ISSUE 11 • DECEMBER 2017
Lifestyle Magazine for the Students of Suffolk
Proud supporter of
Cover photo by MOLLY SMITH using a Canon EOS 400D
STUDENT Life
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Editor’s
cheer, festivities and love amongst family & friends! The nights are longer and frightfully cold, but soon the glimmer of fairy lights and tinsel will deck the halls of many and the yummy smell of gingerbread & cookies will fill the house! Christmas is a time for celebrations and to look back on the year and be thankful for what we have achieved and what will be accomplished. We are so grateful for how Student Life has blossomed and grown over the year- one of our biggest achievements to date is becoming a stand-alone publication! Our second, separate edition has already grown from 24 pages to 32 – woohoo! We are giving students more and more responsibility delivering article briefs and content. So if there’s a topic you really want to write on, now is the time to get involved and have your say! We’re really pleased that Mental Health has been firmly on the agenda and due to the volume of articles and ideas; we are looking to introduce a sub-section for this topic, which is fantastic, so keep your eyes peeled. In the New Year, we’re planning to involve additional 6th forms and colleges from February 2018, so we look forward to welcoming more student writers on board. To every student who has contributed content and ideas over the year- thank you! It now just leaves me to say… Happy Christmas and have a fantastic New Year! Best wishes, Rachel Gilbey Co-editor
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Contents...
CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co Snapchat : studentlifesc FB : @studentlifedigital
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Tis the season to be jolly… la la la la la! This is the month of spreading
STUDENT STYLE Festive Fashion .............................................................................................. 4-8 STUDENT BEAUTY A Beautiful Year ..............................................................................................9 STUDENT FINANCE Budgeting for Christmas ............................................................15 -16 STUDENT SUPPORT Parkside Academy .........................................................................18-21 STUDENT HEALTH Mental Health Series ...................................................................... 23-30 2 • DECEMBER 2017 • S T UD E N T L I FE
MYSTERY SHOP REPORT
PREMIER POOL
REVIEWER’S NA ME : Rachel Gilb ey VENUE : Premie r Pool APPEAR ANCE
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NEEDS IMPROVIN
TIME & DATE : 10 /10/17 at 17:30 SCENARIO TO RE VIEW : Facilities and venue
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G
3
FAIR
4
GOOD
5 EXCELLENT I would describe Waterfront scen Premier Pool as a bit of a hidden opposite Tesco Exe. Previously known as the Music gem within Ipswich’s the venue, but on press on Duke Street. Initially onRoom, Premier Pool is situated ce e the venue, I prom you locate the small side entrancmight wonder how to get into e and climb the ise, venturing in stairs up to side is worth it. RA REASONS WHY
TE THE OVER AL
1
NEEDS IMPROVIN
L INTERNAL AP
2
G
VERY GOOD
PEAR ANCE OF
3
FAIR
THE VENUE
4
GOOD
5 EXCELLENT The interior has had a complete do -o functional space is set up for pool ver and now it looks great! Its m ulti, snooker and da few) and private rts functions. There is a bar, comfy so tournaments (to name a can also be hook fas ed up to consoles , so there really is and chairs, and TVs which something for ev CUSTOMER SE eryone. RVICE REASONS WHY
ACKNOWLEDGE D WITH A SMILE/ GREETING?
YES
PROFESSIONALLY / APPROPRIATELY DRESSED
YES
1
NEEDS IMPROVIN
SMILING AND GAVE EYE CONTACT
YES
2
G
FAIR
REASONS WHY
VERY GOOD
WEARING A NAME BADGE
THANKED FOR CUSTOM
N/A
YES
3
GOOD
HANDLED QUERIES/ISSUE S PROFESSIONALLY
N/A
4
VERY GOOD
5
EXCELLENT
We were greeted and served straigh t away and were Pool student card able to use our Pr - a new initiative emier in partnership wi Union; which en titles students to th the University 20% off pool, sn ’s Students’ drinks and 10% ooker off drinks and an ho beers and spirits. Between us, we and 9 ball, 20% off soft ur of pool. paid a total of £8 for two soft OVER ALL EXPERIENCE
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NEEDS IMPROVIN
2
G
SUMMARISE TH
FAIR
E EXPERIENCE
Fun, Welcoming,
3
GOOD
IN 6 WORDS
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VERY GOOD
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EXCELLENT
Relaxed, Comforta ble, Refreshing, Po We had a lot of fu sitive n playing pool an d the atmosphere of felt very welcomed the venue was br and relaxed, desp illiant. We ite not being regu knew about the ve lars. I only wish nue - particularly more people students - as it is I suspect the venu such a great spac e is a lot busier la e to utilise. ter in the evenings wouldn’t put me and at weekends off visiting again. , but this 3 • DECEMBER 2017 • S T UD E N T L I FE
WITH FASHION EXPERT PAM DAVIS
Outfit choices for Christmas Eve/Day & Boxing Day? Christmas is well and truly upon us, it’s that time of the year again and it’s bringing major outfit dilemmas. What do I wear during the holiday events? I do not want to take my whole wardrobe home with me. Taking only a few, but the most suitable pieces is the key to looking great and feeling fabulous. Let’s break it down – CHRISTMAS EVE – CASUAL BUT CHIC Whether you’re off to a meal, or having a few drinks with friends, go for something comfy but sophisticated. An embellished top paired with your favourite denims will work a treat. CHRISTMAS DAY TRY A FESTIVE HUE Nothing says Christmas Day like a little
FESTIVE FASHION bit of RED, GREEN and BURGUNDY Add a BIT of sparkle, a few sequins and glitter are bound to make you look the part. However, less is more, you don’t want to look the part too much and be mistaken for a Christmas tree. The key is to balance out the sparkle with something simple. BOXING DAY THE HOLIDAY HANGOVER If you’re anything like me, you will have over-indulged and feel pretty lazy by Boxing Day. Unless you have pre arranged family visits which you need to dress up for – Boxing Day is for any type of Luxe Loungewear all day long!
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Christmas Jumper IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO WEAR THEM LOUD & PROUD? With the possible exception of wedding season, the festive period holds more opportunities for dressing to impress than any other time of the year. The stress of Christmas shopping and the mad rush to get all your work done on time so you can actually enjoy your break, and I think that sometimes it’s nice to dress down, take a breath, and wear a pair of jeans with a festive jumper. It feels good to embrace the season. Granted, the bright-red-santa-ridinghis-sleigh-with-Rudolph’s-batteryoperated-nose-flashing jumper isn’t the easiest item to pull off, especially if dignity is important to you, but that’s why I tend to opt for a slightly more subtle look. So…..WHY NOT! I love them x
WORKING STUDENTS – WHAT TO WEAR FOR THE STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTY If you plan well ahead, I’m thinking January sales, then you can buy your Christmas party outfit for the year after. Most of the pieces mentioned are timeless and will always be ideal for Christmas Parties year in, year out. Grab them whilst they’re cheap and put them away for next year. Just don’t eat too many mince pies and you’ll be fine! If you’re not that organised there’s always Black Friday. Alternatively, stay away from mainstream retail and venture into the second hand/pre-loved world. Charity Shop Chic – I call it! My final tip - If you have a friend or housemate who has a similar style to you and is the same size as you, then switch last year’s Christmas outfits with each other – easy!
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GET IN TOUCH E: pamela@fashioncandy.co.uk M: 07713 095355 www.fashioncandy.co.uk DECEMBER 2017 • S T UD E N T L I FE
THE CHRISTMAS JUMPER The following articles deal with the donning of the Festive Jumper! A fashion must-have at this time of year? WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM Personally, I’ve always treasured Christmas and everything about it. The songs, mince pies, advent calendars, Christmas adverts on television, decorating the Christmas tree and many other aspects. With the help of the Christmas John Lewis advert, I think it is my favourite holiday of the entire year. There’s nothing better than being all cosy in the living room with the fire on and a warm mug of tea in my hand. Additionally, on December 1st, I love browsing through my wardrobe and picking out which Christmas jumper I will wear, to mark truly, the official start of the holiday.
jumpers each year, sometimes as gifts and sometimes my own purchases. They can vary in colours and designs; one of my favourites is a grey Christmas jumper featuring a snowman with a white bobble. Being a student and spending the majority of my money on Christmas presents for friends and family, I try and get my jumpers fairly reasonable priced. The best shops are Primark, H&M and New Look; during November and December these retailers stock a wide range of Christmas outfits that are suited for all. My nanny purchased a Christmas jumper for me from Primark, with penguins and Christmas presents on it, and it was only £8. (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...)
I don’t know what it is about Christmas jumpers, but they are just so comfortable and definitely make me feel more festive. Also, I think they give people a happier attitude and outlook on life, I mean, I’ve never seen an angry or annoyed person wearing a jolly Christmas jumper before. I usually get several new Christmas 6 • DECEMBER 2017 • S T UD E N T L I FE
RIGHT OR JUST PLAIN WRONG?
I understand that some people may not want to wear the Christmas jumpers that are too ‘way out’, with giant designs and vibrant colours. However, there are some very minimal jumpers which are just as elegant as the other ones. To conclude, I do not think Christmas would be the same for me if I didn’t wear one of my favourite Christmas jumpers. It is part of how I’ve been brought up. It adds to the overall Christmas joy for me and I think it is absolutely the right choice of fashion.
WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD Haha, oh the Christmas jumper debate. I think it is fair to say that there are a few people with opinions that would support that it is wrong… Look, I absolutely love the Christmas jumper! It’s a time of year when, for many of us, we let our hair down and enjoy time with family and friends. I’ve always experienced Christmas as a fun and enjoyable holiday. If it gives me an excuse to wear a silly and loud jumper, then I’m all for it! For me, growing up wearing a Christmas jumper during the festive holiday was always something I wanted to be a part of; whether this be at home, in school, or out and about with friends.
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CHRISTMAS JUMPER - RIGHT OR WRONG? It was not until last year that I actually had my very own extravagant Christmas jumper bought for me by my mum! She also bought herself and my step-dad one too. It’s safe to say we looked silly, but it was another aspect of Christmas to look forward to. I think the Christmas jumper can aid you in getting stuck into the spirit of Christmas! Take the Weasley family from the famous Harry Potter films and books; they always had their very own hand-made knitted Christmas jumpers with their initials on. I fondly remember the excitement and enjoyment when Harry learnt that Mrs. Weasley had knitted him one too! I don’t think in today’s society we need an excuse to wear extravagant and individual clothing. However, for those who may lack the confidence in doing so, maybe this year buy a cheeky Christmas jumper and experience the joy it brings to yourself, family, and friends! Heck, you can even buy your very own Weasley jumper now! Happy festivities! WRITTEN BY KAY SABERTON There has always been a festive debate surrounding the Christmas jumper – to wear, or not to wear. For me though, it is always a resounding yes, and here’s why. Firstly, they suit everyone. The variety of colours and patterns is astounding. You sometimes see a jumper that is so hideous, you think nobody could possibly pull it off, but they do. The uglier the better in fact! There is nothing more comical than a friend or relative squeezed into the most hideous looking fabric and not looking happy about having done so. Last year, I remember sporting the worst Christmas
jumper to date, a snowman with a carrot nose that stuck out three inches from the jumper. Let’s just say that I got a lot of funny looks that day, but it was all in the name of charity. Secondly, they make people smile. I think we can all agree that it’s the little things in life that make us smile the most, and the faithful Christmas jumper never disappoints. You’ve had a terrible morning, day, week. But then you see the cheeriest man you have ever seen strutting down the path with the ghastliest looking Christmas jumper you have ever seen. Or a very sweet toddler engulfed by an enormous reindeer Christmas jumper, and you cannot help but smile. It is impossible to find something as jolly and heart-warming as the Christmas jumper. They brighten up everyone’s day and are therefore, a Christmas must. Lastly, what do people wear on Christmas day, if not a Christmas jumper? It’s just like any other day - without looking down and seeing a carrot or a set of antlers protruding from your person. Family competitions over who has the best (or worst) Christmas jumper can also get very competitive and amusing over Christmas dinner. I can’t see why anyone would choose not to wear one as they are not only bright, and fun, but also amusing and cheerful for everyone. The Christmas jumper has become the epitome of festive celebrations as you cannot escape seeing one. I instantly smile at the thought of knowing that there will be countless hideous Christmas jumpers on Christmas day and that they will bring a smile to someone’s face. After all, that is reason enough to wear a Christmas jumper.
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STUDENT Beauty
A
Beautiful YEAR
WRITTEN BY STUDENT LIFE’S BEAUTY PARTNER - ROSIE MAY
We’ve witnessed many makeup trends filter through as the year has gone by. Some of them worse than others! However, it starts to make us wonder what weird and wonderful trends will appear in the makeup world in 2018... One of my favourite trends, on the humorous side, was the Feather Brow trend. This trend saw people parting their brows straight through the middle and feathering them upwards and downwards. Very strange and not a trend that caught on! Another rather strange trend to bless our Instagram feeds was the Braided Brows.
Although these looked prettier, it still didn’t seem possible unless you had very long eyebrow hairs! Nevertheless, the effect was very cool and if I had long enough eyebrow hairs I may have joined in! A more wearable trend that came about towards the end of this year was metallics. I feel metallics are really coming back into fashion in the makeup world; from metallic eyeshadows to bold metallic lips. I love this trend and L’Oréal have just come out with a gorgeous metallic range ‘Merry Metals’. This collection includes some gorgeous metallic eye paints and lip paints, as well as a range of highlighters and eyeliner! Contouring seems to have become a lot more popular this year as well. From cream to powder, I feel like more people are starting to get the hang of it and it is slowly becoming a part of everyone’s everyday makeup routine! I personally love cream contouring before I set with powder products, as it gives my base a nice sculpt before I finish with the rest of my makeup! As for 2018? I feel that bold and bright colours for the eyes and lips will come into fashion, especially towards the Summer time. Bright eyeliner, bold lips and flushed cheeks will be the look of the Summer! I feel like colourful eyeliner has tried to make a name for itself at random times this year, so maybe it will finally have its breakthrough in the new year! And hopefully all of the more ridiculous trends will be left in 2017! Instagram - @rosiestewartbeauty_ YouTube - Rosie Stewart Beauty Blog - rosiestewartbeauty.wordpress.com
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MY Life
Working together to make Suffolk the best place in the world WRITTEN BY CAROLE THAIN Suffolk Mind wants to make our county the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental wellbeing. · All of us have mental health, just as we have physical health, and one in four of us will suffer from mental ill health in any given year. · Just as five-a-day, a little exercise and a balanced diet are part of keeping physically healthy, so it is with mental health.
QUAY PLACE
By joining Friends of Suffolk Mind you will be part of a growing network of people who have pledged to find out how important mental health is and how to look after it. It’s free to join and will give you lots of useful information and support to make your own mental health a priority and create a life that meets your needs, and helps others meet theirs. A small step but one that could make a huge difference in your life and the lives of people you care about. www.suffolkmind.org.uk
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fancy yourself
BEHIND THE CAMERA? Attention all keen photographers We are running a monthly competition to find the following month’s magazine cover. Entries to be emailed only to media@student-life.co TERMS Amateur photographers only. One entry per person. Original photo only - no filters. Portrait orientation only. Submit as high-res Jpeg. Please note clear space required at the top of the photo.
Our Strategic
PARTNERS
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WRITTEN BY JON STEVENSON
BAGS OF TIME
TRAVELLING WITH ATTITUDE
Our new series of monthly articles invites readers to send in lighthearted stories of their travel experiences. This month, friend of the publication – Jon Stevenson – relives his flights with low-cost airlines. It’s always the same. Confirmation of overseas business trip = straight on to the internet to search for the cheapest flights. I may have a work credit card (oooh – someone’s made it in life), but I have a conscience that doesn’t allow me to extract the urine. I know deep down, that the Air of Ryan or the Easiest of Jets is going to be my destination website, but I still use a comparison site to check out the fares. Sure enough, up pings the blue/ yellow & orange/white at the very top of the search results and the inevitable first step is confirmed.
Although a part of me always wants to pay more at the point of booking flights (business or leisure) and buy a little bit of refinery, this is difficult to justify, particularly for short-haul flights. If I am flying anywhere in less than 3 hours, I have always found it impossible to ignore cost over refinement. And so I begin the booking process. A process that – to be very fair – is pretty seamless with both of the ‘Big 2’. I do the exact same thing each time; seat by the window at the back of the plane (for supposed ease of embarkment/ disembarkment), no speedy priority upgrade (not since seat allocation at booking came in) and flight times that get me in & out of the destination as quickly as possible (I’m not going for the fun of it). I usually fly out of Stansted if the destination/times allow and apart from the ridiculous single-carriageway section
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of the A120, the airport is very accessible. I approach the parking areas and have my usual internalised moan about saving money on Meet & Greet and cheaper alternatives, by parking in the Blue car park (blue by name, blue by feeling) and then walk & grumble my way across the Green car park (£5.50 more expensive – so not buying into that BS), to the terminal building. I’m a seasoned, if not entirely happy, traveller and very used to Stansted’s presecurity automated barriers, so I have my boarding pass ready and occasionally having to submit to the ‘look at the camera’ instruction (no idea why this is sporadic), I can then proceed to security. Despite the recent brag of being seasoned, I occasionally forget a coin or four in my trouser pocket. I assure you that this isn’t to get my day started with a pat-down, but does remind me of the early hour and the (some-ways) relaxed nature that I am fortunate to take flying with me. A quick side-step to avoid the aftershave reps and I am in my favourite coffee house awaiting the gate number.
Now the fun can commence. I’ve been flying for years & years now and in that time, I have welcomed the chance that low-cost airlines have given customers to choose their seat first. This should negate the need, not only to sit within view of the coffee shop’s screen, but to check said screen every 2 minutes, when it clearly states the time that the gate will be displayed. Surely, there is no need to get to the gate as quickly as possible after the digital announcement? But there is. There is the issue of not wanting my hand-luggage to be ‘checked’. By checked, I mean of course ….into the hold. So, there I am watching the screen for the gate number and then hating myself for joining the throng of passengers trialling out for the Olympic speed-walking team. It’s always a long walk with the LCA’s. They have to pay the minimum airport charges to be viable and therefore get the furthest gate allocations. Try as I might, I still don’t resist queuing at the gate immediately; so as to ensure that when the ’maximum of 90 bags in the hold – we now need volunteers’ announcement strikes up, I can smugly remove myself from the indignity of having a tag wrapped around my carry-on and having to wait a wholly unacceptable 10 further minutes at the destination, to grab my bag off the luggage belt. Of course, all of this could be avoided by paying for sped-up-priority. However, I still can’t get over the fact that surely all this really does – if you’re not meticulously planned and mildly compulsive like me – is sits you on the plane for 10 minutes longer than the last embarking passenger. So I’m seated, buckled and ready for the impending roar of the engines, signifying the all-clear from Air Traffic Control. All I have to do now is look forward to the reverse of all of this in 48 hours time.
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STUDENT Travel
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL had never been on a plane in his life – an incredible experience for everyone. Once we arrived at Heathrow Airport, I was shocked by the scale and crowded appearance of the Airport.
WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM
Harriet is 20 years old and is studying Digital Film Production at the University. Harriet decided to get involved with Student Life because she’s creative and wants to explore the creative side of writing, whilst also improving her writing style. Three years ago, I had the chance to visit New York City for five days. During this time, I was at City College Norwich studying a BTEC in Creative Media Production. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me that I had to take. On the 18th of February 2014, I woke up at 3am just like an enthusiastic child on Christmas Day. We all met outside our college during the early hours of the morning and boarded our coach heading to Heathrow Airport.
When we first landed in America, we visited the Empire State Building. This was a bucket list moment for me and I was so excited. After getting the lift to the highest floor of this building (there were 100 floors in total!) and despite our current jet-lagged state, the cityscape views were incredible. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was amazing to see how alive the city was; even during night time. We were allowed to sight-see around New York in our own small groups. Since I had never used the Underground in London before, using the New York City Subway was an unfamiliar experience, but was the most efficient way of getting around the different areas of the city. We spent one day shopping in famous stores such as Selfridges and Macy’s. Afterwards, we arrived at the famous Times Square, another significant feature of this city. I had only viewed Times Square on television before, so it was overwhelming for me to be standing on the renowned red stairs in the centre of a very famous city, with my friends.
This was my first journey outside of Europe and my first time on holiday without my Travelling is a huge passion of mine which family. However, it was reassuring that I hope to pursue further. After my trip, New my classmates were in the same boat. York has a special place in my heart and I Furthermore, several of my friends had return in the near future. not flown in a long time, 14 and•one friend 2017wish DECEMBER • Sto T UD E N T someday L I FE
STUDENT Finance
BUDGETING WRITTEN BY JOSH HODGKIN
Let’s face it, being a student is tough. With all the deadlines, coursework and revision to crack on with, we could really do without money stress on top. Unfortunately, the reality is that dealing with our finances is inevitable. It can be very difficult – especially when your friends are going out and you genuinely cannot afford to. Now I don’t profess to be any sort of expert, I struggle just like you! But here are my top tips for staying in control. USE YOUR BANK STATEMENTS! One of the key strategies I use to keep control, is to read my bank statement. By analysing your statement (and pushing aside your cinema tickets, drinks and payday shopping splurges for now) you can see the things that are constant month to month. Pay particular attention to direct debits (like your phone bill), ‘recurring card transactions’ (e.g. your Spotify subscription) and anything else you know has to go out every month (e.g. rent, food, petrol, train/bus tickets).
SPREADSHEETS! Now make those amounts stand out on the page, it’ll help you later! Use your highlighters! Now pop these numbers into a spreadsheet alongside the dates they leave your account every month. This way, you won’t be shocked when they go out!
USE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED! Now that you’ve planned when your payments go out, make doubly sure you never ever spend close to the total in a given month. For example, say you have £500 in outgoings every month. Try to keep £550 aside so you can be safe if things are slightly more expensive than you’d hoped. We’ve all experienced getting to the end of our data and having to pony up £8 for more!
HOW TO SAVE! Saving is very important, too. If you’re in sixth form, saving any penny you can is vital for university. Whenever you get paid, decide on a percentage of your wage (minus your monthly payments from earlier) that you want to save. Then, give your savings account a nickname on the Internet Bank – preferably something like ‘SUPER IMPORTANT FUND’ so you’re discouraged from spending it! I hope this advice has helped you, and that you’ll be able to manage your money just that little bit more successfully. Good luck!
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Top Tips for a
STUDENT BUDGET CHRISTMAS WRITTEN BY LIBBY DAWSON
You’ve finished all the mid-term assessments, Tesco is stocking its festive isles, you’re listening to the odd Christmas song and ready to play Elf. It’s also time to start buying and wrapping presents. But there’s nothing worse than looking forward to the festive season, then checking your bank balance and realising you’ve blown all your student loan. Don’t panic, here are some top tips to help keep those costs down. 1. WRITE A LIST Lists are great for everything. But they’re even better when you’ve got family & friends to buy for, especially with little time, and no disposable income. There’s nothing worse than wandering around, running into every shop you see, just in case there is something your mum ‘might’ like. You need to plan these things and writing a list will ensure16 you•know exactly 2017 DECEMBER
what you’re buying; that way, it means you can shop around and find the cheaper deals.
2. USE DISCOUNT CODES As students, we’re forever relying on UNiDAYS to bring us the best discounts, but a lot of the time you make a purchase without checking if you can get money off first. As well at that, at Christmas or in the lead up to, a lot of new companies will introduce discounts, and the existing ones are likely to increase theirs. Remember that it’s not just UNiDAYS, you’ve got Student Beans, Save the Student and NUS too. You must keep an eye out for them; you can get discounts on the most random items, and in the places you least expect.
3. REGIFTING/MAKING YOUR OWN GIFTS This is definitely something people turn their noses up at. The idea of having to put in effort and make your own gifts. But there is nothing your grandma would love more than a box of homemade truffles. It’s also a great way to clear out the back of your wardrobe and give the bath set you’ll never use, to your sister.
4.SECRET SANTA The classic secret Santa that everyone knows and loves; it’s great for the larger families or if you’ve got lots of friends. Choose one person, whether it be anonymous or not and you’ll only have to buy one present; you can also set a budget •to S Tlower UD E Nthe T Lcost! I FE
STUDENT Finance
EQUILIBRIUM
FAMILY/STUDY LIFE BALANCE WRITTEN ANONYMOUSLY
You hear it all too often; …..these loneparents should be doing more to support their families like re-training if finding work is proving difficult in their specific field. Or the low-skilled jobs aren’t covering even the basics in life. So how easy is it really to re-train or return to university for single parents? I can tell you first hand; difficult, frustrating and at times humiliating. I have had some great experiences at university. I have passed my first year, made some friends I am so grateful for, but more importantly, gained a new confidence in my own abilities. Whilst there are positives and negatives generally in all we do, I think a more seamless and combined service from the universities, councils and benefit services would take a lot of unnecessary stress off the very loneparents they are encouraging. Most lone-parents rely heavily on Student Finance and benefits to attend university and the processes and hoops you are forced to jump through can cause undue stress, panic and depression. I have spoken with many lone-parent students
who have all said they aren’t even sure if they can continue with their studies now, as it’s become a question of not having enough money to put food on the table, or a choice of bathing their children - or heating the home for their children. Without a better/quicker system for assessing finances for lone-parents, I can see more and more of them dropping out (already with student debt but no degree) as no-one - whilst trying to improve their future - needs this much stress dumped at their door, or distraction from the course they are on. I am now asking myself as an already qualified careers advisor, would I encourage another single parent to return to education? No, sadly I wouldn’t. I’d advise against it entirely because I have never been so close to poverty (as one can in this country anyway), as I am today and it seems the odds of us making it through the course are stacked against us. How can we penalise people for doing what is best for themselves and their families, so as to ensure that they don’t need to be reliant on benefits again in the future? Surely that makes no sense to anyone?
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STUDENT Support
An Introduction to
PARKSIDE ACADEMY “A safe haven full of unique personalities” Y11 STUDENT WRITTEN BY 13 STUDENTS, COLLABORATIVELY PRESENTING A VIEW OF THEIR SCHOOL.
Several weeks ago, Student Life approached the Senior Leadership Team at Parkside Academy in Spring Road, to explore the concept of collaboratively working on our print & digital publication. We are delighted to have moved forward to the point of now introducing the Academy to you…
Parkside Academy is a school in Ipswich which offers Alternative Provision to young people who are referred, mainly, by their mainstream school. It got its name because the school used to be by Christchurch Park. It’s not there anymore but the name stuck after it moved to Spring Road. WHAT DOES ALTERNATIVE PROVISION ACTUALLY MEAN?
Well, we’re a school but with a difference. We are small; with 50 students from ages 11 to 16 and all of us have had some tough stuff in life to deal with. This has meant that mainstream school wasn’t the right place for us. This is where Parkside fits in. In lots of ways, it’s just like any other school with lessons in English, Maths, Science and most (but not all) of the usual subjects you’d expect. We have GCSEs in Year 11 and make plans to move on to college, work or training after that; just like any other Year 11 student. We go on trips and all the usual school things you’d expect. We also have ‘Jigsaw’ which is like a music or creative arts session. Students get the chance to work with professional musicians to learn how to play the guitar and drums. We have registration, breaks,
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lunchtimes with healthy food and a Student Council just like any other school, and we head home at 3pm. It’s hard to explain what’s different about the school. We are different but we are also the same. It’s maybe not what happens in school that makes Parkside different but how we are treated. It’s kind of a school family. Some of us need part time timetables because we have health problems and the school can be flexible to fit around us. Others are here full time and that works too. We think that Parkside is an environment that aims to make everyone feel comfortable, without feeling pressured. It is a loving and caring school, where both the students and teachers are incredibly supportive and kind towards each other. Everyone is understanding and it’s a really comforting place. Staff accept that we all have bad days, that life isn’t always straightforward and that sometimes,
we just need to be given understanding. No one is forgotten. There aren’t the big punishments like detentions at our school. Instead, staff talk to us about our mistakes and show us how to learn from them. We are all given another chance. The atmosphere here is quieter, calm and more peaceful. There are fewer distractions by other students which makes it easier to concentrate during lessons. It’s a supportive place to be because there are fewer students and that means the staff have more time for us and we all get to know each other really well. It’s also easier to get on with independent work and if you prefer, you can work alone. If you don’t feel like talking, you don’t have to. Parkside allows us just to be.
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PHOTOGRAPHY @ PARKSIDE This term, Year 11 Art students took part in an ‘Urban Photography’ project, with the Ipswich Docks & Waterfront as our location. Our brief was to look at surfaces close up; to notice and capture the contrasts we could see. We searched for interesting textures and shapes in the objects we photographed. We focussed on colour, texture, composition and contrasting surfaces. We were encouraged to find beauty in decay and nature overpowering man-made structures in this busy port. We experimented with unusual angles to make simple things appear more abstract, out of context and interesting. This wasn’t easy for all of us. Good photography doesn’t just happen, it takes a lot of thought and skill to frame a good composition. For some of us this was a big challenge. We think that when you look through the lens of a camera, you see new artistic opportunities. You view things from a different perspective. It is like looking through to a new world; making everyday objects become distorted and abstract. You have to make quick decisions at times to get the composition you want. We enjoyed the project and have all taken our photography further to inspire sculptures, paintings, clay work and collage for our GCSE coursework.
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WATERFRONT Churches
WRITTEN BY REV. TOM ROUT
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS Tom Rout is vicar of the Ipswich Waterfront Churches (St Helen, Holy Trinity and St Luke) and Anglican Chaplain to the University of Suffolk and Suffolk New College. He is married to Nicola and father of 3 young children.
say Brussels Sprouts (others will strongly disagree!) but I was thinking more of... a Christmas carol service! For generations, the traditional English Christmas wasn’t complete without a visit to the local church. People flocked to church in their droves. Even among those who weren’t religious or regular churchgoers, a carol service was seen as obligatory; a key component of the season’s celebrations, a fixture of the festivities. Nowadays, town and country seem to be drifting in different directions. On the whole, it’s the rural communities where this tradition is preserved, while town-dwellers seem to be letting go this aspect of our cultural heritage. But maybe it’s time those of us who live in town recaptured this aspect of a traditional Christmas. This year, we’re encouraging our town to embrace this English Christmas tradition. We’re inviting people to our Christmas services - with no strings attached or religious inclination required. Some people feel awkward showing up in church, where they may not have been for a while. They shouldn’t! It’s Christmas! Of course everyone’s welcome! 17TH DECEMBER
4:00pm St Luke’s, Cliff Lane Family carols 6:30pm St Helen’s, St Helen’s Street Lessons and carols
A good traditional English Christmas! That’s what many of us are building up to in the next few weeks. Even residents of Ipswich from other parts of the world 24TH DECEMBER (or UK) may be planning to do it the 10:30am Holy Trinity, Back Hamlet traditional English way; perhaps blending Christmas Eve Holy Communion their own national or regional traditions 4:00pm St Helen’s, St Helen’s Street with those local to Suffolk. So, what are Family Christingle service the ingredients that make up a traditional 25TH DECEMBER English Christmas celebration? A tree for 10am St Luke’s, Cliff Lane sure; tinsel; lights; presents; stockings; Family Christmas morning celebration turkey; mince pies; Christmas pudding; the Queen’s speech (and / or the Eastenders Come along - and celebrate Christmas the omnibus!); a bracing Boxing Day walk (or traditional way! Wishing everyone a Happy • D ECSome EMBER 2017Christmas • S T UD Eand N T LaI FE sales!) But is something 22 missing? will prosperous New Year.
MY Life
CO-WRITTEN BY ASHLEIGH MORTON, REBECCA HUDSON & MADELEINE NORRIS
Where’s Your Head At? is one of a number of Societies based at the University of Suffolk. With a primary focus on mental health, the Society also focuses on general wellbeing; aiding students & staff with additional issues such as stress or even loneliness, through events and socials.
TIPS INCLUDED:
• Watching a film with friends • Having a beauty day! Bath, moisturise, style your hair • Music therapy • Getting plenty of rest • Spending time with friends and family • Going for a walk in the countryside (with a dog if you can) • Be outside (and drink lots of tea!) • Treat yourself • Don’t think yourself sad • Listen to some upbeat music to get you to a positive place • Drink lots of water Our Society is based around being the bridge to different support networks within and outside of the university setting. There is a lot of support for students and staff to access within Ipswich, these include the Student services, Samaritans (who have a 24-hour phone call service, and are also starting a ‘texting’ initiative if you don’t feel like talking on the phone) and Suffolk Mind, who have different wellbeing classes on coping mechanisms. In December, we will be holding Christmas/ Holiday themed socials; these include a Film night on Thursday 7th December at 7pm in the Atrium building. The film will be Polar Express, so bring along friends and family for a Christmas/Holiday adventure! Over the Christmas break, between 20th December and 12th January, we will not be running any socials as such.
Over the last month, WYHA? has been working hard to start the mindfulness sessions discussed in the last issue. We have had these approved and sessions will However, if you feel you do need support, start from late November. The Society has you can still contact us. While we are not also recently taken part in the self-care fair qualified to offer advice to students directly held at the University in early November. about how to cope/treat mental health, we We had a lot of engagement from students can signpost you towards other services. & staff and staged different activities at the stall; such as biscuit decorating and If you have any questions about any of our sharing different self-care tips. We also socials or where to access support, please had some self-care postcards with different contact us through our Facebook page tips from positive self-care websites, such @wyhauos, or through the Students’ Union as Blurt it Out and Mind.2 3 • DECEMBER 2017email: su.admin@uos.ac.uk • S T UDE N T L I FE
STUDENT Health
H T L A E H L A MENT N & A N XI ET Y PA N IC , D EP RE SS IO
“THAT JOB HAD MEANT EVERYTHING TO ME AND YET I COULDN’T GET OFF THE BUS” WRITTEN ANONYMOUSLY I’d made it through the interview process and into the position I had wanted for as long as I had been qualified, so I should be happy, shouldn’t I? Instead I’m experiencing a feeling that I am not quite sure is excitement or fear…..fear mixed with an unhealthy dose of sheer panic and what ifs!
I get off the bus at the train station and wonder what I have done, panic rising in me as I look at the time and realise that they will know I am not showing up. I need to get home, to close the doors and curtains and sleep, ah sleep my true friend, a place to go when I feel so overwhelmed where noone can touch me. I get on the train and by now my physical state is obvious to anyone with eyes, those which I am avoiding at every turn. Puffy and swollen eyes from fighting back the tears of frustration and bitter disappointment, a red face caused by the blood flowing so fast around my body and the vacant look on my face. That job had meant everything to me and yet I couldn’t get off the bus. This led me to thinking about why I had responded the way I did. I now know - following Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) - that travelling on public transport is a trigger for me when it comes to panicking; it’s the number of variables that are out of my control… namely the people. I cannot predict their behaviour, or once sitting close to me, how they will behave - which is an issue for me. I have since counteracted this by learning at 39 years of age - how to drive.
I’m on the bus nearing my stop on campus and I am sure that someone on here is about to call an ambulance, I am sweating, my heart feels like it will explode with each pounding beat and this insane ringing in my ears is so loud I can barely hear myself think, so what did I do? I sat frozen as the doors closed and the bus continued back towards the train station. I can feel the tears begin to well up in my eyes and I start to blink as quickly as I can in order to stop them rolling down my cheeks in front of the The new job means new people, new people on here. Just breathe it’s okay, I keep interactions, new processes to learn and I quietly telling myself. 2 4 • DECEMBER 2017had • Sconvinced T UDE N T Lthese I FE people I would be able
to do this with no issues whatsoever; thus putting more pressure than was required on myself. I am someone that doesn’t have a lot of confidence and I had told myself a story that sadly I had begun to believe…… that I am not good enough and that they would eventually see this. Managing my PTSD and panic is of course an on-going process, but most importantly it’s one that is slowly helping. I know the expense of therapy, counselling and CBT type support can be costly - or if referred via a GP is funded for only 6 sessions but I would encourage people to take the steps you need to. To invest in themselves in order to find a more comfortable and less invasive way to live with panic attacks. Because what matters in the end is the little achievements; like attending a social event, something I have always struggled with in the past. Or using public transport, even if it is to travel from one stop to the next. Just keep going. If we are lucky, one day we will feel that feeling and maybe - just maybe - we won’t decide to call it fear.
“SHARING IS CARING - WE SHARE OUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS, WE SHOW THAT WE CARE” WRITTEN BY CHRISTINE CONE
Christine is 38 years old and is studying for a Fine Arts Degree BA. Christine has decided to get involved with Student Life because she would like to contribute to the University and help other students like her using the written word.
Life can be hard as a student whether they’re just out of sixth form, college, a single parent, or a mature student after so long out of education. The biggest problem they may face is their health; be it emotional, mental or physical. The biggest fear they carry is the possibility of failure. It eats away at the insides bringing their health down with them. No matter what type of student they are, the stresses and strains are all the same. The pitfalls of being a student are very real. Maybe it’s not visible on the outside but that is where the problem lays. People could be forgiven for thinking that the life of a student is all fun and partying when it isn’t. They may have moved for the first time from their family home to student accommodation, or they are having to juggle their home life with their student life. People suffer from loneliness and dark thoughts of failure; with that comes the thought they are not good enough. Students are no different to the everyday working person. Read carefully and consider these written words. Look out for other students because they may need the support. Depression is the beginning to what could end up being something worse; it affects how they deal with things, what they eat and lays them down low enough to pick up other illnesses. Don’t be afraid to listen to them in their darkest moments; let them vent their pain and give them comfort to show someone cares. Offer to help them if they are struggling; try and steer them in the right direction to get professional help. If they seem to need a doctor because of health, don’t be afraid to encourage them to go…. offer to go with them. Trivial things may be the beginning of massive things. No one is (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...)
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alone, there is always someone willing to help. A motto that is taught in pre-school and should be used all through life is ‘Sharing Is Caring!’ - we share our thoughts and feelings, we show that we care.
“I WOULD TRY TO COUNTER THE FEELING BY REPEATING A CERTAIN PHRASE IN MY HEAD” WRITTEN ANONYMOUSLY Comfort. That’s what I felt and that’s the easiest way I find to sum up why I developed what I now know is called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Almost as soon as I started experiencing anxiety – aged 10, I would try to counter the feeling by repeating a certain phrase in my head. This silent sentence would involve me reeling off the names of the people in my immediate family. I’d start with my mum – after all I was a mummy’s boy – and then acknowledge everyone in age order. If I was interrupted for any reason, then I would start again. This worked for a while, but I guess like
any other pain relief, if you self-diagnose and then self-medicate, things will go awry. Therefore, my gentle words of comfort soon manifested into physical actions. I would turn light switches off and on repeatedly, until such time that I was ‘content’ that the sequence fitted in with my ‘time’ to leave the room. I would neaten up piles of coins that might be lying around the house – in size order and heads facing upwards. And I would have to carry out most tasks in the same given order; getting ready for bed for example. It was exhausting. I grew up in an era when nobody spoke about their mental health and therefore, I bottled everything up inside. Not having an outlet just exacerbated the matter and my compulsions remained with me – in severe form – for many years; prior to understanding and ultimately conquering my generalised anxiety. We will all suffer with our mental health in the future and some of us may – at times - revert to historical ‘cures’. However, we now live in a society that openly discusses emotional wellbeing. We have experienced practitioners available via our national health service & privately and we have a range of charitable organisations that will offer effective support. The point of me writing this piece, was to help Student Life continue its fantastic work and continue to reduce the stigma surrounding openly discussing what makes us, well….us.
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MENTAL HEALTH – OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD): COPING MECHANISMS WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD The aim of this article is to aid others to build knowledge of OCD, with the aim to better understand it, with the hopes of leading to less misconceptions and more acceptance. Fundamentally, OCD is an anxiety disorder which has two main aspects: obsessions and compulsions. There are also two other forms which can affect pregnant women and new mothers. These are known as postnatal and antenatal OCD. Both factors almost work like a mechanism in that the obsessions fuel the compulsions. The obsessions can be repetitive thoughts, images and/or emotions, which often cause tremendous anxiety. Once the obsession sets in, the fuel for the compulsions is ‘lit’. In order to manage and reduce the level of anxiety caused by the obsession, people often start to do repetitive things; these are known as compulsions. These compulsions can include repeatedly checking light-switches are turned off, repeating sentences, or repeating movements.
THE STIGMA OF OCD There are still, unfortunately, high levels of stigma regarding mental health disorders. Many people report that they have faced stigma with regards to their OCD. Stigma often comes in the form of misunderstanding - such as the misconception of OCD meaning that you repeatedly wash your hands, or are just a very tidy person. It is super important to recognise that OCD is much more complex than this. The obsessions and compulsions that derive from OCD can be extremely difficult for some people to manage, and can also be life changing. One way of stamping out stigma and changing attitudes towards OCD, is for people to develop a better understanding of what it is and how it can affect those diagnosed with it, and their family and friends. Stigma does not only cause people to feel alone, excluded, and ‘different’; it can also cause difficulties for people to talk about their OCD experiences. By reducing stigma and increasing levels of acceptance and understanding, this may become easier. With the amazing campaigns from charities such as MIND, we can, and will, stamp out stigma attached to mental health illnesses!
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STUDENT Health
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD) WRITTEN BY EZRA HEWING, HEAD OF MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SUFFOLK MIND Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder, and anxiety disorders develop as attempts to ensure that our physical and emotional needs are met in the future. Anxiety disorders like OCD first begin when a life experience prevents emotional needs from being met. So, if we suffer bereavement, then important emotional needs, such as the need for emotional connection with a person we are close to and the giving and receiving of attention will go unmet. Or, if we come down with severe food poisoning, perhaps contracting salmonella or some other illness, then we may lack the energy and health to be able to do the things we used to do, and the need to feel in control of our lives goes unmet.
The obsessive part of OCD are the anxiety fuelled obsessive thoughts, which remind the sufferer to carry out the compulsive behaviour, to try and meet emotional needs and lower the anxiety. These thoughts can be highly distressing and intrusive. So, if the OCD arises in response to the loss of a loved one, the sufferer may feel compelled to perform rituals to prevent it from happening to somebody else. Or, so as not to ‘betray’ the memory of the person they care about, they may carry out the rituals in an attempt to keep hold of the person’s presence on their life. This can get in the way of processing grief in healthier ways and moving on with their lives.
In response to these unmet emotional needs, the resulting stress and anxiety may become hardwired into our brains, to try and prevent the event from happening again, and this will take the form of an obsessive compulsive disorder.
If, for example, the OCD arises to prevent food poisoning from happening again, the sufferer may feel compelled to exercise complete control over the preparation of food, by only eating food they have cooked and sterilising all cooking utensils and
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surfaces. Of course, this is likely to get in the way of meeting other needs for sharing attention, emotional connection and having fun with friends; especially if the sufferer feels they have to turn down dinner invitations or avoid cafés and restaurants.
symptoms being triggered. A combination of deep relaxation, cognitive therapy and reframing the life experience which gave rise to the OCD, can help to keep to lower stress levels and break the pattern of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
OCD can be challenging to shift and may need a combination of interventions to alleviate. Because the symptoms of OCD are triggered by raised stress levels, ensuring that emotional needs are met in healthy ways reduces the likelihood of
For more information about mental health and wellbeing visit suffolkmind.org.uk or call 0300 111 6000.
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STUDENT Health
Dealing with THE EVERYDAY WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD Positivity through acceptance was fundamental in learning to manage my health condition. Quite recently, I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder; this is, in simple form, a disorder in which the body struggles to cope with stress. When stress levels become un-manageable, the body’s neurological pathways are affected, which results in functional movement problems. When I encountered my first episode I was unable to use my hand and arm, and initially unable to walk. In
summary, I presented with what could be misinterpreted as stroke-like-symptoms. I imagine that all of you, like myself, would find this experience extremely frightening and stressful. However, since this happened I have been given the appropriate support and help in accepting my diagnosis. Although, accepting my diagnosis was half the battle. Functional Neurological Disorder does not show up on any form of test and for the most part, cannot be treated by medications. I think it is fair to say that many people with this diagnosis find accepting this very difficult, with no clear ‘proof’ of the diagnosis, it becomes difficult to understand that stress can cause such horrendous symptoms. Luckily, with my mental health nursing background, I was able to manage and understand - better than most - the complicated intertwining reasons as to how and why our bodies can react to stress in peculiar ways. Not to say that it does not impact my daily life regularly, but with understanding and acceptance I am able to manage my stress levels accordingly, to prevent another episode. By looking at the positives of what happened, I am able to identify that I should take better care of myself and find ways of coping with the differing stress levels life throws at me. When I found acceptance, I also found reassurance and support within myself that I was ok, and that I was strong enough to manage what could have taken hold of me. Positivity can bring positive energy, which, can be therapeutic in itself!
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COMPASSION FOR ALL
WRITTEN BY SIXTH FORM STUDENT
‘Why should we take their lives for our own pleasure?’ ‘Is all that torture really worth it?’ These were the questions I started asking myself in February 2016. Why should innocent cows, pigs, sheep and so many more gentle creatures have their lives taken from them just so that we can eat? They too are living creatures. They feel pain like we do, they feel love like we do, yet they are subjected to endless amounts of mistreatment for our benefit. Soon after vegetarianism, having asked myself similar questions regarding the production of milk and eggs, I converted to ethical veganism; and it’s a choice I will never go back on. Ethical veganism refers to the lifestyle choice in which no animal products are consumed or used - out of ethical concern. Many of us are aware of what mistreatment animals go through, and are fully aware of the truth behind “free range eggs” (Spoiler: they aren’t free range!) and young calves being stolen from their mothers
at the mere age of several hours, just so that we can drink their milk. Yet we do nothing about it. We look down on animal testing when we are confronted with it, yet we purchase deodorants, shampoos and toothpaste without a moment’s hesitation, as to where it came from. I cut dairy, eggs and honey out of my diet over a year ago, and cannot see a time where I would consider bringing them back into my diet. I never did it for the benefit of weight-loss, or to lower my chances of fatal diseases (that being said, pretty good bonus if you ask me!), but because I wanted to live with compassion. I didn’t want to use products - or eat meals - knowing that another life had suffered, just so for 10 minutes, I could enjoy a snack. That’s a whole life in exchange for 10 minutes. Many people use the response ‘We need meat’ or ‘Cows don’t need their milk’ when I explain my choice; unfortunately, in many cases out of lack of education on the subject, not realising that these reasons are false. The industry keeps so much under cover because they know the truth is horrific, yet the truth is also simple; all lives matter, and all lives deserve compassion.
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JOB BOARD VACANCY
WANTED
STUDENT WRITER
UNIVERSITY ALUMNI AND FORMER LOCAL 6TH FORMERS/ COLLEGE GRADUATES
If you’ve ever fancied yourself as a writer, then look no further. We are looking for writers to join our editorial team and cover topics as diverse as Physical, Sexual & Mental Health, Tech, Fashion & Travel. • Based remotely – home, Uni(!), halls • No customer facing work • Deadlines to meet! • Regular meetings with the Editor The role does not carry a salary, but the successful applicant will be paid applicable expenses and their name will be ‘in lights’! No experience is required, you just have to be an articulate writer. * No closing date set
If you have a story to tell, then look no further. We are looking for former University of Suffolk/former University Campus Suffolk students (Alumni) and former local 6th Form/College Students, to tell us their story as part of our ‘Where Are They Now’ series. The series showcases former students who have gone on to live a life-story that will help/inspire others. We are also keen to hear stories of advice that you would give to your younger-self! No experience is required, you just have to be an articulate writer. * No closing date set
Replies please to richard@student-life.co
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