FRESH summer 2010 by Hassan Barakat

FRESH the Kingston university studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; union magazine summer issue

No place to go?

Your guide to accommodation.

Jam packed with discount vouchers, cash prizes and competitions.

Your guide to careers this summer! Sports, societies and other shenanigans!

Student elections revealed! Meet the new student government.

Fresh

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

Student elections p09.

Charity work South Africa p37.

Contents

General 06 Editors Note 07 Fresh Editorial Team Politics 09 Diaries of a political bullet 11 Meet the new sabbatical team 13 General elections Careers

The latest news from the Snowsports Society p71

15 The magic 7. 17 From Facebook to publishing 20 Enterprise and bright ideas 21 The ADAB trust 23 What Kingston has done for me 25 Student Volunteering 27 Nightline

Hottest trends from London Fashion Week. p58.

Student articles 29 Lets get ready to Mongol! 31 The agony zone 34 The ectasy zone 35 No place to go? 37 A visit to Africa 41 Campus Developments 43 Music Reviews 46 Film Reviews Events

Disclaimer: This publication is FSC certified and uses paper which 15% recycled.

49 Law society’s masquerade ball 53 St Patricks day 55 Haiti fundraising by UNAKU

Music Reviews p43. Your career begins now! p15

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are an international non-profit making organization founded to support the world’s forests. FSC promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Image created and photographed by Hannah Springett.

Fresh

57 Rihanna vs Gaga 58 London Fashion Week 61 Photography Section Sports

Environmentally appropriate forest management ensures the forests biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes are maintain. Front Cover

Arts

Latest basketball update! p79.

69 Skydiving update 71 The winner takes it all 73 Snowsports society update 75 Cheerleading update 77 Netball fundraising event 78 Cheerleading fundraiser 79 Basketball update.

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

Marketting and Advertising

Our Mission

Kingston University Student Union offers a range of advertising packages including print media, web and plasma screens around all KU campuses. If you would like to advertise in the next issue of the magazine or have any queries then please contact:

To inspire, engage and empower the student community with an uncompromised truth and creativity.

In my hands I hold the second to last draft of this magazine; this letter is the final piece of the puzzle that is the definitive magazine for KU students. So here it is an introduction to your summer!

marketing@kingston.ac.uk.

Contributors

Community

We would like to thank the following people:

We are always looking for new talent to join our editorial team. Be it film, photography, politics, dance, music or art that drives you. You are welcome to contribute to KUSU through our magazine/website or events. As our members, we take pleasure in celebrating your success and showcasing your talent.

Pauline O’Brien and Cherrelle Amo Student Union Staff

Howard Coan Interview with EC’s

Daniel Prettejohn Wola Nani Project Interview and Photography.

Jason Kelleher Skydiving Society President

Sebastian Abigail, Richard Brendon Tom Griffiths

For more information: e: kusucomms@kingston.ac.uk w: www.kusu.co.uk

Snowsports Society Commitee

Zelda Malan and the Graphics Department Photography exhibition work.

Editors Note

To find us on facebook and become a fan search ‘fresh Magazine’.

In this issue we bring you LDN fashion week, music reviews, film reviews; introduce your new students’ union government as well as round up the news on anything Kingston, London; from sports to societies and accommodation. After all the scandals, expenses shambles, bail out plans, tragedies, affairs, the come backs and the throw backs; before the exams are over, the course works are written and you are free for one hot summer (we hope the weather stays on side and Rooney is ready for the World Cup). Take a moment. Relax. Unwind and be entertained. If you are worried about graduating and have not yet thought about job prospects, we have the remedy on page 15 with the careers section: here you can find contacts you need to give your career a head start. For a comedic take on life in Kingston check the Agony/Ecstasy section on page 31. This issue would not have been possible without our dedicated members of the editorial team, so I would like to thank them for all the hard work and devotion they have demonstrated and continue to do so. I would also like to give a special thanks to Hannah our creative director who has always supported the editorial growth of this publication. The editorial team and I wish you good luck on you exams and hope you have an amazing summer!

FRESH magazine prize survey For your chance to win one of three gift vouchers prizes please, fill out the FRESH magazine survey on: www.surveymonkey. com/s/kusufeedbackmatters

Editor-in-chief

Hassan Barakat Too see more of our magazine visit: www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

There is a first prize of £50 gift vouchers and the two runners up will get £15 worth of gift vouchers each. Winners will have the option of choosing KUSU or high street gift vouchers.

Fresh

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

fresh editorial team “Smart has the plans, stupid has the stories“ Therese Doksheim Sub-editor

“Come what may, I won’t abandon or leave you behind, because love is a loyalty sworn, not a burning for a moment” Aundre Jacobs Music Editor

“Wisdom is knowing what to do next; Skill is knowing how ot do it, and Virtue is doing it.“ Sasha Storman Writer and Proofreader

“Nothing is pointless; everything is experience“ Duygu Ulusoy Sub-editor “Live everyday like it was your last. “ Miles Taylor Photographer “Do what makes you happy” Claire Rogers Writer and Proofreader

“Attitude determines altitude.” Safeera Sarjoo Online Ediitor

“God can transform a total wreckage, turn your mess into a message and make a testimony out of your tests!” Moreni Ewuosho Fashion Editor “You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.“ Olivia Heath Writer

Fresh

“The past makes us who we are, don’t make it your burden.“ Francis Ezekiel Film Editor

“Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” Paul Akins Photographer and Designer

“When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep - not screaming, like the passengers in his car.” Edyta Lozovska Lifestyle Editor

“In love with discovery, addicted to success.” Hassan Barakat Editor

“If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun.“ Lauranne Heres Sub Editor

“Milk was a bad choice.” Dave J Baker Writer

“To gain motivation, motivate others.” Hannah Springett Creative Director

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

DIARIES OF A POLITICAL BULLET The exhilarating experience of being Wanted.

alking into my flat, I saw my two roomies on the floor unleashing their creativity designing t-shirts. So naturally, I dropped my bags and joined in. Whilst strategically drawing stars, I heard how much this campaign meant to my flatmate who hoped to secure the VP Activities post. Hearing how passionate she was and all the plans she had that she wanted students to reap made me think that her passion alone would secure her the job. But with voting online and securing votes, it was going to be a strenuous three days of campaigning.

Day 1

You’d think aspiring journalists would embrace such a thing as the student elections wouldn’t you? Well you’d be wrong. And it didn’t help with the complex process of the online voting website. You needed to check all of your email folders to trifle out a message from the online electoral and get your two codes which were then entered in order for you to vote.

Day 2

One journalism student simply replied that he couldn’t be bothered to vote because it wouldn’t make a difference to him who won. This seemed to be the general response from people and some students weren’t even aware of the elections going on. Day one was over and, from what I could see, flaws were beginning to show from the lack of communication to show; from the lack students, to the complex voting process.

Fresh

interviewed by Duygu Ulusoy, Written by safeera Sarjoo, Photography by paul akins

The sun was out, I was in high spirits and there was no reason why we couldn’t rack up some votes. After classes I went with my flatmate (who appointed herself Wanted’s VP Activities campaign manager) around the John Galsworthy building talking to students and trying to win their votes. In what I personally thought was an abuse of friendship, she had me remove my jacket to make my shoulder dropping top and my skin more visible. To make things even saucier I ended up carrying the box of condoms JJ, the VP for Education candidate, had been lobbing around all day. Surprisingly enough, the condoms went down a treat with the guys. We ended up having a lovely conversation outside of the library with a group of endearing boys who even went so far to help us secure votes just by staying stationary and getting people’s attention. As much as I would stay and chat, we dragged ourselves away and continued securing votes.

Day 3

Although I wasn’t heavily involved in the last day of campaigning, I did see a few people that had promised to vote. Wanting to be a goodhearted person, I took their word for it. In the evening we all gathered around and spoke about how we thought the campaigning went. It was done. There was nothing else we could do.

REsults Day

My stomach was churning. It was like I was running in this campaign. Imagine how my flatmate must be feeling, I thought. Facebook feeds kept my anticipation under check, updating every other minute or so. As the results came in, I found that I had stopped my amateur live feeds and just wanted to hear who had won. Although our hardworking team did not win, it had indeed been an experience. Approaching strangers was definitely out of my comfort zone but it was all for a good cause. My only hope is that students show more enthusiasm when it comes to elections next year, both student and general. Voting is such an important right we’ve been given and we should exercise it wherever possible.

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

one

Your new students’ union sabactical team from 14th July.

The One Team.

OTHER ELECTED OFFICERS

NUS Delegates

Partner College Officer: Vithiyatharan Lashanth Women’s Officer: Zaima Khan Environmental & Ethical Officer: Daniela Eigner International Students’ Officer: Abhinivesh Beechook LGBT: Katarzyna Kepa Mature Students Officer: Sheila Leatherdale Disabled Students Officer: Jamie Pipkin

Hassan Barakat Christopher Dingle Rhiannon Hiscocks Stefan Mattison Alistair Farrow Roberto Calo

TJ President

Stefan Mattison VP Communications

Rhiannon Hiscocks VP Activities

Chris Dingle VP Education

TJ was re-elected after a successful year as the president of the students’ union.

President and founder of the Cinema Appreciation Society at KU, he will be taking a break from studying English Literature and Film Studies to fulfil his position at the union.

Rhiannon was re-elected after running last year as the student union VP Activities. She is most known for the amazing Support Our Sports campaign that rocked Kingston University last year.

Is currently studying his second-year studying Law, and is also the president of the Kingston University Law Society.

His manifesto includes:

Her manifesto includes:

His manifesto includes:

• To keep working alongside the national campaign against raising the cap on tuition fees. • Continuing work to ensure the recent funding cuts do not have an adverse effect on learning and teaching at Kingston University. • Continuing to raise the profile of the Students’ Union beyond our “four walls”. Ensuring more Kingston University students are involved in events within Kingston Town centre and beyond. E.g. International Youth Arts Festival, May Merrie etc • Campaigning for better Prayer Space at Penrhyn Road campus. • Campaigning to increase the LRC opening hours at Roehampton Vale.

• Instigating a campaign for a KUSU radio station to give Kingston students a brand new platform to communicate with one another. • Improving communications within Kingston so all students can open up a dialogue together. • Invigorating the SU website to make it clearer and more accessible. • Improving on the success of Fresh magazine and encouraging more students to contribute and get their voices heard.

• SOS: Support Our Sports – continuing the campaigning including keeping Wednesday afternoons free for students to have the opportunity to take part in societies, sports and extracurricular activities. • Clearly advertising all activities on the SU website including: society, sports, volunteering events, social nights, and all bar events. A comprehensible one stopshop to find everything that’s happening in Kingston University. • Attempting to increase the amount of prayer spaces across ALL campuses. • To organize more events and parties in the Union. • Unity – encouraging even more combined Sports and Society events around the University • To enforce Sabbatical team members to keep regular blogs so students can see what we do for you, entitled ‘Tabbs on Sabbs’.

• Improving the standard of feedback given across all degree programs in terms of consistency and quality. • Representing student views on tuition fees, graduations, and academic issues. • Ensuring students by continuing the work of plagiarism campaigns and promoting academic student societies.

On her success on winning the campaign she said:

Email: support@kingston.ac.uk (14th July)

On his success in winning the campaign he said: ‘I’m quite happy, definitely quite happy. Being the president of the students’ union is exceptionally challenging, but it’s something where I don’t feel I have yet met that challenge, really nailed it down. I’m not done with what I needed to do here; I had to run again. The future is bright; it’s looking quite promising. I’m exceptionally happy that that exact team won, which means I get to work with these people. We have the same vision, the same drive, the same everything, the same passion. I’m very, very happy.’ Email: president@kingston.ac.uk 11

This semester saw KU students elect a new sabbatical team for our students’ union. After three days of non-stop, furious campaigning from the candidates, who went by the team names: Wanted, The One Team, and Wildcats, we can now reveal the winners by student choice:

Fresh

On his success on winning the campaign he said: ‘To begin with I'm ecstatic with the results! I campaigned as hard as I possibly could and I'm so thankful for everyone who took the time out to help me and voted! It's going to be a struggle but I'm really going to push awareness about KUSU next year in the hope that it will encourage people to be more active and GET INVOLVED with the union, and by extension, sports teams, societies and other Kingston activities, leading to a better more communal atmosphere in OUR university. I always tried to keep in mind how feasible my aims were and I believe that I can deliver all the things I aim to.’ Email: kusucomms@kingston.ac.uk (14th July)

On his success on winning the campaign he said: ‘Very happy to be elected and thank you to all those who voted for us. There is a lot of work to be done on plagarism awareness and I intend to work as hard as possible on this. I also want to work on the important academic issues such as tuition fees, standards of feedback and graduation. I look forward to getting sucked in and working on Freshers week!’

‘I’m very excited to have another year in the Students’ Union and looking forward to having Chris and Stefan on the team too, we’ve already been discussing some joint projects and campaigns that we want to work on next year. I love Kingston University, but there are several areas that are lacking in comparison to other Universities, it is a lot of work to do a Sabb role and it’s definitely not a nine to five job but I absolutely love it.’ Email: activities@kingston.ac.uk www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

your thoughts on the General Election? What would you do if I told you that the fate of this country was in your hands? That’s right; your choice could make the difference between whether or not this country becomes great once again and puts all its current woes behind them or whether it will sink further into the darkness that currently consumes it. Definite food for thought isn’t it. However, this is the hand we’ve been dealt as the elections grow closer. There are more than 700,000 students in London & a million plus nationwide who are old enough to vote, many students however don’t. There are many reasons why we as students don’t feel inclined to vote. Some may say that politicians don’t go out of their way to appeal to us and our needs; others feel that voting is pointless as all MP’s are the same. Some of us don’t vote because we just don’t care enough. Regardless of these opinions, experts expect this to be one of the closest and most important elections to happen in this country in years. This is what some of your fellow Kingston students think in regards to who they’re going to vote for:

Fresh

Vanessa Atwood, 22, English Literature

Emily Whitaker, 19, History and Drama

Political Group: Labour; because they’re not the Tories and I don’t believe any other political power has the strength or ability to run the country.

I’m going to be voting for the Conservatives. I’m not from an upper class or even middle class background, in fact I would say I’m from quite a poor working class area. I believe that our society should work as a meritocracy: people who work hard should be rewarded. However, the benefit system that we have in place has been perfected to such a degree that often people are no better off in low paid employment than on benefits, so where is the motivation for people to find jobs and stand on their own feet? Why should people that have worked hard to find good jobs be taxed extra to support others? I also feel that the Labour government is moving ever closer to running a 'nanny-state', only today on the front of a newspaper I saw a doctor’s recommendation that people should be banned from smoking in cars because of the number of children developing asthma from passive smoking - and to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if labour decided to take this up.

Dan B, Journalism Depends where I am when the election rolls round. If it’s Brighton I’ll probably vote Green, if it’s Kingston I’ll vote Lib Dem. I’ll be voting for the Green Party as they are competitive in my neck of the woods in Brighton, and it’s thought they might scrape their first MP at the next election, plus with the polls looking to be tightening up the closer this gets anything could happen. If I’m in Kingston I’ll vote Lib Dem because as I understand it round here it’s either them or the Tories. That’s a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. Anna Hallissey, 19, Sociology with Journalism I'm voting for Lib Dems, because I prefer their policies and Nick Clegg is a pretty charismatic leader and the most relatable candidate out of him, Brown and Cameron. I know it may seem like a wasted vote because it boils down to Labour or Conservatives but I'm not going to let the political affiliations/apathy of the rest of the population stop me voting for a party I believe in.

Written by aundre jacobs, images sourced from www.flickr.com

If people wish to be irresponsible in bringing up their children that is their decision, I disagree with this level of state intervention in family life (other than in cases of abuse of course). In the budget today there is no inclusion of extra funding for schools or the NHS for the first time in years, because of the huge amount of debt the country is in - isn't the development of the welfare state one of Labour's biggest achievements? And they

can't even sustain it. My mum is a nurse and the bad press the NHS receives is disgusting, the simple fact is the number of people using the NHS is a lot higher than the number of people paying for it - so of course there are going to be huge shortfalls. Although I think Lib Dems have some good policies, in the current financial situation I can't see how these would pan out. I really like the Tory emphasis on family

values, as I believe that a stable home and family life is much better protection against teen pregnancy/drug taking/crime than ploughing money into education in schools. Jonny Turvey, 20, Human Rights and Journalism Lib Dem, Labour or nothing. Labour because they're the most likely to stop the Tories getting in which has to be our main aim. Lib Dems because this is the first election where I feel they have a chance of gaining a lot of ground on Labour and the Tories. And I’d rather the Lib Dems were in rather than Labour or the Conservatives. And I might not vote at all because I disagree with the political system and I want to start a revolution.

These are just some of the opinions of some of the students at Kingston University. Feel free to argue with these opinions or to be swayed. However, I implore anyone who reads this that if you don’t feel educated enough to make a decision on who you want to vote for, you have some time. Educate yourselves and vote for who you think will suit you best as a person and as a student. You never know, your vote might change the world you live in completely.

Dan Read, 26, Journalism I’m voting Labour. And here I am going to make a distinction between the parliamentary Labour Party and the rank and file organisation within the trade unions. If you want to have the unions involved in politics, which they should, then the LP is still the organisation they created to have that voice. Given that there are vocal leftist elements still within the LP and not just within their leadership, voting for anyone else is just not a progressive option.

To register to vote: www.voteforstudents.co.uk The main parties: www.labour.org.uk www.conservatives.com www.libdems.org.uk www.greenparty.org.uk for an overview of the parties: www.general-election-2010.co.uk

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

The magic Your career starts here!

ENGINEERING

If you feel like starting your own business may not be for you, there is no need to despair because there are lots of other things you can do that will make finding an employer much easier once you graduate – and KU’s employability co-ordinators are here to help you do just that. Here’s what I managed to find out: What does a typical day as an employability co-ordinator involve? EC’s are faculty-based and their time is split between organising and running career gigs and talks for students to get out and persuade employers to come and consider Kingston students, to persuading the Academics to let us in on their classes to let you know what we're organising for you. What are your top five tips on preparation for the world of employment? 1)

Come to our graduate jobseeker boot camp this one's for final years and gives you the CV, the skills and the practice you need to beat off the competition in the graduate recruitment process. 2) Start early especially in your third year.

”The worst thing that students do is leave their job search until the very last minute.”

3) Don’t just apply willy nilly - second worst thing you do? Send the SAME application letter and CV off for every job you see. And recruiters can spot a 'round robin' letter a mile off. You need to be more specific than that. 4) Ditch the bling - surely it goes without saying, but you wouldn't believe the number of students who go along to an interview dressed as if they're going to lectures. 5) Learn how to play the recruitment game - there's etiquette to graduate recruitment and you're mad if you don't take advantage of your EC to learn what it is...

Fresh

Written by howard coan

HCARE/MUSIC/EDU

FASS

Drop In Sessions: ENGINEERING Mon 11:30 - 13:30 in RV LRC; Tue PM in PR Cooper House www.facebook.com/ KUEmployabilityEngineering HCARE / MUSIC / EDUATION Tue 12:00 - 14:00 in Nightingale LRC pod 2 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Faculty-ofHealth-and-Social-Care-Sciences-KingstonStGeorges /87946229118 FASS Tue 15:00-17:00 and Thur 10:00-12:00 in CASE which is in the Tower Block 703 www.facebook.com/KUEmployabilityFASS CISM Thur 13:00-15:00 in Sopwith’s Student Office foyer area www.facebook.com/KUEmployabilityCISM BUSINESS AND LAW Mon & Thur 11:00-13:00 in the Kingston Hill LRC www.facebook.com/ KUEmployabilityBusinessAndLaw SCIENCE Mon 11:00 – 12:00; Wed 11:00-12:00 in the Academic Skills Centre, John Galsworthy building Thur 10h-12h PR LRC www.facebook.com/KUEmployabilityScience FADA TBC the FADA EC has just joined us so watch this space and call Careers on 0208 417 3523 www.facebook.com/KUEmployabilityFADA

CISM

BUISNESS/LAW

There’s also a ‘Mass Careers & Employability drop-in’. Once a month the entire Careers & Employability team pitches up to help students on one campus. It’s usually around lunch times and you can come with any Careers / Job hunting query or even your CV. Watch out for the pink and white Careers & Employability banners. How can students get in touch with co-ordinators? 1) Come to our drop-in sessions - each EC runs their own drop-in sessions for students in their faculty - see the times opposite. 2) Call Careers & Employability on 0208 417 3523 3) Via the EC’s Facebook pages What events will be running in April, May & June? April - Enrichment week – watch out for notices in your faculty! Plus a summer jobs fair... May – We’re leaving you alone to focus on your exams, but we’re still around to talk to and help. June – Foot in the door for first years and a massive ‘meet the alumni’ fair to help answer your job hunting questions for when you have finished your exams. Throughout the summer - Jobseeker boot camps, 2-day intensive assessment centres for graduates. How can students at Kingston make the most of the advice and help available from the employability co-ordinators? Come to our gigs! Throughout the year we run an ever-increasing number of activities to help you get ready for the job market, but the turn out is low. So the offer is there...

SCIENCE

FADA

enterprise! KU has an enterprise support department. So, whats in it for you? Schemes like IAP can result in six weeks paid work and valuable experience for your CV. Talk to Cassie: E: c.talfourd-rich@kingston.ac.uk Tel: 020 8417 3198 Or, check out our website: www.kingston.ac.uk/services-forbusiness. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (a prestigious graduate recruitment scheme) can result in a 2-3 year job, as an associate, or a shorter term contract. Talk to Ali or Marie: Email: a.pretlove@kingston.ac.uk Tel: 020 8417 3605 Email: m.withers@kingston.ac.uk Tel: 020 8417 3605 Entrepreneurship competitions can lead to mentoring and cash prizes for your own new business. Talk to Martha: Email: m.mador@kingston.ac.uk Tel: 020 8417 3604

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

From Facebook to Publishing 18+ Teen Secrets and Letters Interview with Loell Wolfries What are the stories in the book about and where did they come from?

Loell Wolfries is a student studying BA Honors in Entrepreneurship and Management at Kingston University. Loell and her group flourished when given the task from their tutor to run a small enterprise. They utilized the power of an online social utility site to give young people from around the world the chance to submit stories about their life experiences in the hopes of helping others around them cope with similar situations and be more open about their experiences in the future. Loell gives us an inside scoop on what it takes to get published! What you to make 18+ Teen Secrets and Letters? It was originally my colleague Tung's idea. We wanted to create something which would help young people, because at school you are not taught about emotional intelligence. We wanted to tackle it by writing a book to show the difficulties young people go through. How did you go about gathering content? We set up a Facebook page called Wisdom Child: the idea was to get people to submit stories about their experiences and we wanted to keep the limit to 100 stories.

Fresh

Written By Hassan Barakat

We had a mixture of stories on love and relationships, prison life, school, migration, crime, bullying, car accidents and peer pressure to name a few. We had people submit stories from all over the world including: India, Holland, Hungary, Czhec Republic, USA, UK, Antiga & Russia. What does the editing process entail? Each person in our group took turns to read and categorize the topics, then we proof read again until we eliminated as many spelling and grammatical errors as we could in the space of time we had. How long did it take to write 18+ Teen Secrets and Letters? It took us two weeks of nonestop work and sleepless nights at Kingston Hill library. We had to work within a short timescale as this project was part of our module ‘Graduate Young Enterprise’. How did you establish selling points? Author house viewed the manuscript and loved the idea; the group put 2000 pounds into the project, most of which was personal money! What was the plan of action to get the book published? Tung knew it was going to be a book, so he went through many publishers and faced a lot of rejection because we did not have an agent.

What was the business plan? Publishers said we would have a prime position in Waterstones as well as registration in the UK and the USA. They also said they would handle the marketing of the book. In the long term we decided we would approach schools and colleges. David Stokes who was our mentor gave us advice on publisher relations, as well as offering us a joint venture on the next book. On the ‘Wisdom Child’ page, Penguin has shown interest in the book and some of the group members will be going to India to promote it. What do you plan to do in the future having achieved success so early on? I plan to run more businesses and get involved in investments in the future. As a matter of fact, everyone in my group wants to continue running their own businesses. Tung and Raheel in particular don't see themselves working for other people. What has been your highlight of this journey? The highlight of the journey was seeing the end product for the first time. Holding your book with your name on it is an awesome feeling. Being able to call yourself a published author is amazing. Another amazing highlight was seeing our fan page - we didn't even create it, it was one of our readers that made it. Now that's awesome!

What advice would you give to young people who want to go on to have work published? For anyone that wants to have a book published I'd tell them to just do it! The hardest thing about starting any business is to stop planning and just start running it. Honestly, there is so much support around that you'll always have someone to turn to. In regards to publishing a book, remember that publishers are not your friends- they are businesses, and businesses are out there to make money so whatever you do, be business-smart. What has happened since the book was published? Since the book has been published, 100 copies have been sold.

We also won ‘Young Enterprise Team of the Year’ award at the final Trade Fair and Ceremony Evening at Penrhyn Road. We won £200 and a silver plaque. Raheel has also gone to India to meet with publishers there and to promote the book. ‘18+ Teen Secrets and Letters’ now has a Facebook fan page with close to 200 fans all over the world. Bar has also organised promotional video clips to be shot in Hungary and put up on YouTube closer to the summer. Has this book opened up opportunities for you or anyone in your team?

book is not the same as running retail or a service business and so the accomplishment has increased our business skills greatly. We have networked a lot and met incredible people that want to help us with the book and that take us seriously when it comes to getting involved in possible future ventures together. Nothing specific has happened in regards to opportunities but everyone is amazed when we tell them we have a book published. If you want to buy the book or read more on it click on: www.authorhouse.co.uk

The publishing of this book has made us all confident in our abilities to be entrepreneurial in less conventional ways. Publishing a

Styling Packages @ Kingston University

Take advantage of this offer exclusive to KU for as little as

£10!

To promote our new Kingston branch Celee is offering students a chance to have a professional styling session with one of our top senior stylists this April. Services included:Cuts, Full weaves (Hair and Cut Included), Partial Weaves (Hair and Cut Included), Tracks (Extensions) How to book: As little as a £10 deposit will secure you an appointment. To book and pay deposits please call: 0208 692 4422 If you have en enquiries regarding full pricings of services included please email: adlever1@hotmail.co.uk

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

Entrepreneurship at Kingston University Despite what some may think, Kingston Uni does have hidden talent. Speaking to Robert Iman Soltanie, president of Kingston’s Entrepreneurs Society, he tells me that many KU students are involved in running their own businesses both before and after Uni. His main business involves helping people to sell their houses as fast as possible at the best possible price: here’s the full interview below. Why did you start the society? I wanted a platform to find like-minded people and to be able to create a more entrepreneurial community – setting up the society seemed a logical thing to do.

KUSU Reception Sevices Photocopying Black and White Colour Transparency Ream of Paper

A4 A3 A4 A3 B&W Colour A4

Fax 0208 & 0207 Numbers: 00 Internation Numbers: Other Numbers: To recieve a fax

3p 6p 75p £1.50 20p 75p £2.80 25p (per page) £1 (per page) 50p (per page) 15p a page

Envelopes Full range of envelopes from 35p Stamps 1st Class 2nd Class 1st Class A4 Europe Rest of the World

Fresh

41p each 32p each 66p each 88p each £1.46

Written by howard coan

£4.92 book of 12 £3.84 book of 12 £2.64 book of 4 £3.52 book of 4 (upto 40g) £5.84 book of 4 (upto 40g)

Laminating A4 A3 ID

£1.00 £1.50 25p

Extras Binding CD Jewel Case CD Sleeves NUS Extra Card

£1.80 20p 15p £10

Classified Ads Students/Staff for sale or business advertising on KUSU notice boards: (5 A4 Penrhyn Road and 2 A4 at Kingston Hill) 7 x A4 size posters £1.50 per week Postcards size 20p each per week N.B. We do not accept accommodation adverts Contact Penrhyn Road Campus Tel Fax Web Email

Monday – Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm 020 8417 2868 020 8417 2862 www.kusu.co.uk studentsunion@kingston.ac.uk

Chance to win £1000!

You will probably be surprised to know that this competition, which challenges students from eight London uni’s to come up with an idea that could improve a service or product, or develop a social enterprise or project had 175 entries – and 78 of these were from Kingston students! Here is what KU students have won prizes for: Winners received cash prizes of £1000:

What have you done for example did you start your own business? When did you realize you wanted to do this?

Neomi Bennett KU & St George’s joint faculty A Vital aid for health care providers in the prevention of Deep vein thrombosis

I always knew I wanted to run my own business and I was very fortunate to find an industry (property) which I have been passionate about from such a young age. I have been involved in running businesses and projects since primary school so in reality, I thought this was a norm.

Caron Ireland KU & St George’s joint faculty A brightly coloured, single-use, disposable product for children that will provide comfort and support whilst they undergo intravenous (IV) therapy

Do you know any KU student/graduate who is successfully running their own business? Of course, many of the alumni of Kingston Entrepreneurs’ club are involved in running their own businesses, both during and after Uni. Do you think enough students realize what they can achieve if they put their minds to it? Students need to realize the potential they have and the way to do that is to create an environment of ‘no fear’ and try out things until you feel comfortable and can believe in yourself. Once this is done, the sky’s the limit.

Runners-up received cash prizes of £250: Johanna Davies KU & St George’s joint faculty “Stethwipe” – the quick, hygienic, cheap and safe way to decontaminate your stethoscope between seeing one patient and the next! Toyin Dawudu & Christina Daniels KU and Brunel collaboration The idea for our business is to create a community project that encourages young people to express themselves creatively. Shane Churcher KU & St George’s joint faculty A drip rate calculator for manual IV infusions

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

The ADAB trust Dermot O’Brien, one of the founders of the ADAB Trust, struck me as creative, which is an essential characteristic for someone who has created a charity like the ADAB Trust. He has the vision to see a London where there is no glass ceiling for BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) graduates who have the right qualities and skills to get jobs. Dermot O’Brien is passionate about the work he does with the ADAB Trust, talking animatedly and eagerly about testimonies, one from our own university which convey the difference the ADAB Trust has made to BAME graduates.

airman from WWII. President Roosevelt , when the US was running out of white airmen ordered the military to create an Afro/Caribbean flight. The military did not believe an Afro Caribbean could be taught how to fly and they would not have the moral fibre in combat. Therefore the military created a selection process that was so tough nobody could pass. What they got was an elite group of people who were determined to prove their worth. The Tuskegee airman were still not allowed into battle so when Eleanor Roosevelt, the president’s wife, visited the airbase she insisted that a ‘Tuskegee airman’ took her flying. The military then decided if they can take Eleanor flying they should be allowed into Europe to get shot at! They were given the most dangerous task: guarding bomber planes over Germany in daylight.

He was talkative, friendly and warm; characteristics which made interviewing him easy and which you can imagine would make potential graduates from BAME backgrounds feel working with him to improve their employability feel as if they matter and are valued. Dermot was explaining to me how he helps graduates from BAME backgrounds distinguish themselves from other graduates, how he opened doors for graduates, but it was up to them to walk through them and how he taught those graduates to network (‘people buy people’ as Dermot called it).

They were the most successful flight in aviation history. An urban myth is that the Tuskegee airmen never lost a plane they were guarding ( very nearly true) . Many of these pilots then went on to have successful corporate careers. All this was achieved by creating a challenging selection process designed to fail the participant. The Adab Trust maintains a challenging and difficult selection process except that we try and help, not hinder the student. This story is the model for the ADAB Trust because we want to find confident and knowledgeable graduates that can compete with any other student. We discover these graduates through an employer led selection process. Also we know these graduates are market quality because the country’s no. 1 head hunters Odgers Berndtson quality assure the process and the successful graduates.

‘The ADAB Trust wants there to be social cohesion so all sections of society have a fair chance of finding work’

Where did the idea for the ADAD Trust spring from? The idea for the ADAB Trust came from three things. One was an awareness of the barriers facing graduates from ethnic minorities. For example, a Bangladeshi female graduate living in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is four times more likely to be unemployed than a white female graduate living in the same borough. The ADAB Trust considers employment the most important thing. The ADAB Trust wants BAME graduates to have equal access to economic opportunity. The ADAB Trust wants there to be social cohesion so all sections of society have a fair chance of finding work. As well as this I have a mixed race child who I want to have equal opportunities as children not from BAME backgrounds. I care about the world they grow up in. The final reason why I was inspired to begin the ADAB Trust and the model I based the Adab Trust on was the US story of the Tuskegee

Fresh

written by sasha storman

Derrmot O’Brien gives an interview on the opportunities available to students.

What was the initial reaction from students? Did they believe there was a real need for a society such as the ADAB Trust? There was a positive reaction from BAME graduates though they didn’t know what they weren’t aware of in terms of the importance of doing well in the recruitment process. This is things like the right attitude, the correct dress sense, understanding the workplace, knowledge of the career you desire to get into and most importantly selling yourself to a potential employer.

Did the ADAB Trust immediately attract employers in the business sector or did the trust have to prove that they could appeal to a certain number of students first?

Not immediately, but yes the employers have embraced what the trust is doing.

Do you believe through statistics and success stories that the ADAB Trust has helped graduates from ethnic minorities find work in the fields they desire? We have placed 80 student with top employers eg, StateStreet Bank and Trust Company, JP Morgan Plc and Ernst & Young LLP .

5 6

Landline: 020 7510 9785 Mobile: 07957204432 Email: Dermot.OBrien@adab-trust.org

What particular skills and talents do you believe you have that enrich the ADAB Trust?

What does the ADAB Trust offer which similar trusts don’t, for graduates from ethnic minorities?

Do you think there is a particular need for ADAB in the recession? If so why?

What do you think you’ve accomplished in your time at the ADAB Trust? Well people who wouldn’t have got into work have done. Feedback from companies shows that they want to employ from the rich mixture of London’s diverse communities.

Contacts

I wasn’t aware of the issue until I came to London. I hadn’t realized there was a problem. I became aware job prospects depended more on personal networks and background than talent.

Statistics show BAME graduates suffer most in the recession, so the ADAB Trust is needed most in this economic slump.

www.adab-trust.org

Dermot O’Brien Chief Executive

We can offer graduates access to employers and their networks. The feedback and training we provide is directly from employers and thus we are creating a pathway from modern universities for high quality students to reach good employers.

Website

Was cultural inequality in the workplace always something that was important to you?

I can bring employers to work with the trust and know how to engage employers and the community equally and I am creative finding novel solutions to complex problems.

MORE INFORMATION

Are there any particular cases where you feel that you have given a graduate an opportunity to get a career which they wouldn’t have be able to otherwise?

Mohsin Aboobaker Graduate Recruitment Manager Landline: 020 7510 9785 Mobile: 07825 220395 Email: mohsin.aboobaker@adab-trust.org Helen Folorunso Head of Learning Landline: 020 7510 9785 Mobile: 07950 789938 Email: helen.folorunso@adab-trust.org Hannah Ford Operations Manager Landline: 020 7510 9785 Mobile: 07869 138778 Email: hannah.ford@adab-trust.org ADab ADdress 78 Grundy St Poplar Greater London E14 6UK

Yes, graduates tell a whole range of stories where they have the right qualities but aren’t given the right jobs because of barriers against BAME graduates. The ADAB Trust assisted them in overcoming those barriers. Employers help with development coaching.

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

What Kingston DID For Me... When I came here I thought I’d study and have friends and maybe find a part-time job. Never did I imagine that by the time I was in 3rd year I would have done so many things and realized some of my childhood dreams before even being done studying. The KUSU Fresher’s Angels scheme helped me get my first job as marketing staff for the union. Then a friend of mine who used to host karaoke up in Kingston Hill told me to take over when he graduated, and I now host karaoke and pub quiz at Hannafords and Space bar. I joined a Gospel Choir in 1st year and now I’m the choir director and we’re turning into a ‘sing whatever you like’ choir. I’ve joined Fresh magazine and can now write freely and work on my editing skills for a later job. And I’ve met some amazing musicians, been in a band, performed live at gigs, open mic nights and recorded songs to be released soon. I may not have so many classes and I often feel like I pay too much for what I get, but what I definitely got is life experience and many great opportunities. By Lauranne Heres

I knew it the first time I stepped out of the taxi and in to Kingston; I’d made the perfect choice of university. I can’t think of anything that’s not been to my satisfaction yet. If you take advantage of what Kingston has to offer, you’re in for what I’m thinking’s going to be three wonderful years. Although I’ve only been here for seven months, I’ve met people from all over the world, made friends I’ll have for a lifetime. I’ve interviewed a celebrity stylist and up-and-coming athletes, been to PR-meetings and seen how the big companies work, i have recieved advice and tips from authors and journalists and now I’m even working for FRESH magazine. I’ve thrown myself in to new things, been spontaneous and dared to try something new, which has led to something amazing each time. I think it is easy to succeed if you just take advantage of what’s here for you. Join societies, volunteer, say yes to something you’re scared of and enjoy every moment of university. By Therese Dokshelm

‘Kingston University has given me the chance to go abroad to get practical experience.’ If you want to join, look up ‘Rhythm Nation Choir’ on facebook.

I could talk about how university life has made me independent (living 280 miles away makes it quite difficult to take your washing home for the weekends), resourceful (I think everyone can sympathise with loan crises) and confident (or at least ten times less shy), but everyone goes through that - wherever they study - so I’m not going to bore you with a long list of ‘how I’ve changed’. Kingston University isn’t just somewhere you go to be near London (though it is an added bonus). It’s a place where people realise their potential and everyone is only ever helpful. Take FRESH, for instance. I was fumbling along wondering how I could possibly cope in the quickly approaching ‘real world’ as I had no

For more info join: ‘I Love Karaoke at Space’ or ‘I Love Kareoke at Hannafords’ on facebook.

By Claire Rogers

Do you want to help

design the next Cover

of fresh magazine?

Fresh Magazine is the official students’ union magazine. Written and designed by students for the students, Fresh is constantly pushing for student success and creative flair and we want you to help us!

Requirements:

Your Task:

The September issue is designed for the new students! How do you entice the new freshers to pick up the magazine?

Design the front cover for the Freshers’ Issue of Fresh Magazine! Be Exciting, Be Creative and Be Fresh!

‘I realized some of my childhood dreams’

editorial experience in the publishing industry when I noticed an ad in the back of the student magazine. I decided there was no excuse when this opportunity was sitting right in front of me, and now I’m involved in the official SU magazine, which will raise my status when I’m looking for a job. Kingston’s tradition of resident writers (where published authors teach creative writing classes) has been the best way for me to improve my skills and knowledge of the industry. They know what it’s like trying to get published. They know where to go, who to go to, and what to do; they know the game.

The only restraints you budding designers have is entries must be 176mm x 235mm portrait and in PDF or JPEG format.

We welcome all talents, be it photography, illustration or any other art form. Send your design by 7th June to: KUSUCOMMS@KINGSTON.AC.UK or drop it at the students’ Union office next to Space bar.

FRESH FRESH the Kingston university students’ union magazine summer issue

No place to go?

Your guide to accommodation.

Jam packed with discount vouchers, cash prizes and competitions.

Your guide to careers this summer! Sports, societies and other shenanigans!

Student elections revealed! Meet the new student government.

Fresh

Written by writers specified above

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

STUDENT VOLUNTEERING WEEK What is National Student Volunteering Week?

So have we missed it?

Every year, Student Volunteering Week takes place highlighting and celebrating the fantastic work done by student volunteers across the country. KUSU Volunteering put on a programme of exciting taster events, giving regular volunteers the opportunity to experiment with something new and those who’ve never volunteered before the chance to give it a try.

No, Student Volunteering Week’s just once a year, but there’s volunteering going on all year round through the KUSU Volunteering Department. It’s a volunteering service especially for students- around 400 get involved in a wide range of activities each year. There are four main sections: The Community Bureau is “Classic” volunteering: helping regularly in local charities or community groups, for example, you could help at a youth group, act as a theatre usher or mentor adults with learning disabilities.

So what did people do? The uptake was great: students coached kids at King Athelstan Primary in Tennis, visited our local St John’s Ambulance Unit and supported local kids in a mini-marathon. Lots of you took the challenge and learned to knit, helping Chemistry student Lisa Ta in her Junction49 project: making hats for newborn babies in hospital. The knitting continues in the KUSU Activities Centre every week (there are also generally cookies…!) and you can still get involved. Two fabulous teams of fundraisers helped raise a fantastic £15,000 for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and the Rotary Club’s ‘Thanks For Life’ appeal too. The planned clean-up of the Hogsmill River had to be postponed because terrible weather the week before meant the river was in flood, but on Monday 8th a team of students and staff put on their waders and helped clear rubbish from the river and banks. Junk they took out included a coat, a goal post, plates, taps and a computer Motherboard! The area outside Knights’ Park bar is now looking a whole lot nicer. The great response we had from this means that future events are planned…

Fresh

Within Schools Volunteering, you can help in primary and special needs schools; supporting children in classes, mentoring vulnerable pupils and offering specialist activities like dance or photography. If you’re short on time or want to try a wide range of different things, you can do Oneoff Projects every now and then-often these are practical projects like environmental days or fundraisers. Last, but not least, through Junction49 there’s the chance to get funding and support to set up and run your own project. Successful projects have included language classes, craft sessions with Age Concern, and art exhibitions for disabled teenagers. Upcoming projects include a campaign to raise awareness of education issues in Africa, and music lessons for Young Carers.

22nd-28th Feb 10 www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

Nightline. unique support Service.

When was Nightline created and why? London Nightline was founded in 1971 after a spate of student suicides at Imperial College highlighted that the needs of students struggling with university life weren’t always being met. Nightline was set-up with help from the Samaritans and grew steadily. London Nightline is now an independent charity offering confidential listening, support and information to students from all over London. What does the organisation stand for and do? Nightline’s there to complement established University Welfare services, operating outside their hours: 6pm to 8am every night of term. Nightline does not give advice; we listen and support rather than tell students how to run their lives. Our highly trained volunteers are students too, so they understand that university life is not always plain sailing. Nightline also acts as a central information service on all aspects of life in London, from details of counselling services to taxi numbers at 4am! How many students use Nightline each year and for what sorts of reasons? Each year, thousands of students from all over London get in touch with Nightline. The most common topics of the calls we receive are from students who want to talk about feelings of loneliness or depression, academic worries or relationship issues, but call topics vary massively. People also call for information ranging from details of STI clinics to the location of the nearest takeaway after a night out. Other people simply call us for a chat if they are feeling lonely.

Confidential listening, support and information for students in London, Open 6pm-8am every night of term. Students there for students. Free calls on Skype via our website www.nightline.org.uk

020 7631 0101 listening@nightline.org.uk 27

Fresh

Why should students use Nightline? Student life is not always easy and with rising student debt, competition for jobs, not to mention personal and academic stresses, young people are now under more pressure than ever. Nightline provides a unique peer to peer support service. Calling a helpline may seem like a daunting experience, but Nightline receives thousands of calls from students every year - you are not alone.

You can talk about anything – big or small. Our service is strictly confidential, we won’t ask you invasive questions and you don’t have to give us any information about yourself. We won’t tell you what to do and we won’t pass judgement. We are simply here, any time of night and for as long as you want to listen to whatever’s on your mind. Nightline provides a unique peer to peer support service. Calling a helpline may seem like a daunting experience, but Nightline receives thousands of calls from students every year -you are not alone. You can talk about anything – big or small. Our service is strictly confidential, we won’t ask you invasive questions and you don’t have to give us any information about yourself. We won’t tell you what to do and we won’t pass judgement. We are simply here, any time of night, for as long as you want, to listen to whatever’s on your mind. Are there methods of using the service other than telephone calls? Nightline has developed a great deal. Students can now contact Nightline in four different ways: by phone, email, Skype and ‘Online Listening’, our new instant messaging service. Hopefully these methods mean every student can get in touch with Nightline in a way they find comfortable. We can also call back landlines, so you don’t have to use your phone credit. Does Nightline offer a national service-what do we do if we go home during term-time and want to call? Can we call in the holidays? There are currently around 40 Nightline branches across the UK, most are based at a single

university. London Nightline is by far the largest, covering around 55 institutions across London. London Nightline is open from 6pm to 8am every night of term. We do aim to keep our lines open for as much of the year as possible, however we’re always closed over Christmas, Easter, and July-end of September. If you need someone to talk to when Nightline’s not available you can call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or Get Connected (a free email and telephone helpline for young people) on 0808 808 4994. For information you can contact Yellow Pages 24-7 on 118 247. If you call Nightline when our lines are closed, you will be provided with the above contact details so that you have access to support and information if you need it. What does Nightline have in store for the future? It’s been almost 40 years since London Nightline was founded. The organisation has developed a great deal since it was first set-up and we do not intend to stop growing! We currently cover a large proportion of the universities and colleges in London; however we are working to get every single institution on board so that no student in London is without the crucial out-of-hours support service that Nightline can offer. The introduction of new services such as free Skype calls and instant messaging has meant that more students are contacting Nightline than ever before. As a result we can offer fantastic volunteering opportunities to a much larger number of students.

Want to volunteer for Nightline? Nightline recruit every October. You do not need any prior experience, all we ask is that you are non-judgemental, empathetic and committed. KUSU Volunteering will be holding an information session about after Easter, contact: volunteering@kingston.ac.uk To register your interest check www.kusu.co.uk/volunteering for updates and other volunteering info.

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

Let’s get Ready to mongol These lads are getting in a Nissan Micra this summer on a route from Britain to Mongolia. An adventurous journey stretched over a third of the way around the earth. When Mark Rogerson, Robert Meechan and Chris Smith, all 21 years old, signed on for the adventure, they agreed in taking full responsibility themselves and have no support what so ever given if anything were to go wrong. Once they get in the car, they’re on their own. Why do they do it, you ask? Well, the world would be too dull if no one set out on adventures, the lads say. The trip starts on July 24 this year and is to raise money for Mercy Corps to help support rural communities in Mongolia. The money that’s raised helps the organisation build schools and youth centres and helps Mongolian women find employment opportunities. ‘I’m embarking on an adventure across one third of the world, taking me through more than nine different countries, crossing six time zones in a massive journey of 6000 miles from Britain to Mongolia,’ Mark said. ‘Danger most certainly provides excitement.’ The mission is to raise at least £1000, and head home with some good stories to tell. To survive the mission, they’re allowed to sneak, bribe, cheat, connive and generally out-wit the world as the rally’s website states. The lads have already come up with a way to start raising money, it’s called ‘The More You Pay the More We Wax.’ (Check out their website if you want to know where, what and how).

Fresh

The boys are given no specific route or directions on how to get to Mongolia. This is part of the adventure, finding their own route and exploring the world. Whether they choose to snuggle up in the back seat of their car or get a hotel for the night is up to them. The costs of the trip depends on how successful the lads are in bribing their way to Mongolia, how mechanical they are in case something would happen to the car and how little or how much trouble they’re going to find themselves stuck in. As the website states: ‘It’s often possible to get away without paying by being sneaky.’ Previous teams have driven as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as Afghanistan. ‘Danger most certainly provides excitement, and what is more dangerous than taking your Gran’s car over 10,000 miles around the world, through some of the most dangerous countries the earth provides.’ To find more information go to: www.mongolrally.theadventurists.com To track the boys progress go to: www.letsgetreadytomongol.co.uk

written by therese doksheim, images from www.theadventurists.com

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

THE AGONY ZONE welcome to:

the rantings and ravings of students

so you want to poke me? by Aundre Jacobs Let’s get one thing out the way right now; I’m a big fat hypocrite. Why? Because I’m going to rant about Facebook and why it has ruined and disrupted numerous people’s lives, including mine.

well done boris! by Olivia Heath London’s big red buses may be iconic but they’re a pain in the bum for most of us. I remember when they first introduced the voice destination announcements. It may be of help if you’re not really sure where you’re going, but the text could just scroll along the screen instead of the automated monotone voice speaking every couple of minutes! But it’s even worse when you’re on the phone and you tell a small white lie about where you are- you say you’re on a bus towards Kingston, yet the automated voice says: “57 to Clapham Park.” Oops, you quickly have to rectify that and end up telling another lie in the process. Or, like what my friend does, quickly end the call and blame it on lack of reception! The systematic bus timetables at the bus stops don’t help either. In fact, they’re pretty much useless. It says the bus is coming in five minutes, but you actually end up impatiently waiting for 15 minutes and lo and behold, there is still no sign of the bus! But that’s minor compared to what annoys me the most: ‘This bus is being held here briefly to help regulate the service.’ What the hell? How could you possibly be regulating the service when you didn’t even come on time in the first place?

Which website has caused arguments between numerous couples, even though everyone thought they were stable? Lung cancer square by Francis Ezekiel So, what do we come to university for? To learn, right? To pave way for our futures, yes? Or is it to meet new people of all cultures and to prepare us for the real world? Well I suppose it’s probably all of the above, but one thing I was not prepared to come to university for was to be at RISK, yes, risk. No, I am not talking about being mislead by the numerous societies that ‘claim’ to attend to your needs and arguably try to mould you into sub-cultured based popularity, what I am talking about is the risk of lung cancer. I probably sound like I am overreacting, which I full well know that I am. If that wasn’t blatant enough then I don’t know what else I’m to do or say. I love to exaggerate. Why, WHY is it that for me to get to the John Galsworthy building, I must encounter a puff of yucky tobacco in the air? The area situated between the main building and the new JG building, I have now branded the area as ‘Lung Cancer Square’. If there is a Smoking Society in the university, I sincerely do NOT apologize. Nope! You all might say I am taking it a tad bit too far but I think I’m being very lenient.

Let me break it down for you. 1pm, frantic congestion in the corridors. I have just gone past the usual puff of smoke outside the main building, but not really bothered. I instead brace myself for the humidity of the main building corridors. The smell is bearable but not something that’ll put a smile on your face. Then for me to THINK that I will be able to get some fresh air whilst walking to the John Galsworthy building, I instead come across the infamous square and struggle for breath. Why? Did I come to university to have my lungs suffer because you have frustrated students that ‘believe’ a cigarette will cure their nerves? NO! If Coming to university to get a degree and have deadlines up to your neck isn’t problematic enough, why should I also add the thought that I could quite ‘possibly’ risk my health in the process? Fair enough if you want to ruin your own health, be my guest, just don’t ruin mine.

Which website enriches our life on a daily basis with the most pointless information ever known to man? How many hours have I wasted of my life on one website, just because I was bored? Even though what I really should have been doing was writing an essay that is due in eight hours. Which website lies to you about how many friends you have? It may say you have 500 friends, but really you’ve got 50 friends, 100 acquaintances, 50 random people that you met on a night out and 300 people that you went to school with/ worked with who you never actually liked and never bothered speaking to? Yet we let this thing govern our lives. In fact whilst I write this, I’m checking my Facebook to see if a friend of mine has messaged me back regarding something stupid that makes no difference to my life. We have found the mass-murdering serial killer behind the death of human interaction, between two people standing face to face. Its name is facebook, and it doesn’t look as if it’s going anywhere fast.

Move B****! by Safeera Sarjoo

Addictive Stupid Online Shopping

I’m on the way to get some work done.it’s my final year, deadlines are looming and frankly, I don’t have time to stop for small chit chat. So what am I faced with? People walking at a rate slower than pensioners, and the lovely groups who think that a conversation in the middle of a busy corridor is the ideal setting.

There is a new addiction for fashionable boys and girls in town. I fell for this one right away. It’s simply called ASOS. Yes of course you might think that it is merely an online fashion store, but beware – it is as addictive as crystal meth, especially when you need to get some uni work done.

I don’t care that you haven’t seen your friend for “years” when it’s been days, nor do I want to alter the momentum I’ve built in my walking speed (brisk walking keeps you healthy). It’s even more irritating when you’re directly behind someone and you have to suddenly stop to avoid bumping into them as they say hello to a friend. Clearly you don’t have any pressing deadlines. But guess what? We do. So in the future, kindly shift to the side to have your love fest and keep our corridors clear.

by Edyta Lozovska

Before the ASOS invasion, writing essays was less time consuming. You would go to the library, take out books, make some notes and do some writing with an occasional break to get some grub. Now essay writing has reached a new level: writing, eating, ASOS, writing, ASOS, writing, ASOS, ASOS, purchase made, writing postponed until the deadline is way too close. You can’t help it, you just automatically click on it, and the top you weren’t a big fan of yesterday is already in your virtual shopping basket. Surely it is fun at first, but after a while you start hating yourself and you annoy all others around you. It becomes the antidote and the disease. The facebook virus, whilst being addictive, will not affect your credit card balance. ASOS will simply destroy it. What is the cure for this you ask? There is none. Once you’re hooked, the process is irreversible. Like an alcoholic who hides his Black Labels and Jack Daniels, you hide numerous stacks of clothes and shoes in your wardrobe. These ARE the new skeletons in your closet. We both know what I am going to do next…

I really do hate having to rely on buses!

Fresh

Written by writers specified above. Images by Salim Virji, Valentin Ottone (flickr)

www.kusu.co.uk/fresh

THE ECSTASY ZONE

THE AGONY ZONE

wet wet wet by Lauranne Heres

Vintage by Edyta Lozovska

Mind, body and soul by Aundre Jacobs

I love my flat, I really do. I see squirrels out my window, lots of friends live in the same estate and I have three buses outside my door. Unfortunately, as lovely as my flat may appear, the reality of living in it is entirely different. First of all there’s heating, or the lack of it. We’re on key for electric and we don’t have central heating, so in order to have a bearable temperature in winter we’ve had to spend over £120 EVERY MONTH since November. And I still have to wear fluffy socks, warm Pjs and to sleep with 3 hot-water bottles.

You might find me weird, but I simply adore watching movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s. While I don’t always bother with the plot, there is another aspect that is always alluring me – the sheer elegance of women of that time.

Is it weird that I find two grown men, beating the hell out of each other exciting? Some may think it is, but I certainly don't. Most people see Mixed Martial Arts as a blood sport. Two men putting their bodies through unthinkable agony all for the sake of competition and entertainment. For those that think like, I beg of you, please open your mind to the life lessons that anyone can take from this sport. Life lessons that you could use in university life and more importantly, everyday life.

Then there’s the mould. Every student flat has it, but ours is so bad you can smell it when you walk in. We can see it growing in our rooms, the kitchen, the toilet. It’s everywhere. We’ve told our landlady, but her only response was ‘use the dehumidifier more.’ Well, guess what, that costs money! She gave us a washing machine/dryer so our clothes dry faster, but it turns out that’s expensive too. She left a spray to kill the spores. It kills ‘em allright, it also nearly choked me to death when I used it! My flatmate developed asthma since she moved in and I can’t remember the last time I woke up without coughing. I have to randomly wash the contents of my chest of drawers because my clothes smell of damp. I had to chuck some of my favourite shirts because they were YELLOW and GREEN. I CAN’T WAIT TO MOVE OUT!!

something to smile about

Fresh

Has social life gone mad? by Hassan Barakat It seems to be that people today are losing touch with real contact, from mobile internet to endless allowances of mega bytes giving users the ability to text/email/message or call on the go, whenever, wherever and however much they like. ‘There was a time when 8 o'clock meant 8 o'clock, not ‘oh I'll call him at 10 to 8 and tell him I'm running half an hour late and won't be there till 8:20 to soften the blow.’ But you know what? I'm not down with this anti social socializing, Facebook me you say? BB pin me you say? Text me when you’re outside my house you say? Well you know what, I SAY NO! I will not Facebook you, and no I do not want to BB pin you, furthermore I will not text you when I’m outside. I will beep my horn on arrival and knock on your door if you do not answer. Why? Because I'm an 80s baby! Not a diginager. I will not be another victim trapped in an ocean of digital contradiction. There was a time when 8 o'clock meant 8 o'clock, not ‘oh I'll call him at 10 to 8 and tell him I'm running half an hour late and won't be there till

written by writers specified above. IMAGES BY Patricia Oliveira (Flickr)

8:20 to soften the blow.’ There was a time when lovers and friends spent more time socializing in the park and not in a black berry/msn/Facebook chat rooms. This my friends, is called anti social socializing: you think you are having fun, talking in a chat box using all sorts of animation for emotions, using abbreviations like LOL and ROFL, well let me tell you something! Most people, when they say 'lol' are not actually laughing out loud, they are actually laughing on the inside, or when they PING you, you think it is special, well it isn’t! They probably got bored of reading the newspaper on the train and wanted some attention. So follow me, let us leave the digital cave behind and embrace our senses, let us switch our mobile phones off, log out of msn, Twitter, or Facebook, turn off our I-pods, I-phones, Mac books, I-pads and laptops. Let's go out and mingle in style! One more thing, I wrote this story on my Smartphone! Don't get me wrong, I’m all about technology when it innovates efficiency, just not when it interrupts my date!

Be it Marlene Dietrich, Mae West, Greta Garbo or an endless list of other silver sirens – they always looked nothing less than perfect. Seducing men with their long luscious lashes and blood red lips, they remain beauty icons to this very day. Celebrities such as Dita von Teese don’t let the old-school glamour fade away from our memories by bringing burlesque back and sporting some serious fashion from back in the days. And now that spring is here, how good does it feel to wear oversized sunglasses and a polka dot dress? It’s so vintage and yet so refreshing!

I admire the fact that these men and women are dedicated and competitive in a lifestyle that many consider barbaric. Yet they continue to go out there and do what they love. That sort of attitude is something I respect. When I watch the UFC or Strikeforce, I don't just see two people fighting. I see a battle of mental strength. These people don't run away from challenges, they meet them head on. As a university student, I can't help but try and aspire to that. Students face challenges everyday, whether it be an incredibly hard essay or that certain lecturer who you feel has taken a disliking to you. We're so passive, that eventually things become to much for us. If we used the attitudes of these warriors then maybe our lives maybe easier. What I'm trying to say is that I like the sport for the athleticism, but I love it because of the discipline and the attitudes that people bring with them. Work hard and you shall achieve great things.

The sweeter option by Hassan Barakat There was a time before my time when mangos and bananas were a thing of tales and fantasy. There was a time when people would adore the concept of eating tropical fruits, followed by mango juice. Now it's all about Mars bars and Milky Way Buttons. I stand firm with a slice of mango in my hands, so sweet like the sun on sugar cane, bright and warm like the memory of my first kiss on a summer's day. I can't just walk past you in the asda isle. Oh passion fruit I adore you, strawberries I dream about you and kiwi I lust for your tender sweet to embrace my tongue with your subtle tang and charismatic touch. Ladies and gentlemen I am a lover of fruits, not saturated sugars embedded into a clever marketing campaign. Oh no, I stay true to you Mother Nature. For you are my first and last appetizing romance, I walk past the sweets section without blinking an eye lid, because you satisfy me. I dedicate this peace to you Mother Earth.

IIMAGES BY MAIKE BAIRD, TIM LEWIS, KATE MILLET (FLICKR)

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no place to go? advice on finding housing next year

People keep talking about moving and you don’t have a place to live next year. You don’t even have anyone to live with. Sound familiar? First things first: DON’T PANIC! It’s not too late to start looking for a place to live next year. In fact, by reading this you’re already ahead of the game. Read on to find the answers to some of the questions bouncing around your head.

Who do I live with? At this stage most of you probably already know who you want to live with next year, even if you haven’t even asked them yet, but here are some things you should probably think about before you go putting anything in stone: Can I live with them? They may be great for a laugh or a night out, but when it comes to bills and cleaning duties are they really the best bet? I’m not saying you should dump them because they only do their washing up once a week; you’re the best judge of how much of your potential housemates’ habits you can cope with for a year. What if I can’t? If you decide it’s better for your friendship if you don’t live with your friends, then another option is to advertise. Kingston University has a Daily Vacancy List, which I’ll explain more about later, where you can put up an ad for housemates. I’ve already decided; What now? Sharing a home is all about compromise. Come up with a plan that will suit all of you, but be realistic; if you’re insisting on having the biggest double bedroom in a house because you like the empty space, but that means your housemate is stuck with 9 square foot in which to fit his plethora of game ware or her shop-load of dresses (or their many course books), then you probably need to back down. And even if everything seems to go to pot in the first three months just remember, you can move out at the end of the year. How can the accommodation office help? The accommodation office in Cooper House only get around 200 students asking for help each year, so they’re always eager to help. It’s best to go with any questions however stupid they may seem, before you sign a contract which you really should read (or at least skim). The accommodation office will give you advice on how to live on your own, what to do about bills – the kind of thing you could probably ask your parents, but let’s face it you don’t want them breathing down your necks when you’re already stressed with looming exams. The accommodation office has a Daily Vacancy List, or DVL. It’s also available on Student Space. The properties on this list haven’t been looked at, but the owners

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have to have all the updated certificates like gas and electricity (simple stuff that means you won’t be inconvenienced by the water turning of mid-shower). This is the first place you should look because it’s updated daily. Any properties that don’t get rented through Headed Tenancy go on here as well, so it’s worth a look. It’s better to get in there quick though, because next year’s first year students who didn’t manage to get into halls will be looking here too. After the DVL your next stop should be the list of local letting agencies that have declared themselves as student-friendly, also available in Cooper House. Agencies charge administration costs, but you shouldn’t have to pay any of these until you’ve decided on a house. How do I choose the right house? You probably know the obvious things to look for in a house (a roof, no rodents making a bid for freedom as you open the door), but here’s a list of other things you might want to think about when you’ve found a property to view: • • •

• • •

Damp; most student accommodation will probably have a bit of it, but if it’s moving then it’s a ‘no’. Secure doors and windows; students are easy targets for burglars – and they know where we live! Your landlord; are they the nice one showing you around, or should you be sucking up to someone else (“Oh we’re very quiet; we go to bed at eight o’clock!”) Price; can you reasonably afford it? Compromise will come in handy. Location; it may be cheaper to rent a property in Teddington, but is it worth the travel costs – or early mornings? Get a second opinion; bring a friend round – the price may blind you to the mould, but they’ll notice

Need more info? Go to the accommodation office: Accommodation Services, Second Floor, Cooper House or e-mail: accommodation@kingston.ac.uk Check out the DVL: http://student.kingston.ac.uk/C5/Accommodation Shelter free housing advice line: 0808 800 4444 NUS house-hunting checklist: www.nus.org.uk/en/student-life/housing-advice Directgov’s student housing page: www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentHousing

IMAGES FROM A SELECTION OF THE EDITORIAL TEAM”S HOUSES!

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a visit to africa

Kingston University gets involved in charity work in South Africa.

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Photography by daniel prettejohn

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to donate to the Wola Nani Project Go to: https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=donate&cause_id=972

Project Kingston Africa creates an opportunity for students at KU to interact with Africa. The Wola Nani project was founded in the nineties as a nonprofit organisation supporting communities in dealing with the emotional worries caused by HIV and AIDS in Africa. ‘Through counselling, care, training, increased awareness and community support, people with HIV are empowered to take control of their lives with confidence, dignity and hope,’ the website writes. (http://www. wolanani.co.za/) From January 22nd to February 2nd, Daniel Prettejohn, a third year graphic design student,

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written by therese dokshiem. photography by daniel prettejohn.

went to Africa to meet the people that are getting support from the organisation, as well as to get an insight on how the organisation works. The student also went to a market in Capetown to see what the Wola Nani Bowls were competing against and figuring out new ways of improving their sales. Now the bowl makers benefit directly, as they are paid for every order they complete. ‘We met up with the bowl makers and visited one of them in her house at one of the surrounding townships, where we were shown exactly how to make their bowls,’ said Daniel Prettejohn.

‘I visited some of the clinics that Wola Nani help to support. Some of the clinics were lined with benches that were full with rows of people waiting to be treated,’ he said. ‘The most inspiring thing was how welcoming the people were; wherever we went we were talking to people that were excited about preparations for the upcoming world cup, which has created a real buzz for everyone there,’ said Daniel.

8 things you should know about HIV and AIDS In South-Africa, about 570,000 children and 5 million adults are infected with HIV.

HIV enters the body through the sharing of body fluids like semen, vaginal fluid and blood.

Each day, an estimated 1800 people get infected by HIV in South Africa.

HIV does not spread by kissing, hugging, sharing cups, toilet seats or swimming pools.

26,5% of the women attending clinics in South-Africa are HIVpositive.

The one way to fight HIV is to practise safe sex: always use a condom.

Being HIV positive is not the same as having AIDS. AIDS is a syndrome that happens after many years as a HIV positive.

HIV spreads by unprotected sex, during childbirth or breast feeding or through sharing ‘sharps’ such as needles and razors.

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Kingston Hill An architects impression of the new teaching building at Kingston Hill.

Developing our campuses

Kingston Hill At Kingston Hill we will start to see the new teaching building emerge from the ground later this year, and it will be ready by 2012. (left) Progress on Kingston Hill Site.

Ku campuses will be hives of building activity this year. Keep up to date on student space.

Knights Park Knights Park gets upgraded studio space and better drainage and heating systems. KU plan to landscape the front of the main building at Knights Park and next year they plan to fill in the courtyard, to create a new, larger LRC on the ground floor.

Penrhyn Road Penrhyn Road will get an upgraded, extended LRC, plus KU will widen the main corridor. (left) Roehampton Vale Roehampton Vale will get a large new lecture theatre.

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music Review:

*****

gorillaz

Plastic Beach

Did anyone else wake up with a bang when the news came through that Damon Albarn’s and James Hewlett’s ever amusing, cartoon band Gorillaz were to return with a new album? Many were suspicious as to how the band would sound and after taking a look at the wide range of special guests on the album, I felt something that I’d never felt before with an album by the ‘Gorillaz’ – anxious curiosity. I honestly don’t believe I’ve seen anything so bizarre as until I saw that Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Lou Reed and Bashy were going to be on an album together. Don’t even get me started on the fact that Albarn had The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music on there. It’s almost a bit of a laugh out loud moment as you wait to hear a train wreck of an album. The only thing is that I missed the biggest part of the puzzle when it comes to a Gorillaz album. The weirder and more out there it is, the better the outcome.

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music Review:

*****

ALEXIS ON FIRE

Old Crows/Young Cardinals Each song is quirky, unique and downright outlandish, but in its own way. The lead single ‘Stylo’ is a little taste of what the album has to offer. Womack’s soulful voice blasting through your speakers is something every fan will enjoy. The songs that really struck me were ‘Superfast Jelly Fish’, ‘White Flag’ and ‘Rhinestone Eyes’. ‘Superfast Jelly Fish’ is such a great pop song. With its colourful synths and Gruff Rhys sweet sounding voice belting out the chorus, you can’t help but smile and nod your head to the beat. ‘White Flag’ is a huge nod to some of UK’s finest MC’s, with Bashy and Kano trading verses and really stepping up their lyrical game. ‘Rhinestone Eyes’ is an awesome tune that is the most Gorillazesque sounding song on the album, and that’s a great thing to hear as this is definitely the type of album that might alienate their fanbase.

written by aundre jacobs, images from Clav (fllickr)

My only really complaint is that it seems to drag on. I know when some people hear a great album, they automatically wish it hadn’t of ended so soon. On this occasion, less is certainly more and because it drags on so much, the album starts to lose energy and become less focused, which is what we want, as a focused Gorillaz song is better than most songs out in the market. If you’re a fan, then this something you definitely need to pick up. However, if you’re not a fan and you want to see what the fuss is about, buy their last album and ease your way in as this might not be your cup of tea straight away.

When I listen to a new album, I always try and sum it up in one word. The one word for Alexisonfire’s latest effort Old Crows/Young Cardinals is progression. I’ve been following this band and other bands like them, way back when it was actually considered cool to be a scene kid. However, as I’ve grown older and I start to feel more and more separated from my teenage angst, I thought that they’d stay the same. Apparently not. After listening to their previous effort, entitled ‘crisis’, you can almost feel this was all part of an elaborate plan to grab a scene that they created by the scruff of the neck and choke it until it died. Gone is the screaming that lead singer George Petit was famous for, as he now howls like an old school punk singer mixing and interchanging melodies with guitarists Wade McNeil and Dallas Green. I want to give huge credit to the drummer Jordan Hastings and bassist Chris Steele who really showcase their own talents, but in a subtle way that doesn’t overshadow anyone else’s. The album starts off with ‘Old Crows’, an ode to what they

once were, yet also a sign to what they’ve now become. With lyrics such as ‘We are not the kids, we used to be’ sung loud and proud, you realize from the beginning that we’re in for quite a ride. There aren’t any bad songs on the album; they’re all different in many ways. Faster paced songs such as ‘Born and Raised’, ‘Accept Crime’ and ‘Midnight Regulations’ are certain to get an audience pumped. However, the standout songs for me are ‘The Northern’ and ‘Burial’. ‘The Northern’ is an epic song which really escalates towards the end leaving the listener feeling like they’ve been on the strangest rollercoaster of their life. ‘Burial’ is definitely something nice to close out the album. With its sombre lyrics and awesome guitar riff, it almost tries to put you to sleep – but in the best way possible. Some bands try to stay the same and cater to their audience. Those bands ultimately become shells of their former selves and their past greatness. Alexisonfire not only closed the door on their past achievements and former selves, they kicked open a new door so they could be something better.

WRITTEN BY AUNDRE JACOBS IMAGES FROM ANIL SHARMA (FLICKR)

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feel the beat!

2-d film to become extinct?

Student recitals: The inside story.

Kingston is a university with many interesting courses and events, but because the campuses are far apart and the music school itself is separated from the main buildings, many students who don’t go to Kingston Hill or don’t have any friends who study music miss out on various events organized by the music school. Yet student recitals are a popular and free event to go see. Recitals vary in length, from 10 minutes for first year students up to 40 minutes for third years. Students can perform alone with an accompanist or put together a band. As semester two recitals come closer, I’ve decided to find out how students prepare for their assignment.

Divesh Karamchandani is a third year music (percussion) student visiting from California State University, Stanislaus where he studies for a BM in Education and Performance. His set list for his final recital so far contains: ‘Log Cabin Blues’ by George Hamilton Green, ‘A Message to a Friend’ by Ney Rosauro, ‘A Little Prayer’ by Evelyn Glennie, ‘Little Windows’ by Keiko Abe and ‘Ghanaia’ by Mattias Schmitt. Are you nervous about your end of year performance? I think I’m always nervous, but I like to come prepared. I think the more you learn and the more performances you do, the more you get to control your nerves. They give you energy to perform. I can go on stage and my knees will shake, but my hands won’t because I’ve practiced, I know my instrument and I’m a professional. How did you choose your pieces? Why these especially? I’m doing five pieces for tuned percussion, one for snare drum, and one for timpani. One of them I played a few years back. This year I thought I’m going to teach myself a new technique, the traditional grip which is quite popular in Japanese music and which I’ve never tried before. So this is using a familiar piece and relearning it with a different technique. One of my teachers also told me he saw a version of this song as an ensemble piece as opposed to a solo, so I’ll try that

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too. Another song I chose because I can play with the musicality of it and I chose a jazz song to dabble with a bit, because I don’t play jazz that much and it’ll be a great opportunity. Then there’s a piece by my favourite composer Keiko Abe. It’s a tradition of mine to always choose a piece by her because I love her music. Are you performing alone? With a pianist? A band? If you’re using people, are they your teachers or friends? Well for the ragtime I needed a piano so I asked a fellow student to help me, for one I asked a Kingston university graduate to come and she’s very gracefully agreed. For my ensemble performance I’ve asked members of the djembe ensemble to play with me. How much importance do you give to giving a show? Do you focus on the playing or the all-round show? That’s tough (laughs). Back home it was about the quality of the playing and the music, not the show. Here it seems like you can perform well, but also make it a show, so that’s great. I’m going to experiment with playing my music really well and adding a show. It’s about finding the right balance. What do you want to do with your degree? After I finish my BM (Divesh still has two years left) I will do a Masters in Performance Pedagogy and after that I’d like to a) perform with

Interview with Dr Simon Brown, Principal Lecturer and Director of Studies for Film and Television, Kingston University

major symphonies or do free lance work with operas and musicals; and b) have my own studio to teach. Now as to my dream job, I’d love to do recordings with orchestras for Disney studios and Hollywood. Compared to your course at home, what do you think of the BA at Kingston? I chose to go to Europe because music seems to be more appreciated here. Some of the greatest orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic which I’m going to see during Easter break are right here. Before I came here I had high expectations and it took me a while to adjust. I realized that your experience is only going to be as good as the work you put into it, so I went to London on my own time and looked for gigs (paid or unpaid) with The Richmond Orchestra, The Philharmonia Britannica, the Royal Orchestral Society for Amateur Musicians or the London Gay Symphony Orchestra. All recitals will be held in the first two weeks of June in Coombehurst studio up in Kingston Hill. I will be attending as many as possible and hope to see some of you there! Divesh’s recital is June 10th at 10am.

Would you consider 3-D cinema a threat to 2-D? Do you reckon 2-D will become extinct? Do I think 2-D will become extinct? No, I don't think so. I think at least in the immediate future what will develop is a two tier-system of films comprising 3-D spectacle on the one side and more mainstream or perhaps traditional fare on the other. 3-D is fundamentally a technological advance and so has naturally been aligned with the areas of cinema where technological development is already embedded; animation and the blockbuster. It is also embedded in more niche areas where 3-D has traditionally flourished in the past, e.g the horror film. It may well become standard in these areas but I think it will be a long time before we see for example European Art Cinema moving wholeheartedly to 3-D. If they did, it would only be because film exhibition moves entirely to 3-D and although films like Avatar are successful, there is no indication that 3-D as an exhibition medium is taking over.

Why would you say there is a massive appeal to watch films in 3D?

What do you personally think of 3-D films? What would you say is the added value?

3-D is appealing because it is special and different. The history of film is, in part, a history of spectacular attractions (first the notion of moving pictures, then colour, then sound, then widescreen and so on) which stand out from the everyday and the normal, but then become normalised. There is no doubt that Avatar is spectacular, but is it spectacular because it is in 3-D or because it is simply spectacular in the first place? One of the most interesting things about Avatar is that the 3-D is barely noticeable as you watch it. I imagine if noone expected it to be 3-D and a 2-D Imax version came out people would still flock to it. 3-D is the added attraction. Last year the horror remake My Bloody Valentine made considerably more money in its 3-D version than its 2-D version. Why? Because it isn't a very good film but the 3-D adds an extra attraction and makes it an event beyond the film itself.

I like 3-D films. They are fun and entertaining and a lot better than they used to be in the early 1980s with films like Jaws 3-D and my own personal favourite Amityville 3-D. Like any technological advance, if it is placed in the hands of skilled filmmakers it comes across less as a sort of bolted on extra to an otherwise mediocre film (Final Destination 4 for example) but becomes an integral part of an artistic vision (Avatar and especially Coraline).

After Alice broke the 3-D record set by Avatar in the first opening weekend, do you think this movie will be the changing point for future cinema?

When you have that, you have great cinema and if it gets people into cinemas to see well made films then so much the better. On one level the added value is merely empty spectacle. On the other it is a new tool available to the filmmaker, and the imaginative ones will I am sure do much to improve and develop the cinematic experience. In the days of 50" screens, surround sound and blue-ray, there is still nothing to compare to the big screen experience and 3-D will help to ensure that experience survives.

I think Avatar is the film that changed how 3-D is perceived, and Spielberg and Jackson’s Tintin will be the next step. Alice has rather passed me by.

written by edyta lozovska, Images by phillie casablanca (flickr).

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Move over sunglasses, with the 3-D revolution caused by Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, it’s time for 3D glasses to become the king of eyewear.

Battle

According to BBC News, Alice in Wonderland has set a new smashing record of £76.8m in North America alone, beating former champion Avatar in the 3D box office battle. Can’t decide whether you’re on Team Avatar or Team Alice? FRESH is here to offer some insight!

of the

giants

ALICE IN WONDERLAND Everyone has something to say about Alice: that Mia Wasikowska’s Alice was bland and boring, that the movie being in 3D is the only reason people went to see it and so on. Some Burton/Depp fans thought the duo did a weak job, and yet in fact box office-wise – Alice scored some big bucks. So why all the criticisms? The name Tim Burton screams Edward Scissorhands (1990) or Corpse Bride (2005) –think gloomy, foggy, and sinister yet by all means entertaining. Alice was something different. Although some scenes were as dark and Burtonesque as fans expected, the film actually had a rich colour palette. The 3D Wonderland might have at times reminded us of a not-so-distant Avatar’s Pandora. Both enchanted lands are green, artsy, full of unusual creatures,

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AVATAR

yet Wonderland has something Pandora lacks: a shisha smoking blue caterpillar. In the midst of all the scenery, three figures stand out, the angelically light White Queen, the burgundy as blood Red Queen and the colourful Mad Hatter, who at times was haunted by a Scotsman. Indeed – the bright and bizarre visuals will haunt you for days after watching the film.

On a brighter note – if you love Shrek’s (2001) good buddy Puss, you will find the Cheshire Cat a treat. Stephen Fry (Cheshire Cat) brings the movie alive with a mere few lines. Matt Lucas times two will also keep you giggling throughout the film. And you will find the “off with his head” phrase quite funny, coming from The Red Queen. That is the Red Queen with a humongous head.

Critics argue, that Burton shouldn’t have only directed the movie, he also should have written it. Not many are happy with Linda Woolverton’s attempt at placing an older legal-aged Alice in the very same Wonderland. When Burton is involved – there is a starvation for visuals and gloomth. While the visuals are satisfactory to the highest standards, there is a lack of that eerie atmosphere, which would give the film some extra thumbs up.

While adults might consider Burton’s adaptation of Carroll’s timeless novel as trippy as LSD, the children will be inspired and perhaps will come up with their own Wonderlands. But hopefully their ones would have a better storyline.

written by edyta lozovska. images from http://pakalert.files.wordpress.com and http://multipleverses.com/wp-content

There has been a lot said about Avatar. Some say it is the Star Wars (1977) of the new generation, others consider it nothing but banal imagery without a plot. Whatever side you’re on – Avatar is a must-see. Doubtlessly, the movie set new effect standards and raised numerous debates about whether all new future blockbusters should be screened in 3-D. Thinking about the negative aspects of the film – beware, it is long. You might get restless and impatient just like a little child asking his parents: ‘Are we there yet?’ One might argue that cutting out a mere 20 minutes would benefit the movie, not to mention spare you some backside pains. The soundtrack is great, until it starts to remind you of Titanic

(1997). No surprise here, as the James Horner composed music for the two above as well as numerous others, for instance, Deep Impact (1998) or A Beautiful Mind (2001). The music might get cheesy at times, especially when the Avatars get heroic, the background tune suddenly turns into a typical American patriotic melody à la We Were Soldiers (2002). And this is where the negative list ends. The rest is breathtaking visual pleasure. Of course the movie grabbed some cinematography and special effects Oscars – it really deserved them. Avatar places the viewer in a 3D world of Pandora, a wilderness full of serenity, harmony and, best of all, creatures and plants no one has ever seen before.

characters as exciting as slaying the Thanator, a giant Pandorian dragon-like creature. One thing is for sure – you leave the movie theater feeling as optimistic as possible. If a disabled person could walk, run and fly – the viewer might discover he has wings of his own. Comparing the pros and cons, it is quite obvious that the positive aspects outweigh the negatives. If you are fed up with seeing aliens as the baddies in films like Alien (1979) or Alone in the Dark (2005), go for Avatar. Rather than eating us alive, maybe extraterrestrials are more peaceful than humans.

While some critics might say that the plot lacked depth and that the characters were one dimensional, others see both the plot and

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masquerade!

paper faces on parade THe Law society’s summer ball On May 4th, the Law society will host its Masquerade Ball. To find out a bit more about the event and what goes on behind the scenes, I’ve interviewed Christopher Dingle, Law Society President and second year Law student.

How did you get into Law Society? I asked. (laughs) True answer. Basically I went to the Student Union over the summer and nothing was being done about it, so I took over. That was late August, so I had a week to organize Fresher’s week. Spent some money on balloons. I’m hoping the stand this year will look a lot better. How many people are there in the Law Society? We have about 250 people at the moment. We’re one of the largest societies on campus. Just ahead of us is the Wine Society, and of course the religious societies. You don’t have to be a law student to join, just a Kingston University student, alumni or member of staff. How did you become president of the society? There was no election. Basically without me the Law Society would have died. For the past ten years it hasn’t been doing well. I helped improve it, organized weekly meetings and socials and invited guest speakers such as Zac Goldsmith, many barristers from London… I even wrote the constitution. Could you tell me what exactly you do in the Law Society? Socials are a great part of what we do. We go to the pub a lot, especially after we’ve heard a speaker. We also have Law Society Thursdays which are held in conjunction with Essence. Basically we get a VIP booth, some free drinks, cheap entry etc. We go to Temple and have lunches and dinners with barristers; we have

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written by lauranne heres

tours and career events. We exist in conjunction with the law course itself; it’s much better like this. All major universities have a good law society and being in it looks good on people’s CVs, especially since it’s so hard to become a barrister. We actually have a Ladies Night coming to Hannafords. I don’t want to say too much, but it should be worth going, it’s just £2 to get in. It should be very interesting.

we can have some extra money for events like these and also to cater to our speakers, because I usually spend a lot of my own money to buy wine or something for them. It’ll also help to make the ball next year easier to organize.

How did you come to organize a Masquerade ball? Have you done one before and if yes, how did it go?

To tell you the truth, I’m sick of studying! (laughs) I’m fairly involved with the Student Union already, and I wanted to do a placement, do something other than study. Basically what I would do is support people who are having legal problems with the university or others, so my background in law comes in handy. I would be the first Law student to take on that role and it would be more useful to students and the Union. I also want to focus on feedback because we don’t get enough or too much. If we could get two sets of bullet points, two good-two bad, that would be much better. If me and TJ get elected I’d also love to work with him on the issue of tuition fees and I’d really love to tackle Graduation, not where it’s being held, but when.

There was a Masquerade ball ages ago, but it didn’t go well. Nobody’s really attempted it for some time. For a Law Society a summer ball is a really big thing. The head of Law school wanted to do one as well so that was a big push. We’re a staff of 11 on the committee so I’ve got some help. First we were looking for a venue, but most of them were way out of budget, for example The Globe, the Royal Courts of Justice… We’re now doing it at Chelsea Football club, they’ve made us a great deal where we have a three course meal, a DJ, security. People are expected to dress nicely, men in suits and women in cocktail or evening dresses. We’ll probably have a ‘make your own mask’ night at Hannafords, although I bought a plain black one off Ebay. For most third years it will also be the coronation of their university life as we don’t have a graduation ball. All students are welcome; it’s not just for Law Society members. The price we charge for the ball just covers what we’re spending on the venue; we’re making about 75p from what’s left over. We’ve been one of the cheapest societies so far, we used to cost £2 only, but next year we’re going to increase to £5 so that

Now, you’re running for VP Education (previously Support). Why did you decide to go for this role?

I’ll finish with congratulating Chris on being elected alongside his teammates and I’m sure he’ll do well in office. Details on the Masquerade ball can be found all around campus as posters have been stuck everywhere (even in the toilet!) and ads appear on the screens around Uni. Prices are £40, £36 with concession.

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51 Fresh

www.ocenaclubs.com

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(by the tumbling telephone boxes)

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Vintage, Retro & 80’s Specially Selected Clothes and Jewellery

Kickstart your weekend with Oceanas’ Brand New Night! www.ocenaclubs.

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st patricks’ day

St Patrick's Day on March 17th was celebrated with Guinness and karaoke at Knights Park, where the Fine Art students managed to raise £235. The money was raised by charging £1 for entry and by the audience being able to pay the DJ to cut the music when the singing became unbearable!

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written by therese dokshiem. Photography by miles taylor.

A few snaps of students enjoying the irish festivities in KP and Ama-gi!

Fine Art students have been hosting fundraising events since September; there's been lots of pub quizzes, music nights and cake sales to raise money for their Degree Show Catalogue, a publication for the students to show their fine art practice.

For more information on student bars go to: www.kusu.co.uk

"We are very happy with the financial results and we all had a really good time raising the money and singing our hearts out- as did our guests. Keep an eye out for the ads for future events at Knight Park!" Kat Johnson (Fine Art)

"In order to pay for the catalogue, we have to fundraise. The School of Fine Art do make a very generous donation to us too, but unfortunately this doesn't cover all the costs." Kat Johnson (Fine Art)

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UNaku raise over £3000 Interview with Morris Marah, president of unaku society about Haiti fundraising! Kingston University students managed to raise over £3,000 in a fundraiser for the World Food Programme in a bid to support relief efforts in earthquake struck Haiti. The weeklong fundraiser, which ended in a Shebang Night, was the brainchild of the United Nations Association of Kingston University (UNAKU), who combined their efforts with several other societies to raise as much money as possible for the grief-stricken country. The major event, which occurred on Friday night, cost £3 to enter and raise approximately £900. ‘It was really diverse, unplugged and lots of people showed up to our amazement.’ Morris Marah, president of UNAKU said, ‘It was the perfect university night, but it didn’t go on for very long.’ The entertainment for the evening ranged from raffle draws, live music from Kingston talents, break-dancers, dance competitions, African bongo drums, and an auction of the cheerleaders and football players. A few other helpful people, who wanted to do more to assist, also volunteered themselves for the auction. ‘It was basically an effort during the week, Monday to Thursday, and different societies getting involved one way or another in terms of fundraising,’ Marah said. ‘It was really great. Like I said, most of the societies came out; a lot of people showed their support, taking boxes to different places in town, and running around Uni asking people for their coins. Almost everybody got stopped and

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Written By Duygu ulusoy

asked to put something in the bucket. There was so much support from all the different societies, and we had boxes put up in different offices across the campus, river house, cooper house, Knights Park, and the SU bars.’ UNAKU, who do several fundraisers every year for a variety of different charities, wanted this collection not only to benefit Haiti but hoped to bring all KU societies and students together. ‘We wanted to do one event that breaks through the different boundaries of faith-based societies that focuses towards one goal,’ Marah revealed. ‘An event that will bring different societies together, that believes in different things and has faith in different things that unite them towards one thing. Then Haiti happened and we thought there’s no better chance to do this project, to bring everyone

together to reach out to people, and that’s what we were able to do.’ Marah urges students to do more by just ‘being active’ and making a stand, and our mark on the world. ‘Students can do more. A lot of students do, and I have been impressed with the level of activism we’ve had from students this year and last year. It’s just getting better and better every year.’ ‘There are ways to make the guy on top to look down and be like “Wow. You know, these kids actually care and they’re doing stuff.” That makes them want to reach out to young people more, if they think that you care.’ Marah concluded by saying: ‘We have an event at the end of the year, but we haven’t yet discussed who that money would go to.’

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Rihanna VS GAGA

are soon transformed into a wardrobe staple and must-have item for the season. Let’s meet Mariel Haenn the fashion stylist and costume designer who developed Rihanna’s style over a period of five years into the spotlight. Mariel graduated from the Art Institute of Miami and first started her career working at MTV as an image consultant and stylist. Haenn collaborates with Rihanna regularly to create unique looks with strong statements. Having worked with some of the world’s top celebrities including Jada Pinkett Smith, Ciara, Keri Hilson and Eliza Dushku, Haenn is often

It’s the encounter between two female pop stars that are taking the music and fashion industry by storm... In one corner stands 24-year-old electro-pop sensation Lady Gaga. In the other stands 22-year-old R&B songstress Rihanna. Both are admired by their legion of fans for their contribution to music, fashion and beauty.

Lady Gaga and Rihanna are often given credit for the way they dress, but it’s their stylists and creative directors who are the invisible stars. They master the wardrobe, hair and make-up to create signature styles. FRESH is going to give you an insight into their collaborative process.

Gaga’s original creations are manufactured by Haus of Gaga, her in-house collaborative team of artisans and technicians. She creates the apparel for this label with creative director Matthew Williams. But one of the first official stylists to work with Gaga was B. Akerlund. She helped Gaga burst onto the fashion scene with their most noted collaboration being the Paparazzi music video.

From everyday wear to performances and high-profile events, Lady Gaga’s daring outfits always make the headlines. She has taken her fans through a journey into fashion, music, performance and art. But are we all going ‘Gaga’ over her electric fashion style?

The Swedish born stylist has worked with a host of other stars including Madonna, The Black Eyed Peas and Iggy Pop. Akerlund has a lot of creative input into Gaga’s style and uses a mixture of old resources, custom-made designer wear, archive collections and various vintage items.

Her debut album Fame summed up what Lady Gaga is about: She’s eccentric, brave and bold and uses fashion to make a statement about who she is. If you’ve ever watched one of Gaga’s live performances, you will see that they are just as outrageous as her wild costumes. She’s famous for wearing fascinating shapes and materials, having worn everything from a bubble dress to a ceramic bustier. Whether you love or hate her fashion sense, there’s something about her that leaves us all the more intrigued.

Another stylist who shapes Gaga’s eccentric style is Nicola Formichetti. The half Japanese, half-Italian 32-year-old is a resident of Haus of Gaga. He currently resides in New York, London and Tokyo. But aside from styling Gaga, Formichetti is a well known name on the magazine circuit. He’s the fashion director of Vogue Hommes Japan and the creative director of Dazed & Confused. He has worked with an array of stars including Chloe Sevigny, Ed Westwick, Agyness Dean and Scarlett Johansson. He is also a stylist for advertising campaigns like Uniqlo and Dolce & Gabbana.

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written by olivea heath. Images from Mark Arb and michael spencer (flickr)

Formichetti works with Gaga on her videos, shows and tours and his inspirations stem from his friends, collaborations and photographers, as well as his toy collection and love for travelling. With a list of favourite designers like Prada, Gareth Pugh and the late Alexander McQueen, Formichetti is inspired by them because they always push the boundaries. Having been dubbed the new Madonna by industry professionals, Lady Gaga isn’t at all fazed by her outrageous and garish outfits. She strikes a chord with her fans in letting them understand that fashion is what you want it to be. Rihanna’s ability to constantly re-invent herself with ease is fast making her a popular fashion icon. But are we going ‘Disturbia’ over her sleek and sharp style? Rihanna’s look is a combination of rebellious and edgy yet sexy and fierce. When Rihanna is on the red carpet all eyes are on her. She could be wearing the simplest of outfits, but they

influenced by her clients, runway shows and old iconic movies. But her biggest influence is singer, model and actress Grace Jones. Although Rihanna is not as controversial as Gaga, in her own right, she is making major waves in the fashion industry. She is now labelled as both a trend-setter and risk-taker, combining statement designer pieces with her own creative flair. So who wins the battle? The stylists are undeniably dedicated, passionate and talented at what they do. We admire Lady Gaga’s sheer bravery to wear tongue-in-cheek and outrageous outfits, but we adore Rihanna’s ability to make each

outfit look effortlessly chic. Both are absorbing and adapting fashion in their own way. There seems to be no limit to their creativity. Who knows what future impact they could continue to make in the fashion and music industry and amongst their fans? As Coco Chanel once said: ‘Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.’

london fashion week Ok: Fashion Weekend; I was probably the only Business and Law-related student in that eventnevertheless, I felt so at home. Apart from every item being over £100, I came as a journalist for the new FRESH edition and so I did not have the urge to shop (shocking). I really got into the swing of interviewing designers... Sadly I didn’t get to interview Vivienne Westwood, the only designer there that I recognised, but I did get a good glance of her. Overall, I had such an amazing time. I met people from all walks of life; a French student who came here to be an intern for a designer, a designer who was a historical figure as she influenced

the ‘younger look’ in fashion- and designed Cindy-doll clothes (!), a designer who followed her mother’s footsteps and now has her own label, alongside her mum. Meeting each designer was like meeting a hero, a pioneer; the mundaneness of shopping or even putting on that jacket you bought a year ago is or was a masterpiece of any one of these designers. What I really took home was, as one of the Jewellery designers so well put it, to get your hands on everything you can, explore, learn the different sides of the industry. Also, everyone that is great today started somewhere...Believe in what you got!!

WRITTEN BY MORENI EWUOSHO. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MILES TAYLOR.

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london fashion week continued...

SAM UBHI A both funny and ironic thing that happened to me. I actually walked into the event with Sam Ubhi. Upon asking her for directions, as I do towards any stranger, I made my first interview with the Jewellery designer. Her work is simply unique and definitely a cultural inspiration. Being in the business for 20 years, Sam Ubhi continues to exhibit her work all over, especially London. Elizabeth Arden London Fashion Weekend must have felt extra special to have Elizabeth Arden (EA) as its official Beauty Sponsor. While a personal assistant of EA may have thought I would eventually give in to her pitch and book a beauty spa, I was busy trying to get some juicy information about this beauty pioneer. Thankfully, I found out about the legendary product called, the ‘eight hour cream’. For 81 years, EA has been renowned for this. That is a mighty long time. MOUNIR For 21 years, this modest Jeweller (from Jordan) has been making jewellery out of semi-precious stones. His main customers are high-end Jewellery shops! When asking Mournir how he started and how he would advise up and coming designers, he uttered some pretty wise words. The Jeweller starting making jewellery as a hobby. He believes that when you are willing to get your hands on and learn as many things in an industry as possible, you cannot go wrong. So, there you go.

Sam Ubhi

ELIZABETH LAU Meet Frederique! We were probably the only women under 20 that were not designers, or there to shop. Frederique tells me that she works very closely with Lau, and her overly feminine and colourful themes are a reflection of her personality. The bubbly French intern says she loves working with the designer because she is simply great to work with. So, anyone looking for such internshipscheck out how nice the designer is. Marion Foale Marion Foale was by far one of the most intriguing designers, for me and I am glad I approached this stand despite the huge hustling and bustling. When describing the process of her work, the assistant mentioned that the clothes are ‘sculptured’ rather than just sewed together. “Everything is 3-d so that it really fits the body”. Although this designer may have one of the oldest target markets, she is one of the fashion legends in making young fashion what it is today. In the 60s, she was in a movement known as the ‘youth quake’. She has also designed some of the Cindy-doll clothes!

Tony and Guy Hairstyles: Bohemian Elizabeth Arden: Season colours; coral and orange on the lips; lilac and light blue on the eyes. Betty Jackson: Her spring collection for the whole market

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written by moreni Ewuosho. Photography by miles taylor

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Photography

Collection of photography projects by third year Graphic Design and Photography students.

Katie Callaghan (left) Once a house, but now a home. Samantha Harvey (right) A set of photographs which show my discoveries in a mannequin factory, I wanted to experience for myself what it would feel like to be surrounded by these artificial objects impersonating the human form. Anna Brooks (below) Taken from a series of photographs exploring the beauty and quietness of of uninhabitted animal enclosures.

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Photography

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Photography by miles taylor (left) and paul akins (right)

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Stolen

‘ steal, but only things that speak directly to your soul. Its not where you take things from, its where you take them to. CELEBRATE THIEVERY.’ Paul Arden

Arden & Anstruther Gallery Exhibition runs: 20th March - 1st May 2010 Opening times: Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat 11am - 5pm Address: Lombard Street, Petworth, GU28 0AG STOLEN is the work of young photographers who test the boundaries of legality in an audacious and witty show. Unconventional photography and interactive installation exploit and comment on thievery as an art form. It is also the fourth show 2nd and 3rd year Kingston BA Graphics have put together at Paul Arden’s Gallery, Arden & Anstruther in Petworth Sussex. The theme was chosen as a response to the above controversial quote from Paul Arden. Not surprising then, that the concept of stealing was one which many students initially felt a pang of conscience over. The first few crits brought out brave ideas which in practice proved hard to shoot.

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Written by zelda Malan. Photography by numerous graphic design students.

Gradually a few very brave and persistent ‘thieves’ began to bring in images as evidence of their courage and ingenuity, and later, some great photographs.

Hannah Shipley Photobooth (above) I stick a camera into the photobooth just before the fourth flash. And steal a picture from an unsuspecting member of the public.

Others refined witty ideas and shot again and again to improve the final images. The finished show finally came together in time for the opening on March 19. As well as the extraordinary photography on show, a crowded private view boasted ‘fake’ Jeff Koons portraits produced on demand, an interactive piece satirising the piracy video warning at the beginning of most DVD’s, and a fully functioning confessional which dispensed instant absolution messages at the touch of a button.

James Cooney and Oli O’Neill Laundrette (left) FACT: Clothes left in dryers overnight are asking to be stolen.

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Stolen exhibition continued... Dan Prettejohn and Rachel Ball Risk Stolen Comfort An experiment in which we steal the comfort of our subjects by taking the clothes from one and placing them on another. Pairs were selected at random from the list of participants.

For more information on the exhibition or the gallery go to: www.ardenandanstruther.com

Jenny Rice 6786 Stolen Sheep Sheep rustling is not a crime of the distant past. Modern day sheep rustlers operate as organised gangs and are responsible for the theft of thousands of sheep from UK farms. For each of the 6786 sheep reported stolen in 2009, a photograph of a sheep has been stolen from Flickr. Clover Stevens and Joe Qwynn Stolen Faces By projecting the faces of well-known people onto our own then re-photographing them, we intend to steal the attributes of well known people. The original face is just slightly transformed as the projection bends around the structure of our faces, giving it an uncanny presence as it floats in the dark.

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Poet’s Corner Poison/Antidote

Got No I.D.

by Lauranne Heres

by Michael Weightman

You are my curse, you are my blessing. I love you, but I hate you too. I wish I could be strong, just get over you. But I am weak and can’t resist your spell. I want to smell you, to touch your skin. I want to hold you and feel your heat. I want your lips I want your hands. No matter what I do, how hard I try. As long as you’re here I will surely die. You’re always going to be my friend and then my enemy. You’re my poison, killing me slowly. And the antidote to my everlasting agony.

Got no ID but I’m 23. Just want a beer, You’re not serving here, It’s the Law you fear, Got no ID and I’m 23. Got no ID but I’m 53. Barman didn’t care, As I’ve lost my hair, And forgot my flair, Got no ID and I’m 53. Got no ID but I’m 83. Make this pint last, Dream of the past, Wish I’d been asked, For ID like when 23.

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Jump!

SKY DIVING EVENTS Skydiving trips every weekend during term time for people who have completed training. Trips once every 3 weeks for those who require a First Jump Training Course.

Feet firmly attached to the ground, I’m extremely selfconscious of my own limitations. In a world in which we are all slaves to the laws of gravity, I am proud to be counted as one of the freedom fighters. That’s right, every weekend we go to a small airfield just outside of Oxford and we play chicken with planet earth. We are skydivers. So it doesn’t hold the same glamour that certain films pretend it does, I am of course thinking about Keanu Reeves’ 3-minute freefall over Lake Powell, USA, in the film Point Break from 1991. Don’t get me wrong though, the Oxfordshire countryside looks simply magnificent from 13 000ft. What can possibly have driven over 70 perfectly sane Kingston University students to do this already this academic year? Is it for the story? Perhaps. Maybe it’s for the charity? Sometimes. Or maybe it’s something to push yourself beyond the limits that currently define and restrict you? Definitely.

California Trip 29th March - 13th April 2010

You can’t really explain it, but it’s this nerve, commonly found in the back of your head that’s enticing you. Asking, enquiring, just questioning, ‘Why not?’ Maybe its something you’ve wanted to do your whole life, but never had the opportunity. Perhaps this is the moment? Kingston University Skydiving is currently running Skydives for Charity. If you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, and raise a lot of money, you might even be able to get your first skydive for free. We’ve already had 3 people skydive for the Charity Right To Play and are looking for more to participate in something that will not only change your own life, but also that of someone less fortunate than yourself.

BCPA Southerns (Student Party) 30th April – 3rd May 2010 BCPA Scots (Scottish Party!) 28th May - 31st May 2010 BCPA Northerns (Student Party) 2nd July – 4th July 2010

BCPA Nationals (Largest Student Party) 14th July – 18th July 2010 BCPA Freshers (Student Party) TBA Arizona Trip 26th December 2010 – 5th January 2011

So, don’t worry, anyone who said they weren’t terrified on their first jump is either lying, or insane. I know I was. Skydiving is not a natural thing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t majestic. I think that’s what draws me to go back and do it again, and again, and again. If you wish to participate, and truly break the boundaries that restrict you, or if you just want more information, please e-mail: skydiving@kingston.ac.uk Blue skies! Seize it! Jason Kelleher President: KU Skydiving SWAG Recreational Officer

I tell you, my first skydive was the most terrifying experience of my life. That said, my fiftieth skydive was the fiftieth most terrifying experience of my life, but I assure you, I can still remember every last time I stepped out into the beautiful air above those Oxfordshire fields. Only skydivers can understand why they did it. Everyone is unique. But what comes after that is the same for everyone. There is an overwhelming sense that you alone can conquer the world, and perform tasks and feats you had never imagined. It truly alters your life, but alas, my limited ability to articulate myself is failing, and I cannot explain to you exactly why this is. You will have to try it for yourself. So undoubtedly, half of the people reading this are already too scared and are muttering something like ‘Why would you jump out of a perfectly good aircraft?’ I sincerely hope you’re not one of them. In fact, I hope there’s just a twang. 69

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Written by jason kelleher.

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Charlotte backflipping the 60 ft big air kicker in Alpe D’Huez

Charlotte getting air out of the 12ft half pipe in Alpe D’Huez

When did you first start skiing?

the winner takes it all Interview with Charlotte Percle about her recent skiing competitions.

Charlotte Percle is a first year Fine Art Photography Student living at Seething Wells, who has had an amazingly successful year skiing. How has this season been for you Charlotte? Too much fun!!! I have been skiing since I was six, and this year has been one of the best seasons ever! What competitions did you enter and how did you get on? I entered all the British University Snow sports Council’s competitions, which included dry slope and indoor events as well as the week-long BUSC Main Event, held in Alpe D’Huez this Easter. I entered two Big Air comps, three Slopestyle comps and one Halfpipe competition of which I managed to win both the Big Airs events, come second in two of the Slopestyle events and come third in Halfpipe. So I’m super happy about how they all went, it’s been an awesome year!

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How did you get involved in British University Snowsports, and how can others get involved?

Charlotte winning 1st at Big Air and some skis in Alpe D’Huez

ing winn le ty lotte Char t Slopes ds e a 2nd in Le

I’ve been skiing since I was six, but I didn’t really get into it properly ‘til I was 13. I lived in France and the mountains were only about a two-hour bus journey away so I went skiing with my brother every weekend during the winters. I didn’t get into Freestyle until I was about 16; my brother and his friends would always build jumps so I joined in. Describe your perfect day? •

I became a member of KUSS and they entered me into all of the competitions. Anyone can enter competitions and represent Kingston University if they want to. The sport is progressing so much that all levels are able to get involved.

•

Where do you train?

• •

I have been to all the KUSS Milton Keynes sessions, which are open to all levels, and I went on the KUSS Winter Holiday to Les Arcs in January which was a blast. I also trained on an air bag in Alpe D’Huez, which is like a massive bouncy castle, you can try any trick without hurting yourself, before trying it on snow!

interviewed by sebastian abigail. Images from kuss and busc event.

• • •

Wake up early, get one of the first lifts up to the top of the mountain to ride some untracked powder. Head back to the apartment, grab my park skis and a baguette. Ride the park for the afternoon. Ski to a bar for some “Apres-ski”. Go home, shower and get ready to go out. Go out all night, go to sleep. Repeat.

What are your plans for next year? Well, if next year went exactly the same as this year I’d be happy. I want to get involved with KUSS; I have applied to be on the committee next year. I want to progress my skiing as much as possible next year, and I

am hoping to get sponsored. What was your highlight of the season? Wow, that’s a difficult one! Winning big air in Edinburgh and the BUSC Main Event in Alpe D’Huez was amazing. I was also chosen at random from the 2500 students that went to Alpe D’Huez to win the trip for free! But I have to say meeting so many cool people and making such good mates in KUSS definitely tops it! Do you think it’s worth students getting involved? The sport is progressing so quickly, there will never be a better time to get involved with snow sports. University snow sports trips are the cheapest and most fun you will ever experience; I’d suggest it to anyone! Just a few quickies: Nick name? Chambles – Charlotte, shambles ( I lose everything! ) Best Trick? Probably a back flip and if I’m lucky a 540. Favorite resort? Saint Gervais Park or Powder? Both please!!

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KUSS UPDATE

End of season report from the KU Snowsports Society

The long and wet winter is finally subsiding to a sunny spring. By all accounts, KUSS (Kingston University’s Snow-sports Society) has seen a meteoric rise in both popularity and success. Here is but a brief insight into some of the clubs achievements, banter-filled socials and infamous holidays. Milton Keynes Snow Dome Trips

In the run up to the KUSS Winter Holiday, frequent trips to Milton Keynes snow dome were arranged and enthusiastically attended by record numbers. This was made possible by offering an incredibly low price; one of KUSS’s core values is making snow sports as cheap and accessible to everyone as possible. These trips offer something for everyone: lessons for total novices; recreational sessions for intermediates; jumps and rails for the advanced, brave and stupid! Yet the main objective of these trips was to maintain KUSS’s Golden Rule – to have fun. British Universities Dryslope Championhip (BUDs) - Edinburgh November saw the first of the British Universities Snow-sports Councils (BUSC) competitions in Edinburgh. This competition is one of the largest British University events,

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having over 1,500 students descend upon the city. By day, the mammoth Hillend ski slope played host to race and freestyle competitions, spurred on by the festival-like atmosphere courtesy of top-name DJ’s. After a day of competing and revelling, everyone headed back to their hostels to freshen up in time for the amazing events BUSC organised for the evenings. Attendees were treated to the city’s biggest club and a glitzy black tie ball, this year held at Murrayfield rugby stadium. KUSS is only in its second year of taking part in competitions but it would seem all the hard work at Milton Keynes was starting to pay off. Kingston’s John Barnes put down some classy runs in the slope style competition to come 5th,whilst first-year Photography student Charlotte Percle took the scene by storm by spinning her way to the top of the big air podium in her first ever BUSC competition - a truly outstanding result! KUSS Winter Holiday Les Arcs, France The annual KUSS Winter Holiday is highly anticipated amongst students, with years of experience and expectations. One hundred KUSSlovers took over the slopes, pubs

written by sebastian abigail, Richard Brendon and tom griffiths. IMages from kuss and busc event.

and clubs of Les Arcs for a truly unforgettable week. There was snow, sun, banter and booze galore, not to mention unforgettable Les Arcs mountain meal! As usual, many close and even intimate relationships were forged on the trip, and the tales of what occurred are still being recounted. Despite having redefined “awesomeness”, KUSS are planning something even bigger and better for next year, so get involved! Check out a full report of the trip in the last edition of Fresh available at www.kusu.co.uk British Universities Indoor Snow-Sports Championship The first leg of the BUISC qualifier was at our home-turf of Milton Keynes, and it saw more KUSS members entering a competition than ever before. Everyone competed brilliantly - Sebastian Abigail threw his stylish front flips off the biggest jump the competition had to offer and both John Barnes and Charlotte Percle reached the finals. Charlotte finished 2nd in the Slope Style Competition and qualified for the National finals that took place the following week at the Castleford, Leeds. Despite injuring her shoulder in an early

run, Charlotte put on a brave face and continued skiing to claim 2nd place. Not bad for a Fresher! Social Events This year KUSS has continued to provide the best social itinerary of any club at Kingston. The weekly socials at Woody’s are a great place to meet new people in a relaxed and friendly environment, whilst offering reduced drinks prices with a KUSS card. Yet as increasingly popular as the weekly socials are, most Kingston Students would recognise KUSS for throwing the biggest and messiest parties. Social highlights have included the “Represent” party at the start of the year, which saw Ama-gi filled to the rafters with students wearing their KUSS sunglasses t-shirt! It was a monumental night and was the first indicator of just how much the club had grown since the previous year. Since then, word-ofmouth of the KUSS parties began to spread, and the recent St. Paddy’s Day festival set an all-time record of attendees! It was the first band night KUSS has organised and will certainly not be the last. Things will only be moving upwards for the parties for both the remainder of the academic year and the next, so make sure you’re on KUSS’ facebook group for all the exclusive invites.

BUSC Main Event KUSS has just returned from its final competition and holiday of the year –BUSC Main Event in Alpe D’Huez, France. Kingston attended this event for the first time last year, yet nearly doubled the number of students it brought. Everyone was rewarded with some of the best weather conditions possible, and some of the biggest nights out! This meant between partying and competitions everyone was skiing in knee deep powder, and couldn’t have been happier. Highlights of the trip included Peder Aspelin coming second in the snowboard slope style competition. The field for this competition was of a very high standard, making this achievement even more notable. Yet again Charlotte Percle (aka Chambles because of her ability to lose everything) was a dominant force in the women’s freestyle skiing comps. She placed 3rd in the halfpipe and 1st in the big air, amazing spectators and judges with a seriously steep back flip; a trick she had never performed on a kicker before! Still to come

the candidates that are running are exceptional and are set to adapt to the ever-evolving club. Next year you can expect the same cheap deals on skiing and snowboarding, both in the UK and in Europe, with a more in-depth social itinerary to cater for everyone’s desires. If you have been involved this year, then KUSS HQ would like the thank you! If you want to get involved it’s never too late, find us on facebook (group: ‘KUSS’). Peace and Piste. KUSS Summer Holiday Looking for something to do when exams are over….For just £139 (including travel and accommodation for 4 nights!) KUSS will be going to Mimizan in South West France. Check out the details on the KUSS Facebook page.

For more information on Kingston University Snowsports Society go to: www.KUSS.me

The University year may be coming to an end, but it is an exciting time for KUSS. The new committee is set to be elected on the 21st April. All of

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CHeerios!

The latest from the Kingston Knights! On 14th March, Tolworth Recreation Centre were treated to a stunning performance by the Kingston Cheerleading team, The Kingston Knights. As parents, friends and supporters arrived at the recreation centre, the Surrey Starlets, the Starlet Juniors and the Kingston Knight Blue and Gold team were limbering up, ready to give the crowd an impressive performance. Expectation was certainly in the air, but there were no nervous faces when it came to those who were performing. As they limbered up, you could see the anticipation and fear on some of the parents and after seeing some of the stunts that these young ladies manage to pull off, they can hardly be blamed. Back- flips, front flips, rolls and everything in between was pulled off during the show. No punches were pulled and everything was shown during the half hour show. Each team were impressive, especially the Kingston Knights Gold team who have their first competition on March 21st in Nottingham. Backspots, Bernadette Wilson and ShirleyAnn Robinson were both very impressive, mixing upper body strength and brilliant dance moves to great effect. Francesca Rawlings, Katy Darke, Antonia James Grey kept Flyers, Kim Gardener and Emma Kew safe whilst they did some fantastic acrobatics. Ever the perfectionists, some of the cheerleaders weren’t too happy with the performance. However, judging by the round of applause they got, it seems as if they might be on the

Fresh

Written by Claire Rogers. Images from the Cheerleading Society and Miles Taylor.

road to keeping their National Championship status for the third year running. During Easter weekend, The Kingston Knights headed to Telford to compete in the BCA championships. The 1st day was Universities only, 2nd was Midlands Classic- open to all cheer squads. We entered 2 teams- The Blues (level 1), The Golds at (level 3). Both teams managed to beat off allstar teams both days to gain 4 1st place trophies. The Golds in particular had fierce competition, finishing 1st out of 10. Kingston Knights are now national champions 5 times over after also placing first at ICC comp two weeks previous, making us undefeated so far this year.

Other Sport Successes South Eastern Conference Cup Winners Men’s Golf 2nd Men’s Volleyball South Eastern Conference Cup Runners-up Men’s Golf 1st Ladies Volleyball BUCS League Winners: Men’s Basketball 1st Ladies Football 1st Men’s Football 4th Men’s Footbal 5th Netball 1st Men’s Rugby 1st Men’s Tennis 1st Men’s Volleyball 1st Save our sports campaign is still ongoing. To find out more information: www.kusu.co.uk

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candi shop

Netball Charity Event

Kingston University Netball Club’s first team won their game on the 10th March, which put them at the top of the league and subsequently meant they won the cup! This kind of achievement deserves a celebration and the team will be awarded a shield at the Colours Sports’ Awards Ball in May. But they didn’t have to wait that long to celebrate as social secretary Beth Jones had organised a charity event that same evening. The exclusive night club Ama-gi (formerly Bar Evissa) opened its doors for only £3 a head with guest list. This included a ticket in the raffle to win a bottle of Vodka, a free glass of champagne, and a free vodka jelly shot for the first twenty people. The night began with the surfaces littered with glow sticks and the types of sweets you had in primary school – remember those Fizzers, chewy sherbets and Chupa Chups that you used to buy from the corner shop? Okay, so maybe you still get the lollipops, but hey – free sweets! It wasn’t long before they all vanished. You might be wondering why the sweets? The reason for these is that the theme for this social event was ‘Candi Shop’. It was the second ‘Candi Shop’ event that the netball girls have hosted this year in aid of the charity Right to Play. Right to Play’s mission statement is ‘to improve the lives of children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world by using the power of sport and play for development, health and peace.’ They give children in disadvantaged countries the chance to play sports no matter what their race, gender or ability. These skills help the children build a community spirit and lighten up their days. During the Candi Shop event a whopping £680 was raised on the night just from the entrance tickets. Roughly 200 attended this event and it was an overall success. ‘We’ve only got six hundred pounds left before we’ve raised two thousand pounds total!’ said Beth, as she proudly summed up the success of the event.

For more information on the Right to Play charity, visit

www.righttoplay.org.uk

Fresh

written by aundre jacobs

Cheerleading

masquerade Ball What made you come up with the idea to host a fundraiser for Haiti? Well, like everyone we were touched by what we were seeing on the news reports and as we had to raise money for our squad anyway, we thought why not give a portion of the proceeds to Haiti. A lot of the Cheerleaders turned up for the Masquerade Ball. How does it feel to know that your team-mates were supportive of what you were trying to do? Any event that we host ourselves normally has a high number of cheerleaders, if you can’t count on your own squad who can you count on. It was really nice to have the support of the other sports though such as ski and football. We are doing another party after Easter joint with football. It’s on the first Wednesday back, the 21st and will be a swimwear foam party. How much were you able to make in total once the night was done? Well the masquerade ball was just one of many events that we were doing to raise money for Haiti and with our squad we have done two cake sales, a showcase of our routine and we hope to do a bag pack in a nearby supermarket. We even made a calendar with zero budget and got it done within a week. It’s still on sale for £5 and can be bought at our next cake sale weds 24th March at Penrhyn Road campus, 12pm ‘til 4pm. Did you get any support from the university or was it all done by you? If it was all organised by you, why do you feel that the university didn’t help out? We didn’t really ask the University for help, but Suzie, the sports coordinator helped us in whatever we asked her to and as always supported our ideas. Do you feel that there wasn’t enough done to help those in Haiti by others at the university? No, I’m constantly hearing many societies and groups of people trying to do their part with helping Haiti. Some societies got together and put on a week of events ending with a party which had some cheerleaders auctioned off for a date. So there are a lot of other events going and where the cheerleaders can help-we try to.

WRITTEN BY AUNDRE JACOBS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MILES TAYLOR

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Great Balls of FIre! Kingston success against Exeter.

Fresh

photography by Miles Taylor.

Home: 78-60 Away: 95-73 Agrigate score: 171-133

wE GOT PROMOTED to THE BUCS Premier League!

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You can find us online at www.kusu.co.uk/fresh Kingston university student union Penrhyn Road Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 2EE Tel: 020 8417 2868 Fax: 020 8417 2862 Web: www.kusu.co.uk