STUDENT Life ISSUE 25 • FEBRUARY 2019 • SUFFOLK
Lifestyle Magazine by Students, for Students
www.student-life.co
Proud supporter of
STUDENT Life
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This Month... 5 ENTERTAINMENT
Top tunes, album releases, film review
10 FASHION
Keep warm in style, London fashion week
15 BEAUTY
Valentine’s gifts
19 TRAVEL
Budapest and romantic dates
23 CAREERS
Latest plans for Sizewell C
27 MENTAL HEALTH
Hello February! A month I love for many reasons (especially because it’s my birthday!). In this month’s jampacked edition of Student Life, we feature articles from our student writers on fashion at Men’s London Fashion week and Obesity Awareness week as well as reviews for Aquaman and the book Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. We also recently welcomed on board Ipswich Academy where we presented to our first group of Year 10 students! The response was fantastic with 43 young people signing up to be involved in the work we do! That’s our largest uptake from one school so far!
Music, obesity, Q&A and much more
47 LGBTQ+
Gay means happy
49 WHAT THE FOOD
Kitchen gadgets, pizza and lasagne recipes
55 MY LIFE
Relationships, studying and motivation
65 TECH
E-sports – from gamers to millionaires
70 STUDENT FINANCE Getting sorted
68 WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
Editor’s WORD
We welcome back those returning to their studies at the University of Suffolk and also say hello to those who are just starting their course! We hope you enjoy your Refreshers’ week and soon settle into university life! Hopefully you’ll find this magazine helpful and a welcome distraction from what feels like endless studying and of course, if you fancy getting involved, please feel free to contact us. Best wishes
Rachel Rachel Gilbey, Co-editor
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Contact us
01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co @studentlifeips @studentlifeips @studentlifeips
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WRITERS PHOTOGRAPHERS DESIGNERS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM MYSTERY SHOPPERS & REVIEWERS DISTRIBUTORS
“My roles at Student Life have shaped my leadership and decision making skills.”
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Take the first step, email us to find out more info@student-life.co
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STUDENT Life NEWS A selection of news from Student Life HQ. Follow us on Insta and FB @studentlifeips to keep up to date.
Ipswich Academy January saw our first workshop presentation of 2019 to year 10 students at Ipswich Academy. This was the first time that we had delivered the workshop to such a young audience, but we were overwhelmed with the fantastic response from the students. 43 students signed up to get involved with all things Student Life and this figure shoots the Academy to the top of the leader board of students signing up at an initial workshop.
Waterfront Life’s ROTY Central Ipswich’s Waterfront Life publication recently held its annual Restaurant of the Year awards and nominated Student Life as its charity beneficiary of money raised on the night. We were delighted to receive a donation of over £1100 from proceeds from the charity auction. Grateful thanks to Danielle and the team at Waterfront Life.
Sundown Festival 2019 We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Sundown this year. Watch this space for VIP tickets and much much more.
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ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR LOUISE DICKMAN
TOP TUNES Trust My Lonely ALESSIA CARA Trampoline SHAED
Trust My Lonely ALESSIA CARA
Wow. *explicit* POST MALONE More Than That LAUREN JAUREGUI Longshot CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN
I had never heard this song, despite it being released for 3 months when I heard it come up on my Spotify. So I take it I’m not the only one that hasn’t heard this yet. But you definitely should. It sounds great and has a meaningful message behind it. She talks about our instinct to cling onto people or things that aren’t good for us, even though we think they are and stresses how much better it is to be alone compared to that. She says we don’t have to be afraid of being alone that we can ‘trust our lonely’ which I’m sure someone reading this needed to hear!
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Trampoline
More Than That
SHAED is a trio I had not heard of at all until I heard this song playing, and after hearing ‘Trampoline’ it is one I will certainly look into more. Again, not a recent song at all and was used for the Macbook Air advert in October. I don’t personally remember that despite it having a really great beat to it especially during the verses. As you probably guessed, it’s about bouncing on a trampoline while the artists reminisce about doing so as a child at home. The vocalist has a very soft but powerful voice making it very memorable.
Personally, I believe Lauren is sounding much better as a soloist, making songs that suit her voice sound much better, just like the rest of previous Fifth Harmony members. There’s no doubt Camila has been the most successful out of the five, but I believe Lauren closely follows especially with a song like ‘More Than That’. It’s a song that certainly gives off ‘independent woman’ vibes and is very flirty throughout. She has a very strong voice which is shown off when the beat gets louder towards the chorus.
Wow. *explicit*
Longshot
Post Malone is, without a doubt, one of my favourite artists so I was hyped when I saw this on my discover page. It has a very catchy beat, one that definitely gets you moving. The majority of ‘Wow.’ is Post bragging about his success and material goods, but mostly to throw in the face of those who doubted him in the past so they can see what he has achieved. Although, he didn’t really need to make a song for this, currently being one of the top artists in the world.
Catfish and the Bottlemen are one of my top favourite bands mainly due to them having such a unique and distinctive sound. ‘Longshot’ is a very optimistic song, which makes a change for modern music at the moment. It is about going into a relationship, taking a chance with it and it all working out in the end. Lead singer Van explained how the person being portrayed in the song knew the risks of going into the relationship yet went for it anyway, and it paid off. As expected and as always, the song has a great rock/indie vibe which is always refreshing.
SHAED
LAUREN JAUREGUI
POST MALONE
CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN
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Expected Album Releases for 2019 WRITTEN BY RAHUL ANEESH
2018 was a great year for music with some really good releases in the past year. Let’s hope that 2019 can be a continuation of that. I am expecting there to be exciting projects that an artist is planning on releasing or that hopefully they make a comeback. So here are the following in no particular order: 1. KANYE WEST – YANDHI Kanye West is a highly respected artist and is no stranger to controversy. The last time we heard from him was on “Ye” which was just alright in my opinion and “I Love It” with Lil Pump which was a terrible song in my opinion. Also, this was set to be released last year but that didn’t happen for personal reasons. But it should be released this year.
4. BTS – TBA They haven’t teased the mainstream or the ARMY with a project yet but usually for each year the K-pop group release something whether it’s a single, EP or LP we may get something and hopefully it’s good because their last record “Love Yourself: Tear” was really good especially “Fake Love”. Hopefully they become relevant this year too. 5. GIGGS – BIG BAD Whilst I completely lost interest in UK rap last year Giggs has an album on the way scheduled by 22nd Feb. I enjoyed his last record “Wamp 2 Dem” and I barely heard from Giggs last year. But let’s see if “Big Bad” himself can provide some more solid tracks.
2. LIL PUMP – HARVARD DROPOUT Like Yandhi, this was supposed to be released last year. Back in 2017 I was not a fan of Pump’s debut project since a lot of the tracks were too repetitive but in 2018 he’s made some notable improvements. So hopefully he “finds the album” and drops it because hopefully it’s a step up. 3. BRING ME THE HORIZON – AMO I enjoy a lot of the band’s outcast music especially when 3 of the teasers to this album were very enjoyable and the last time they released a project was 4 years ago. Hopefully this album (released in January) will be a good return. 77 • • EFE N TBR E RUA TARY INM 2019 E N T• • SSTUDENT TUDENT LIFE LIFE
6. DENZEL CURRY & CHARLIE HEAT – ALOHA Denzel Curry may be a meme for some but for quite a lot of Hip hop listeners/ followers he is a well-respected artist especially with his last record “Taboo” being my favourite album of 2018. Also Charlie Heat has produced 5 tracks of Kanye’s “Life Of Pablo” hopefully this album will be as good as Taboo. 7. BLACKPINK – TBA Another K-pop music group that has been gaining a lot of views on YouTube and has a big fan base even though they only have just 2 EP’s. But this year I would love to listen to more songs from them, ideally a debut album but I just want more just to form an opinion. I can tell you now the track “DDUDU DDU-DU” is really solid, hopefully they can release something that’s better.
10. THE WEEKND – TBA Last year we had “My Dear Melancholy” Ep which really lived up to its name but he was teasing the album with some visuals, I might just get an album from one of my favourite R&B artists of all time especially with his last 2 albums being really good in my opinion.
8. CARDI B – TBA
11. CHRIS BROWN – INDIGO
I came across this one tweet from a trusted hip hop news site and she’s releasing an album soon. I enjoyed “Invasion Of Privacy” quite a lot but I don’t think it deserved the mainstream attention it got since people are praising this as the best album of 2018. I didn’t think it was that good but OK. But let’s see this year if Cardi still has some great tracks.
Haven’t heard from Chris Brown ever since his 45 track album released back in 2017, yes 45. But this year he’s got an album on the way and has a single with it called “Undecided” which was just OK in my opinion. Despite the controversy I do enjoy a lot of Breezy’s music. Hopefully Indigo is a good comeback.
Well that’s all my expected releases that I hope are good.
9. RAE SREMMURD – SREMMLIFE 4 With the Sremmlife franchise of Rae Sremmurd being very consistent with the most well perfected Hip-Hop party music. Known for their massive hit “Black Beatles” they still have some other fun and guilty pleasure tracks. Hopefully the 4th instalment has that.
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Film Review
AQUAMAN UNDER THE SEA WRITTEN BY JACK MACEY The DC Extended Universe (that is, the entire “universe” in which all the recent DC films take place) has been left in the wake of Marvel’s success for some time now following the lack of support for Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). However, with the Avengers storyline wrapping up this year and with it Marvel’s “Phase 3” films, it seems the DCEU might just have an opening… and about time.
Abdul-Mateen II) original story is presented and is done so in perhaps a slightly melodramatic fashion, which does stray from the source material, although his signature attire and set of abilities firmly place him as a fan favourite.
The action within the film was excellently filmed and occurred at reasonable intervals. The fluidity of the cinematography (CGI assisted) coupled with the fight choreography made for some wholly entertaining James Wan’s Aquaman is one of the best stand-offs especially noting DC films that we’ve seen so far surpassing the finale to the epic third act. The CGI use was heavy even Wonder Woman (2017) which has (it did primarily take place been widely considered as DC’s best. underwater, after all) but settings like Atlantis were vibrant The audience isn’t taken on a complete original story for Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and the variety of fish-folk didn’t look uncomfortably uncanny. All the as is typical of the first film using a actors delivered solid performances superhero but is instead led through the and Momoa’s portrayal of character’s ascension to becoming the Aquaman was as fun as you’d King of Atlantis: a storyline that is highly expect apart from some forced, appealing and captivating through to its poor jokes that felt aimed towards conclusion. the younger demographic. Wan’s interpretation of the story differs Overall, the direction Wan took from the prior comic book versions, but with the production of Aquaman in changing aspects of characters, most felt like a breath of fresh, sea air notably Orm (Patrick Wilson) who differs closer to that of the celebrated from being the villain “Ocean Master” to Wonder Woman than the prior being the main antagonist and current films. Here’s to hoping DC can King of Atlantis who wants to become maintain that. the “Ocean Master”. Black Manta’s (Yahya
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FASHION
SUPPORTED BY
FASHION EDITOR PAM DAVIS
HOW TO LOOK STYLISH AND SMART WHEN IT’S COLD Winter has officially started! Coats are a staple in any wardrobe and this season we have been overwhelmed with choice. Perhaps one of the most worn items in our wardrobes in the colder months, rivalled only by ankle boots and chunky knits, there’s simply no denying the power of great outerwear. Everyone at some point will have owned that single cover-up that keeps us warm and boosts our mood on the greyest of days. They are perfect for making a simple jean, tee and trainer combination feel stylish with minimal thinking. Not only does a good winter coat keep you warm and snug as
the temperatures plummet, a cool coat can also add some extra style points to any look. Coats are the foundations to any winter wardrobe – whether you’re in the market for something casual that you can throw on quickly or a more formal look, there is something out there to suit every style. There are so many choices this season, with different patterns to cropped faux fur, puffers to parkas and trench coats to tailored numbers, there is certainly a style for everyone! To help you decide, turn over for some of my top picks of the chic and stylish coats to see you right through until spring, whatever the weather!
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WOMEN TEDDY BEAR COAT Teddy Bear coats are cosy, warm and definitely on trend right now. The oversized style allows you to layer with knits underneath when the weather gets really cold. You will always find one to suit your style whether it is single or double breasted. They come in a great range of colours from pretty pastels to punchy hues. For a more casual style, try a cropped version in a rich autumnal hue (mustard, rust coloured or beige).
LEOPARD FAUX FUR COAT Animal prints have been all over for the past few seasons and are certainly a firm favourite of mine. There is a great choice of lengths, patterns and colours to suit all shapes and styles. Pair with high necked blouses and knits for a fresh look on this iconic staple coat.
DOUBLE BREASTED COAT Camel coats have long been considered sophisticated and the obsession shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Style this with cosy knits, trousers or an LBD with strappy heels for an evening look.
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VENDELA COAT Grey, belted with a cute collar and a slightly cuffed sleeve – this one is all about the little details. These coats keep the cold away in the really chilly months as they’re made from a warm wool blend. With a wrapping belt and two slanted pockets, style with jeans and trainers or a dress and heels – on repeat!
MEN CHECKED OVERCOAT Heritage designs and more specifically, checked print have been popular for a number of seasons, squaring up on everything from trousers and shoes to tailoring and knits. However, it’s on outerwear that such motifs offer the most bang for their patterned buck. Capable of turning what is a simple, classic piece of outerwear into a heroic piece, a check coat is the easiest way to ensure you won’t get bored of your buy.
PUFFER COAT Once a staple of mountaineering types, the puffer jacket is now a definite streetwear necessity. The innovation in technical jackets means a puffer can be worn like any other coat would be – equally perfect over a suit on a weekday, or with a knit, boots and jeans at the weekend.
WINTER BOMBER If you think knee-length overcoats only belong in spy movies, there are plenty of cropped styles around that offer a modern edge. Bomber and varsity jackets have become the go-to short styles. There is a huge variety of these across all the menswear collections from simple and refined to embellished, patterned and bold.
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LONDON fashion week
MEN’S AW 2019
FASHION CO-EDITOR TSHEQUA WILLIAMS
The 5th – 7th January brought the annual Men’s Fashion Week in London with brands showcasing their Autumn/ Winter 2019 collections. Although the cold weather across the last few months means all we can think about are warmer summer days, to help you get prepared and give you inspiration, I have rounded up a few brands that I think will reflect the trends for AW 2019, as well as looking at the street style from the event. CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN With the recent warnings on the effects of climate change, brands like Christopher Raeburn really stand out for creating sustainable and responsibly-sourced fashion. Their ideas are all crafted around recycled fabrics which are then repurposed to create aesthetic designs. For their 10th anniversary show, Raeburn recycled vintage parachutes and waste fabrics to create patchwork military style parkas and dungarees, contrasted with softer neutral cashmere knits. Main colours – khaki, black, orange. KING AND TUCKFIELD Inspired by the dancing and style of the designer’s Grandmother and Father in the 40s and 50s, King and Tuckfield incorporates
denim and merino wool to give an effortless, classic and simple design. From their AW 19 collection they have kept with the smart neutral style, with denim shirts, stripes and classical camel and checked duster coats, as well as cream ribbed corduroy jackets. Main colours – denim blue, grey, beige. SAUL NASH Saul Nash is definitely a designer to watch. Having recently graduated from the Royal College of Art studying Menswear, Nash incorporates his love for performance and dance with London suburban style to “reinvent sportswear”. The collection was almost a modern twist on 80s/90s hip hop street sportswear, featuring lightweight fabrics, contrast piping and a looser fit. It was worn by dancers at the show giving a personal connection between the design and purpose. Main colours – navy, muted yellow, cream. STREET STYLE Moving over to audience style at LFWM, outfits mainly consisted of neutral colours (beiges, greys and muted baby blues), along with bold pops of yellow. This season has really embraced the oversized coats and jackets, with parkas, shearling and leather aviator jackets and the classic trench/duster coats. Many looks also incorporated subtle patterns which brought a detailed contrast to the heavy neutral fabrics of the coats.
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CAPSULE
WARDROBE If you read last month’s article on making changes to your style this year, you’ll know that I talked about the concept of a Capsule Wardrobe. If you’re unsure what this is, a Capsule Wardrobe aims to create a sustainable collection of clothing items which can carry you across all seasons, while limiting your purchase of ‘trend pieces’. This helps to reduce waste and the amount of fast fashion that you consume as you have to make considered choices about what you choose to buy. Even if you don’t want to limit the amount of clothes you have in your wardrobe, it’s beneficial to consider some of the ideas as it can help you to save money and makes fashion more environmentally and ethically friendly.
When buying basics, it is ideal to try and invest in good quality pieces as they will last longer across the seasons. For example, although as students it would be unrealistic to suggest spending excessive amounts of money, even by investing in one better quality pair of jeans, it is going to save you more money in the long run. Even if the cheaper pair cost 50% less but only lasted a few months, the better-quality piece could
...try and invest in good quality pieces as
When starting a they will last longer across the seasons. Capsule Wardrobe, to help you stick to the system it is important to ensure you have all the basic pieces to work out as better value if they ended up help you form outfits. It’s a good idea to sort lasting you a year. This works out as a better through your wardrobe and make a list of cost per wear than cheaper items. all the pieces you have already so you know exactly what you need to buy. Take note of This year, each season there will be an what you have excessive amounts of, what article in Student Life about what to add to you are lacking and what you actually do your wardrobe (basics and trends). In the and don’t wear. Consider how your lifestyle meantime, I love Lucy Moon’s YouTube videos on Capsule Wardrobes as she talks about impacts what you wear on an everyday how to make it realistically work with your basis and how often you need to dress more lifestyle and fashion sense. formally/ casually. 14 • FE BR UA RY 2019 • S TUDENT LIFE
BEAUTY
SUPPORTED BY
BEAUTY CO-EDITOR ROSIE MAY
VALENTINES GIFTS Valentines Day (or Galentines Day) is slowly approaching and a lot of makeup brands are bringing out Valentines Collections just in time. Presents can be a tricky thing to think of around this time of year, especially as we have just had Christmas out of the way. Here are some gift ideas I have come across, that you can either ask for or buy for your partner!!
Anastasia Beverly Hills is one of my favourite makeup brands. Norvina the owner seems really down-to-earth and the brand always comes across as sleek and professional. The Modern Renaissance palette may be old but it is perfect for Valentines Day.
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The mixture of white shimmer, matte burgundy and beautiful transition shades make the perfect Valentines eye look – and perfect present! Now, I’ve never been a massive fan of the Kylie Cosmetics collections. I have one of her lip kits but it didn’t meet my expectations. I’ve always heard very mixed reviews about the brand and it’s a bit difficult to get hold of in the U.K. However, she has recently just brought out a Valentines Collection and it is dreamy. Her collections are quite expensive as a whole package, I would personally opt for the eyeshadow palette. This has more pink tones to it and a beautiful range of shimmer shades. Please be aware that they do charge customs when you order from her!
Moving away from makeup, fake tan is a great gift to give. I’d be over the moon! It’s getting even colder at the moment and that means I need a good splash of sunkissed colour on my skin. The SOSO Dripping Gold Tan is very hyped up at the moment with all the social media influencers and gives a beautiful golden finish. You can purchase it on Beauty Bay and retails at £19.95, so a similar price to Bondi Sands. This is a great present to give to make your partner feel 10/10 on date night! Nails are probably the biggest thing I neglect in terms of beauty. I’ll go and get my nails done for a special occasion but other than that, they are pretty neglected! The impress Fake Nails are adorable and a perfect alternative to getting acrylics or gels.
They are only £8 in Superdrug and are so easy to use and apply. It’s mess free and you have instant results, a great gift to have a little pamper and doll up just before going out – no hassle and no mess! Valentines gifts can be hard to think of and look for, but simple ideas like these are easy to find and can make your other half feel pampered and ready for whatever you have planned! Although chocolates and a giant teddy bear will always go down a treat as well, hint hint!
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The Ideal Product For Your Problematic Skin! WRITTEN BY SOFIYA KHALYAEVA PRODUCT: Whitening Mask BRAND: Mario Badescu FUNCTION: A hydrating mask that brightens uneven skin tones and reduces the look of old acne scars/ discolourations. PRICE: £21.00
I first heard about this product when researching for ways to improve my skin. Being acne prone myself, I’ve suffered with bad skin since I was 14 so have always looked into products to help me improve it. After delving into some research and reviews, I decided to try it out myself, and see if it was as good as its 3.9 star rating on BeautyBay.
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I began by exfoliating my skin after which I finally applied a thin layer of the mask onto my skin and left it on for 15 mins, as stated on the instructions. After washing it off, I didn’t see much of a result therefore I went onto doing the same routine the next evening only this time leaving the mask on overnight. To my surprise, when I’d washed it all off, my skin was not only a lot more radiant but the dark spots had turned much lighter! I was particularly astounded at how quickly it had helped, as I’d used other products before for months and none had lived up to these results. However I found it a struggle to wash off as in some places it had stuck more strongly to my skin than others, so if your mornings are a hectic rush this isn’t the most ideal product! I’ve been using this product for around 5 weeks now and have seen improvement but only if I use it every other day. What I’ve also noticed is that I sometimes tend to occasionally break out in the areas where the mask was, which was mentioned in some of the reviews.
In conclusion I would definitely recommend trying out this product but adapting it to your own needs as I feel that this way you’ll be able to get the most out of it. The price might seem like a bit of a stretch considering the cons but the shipping is free on BeautyBay so you won’t have to pay any extra pennies! Good Luck :)
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TRAVEL WRITTEN AND PHOTOS BY RACHEL GILBEY
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY Travelling on a budget is something I aim to do whenever the opportunity arises. I’ve heard so many good things about Budapest with many of my friends having visited and singing its praises. When I found flights for less than £40 each way, I just had to book! I had never been to Hungary before and was looking forward to exploring a new country and culture. While researching flights and accommodation, I decided to
look at AirBnB, out of interest and then quite religiously, swiping through the cute flats on offer. Usually, I always book my city breaks through Lastminute.com or Expedia as I love the ease of booking flights and hotel in one go, all fees up front and no hassle. This time however, I wandered from the known and took a chance. It definitely paid off. AirBnB, in the heart of Budapest (Pest side) for three nights came in under £90 for both myself and my fiancé Chev. BARGAIN. 3 nights, 4 days in Budapest for £170 for TWO people! I then booked seats through Ryanair which was still super cheap in a sale and then I was good to go. Only thing left to sort was travel insurance and currency.
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I have to admit, it’s not a city I knew lots about prior to booking, but as soon as I had departed with the fees and fares, the research began. Currency is Forint (although some places do accept Euros) and it is pretty cheap in the city. Forint is in hundreds and thousands which can often mess with your brain when trying to work out the conversion, but I decided to write down a rough exchange rate to refer back to when spending money- I highly recommend this if you’re not accustomed to the currency. One thing to note is that you will almost always need to pay to use a public toilet and expect to pay anything from 200 – 350 ft to relieve yourself. There are toilets everywhere… out in the town, in shops, in bars and even McDonalds! We only found one public toilet that we didn’t need to pay for which was outside the visitors centre at Parliament. Make sure you carry plenty of change for this reason.
or shine, the outdoor thermal baths are open, however if bathing in the rain isn’t for you, then there are a number of indoor geothermal pools as well as saunas, a gym and facilities to receive spa treatments such as massages. Szechenyi bath is the biggest and most popular bath but there are plenty dotted around Budapest. It’s one of the more expensive attractions however we received a money off coupon with a bus tour we booked so keep your eyes peeled for offers. For something more historical and actually quite breath taking, you should visit the Shoes on the Danube bank memorial. The monument remembers 3500 individuals who were shot into the river Danube during the Arrow Cross terror. It is such a surreal moment when you come across the shoes and reflect on the tragedy that took place in that spot all those years ago. To locate the memorial, you’ll need to be on the Pest side of the river near the Hungarian Parliament. You can then enjoy a walk down the riverside, taking in the city’s beauty and admiring the Buda side from a distance.
Once we arrived in the city centre, we had a 30 minute walk to our AirBnB. This was a walk that we ended up doing multiple times a day and we certainly got our step Overall, this city oozes so much history count up! There was a Spar supermarket that is just waiting to be explored. If you on the corner at the end of our road and ever get the chance, I highly recommend once we had stocked up on supplies, we visiting- especially as it’s not too costly to went exploring. Budapest is a vibrant go. I know I’ll be returning! city, with pubs and bars on every street. There was so much to see including; Buda Castle, Heroes’ Square, Basilica of St Stephen and the Szechenyi Chain Bridge (best admired by boat!). Two places that I highly recommend visiting is the Szechenyi Thermal baths and the Shoes on the Danube bank memorial. The baths are the best place to unwind and relax Szechenyi T hermal baths and you could easily spend St. Stephen’s Basilica a whole day there. Rain
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R MANTIC DATES? YOU DECIDE... WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY
It’s February, the month of romance, mushy cards and ‘boydidgood’ hashtags. As Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, it’s a good time to start thinking of how you might mark the day. If you’re bored of the usual fine dining or cinema trip and would prefer a more unusual activity, then read on! While this article is geared more towards ‘fun date suggestions’, every idea mentioned can also be a laugh with friends- so don’t fret. Below are five student friendly activities (most offer student discount) that are worth a try.
Kaspas Rather than heading out to a restaurant, why not head to a dessert house and enjoy delving into mountains of unusual flavoured ice cream and the calorific goodness of waffles and cookie dough that just looks mouth-watering? It’s the perfect place to head to for a sweet treat. Don’t worry if you can’t finish what’s on your plate, you can take what’s left home in a box for when the midnight munchies kick in!
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Escape Ipswich If you love puzzles or you’re a secret detective in your own time, then Escape Ipswich is definitely worth a visit. Just before Christmas, Student Life checked out the new venue and it did not disappoint (you can read our review online). There are a number of different themed rooms to choose from, ranked on difficulty but each gives you a maximum of 60 minutes to solve the case and find your way out. If you thrive under pressure and love a bit of competition, then this is a must. While not overly romantic, it requires team work and patience and if you can complete this with your partner, then you can survive anything, right?
Superbowl UK Nothing says love like a romantic head-to-head game of bowling. It’s a great past-time and one that you can revisit again and again without getting too bored. Most bowling alleys, like the one in Ipswich Buttermarket also offer a variety of food and drink so you can make a proper day of it. If you’re going head-to-head against your partner, why not make it more interesting by choosing a forfeit for the loser? Once you’re done, take advantage of what the venue has to offer, with a range of arcade games and also Ninja Tag Active, an activity which requires determination and a lot of energy!
Press Start Gaming Lounge While not everyone’s idea of a romantic treat, this may please some. Press Start Gaming Lounge is every gamers idea of heaven. After you’ve made your way down to the basement, you have the choice of a number of gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Switch or PS4 or if you’d prefer a more intimate experience, you can upgrade to the VIP room. Not only do they have the latest technology, they also have a range of retro games which is sure to send a few of you into nostalgia. In addition, there is a bar which serves drinks (alcohol after 7pm) and a small range of food. From time to time, the venue hosts its own events and tournaments as well as catering for birthday parties.
Premier Pool A hidden gem situated close to Ipswich waterfront and University halls, Premier Pool is a neat little venue hosting a number of professional pool and snooker tables as well as dart boards. For a small amount of money (made cheaper with a student card), you can hire a table or take advantage of a free dart board. The venue is fully stocked with drinks and bar snacks and Premier Pool often host a number of midweek events and also screen big sporting events.
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CAREERS
SUPPORTED BY
EDF ENERGY Continuing our careers relationship with EDF Energy at Sizewell, we introduce readers to the plans for a new power station – known as Sizewell C... EDF SAYS: Our proposals for a new nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast The third stage of public consultation on the proposals for a new nuclear power station at Sizewell began on 4 January 2019 and will run until 29 March 2019. So far, our project has been through two formal stages of public consultation with local communities in East Suffolk,
providing an opportunity for the public to have their say. The feedback we receive, together with our technical assessments, will help shape our final proposals.
DURING CONSULTATION WE HAVE SOUGHT OPINIONS ON: Our overall proposals for the new Sizewell C nuclear power station;
The associated development needed to support the construction and operation of the power station; and
The potential effects of the project
– both positive and negative – and proposed mitigation measures where necessary.
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The principle of the need for new nuclear power stations and the choice of Sizewell as a ‘potentially suitable’ site have already been determined by Parliament, following public consultation and debate. These issues are outside the scope of our ongoing consultation.
WHAT IS SIZEWELL C? The proposed Sizewell C site is on the Suffolk coast, alongside an operating nuclear power station and one being decommissioned. Should we receive the necessary consents it will be the second of a new generation of nuclear stations using the EPR technology to be built in the UK, following on from Hinkley Point C which is now under construction in Somerset. It would include two reactors (known as the UK EPR) and be capable of generating 3,260MW of low carbon electricity, enough to power around six million homes.
The case for building Sizewell C is strong and the development of the station is necessary for the UK’s energy future: S izewell C would replicate the design of Hinkley Point C. S izewell C would be cost competitive with other lowcarbon technologies. ith four EPR reactors W expected to be in operation by the time Sizewell C reaches its final investment decision, technology risk, and hence the cost of finance, will be reduced significantly. T he cost of building Sizewell C would be reduced by replicating and learning from Hinkley Point C, and benefiting from a mature UK supply chain. T here would be a high percentage of UK companies in the Sizewell C supply chain – much higher than other low carbon technologies. S izewell C would create huge economic opportunities in the East of England, providing highly skilled and well paid employment and contracts for local businesses. S izewell C would have very low grid connection costs, thanks to existing grid infrastructure already being in place.
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EDF NEWS Sizewell C enlists the help of University of Suffolk students for public consultation. Students and lecturers from the University of Suffolk are helping Sizewell C understand what local people think of the latest consultation for the proposed power station.
Dr Will Thomas, Professor at the University of Suffolk, said: “The Sizewell C exhibitions are a great way for our students to get real experience in conducting research for an industry on our doorstep. The timing has worked really well as the students are just about to embark on their module on research later this term.”
The University was awarded the contract to conduct exit interviews at consultation exhibitions currently running across East Suffolk. So far 2,500 people have come to the exhibitions to find out more and to see the changes made since the last round of consultation.
Jim Crawford, Sizewell C project development director, said: “It’s great to be able to use a local university to conduct this important research. The exhibitions have been really busy and we want to be sure that people are getting the information they need.”
The exit interviews measure how easy people find it to get and understand the information being presented. This helps the Sizewell C team ensure local people can access all the details they need to provide feedback as part of the planning process.
The Sizewell C Project Team by can be contacted by FREEPHONE 0800 197 6102 (Open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) or at the Sizewell C Information Office, 48-50 High Street, Leiston IP16 4EW or by visiting one of the exhibitions.
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Careers Platform Do you want to help shape a unique digital platform for students to source experience of different workplaces? We are putting together a student-led steering group which will revolutionise the way that students and alumni can gain valuable experience. Email: info@student-life.co for more information.
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SUPPORTED BY
MENTAL
HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR LEANNE ARNOLD
Mental health difficulties are like weeds in your garden. We can spend so much time ignoring the issue that the root spreads. Digging deeper identifies the root; removing the root, removes the problem. 27 • FE BR UA RY 2019 • S TUDENT LIFE
This Month... 29 SELF CARE
Watch a movie
30 MUSIC AND MENTAL HEALTH Can music help?
32 FEEL GOOD SONGS Our top suggestions
33 JENNY’S STORY
The latest from Jenny
34 Q&A
Motivation
36 MENTAL HEALTH AND MUSIC
Hello! How is everyone’s 2019 going? I know that here at Student Life we have been working hard (as always) to develop our mental health work, and as I said last month, I am so very excited to be working with the NHS and CCG on our upcoming self-harm campaign! This month I decided to feature articles on the correlation of music and mental health – we all know a song that can make us cry and a song that can fill us with energy just before a night out! Take a look, there are some good recommendations from our writers!
Is there a link?
38 WHAT DO YOU DO?
How to unwind
39 OBESITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
As always, I try to stay aware of all the UK and National awareness days as they are important to get involved with. February brings us Obesity awareness week, so please check out the article around this! Not many people make the correlation between obesity and mental health, but it is for sure there!
Does one effect the other?
41 CONTROL, INFLUENCE AND ENABLING Behaviour breeds behaviour
Hoping you are all doing well,
43 WHY DO PEOPLE BULLY?
xo
Tom investigates
46 USEFUL CONTACTS You are not alone
Editor’s WORD
Leanne Arnold Mental Health Director
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Contact us
01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co @studentlifeips @studentlifeips @studentlifeips
Self Care WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY
A Movie. Watching a movie is a great way to relax and take your mind off what’s going on day to day. Whether you choose to watch a new release in the cinema or an old-time favourite from the comfort of your own home, there’s something magical about being transported to another world. Movies can take us on a journey, involving our emotions and feelings as if we were living what we are seeing. Personally, I love watching films based on true events and documentaries, as there is something surreal in seeing history unravel. Powerful true stories laid out before us; moments in time that we would otherwise not know of and would not even be able to contemplate. Equally, being transported to a new fantasy world where you’re only limited by your imagination is fun and a welcome distraction! I often wonder if these types of movies give us an insight into what our world may be like in the future with the rapid advances in technology. For a moment, we might be able to put our own worries and stresses on hold to enjoy some ‘me’ time. If heading out to the cinema is too overwhelming, you may prefer to
snuggle up on the sofa with a blanket and hot chocolate. Regardless of how you decide to relax, there are movies that cater to every genre and you’re sure to find something to enjoy. There are also several movies out there that aim to motivate and inspire you. I’ve listed a few recommendations below in case you’re in need of a pick-me-up in the new year. The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) The Blind Side (2009) Forrest Gump (1994) The Greatest Showman (2018) Rocky (1976) Seven Pounds (2008)
Some of them will make you laugh, others will make you cry but hopefully you’ll come away from them feeling like you’re ready to battle through and own this life. If you’re interested in reviewing movies for Student Life, get in touch!
MUSIC AND MENTAL HEALTH WRITTEN BY ELAYNE LACORTE Elayne is 18 years old and is in her final year of sixth form. She decided to get involved with Student Life as she likes the idea of students sharing their stories, and hopes to be part of it. Music and mental health. Those two words usually aren’t found in the same sentence. But music has the ability to shift your IF THIS ARTICLE 29 HAS•BROUGHT UP 2019 ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FE BR UA RY • S TUDENT LIFE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION
mood in an instant. Cue a sad love song in a 2-hour car journey. What happens? I don’t know about you, but I immediately imagine all sorts of sad things. The question is, why? If you think about it like this, songs written from artists are usually personal and very, very real for them. You hear the raw emotion and the truth behind the words and it makes you think. And you think and you think and you think. That’s the link. Some people can put their emotions into words better than you can, and when you hear it, you just relate to it on a different level. The same can be said for happy songs too. It’s not all negative. To say that music controls our mood and mental health is a bit far-fetched, but it certainly adds fuel to the fire. The key is to not seek out the kind of music that will worsen your mood. When everything feels like it’s falling apart, the last thing you should do is search for ‘depressing songs’ because that simply won’t help. Realistically, when you hear that other people are also going through bad things, instead of feeling better, you’re going to feel the opposite. Or maybe, you’ll see that as a symbol of strength. Up to you. Music for me, is a snippet of someone else’s story. I’ve found that listening to music that’s full of positive vibes and is true to the artist puts me in a good mood. It’s all about connecting and really listening to the story being told. At times, music can be an escape for someone else’s demons. You lose yourself in the lyrics and the music and it’s why people love music so much. So, don’t underestimate the impact music can have. You could be one song away from the best day of your life.
Here’s a few songs that will get you singing and dancing: Better when I’m Dancing – Meghan Trainor Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston La Macarena – Los Del Rio
Music WRITTEN BY MACY HESSEY
Macy is 17 years old and has decided to become involved with Student Life because it is an opportunity that will enable her to express her passion and interest within mental health through her own personal experiences. The link between music and mental health shows positive and negative correlations for individuals. Some people resort to music to either uplift their mood or even possibly indulge in their feelings, whether they are happy or sad. Many people have a favourite artist or band that they listen to because it makes them feel better when they are in need of a mood boost. However, on the other hand, people can select songs that they relate to, which could possibly lead them to feeling worse. POSITIVES: Music can be used in a positive way in relation to mental health. Certain genres or specific songs can enable an individual to feel more positive– this
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could include your favourite artist or a specifically designed playlist which has songs of a positive nature. These playlists could be compiled by an individual themselves or searched for on places like YouTube or Spotify. Research has shown that listening to music releases Dopamine (a feel good chemical in your brain). Furthermore, the Dopamine increased a further 9% when a person listens to music that they enjoy. Music can enable people to feel like they relate or are understood by the musician
and the music they have produced. Individuals have specific songs of meaning to them which can also improve wellbeing when you have a personal love or connection for song or artist. Music can also be considered a distraction for some people; listening to the music makes them forget anything that’s bothering them and just lets them feel in the moment! NEGATIVES: On the flip side, there can be some negative associations with music when you’re struggling with your wellbeing. If someone
chooses the ‘incorrect’ songs to listen to they can find themselves feeling worse! For instance, if an individual decided to listen to a song that reminded them of their ex-partner, then they would have that association of not being with that person anymore and feeling sad. Again, an individual can relate to a song but in a less positive way, meaning that it causes that individual to feel worse. Personally, I have set playlists for specific moods I may be in or specific songs/ artists I like to listen too. Spotify is a great app to use when you want personalised or even pre made playlists. They supply a vast range of playlists for everyone to choose from. You can even follow your favourite artists or playlists so that you have them in your library and can listen to them at a later date. I like to have a good mood playlists with all my favourite songs on, which uplift my mood. I also follow my favourite artists and their playlists; for example, Aston Merrygold and Arctic Monkeys. Alongside my happy and uplifting playlists, I also have a chill and calmer playlist which I listen to in my down time – IT IS HEALTHY TO HAVE A CRY ONCE IN A WHILE!
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SOME FEEL-GOOD SONGS YOU MAY WANT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PLAYLISTS: Mr Brightside – Killers
Arabella – Arctic Monkeys
Perfect – Anne Marie
Run The World – Beyoncé
Everybody in Love – JLS
New Americana – Halsey
Flowers – Sweet Female Attitude
7 Days – Craig David
God is a Woman – Ariana Grande
Kiwi – Harry Styles
Sing – Ed Sheeran
Pon De Replay – Rihanna
Dancing Shoes – Arctic Monkeys
Girls – The 1975
I’m Feeling You – Raksu
American Boy – Estelle ft. Kanye West
Poison Ivy – Aston Merrygold
Love on Top – Beyoncé Star Girl – Mcfly T-shirt Weather – Circa Waves
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Jenny’s Story
WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD Just as we have, you guys have been getting to know Jenny and how our collaboration with her is going to benefit the charity and our readers. We planned on meeting with Jenny to put into action a date and time of when she is able to come our way to deliver her suicide prevention workshops. We are thoroughly looking forward to building on our knowledge and skillset in an area of great need; as many of you are probably aware, suicide is very much a taboo topic. But Jenny’s workshops enable a better understanding of suicide, help to demystify myths, and equip you with the skills needed to spot signs and provide support or signposting. It is super important that more people take the time out to enhance their training and skills in areas such as these. Has anyone seen the documentary about the man on the bridge? Suicide can happen anytime and anywhere; being equipped with skills and a good understanding of suicide could ultimately save someone’s life.
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NO HEALTH WITHOUT MENTAL HEALTH
Tips & Advice Q:
MY DEPRESSION IS REALLY PREVENTING ME GETTING ANY WORK DONE FOR SCHOOL AS I HAVE NO MOTIVATION WHATSOEVER AND I’M FEARFUL MY GRADES WILL DROP, AND I WON’T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HOW DO I GET MY MOTIVATION BACK?
A:
The loss of motivation is one of the most difficult things I have experienced whilst trying to meet deadlines at university. You’re not alone! The feeling of knowing you have work to do but just not being able to. I feel like this feeling isn’t very well understood until you’ve been there and experienced it yourself. I believe getting your motivation back is a different journey for everyone but here’s a few things that helped me; ewards! Promise yourself a nice big juicy reward for R completing some work – mine was a good ol’ gaming session with my pals. Don’t set your goals too high, make them achievable. Drink lots of water and keep well fed! T ake breaks, lots of them. It helped me break down the amount of time I had to concentrate on a specific thing. S peak to your tutor or module leader about how you are feeling – tutorials with my personal tutor reassured me and allowed me to stop feeling so guilty. F ind a good balance between work and play. Do what’s best for you and try to slowly build this up. Good luck. You got ‘dis. Just try and remember that this loss of motivation is something that you are experiencing now and that it will pass. 34 • FE BR UA RY 2019 • S TUDENT LIFE
Q:
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO COPE WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY AND FEELING ANXIOUS IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT YOU CAN’T CONTROL?
A:
I believe in knowing your coping strategies and having a plan in your head beforehand of how you can best implement them. A contingency plan as such. This could include speaking to the person that you are with about your anxiety so that they
are there to ask for support if necessary, or if you are not with someone you can do the same but with someone who is a phone call away. Prepare yourself; if you know you are going into a situation where you feel you might struggle try writing down the pro’s and con’s of the situation, the likelihood of your anxieties occurring, and the impact this may have on you. Explore ways of managing ‘the worst’ and have a clear plan in mind, this should offer you some reassurance.
How to ask: PLEASE SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: LEANNE@STUDENT-LIFE.CO *Please note not all questions will be answered, and all will be posted anonymously. If you are seeking urgent or professional advice, please see our contact list at the end of this sub-section.
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MENTAL HEALTH
&MUSIC WRITTEN BY EZRA HEWING
The rock drummer and neuroscientist, Harry Witchel is prowling the stage at an Institute for Cultural Research lecture, hunting for a test subject for his live experiment on the effects of music on the brain. “You!” he yells, pointing to where I am sat in the audience. I join him on the stage, where he sits me down and rigs me up with wires, connecting me to a machine monitoring my heart rate, respiratory and oxygen levels. “That’s unusual,” Dr Witchel muses. Determined not to be an easy subject, I’m working hard to stay relaxed. With plenty of experience addressing live audiences and working in the volatile environments of young offender institutes and prisons, I’m practised at staying calm under pressure. I’ve slowed my breathing down and I’m taking as long as possible to exhale.
But Dr Harry Witchel has two secret weapons up his sleeve. A few feet away from me sit a trombonist and a French horn player from the Philharmonic Orchestra, all of us facing the audience. At the Dr’s command, the musicians begin to play and the audience, looking up to the screen behind me where they can see the sudden changes in my heart rate, respiratory and oxygen levels, gasp. Despite my best efforts I am powerless against the effects of the music as it changes my mood, emotional state and, because mind, brain and body are entwined, my physiological responses too. What I experienced that day, now over ten years ago, made me wonder what effect the music which surrounds us might be having on our mental health and emotional wellbeing. How many sources of music and sound are we exposed to throughout the course of the day? How often are our moods and emotions being
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triggered by music without us consciously being aware that it is happening, whether we have chosen what we are listening to or not? From the moment we wake up, we are bombarded with sound; alarm clocks wake us up; music streaming services plug directly into our brains through earplugs; dramatic music announces important information on news channels, shaping the way we see the world; the music in shops is deployed to encourage us to buy more.
Of course if music shapes our mood, we might ask if that is a bad thing; surely we can use music to lift mood? Music can trigger and enhance feelings of pleasure, joy and happiness. Music can boost motivation and determination when working out at the gym, in an exercise class, or running in the cold. We share experiences when we share the feelings which music triggers too, in the gym or at exercises classes; at festivals, club nights, parties and concerts. We dance
And if music changes our Music can trigger and enhance feelings moods and emotions then it is shaping our thinking of pleasure, joy and happiness. Music and decision making can boost motivation and determination processes too. The more when working out at the gym... emotional we become, the harder it is to think clearly and solve the problems in our lives; to music, fall in love to music and we bond the more taxing it becomes to process to music; shared music tastes shape our emotions during wakefulness; and the sense of who we are and where we belong. more demand there is on the dreaming But if music can deepen mood and brain to discharge emotion during sleep. emotion, then perhaps, like anything else, it is open to abuse. If music arouses powerful emotions in us, we may become more susceptible to messages in music. After all, music has also been used, and is still used, to trigger feelings of passion, anger and nationalistic fervour in times of war, to align ourselves with political and religious causes, and to send people into battle to kill without conscience. Importantly, if we are using music to change the way that we feel, we might want to ask which unmet emotional needs may be prompting us to seek solace in music. Are we struggling with feelings of anxiety and depression? Are we missing emotional connection with others? Are we using music to remind us of when we were with others and felt part of a community?
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Are we using music to control feelings of stress and sadness instead of addressing causes? Perhaps, given that music has such a power to shape our moods and emotions we need to become more aware of how and why we are using it. A sound engineer friend of mine used to describe how, when he was learning how to produce music, the tutors would have the students sit in silence with no music at all. Until the students began to really listen and become aware that everything around us is vibrating with sounds we hardly notice. Maybe we could benefit from moments without music too, just to retune without sound. Just as music has lulls, peaks and crescendos, life does too, if we are able to listen to them.
WHAT DO YOU DO? WRITTEN BY ELAYNE LACORTE
Elayne is 18 years old and is in her final year of sixth form. She decided to get involved with Student Life as she likes the idea of students sharing their stories, and hopes to be part of it. Sometimes, you just need to take a breather, get your head straight before you re-enter the stress of situation. Write it all down. Fill the page with everything running through your mind. Or take a walk, look up every now and then. Remember why you are doing it. Stress is there for a reason. But remind yourself that tomorrow is a new day, a fresh start. Whatever doesn’t get done now, can be done tomorrow. And never forget, that the world will keep turning regardless.
LEANNE ARNOLD MH DIRECTOR When I’m stressed I often try and find time to listen to music, go for a drive, play my ukulele or game with my pals. These activities help me distract myself from what is worrying me, if the worry is something I need to sort then I get on it immediately to reduce the impact it will have on my day!
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LOUISE DICKMAN TOMMY CURRY
It’s so important to find what works for you and helps you calm down or relax in moments of stress or panic. Music is definitely a big help. Don’t listen to anything that might make you feel tense, listen to calmer songs and slightly louder than usual to perhaps help drown everything out. Or maybe, you take more to having a hot shower or bath full of nice smellies so you can unwind. Or, watching something on Netflix or TV can be a big distraction too.
Just stop, I’ve found stopping or even just slowing down helps me to relax, I live a life of filling my time and keeping busy. But once a week I’ll go on a walk. Just out of the blue. It’s a particularly nice road that trails around the small town I live in. The road winds though fields, by trees, through an idillic village yet it wasn’t till I stopped did I notice all of this, I was too busy rushing to notice.
OBESITY AND MENTAL HEALTH WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD, MH DIRECTOR
DEFINITION: The NHS defines obesity as a BMI (Body mass index) score of 30-39.9 as obese. BMI is calculated by utilizing information about your height, weight, sex, and age. As we are all aware, obesity is an overwhelming problem in the UK (and USA). Statistics show that 1 in 4 adults are obese or morbidly obese. However, it doesn’t stop there, surprisingly 1 in every child aged 10 – 11 years is also classified as obese. These statistics are overwhelmingly worrying, obesity can cause many other
physical health conditions, likewise it can go hand-in-hand with mental health problems. In last month’s edition of Student Life I wrote an article on comorbidities which highlighted the lack of recognition for the
IF THIS ARTICLE 39 HAS•BROUGHT UP 2019 ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FE BR UA RY • S TUDENT LIFE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION
relation between physical health and mental health problems. It is therefore reassuring to know that when researching obesity on the net, results show an inclusion of mental health obesity related problems. OBESITY AND MENTAL HEALTH Feeling very tired Low confidence levels Low self-esteem
SO, HOW DO WE ‘SOLVE’ THIS? Being realistic, there is no magic cure. Losing weight takes time, dedication, and determination. Healthcare professionals should be equipped with information to help encourage and support weight loss. The NHS has a weight loss program called ‘couch to 5k’ which offers guidance on a week to week basis on how to start exercising. The program lasts 9 weeks, and each week involves 3 runs. All details are available on the NHS website.
Feeling Isolated
All of the above are highlighted contributing factors which can lead to depression. Of course, we are able to experience these without the development of depression, however it has been found that obesity does lead to depression. The psychological problems associated with obesity can affect relationships with family members, partners, and friends. The associated physical health problems can also affect a person’s mental health, some physical health related problems can be very serious which can lead to anxiety, panic attacks, and extra stress.
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Control, Influence and Enabling WRITTEN BY DR. KATE BLACKFORD People don’t always do what you want or expect them to and this can be exasperating and frustrating. It can lead to a sense of powerlessness that has a negative impact on us and the people around us. We can spend time and energy trying to change someone else only to end up exhausted and defeated. A common response to feeling powerless is to shout louder to try to force others to do what we want. This may sometimes prove effective – if the people around us are fearful of the consequences of not doing what we demand for example – but does not create good relationships, especially in the workplace.
What we often fail to appreciate is that getting the results we want is less about changing other people and more about changing our own behaviour to influence those around us differently.
We have no control over the behaviour of others, so trying to forcibly change it is a fruitless pursuit that will ultimately end in failure. However, behaviour breeds behaviour and so by changing the way we approach people and situations we can change the response we get for the better.
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Picture this – you have asked a member of your team to complete a piece of work and have stressed the importance of the work being completed on time. You enquire how the work is going and the colleague admits they have not yet started it. You are annoyed that your colleague does not seem to be appreciating the importance of the work and you let that annoyance be known through raising your voice and berating the individual on their cavalier attitude to customer service. Your colleague is becoming increasingly offended by your comments and eventually storms out muttering under their breath that perhaps you might first understand their reasons for not having started the work. The next day there is a distinctly frosty atmosphere in the office and your colleague is avoiding eye contact with you. It is not a comfortable situation and the people sharing the office seem to be picking up on the bad atmosphere as well. Your colleague throws the work you asked him to do on your desk at the end of the day (within the deadline) and walks out without a word. How about if the situation had been handled a little differently? What about if you had asked how the work was going and when your colleagues admitted not having started it yet you had enquired if there was anything you could do to assist given the importance of getting the work completed? Your colleague explains that they are waiting on clarification of some key information before they are able to continue the work and that they have been chasing the answers they need but feel confident they will be able to get the work done before the deadline. You agree with your colleague that they will speak to you at the earliest opportunity if they need help or fear the deadline might not be met. The work is completed
on time and you have increased the trust and respect in the relationship with your colleague through the way you have handled the situation. In the scenario described above the trigger situation is the same (checking progress on an urgent piece of work). However, the way that the situation is handled is different – in the first instance negative assumptions are made about the colleague tasked with completing the work and an impulsive reaction creates a difficult working relationship. In the second instance a more enquiring approach is adopted with a much more positive and constructive outcome. In the first instance we are seeking to exert power over the colleague, in the second we are seeking to influence and enable through understanding the nature of the hold up to getting the work done. The benefits of influencing and enabling last far beyond the one instance outlined above though. The approach we took in the second instance has improved the working relationship and we now have an even more collaborative working relationship that will enable better communication, engagement and ultimately better outcomes for everyone.
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WHY DO PEOPLE BULLY? W RI TT EN BY TO M M Y C U R R Y
I was bullied from a young age, I was targeted because I was different, I grew up in a family with a strict set of morals. I guess you could say I was the teachers pet, always volunteering, always wanted to help. Just wanted to make people happy. My first instance of bullying I was very young, year 2 or 3, it was a bit of harmless fun, insults name calling, being told I was here illegally just because I was from another country. But as high school approached it got more serious. The bullying became physical,
I would be hit on my arms and legs, back of my head and it would leave marks, bruises that would be dotted around my body. Now people who have been bullied before, know that when you are bullied you wholeheartedly believe that everyone with think you are lying
IF THIS ARTICLE 4HAS UP 2019 ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE 3 •BROUGHT FE BR UA RY • S TUDENT LIFE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION
if you tell anyone and that you mean nothing so you don’t want to worry anyone about it all. So to my parents I wanted to make sure that they knew I was just clumsy.
Just clumsy, I wasn’t, but to them that’s how I got those marks.
Life changed when I moved school, new school new start. I wanted to make my experiences into something positive. And because of what I had been through I had the drive to juggle my subjects and still be able to help people who were going through what I was. Was the best decision I made. Helping someone not feel so alone makes it worth it, the memory might hurt, but seeing that person smile makes you feel at peace.
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Even with all my experiences, and knowing why I was targeted, I always wanted to know what leads people to bully in the first place and why people don’t get involved when they see it happening before them. So I have done countless hours of looking online and reading studies to find out why.
experienced, their home lives, relationships and finally how they see themselves. The 14% were compared to the remaining 86% to see if there is a common trend. And there was.
My favourite study comes from Ditchthelabel. org. In their study they asked 8850 people to define bullying and then asked if they had ever bullied someone, 14% said they had. All 8850 people were asked further questions delving into their personal lives, exploring things like their stress and trauma they had
The data shows that a large majority of 1239 people who admitted to bullying experienced some form of trauma in the 5 years prior to starting bullying. And if you are bullied you are twice as likely to bully people yourself. ‘It becomes a vicious cycle of negative behaviours’.
So why do people bully?
The article continues to state that 66% of the 14% that said they had bullied people were Male, the article also states that the leading cause of male bullying stems from the fact that in culture males are taught from a young age to hide any emotions and are bullied if they do whereas females are encouraged to talk things through. The study is a really good read, and something I would advise people to read if you have been bullied or you feel you have/ are bullying someone. And offer advice how to stop. I would never excuse bullying, but it’s important to know that there is more to it. It gives me a little bit of peace knowing why. Everyone reacts to things in different ways, I grew up learning how to deal with things in a positive way. Who knows if I would have ended up on the other side if I didn’t have the lesson I did.”
IF THIS ARTICLE 45 HAS•BROUGHT UP 2019 ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FE BR UA RY • S TUDENT LIFE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION
CONTACTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CONTACT NHS OUT OF HOURS SERVICE: 111 OR CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY AMBULANCE: 999 Otherwise you can contact other services such as: Suffolk MIND: 0300 111 6000
or Your Local GP: www.nhs.uk/service-search/GP/LocationSearch/4 4YP – 01473 252607 or www.4yp.org.uk Childline: 0800 1111 Inside out Community: www.insideoutcommunity.com Lighthouse: 01473 228270 or www.lighthousewa.org.uk Papyrus Hope Trust: 0800 068 4141 or www.papyrus-uk.org Samaritans: 116 123 or www.samaritans.org Stem4: www.stem4.org.uk Students against depression: www.studentsagainstdepression.org Suffolk Wellbeing: 0300 123 1503 Turning Point: www.turning-point.co.uk 4 6 • FE BR UA RY 2019 • S TUDENT LIFE
LGBT
Q+
Gay Means
HAPPY
WRITTEN BY TARA BORZONI I’ve never felt a strong identification with the LGBTQ+ community. Not to say that anyone has cast me out or shunned me, but more that I don’t feel the need to be defined by my sexuality. Many of my friends fall upon the grandiose spectrum of queer and I myself have known about my sexuality since I was 11 but I never considered it a big deal. I grew up in a small rural town with no diversity, a low university attendance and not many opportunities to see things from alternate perspectives. Despite this I was never persecuted or demonised for who I was.
This makes me feel removed, like the fact I was never marginalised for my sexuality made it less prevalent to be important. As any teen growing up with an awareness of something outside the perceived ‘norm’ I took to the internet seeking others like me. What I found was a harsh reality about suicide rates and parents turning on their own children, and my heart broke. My mother was always supportive, her nonchalance about me being gay made me not even think about it. It’s hard to know how to fit into a group in which you don’t feel you fought into. I know closeted people and can see their pain when they talk about family, or friends that don’t know.
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I’d like to think that despite my lack of experience I’ve been a good shoulder for some of my friends. Your experience of how your coming out went does not define you. Whether good or bad, living as yourself without a notion of being ‘other’ or different is one of the best feelings to have. You know that when you kiss someone, be it drunk in a night club or an evening alone with a partner, that the warmth in your stomach means it is right. I think I experienced what many others call ‘gay panic’ and slept with a man, and he was nice and kind. There was no explosion of passion, nor butterflies but instead a self-affirmation of what I already knew. Everyone knows at a different stage, my Nan didn’t date a woman until she was in her late 50’s and I was fantasising about Angelina Jolie at 12. When the world wants to define us with labels of sexuality and gender I think there is a removal of how personal it is and how we shouldn’t care. I’ve been in a room with strangers and mentioned my girlfriend and no one batted an eyelid. Is that not the most beautiful thing there is? To no longer feel as though you must make a statement by just being yourself. This takes nothing away from the people who cannot do that. There are constant stories of people who are mistreated and internalise who they are for their family, for themselves. It’s scary, it’s scary not knowing that when you tell someone something so intrinsic to who you
are how they’ll react. I’ve had male friends treat my sexuality as the only reason I would not be sexually attracted to them. They’re still my friends and unfortunately, I don’t feel as though they’d understand my offence if I told them how I felt. But I still care about them, I know that they love me and they’re just trying to understand in their own idiotic way. Therefore, you can never come out till you’re ready. But don’t let this decision define you.
A label such as gay, queer, lesbian, transsexual, asexual, whatever it is, is no more important than me being ginger. I was born that way, I’m going to live that way, and I’ll probably die that way. So, I’d like to be more involved, not a spokesperson or a poster child for some LGBTQ+ campaign, but as a human who knows who she is and is willing to help others try and find themselves. Even if that means writing a potentially exposing article. You don’t need to feel as though you have the representation of a whole community on your back, if you fit a stereotype who cares? If you don’t oh well. I don’t care if I’m butch, or the guys see me as a lad or if the girls laugh that I know nothing about makeup and dresses. I care that my name’s Tara and I’m happy. And I really think that you can be too.
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WTF
WHAT THE FOOD FIVE NOVELTY KITCHEN GADGETS WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY
Japanese Eggshell Cracker £2.15 – GEARBEST.COM
“A creative cutter helps you get eggshells of perfect shape, which you can use to make creative cuisine.” I never knew this was a thing until it popped up on my google search and I’m actually pleasantly surprised at the amount of 5 star reviews! Cracking eggs is a bit of a skill and I thought that introducing some sort of gadget would interfere in the process and make it far more complicated than it needs to be but it turns out that this is most welcomed! Lovely job!
Pizza Scissors
£9.99 – PREZZYBOX.COM “We all know how incredibly frustrating it can be trying to slice through pizza with a regular pizza wheel.” This knife makes pizza cutting a dream. I mean, I’m pretty certain there are already such tools in the market to help with such a task, but hey, none are quite like this!
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Avocado Huggers
£6.10 – UNCOMMONGOODS.COM “A sliver on a taco, a spoonful in a smoothie, or spread on toast: a little avocado goes a long way.” Avocados have grown in popularity and now you can buy something to keep the uneaten half of your avocado fresh with this silicone cup. I actually really rate this, mainly because it’s assisting in combating food waste and because it’s designed to fit the food perfectly, meaning it’s storage smart too.
Pulke Herb Infuser £8.26 – AMAZON.CO.UK
“Pronounced ‘pool-kay, which translates from Yiddish to mean chicken leg.”
Ducky Pot Cooking Strainer
£9.99 – FINDMEAGIFT.CO.UK “Have a quacking time cooking with this fabulous ducky pot silicone drainer.” I think out of all the novelty items in this article, this is the one that I’m most likely to buy. It fits most pots and pans and while straining the water, its beak stops any food escaping out of the pot and down the drain. It’s easy to clean and is both heat-resistant and safe for use in the dishwasher.
This chicken leg shaped herb infuser is a good way to add different flavours to your cooking and avoid the inevitable chunks of herbs on your plate. It appears that a chicken leg isn’t the only novelty shape you can find either, as the brand OTOTO also has a chilli or rubber chicken to choose from. Hilarious!
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COOKING ON THE DIME
CLASSIC LASAGNE WRITTEN BY CHEV MITCHELL
This classic dish is so easy to make and is a crowd pleaser! With this recipe, I’ve kept it simple by incorporating readyto-go shop-bought sauces with the option to add your own vegetable fillings. This dish is typically made with beef but if you’re up for trying something different, why not try turkey mince? SERVES: 4 TIME: APPROX 45 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS 1 teaspoon of cooking oil 500g of minced meat Grated cheese of your choice 1 jar of tomato sauce 1 jar of lasagne sauce creamy white Lasagne sheets
Optional: A handful of mushrooms, diced Half an onion, peeled and diced 1 clove of garlic You’ll also need an oven proof dish
METHOD Before you start, ensure any vegetables you wish to add are washed and diced and preheat your oven to 180oC fan. 1. Put a teaspoon of cooking oil into a pan and heat. Once hot, add your mince. 2. Allow your mince to evenly brown and if you are opting to, add your diced onion and garlic. 3. Then add your diced mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring it in until all the meat is cooked and the vegetables have softened. 4. Add your jar of tomato sauce, stirring it into your pan and allowing the sauce to simmer and heat up. 5. Once done, add a layer of your cooked mince to the bottom of an oven proof dish. 6. Cover your mince with lasagne sheets, making sure that there are no gaps. 7. Then add a layer of white cream sauce. 8. Add another layer of mince, lasagne sheets and white sauce and repeat until all mince is added. 9. Finish by adding grated cheese to the top of your dish and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Serving suggestion: garlic bread or potato wedges.
Did you give it a go? Send us your photos to our social media to be featured!
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Fairtrade FORTNIGHT
25 FEBRUARY – 10 MARCH 2019
WHAT IS IT? Fairtrade fortnight is an annual event that encourages individuals, businesses and schools to come together to celebrate those who produce our food. Each year there is a different focus and for 2019, this is on those who grow cocoa for our yummy chocolate, with particular focus on women. In West Africa, it is estimated that a cocoa farmer needs to earn a ‘living income’ of £1.98 a day to live, however in reality it is predicted that farmers receive less than 78p a day. For women, the added responsibilities of having to look after families, cook, clean, fetch water as well as having to transport the cocoa to be sold means that often they are paid a lot less. That’s why this year, Fairtrade campaigners will be pushing for the introduction of the living income so that farmers are able to receive an income that is fair and supports their livelihood.
WHAT IS IT? The vision is for ‘a world in which all producers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide on their future’. In a nutshell, it’s about ensuring that farmers are treated fairly in the production and trading of their goods. Fairtrade is so easy to support. It changes lives and the impact is huge. The latest data drawn from Fairtrade’s Monitoring and Evaluation reports showcases the impact that their vital work does:
T here are more than 1.66 million farmers and workers in Fairtrade certified producer organisations 2 3% of all farmers and workers in Fairtrade are women 1 ,411 Fairtrade certified producer organisations in 73 countries
SO, WHAT ITEMS ARE FAIRTRADE? Items which have been certified in accordance with Fairtrade standards receive a ‘Fairtrade’ mark on the packaging. For those products which contain only one or two Fairtrade ingredients, a slightly different ‘Fairtrade Sourced Ingredients’ (FSI) mark is displayed.
HOW CAN I SUPPORT? Supporting Fairtrade is so easy to do. There’s lots of products to choose from that you can add to your supermarket shop, including: bananas, chocolate, cereal and beauty products. If buying Fairtrade is a little tricky, then you can show your support by raising awareness via social media, signing a petition or even donating via their website www.fairtrade.org.uk
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EATthe seasons FEBRUARY
It’s annoying when you’ve planned a delicious meal but then you can’t find the ingredients in the supermarket. Below is a list of vegetables, fruit, meat and seafood that are ‘in season’ for February.
Vegetables
Fruit
Seafood
Brussels Sprouts
Blood oranges
Clams
Cauliflower
Clementines
Cockles
Celeriac
Kiwi
Dab
Chicory
Lemons
Dover sole
Jerusalem Artichoke
Oranges
Gurnard
Kale
Passion fruit
Haddock
Kohlrabi
Pineapple
Halibut
Leeks
Pomegranate
Hake
Parsnips
Rhubarb
Langoustine
Potatoes urple Sprouting P Broccoli
Lemon sole
Meat
Salsify
Guinea fowl
Shallots
Hare
Swede
Partridge
Truffles (black)
Turkey
Turnips
Venison
Lobster Mackerel Mussels Oysters Red mullet Salmon Scallops Skate Turbot Winkles
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Homemade
PIZZA BY CHARLIE ROSS
This homemade pizza recipe is a simple yet tasty option when friends are around and an opportunity for you to brag about your cooking skills. With National Pizza Day on the 9th February, this skill is great to master now! This recipe is so easy to do and takes 2 hours including the hour waiting for it to rise.
INGREDIENTS FOR TWO 12 INCH BASES DOUGH:
550g of strong white flour 7g of dried yeast 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of caster sugar 320ml of lukewarm water 2 tablespoons of olive oil Pepper to season SAUCE:
Tin of chopped tomatoes 2 tablespoons of tomato puree 1 tablespoon of olive oil Salt and pepper to season Any dried herbs TOPPINGS:
heese – 2 types or more C gives best results Any toppings of your choice
METHOD 1. S ieve the flour into a large mixing bowl, adding the salt and pepper. 2. Mix the yeast, water, sugar and olive oil in a jug and allow 3 minutes for the yeast to activate. 3. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir using a wooden spoon. Once evenly mixed use your hands to work the dough. 4. Lightly flour a workspace and knead the dough on it for about 10 minutes, until the dough is elastic. 5. Place the dough in a bowl and leave to rise for an hour, until doubled in size. 6. Preheat an oven to 200 degrees Celsius and take the dough from the bowl and gently knead it for a minute. Split the dough in half. If only making 1 pizza, you can freeze the other half. 7. For the sauce, blend the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil. 8. Lightly flour a workspace and, with a rolling pin, roll the dough to the size of the tin. 9. Place the dough into the tin and press in into the sides using your fingers. Brush the edges with olive oil. 10. Smother the sauce evenly on the base and cover with the cheese Charlie is 16 years then the toppings of old and got involved your choice. with Student Life 11. Place the pizza in the as a way for his oven for 20 minutes opinion to be heard. and then enjoy.
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MY LIFE WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM
DEAR PAST ME... Harriet is twenty-one years old and has just completed her degree in BA (Hons) Digital Film Production. She will be graduating with a 2:1. Harriet got involved with Student Life because she enjoys writing and wants to continue this skill. Over the past several years, I have learnt several important life lessons. Firstly, I would tell my past self to worry less. I feel like this is a piece of advice that most people can relate with. At high school, I remember worrying about my grades and my future. It is strange now, looking back and realising that everything works out in its own way and there was no need to worry.
The second valuable lesson (which I wish I knew when I was younger) would be to grab every single opportunity. Regarding social opportunities throughout education, it is vital to spend time with friends and relax occasionally during your studies. This is definitely something I wish I had known during high school and college, but I am glad that I socialised during University and this helped me in becoming a more confident person. To conclude, I would suggest other students follow the advice above. Additionally, I would advise anyone to surround themselves with good people who they can be themselves around. This makes life much better and more enjoyable.
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A Day to Remember WRITTEN BY JASMINE SMITH
Jasmine is 16 years old and decided to get involved in Student Life to become more confident in her writing and to hope to show her work to people that will enjoy her experiences. My best day occurred on Tuesday 18th September 2018, it was the day my heart skipped a beat and the butterflies in my stomach finally flew away because even though it’s a cliché, I’d finally fallen in love. It wasn’t any ordinary teenage relationship, because he made me feel more than just loved, he made me feel safe, understood and confident in the world we live in. Even though this was the day to remember, it was more like a moment and this moment was at 12:28am, we’d stayed up all night talking like every other average couple speaking about what we wanted to do with our lives, our dreams and nightmares and our secrets.
When the words left his mouth, my heart melted, and my body paralyzed with happiness because I felt my small, broken heart piece back together as he listed the reasons, he felt that way towards me. From the smile he put on my face when he calls me adorable to the sparkle in my eyes when we lay together listening to each other’s beating heart. I felt the tears roll down my rosy cheeks as they blushed with joy, but this time they fell a different way, they didn’t follow the same path of sadness. Instead they rolled and followed a new way like the feelings I felt because I knew this feeing would never leave me, and I would love him for the rest of my life.
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RELATIONSHIPS
Was I made from a Broken Mould? WRITTEN BY EMMA FAWKES As adolescents, individuality and identity are things of which we are developing a growing conscience; we want the way we see ourselves to be replicated in other people’s heads, and we achieve this through outlets like clothes, musical taste, speech, etc. While considering and constructing our own identities it is also easy for others’ to be imposed upon us. Each human being is equally as complex as the next, and we want to emulate what we see in other people, to make ourselves interesting and to build connections. However, something I’ve become attuned to lately is that it’s easy to become consumed by what other people do and think. As a teenager I am still quite impressionable; while I have my own values I am still influenced by other people, which can lead to being self critical, and feeling pressured to change or fit a certain mould. The freedom of tattoos that many of my peers are taking advantage of at eighteen has made me reconsider my dismissal to ever get one. Similarly, many of my friends have discussed blood donation, which is something I’ve never given thought to, and something from which I am restricted because of type one diabetes. Nevertheless my eyes have been opened to this world of scope and latitude that is becoming accessible as we grow older.
and allowing what they think to sculpt you completely and dictate your identity. I know the idea of ‘being yourself’ has been ingrained into us since primary school and is pretty cliché at this point, but truthfully you’re the only person who can control the way you present yourself to others and furthermore, how they ...you’re the only think of you: person who can in other words, we control the way need to be you present careful about yourself to others who we give the sculpting tools to. Everyone has their own set, and like clay, we are impressionable and can be shaped easily. As time goes by the clay hardens and we appear set in our ways, but if we apply a little water, we become malleable again and can alter the peaks and troughs of our character.
I just want to emphasise the difference between being shaped by others’ points of view to become more open minded,
We aren’t made from moulds, broken or intact, we are made of ideas, and these constitute the structure of who we really are.
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IMAGE CREDIT : ROSIE WEDGE
Studying WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE
Something of rising prominence throughout the past two years on YouTube has been StudyTubers; people who dedicate their channels to vlogs regarding how they study, exam advice, and so forth. Whilst in many ways these channels have their benefits, and played a large role in my first year of A Levels, I now see them as something that, if done incorrectly, can be damaging for the audience. Therefore, as I know many of you reading this are students yourselves (duh, this is Student Life!), I wanted to share my experience with you of StudyTubers, and give you a few pointers should you choose to consume their content. Firstly, I would like to point out that this is in no way anything against these individuals as people. I am not bashing their personalities; I for one find their dedication to their learning extremely admirable, and the fact that during some of the most life-changing moments of their lives they are dedicating their spare time to supporting others is incredible. However, I do think their content should be carefully considered. 58 • FE BR UA RY 2019 • S TUDENT LIFE
If you are not aware of the StudyTube individuals get A* in all but one subject, in community, there are several channels which they get an A, then cry on camera on YouTube dedicated to studying, with about how they’ve failed. Now, as someone over 100k subscribers, which considering who received good grades in school, it is a rather new and niche audience, and always strived for the top grades, I this is a substantial subscriber account in understand the upset you may feel at not comparison to commentary, beauty and getting the grade you want. However, this is gaming channels. Many of these individuals still a phenomenal set of grades, and when have also been featured on the news, been people who are not used to getting in the papers, and even on A popular video amongst these individuals the TV to commemorate their achievements and is to do live reactions of them opening influence. their results, which I personally find to be Many people, including 16 dangerous for viewers’ self-esteem. year old me, found these individuals very influential, and found A* in everything see this content, it can be that they spurred me on to keep dedicated so devastating for them. For the people who to my studying. However, one thing that worked hard, to get a B or a C, watching soon came to my attention, was how this these reaction videos can make them feel influence to succeed became over-whelming even worse about themselves, when you and started to have a negative impact. 9/10 really shouldn’t feel upset. B and C are still of the successful StudyTubers are straightfantastic achievements, and too many times A/A* students. Of course, there is nothing have I seen people upset with this because wrong with this; they worked hard and they’ve compared their results to that of a dedicated their time to this. Although, for StudyTuber, and are no longer happy with many of us, this is unattainable. We should their grade just because they got lower than strive to do OUR best, not THE best, and those online. sometimes I think this YouTube content I’ve spoken before about these individuals reflects the latter attitude, which can be doing a 14-hour long ‘Study With Me,’ toxic. As these StudyTubers are the same claiming this is “quite a relaxed day for age as us, we see them as an online friend, me” which whilst it may be, for many other and are encouraged with the notion that if people it is beyond imaginable. Whilst no we study like they do, we will succeed like harm is meant by this content, I personally they do; and quite frankly, this is not going do not recommend consuming this content to be the case for all the 100,000s of people around your exam periods, at all, because watching. sometimes the way in which this content is A popular video amongst these individuals created can be negatively influential. What is to do live reactions of them opening matters is that you do your best, regardless their results, which I personally find to of how other people do. Achieve your be dangerous for viewers’ self-esteem. potential, and don’t view your success in the I’ve watched countless videos of these light of other people’s.
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THE TIME FOR LOVERS WRITTEN BY MARIA LAZAR I am 19 years old and I have decided to get involved with Student Life because it provides the youth of today with much needed support regarding mental health. Even though February has only just begun, every single person has one thing on their minds: Valentine’s Day. This is the first Valentine’s Day when I am involved in a relationship and truly it is a relief. Seeing all those heart-shaped chocolates and the abundance of “I love you” greeting cards when you’re single makes you kind of sad. I have been planning something with my boyfriend since December and it is finally time to do it: I’m getting a tattoo! It was supposed to be a Christmas present from him, but we agreed the winter holidays was not the best time for it. We postponed it for February, so we have more time to do this properly. I am very indecisive by nature, so I had an entire Pinterest folder filled with ideas. He helped me pick one and a body part to get it on. Therefore, I’m getting a crown next to a pen on my shoulder. I will signify my undying passion for writing and I’m sure it’s the best choice, as this love for creation will never leave me.
However, the peak of this month is not going to be my tattoo. As his birthday is in March, we decided to celebrate it late February and take a short trip to Holland. I always wanted to go there as the Netherlands looks lovely in pictures and videos. He has visited it before and said going there again is the thing he dreams about all the time. All in all, Valentine’s Day has never been about gifts and expensive dates. It truly is about the love you feel for your significant other and the tender moments you spend with them. I truly believe eloping to a different scenery with your other half on the occasion is more precious than all the diamonds in the world. Making those memories with them and sharing that experience will never increase or decrease in value like jewellery. It will stay with you forever. That’s why it is truly priceless.
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My University Experience: February 2019 WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE By the time you guys have the pleasure of reading this, my first semester exams will be over, and hopefully I’ll be onto my second semester at university. Exam preparation is strangely less stressful than I expected it to be. At university, 40% is the new 80%, meaning for the majority of courses, you only need 40% to pass, and a 60% is considered a very good grade. So that takes the pressure off a lot. What I love about my course, which I know IMAGE CREDIT is not the case for most other courses, is ROSIE WEDGE that we don’t have mid-term exams. Instead, we have one assignment for each unit that are due in reasonably spaced apart, and how much harder they expect the marking are no more than 6 pages long, including a process to be compared to A levels, and plan. These count towards a portion of our assume they won’t be able to handle it. grade, and we are given our results prior Whilst of course the material is harder than to exams, meaning we already my A level psychology course, have some reassurance before the examination process really I think its heading into take our papers. is laid out in a gentle way. In the important to 1st semester at my university, As if that doesn’t sound breezy they cannot mark you down for reassure people enough, our papers consist of incorrect referencing, because that university no more than 60 questions, it’s all part of the learning which we are given an hour really does ease process, and they appreciate to complete… and they’re all you into things how fiddly this bit can be. multiple-choice questions. I say all this now, and make it Hopefully, exams will go well, sound an absolute doddle, but I know it’s and I’ll be able to continue in February, but not always going to be like this. However, I the most important thing is to just enjoy think its important to reassure people that the ride, and work hard too, but don’t take university really does ease you into things. everything stressfully seriously at first; One thing that puts a lot of people off is have fun! 61 • FE BR UA RY 2019 • S TUDENT LIFE
Motivation WRITTEN BY CAMELIA ATOMEI
My name is Camelia and I started to get involved with Student life quite recently as I wanted to improve my student experience by getting involved in something innovative. Over history motivation was discussed by many people as they created different theories that are used even nowadays to analyse human behavior. Maslow, Herzberg and McClelland have introduced theories about motivation focusing on different aspects. Studying them offers us a wide variety of understanding it, but experimenting it is also essential. The way I see motivation now is different than how I used to see it two years ago as I have moved to another country and everything is different. Therefore, motivation is important as it helps us in different stages of our life. For me, it is seeing the good part in what I do. However, there was a time when I thought that motivation comes only from people and by goals. When I was in high school everyone was giving me advice and was motivating me regarding my choice of studying abroad. In this part of my life my goal was to arrive at university and I was focusing so much
on it. It was hard to surpass some challenges especially when I thought I could not make it, but I had people that cheered me up and, I managed to succeed in fulfilling my dream of studying abroad. Since I arrived in UK I started to understand that motivation is not only coming from a goal or someone else, I understood its true importance and how much value it has. As in high school I had family, friends and teachers that were motivating me. Here at University, I have learned that motivation can come from small things. What motivates me the most now is good music and the thought that I can do so much more. University showed me how important it is to make plans and to schedule busy days and never to leave things on the last day. In this way I started to see motivation in different things: from nice food, to long walks, to good talks with friends, volunteer, music and movies. Having hard times is normal, but it is important we manage to surpass them, to get our motivation one way or the other as life is full of unexpected things that are worth discovering. Trust yourself and work for your improvement and everything else will come along.
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Motivation
Talk to anyone and everyone, in my case, about the future. I have gained so many ideas and created many goals for myself from this, ones I never would have considered.
WRITTEN BY EMILIA COBBOLD “Motivation is key”. This is the phrase that I have learnt to be very powerful during hardships in studies and, well, in life so far. To have motivation is to have a reason for doing the things that you do. It is something that can be given to you by another individual, an idea, a dream, a grade… anything. It is the car that drives you to your most desired destination, with tunnel vision for it despite all the bumps in the road. It is the key for success. When I think of motivation, I associate it with studying. When I was younger, my motivation in school was to stay out of any kind of trouble, therefore studying in order to get a good To have motivation grade was the solution. Things grew more is to have a reason complicated as I went for doing the things up in school- studying became hardcore for that you do. GCSE’s because bad grades meant not getting into the Sixth Form I wanted. Then studying in Sixth Form, where I am now, seems even harder… especially when the future is not based upon what school you go to next anymore. Motivation, for me, now seems a lot harder to find, particularly when I am unsure on my own intentions after schoolUni? A job? Travelling? It is almost as if the motivation I once had expired, and I need to find completely new sources of inspiration. However hard this is though, we must all find it. Because motivation has been the one thing I have longed for since starting school up again, I have a few tips for tracking it down.
Do the things you love whenever you can. For me, writing in this magazine and creating the things I like to create often encourages me to prioritise them in my free time. I would love to be able to pursue a path that incorporates the things I love, so why not get good at them!
And finally, keep an open mind. By considering multiple options for, say, after school, you can find motivation just by seeing how many opportunities you have at arm’s reach.
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Motivation WRITTEN BY BY ELAYNE LACORTE What is motivation? I could search the definition, or better yet, I could tell you what it is to me. Everyone has a different definition for motivation. But I think you and I can both agree that it is something or someone that drives you to do better
For me, motivation is my future, family atined closely to d friends.
For me, motivation is tied closely to my future, family and friends. Is it important? Of course, because it is your drive. It’s the piece of bacon on the end of a stick encouraging a dog to run.
Some people have never really thought about what motivates them. It’s not always clear cut for some. I have multiple people who motivate me. The people I love motivate me the most.
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They constantly reassure me I’ve done everything I could, they encourage me to look on the brighter side, they are everything. But strangers also have the ability to motivate me. Sometimes, you read someone else’s story, and it inspires you. I always think, if they can do it, why can’t I? Don’t confuse motivation for envy or jealousy. I don’t simply look at someone’s lifestyle and think “I want that”. No, it’s different. Instead, I look at someone’s lifestyle and think, “With enough determination and hard work, I could be in a similar position to them, maybe even better.”
The future motivates me. Thinking about all the things I’m looking forward to, having a career, settling down, travelling, having children and all. Everything I do in this moment, in the present, will have a direct impact towards the future. So that motivates me to make the most of today, and every single day. It motivates me to try and do the best I can do, because that’s all you can really do.
LA CO RT E IM AG ES BY EL AY NE And honestly? It’s more than enough. I can’t highlight a time in which I was most motivated, due to the fact that as more days go by, the more things I find to motivate me. The more people I meet, the deeper
the connections I get. It is a constant motivation. And I am confident enough to say, I am my own motivation. Crazy, right? I’m the fuel to my own fire. I want to do the best I can do for me and also, for everyone around me.
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MY 2019 BUCKET LIST WRITTEN BY ELAYNE LACORTE Bucket lists are great because you set these really fun goals you want to achieve before you die, or in this case, before the end of 2019. This bucket list is going to be pretty hard to lose. So what am I aiming for this year? The main one is going to university. That one, I can guarantee I’ll have done before the end of the year. Another one is to actually have a job outside of school. That one seems pretty basic so I’m going to throw one in that’s random. Busk. I want to busk next year with a group of friends. The whole point of these goals is to push me, and busking will definitely push me out of my comfort zone. Another totally random one, try 5 things I’ve never tried before. Okay don’t hate me, I’ve never tried cheesecake or peanut butter or curry. I know, I’m a terrible person. I like comfortable, it’s easy and I rarely ever complain and everyone’s happy. But, that’s not really living. So trying out new things, even though I’m a little scared to try them, will help me become more open to change. Who knows, I might even end up loving them.
IMAGE CREDIT ELAYNE LACORTE
goodness there are 365 days in a year, because I have high expectations for 2019. I want to go to a theme park with my best friends. I want to play hide and seek in a maze. I want to write a song. I want to send a postcard. And it is all out there to remind me. Each of the things I’ve picked are very possible, and also challenging. If they were easy to do, I would’ve done them already, that’s the whole point of a bucket list. There’s something about time ticking that gets people off their butts. So, there is a messy 2019 bucket list. University, job, busk, write a song, theme park, hide and seek in a maze, send a postcard and try 5 new things. This will be interesting.
Elayne is 18 years old and is in her final year of sixth form. She decided to get involved with Student Life as she likes the idea of students sharing their stories, and hopes to be part of it. 66 • 66FE •BRMUA Y RY LI FE2019 • S• TUDENT S TUDENT LIFELIFE
TECH
E-SPORTS
WRITTEN BY DANIEL LUENSWILKEN
FROM GAMERS TO MILLIONAIRES New words creep into the Oxford Dictionary all the time, as our society evolves so does our vocabulary. One of these additions is the word “E-Sports”, a sign of the mainstream acceptance gaming competitions have garnered. Still, many people discover the concept and imagine a group of sweaty teens sitting in front of their computer all night while drinking litres of soda.
In some way they are completely correct, playing any game competitively comes with a rigorous training schedule, comparable to the life-consuming efforts of more traditional athletes. Every other assumption drawn from the stereotypical gamer couldn’t be more wrong however. For every hour they spend playing their game of choice, professional players also work to keep their physical fitness at its peak. Workout schedules devised by professional sports coaches and a regulated healthy diet is the standard in E-Sports all around the world.
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Organisations that fund these players are backed by some of the most rich and famous in the world. People like Michael Jordan, Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher have major shares in E-Sports teams or even outright own them. Player salaries now average in the five-figure area and they keep increasing.
“Compared to last year the earnings of both European and North American players have increased phenomenally.”
Naturally this amount of growth doesn’t come without its faults, shady managers and contractual conflicts are just as much a part of the community as in any other sport. However, as E-Sports grows it’s important to remember what it has done for everyone working in it. It has enabled a future for many young people who thought they had none. Socially awkward teens have risen to become athletes, role models and entrepreneurs. For this alone E-Sports deserves to be celebrated.
League of Legends player Nubar “Maxlore” Sarafian told me this in an Interview we conducted in January of 2016, nowadays the british player would probably scoff at the salary he received back then. Passionate gamers are being given enough money during their multi-year contracts to set them up for their future life. Many former players are now living comfortably and have founded their own businesses. One of them is Carlos ‘Ocelote’ Rodriguez Santiago, who became notorious for being one of the first Pro-Gamers to become a millionaire. Nowadays his net worth is estimated at about $5 million US Dollars. Rodriguez pioneered another aspect of the culture, the rockstaresque admiration these players enjoy. From the applause of a sold-out Wembley Arena to having fangirls scream their names, their status is becoming comparable to traditional athletes.
I started working in E-Sports at the sweet age of 16 after being a passionate fan. Now I’m 22 years old and work as a filmmaker and videographer around Ipswich, the only trophies reminding me of my past career being the sponsored mouse and keyboard used to write this article right here. DANIEL LUENSWILKEN
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your home connected
hughes.co.uk/smarthome
Our Grateful Thanks To Hughes For All Of Their Support Following excellent feedback, we will be focusing 2019 reviews on more student-friendly products, starting with an everyday appliance in March! If you would like to review a particular product, email us at info@student-life.co; let us know which product and why and we will do the rest!
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STUDENT
FINANCE WRITTEN BY JOSHUA HODGKIN
GETTING SORTED! Joshua is a 19-year-old Sociology student at the University of Suffolk. He has a keen interest in finance, mental health, LGBT and lifestyle issues. Outside of Student Life, he loves writing for his own pleasure and travelling.
applied to start your studies this coming year (September 2019 to August 2020), it’s probably best to apply sooner rather than later. Yes, it’s certainly not the most interesting item on your to-do list, and you’re probably putting it off, but trust me, it’s a big weight off your shoulders to get it sorted now.
Making the decision to come to university weeks, rather than months, before my first lecture, meant that I was incredibly worried about whether my funding would be in place in time. I had just left my full time job in preparation for university, and therefore having my maintenance loan in place was truly essential. If you’ve
There are a few key steps to applying for student finance in England, which I’ll explain now! By the way, if you’re living in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, the process is different – I’m just focusing on England. The first step is to go to www.gov.uk/apply-for-student-finance and create an account. To speed up the
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process and avoid any procrastination – something I totally should’ve tried harder to avoid – you should have a few things to hand. You could be asked for your passport number (or if you don’t have a passport, you might have to send in a copy of your birth certificate!) and you’ll definitely need your bank details – so that you can be paid – and your National Insurance number, so the government can make sure you are repaying the right loan in years to come! Since I was a late applicant (in August), my form was probably bottom of the pile. The good news is, the earlier you submit your form (the process opens in February 2019), the faster your finance will be confirmed
So long as you submit by the deadline, which for many courses is May 31st, you’re guaranteed to have your money in the bank by the time you start. Phew! So, once you’ve logged onto the website and created your account, the next thing to do is just to fill out your details. One thing to bear in mind, which I worried about, it doesn’t matter which university you name on the form. You’re asked to name your course when applying for finance, but you may be put off by the fact that you have applied to many universities. Just put your first choice on the form, you’re able to change it later if you’re either unsuccessful or you change your mind! Student Finance England understand that you’re going through a turbulent and uncertain time in your life. After all, I applied to 5 different universities, and some of them were for completely different courses to what I ended up doing. After all that, I ended up
doing a course I never applied for until after results day. I’m super happy that I did as I did, though. Now, the amount of tuition fees you can borrow are fixed. Anyone and everyone can borrow up to the full cost of their course to be paid straight to the university. There’s nothing to worry about there. The part of the form you really need to pay attention to is the Household Income section. Your maintenance loan, which is the money that is paid into your bank account to spend, is means tested. This means that the amount of money you get depends on how much your parents earn. You’ll need to pop the income of your parent or parents into the box, along with their details and their National Insurance number(s). It’s important to get this right, as the government will comb through your parents’ tax records to ensure you’re getting the right amount! Nothing to lose sleep over, though. It’s only so that the government are able to pay you the right amount! Once you’ve provided details of your parent’s income, you’ll need to ask them to ‘support’ your application. Top tip: ask them to do this very soon after you apply. I forgot to ask my parents to support my application until about a week after I sent it off. Not a good idea. My finance was delayed, and I didn’t get all of what I was entitled to until over a month after I started my course. So, if you don’t take anything else from this article, make sure your parents support your application pretty sharpish! After all this, it’s time to wait. Hopefully within a few weeks, your application will have been approved, and you can sit pretty knowing one more thing is ticked off your to-do list. Good luck!
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WHAT ARE
YOU SAYING WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM
WAYS TO BECOME MORE ECO-FRIENDLY IN 2019 “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” TAO TE CHING. This quote demonstrates what we as human beings can achieve when we work together and have a goal to reach. All it takes is one individual to ignite the spark and encourage others to follow. The definition of the Danish word “Hygge” means simply comfort and cosiness. As a community, we all enjoy relaxing whenever we can, but we don’t often stop to think about the impact that our choices have on the environment. In order to combat this issue and become
more eco-friendly when unwinding, I have produced some beneficial tips for individuals at home and the workplace. This makes life much better and more enjoyable. 1. If you’re not using an electric item, then turn it off to reduce your carbon footprint. What’s the point in keeping your television or laptop on stand-by if you’re not using it?! By following this tip, you will also see a difference in your energy bill. You could also change the settings on any laptop or TV to save energy while it is in use and reduce your energy output. Remember: if it’s not in use, hit the off switch.
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2. Research into renewable energy suppliers, this is a great piece of advice for anyone wanting to become more eco-friendly in their home. Switching your energy supplier is easy and greener energy companies include: Octopus Energy, Bulb and Engie. Besides, by choosing a 100% renewable tariff, any electricity you use is essentially zero carbon! There are a variety of different renewable energy sources available, the most common being solar and wind power which many households have access to. 3. One of the main ways to become more eco-friendly is to recycle. It’s easy to recycle and nowadays you can recycle most items from your household (glass, paper etc). Next time you’re about to bin something, think and check if it’s recyclable first. 4. From working in a modern company, I have noticed more eco-friendly campaigns emerging in the last few years. For instance, recently at work they have advised staff to bring in their own reusable cups in an effort to cut down on plastic cups. The advantage of this idea will cut down the extensive number of cups ending up in landfills. This example has also been applied to reusable water bottles with metal bottles becoming mainstream and the increase on the cost of disposable shopping bags.
5. Furthermore, another tip to try is car sharing, which is a program available at my workplace. The positives of car sharing include: lower fuel and parking fees and reducing carbon emissions which would improve air quality as a result. The suggestions above are only a few ideas but there are a wide range of other possibilities to help the environment. Overall, I think that these pieces of advice are important for anyone wanting to help the environment or anyone looking to live more eco-friendly. Additionally, these tips will allow you to be happier and healthier as an individual so why not go ahead and try them from today. If you try some of these tips and successfully help the environment, then put your feet up – you deserve it!
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A NEW ADVENTURE WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM
Harriet is twenty-one years old and recently completed her degree in BA (Hons) Digital Film Production, graduating with a 2:1. Harriet got involved with Student Life because she enjoys writing and wants to continue this skill. Starting a new job is daunting, but it’s important to keep an open mind and remember that everyone was new once and can relate to how you feel. Just before Christmas I started a new job and am now starting to become familiar with my new role. As someone who worries about change, it was beneficial being hired with a group of people as I knew I wasn’t on my own. After graduating in October 2018, I was on the job hunt for a while and found it difficult to find the right position for me. However, I found that even if you get some negative responses, it’s important not to give up straight away and to continue forward to find the best role for you. During this time, it was useful that I had a part-time job to tide me over before becoming a successful candidate for my new job.
For anyone starting a new adventure, I would advise them to socialise as much as possible. This was a key aspect that I followed which has definitely helped me with feeling more comfortable and getting to know a wide range of different people. Luckily, there are several social events at work (Christmas markets, table tennis tournaments) as well as events outside of work, including Christmas and Summer parties. There is also a events team at work who organise and promote frequent events for the staff. I would definitely say that these events make it easier for new staff to feel at ease in a new environment
IMAGE CREDIT HARRIET RACKHAM
If you’re starting a new role, get involved with events like these as they give you the opportunity to make new connections with staff members from different departments (who you wouldn’t meet on a daily basis). Overall, I am really enjoying my job at the moment and am excited about the future. Plus, everyone is really friendly and understanding which is great! Even though sometimes change can seem intimidating, it can be a good thing which can open your eyes to new opportunities. If you are unsure about starting a new adventure, I would advise you to just go for it and enjoy it thoroughly.
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BOOK REVIEW
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi WRITTEN BY JAMES WILLIAMS 5/5 The first book in a fantasy series, Tomi Adeyemi’s debut is set in a world inspired by her West African heritage, a land where magic had once thrived but has since disappeared. The order of a ruthless king seeing all magi targeted and killed, including the mother of the novel’s protagonist, Zélie Adebola. The series follows her story as she goes on a journey to bring magic back to the land and strike back against the monarchy. Assisted by a rogue princess and hunted down by a crown prince who will do anything he can to eradicate magic for good, Zélie races against the clock to not only bring magic back, but also bring peace to a people treated as other.
Even before its release there was so much hype surrounding this book, something which was entirely justified! I was worried that this would be one of those novels that had gotten so much hype that it would then fall flat, but thankfully that never occurred. The chapters of the novel are written in a way that alternates
between the perspectives of three of the novel’s characters, something which I liked but also found slightly problematic during the first half of the novel. With one of the character perspectives, I found myself reading through their chapters a lot slower than the other two despite still being interested in the character development and the events unfolding. From the first few pages, Adeyemi had me hooked in with her writing style. The way her words flow to create such clear imagery meant that even during fight scenes I never got confused as to what was happening. Her words are able to evoke so much emotion in even just a few words, from fear, to love, to grief, and everything else. Tomi Adeyemi manages to convey the raw emotions that stem from the issues of racism experienced in modern day society with violence against black people and intertwines it with the fantasy genre to create something where we can escape but also see our own reality reflected back to us within its pages.
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