is incline was much easier, but some eager to connect. Trust me, it’s better parts needed a bit of climbing. While to hear a smiley ‘Ta’ at a northern bar the climb wasn’t that diffiicult it also than the almost cliche ‘Thank you, have wasn’t the easiest, so you should bare a good day’ with a cold-faced delivery this in mind when approaching this in the South. The North’s greeting is society. Our hard work truly paid off short, simple and sweet, but with more as we were surrounded by beautiful warmth. landscapes for the entire trip. The best finish for both days was a huge Spoons IMAX @ York Cineworld meal after the hike. The star of this section is Cineworld. You can out more about all their Watching Dune in IMAX and hearing events on their Instagram @benlairig. the soundtrack of Hans Zimmer in its full glory in Dolby Digital surround York Pub Crawl sound is a sensational experience. As many may know, York has a vast There is also a huge ten pin bowling selection of pubs. But do you know alley, Hollywood Bowl, next to it and exactly how many? According to the a mini-golf course with very creative reliable mouths of the locals, York has designs, perfect as an after-film activity. a total of 365 pubs. So skip Wether-
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BOOKS
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Women vs. Hollywood: Helen O’Hara Talks Pictures, Pages, and the Charlie Gaskell Patriarchy
H
elen O’Hara’s latest book sees her combine her position as Empire’s designated ‘geek Queen’, and her experience in industries from Law to Journalism. The title: ‘Women vs. Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of Women in Film’ and the reason: “It is an attempt to go through 120 years of film history. And try and, sort of, understand why we are where we are today. Where less than 20% of directors are women. Less than 20% of film leads are women. Why? Why on Earth is this?” So far, so simple. A book about gender discrimination, cinematic evolution, and the systemic sexism that has plagued the Hollywood system for over a century. Okay, maybe not so simple. For O’Hara, whose area of expertise specifically targets British and American cinema, Hollywood seemed the logical place to target: “For most of the last century, for most of the world, it’s been the dominant cinema form”. O’Hara felt it valuable to dissect a period of history known for its giltz and glamour (and as we know from David Lynch’s output) mystery, manipulation, and corruption. Despite the dream-like aesthetic of the American film industry there is much darkness beneath: “Historically, it’s where most of the power, most of the influence and most of the biggest movies have been made…I think it is worth looking at Hollywood as a sort of microcosm of the whole, as a Synecdoche, if you want to get into Charlie Kaufman films”. Despite my instincts telling me otherwise, I decided not to get into a conversation about Kaufman films. O’Hara was keen to point out that Hollywood isn’t where the problems end: “There
are these stories in other parts of the world, and I was absolutely aware that I wasn’t telling them. But I was already doing a 125-year history so I was just like I can’t do anymore!” With extensive research and readings under her belt (and in her bibliography), there was more than enough content to cause endless stress and (hair pulling) frustration for the journalist. We agreed that dissecting gender differentiation in the film industry of other countries was another book, for another day. However, once O’Hara had nailed down her research area, she was ready to go: “Certainly, when we get to the more modern sections of the book, I had a basis of knowledge I could draw.” However, the hidden gems of female cinematic achievement are a lot tougher to find than their male counterparts: “I will freely admit my knowledge was sketchier. I was aware of Alice Guy Blanche, I was aware of Lois Weber, I was aware of for example, the female-led stunt movies. But awareness was about as far as it went, and I didn’t know about the whole eco-system around them and the numbers that there were”. Aiding her search was the excellent work of the ‘Women Film Pioneers Project’ at Columbia University, and various scholarship
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on the era, including ‘Universal Women: Filmmaking and Institutional Change in Early Hollywood’ by Mark Garrett Cooper and ‘Pink-Slipped: What Happened to Women in the Silent Film Industries’ by Jane M. Gaines. O’Hara was happy to dig deep and research hard. She studied Law before her journey into Journalism, and utilised her analytical side to find the statistics to accompany the story. By page two we are informed that “In 1917 alone, Universal Studios would credit eight female directors. In 2017, the same studio made just one film with a female director”. The data that continues to be unearthed and revealed throughout the book is just as surprising and even more eye-opening. A remarkable achievement considering that it was partly written during a national lockdown: “Of course, it was all made more complicated by the fact the BFI library had to shut during COVID… that made everything a little more problematic”. But this didn’t stop O’Hara who has now published three books. Her first, a breakdown of the best of 80s movies and her second, ‘The Ultimate Superhero Movie Guide: The Definitive Handbook for Comic Book Film Fans’. A mouthful of a title, but a much easier creative process: “The superhero book did not involve an enormous amount of research at all – the superhero one was easier and probably more fun. ‘Women vs. Hollywood’ was vastly more stressful”. Although covering extensive guides on our favourite superheroes is a helping hand to all geek queens and kings, the task of dissecting the oppressive Hollywood machine is a slightly heavier one. But, when talking with Vision, O’Hara maintained her passion and understanding of the topic: “I think studios always used to say ‘oh but female led films don’t sell as well, female directors don’t sell as well’… comparing like for like, comparing budget for budget, marketing for marketing, and screen for screen – they’re doing very well. The difference is you’re not supporting them in the same way so these kinds of conversations didn’t used to happen, because they used to kind of hand wave them away and stick to the myth”. Firmly established as a main player for Empire, O’Hara has been rising through an industry that has been dominated by men for a very long time (sound familiar?). Her perspective, therefore, is exactly the one this book needs. In fact, O’Hara has previously spoken
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out about this problem, earlier in her career she said: “Empire had 3 staffers called Ian. And about the same number of women”. Of course, since her earliest days at Empire there have been steps in the right direction. And, I wanted to know if justice had truly been served and if things had really changed. With keen interest, I decided to ask how many Ian’s were now working at Empire. O’Hara was positive about what she’s seen, “Haha! I believe there are none on staff… this is no disrespect to any of the Ian’s… but there are fewer on staff now… I definitely think things are getting better, I really do”. But, of course, there is always work to do and things that require change. O’Hara was insistent that some problems still remained: “There is historically often a connection between areas of work, professions becoming less white and male and becoming less well paid – so that is unfortunate. I don’t think the two are connected in this case – I don’t think one is causing the other – but there is a correlation that is unhelpful”. It is points like this that make books such as ‘Women vs. Hollywood’ so valuable. We’re still experiencing and taking part in the progression that will be assessed in decades to come. Let’s just hope the headline reads something a little more positive: ‘Women & Hollywood: the match made in heaven that never had any problems post-2021’ would be nice. Then again, lawsuits are piling and I’m pretty sure films starring women are still failing the Bechdel test. Despite progression, there are still problems for female film critics. The presence of online aggression remains an issue, as predominantly male film defenders continue to take aggressive stances on Twitter. Those who criticised Joker (2019) have been attacked in the form of grammatically backward tweets, and O’ Hara is included in this. I asked if she was excited for the rumoured Joker 2, but this caused confusion between us as King of Comedy didn’t receive a sequel, “What can they base it on? Age of Innocence? Silence?”. Even as a strong IMAGE: IMDB critic against Joker, Helen O’Hara can
BOOKS EDITOR Luke horwitz DEPUTY BOOKS EDITOR caitlin hyland agree that plonking the Crown Prince of Crime into any film in the ‘Scorsese-verse’ would be both funny and confusing – and in some cases, quite appropriate. In spite of criticism online, O’Hara’s approach to assessing films remains the same: “I come out of the film, I start thinking, okay so what was good about that...I think my favourite films tend to be ones that I think tell a story well”. As expected, all of these choices are stone cold classics, with films such as His Girl Friday (1940), The Princess Bride (1987), The Apartment (1960) and Some Like It Hot (1959). I wondered if O’Hara felt she had ever made the wrong judgement on a film “Yeah probably. There’s surely some films that I’m very much out of a limb on – I really liked Lions for Lambs (2007) I remember I gave it 4 stars – and I think that’s one of the films where I’m way off the curb on Rotten Tomatoes… which doesn’t matter because I still liked it, that’s my opinion”. Although O’Hara’s love of Robert Redford’s misfire is fair, there was one opinion that very much threw me off. There was once a time where she felt Star Wars Epi-
sode I: The Phantom Menace was a good film. Thankfully, this skewed view was put to right following a 3D screening of the sci-fi shocker: “We’d been kind of defending it for years, like it’s not that bad, it’s not great but not that bad. We went to see it and we were like oh shit, it is that bad”. But no fear, cinemas are now properly back and staying, which means all the best and worst films will be seen in big bright lights, including even retrospective 3D screenings of the worst Star Wars movies. Now the picture palace has made its grand return, all is positive for O’Hara’s continuing rise in film journalism and writing. Following the success of ‘Women vs. Hollywood’ (which has a purple paperback edition planned for release in the new year) there is much in the pipeline for the lawyer-critic-writer. Her book opens conversations and provides strong insight – never telling people, simply showing and exposing the hard truths of a backward Hollywood system, which seems to be making an ascent (albeit a steady one) in the right direction. Let’s hope this continues, or O’Hara may be forced to write a sequel.
Switching the Spotlight
Caitlin Hyland
IMAGE: ANNIE SPRATT
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The Abstract Edition
Vision’s Guilty Pleasures on Page
Luke Horwitz
I
love to tell people how much I enjoyed the latest experimental art novel. But I am not without my fair share of guilty pleasure novels. Everyone who reads for fun has them; they’re the books we go back to time and again but would never bring up when we’re trying to show off how well read we are. We may not be ashamed, or maybe we are, but a few brave (or foolish) York Vision editors and writers, have agreed to divulge their favourite guilty pleasure books.
Caitlin Hyland
The Harry Potter Series The cringe fandom surrounding the Harry Potter series makes me ashamed to admit how often I re-read them. When I was little my dad used to read them to me and my sister and so they fill me with a warm nostalgia whenever I read them.
Charlie Gaskell
Roy of the Rovers Annual: 1983 I was given this by my Dad at a young age and there was a strong period of my childhood where I would read this thing back to front every single night. And, still, if ever I fancy it, I can pick this bad boy up and read through the whole thing yet again. There’s always that same feeling of childish joy.
T
he literary canon, like most spaces, is overwhelmed by straight white cis-men. When we think of ‘classic’ authors, we think of an endless list from Dickens to Dostoyevsky. Only a few female authors such as Austen, Woolf or the Brontë sisters are acknowledged as important, but their works are usually explored in the context of their ‘feminine’ themes. Not to mention the lack of queer authors, authors of colour, and any intersectional combination. Even today most major publishing houses publish less than 30% female authors. This lack of promotion is why York Vision is going to be releasing a weekly book recommendation online that spotlights books by women, POC, and queer authors. In the meantime, here are some popular books that make a great starting point. 1) Red at the Bone by Jaqueline Woodson Opening in 2001 and set in Brooklyn, this novel weaves generational memory and expectations to explore the themes of racism, gentrification, sexual desire, and
IMAGE: ANNIE SPRATT parenthood. 2) Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde Lorde refers to this book as a “biomythography”, part biography, myth and history that details her growing-up in Harlem in the fifties. 3) Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies by Leanne Simpson This book is written in a narrative that resists the standard structure of a novel. Driven by Anishinaabe imagery and storytelling that doubles as an act of decolonization. 4) Beloved by Toni Morrison Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and considered to be one of the great works of American Literature, this novel tells the story of a woman tormented by the past. Morrison combines legend with the dark and inescapable memories of history. 5) Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin Set in 1950s Paris, Giovanni’s Room tells the story of an American who struggles with his sexual identity and is significant for Baldwin’s complex treatment of bisexuality, homosexuality, masculinity, and queer spaces.
Charlie (again) Diary of a Wimpy Kid I don’t even know if this would class as a guilty pleasure because it’s an accepted fact that this book series is gold. And do I feel guilty about spending hours reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid aged 20? Absolutely not.
Luke Horwitz
Interview with the Vampire (1976) Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice has developed a reputation as slightly trashy, poorly written erotica. That being said, I must have read Interview with the Vampire four or so times. As far as vampire novels in the past fifty years go, this is certainly one of my favourites.
Will Rowan
The Guinness World Records 2009 (2008) The Guinness World Records series is full of books filled to the brim with the weird and wonderful. The 2009 edition is easily the best of them, starting from the mind-bending green cover to the 3D mania within. It’s a bizarre yet brilliant time capsule of a time when iPhones had only counted to three and long fingernails were oh so cool. Heavy enough to kill a man and yet light enough for some enjoyable bedtime reading; I can’t get enough of it.
Matt Igoe
The Pokemon Diamond/Pearl Scenario Guide I don’t know why I enjoy reading this every single time. There’s some primal childlike joy that’s reignited in me every time I read this book, cover to cover. Pokemon Diamond singlehandedly defined my childhood, and this book gives me all that sweet, sweet nostalgia without having to actually play through a game which I now find just a bit slow.
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COLUMNS
Thursday November 25, 2021
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@Jasmine07404371
MOODY’S MUSINGS JASMINE MOODY
Late Nights, Long Hikes, and Making Memories: Why I’m Making the Most Out of my Third Year My vodka intake has increased but I’m not mad about it I LOOK DOWN at my watch. 2am. Ah crap, I have a 9am today. I shrug and sip on my third overly expensive 2-4-1 cocktail, whilst staring at my housemates as they drunkenly debate about politics or something of that sort. It’s chill, I think to myself, as I open the door home and prepare myself for a solid four hours of sleep. Gotta love waking up early, I then say, begrudgingly waking up for my 9am-11am and then 11am-1pm seminar. After coming home from that long, long day I do the usual things a good student does: I do my reading, I write my notes and I watch my pre-recorded lectures and- OH WAIT! DID SOMEONE SAY WE’RE GOING OUT AGAIN! COUNT ME IN. Alas, the cycle continues as I prepare for another blissful four hours of sleep for my Thursday 9am. Not to brag, but that anecdote comes from a week where I went out five days in a row. From pubs, to bars, to freezing in the city, and then overheating in the club. I know, I’m so cool. Anyway, what
I’m trying to imply is that I don’t feel much regret from reliving my first year, especially since my second year barred nearly all forms of nightlife. I am aware though that my third year is my final year and therefore the most important of the three, which is why I will continue to emphasise that maintaining a balance is so vital for your wellbeing. It’s all fun and games being an absolute sesh gremlin, but remember your readings for your seminars. Not everything is completely alcohol-based though. No judgement if your social life is. I finally Join me in a toast, ‘tis the season to be jolly. feel like a normal university student and haven’t felt like be hard academically, but I also rethis since the middle of first year, alise that having fun with friends is so I’m grabbing this freedom by important too. It really is all about its balls and doing what I should balance and not sacrificing yourself have been doing the past few years: to either extreme. Staying up with meeting new people, experienc- my housemates, watching films, ing in-person society socials, and or cooking with them may sound generally living my best life as a like small things to many, but those young adult. I know this year will memories will always have a place
MERRY SESHMAS CHRISTMIS IS ASSOCIATED with family. However, many of us are a tad too far from home late November when the festivities start. Many of us are still in York and therefore we can celebrate with our housemates and friends for the festive period. The beautiful thing that differentiates a sesh from a Christmas sesh is that the latter is just like your average family Christmas but with an extra sprinkling of alcohol, chaos, and another excuse to have
an absolute bender with those who may as well be your family. Before I get as emotional as the previous article (not sorry), let’s begin with a few essentials Food: Making a traditional-ish Christmas dinner would be my goto, but this will be your house party, so you do you. What would add another level of house bonding, though, is branching out of your traditions, and combining each other’s Christmas foods together to create a co-cooked Christmas meal. For
instance, someone can make their family’s secret roast potato recipe, and another can add something not-so-traditional to the table. This brings up the debate: do Yorkshire puddings belong in a Christmas dinner? My house did that last year, and I am not turning my back on it ever again. Drink: Alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Festive drinks aren’t a must, but it helps bring some extra vibes. Mulled wine is a classic, but anything with a spicy, warm undertone is festive enough. I’ve seen some cool festive cocktails online, and I’ll be trying the following myself: grab yourself a
in my heart. However, what I will say is that I’m aware that my seshing will have to decrease next term, which is why I’m living it up this term. And yes, mum and dad if you’re reading this, I am on track with my academic work. In hindsight, one day is a decently long time to get your important shit done and there will be time to have fun in the evening, especially if your nights last until 4am the day after. Remember to sleep too - going out five days in a row is not my usual go-to but wow, that was fun. I have been going out more often than I thought I would, I admit, but I am maintaining a good studysesh balance and I’m not just saying that. I apologise for getting nostalgic here, but I guess now is the time for it. I am very aware that I sound like a boomer, telling the youth about the good old days, but they are the good old days and I plan to contin-
ue to make memories because the good old days are now. And, while we’re only a third of a way through the year, I want to keep a nostalgic mindset throughout. When I am stressing about studying, I will remember watching Robots in the late hours of the evening. When I have deadlines coming up, I will look back at that house party my household hosted for Halloween. When I think I should give up, I will look back at the moments in university that brought me here. Never will I think I regret doing x, y, or z in Autumn because I will remember I cherished the memories back then and therefore I shall continue to do so. If you’re still reading after that cheese-fest of a paragraph, thank you. I shall leave you all with the following message: make time to make memories, whether that be seshing and drinking or movie nights and drinking cups of tea after a long study session. You are the most important thing in your life, so remember to keep making amazing memories for your future self to look back on.
chocolate Father Christmas, lob its head off, and fill the hollow chocolate figurine with a chocolate alcoholic crème-based drink. Top off with squirty crème, sprinkles, and a straw, and boom - you now have a very delicious, very festive, very Instagrammable drink. Decorations: Amazon do some affordable decorations, but if you’re the one who ends up buying them, make sure your housemates pay you back. Outfits: Cool or cringy, festive themed outfits are always fun. This may range from Christmas jumpers, lots of tinsel, or something red, green, and sparkly.
Just to warn you, your kitchen will be an absolute bombsite, but it’s all worth it in the end. The mulled wine probably won’t be the only thing stewing over a period of time if the mess is left any longer than the 12 days of Christmas. Remember to clean up your house (after recovering from your festive hangover), otherwise it may well smell like a new edition of Christmas stilton. And there you have a fool-proof guide on how to be the ho-ho-host with the most-ost-ost. Remember to communicate with your housemates and friends and you’ll have a lit Christmas sesh!
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FEATURES
Thursday November 25, 2021
FEATURES
BIG night in: HOW YORK STUDENTS
DAN BENNETT puts a spotlight on how societies and sports clubs have responded to safety concerns and supported the Big Night In movement. ON 14 October, the Instagram page ‘@ yorkbignightin’ called for the boycott of all clubs on Wednesday 27 October in response to the increased occurrences of spiking in York. The post announcing the campaign has since been liked over 4500 times, and led to one of the most highly-participated student-led campaigns the University of York has seen in years. Vision spoke to several societies and sports teams who participated in the campaign to find out more about the reasons for their participation in the boycott, the effects it has had on improving student nightlife safety, and what needs to be done in the future. It is no secret that going out, particularly the Wednesday Salvos club night, is a large part of the identity of many societies and
it. Hes East Volleyball called it “unanimous and a complete given” that they would boycott. Alcuin Netball also called this decision “unanimous”, with Squash saying it was the same for their committee. ComedySoc were set to host “Have I Got News For York” on the same night and a week earlier noted “a participant in the show and a few committee
Alcuin Netball joined Alcuin College Football Club for a Halloween social on the night of the boycott
members raised their concerns over this”, prompting them to adapt the the event so to “not allow alcoholic drinks into the venue, for committee to boycott all bars, and to offer the lecture theatre as a space to mingle”. With all of this decided, the Big Night In evening was a great opportunity for different groups to try different types of socials. Squash hosted a wine and cheese night where they “drank too much wine, listened to music, and played games”, whereas Alcuin Netball joined with Alcuin College Football Club for a Halloween social. This gave members of both groups a chance to “enjoy drinking and partying, without having to worry about anyone’s safety being compromised.” They went further and the next week “once again boycotted clubs and held a ‘Pizza, PJs and Pitch Perfect’ non-drinking social”. As previously mentioned, ComedySoc reworked their event to participate in the boycott, hosting a 40 person event that meant “the society still managed to offer an evening of entertainment” that “fulfilled ComedySoc’s usual level of fun and engagement, whilst carefully respecting the boycotting situation”.
sports teams. Hes East Volleyball described going out as “giving members an opportunity to meet others from different training groups and just socialise and have a good time”. Yet groups are increasingly aware of differences in how students want to socialise; Alcuin Netball told us they are “aware of the intimidation and pressure that some people can associate with nights out” and offer frequent non-drinking socials as a result, while societies such as ComedySoc said they do not put an emphasis on “going out” at all. Even with this range of views about going out, the groups were united in their members feeling increasingly unsafe on nights out in York. Alcuin Netball revealed that this had been a matter of a number of informal talks in the club in which members discussed “feeling increasingly unsafe on nights out and as a result are less keen to go out”, in part due to “many of our members [having] witnessed people who have been spiked this year”. A member of Squash Club told us the situation has gotten so bad that “had the boycott not happened some of us (especially the girls) would probably have avoided clubbing/going to a bar”. So when the boycott was announced, it was a simple decision for many groups to join
ComedySoc hosted an adapted Have I Got News For York
James College Football Club at their pyjama-clothed quiz The events were, by all accounts, a great success individually, however the purpose of the boycott according to ‘@yorkbignightin’
was to ask clubs and bars to “increase their entry security... provide free drink protection devices… [and] provide a clear and obvious medical centre and a safe way home”. The student groups we talked to did not see this taking place. Squash Club said: “Some clubs and events companies have been wonderful in applying more security measures... but definitely not all, and definitely not enough.”Alcuin Netball agreed in saying that “the campaign raised a significant amount of awareness among the student community but it doesn’t appear to have been put into action in clubs”. The safety of students in York is not purely the responsibility of bars and clubs, and YUSU has a role to play in keeping students safe. Some student groups believe YUSU is not doing enough in this regard. Alcuin Netball told us that they were “very impressed by NightSafe since we arrived at York, but have experienced little beyond this, even in light of the recent heightened spiking occurrence in the city”. Squash Club added that they: “Understand why [YUSU] haven’t done much, but
Hes East Volleyball at their Halloween house party [we] don’t think it justifies their inaction. YUSU have a lot of influence to make positive change, and [we] really don’t think they’ve taken advantage of this.. [not] enough people even know about the systems they do have in place for student safety.” With groups still feeling let down by venues and their student union, there are questions about what happens next. When asked about a potential longer-term boycott, Squash Club mentioned that “if we were guaranteed positive change, with more awareness of the long-term goals for the boycott, the society would also be open to doing a longer one… I see a longer boycott going over well with our members.” Alcuin Netball supported this sentiment and added that they “would definitely consider boycotting again, we have more house parties and other non-drinking socials planned.. [we] believe this would be implemented by large numbers of our club. However, we shouldn’t be having to boycott”.
Image: Will Rowan
CLAIRE FORSTER WE CONTACTED CLUBS and venues in York to understand how they have responded to the safety concerns of students and the aims and objectives of the Big Night In movement. Ziggy’s, Kuda, Popworld, and Revolution gave us details on their existing measures and those being currently implemented. All of these venues gave reassurances that they have comprehensive safety measures in place to prevent, monitor, and report cases of spiking. Kuda stated that “we are the most regulated part of the hospitality sector”. In line with the changes Big Night In asked of venues across the city, the clubs we spoke to
FEATURES
Thursday November 25, 2021
25
FEATURES TEAM DAN BENNETT CLAIRE FORSTER
RESPONDED to the spiking CRISIS
MATT WARD-PERKINS speaks to Kelly Balmer about YUSU’s response to the crisis. THE BIG NIGHT In nightclub boycott has pushed issues around spiking into the spotlight, and YUSU Community and Wellbeing Officer Kelly Balmer says more students are coming forward to report their concerns. “There is definitely increased concern, and I’ve been talking to students that have been raising their concerns to me about what I’m doing myself, as well as what YUSU and the University are doing to address this issue across the city. “Your concerns are being listened to if you’ve been contacting us, and if you’ve been reporting it, that’s great, and if you feel able to report it, please do. It is really being worked on at the moment, and I’m hearing your concerns, I’m standing in solidarity with you.” Balmer said that the boycott had “kicked some action into the world” on issues around spiking and had a real impact. “I think it’s made some of my work on spiking a lot easier over the past few months, because I’ve been raising it as an issue for quite a while now. It very much was getting to the point where it felt like it wasn’t being heard as an issue and the boycott really did kick start that. “People know it’s a problem now, as much as I knew it was before and we knew it was before at YUSU, and now work is being done. So the boycott was actually quite effective.” I asked whether students should feel safe on a night out in York, with reports of spiking or other inappropriate behaviour in venues. “Yeah, they should feel safe. Whether they do is a different question at the moment. I think it’s gonna take a long time for socie-
ty to heal from the fear at the moment and that’s completely understandable. I will do everything I can to make sure that you feel safer. “I think it’s a really big question that a lot of people across the city are facing. It’s like, well, they’d say ‘it is safe to go out’... but people don’t feel safe. Why don’t they feel safe? Well, it’s because no one knows what’s going on with this spiking increase at the moment. “Actually, if you’re wanting people to feel safe, you need to be actively addressing them, but no one knows how to address it yet, because it’s so recent.” Some have called for YUSU to call out specific venues where problems have been reported with spiking, but Balmer said “we don’t have a big enough evidence base at the moment”. “I think with spiking, it’s really difficult to report. It’s one of those things which is an absolute minefield to report, right? “I think when you take a step out and think, right, maybe the data isn’t showing as much as we’re hearing anecdotally, why aren’t people reporting it? “Obviously, from my background of running a sexual violence campaign and knowing a lot about this issue, I’ve been able to take a step back, actually, people aren’t reporting because they’re really scared. We don’t have enough reports, but equally, if you don’t feel comfortable reporting it, that’s perfectly okay.” Concerns around spiking don’t look to be going away any time soon, and there will continue to be intense scrutiny of the University and YUSU’s response.
asks York’s venues how they will improve student safety. emphasised an increase in security measures. Revolution stated they have “increased [door searches] in light of recent press reports”, while Popworld commented that “enhanced” safety measures have been put in place such as “including drink covers and [employing] Guest Support to assist any guests that are feeling vulnerable or unwell”. Both Kuda and Ziggy’s stated that the ‘Ask Angela’ scheme was in place in their venues, an initiative that began in 2016, to allow vulnerable or unsafe clubbers to seek help from bar staff in a discreet way. The spokesperson for Kuda described the ‘We Care’ scheme, which is designed to ensure that guests get
home safely. Kuda and Revolution emphasised the importance of their staff in creating a safe space for guests, with training of staff geared towards identifying and helping vulnerable guests. A spokesperson for Kuda said their “teams are fully trained on the issue of spiking. They are aware of what to look out for and what to do if someone thinks they have been spiked”. They went on to state that their teams “have the support of onsite medics”. The staff at Revolution “regularly remove unattended drinks, and are trained to identify and support vulnerable guests”. While Revolu-
tion said their “licensed door staff routinely search guests as they enter”, Kuda gave a much more comprehensive account of the searching of guests, stating that they “operate 100% searches on entry, which include ID scanners and metal detector arches”. Ziggy’s stated that it is advertised that “staff are there to help if needed” in their venues, in line with their ‘Ask Angela’ scheme. Both Kuda and Popworld recommended that guests report suspicious behaviour to members of staff in the venues. CCTV was also mentioned to be a significant security measure taken within these venues. Kuda responded that they have
“CCTV coverage throughout” their venue and that their security teams wear bodycams. It was communicated that they “will pass footage onto the police to help with any investigation”. Revolution also emphasised the surveillance measures taken in their venue with CCTV coverage throughout their bars. Ziggy’s alone gave an indication of their commitment to the boycott of venues on 27 October, stating: “We spoke to ‘Girls Night In’ and showed our support by closing on the Wednesday”. The spokesperson also commented that the management at Ziggy’s remains in “weekly contact with universities to ensure the students are protected”.
26
LIFESTYLE
Thursday November 25, 2021
LIFESTYLE BY
MARTI STELLING
BEING A STUDENT last year was hard. With a full day of lectures and seminars online, the thought of attending another Zoom call for a society meeting seemed more painful than appealing. With the loosening of restrictions, many societies have jumped at the chance of holding in-person socials and events. As a second year student, I attended my first Freshers’ Fair this term, as well as attending my first society socials. Being able to sit around a table and drink cocktails with other actual human beings felt very different to looking at blank screens in breakout rooms! It has undoubtedly led to an increase in society numbers, turning small three-way calls into people spilling out of seminar rooms! The Taylor Swift Society is an example of this. Expecting small numbers and providing a modest amount of cups, their introductory event resulted in members queuing across Spring Lane for a Taylor-inspired cocktail (I chose ‘Be-gin Again’, obviously!). The return to in-person meetings and subsequent taster sessions has encouraged me to join societies
LIFESTYLE TEAM MARTI STELLING SHARANYA KUMAR
BACK TO NORMAL? THE RETURN OF IN-PERSON SOCIETIES that I would never have thought of joining otherwise. I’ve gained a sign language qualification, joined two student papers, dressed as a Suffragette for FemSoc, and talked books with LitSoc. Meeting other members in person has formed friendships which I doubt I would have found on Zoom. I’ve also learned from hockey taster sessions that I’m not the next Maddie Hinch! Ah, to be a fresher without the haunting experience of cold, quarantine food boxes and playing York Monopoly as our sole form of entertainment. First year PPE student, Kaitlyn, told me about her experiences of societies on campus: “The range of societies on offer at the University of York is
outstanding. There were so many amazing groups to join that I truly didn’t know where to start. “Do I go with a more academic one that could help support my learning? Or a fun activity like movie society, where I can meet people with similar interests? There is really something for everyone and just as York has enough bars for every night of the year, YUSU has enough societies for every moment of free time in a busy student’s schedule. All the societies are so welcoming and the weekly society socials are an awesome addition to the entertainment of York. I’m loving all the options and I’m excited to decide what to try next!” But not all of us have such
gleaming reviews for societies last year. Second year English andLinguistics student, Miri, shared their perspective on the return to the ‘new normal’: “As someone who, like the majority of students last year, found making eye contact with someone in the local Aldi the most social thing I did in the week – the prospect of going to a big event or social made me a bit apprehensive. “It can seem daunting to go from sitting alone watching Netflix or going to sit in the kitchen and make awkward conversation with your housemates to suddenly being on a dance floor with fifty people all in various stages of tipsy and wearing equally cheap, last-minute costumes. I think an-
other problem is also the fact we seem to have gone from nothing to everything in such a short space of time. This time last year, I would be glad to have a stunted conversation at the launderette and now it seems every society and club is clamouring to put an event on in the first term! How can we learn to say no when we all feel the need to fit two years worth of socialising into ten short weeks? The first years will learn this soon, but for us it seems a bit too little too late.” So, whether you’re happy to be part of a community again, or simply glad to be away from a computer screen, I think we can all say that in-person societies beat the rule of six any day.
WILL I BE MR. PERFECTLY FINE?
“You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath”: Should I tell the lads about my closet-love for Taylor Swift?
Hi Aunty, I hope this question isn’t too weird. I’m not a very musical person, but on a whim I listened to Red (Taylor’s Version) and I loved it. I have had it on repeat ever since. I’ve also enjoyed
discussing it online and sharing different thoughts on the songs, and I want to do this more in real life. The problem is that I’m not a typical ‘Swiftie’, I’m quite a lad-y lad and my mates would probably laugh if I talked about it with them. How do I find a group to talk about these things without looking silly? Dear fellow Swiftie,
Thank you for your honesty, and for contacting me with this question! Firstly, I would like to emphasise that there is no blueprint for what a typical ‘Swiftie’ looks like. Sure, you’ll find cable-knit cardigans and sweeping side fringes at any SwiftSoc event, but you’ll also find people who have only listened to a few songs and are just looking for people to talk to! Taylor Swift’s music encompasses universal themes and emotions that are certain to resonate with a wide range of listeners. I know lots of guys who are big Swifties, and proud of it - as Tay Tay famously said: “Fuck the patriachy”! I’m sure that if you introduced
your friends to some of her music, they would find themselves singing along eventually (if they don’t already secretly do so!). How about at your next pres, you start playing her music on the speaker instead of the usual drum and bass? Or, get Alexa to play Taylor Swift quietly while you’re hanging out, to get them accustomed to her music? It’s all about subliminal messaging. Honestly, if your so-called ‘friends’ won’t respect your newfound passion, you should just get new ones. Life’s too short to care about what other people think listen to the kind of music you like and do what makes you happy. At the end of the day, “haters gonna hate”, so just embrace your
inner Swiftie and own it! I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to overthink it too much or worry about looking silly; most Swifties would be incredibly excited to welcome you to the fandom and chat about all things Taylor. As autumn draws to a frosty close, don’t hesitate to make Red (Taylor’s Version) the soundtrack to your life. I’m sure you’ll find lovely, like-minded people with whom you can talk about her music to your heart’s content. I warmly encourage you to “stay, stay, stay”, because “it’s a love story, baby, just say yes” (to Taylor Swift). Love, Aunty Vi
SCIENCE
Thursday November 25, 2021
SCIENCE
27
SCIENCE TEAM
OLIVER FISHER DEPUTY: POSITION VACANT IF INTERESTED PLEASE EMAIL VISION@YUSU.ORG
BEHIND THE SCIENCE OF SPIKING
BY
OLIVER FISHER
DRINK SPIKING IS the act of adding drugs or alcohol to a person’s drink without their knowledge or permission.
Although spiking has been in the news recently, there are records of drink spiking that date back to 1903. Research believes that spiking is most commonly done by adding alcohol to a drink, however drugs can also be used. The most common types of drugs used for such things are sedatives and tranquilizers. Some of the drugs used include ketamine, valium, benzos, Rohypnol (roofies), Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Ecstasy ,and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). Sedatives are prescription medications, often for anxiety and sleep disorders. They are highly addictive and thus not available over the counter, but can still be obtained. They slow down your brain activity by modifying the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric
BY
OLIVER FISHER
FRESHERS’ FLU IS the plague that most first years face and everyone else fears. It can take days to months to recover fully from it, and symptoms can include headaches, tiredness, and a lack of motivation to do anything. In many ways it can feel like a rite of passage into University, but why does it feel worse than any other flu? Freshers’ Flu actually isn’t even caused by the flu virus, but is more akin to a cold. The start of university weakens your immune systems due to a plethora of reasons, making you susceptible to viruses such as rhinovirus. Arguably the main factor causing Freshers’ Flu is meeting so many people from all over in such a short time. There is a good chance that you’ve run into multiple people who have viruses you don’t have active or passive immunity to. Active immunity is when
acid (GABA), which is found in the central nervous system (specifically the brain), so that it releases more regularly, which slows down the transmission of electrical impulses. Side effects from taking sedatives may include: dizziness, sleepiness, slurred words, blurred vision, and impaired reflexes, all of which are symptoms of getting spiked, but also drinking too much alcohol. Tranquilizers can be split into two groups: major and minor. Minor tranquilizers are antianxiety agents or anxiolytics, which are used for lesser cases of anxiety and can work in the same way as sedatives. Valium is a benzodiazepine, which is a type of minor tranquilizer and is the most prescribed drug in the world. Major Tranquilizers are used for treating schizophrenia and other similar conditions that can seriously affect a person’s behaviour. They help calm people by blocking the neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps regulate
emotions in the brain. Side effects of these drugs are restlessness, muscle spasms, tremors, and more. Symptoms of spiking more generally can include memory loss, slurred speech, nausea, disorientation, confusion, and tiredness. With the ‘Big Night In’ movement taking place recently, we’ve seen more cases of people coming forward to talk about their experiences with spiking. However, it is very hard to get true figures of the scale of spiking. There are several reasons why there aren’t accurate statistics. A lot of the drugs used are quick to dissolve in alcohol and don’t have a distinct smell or cause a colour change - the most you can see is bubbling (but this is not always the case). If alcohol is used to spike a drink, a change in taste may be noticeable. Many of the drugs used don’t stay within the body very long, meaning that, unless reported and tested quickly, urine and blood samples are inconclusive. Hair analysis can be used to
find out a person’s long and shortterm use of drugs, identifying the types of drugs used and how often. However, there are problems with this testing. The work of Christopher Davies and others suggests that hair testing is affected by several things such as “pharmacokinetic and metabolic responses, hair growth rates, drug incorporation routes, axial migration, ethnicity, age, and gender”. There is also a chance of false positives and negatives. These reasons along with people not wanting to provide hair for personal reasons means that it is not a foolproof method to confirm whether someone has been drugged. On top of the scientific struggle to identify drugging, like with most crimes that physically affect someone, there is a reluctance to come forward and report getting spiked. Thus, it can be assumed that there is a higher number of cases than those reported. Sadly, this reluctance can come down to people being scared of not being taken seriously and getting victim-blamed, or to the trauma associated with the assault that can take place
when spiked, creating a mental barrier in which they have to relive the incident for them to report it. Surveys have also found that a lot of people don’t report incidents as they are in doubt of whether they were spiked or had drunk too much or eaten too little before going out. This doesn’t mean that we have no data on spiking. Dr Suzanne Swan and her team at the University of South Carolina conducted a survey in which students across three universities were surveyed on their experiences with spiking. She found that 7.8% of people reported they had been drugged, some of them multiple times, and 1.4% said they knew someone who had drugged someone, or that they had done it themselves, with a common motive being that they found it “fun”. It was found that 21% of victims were male and believed that the most common reason was for “fun”, while 79% of victims were female and believed the most common motive to be sexual assault.
WHY WAS FRESHERS’ FLU SO BAD THIS YEAR? someone develops an immunity due to being directly exposed to a pathogen. You catch it, getting ill, and then your body fights it off. In the process of fighting it off your body creates memory lymphocytes that will recognise if the same pathogen attacks again, notifying the body, allowing for a quicker reaction. Passive immunity is very similar except that it is when antibodies of the pathogen are given to you, for example via a vaccination. It is a weakened version of the pathogen meaning it won’t do harm to you (it very rarely does) but it allows your body to make memory lympho-
cytes, meaning that if you are attacked by the same antibodies then your body will react quickly, hopefully stopping you from getting ill. The increased stress you suffer during this time also hinders the immune system, making you more susceptible to diseases. To no one’s surprise, there is a lot of drinking that happens in Freshers’ Week, however this makes it harder to recover as alcohol is an immunosuppressant. This means that not only the cells that combat infections are weakened, making it easier to get infected, but it means the symptoms will feel worse.
It is notorious that university students don’t sleep, which is somewhat problematic. Sleeping is a big factor in recovery time as the body uses sleep as a time to shut down unnecessary bodily functions and focus on key areas such as illness recovery. On top of struggling to function in everyday life, a lack of sleep will make you feel worse. It’s not uncommon for students to not eat enough, and when they do it’s rarely what their body needs. This can cause an inflammatory response, which in turn can increase the infection’s severity and, it’s been suggested by researchers
at the University of Bonn, that it could cause immunosuppression. Recent research suggests that when a diet is highly comprised of fast food then the body reacts very similarly to when it is experiencing a bacterial infection. This means that the body is in a heightened state for long periods of time, which can cause it stress. This year’s Freshers’ Flu may feel especially bad due to lockdown. In the last 18 months, fewer people have been getting ill, so when they’ve got Freshers’ Flu they have forgotten all reference points of other illnesses, making it seem worse than it is.
28
CLIMATE
Thursday November 25, 2021
CLIMATE
CLIMATE TEAM JOE BAKER KAITLYN BEATTIE-ZARB
COP26: ON THE GROUND IN GLASGOW
IMAGE: KAITLYN BEATTIE-ZARB
BY
KAITLYN BEATTIE-ZARB
AS WORLD LEADERS flocked to Glasgow this month, I traded my politics lectures in exchange for the real world politics of COP26. I started my November on the 6:30 am train to Glasgow, eager to experience the energy that a global conference of world leaders generates. Instead, as I exited the train station in a spattering of delegates and journalists, I was met by empty streets and numbed attempts at enthusiasm. Whilst Glasgow had been spruced up for the event - with UN COP26 branding covering everything from buses to lamposts - the atmosphere of the city centre was initially devoid of acknowledgement. Streets were vacant, citizens were unaware or disengaged and the famous leaders and
climate concerned celebs were hidden away in their Blue Zone bubble, stationed outside the city at the Scottish Conference Centre. Even the publicly accessible Green Zone was a half hour walk from town, creating a noticeable lack of relationship between the United Nations and allies, and the people of Glasgow. Around midday I finally got a glimpse of the climate excitement I had hoped for, as activists appeared in George Square, raising their banners and their voices for issues ranging from Extinction Rebellion to opposition of Iran’s leadership. This passion continued to brew throughout the week, as German siblings Kiwi (12) and Zozo (10) abseiled off the Clyde Arc bridge claiming “Humanity has Failed”, as XR protesters were engulfed by police on Tuesday, as
activists spontaneously gathered in Kelvingrove Park on Monday night. Monday’s protest was reactionary to Boris’s reception dinner, which took over Kelvingrove Museum, resulting in a multi-street lockdown; limiting access to houses, extending commutes, slowing school pickups and affecting over 9000 homes. All so the presidents, prime ministers and princes could have a fancy dinner. The blurred lines of citizen needs versus entitled disengagement were not limited to Kelvingrove. As I trekked across the city, taking in the bureaucracy of the event, I noticed confusion regarding shuttle buses (were COP buses only for delegates in blue lanyards, or citizens with tickets to the Green Zone as well), the Green Zone (in the face of low attendance civilians
could walk-in without a ticket, but only at specific times, and only if you talked to a specific security guard) and the conference in general - its purpose, its goals and why it had to happen in Glasgow. My experience at COP26 wasn’t just a depressing look at the inaction and entitlement of our leaders though. The chats I had with activists, students, and citizens were fascinating, and the exchange of knowledge descending amongst the grassroots of Glasgow was a joy to witness. Whilst the Green and Blue Zones felt very inaccessible and ‘bubble’ like, once inside, the Green Zone hosted an intriguing afternoon. I attended poetry readings such as “Goodbye Glacier’, youth talks like ‘Visualising Climate’, and even tried vegan haggis! Much can and will be said
about what occurred at COP26, and the outcomes of this globally witnessed event. All I can say is that walking around Glasgow, I saw an underwhelming and disheartening level of seclusion where there could have been genuine engagement, excitement and evolution in the relationship between decision-makers and citizens. If you are going to speak for the people, maybe actually speak TO the people.
The streets were surprisingly quiet outside of protests.
HOW THE UNI’S RESEARCH REACHED COP 26 BY
JOE BAKER
IT HAS NOW been a week since COP26 reached its conclusion, with many still left unsatisfied with the agreements that it reached. Steps were taken in addressing the phasing down – not out – of fossil fuels and addressing the loss and damage to countries most affected by climate change. Claims were even made that the drive of mitigation to keep global warming to 1.5˚C remains in sight. However, even COP26 President Alok Sharma has admitted, “its pulse is weak.” Just before the conference, the University of York announced their promise to be net-zero carbon by 2030. Alongside this announcement, the University was involved in the COP26 Univer-
sities Network, joining many institutions across the country in producing briefing papers for the conference. Designed to engage the public in conversations about the conference, these papers – co-written by York academics – covered topics such as financing a sustainable net zero future, mainstreaming climate change education, and the processes of mitigation and development. The university was also able to send a small delegation to COP26, led by Professor Ian Graham. In an interview with Vision, he stated that he went to the conference to “present what the university is doing and how we think we can contribute to the whole essential delivery of net zero by 2030 or before it.” One way in which the universi-
ty is contributing to this is through their work with BioYorkshire. This partnership between the University, Fera Science, and Askram Bryan College is aiming to make North Yorkshire the first carbon negative region in the UK, by researching “how we can transition from an oil-based economy to a bio-based economy.” This work is extremely important in today’s climate, as Ian Graham said himself, “we can no longer keep on burning the planet.” One avenue that the university is currently exploring is biomass crops renewable low carbon energy sources. The University is currently undertaking a landscape study on hemp as a biomass crop, a material that could help in reducing our dependency and addiction to petrochemicals. Their
research on the topic contributed to the UK government’s Biomass Policy Statement issued during COP26, which outlined how the
Professor Ian Graham, leader of the University’s COP26 delegation. UK will implement biomass crops to capture more carbon from the atmosphere over the next decades. In his general takeaways from the conference, Ian Graham told
us that “we spend a lot of time talking about what we’re going to achieve by 2050, but we really should be focusing on what we can achieve and do in the next 5-10 years.” He also outlined that it is ok to be sceptical about COP’s outcomes, but to just be cynical is not helpful: “we need to be keeping on it and making sure that these pledges that have been made are followed up by these countries.” In our contribution to the global conference, it highlighted to Ian Graham how the University of York “can really be a centre point in the UK for helping deliver those biobased solutions.” However, the next step is not just being net zero on campus, but how our university’s research can have an impact on regional, national, and international society.
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30
Thursday November 25, 2021
SPORT
SPORT
CENTURIONS MARCH ON YORK CENTURIONS
24
NORTHUMBRIA MUSTANGS
6
RUTH KELNER AND MATT WARD-PERKINS from 22 Acres @ruthkelner1 @mattwardperkins
THE YORK CENTURIONS told YSTV last week that they wanted to prove they belong in the BUCS Borders Tier 1 league they were promoted to in the last season of competition in 2019-20. They went a long way to doing that against the Northumbria Mustangs, securing an eventually comfortable 24-6 win. The Mustangs were fresh from a victory against the Hull Sharks last Sunday, and after York’s 0-8 loss to Hull the week before they could have been seen as favourites coming into the game. Centurions outside linebacker Dominic Munns told York Vision after the game that they may not have expected a win but they strongly hoped for one, and
Munns was a big part of making those hopes come true. In a start to the game that stunned many of those watching, Munns recovered two fumbles from the Mustangs in the first two snaps of the game, returning both for touchdowns for a 14-0 lead. He told Vision afterwards that even he was surprised at his own touchdowns. After running out a two score lead, the Centurions put the Mustangs under a whole lot of pressure, forcing sacks, incompletions, and tackles in the backfield, and it was eventually a York special teams error that gave the Mustangs a way back into the game. With York on offense at around the 20 yard line, a penalty for a personal foul pushed them right back to the 5, and an attempted punt to relieve the pressure saw a fumbled snap which almost resulted in the Centurions giving away a safety, but ended with the Mustangs starting a
drive from the York one yard line. Despite the Centurions’ defence putting in a strong effort to push Northumbria back to the 7, the Mustangs scored on third down with a short crossing route, ending in the receiver being pushed into the endzone by teammates. Northumbria’s extra point was no good, making the score 14-6 to York, with neither side scoring again after that fast start to the half. York started the second half as the stronger side, with quarterback Ollie Mulcahy and running back Will Harvey combining to create some great opportunities for York. The Centurions almost capitalised in their first drive of the second half, as a failed onside kick attempt gave them the ball close to half way, which they worked down the field into the red zone. In the end, it was an interception at 2nd and goal that cost them that opportunity, but their
defence continued to pile on the pressure. The Centurions forced a fumble that they were not able to recover, and Johnny Joseph ran an interception back to two yards from the endzone, before play was called back after yet another penalty for roughing the passer. The club’s President also noted the work of the defensive line speaking to Vision, with Cameron Campbell and Josh St Clare (who lived up to his ‘Bosh’ St Clare nickname) causing issues for the Mustangs in particular. It was a Mustangs mistake under pressure from that defensive line that gave York another scoring opportunity, as a snap over the head of the quarterback on fourth down delivered the Centurions the ball at the Northumbria 20 yard line. They weren’t able to force the ball into the endzone, but a field goal from defensive hero Dominic Munns gave York a 17-6 lead. York were able to force the ball into the endzone late in the
game on fourth down from the 2, but a late whistle from the officials called the ball dead on the one yard line for a turnover. After three incompletions and a punt that only reached as far as the Northumbria 30 with around a minute left on the clock, it was an incredible Will Harvey solo run that put the game far out of reach for the Mustangs. After a good extra point, the Mustangs ran down the clock after the kickoff, leaving the final score as a York Centurions 24-6 win for their first of the season. The win gives York two points, bringing them even with Hull, Northumbria, and Edinburgh, and behind league leaders the Newcastle Raiders, in the close Borders Tier 1 league. The Centurions move on to face Edinburgh next week, hoping to find a second straight victory against a side who will be desperate for a win after their 32-0 loss against Newcastle this week.
1
WOMEN’S RUGBY: MAKING CHANGE
BY RUTH KELNER
IN THE WORLD of professional sport, women’s sport can be eclipsed by the men, but this couldn’t be less true for rugby at York. Georgia Briggs, women’s rugby club President, told Vision that rugby has taught her just how powerful she can be. For Franki Riley, York Sport Union President and fellow women’s rugby player: “The feeling of sheer empowerment she has experienced within sports at York is, in my opinion, unparalleled across the University”. As a woman in sport, Riley has not been immune to criticism. “There have been isolated incidents where my gender has been highlighted and used in a manipu-
lative and discriminatory manner; that is never acceptable”. Georgia Briggs said there is “absolutely” support given to women to get involved in sport at York. She went on to speak about how lucky she thinks we are to have Riley as York Sport Union President, and the Union itself “who are completely supportive of women’s sport and providing opportunities for us to have the same platform as the men’s”. Over the summer, the nation was enthralled by the men’s Euro 2020 football squad, who were denied the trophy in the final against Italy. The final was watched live by 31 million people in the UK, on par with the record set in 2016. Women’s events can some-
times struggle to equal these kinds of audiences. England’s semi-final World Cup loss to the USA attracted an audience of 11.7 million. Georgia Briggs recognises that historically “women’s sports have not been as well attended, funded, or participated in on an equal basis with men’s sports”. Briggs is quick to add that “This is definitely changing, and we’ve made positive strides towards equality for women. “The 2021 Allianz Premier 15s Final attracted an audience of 74,000 people, comparable to the men’s league.” This increasing attendance of women’s sport is perhaps moving even more quickly at the University. Briggs points out that: “Wom-
en’s Rugby was the closing ceremony at Roses in 2019 and attracted one of the largest crowds I’ve seen at a university fixture”. According to a report by MPs, women of all backgrounds are less likely to take part in activities and more inclined to give them up at an early age. University can be the perfect place for women to give sport a go. “There are so many clubs at both college and university level that would love to meet you – it’s a great way to exercise, keep fit, and meet more like minded people. University can be quite a lonely place sometimes and sport is such a great stress relief”, said Briggs. In the report, one of the top sports for female participation was found to be rugby. For Briggs, rug-
by is a completely inclusive sport, “it really does not matter what sex or gender you are – I love rugby as anyone of any size or shape can play”. UYWRUFC is an “inclusive and welcoming club”. They have three teams for more skilled players to those who have never picked up a ball. Riley is “committed to progressing the agenda of women in sport, and has many exciting plans in the works”. She says she aims to “increase the profile of our women’s sport teams, many of whom are some of the highest performing teams at the University, and ensure that the inequalities faced by many female athletes are stamped out here at York”.
SPORT
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SPORT TEAM VACANT
IF INTERESTED PLEASE EMAIL VISION@YUSU.ORG
UNDER PRESSURE HES EAST AND JAMES RUGBY SMASH THROUGH FUNDRAISING TARGET AFTER CLOSE-FOUGHT CHARITY GAME
HES EAST
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JAMES
5 MATT WARD-PERKINS from York RI RUFC @mattwardperkins
A LATE JOE Robson try made the difference in a close, scrappy match, as Hes East secured a 7-5 win over James in last Friday’s Spike Aware UK charity game. An estimated crowd of 300400 people attended the match, co-hosted by campaign group The Last Taboo York. Both teams had sustained periods in which they were on top of the match, but often struggled to take advantage, with strong and fast defensive lines absorbing much of the pressure they faced. Much of the first half saw James on top, and while Hes East were able to withstand much of their attack, there were some great IMAGE: LUKE SNELL moments of play that created opportunities for points. It was one of those moments that created the first try of the night, as Tom Davis’ break through the line was stopped by a last-ditch Hes East tackle into touch. James won a scrum at the five yard line after the throw from the lineout wasn’t straight, and James Lancaster broke a tackle to make up even more ground. Hes East’s fast defensive line forced James back to the edge of the 22, but a flowing passing move delivered the ball to Henry Cullens on the left wing, who scored in the corner to give James a 5-0 lead. James looked to keep up the pressure, as another penalty gave them an opportunity in Hes East’s 22, which full-back Harry Clamp nearly took advantage of with a run to the five yard line. From there, it looked like James’ forwards were confident in their ability to put another try
on the board, despite increasingly frustrated calls from their backs, who had a massive amount of space down the right-hand side of the pitch. After the ball was lost forward to end James’ run in attack, the game started to settle, with both teams having periods on top, and it was Hes East who ended the half strongest. A series of offside penalties were given away by James, giving Hes East two chances to kick to touch in the corner. Right in the closing moments of the half, a short lineout from Hes East got them close to the line, but James’ goal line defence held up and eventually did enough to win a scrum and end the half. The second half saw Hes East come out as they ended the first, piling the pressure onto James in an attempt to maintain their 16-month unbeaten run. Chance after chance was stopped by a James defence that was throwing everything into maintaining their lead, but eventually Hes East thought they had pulled back an equalising try. A lineout at the five yard line saw Hes East go for a maul to try and get over the line, and eventually they did break through, and a try was signalled by the referee. The celebrations didn’t last long however, as the assistant referee flagged to award the scrum, ending a sustained attacking run of play for Hes East. Hes East kept creating opportunities, and their pressure did pay off just before full time, as Hes East won a penalty just inside the 22 for a high tackle. Hes East pushed within five yards of the line yet again, but this time the ball came to scrum-half Joe Robson, whose diagonal run saw him score straight underneath the posts to tie the game. Despite the pressure of the match on him, Jonathon Jelfs
calmly slotted the conversion through the posts to end the game at 7-5. Friday’s event was about a whole lot more than rugby, and founders of Spike Aware UK Mandy and Colin Mackie had travelled from Scotland to watch the game. They set up the charity after their son Greg died at university in Edinburgh, after his Coca-Cola was spiked with the equivalent of five ecstasy tablets. Colin told York Vision: “What we really want is people taking a bit of knowledge about it, you know, they go home and hopefully they’ve enjoyed the game and they think about it now. “Hopefully, if it changes one person, if it just maybe saves one person, that makes a difference.” Mandy said: “Today is what puts a smile on our faces. Losing our son and campaigning the way we have, this is what does it for us.” The Last Taboo York President Imogen Horrocks said that teams like Hes East getting involved in raising awareness around spiking was really important. “I think, kind of up until now, it’s been a very one-gender conversation, it’s very heavily focused on women, it’s generally women who are the voices for these things. “Hes East doing this is a fantastic starting point for a collective shift in club attitudes, and we’re really grateful to be able to work with them. “We’re really fortunate to be able to work with them on something like this, and start setting a precedent for a change in attitudes.” Hes East Rugby Vice Captain Josh Hattersley said that the cause was a very personal one for the team, telling Vision: “It was around when the boycott was happening, and it had just come to our attention that one of our players had been seriously quite badly spiked and was hospitalised be-
cause of it. “We were saying that we wanted to do something to kind of show our support for him.” Morgan Willetts, President of Hes East Rugby, told Vision he hoped this event would be the start of even more support for charities from college sport. “I’m hoping with this event, that it will become an annual event and every year a different charity will be chosen to support and that we can just continue showing what college sport can do when the whole college sport community comes together.” James Rugby President Harry Cullens, speaking to Vision, said the teams were keen to challenge the reputation that sports clubs have had in the past. “I think, especially as a rugby club, there’s definitely some sort of reputation that some boys get. “I think we’ve all definitely bought into the system and we fully support the movement, we supported the boycott movement, where none of us went out. “I think we’re keen to get rid of that reputation.” It may not have been the highest scoring game on the pitch, but off the pitch the GoFundMe for Spike Aware UK has broken through the £1000 fundraising target. York Sport Union President Franki Riley said: “Our university sports groups are always one of the first to get behind campaigns such as spiking awareness, and have a huge impact on student activism. I’m so proud that once again our student sports are leading this and I hope that we can continue to channel this positive energy into long-lasting change. In front of one of college sport’s biggest crowds, Hes East and James delivered some great performances, and showed that some things are more important than sport.
FIGHT NIGHT RETURNS TO CAMPUS
BY MATT WARD-PERKINS
IT HAS BEEN two years since the University of York Boxing Club’s Fight Night has hit campus, and it is to make its return this Saturday at the Roger Kirk Centre. Charlie Ridgeway will be fighting in the penultimate fight of the night, but told York Vision about some of the other fights he’ll be looking forward to on Saturday. “Em [Hogan] and Karina [Kalinkina] should be a great fight because they’re both very experienced. “Karina has had a few fights and Em hasn’t but she’s been boxing for years, so this should be good, their skill is just great.” Communications Officer Chloe Crawford agreed this would be one to watch, saying: “Just watching them train, they’re both very dedicated and skillful fighters. “I just think they’ll be such a good fight to watch and they’ve both got very similar fighting styles as well, it’s like watching them fight in a mirror.” Charlie also told Vision: “Seungyoon [Lee] and Euan [Clague] should be a really good fight just because of their two different styles. Seungyoon’s a southpaw as well which is always exciting to see.” The final fight of the night sees former coach Nak Khan take on current coach Hywel Cooper in an exhibition fight, and both Charlie and Chloe told Vision it was one that they were looking forward to. Charlie said: “I think the one I’m most excited for might be Nak and Hywel just because it’s the two coaches and two really good fighters, which is what you want to look forward to.” Tickets are available for Fight Night on the YUSU website.
ısıon VSport YORK
Thursday November 25, 2021
FIGHT NIGHT SET TO MAKE A RETURN PAGE 31
FRIENDLY RAISES THOUSANDS FOR CHARITY
FIGHTING BACK
Hes East Rugby Complete Comeback to Continue Unbeaten Run Against James BY MATT WARD-PERKINS A LATE JOE Robson try made the difference in a close, scrappy match, as Hes East secured a 7-5 win over James in last Friday’s Spike Aware UK charity game. An estimated crowd of 300-400 people attended the match, co-hosted by campaign group The Last Taboo York. Both teams had sustained periods where they were on top of the match, but often struggled to take advantage, with
strong and fast defensive lines absorbing much of the pressure they faced. Much of the first half saw James on top, and while Hes East were able to withstand much of their attack, there were some great moments of back play that created opportunities for points. It was one of those moments that created the first try-scoring opportunity of the night, after Tom Davis’ break through the line was stopped by a last ditch Hes East tackle into touch.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 31