STUDENT LIFE IS PROUD TO BE A FINALIST IN THE SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL ‘RAISING THE BAR’ AWARDS
ISSUE 17 • JUNE 2018 • SUFFOLK
Lifestyle Magazine by Students, for Students
www.student-life.co
Proud supporter of
Cover photo by ABIGAIL SQUIRES 1 • JUN E 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
STUDENT Life
Whether you are a first-time reader or have been following us for a while, I hope this month’s magazine encourages and inspires you. We’re rapidly growing as a publication with a number of new and exciting topics in the pipeline. As always, there is the opportunity to join us as a student writer; allowing you to write on a range of topics, initiate thought provoking discussions or suggest tips and advice for your peers. If you’d like to find out more, or try your hand at writing an article for us, please get in contact! This month marks a rather personal milestone, as I finish my two years as President at the University of Suffolk Students’ Union. During this time, I have had the privilege of meeting with so many students, staff, stakeholders and individuals in the wider community. At times, it has been challenging; working to support the students that study at the University, ensuring that their student experience is as good as it can be… but I wouldn’t change anything. I have grown as an individual in more ways that I can explain and have developed a passion for Ipswich and Suffolk as a whole. While I will no longer be President, I will continue working with Student Life in my role as Director and look forward to a new chapter in my life. I’m also very excited to announce that in August I will be having a baby - so there is a lot of change coming my way and a new addition to the Student Life family! I’m so grateful for the opportunities and experiences Student Life has given me so far, and I would urge anyone interested in being a part of what we do, to get in touch. I promise you won’t regret it! Thank you to everyone who has supported me in my journey so far, it has truly been an honour! Best wishes, Rachel Gilbey Co-editor
Editor’s WORD
CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co FB: @studentlifeips Instagram: @studentlifeips Twitter: @studentlifeips
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Welcome to another jam-packed edition of Student Life!
Contents... STUDENT STYLE STUDENT BEAUTY STUDENT TRAVEL WHAT THE FOOD ENTERTAINMENT
4-7 8-11 12-13 17-22 23-27
SEXUAL HEALTH STUDENT SAFETY STUDENT CAREERS STUDY TIME MENTAL HEALTH
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28-29 30-33 35 36-37 39-59
1 WOLSEY BUILDING COLLEGE STREET IPSWICH 01473 233327 IP4 1BF
at the LOCK
A REVOLUTION IN Come HAIRand COLOUR meet the
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BOOK ONLINE AT JOHNOLIVERS.COM THE LOCK, COLLEGE STREET 01473 233327 3 • JUN E 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
THE WRITE STUFF
The slogan fashion trend is back for 2018 This particular trend has become very evident into accessories, jewellery, hats and bags. Quotes also play a huge part of our home décor lifestyle, bringing inspiration into our daily lives. Slogan T-shirts go fashionable and bring back a sense of punk. Fashion, of course, has always served as a form of self-expression but this season, designers are putting slogans and logos into their evolving collections.
WRITTEN BY OUR FASHION EDITOR PAM DAVIS This type of style has been emerging on the catwalks and runways for quite some time now. The high street is saturated with slogan/ logo fashion items, something for everyone. It’s a great way of expressing your style though your wardrobe, it speaks a lot about the person wearing it. Script can be fashionable in a stylish way. Slogan tees are one of those items nearly everyone has in their wardrobe. Versatile and easy to wear, they never really go out of fashion. You can dress them up for evenings out, but also look fab worn for casual days lounging around.
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Fashion Inspirations for slogan tees TEAM UP WITH A SKIRT OR TROUSERS White slogan tee with a different style skirts with pumps, brogues, or heels will rock this look. Wearing with various length trousers, will look more suitable for both social and work lifestyles. Your look can be achieved with a little thought. WITH BRIGHT ACCESSORIES A simple way to elevate your slogan tee to the next level is to pair it with bright accessories. Inject some colour into your outfit through your shoes, jewellery, bags, hats.
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TEAM WITH JEANS... The classic and easiest way to style a slogan tee is to simply pair with cool denim jeans. Perfect for evening drinks with friends and informal social occasions. Keep things laid back with some straight-legged or ripped jeans, or make things a little smarter with chic skinnies. The great thing with this look is that you can wear almost any footwear you want – brogues, trainers, heels, pumps, sandals. They would all look great!
...AND DENIM JACKETS I love teaming slogan tees with a denim jacket. Team with coloured T-shirts, creating a fresh summery look. The great thing with denim jackets is that they come in such a variety of colours, you will be sure to find a jacket to suit your style and outfit.
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DRESS UP WITH A BLAZER The tailored blazer smartens up the look, and the almost all black outfit makes the look suitable for an evening out. BEACH/HOLIDAY Why not style a slogan tee to be worn on the beach? Paired with swimwear, shorts, casual evening wear. You could also buy a cropped slogan tee and style it in the same way. This look gives off perfect relaxed summery vibes. TEAM WITH TRENCH COATS A perfect look for rainy days or those transitional months, a slogan tee worn with a classic trench coat is a look that just works. This top looks fab with this gorgeous navy trench coat, but would also work equally as well with a classic camel coloured trench.
I would like to invite all of our readers to send me suggestions for anything you would like me to feature in future issues. Any budding fashionistas who need fashion advice, please feel free to get in touch. Follow me on social media for all the latest news. GET IN TOUCH Facebook: Fashion Candy Style Twitter: @pammystyles Instagram: @fashion_candy_style PAM DAVIS
Fashion Candy Style E: pamela@fashioncandy.co.uk M: 07713 095355 www.fashioncandy.co.uk
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STUDENT Beauty
My Skincare ROUTINE
WRITTEN BY OUR BEAUTY EDITOR ROSIE MAY So when Student Life was still a baby, I did an article on my favourite skincare products and the importance of skincare. However, I switch up my products regularly to ensure my skin isn’t getting too used to them and also to align with the season! Throughout my whole life up until now, I’d never really suffered from any spots or blemishes. Now in my late teens, I suffer from mild acne so it is super important to ensure I’m giving my skin the pampering it needs to fight the blemishes. At the end of the day when it is (finally) time to take my makeup off, I use the Garnier Micellar Water with some large oval cotton pads. I used to be a huge fan of the convenience of makeup wipes, but after discovering how they just move bacteria around my face, I opted for the Micellar Water! It’s gentle on my skin and removes any oils and impurities in my face – perfect for starting my pampering off! After removing all of my makeup, I use the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser. Liz Earle is one of my favourite skincare brands and I’ve been loving this Cleanser for a while! I use this to ensure all of the makeup is removed from my pores and most of the time I still manage to remove a lot of it through this! Next up, I proceed with the Lush Mask Of Magnaminty. This is a new product of mine but I absolutely love it! It’s created to target
spots and blemishes and it smells just like mint choc chip ice cream! I leave this on my face for around 20 minutes before exfoliating it off and it leaves my skin feeling fresh and brand-new. Fourthly, I use the Liz Earle Instant Boost Tonic. I find this helps settle my large pores and leaves my skin glowing. It pairs nicely with the Hot Cloth Cleanser and smells nice too! I apply this with a large oval cotton pad too. I then move on to more targeted skincare. I start off with the Nip and Fab Triple Action Eye Cream. You only need a tiny amount and it helps to reduce creasing and fine lines underneath your eyes. Honestly, it works! My fine lines have been reduced and it makes it a lot easier to apply my concealer! Then I will use a mixture of the Simple Night Cream and the Nip and Fab Dragon’s Blood Hyaluronic Acid Shot. The Night Cream is infused with green tea which is a great ingredient for your sin, whilst the Shot aids plumping the skin and keeping it glowing. I’m assuming it’s not real dragon’s blood… Lastly, I will use the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate. This claims to rejuvenate your skin by the morning and it has helped clear my skin up! The only complaint I have about this product is that it smells like Nitty Gritty, not a good memory of my childhood! But it is a really nice formula and doesn’t leave you feeling oily or greasy. Although this routine may seem excessive to people who rarely use skincare products, I find using this routine every single night before I go to bed really helps with the overall appearance of my skin. Even though you can’t expect to see results overnight, it really does start to make a difference the more you push yourself to keep it going. These products are fairly inexpensive but there are always cheaper alternatives in Boots or Superdrug. As they say, you can’t paint a pretty picture if the canvas isn’t fresh.
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SKINCARE
Survival Set
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STUDENT Beauty
THE IMPORTANCE OF Having a skin care routine before you apply your make up and when you are taking it off is extremely important. Proper skincare is often overlooked, especially for people who are starting out with makeup or apply only minimal amounts because they believe it isn’t needed, but I can’t stress enough the importance of daily skincare. I believe it is good to take out time in your day to look after your skin. Some people make the terrible mistake of going to bed without removing their makeup and taking good care of their skin. This can have drastic effects. It’s so important to keep your skin healthy, just like any other part of your body and leaving makeup on your skin can lead to infections, rashes, sores and acne. Even if you don’t think you have enough time in your day to have a session of moisturising and cleaning your skin, 5 minutes when you wake up and before you go to bed can suffice because it means you are at least trying and starting to look after your skin.
SKINCARE WRITTEN BY CARA FOLLON There are many ways to take care of your skin. Cleansing is, for me, the first thing to do and one of the most important things. Water is the simplest way you can cleanse your skin without having to worry about buying a product to suit your skin-type. During the day, your skin will lose moisture and become dry, which is why moisturising is vital. The skin needs to ‘repair’ itself and to look as healthy as possible. It is also important to know what skin-type you are, so you can look after it in the right way. You may be someone who suffers from oily skin, dry skin or a combination of both. Different skin types require certain products and routines to make sure they are healthy. But it’s not only skincare products that can help, it’s also having a happy and healthy mindset. If you feel good about your skin and how you are looking after it, soon enough it will look good and you’ll know what you are doing is right.
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WRITTEN BY SUZIE CLIFFORD
Tanning Time I am an absolute sucker for fake tan. I tan very well naturally in the summer but I hate turning into a pale ghost as soon as the sun disappears. Fake tan is my go-to and I have to be very strict with my routine and products to ensure I maintain a healthy, bronzy glow! The first step for me will be exfoliating and shaving. No TMI here but I need to have a fresh canvas to lay my tan on! I tend to exfoliate with an exfoliating mitt and the Soap and Glory Scrub Of Your Life. This ensures that all of my previous tan is scrubbed off and my skin is nice and exfoliated. I don’t want my skin to be looking like tiger bread! Moisturising is vital after exfoliating to ensure that you’re lathering your skin with hydrating products so that your tan doesn’t go patchy and that your freshly shaved and exfoliated skin is moisturised. My favourite moisturiser is the Vaseline Cocoa Butter one (just because it smells like chocolate!). It smells amazing, feels amazing and is a perfect base for my tan. I have a mixture of different tans I like to use depending on how dark I want to look. I tend to pick up Ultra Dark versions as I like to feel bronzed! I start off with a base layer of the Fake Bake 60 Minute Express Tan. This on its own is a great mid-week top up if you’re starting to go patchy, however I like to use it as a base underneath my usual tan to really get that golden dark colour. I always do my tan during the day as I hate sleeping in it, it’s a real pet peeve of mine! After applying one even layer of this, I will apply a layer of the Bondi Sands Ultra Dark Mousse. This tan is incredible for building
up a solid dark colour, but remains sticky the whole time you have it on which is so annoying! This is why I don’t sleep in it. This makes me look super dark and feel super confident! I will then leave this concoction of products on my skin for 7-8 hours. I will then wash this off with luke warm water and soap until the water runs clear. I will then use the same moisturiser from earlier to lock this into place. One tip on maintaining your tan is to not have hot showers as this opens your pores and allows the tan to fade out. Instead have cold-ish showers and always moisturise afterwards. I tend to tan once a week during the winter and then as my natural tan develops in the summer, I will eventually put the mitt to rest for another season! I absolutely love fake tanning and it is a huge confidence booster for me. It makes me feel good and I find a lot of my outfits look better when I have a tan on! I never fake tan my face as this makes me break out due to the oils being clogged in my pores, so I just opt for a dark foundation that will bring it all together. If you’re new to tanning and wish to try it but are scared, I would suggest starting with a light/medium tan and working your way up. Having someone to help do your back and to check it once over for any patches you’ve missed is a huge help too!
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STUDENT Travel
PARIS
on a budget WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY I’ve visited Paris a few times, but it has always been with school or my parents. This was my first time visiting the beautiful capital with just my boyfriend and I was so excited! I wanted to visit as many attractions and sights as we could but keeping the whole trip on a budget, and I feel we were successful! Looking for flights can be a chore especially when you want to keep the price down whilst having decent flight times. Luckily, there are ways around this! I started off by searching on Skyscanner and it came up with a whole range of flights, varying from different airports and times of day. The cheapest one I found was a 7pm Saturday flight from Luton Airport. I don’t tend to like flying so late at night and I’d never been to Luton but it was only £56 each one-way so had to take up the offer! Flying from somewhere such as Luton instead of the more popular Stansted does bring the price down and it’s a lovely airport! When looking for hotels, I wanted to be fairly near to the tourist attractions as that’s what we’d spend most of our time doing. I’m not a fan of public transport abroad so walking distance was crucial. I searched for many different hotels but of course the closer you got to the centre and Eiffel Tower, the pricier the hotels were. In the end we decided to stay at the Mercure Saint Paris Lazare Monceau
hotel. It was a 30 minute walk from the Arc De Triomphe and Champs Elysses so that was doable for me! The hotel was modern and classic and ended up being £264 for 3 nights, which in my eyes for the centre of Paris isn’t bad at all! The transport around Paris was a bit confusing in my opinion. I can just about hack the London Underground but the trains in Paris were something else! We decided we were going to get a train from the airport once we landed as it was €30 cheaper than a taxi and I couldn’t bear to part with so much money when I knew there were other options! We flew into Charles De Gaulle Airport and the train station is based within the airport. There were no customer service helpers around, nor any maps of the train lines so we sat for at least half an hour trying to figure out what train and stop we needed! In the end with the help of Google, we figured it out and hopped onto the RER A train heading to Gare De Nord. Luckily on the inside of the trains they have a map that lights up when you get to a certain stop so we knew where to get off!
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The train to Disneyland was a lot simpler, as I’m sure it is a popular tourist route! Obviously, when going to a capital such as Paris, the main places to visit are the landmarks. The Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, The Louvre and Disneyland were just a few of the places on the agenda for the holiday. I’m glad I did my research before I went because we actually got into some places for free! Tourist attractions such as The Louvre and Notre Dame are free entry for people under the age of 26 living in the UK! All we had to do was show our ID. Perfect for saving yourself some money but educating yourself on the beautiful history of this city! In terms of the food and restaurants in the city centre, we managed to find a couple of nice pizza places (and the odd McDonalds) to eat at. This was inexpensive and we found ourselves with a lot of leftover euros at the end of the holiday which could only mean one thing; more shopping! Overall I felt we were very successful in keeping our city break as budgeted as we could. I really enjoy going on several 3-day city breaks per year as you can do it on a budget and it’s a great way to see the world! I am definitely counting down the days until I can return to Paris.
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Volunteering
MATTERS WRITTEN BY DARREN OXBROW
Darren Oxbrow was a previous guest writer in his capacity as a Sergeant in the Suffolk Constabulary, heading up the C & YP and Schools Engagement team. Having recently taken the option of retirement from the Force, Darren is now Volunteer Manager at Volunteering Matters. It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to introduce all the Student Life readers to Volunteering Matters, formally known as CSV (Community Service Volunteers). Volunteering Matters is a national volunteering charity, created in 1962 and has worked to empower people to play an active role in their communities. Over 150,000 people across the UK volunteer with Volunteering Matters every year, touching the lives of over a million people nationwide and the organization has been leading UK volunteering, in policy and practice, for more than 50 years. Volunteering Matters believes that every individual has something to give to their community and operates on the basis of a no rejection policy for volunteers. This is intended to promote diversity and to encourage participation in volunteering by all, regardless of their background and abilities. Volunteering Matters aims to improve the lives of volunteers and of those they help. We aspire to create social change through partnerships with local authorities, voluntary organisations, health trusts, criminal justice
WHAT IS VOLUNTEERING? The definition of volunteering is considered to be: “An activity, which involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or group) other than, or in addition to, close relatives.
agencies, schools and community groups. To meet these challenges and opportunities, our strategy sets out three strategic aims: • Increase our reach and impact • Provide the best possible experience for volunteers and ensure that their voices are heard • Provide leadership and effective volunteering; influencing public policy and public service design OUR VALUES We believe that everyone can play a role in their community and should have the chance to participate; we build projects and programmes to reflect this. We focus on the needs of four distinct communities; young people, disabled people, families and older people. BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING There are a number of reasons why an individual wants to volunteer, a few of these are listed below: Learning new skills, meeting new people, making a difference, helping others, creating change and improving our communities. Volunteering can be rewarding, fulfilling and life changing for those who participate. It can also be challenging and demanding depending on how you wish to get involved.
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Volunteering can come in a number of different forms, it could be: PART-TIME VOLUNTEERING - Youth work, outdoors & gardening, sports camps, creative arts camps, retail, admin & reception, care & support work. ONE-OFF EVENTS - Community events, local festivals, sports events, family fun days. SOCIAL ACTION - walking/running clubs, fundraising and community events. TRAINING - learning new skills, participating in training which benefits others, skills for youth volunteering. OUR OFFER & CURRENT PROJECTS. Currently we run a number of projects which offer people the opportunity to volunteer, these include projects such as: GRANDMENTORS - Individuals aged 50+ who Mentor young people leaving the care system and require support around independent living. WASSUP (WOMEN AGAINST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION SPEAK UP) - A group of young women who formed a social action group to address this issue. The group now delivers workshops in schools across Ipswich. YOUNG BOY MENTORS (YBM) - Young adult men offering support, advice and guidance to young boys, who are vulnerable or at risk of offending. THE ANCHOR PROJECT - Supporting young people with disabilities or additional needs, to improve social skills to assist with independent living.
KEO PROJECT (KNOWLEDGE EQUALS OPPORTUNITY) - Delivering to families and young people in schools, the importance of internet safety and personal safety. SOCIAL ACTION - Activities for young people to participate in or even create. THE COPLESTON COMMUNITY GARDEN AND OUR TRAILER REFURBISHMENT PROJECT. FULL TIME VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES - Providing long term placements and opportunities to volunteer full-time. FUTURES SUFFOLK - Providing young people with additional needs, the chance to create and participate in their own social action projects. Over the coming months we will share more detail about the projects and programmes listed above and offer you all the opportunity to get involved and see if volunteering can offer you a life changing experience. Do you as an individual have views or ideas about issues or problems which require change, better awareness or improvement for the benefit of the community and the wider public? Then let’s start that conversation. Whatever it is you choose, we want to make sure your volunteering experience is the best it can be. Come and pay us a visit at Volunteering Matters, The Old Crown Court, Civic Drive, Ipswich, IP1 2DX 01473 418014
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MY Life
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Student Life catches up with the University’s Alumni
WRITTEN BY REMI MORRISON Since leaving University of Suffolk in 2015 having studied a BA in Film (graduating with honours), I have set up my own business Red Cactus Media and am Founder & Director of this affordable and dynamic company with specialism in video production and marketing services for entertainment and consumer clients. My work has been seen in a regional campaign for Public Health and I have also worked on feature films.
I am a firm believer in development and have also undertaken various courses to hone my skills; such as a filmmaking course with London Film Academy, completing a film degree at University of Suffolk and completing a creative entrepreneur course with Eastern Enterprise Hub. I am married and have a beautiful daughter who is 16 months old. Professionally, I worked as a freelancer on productions in roles such as Unit Production Manager & 1st Assistant Director – to help hone my skills as a Creative Producer/Director and provide my future clients with filmmaker expertise. With a passion to get more women into film, I am working with Future Female Society and Ipswich Community Media where I run workshops for young ladies to get them into the creative industries. I am also a member of the steering group for StartEast, through working with Eastern Enterprise Hub and have featured in Ipswich’s bid to be a creative hub for Channel 4. Currently I am developing a YouTube series entitled Breaking out of the Box and short films, all highlighting the female narrative, working with the Eastern Enterprise Hub, StartEast and other commercial clients, in a bid to grow my business.
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WTF W H AT T H E F OO D
Cover photo by SAM HERROLD 17 • JUNE 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
WHAT THE Food
WRITTEN BY ROSIE STEWART
IT’S NATIONAL PICNIC WEEK June (hopefully) brings us warm weather and longer days. This calls for a picnic down at the park! National Picnic Week is 15th-24th June and I’m eager for the weather to cooperate with us for this week! Luckily, picnics are on the rise in the U.K! With more people opting to put down their phones and step outside for the afternoon, I have a feeling our fields and parks are going to be packed this Summer!
Picnics have always been a favourite of mine. As a family if the weather was hot, we would take a nice stroll to the park; picnic basket and cricket set in hand! I have always been quite fussy with food, especially cold food, so it is difficult for me to decide what to eat in a scenario such as a picnic. I’m not a fan of cold meats or many sauces so it eliminates a lot of your ‘classic’ picnic foods such as potato salad, sandwiches, cocktail sausages and pork pies! When picnics originated, they were a fashionable social event in which each guest attending would contribute one piece of food. Nowadays, picnics are still a fun social event but are more focused on just taking your own lunch out to enjoy the weather and environment!
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PICNIC FACTS • Funnily enough, fifty years ago it used to be the cheese sandwich that was the most popular picnic food of choice. Now it is a bag of crisps that has taken the reins. This doesn’t surprise me!
• Coincidentally, the most popular time on average for a Brit to have a picnic
is during National Picnic Week! For the US it is 4th July, Easter Monday in Italy and Bastille Day in France.
• Even though 15th-24th June is National Picnic Week, Saturday 18th June is the actual National Picnic Day!
• The first account of picnicking came from Robin Hood. He would be seen with his Merry Men snacking on cheese, bread and beer under the trees.
• In 2000, France arranged a 600-mile-long picnic to celebrate the first Bastille Day. That’s a lot of bread and cheese!
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WHAT THE Food
My Top 3
PICNIC PICKS WRITTEN BY CARA FOLLON Summer is fast approaching meaning that we are going to start wanting to spend time outside with the beaming sunshine and lovely views. This also means that we are going to be having more picnics. Down below are my top 3 favourite picnic foods! 1.QUORN PICNIC EGGS: As a vegetarian I absolutely love these Quorn-based picnic eggs. A real staple, classic picnic item. Although the size is slightly smaller than the original meat-based scotch eggs, these are delicious! You usually get 9 in a packet and they range from about £1, depending on which supermarket you shop at. These are a real quality form of protein, which are naturally low in fat as well, meaning you can enjoy them without feeling guilty.
2.PASTA SALAD: With picnics, I always find cool and light food to be the best option, especially when the weather is so nice. Pasta salads are super easy to make but if you aren’t feeling up to making them, any supermarket will provide a ready-made pasta salad for you. I, myself think it’s pretty simple to make one though! My favourite way is by using a light, creamy sauce for my cooked pasta and this can also serve as the dressing for all the salad bits! Once you put everything together, you’ve got yourself a lovely pasta salad for everyone to enjoy! 3.HIGGIDY SPINACH, FETA & ROASTED PEPPER QUICHE: My final addition to the list is probably my favourite quiche. I love quiches, you can have them hot or cold which is super helpful if you’re in a rush or if you don’t feel like making one from scratch. This quiche has such a different and vibrant flavour, I’m sure that everyone will enjoy it! This item retails for about £3.50, depending on where you shop. It’s a handy food to have for a picnic as it can be eaten at any temperature and is sure to fill everyone’s appetite.
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HEALTHY PICNICKING One of the easiest ways to stay healthy whilst enjoying a picnic is to visit a supermarket and check out their salad and ready made aisles. There are plenty of choices you can make that will leave you feeling good in the sun. Nearly all supermarkets will have tapas-type foods to choose from and these for the most part will be great to take with you. Things like peppers, sun-blushed tomatoes, olives, falafel, vine leaves and hummus are just some delicious options that can be shared around the group. These could be coupled with things like vegetable sticks (carrot, cucumber, celery, pepper), rice cakes, crackers, crisps or bread products if you enjoy eating them (pitta bread, bread sticks). Then you could pick up a selection of cold pastas, couscous and salads that’ll be a bit more filling and satisfying. Finish this off with some fresh fruits like strawberries, pineapple, banana and watermelon which would go well with some yoghurt or whatever
WRITTEN BY NUTRITION EXPERT BEN STEWART
you like, and you have yourself a perfect summer’s day buffet in the great outdoors. Easy snacks like nuts and seeds will be perfect for anyone with the munchies later in the day and should keep well all day if out of the sun. One key thing people overlook when spending the day in the sun is staying hydrated. You need to make sure you take plenty of water with you too so you don’t get dehydrated or suffer as a result of being out all day. Alcohol and fizzy drinks don’t count! If you’re really committed you can make your own food at home and take it with you. Making up a big batch of pasta, couscous, salad, coleslaw or potato salad (with something other than an entire jar of mayonnaise, like plain yoghurt) will be a much cheaper way to feed everyone, and you could buy some extras to go around too in case people are still hungry. You could even bake your own healthy versions of things like brownies, cookies, or a big cake that everyone can tuck in to when that inevitable sweet craving kicks in.
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
NUTRITION Kcal - 430 Fat – 23g Saturates – 4g Carbs – 15g Sugars – 4g Fibre – 3g Protein – 43g Salt – 1.37g
Chicken Caeser Salad CREDIT TO EMMA CHILDS PREP – 25 MINS COOK – 25 MINS SERVES 4
FOR THE CHICKEN • 1½ tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs • 1 garlic clove, bashed to bruise • 4 organic/free-range skinless boneless chicken breast fillets, about 140g/5oz each
FOR THE CROUTONS • 100g rustic granary bread • 2 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE DRESSING AND SALAD • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra for squeezing • good pinch chilli flakes • 4 anchovies
FILLETS, FINELY CHOPPED • 3 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise • 4 tbsp fat-free yogurt • 1 head romaine or Cos lettuce • 100g bag rocket or watercress • 25g piece parmesan shaved with a potato peeler
METHOD Start off by mixing the lemon juice, oil, thyme and garlic in a dish for the chicken marinade. Add the chicken to this mix and coat it well. Season this with black pepper and leave to sit for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut the bread into large cubes to have as croutons. Spread them out on a baking sheet and then brush with 2 tbsp of oil. Bake these for around 10 minutes – or until they are golden and crisp! In the meantime, put the garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, chilli and anchovies into a mini blender and blend until smooth. Add the mayonnaise and yoghurt then blend again. Heat up a pan until very hot and lay the chicken down on the skin side. Cook for 15 minutes, turning a few times, until cooked thoroughly. Then allow the chicken to sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Tear the lettuce leaves into equal sizes and mix with the rocket and watercress in a large bowl. Throw in the croutons, chicken and parmesan and drizzle the rest of the dressing over the entire salad. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Simple and delicious!
22 • JUNE 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
STUDENT Entertainment
Driving TOP
PLAYLIST
WRITTEN BY CHANEL McKENZIE
As you may already know, I love Urban music. It’s something I’ve grown up with and have always been heavily interested in. Whether it’s Grime, Rap, Afro Bashment or Reggae I am always keeping up to date with what’s hot. First things first, when I get in my car, the AUX goes in and one of my car playlists is queued! Although I have many different driving playlists, I thought I would share with you my top four urban tracks for those long car journeys. J HUS - DID YOU SEE The rapper nominated for three BRITs and the song that everyone knows. “Came in a black benz, left in a white one”...perfect for imagining you’re driving a million pound car! J Hus is set to headline Wireless Festival this year, so in preparation for this, it is definitely one of my favourites on my list. DRAKE - GOD’S PLAN One of the most popular rappers on the urban scene and he has released yet another banger! “God’s Plan” is a club classic and
definitely one to turn up the volume in your car. With a strong bass line and the song breaking streaming records, it will definitely break your speakers! STORMZY - BIG FOR YOUR BOOTS Stormzy is one of the most popular Grime artists around the world right now and he is continuing to be extremely successful. “Big For Your Boots” is a track that has consistently been a public pleaser. With catchy lyrics and melody line, this is a must for your driving playlist. NOT3S - ADDISON LEE Not3s hopped onto the Urban scene with his single ‘Addison Lee’ which was automatically a public favourite. What’s better than driving to a song about driving?! You feel like you’re in the music video! Just announced for Wireless Festival 2018, it’s set to be a big year for Not3s. So there you have it, my top four urban tracks I love to play whilst driving. Let me know your car playlists and whether you have different genres for different journeys...just like me!
23 • S TUDENT JUN E 2018 ENTERTAINMENT • S TUDENT LIFE
Top Tunes
WRITTEN BY LOUISE DICKMAN
Welcome to a new monthly feature! I’m so passionate about music and I’m always listening to it or singing (probably badly!) something. I usually write articles in the Mental Health sub-section so this is a bit different! So, each month I will be sharing my fave songs with you (that have been on repeat constantly) and their meaning, for you to either relate to….or for you to discover new songs and artists. THIS MONTH: ‘No roots’ has actually been around for a year, however, it has only started to become popular recently in the UK. Alice claimed that she based this song around her lack of ‘roots’ tying where she lives and came from. She said that she’s been feeling lost and that this song has been quite therapeutic to write. Despite this being quite a sad topic outside of the song, the actual song itself is very upbeat. It has a catchy bassline and has been in my head since the first time I heard it.
NO ROOTS ALICE MERTON SHE LOVES CONTROL CAMILA CABELLO MYSELF BAZZI *EXPLICIT* CALL OUT MY NAME THE WEEKND FIREFLY MURA MASA LOVE LIES KHALID ( WITH NORMANI) *EXPLICIT*
‘She loves control’ has also been around for a while. It’s from Camila’s first album since her split from Fifth Harmony and it was such a great debut. This particular song is a personal fave from the album ‘Camila’. She wrote it to express her own control, especially
24 • JUN JUNE E 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
‘Call out my name’ is a slower song from The Weeknd and possibly one of my faves from this list, as it’s a song I would listen to when trying to chill out. It has quite a deep meaning, as he was singing about his recent 10 month relationship with Selena Gomez that came to an end. The main topic of this song is how she was one of the only people that called him by his actual name (Abel). This too is a very catchy song – The Weeknd is one of my favourite artists so I couldn’t not put this song on the list!
Photo Credits : Louise Dickman
‘Firefly’ was officially released last year but I only recently discovered it through a friend and I absolutely recommend you have a listen! Although, on YouTube, a version of it was released in 2015. It’s more of a dance/ electronic hit, which I absolutely love because good or not, I do love to have a dance and it’s something I would expect to hear in a bar/club. Fans of Mura Masa have accused Ariana Grande of ‘stealing’ the beat of ‘Firefly’ in her song ‘Be Alright’! I have to admit they do sound similar but go have a listen and see what you think!
her creative control from being a solo artist. She also loved the idea of her younger female fans singing ‘she loves control’ and for them to be their own ‘boss’. It is SO summery…..I know I will continue to listen to it through the summer and it just has such a sexy vibe to it. ‘Myself’ is from Bazzi’s album ‘COSMIC’ released in April. The main lyric from this song is that he is ‘better by myself’. This is to describe his sufferings with fake friends and that ultimately, he’s better and would much rather be without them and on his own. I personally love the beat and I feel I can relate to it from past negative experiences of fake friends and feeling I would prefer being on my own than having them.
25 • S TUDENT JUN E 2018 ENTERTAINMENT • S TUDENT LIFE
RORY’S WRITTEN BY RORY BATHGATE
ISLE OF DOGS
Poster Artist : Katsuhiro Otomo
In the not too distant future, the entire canine population of the Japanese city of Megasaki comes down with a mysterious illness. Facing angry opposition from what little dog lovers remain, the head of the city Mayor Kobayashi issues a decree that banishes all hounds to an abandoned trash island outside the city limits - the Isle of Dogs. This is how the latest piece by critically acclaimed director Wes Anderson opens, following worthily in the footsteps of his previous works. As the mind behind 2009’s Fantastic Mr Fox, Anderson is no stranger to animation, and here he once again exhibits his clear expertise working in said medium.
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Director: Wes Anderson
Japanese culture, and the myriad of the charming, varied and unusual elements that come with it, form the beating heart of the piece. Indeed, in interviews Anderson has acknowledged the impact of the works of Akira Kurosawa, Hayao Miyazaki and cult-favourite Akira on the film, and throughout the film the director’s love of Japanese cinema can be felt clearly. This is not a film, it must be added, aimed primarily at children; the subject matter is, though comedic, quite dark, and the film does not shy away from the morbid themes that necessarily arise throughout. That’s not to say it revels in gore or the unsettling for too long at a time, and Anderson himself says that it wasn’t written “with anyone specific in mind”, but in following Japanese tradition the film has brought an important feature of Asian cinema to the West; animation that’s not just for children. And if anyone knows how to make stopmotion worthwhile for adults, it’s Wes Anderson. All the lavish attention to detail that audiences have come to expect from the director can be found here - strong art direction lends each scene real charm and the sets are some of the best ever seen in animation. This is certainly also a film that will stay just as enjoyable on multiple viewings, with each scene crammed with small touches that only the most eagle-eyed viewer may spot the first time around.
Runtime: 101mins
Certificate: PG
The cast is spectacular - Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Bob Balaban bounce off one another magnificently as a pack of diseased mutts sticking together for survival on the garbage-filled prison island on which they find themselves. Koyu Rankin puts in an admirable and sincere performance as Atari, the 12 year old boy who journeys alone to the island on a rescue mission for his dog Spots. Additional voice talent includes the dazzling F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand and Harvey Keitel. A wacky, confident score underpins the entire film, a mixture of the work of frequent Anderson collaborator Alexandre Desplat and pieces from films such as Seven Samurai and Lieutenant Kijé. A particularly poignant track, I Won’t Hurt You by 1960s psychedelic pop group The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, becomes a sort of unlikely anthem in the wild, perfect mix of esoteric tunes that play throughout. Funny, endearing, confident, Isle of Dogs is another brilliant submission by the consistently compelling Wes Anderson. Facing an uncertain year of film, it’s good to know that there’s still much wonder to be had in the cinema, and with stopmotion. This year’s best film? Perhaps. But you’d be hard-pressed to find one more genuinely enjoyable.
Rory’s Rating:
27 • S TUDENT JUNE 2018 ENTERTAINMENT • S TUDENT LIFE
SEXUAL Health
Spotlight:
WHAT IS
HIV?
WRITTEN BY ANDY TURNER
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks and weakens a person’s immune system, the part of the body that fights off diseases. HOW DO YOU GET HIV?
If someone with HIV is infectious they can pass on HIV through body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, anal mucus, and breast milk. The most common route of HIV infection in the UK is through unprotected sex (not using a condom), where body fluids from someone with HIV can get inside a person who is HIV negative. This can happen during vaginal and anal sex (and sometimes oral sex athough this is much less common). It can also happen when an object such as a sex toy that has infectious body fluids on it is put inside an HIV negative person.
HIV can also be passed on if you inject drugs and share injecting equipment that has been used by someone with HIV. Mother to baby transmissions are now extremely rare in the UK because medical interventions can reduce the risk to below 1%. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIV AND AIDS?
Some people use the terms ‘HIV’ and ‘AIDS’ as if they mean the same thing but they don’t. HIV is a virus and people with it have ‘HIV infection’. AIDS is a name to describe a set of illnesses people with HIV eventually get if they don’t receive treatment. But treatment is so good that few people with HIV in the UK now develop AIDS. SYMPTOMS
Some people notice no symptoms when they are first infected with HIV. But within six weeks of infection most people suffer a short illness (lasting around two weeks) as their body reacts to the virus involving two or more of the following: body rash, sore throat, or fever. Once this passes, an infected person usually feels fine for a number of years. It is worth remembering that flu-like symptoms could be signs of a harmless infection, but two or more of these together with recent unprotected sex could indicate that you have HIV. TREATMENT OR CURE?
HIV treatment keeps you healthy so you can live a normal lifespan, and can reduce your viral load (the amount of infectious HIV) to undetectable levels so you won’t be able to pass on HIV. For some people, treatment is as little as one tablet a day. Medical evidence has shown that people on effective HIV treatment can’t pass on HIV, 28 • JUN JUNE E 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
although currently, only 9% of the public know this. Last year we launched our Can’t Pass It On campaign, to spread this message far and wide and to bring an end to stigma around HIV. However, while this is fantastic news, there is currently no cure for HIV. WHY TEST?
It’s always a good idea to be sure of your HIV status. Testing puts you in control and, thanks to treatment, could stop you from getting seriously ill and even save your life. A test at least once a year is a good idea for people who have more than one sexual partner, and testing at the start of a relationship as part of a full sexual health check-up also makes sense, especially if you plan on not using condoms. Only an HIV test can tell you whether you have HIV. HIV tests are available free and confidentially from iCaSH clinics, Terrence Higgins Trust – we run a testing clinic every Monday between 6pm and 8pm from our Ipswich office (3-9 Arcade Street, IP1 1EX), or your GP - please note that if you test with your GP, this will be recorded in your notes. You can also order tests online: • www.test.hiv • www.icash.nhs.uk/expresstest • https://test.tht.org.uk
Email: sexualhealthsuffolk@tht.org.uk
HIV FACTS AND MY THS Anyone can get HIV, but people from some groups or parts of the world are more likely to be affected than others. In 2015, an estimated 101,200 people were living with HIV in the UK The number of people with undiagnosed HIV is approximately 10,400 Someone on effective HIV treatment cannot pass the virus on. There are lots of myths about how you get HIV, but the virus is not easily passed on. There’s no risk from kissing, shaking hands, hugging, or toilet seats (we hear that one all the time!). The virus cannot get through unbroken skin and is not spread in saliva so there’s no risk from coughing or sneezing. HIV cannot be passed on through sweat, tears or urine. HIV does not travel in the air.
Website: www.tht.org.uk
29 • JUNSEXUAL E 2018 • HEALTH S TUDENT LIFE
STUDENT Safety
A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP FINDING A BALANCE WITH OUR PHONES WRITTEN BY PAUL MASKELL
Paul Maskall is Director of Jungo, a Cyber Security, Privacy and Digital Wellbeing company looking to find balance and improve relationships with technology. Paul was previously a Cyber Security adviser for Suffolk and Norfolk Constabulary and frequently hosts talks and seminars around digital identity, as well as Cyber Security, Risk Perception and GDPR. You can hear it, that familiar and engrained sound of your alarm piercing through your head, rudely interrupting the peaceful tranquillity of sleep. You reluctantly begin to move your hand from under the covers, across to the side of the bed and instinctively find your phone. You’re barely conscious, your eyelids still feel heavy and now you have the eternal choice of whether to press snooze or not. Before your eyes are even open, you can feel the glare on your eyelids and the warmth of the freshly charged phone in your hand. Like a sledgehammer to the face, you open your eyes and painfully struggle to get them accustomed to the light of the screen, this is where it starts.
‘You’re the last thing I think of at night and the first thing I think of in the morning,’ one of those slightly sickly-sweet quotes that belong written over a beautiful landscape, or a stock image of a couple found on a relationship goals Instagram profile. Although normally shared by that friend in an irritatingly affectionate, yet dysfunctional relationship, this actually describes our relationship with our phones much more than it would any romantic interest. With a steady stream of push notifications and vibrations, from a potent cocktail of social media, emails, apps and instant messaging, no wonder we are finding that our phones are having a much greater impact upon our health and focus than we like to admit. From the moment you wake up, the habit kicks in. How many times have you been lost in an endless playlist of Facebook or YouTube videos before you’ve even got up? Checking Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter, only to repeat the same lap repeatedly into the late hours. The average person checks their phone over 28 times a day, but often students will spend upwards of 8-10 hours a day on their phone. The idea of reducing our social media or device usage feels like climbing a mountain while strapped to a boulder, as a large part of our identity is online. It’s tough to break the habit. Our relationship with our devices and social media, does not have to be a toxic one though. Just recognising and questioning the amount of time that you spend checking it is the first step. Take an average day, start by either writing down or mentally noting how many times you check your device. What notifications do you have? What apps do you check most frequently? Review how much time you have spent on your phone or social media to no real reward. Use this time as well to think about what it has taken your attention away from. Have you got an essay to write? An exam to revise for? Do you feel that pressure and
30 • JUN JUNE E 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
anxiety building in the centre of your chest, knowing that you are using your phone to procrastinate, instead of what you could be spending your time doing? The next step is to introduce small little changes to our routine once we have an idea of our own habits and patterns. The most effective of these, is what you do with your phone during both your evening and morning rituals. We charge them by our pillows and we let them eat into the amount of sleep we have and how quickly we get up in the morning. Try, just for a day or so, charging your phone in another room. “Its my alarm?!” I hear you cry? You can pick up an alarm for a couple of quid, or if you must, put your phone just out of reach of your bed, so you have to get up to turn the alarm off.
You may just find that you have much better sleep, much more energy and increased focus. Try also to have a screen free time for an hour before bed and an hour after you get up, this will make all the difference, but I know this is a big request. Go through your apps and notification settings and start pruning, try to reduce as many of those distractions as possible. If you need to focus on a task, put the phone out of eyeline and out of reach, take a deep breath and bring your attention back to what you need to do. We are in a very committed, mostly positive relationship with our phones, but like all relationships it’s about finding balance and ensuring the negative influences don’t take hold and sour it.
31 • JUNE S TUDENT 2018 •SAFET S TUDENT Y LIFE
STUDENT Safety
We are bombarded with advice from everywhere about how to protect our phones, laptops and tablets. It is so difficult to believe that there really is that big of a deal to protecting these small black screens we use every day. “I don’t have anything worth stealing” or “why would I get targeted?” are comments I get every day from people while working in security. Your name, email address, date of birth and details about you that make up your data, I’m afraid to say, is incredibly valuable. Even if you only use your laptop for essays and coursework, how would you feel if I took that from you? Installing an anti-virus and firewall on your computer is key, click on a dodgy download or link and without it, you won’t necessarily know that your device is infected. Passwords, we all truly hate passwords. Trying to remember even the simplest of ones is a tough job, so we tend to use the same one across all our log ins. Think about using a password manager, individual, complex passwords without the pain of remembering. On your social media or device accounts, set up two-factor authentication (2FA) in
WRITTEN BY PAUL MASKELL
Protecting your Essentials the settings. If I get a hold of your Apple ID or Google account, I basically own your soul. By setting up 2FA, it sends a code to your device, if someone attempts to log in to your account. Back up your data! Whether it is to a separate drive or to the cloud. Do it regularly. USB Sticks, we all use them. They are however like the unprotected sex of technology, we stick them in one hole and then in another and never think to check for viruses. Dreadful analogy, but I am sure you will never look at a USB stick in the same way again. Think about scanning the files or transferring using an alternative method like the cloud or email. It is all about valuing the data that you give out about yourself and that you store on your devices. Protect what is a big part of your life. If you have been a victim of cybercrime or fraud, contact www.actionfraud.police.uk For further information and advice around protecting both yourself and your devices, visit www.getsafeonline.org
32 32 • • JUNE M AY 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
RUNNING
Safety Tips Health and wellbeing is of course at the top of many people’s agenda these days, and there is no better way to enhance your fitness and health than a run alongside the river or round the lake. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service would like to ensure that a run out doesn’t end in tragedy, due to a moment of distraction or lack of preparation. Runners and walkers are the group at most risk of accidental drowning in the UK - 77 people died in 2016 because they fell in the water whilst out for a run or a walk #BeWaterAware Please enjoy the summer ahead and any activity in or near the water, but stay safe and never underestimate the risks of UK inland and coastal water.
• Make sure your run is suitable for your fitness level • Consider joining a running group • Be aware and take notice of any warning signs of information • When running next to water stay clear of the edges - they may be unstable • Wear appropriate footwear and clothing • Take a fully charged mobile phone and check signal strength, know how to use it and who to call in an emergency • Look out for a trip or slip hazards - pay attention to your footing • Stick to proper pathways • Don’t run next to water if levels are high • Make sure you know exactly where you are - consider something like an OS locate app for a smart phone or a map • Don’t assume just because you have run a route many times before that it is still safe • Avoid running near water in the dark
https://www.respectthewater.com/ how-to-float
33 • JUN S TUDENT E 2018 •SAFET S TUDENT Y LIFE
MY Life
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD WRITTEN BY REV. TOM ROUT
19th May 2018 - a day many of us will remember for a long time to come. The day Prince Harry - so long the tearaway of the Royal Family - married Meghan Markle, the actress perhaps previously best known as ‘Rachel Zane’ from US TV series Suits. What a day it was. Glorious weather, a memorable service, a horse drawn carriage conveying the happy photogenic couple through streets lined with adoring crowds - all in sight of a castle! We’ll remember it for years. (Nicola and I certainly will - we now share our wedding anniversary with royalty...!) Why do we get so excited about weddings? Why, the magic we all feel when a girl in white walks down the aisle “single” and returns up it with her husband at her side, with a new name and married ‘till death us do part’? I think I know. According to the Bible, weddings announce the great eternal reality. Every marriage we experience gives a snapshot of God’s grand plan: he’s building up to the biggest Royal wedding of all. Christians believe God’s own Son is soon to marry. Jesus is the noble Prince,
preparing to take his bride into his Royal family to live together happily ever after. It’s a fairytale that will one day come true. Who is the lucky lady? She’s not your stereotypical princess. She’s actually the church, that motley band of commoners from around the world, all paupers in spiritual terms, with less going for them than Meghan Markle. But the Prince has proved he loves her and forgives her all her shortcomings; to him the church is beautiful, simply because they’re prepared to take his hand and say “yes - I do”! That’s why the Church is so committed to, and enthusiastic about, marriage. We want to help couples celebrate their love and model their marriage on the relationship of the heavenly Prince and his bride. We usually offer marriage prep, to give a couple support in the months up to their wedding, and we plan the service with the couple, in order to make the ceremony an expression of their own personalities and preferences. Like Harry and Meghan, we want it to be a day they remember for a long time to come! If you have enquiries about wedding services, please get in touch.
34 34 • • JUN JUNEE 2018 2018 • • SSTUDENT TUDENT LIFE LIFE
WRITTEN BY SIAN ROBERTSON
WORK EXPERIENCE
How To Prepare
Securing work experience or an internship is a great achievement. In order to make the most out of this opportunity you should do all you can to prepare for it. Our top tips are listed below and we will be covering how to ensure you are successful in your placement in next month’s issue! 1. UNDERSTAND YOUR EMPLOYER AND YOUR ROLE; Hopefully you will have researched the employer and your role before applying for your placement, however if you didn’t do this, now is the time. Understand what they do, why they do it and how they do it to the best of your ability. Research the employer online and look at recent news articles that relate to them. Your placement will be an opportunity to learn, but if you already know the basics this will demonstrate your eagerness to learn, and will allow the employer to give you a deeper insight to what goes on.
2. GET TO GRIPS WITH FIRST DAY BASICS; Take some pressure off of your first day by making sure the following things are agreed to or organised in advance: - Start date, time, lunch time and what time you are expected to work until - How you are going to travel to your placement and how much this will cost (it’s a good idea to do a dummy run before your actual start date!). If your employer has agreed to pay your travel expenses, speak to them about how and when you will be reimbursed – BEFORE you start - What you are going to wear (think about the appropriate dress code) - Lunch - where can you get lunch from on your first day, or where you can store your lunch if you want to take your own? Many companies will have canteens or kitchens where you can buy or store lunch. - Who your main contact or supervisor will be. Store their name and number in your phone, just in case you need to contact them on your first day. 3. THINK AHEAD ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE PLACEMENT. Are you looking to develop key skills, learn more about a specific department etc? Make a note of this and take it along on your first day.
YOU CAN CONTACT US AS FOLLOWS: Career Ready Tel: 020 7986 5494 www.careerready.org.uk www.twitter.com/CareerReadyUK www.facebook.com/CareerReadyUK www.linkedin.com/school/954160/
35 • JUNE 2018 MY LIFE • S TUDENT LIFE
Study Time WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE
Our monthly feature offering advice on study techniques & tips. If you have any tips or tricks that you want to share, simply let Rosie know at info@student-life.co When it comes to revision, the most important thing is to tailor your revision schedule to your personal work style and ethic. No one, standardised revision pattern will work for everyone, and so it is very easy to fall into the trap of comparing your revision to other people’s and try to do as they do. Similarly, it’s easy to feel as though your own revision is not sufficient enough; you aren’t putting enough hours in, you aren’t using efficient techniques, that it will never be enough. It’s too easy to put a downer on our studying by telling ourselves “I should be doing this” and “I should know more than this”. However, what I think is more important than evaluating what you should be doing is considering what you should not be doing, as it is more uplifting and confidence building to tell yourself “It’s GOOD I’m not doing this” as opposed to saying “It’s BAD I am not doing that”. 1. DON’T REVISE IF YOU FEEL YOU CAN’T
We all go into that classic state where we swear on our lives that revision will be the death of us all and is the most heinous task ever placed before us. But when we sit down and make ourselves do it, it actually goes fine and we are more than capable.
However, occasionally there will be times, perhaps just an evening or day here and there, where trying to revise becomes a forced activity, and that is not good. Even if it means sacrificing a 2-hour revision session after school, it will be more beneficial to come back to the planned material the next day, or later on, when you feel willing to revise. Forcing yourself to revise will be totally ineffective, trust me; no info will go in, it won’t stick, and you will have got yourself stressed and worked up in exchange for nothing. So take a break when you really need one, and don’t force yourself to revise to the point where the want not to revise, becomes a need not to revise.
36 36 • • JUN JUNEE 2018 2018 • • SSTUDENT TUDENT LIFE LIFE
nice pens that you find easy to write with if you want to go down the stationery route as a means of improving revision. If you don’t like biros then get some gel pens. If you don’t like gel pens, get some rollerballs! The point is, when you are in the exam and under stress, the only stationery that you should be worrying about is the pen, because if it doesn’t work, or stresses you out because it looks gross on the page, then it isn’t going to make you feel any less stressed. Whilst it is quality of content in your exam and not the visual presentation that counts, it can be relaxing to see your work visually presentable. No amount of apple-scented rubbers or bobble-head pencils will save you, ever. 3. DON’T JUMP IN WITHOUT A PLAN
PHOTO CREDIT : GEORGE BENTLEY
2. DON’T GET OVER-INDULGED IN STATIONERY
We’ve all been there and done it; exam season is coming up, and therefore what better excuse is there to spend an ugly amount on cute stationery? Animal-shaped rubbers when all our exams are written in pen, funky shaped bottles of Tipp-Ex even though its banned from exams, and those sparkly glitter pens that may make you feel like royalty, but they NEVER WORK and smudge like crazy. We become so indulged in getting the coolest stationery that we possibly can and making everything look as beautiful as possible, that our revision has lots of style and zero substance. What you really should be looking for are some
You will know what you do and don’t need to focus your revision on I’m sure (and if you don’t, ummm you should probably get a shift on!). However, the one big mistake a lot of people do is jump straight in, plan their revision 20 seconds before starting it, and end up realising right before the exam that, after all these weeks of preparation, you missed out a few units because you didn’t plan ahead. I don’t mean start planning in April, and account for every single second up until exams, but I will sit down on a Sunday evening, plan two pieces of revision for each school day and four for each weekend day, and leave a few blank spaces on my timetable should things change. That way you have structure, but can be flexible if needs be, which can alleviate stress and give a sense of control. 4. DON’T CRAM
I don’t even need to explain this one to you, just please, please, please promise me you won’t cram the night before. Please.
37 • JUN E 2018 MY • LIFE S TUDENT LIFE
WRITTEN BY PAULINE THROWER
GRIEF& MENTAL HEALTH Grief is the word we use for all our conflicting feelings when we lose someone, or something, through death or a change in our familiar pattern of life and behaviour. Either the death of someone close to us or through the loss of a much-loved pet. Our animals can be a real comfort and company for many who are lonely or want someone just to listen. Change in our home life, divorce or separation, loss of a job, change in health, or leaving home for the first time are also events that can cause us to feel grief. This can be particularly hard, causing confusion, shock, denial, pain, guilt, anger and loneliness. Experiencing these when we are young can affect us emotionally and mentally through our whole life. We might accept death as being a part of life, which it is, but we can feel afraid of it, or any change, and become afraid to do things we might otherwise enjoy. Everyone will react differently, Sometimes it is hard to ‘put on a brave face’ and it is good either to talk or have a safe way of expressing how you feel. At R Gwinnell & Son we have a ‘Memory Tree’ that you can visit and hang a name or specific memory on, to help in this process.
COFFEE MORNING We believe it helps to talk with others who have been bereaved so we have a coffee morning in The Old Bell, 1 Stoke Street, Wednesday mornings 10.30-12 noon – come along if you feel it will help.
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MENTAL Health SUPPLEMENT
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. 39 • JUN E 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
“
Editor’s
Hello again!
June brings us a month of celebrating LGBTQ+ pride! It’s a wonderful time for the LGBT community to come together to celebrate what has been achieved in the past surrounding rights and equality. If you’re interested, please see the end of this section to read about pride month and what it’s all about. It also brings us National men’s health week, so we at Student Life have taken our opportunity to focus on men’s mental health in our mental health subsection. Men’s mental health is not spoken about as much as it should be; for some reason it is seen as “weak” and “not masculine” – well we at Student Life challenge that. Two very strong men have written about their mental health experiences in this month’s edition, please see their articles for inspiration and education on that men are allowed and do experience mental health difficulties.
CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 leanne@student-life.co www.student-life.co
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HAPPY PRIDE LOVELIES! Best wishes, Leanne Arnold, Mental Health Director
Contents... STUDYING 41 42 SELF CARE MALE MENTAL HEALTH 43-45 46-47 Q&A
WORD
RELATIONSHIPS 48-49 SUFFOLK MIND 50-53 WORKPLACE 54-55 56-59 LGBTQ+
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MENTAL Health
P IS FOR PERFECTION In the pursuit of the “perfect” university experience WRITTEN BY AYLA BLOOM
Ayla is 21-years-old and is studying Screenwriting and Film Studies. Her favourite poet is Sylvia Plath. Ayla decided to get involved with Student Life to share her thoughts in a hope that they will inspire others. Starting university, I went in thinking that I could build the ‘perfect’ experience. I imagined myself as quite the academic; hunched over library books until midnight, writing outstanding academic papers, and becoming this excellent writer. I thought could achieve absolutely anything. But, now going into third year, I can’t help but think back on this preconception. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from my experience at university it’s that it’s not about what grades you get, but the experiences you have. Despite being very academically capable, second year was a struggle for me. In pursuit of good grades, I felt like I was barely keeping afloat. What’s more, I would create more work for myself by taking on too many things. I am terrible at saying ‘yes’ to everything. Because I had such a visual image of what I thought my university experience should be like, I wasn’t prepared to give that up. I would pass
up opportunities with my friends and family for this goal. I think a lot of this comes down to who my influences are; lecturers, past teachers, poets, philosophers, playwrights, filmmakers. For years, I have lived in an academic bubble. I have always wanted to be someone who creates something memorable, and still do. But, you don’t have to be so devoted that you forget everything else going on around you. As I’ve mentioned, university is about the experiences you build and the opportunities you take on. When I think back, my favourite moments from university are when me and my best friend couldn’t stop laughing. When I’ve seen a beautiful sunset on the walk home after an intense day. When I’ve had a fantastic PASS session with my students and they’ve told me something I didn’t know before. Or, when my boyfriend has cooked me a beautiful meal. When I compare this to getting a First on a paper I’ve written, I know what I will cherish more.
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MENTAL Health
SELF CARE AROMATHERAPY WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy that uses essential oils to improve both physical and emotional wellbeing (bupa. co.uk). Oils can be made from flowers, leaves, fruit, seeds or bark from certain plants. It is believed that these oils have beneficial properties and can be used in the treatment of some diseases such as Cancer. Cancer Research UK notes on their website that aromatherapy can: boost wellbeing; relieve stress and help to refresh your body. Examples of popular oils include: • Lavender • Peppermint • Jasmine • Lemon • Camomile • Rosemary
There are two ways in which essential oils work: 1. Absorbing oils through your skin 2. Through your sense of smell You can easily use essential oils in your home, but it is advised that you speak with a qualified aromatherapist first. At home, you can use the oils in a warm bath, an oil burner or by putting a few drops onto a tissue or into a cup of hot water. If you are looking to try out aromatherapy, please make sure you have done your research and you use the oils in the correct way. There may be some health-related conditions where aromatherapy will not be advised. Please note, most of this information has come from cancerresearchuk.org however, there is plenty of information available online and in literature.
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Talking about
MALE MENTAL HEALTH “I felt silly talking about it, because men are meant to be tough” WRITTEN BY HARRY GAUNT
Harry is 19 years old and studied psychology, business studies and Government & politics. Harry decided to get involved with Student Life because of the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. According to my research, 12.5% of men in the UK suffer from a mental health disorder. 76% of male suicides under the age of 35 are down to mental health disorders. For me this was a shock to find out that such a high percentage of men suffer from a mental health disorder. The stigma surrounding men’s mental health is that men aren’t meant to open up or talk about their mental health or feelings because we’re built up to be indestructible and macho in today’s society. I’ve suffered from severe depression and anxiety since I was a young kid. I didn’t know exactly what was happening or how to fix it. At that age I felt trapped and alone with
no-one to turn to because of the stigma. I felt silly talking about it, because men are meant to be tough. I felt like I was bothering people and this then caused me to bottle it all up. This then lead me to self-harm and even consider suicide. I’m proud of my journey because it shows myself going from selfharming and being depressed, now to being completely self-harm free and dealing with my mental health. The way in which I dealt with my mental health was to speak to my friends, girlfriend and family, to always keep myself busy and to make sure I’m happy all the time; like doing things I enjoy to take my mind off my thoughts. This is a technique that I still use today. This for me was crucial to helping myself deal with my mental health. I wish I would’ve had the opportunity, like we have today, to be able to reduce the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, to talk to different organisations that provide the help I need and also to feel as if I could talk about it instead of bottling it up. Male mental health is getting better with big characters / organisations speaking out, offering support and giving men a platform to speak. You’re not alone.
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“I realised the real issue was not a physical one but in fact a psychological one” WRITTEN BY BEN STEWART
Ben is 29 years old and works as a Health Coach, also writing nutrition articles for Student Life. He is incredibly passionate about helping people turn their lives around through physical activity, nutrition, lifestyle habits, mindfulness and more. Since the age of 11 I suffered with stomach aches on a regular basis. Doctor’s, Dieticians, Nutritionists and anyone else I went to see tried to offer solutions but nothing worked for me. Being at school and at such a vulnerable age meant that I lost a lot of confidence and did not enjoy going to school because I always felt ill. The longer this carried on the worse I got until eventually I fell in to depression. Each time I tried to fight back and overcome it I would end up losing that battle and sinking further in to my depression. Because I continued to feel ill physically, the mental affects it had on me made me feel even worse and the downward spiral continued. It wasn’t until years later when I took control of different areas of my life that I realised the battles I had been fighting were all the wrong ones - the real issue was not a physical one but in fact a psychological one. For years I had been suffering with stress and
anxiety without realising it, and the physical effects that had on me were the regular stomach aches, amongst other things. This experience made me become obsessed with nutrition and healthy living, and is the main reason I work in the health industry today. People don’t realise that problems or symptoms aren’t always the real issue at hand but rather a consequence or result of another problem you could be unaware of. People also don’t fully appreciate that nutrition and physical activity play a huge role in our mental health and this is why it’s so important to take care of yourself on a daily basis. I blamed my problems on nutrition for years and this created an anxiety around many food groups for me and made me obsessed with food in a very negative way. However, in the same respect, nutrition when handled properly can help you break out of that dark cloud around you and help you begin to turn your life around. Don’t underestimate the value of an apple or a glass of water compared to a chocolate bar or fizzy drink - it can literally turn your whole life around.
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“Come Out, Get Out” WRITTEN BY CALLUM PADDY
Callum is 20 years old and is studying BSc (hons) Paramedic Science. Callum decided to get involved with Student Life to share his experiences within the LGBTQ+ community and reduce stigma. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community has always been a difficult subject for me to talk about around my friends and family. Until recently, I have continually kept my sexuality a ‘secret’ with the fear of how people would react, especially my family. This insecurity has also triggered previous episodes of Anxiety and Depression which has stopped me from expressing my true thoughts and feelings. After many years of not having the confidence to tell people I was Gay, I decided to tell two of my closest friends, and the support I received was truly overwhelming. I can honestly say that without Leanne and Suzanne, I wouldn’t be where I am now, and certainly wouldn’t be writing this! Things were looking very positive, and for the first time ever, I wanted my family to know that I was Gay. I decided to text my Mum, as that was the way I felt most comfortable, but the reply I received wasn’t what I was expecting and I soon realised this was the beginning of a difficult and emotional journey. I always thought that telling my parents wasn’t going to be easy, but what I was about to experience was totally shocking and unexpected.
That night when I returned home from a mental health launch evening, I discovered I had been locked out of my house, and at this point I was extremely scared and worried about my mental health deteriorating like previous episodes. After staying at a friends for the night I drove home and was met by my Father, who expressed his feelings towards my sexuality in an extremely homophobic and disrespectful way. The following few days spent at home were tremendously uncomfortable, which led to me being asked to leave the house due to not ‘regretting’ what I had opened up about. Moving out of my childhood home because of my unaccepted sexuality has been very difficult, physically and emotionally. I was offered a room at my friend’s house where I am now living. Although it has been a rough journey, I now feel completely relaxed, proud and am genuinely enjoying my independent life expressing who I truly am. I no longer have the worries of hiding anything from anyone, and my mental health is the best it has ever been. If there was one thing I wanted people to take from my experience, it would be the fact that there is always light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how difficult the journey may be. Coming out isn’t always easy, but it sure does feel good to stretch your wings and fly!
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Tips & Advice
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Got a burning question about mental health difficulties? Want non-professional, peer-to-peer advice? Look no further, this feature will appear every month and invites readers to send in questions regarding mental health for tips and advice*. My name is Leanne and I have both specialist training and personal experience in mental health and will aim to provide user-friendly, non-professional advice to anyone who asks for it!
Q. WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT MY
PARTNER WHO IS SUFFERING WITH AN ANXIETY DISORDER? A: I would suggest educating yourself around their condition, reading up on signs and symptoms in order to fully appreciate and support them. I believe in the power of talking, so if you’re able to help your partner
to explore the potential reasons for their anxiety this could be really helpful for them. You could always try to do some self-care activities together; listening to music, going for a walk or bike ride, massages, going for meals etc. It’s super important to try and recognise when your partner may need professional support, and to aid and support them through this.
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Q.
WHAT CAN I DO IF THE SUPPORT BEING GIVEN TO ME DOESN’T HELP? A: With any intervention there is no guarantee that it is going to work for everyone, we are all very different and unique individuals and no mental-health care is linear. I would suggest to have an open and honest conversation with whomever it is providing you with that support; they will most likely appreciate and respect your honesty. Without discussing this you cannot guarantee that you will be offered any other support – the person providing you with this is most likely not a mind reader and works on your feedback.
Q.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT I CAN AVOID HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM? A: I would say yes but no. Some people believe that mental health conditions are hereditary, some think that they are environmental, and some believe it can be a mixture of both. What we do know is that day to day life can have catastrophic impacts on our mental health and therefore we all need to look after ourselves. Self-care is super important and not many of us practice this enough, we are all so rushed off our feet or busy thinking of other people; to find five minutes of time is easier than we think. Pause when you are on your phone and instead of scrolling social media, practice meditation for 5 minutes, or enjoy that soak in the bath for 5 more minutes.
Q.
HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH WHEN OTHERS AROUND ME ARE ALSO MENTALLY UNWELL?
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 subsection.
A: I believe in supporting one another, however you have to find the correct balance. Without the correct balance we can forget to look after ourselves which then makes supporting others even more difficult. You can support others subtly or at a length where you are able to manage your own health. Recognising your limits is key to this! Another key factor is recognising what triggers you have; other people’s mental health can sometimes remind us of our own mental health difficulties which can make us feel rubbish.
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MENTAL Health
REL ATIONSHIPS Welcome back to our regular feature offering advice to students on aspects of family/friend/personal relationships. In the hot-seat is Rosie, a current 6th former at Kesgrave High School and a founder member of the Student Life steering group.
Whilst many of us are excited to be leaving sixth form and starting our university journeys, it can be scary to move away, especially moving away from someone you are in a relationship with. It’s tempting to choose your universities based on where each other are going, just so you can be close together. I feel like a lot of people are very negative towards this, and whilst I understand that you should choose what is best for you, and the university that will help you fulfil your potential, won’t being near the one you love help do this too? I completely understand why some people, most often parents, guardians, and teachers, would advise against choosing to go to a university near, or even the same, as your boyfriend or girlfriend. What if you break up? What if you hate the university? What if you choose a course that isn’t right for you? I understand this, totally. However, at the very end of the day; university is not the be all and end all. I truly do believe that love, whether it be romantic,
between friends, between family, or of any description, is more important than a qualification or a career. Picture this scenario, and tell me where you think you would achieve at the highest level; the UK’s top course for your chosen degree, far away from the one you love,….or at a very good course for your degree that still offers a career path, that is within visiting distance of the one you love? I know I would go for option B, because I work best when I’m happy and positive, not sad and negative. If you don’t want to make your choice like this, then by all means don’t. It is your choice entirely. However, I do want to emphasise that if you or others want to take into
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WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE
consideration where the one you love is going, then do! We’re adults by the time we go to university (even if we don’t act like it!) and that means high school relationships aren’t always ‘silly little high school crushes’. For many people, the one they meet at school is the one they stay with for life, and if you feel like distance will jeopardise that, then cut the distance down. We have the right to make our relationships work without anyone telling us otherwise. University isn’t everything. It doesn’t guarantee a job; hard work and motivation does, and I know I’m not alone when I say I feel more motivated to work hard when I’m happy. When I attended many open days for
universities, the one thing that stood out to me the most that was said was “don’t make your number one reason for choosing a university it’s rank position; choose the place where you feel happier, more comfortable, and can see yourself living.” Some of us can deal well with distance in relationships, and it is most likely that even those of us who don’t will still grow to feel comfortable when we make new friends and get into a routine. But for many of us, we go to university once, and it’s not just about the degree at the end; it’s about the experience, and if you are down in the dumps and struggling to cope with being apart, then your experience isn’t going to be the best it can be! Ensure you do really like the university though, and make sure it suits your academic abilities. You MUST do this; don’t choose a university you hate but it’s near your boyfriend or girlfriend, or choose one near them when you get ABB grades but the course was only a CDD. I’m not saying that your choice should be made entirely based on where your partner goes, and I wouldn’t even say it should be decided primarily based on that, however there is nothing wrong with it being a contributing factor in your choice. At the end of the day, I know some relationships from further education won’t last into higher education, not always. However, I’m sure that to begin with, all of those relationships want to give it a shot, and who’s to tell you that you can’t? Go for it, do what is best for you, and don’t be afraid to stand up for your love, just as much as your education.
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MENTAL Health
NO HEALTH WITHOUT MENTAL HEALTH Male Mental Health WRITTEN BY EZRA HEWING, HEAD OF MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SUFFOLK MIND Male mental health has received a lot more attention in the media, particularly because of the high incidence of suicide amongst adult men, and this attention should be welcomed. However, despite good intentions the views expressed by those writing on the subject are not always helpful. The reason for this is that those commenting are not mental health professionals. Instead, they present a social theory view that male mental health issues are solely caused by the pressure placed on men to behave in stereotyped ways, which include suppressing emotion, an expectation that they must always appear strong and avoid expressing how they feel. The solution to the high incidence of male suicide, from this perspective is for men to ‘open up’ and express how they are feeling.
In other words, men should adopt a strategy more akin to the way in which women are believed to process emotion. Is there any evidence that if men adopt this approach they will experience less mental ill health? If we look at the statistics for mental ill health in women, the answer is no. While men are five times as likely to attempt suicide, women experience higher rates of mental illness than men and are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety. So talking about how we feel alone cannot be the solution.
What about the suppression of emotion? Is this an unhealthy coping strategy? Firstly, the studies which are cited in support of this idea do not compare suppressing emotion with expressing emotion, so it is wrong to read them as evidence that expressing how we feel is better than suppressing emotion. Instead, studies compare suppressing feelings with reevaluating or reframing the way we see events to change the way we feel about them. Reframing the way we see the
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world is undoubtedly the best strategy for handling strong emotions, which limit the way we see the world. Reframing means reminding ourselves that although today was tough, tomorrow may be better; that when things go wrong, it’s an opportunity to learn; and that when people don’t agree with us it isn’t always personal. But to master the essential skill of reframing we have to suppress our first reaction and calm down in order to see the bigger picture. So suppressing emotion is an essential part of a strategy which allows us to reframe – a skill we all need to learn in a stressful world. In fact, far from being unhealthy, suppressing our immediate emotional response in social situations is sometimes necessary. If we react in anger in the workplace or when we are in a sensitive social situation then we risk damaging important relationships – context is important. And far from having no feelings or lacking empathy, studies show that on average, men experience stronger physiological responses, including increased heart rate and release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, when they witness distress or pain in others. It is unsurprising that they would seek to put the brakes on strong emotion. It is likely that suppressing emotion evolved as a strategy to protect the relationships our survival and mental wellbeing depend upon. Suppressing strong feelings, or ‘keeping a lid on it’, is also useful if we are to keep emotional arousal under control while we seek a solution to whatever is causing us distress. This is not to say that men should not be encouraged to ask for help when they
need it – far from it. But the way in which we encourage men to reach out, needs to take into consideration the way in which they handle emotion. Encouraging men to ‘open up’, a metaphor which suggests opening old wounds might have the unintended consequence of causing men to run a mile from the services which seek to offer help! Instead, we could use healthier metaphors for describing how to talk about difficult feelings – ‘getting it off your chest’ or ‘finding some solutions’ might work better. So do social expectations have no impact on male mental ill health? Undoubtedly, social conditioning and traditional gender stereotypes – the need to be a breadwinner and provide for the family, for example – play a role in creating stress and mental ill health, as well as inequality between sexes. These factors, in an environment where rising costs and debt are barriers to meeting emotional needs for security, control and autonomy, respect and, in turn, give us less time and headspace to reflect, and give attention to needs for emotional connection with loved ones and activities which give us meaning and purpose. But we are a blend of social conditioning acting upon our genes and we can never separate the two. To ignore and devalue the skill of suppressing emotion because it is at odds with our beliefs about how men should behave, may cause unintended harm to their mental health.
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Quay Place brings together wellbeing and heritage by offering a range of therapies, classes and trainings. The venue is also available for room hire and wedding receptions. Events in June & July 2018
Family Fun Events
Mental Wellbeing & Spirituality Talks Wednesday 13th June & Wednesday 4th July, 6pm – 7.30pm. Mental health and spirituality increasingly overlap in both theory and practice. Is there a link? Explore the answer with Ezra Hewing. Book via our website, quayplace.co.uk.
Garden Explorers Fridays, 10am – 12pm Garden Explorers is for children aged 2 to 4-years-old, and their parents, to have fun and play outside. £2 per child - includes activities & refreshments. To book call 01473 569696.
Sleep Well, Be Well Thursday 28th June, 6pm - 7.30pm Sleep is as important to our health as eating, drinking and breathing. Come to this free talk to learn more about getting better quality sleep. Book by calling 01394 333199.
Regular free groups – Mondays Poppy Craft 10am – 12pm Sporting Memories 10.30am – 12pm Colouring Group 2pm - 4pm
Suffolk Storytelling Family Event Thursday 21st June, 4.15pm – 6.45pm Join us and Elmer the Elephant for our FREE tea-time storytelling event, celebrating Suffolk Day across the County. Call 01394 330823 to book your place.
Weddings at Quay Place Looking for a great venue to hold your wedding reception? For more details email weddings@quayplace.co.uk.
Quay Place Key Street, Ipswich, IP4 1BZ • quayplace.co.uk • 01473 569696
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Mental health charity, Suffolk Mind, has a range of opportunities to get involved; from fundraising, becoming a friend or volunteering. Visit www.suffolkmind.org.uk Volunteering Opportunities
Get Fundraising
Children’s Activity Helpers In this role you will help run and set up a children’s activity area at Quay Place. You will also engage children with activities to explore local heritage.
Are you organising an event or taking part in a sponsored challenge and would like to raise money for Suffolk Mind? If so, we would love to hear from you - email carole. thain@suffolkmind.org.uk or call us on 01394 330823.
Volunteer Admin Support You will assist the accounting department in Felixstowe with alphabetising and filing invoices and provide administrative support to the team, including data entry. Ecotherapy Allotment Volunteer You will attend weekly sessions to organise an allotment project across Suffolk helping people to improve their mental wellbeing. Quay Place Steward We are looking for a friendly face to welcome visitors to Quay Place and help with enquires and other daily administrative tasks.
Become a Friend of Suffolk Mind Join our free network and receive information, help and support to make your own mental health a priority, and create a life that meets your needs. For more information visit Suffolkmind.org.uk To apply for a volunteering role, or for more information, contact Corrina Hanley on 0300 111 6000 or email Corrina.hanley@suffolkmind.org.uk
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MENTAL Health
WORK, HEALTH and WELLBEING Work is good for our health and well-being in a range of ways - it supplies us with money to enjoy life and provide for our family, it offers us social interaction with colleagues, it enhances our self-esteem through feeling that we add value. In addition, these positives also help us to feel more physically and mentally well. As a result, people in work consult their GP less often and show fewer and less severe symptoms of anxiety and depression than their unemployed counterparts. The caveat to all of this however is that the work has to be good work. So what makes work good? Good work is not necessarily just about the job we do day to day, although arguably doing something you enjoy is likely to help! Good work is about the culture of the organisation and how that fits with our own values, beliefs and work-life needs. Let’s have a look at some of these aspects of work and well-being in more detail…
VALUES Working in a company that has values that align with our own is important in us feeling like we belong and in enabling us to feel comfortable in the workplace. Where an organisation’s values are divergent to our own we feel as though we are in conflict and that the behaviours we are expected to demonstrate are misaligned with our values and beliefs. This puts us in a very uncomfortable position and can lead to stress and anxiety. So making sure that when you look at potential future employers you find out about their core values can help to avoid a mismatch later on. Often employers will have information about company values on their website and checking the media for any news stories about an organisation will also help you get a feel for how their values might align with your own. RECOGNITION It is easy to assume that what people think
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WRITTEN BY KATE BLACKFORD
is most important about work is getting paid (and getting paid well). This is not the case however. Most people want to feel valued in the contribution they make and express that a simple ‘thank you’ for their contribution is a real motivator for them. Interestingly, managers often think money is most important to employees and fail to realise that while it is a factor, authentic recognition makes a big difference to people day to day (between the pay cheques!) It is not just getting recognition from a manager that gives us that warm glow either – getting positive feedback from a colleague also sends us home with a smile, so remember to appreciate your colleagues! WORK-LIFE BALANCE & FLEXIBILITY Work-Life Balance is about an individual’s ability to sufficiently balance the demands of work and home life. People in jobs that enable good work-life balance and flexibility report being happier than those in more rigid
work environments. Having flexibility around working hours and location is also beneficial and is often reflected in lower sickness absence. These elements of working life are about more than just the physical time you spend in one place or another, and with mobile technology having removed the psychophysical barrier between work and home it can be easy to be physically at home, but mentally at work - whether that is worrying about what needs to be done, or checking emails instead of relaxing at the end of the day. Checking what an organisation’s policy around work-life balance and flexible working is and even noticing when employees contact you from the organisation during the recruitment process can give you clues about how well they enable their people to balance their work and home life. It can also be tempting when you start a new job to work long hours as you strive to impress and to establish yourself, but this can set a dangerous precedent in terms of expectations that you may find disruptive later on. We all have to put in extra hours from time to time to meet peaks in work demand, but the flexibility should go both ways. We all want to do the very best job we can, and it can be difficult to switch off at the end of the day but doing so ensures that you stay healthy and well. It ensures that you keep up with family and friends, that you maintain your physical well-being by getting to the gym, or your weekly football match. It ensures that you invest in your own mental well-being through socialising, relaxing and looking after yourself. All of this means that you can do the very best job when you are in work because you can focus all of your attention there when it needs to be there.
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WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD
This is a monthly feature that will focus on all aspects of identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning, as well as other ways of defining our gender/sexuality. We aim to cover a variety of topics; some relating to mental health, positive and negative experiences, the reality of today’s society in accepting the LGBTQ+ community, dayto-day life, and many more. As always, we invite anyone who has a passion for writing, or who wants their voice heard, to contact us about writing an article for Student Life. I believe it is important to talk about the things that society can sometimes find uncomfortable. Hiding away encourages this behaviour, and I personally think that we are all different and there is no right or wrong. I say: “be who you truly are, be yourself, embrace yourself, and don’t let anyone get you down” – how boring would it be if we were all the same, eh? Please see our first LGBTQ+ articles which focus on the relationship between mental health and identifying within the LGBTQ+ community. If anyone has any questions regarding this topic, please feel free to contact me at Leanne@student-life.co
PRIDE MONTH WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD So, June brings us the month of all things pride. The month of June was chosen to commemorate the Stonewall riots which happened in 1969. The Stonewall riots were prompted by a raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn. The LGBTQ+ community made a series of spontaneous and sometimes violent demonstrations to protest against the raid. Their aim was to call for the establishment of places that people from the LGBTQ+ could go and be open and honest about their sexual orientation. Following the riots two gay activist groups had formed in NY, America. Generally, most pride events are held during this month because of this. Across the globe various events are held to
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recognise the influence LGBTQ+ people have around the world. LGBTQ+ is a community that supports sexual diversity, usually protests revolve around discrimination and violence aimed towards people who categorise themselves as part of this community. It is an opportunity for people to come together to promote their dignity, equal rights, self-affirmation, and it’s a form
of communicating to society the issues this community has. Who do we thank for all of this? Brenda Howard; known as the ‘mother of pride’ was the lady who coordinated the first ever LGBTQ+ pride march!
+ Q T LGB
PRIDE : PROTEST OR PARTY? WRITTEN BY ABBIE GELL ATLY The ‘Happy,’ in ‘Happy Pride’ implies that Pride is an event in which people celebrate the LGBTQ+ community; it implies that there is something worth celebrating. Similarly, it is indicative of the fact that, as a community, we have achieved something and, so, naturally, a party should be thrown in its honour. All of this makes perfect sense; sexuality is something worth celebrating, especially if your sexual orientation has been the root cause of years of abuse and harassment. Likewise, there is no greater way to mark an occasion whereby LGBTQ+ rights are furthered than by rejoicing with those with whom you have taken up arms. In doing so, however, there is an element of conceding to the unpopular opinion that the fight is won when, in reality, the fight for gay
rights has only just begun. Historically, Pride has been a politically motivated event in which members of the gay community protest a system of discrimination, oppression and deprivation. Born out of the Stonewall Inn nightclub raid of June 1969, the first recorded Pride took place in June 1970, during which a united front of gay men and women took to the streets of New York to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the raid. The Stonewall Riots, as the name would suggest, were characterised, in part, by violent protest and resistance; they marked the beginning of a watershed moment in the fight against homophobia, and they signalled to the world that the LGBTQ+
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MENTAL Health
LGBTQ+ community had found its voice in the form of a refusal to endure further hatred and oppression. Today, Pride is less about an army of gay activists fighting for a community that is under attack, but, rather, it is an attempt by society to celebrate the achievements of a minority group that, in times past, has been despised and marginalised. Naturally, as progress is made, changes take shape in the form of the rhetoric and action representative of a social movement such as the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The progress to which I am referring has engendered a notable and contentious shift in the manifestation of Pride; it is a shift that can most clearly be understood in the, now, evident celebratory nature of this historical event. Whilst, there is nothing intrinsically wrong in celebrating the achievements of LGBTQ+ individuals, in taking on the form of a party as opposed to a protest, modern-day Pride events fall short of the revolutionary steam and spark that was present in 1970 and in subsequent years. The mentality of the first ever Pride has been replaced by one of an unprincipled, populist nature, owing, in part, to the demographic of those in attendance, that is, the influx of cisgender straight individuals.
when the LGBTQ+ identity is lost amongst a sea of heterosexual individuals who use Pride as an excuse to embark on an alcoholic bender dressed in multicoloured clothing and a layer of glitter. Admittedly, there is strength in numbers, and a larger protest and/ or parade, regardless of those in attendance, is likely to draw more attention. Even so, the rich history of Pride and the LGBTQ+ community should be prioritised above the need to adorn yourself in glitter for the sake of proving that you are an LGBTQ+ ally. This feeds into the overt capitalisation of Pride by companies who commercialise an important cause by way of printing the rainbow symbol, a recognised LGBTQ+ emblem, onto pieces of clothing during the month of June. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way to mark Pride; it is an event that has grown and adapted according to the changing social and political climate of each location in which it is set. Individuals who would rather Pride, in keeping with its roots, remain a protest are not here to deny you your celebration, but, rather, call on you to remember not only why we mark this occasion in the first place, but why it important to keep fighting for LGBTQ+ rights.
There is no harm in attending Pride if you, yourself, are not gay - in fact, such attendance is widely encouraged, given the LGBTQ+ community advocates inclusivity and acceptance - however, a problem arises
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