ISSUE 19 • AUGUST 2018 • SUFFOLK
Lifestyle Magazine by Students, for Students
www.student-life.co
Proud supporter of
Cover photo by DENNIS CORTES 1 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
STUDENT Life
That’s right, Student Life has just won its second prestigious award, this time for ‘Excellence in Collaboration’ at the Raising the Bar Awards 2018, hosted by Suffolk County Council. We are extremely proud of our achievements and feel honoured that our hard work has been recognised within the local community! The Student Life team had a fantastic time at the awards night which was held at Trinity Park, networking and celebrating among some inspirational individuals and organisations. We are so grateful to have been considered.
Editor’s
This award accompanies the first one we received at the beginning of the year at the Suffolk Coastal Business and Community Awards 2018. Thank you to all who have been involved in our journey so far. This is just the beginning! In this month’s edition of Student Life, we continue to share tips, tricks and life hacks in our My Life supplement, including articles on ‘How to survive your first week at University’ and ‘Attending University as a ‘mature’ student’. In addition, we are continuing to develop our anti-bullying supplement and campaign - more news on this to follow! We hope you are enjoying your Summer holiday and making the most of this rare British sun! Why not let us know what you’re up to? Whether you are off on your travels or exploring what Suffolk has to offer. Tweet us at @ studentlifeips we’d love to know!
WORD
CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co FB: @studentlifeips Instagram: @studentlifeips Twitter: @studentlifeips
Best wishes, Rachel Gilbey Co-editor
Contents... STUDENT STYLE STUDENT BEAUTY STUDENT TRAVEL WHAT THE FOOD ENTERTAINMENT
4-7 8-11 12 17-22 23-27
MY LIFE STUDENT TECH STUDENT CAREERS SEXUAL HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH
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Did someone say Multi-Award winners?!
31-35 36-37 35 40-41 43-64
MY Life
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Student Life catches up with the University’s Alumni WRITTEN BY KAYLEIGH NORRIS
Kayleigh is 29 years old and graduated from the University of Suffolk this year, having studied Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) studies. Kayleigh decided to get involved with Student Life to share her experience of how she navigated university, whilst living with cancer and having learning difficulties. I went to university to help me to develop in my career. Starting later in life was scary but I just knew it was something I wanted to do. The first year was very difficult due to having
learning difficulties, I also have a diagnosis of Angiosarcoma, a rare type of cancer, so making sure I was eating healthy and exercising was a must. I graduated with a 2:1 degree, which just shows that with the right support and determination you can aim high and achieve. Two of my main highlights of my time at Uni were being voted the course rep and I had the great honour of delivering the Vote of Thanks speech at graduation. Since leaving university I started working for a private company helping people break down barriers and gaining employment. I have worked with individuals who have needed housing support, help with addictions, employability skills and more. I am also currently undergoing training to become a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, which is an incredible course and I am so lucky my company are investing in me. I am working on a few projects within this to help change the stigma that surrounds mental health disorders. I work for a very inspiring company and this would not have been possible without my degree. University also gave me the confidence to start my personal health & wellbeing blog and built my confidence to let others read my writing. This has also led to me writing my first book that should be published early next year.
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STUDENT Fashion SUPPORTED BY
FESTIVAL FASHION Festivals are the ultimate style event, the number one occasion you can wear what you want, how you want. From the tassled hems to the ultra bright prints and shorts. Toss your heels and best shoes aside and bring out those wellies to get knee deep into fun festival fashion. Festival dressing is all experimenting with your personal style, so step outside that comfort zone and experiment with prints, slogans, textures and festival accessories
WRITTEN BY OUR FASHION EDITOR PAM DAVIS this festival season. Boho, hippy or grunge? Whatever your festival vibe, welcome to the ultimate guide. Will it be raining? or scorching hot? UK Festivals or Abroad? Festival Outfit must haves for everyone...
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DENIM SHORTS AND SPORTSWEAR A festival look? Without denim shorts? Unthinkable. But sportswearinspired styles are more comfortable. Style with a simple t-shirt, waterproof bomber jacket and thicksoled boots, or trainers. HATS 2017 saw the return of hats. Not only is one of these bad boys going to look super cool with your outfit but it’s going to keep the sun out of your eyes when you’re grooving and chilling to your favourite artist. Perfect! You can pretty much pair a hat with just about any outfit.
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BUM BAGS A must-have item on your festival checklist, a bum bag is an essential for keeping valuables safe in style when you’re partying. Leather bum bags are ideal for all weathers, great if you’re heading somewhere like Glastonbury with a potential for heavy mud. Printed bum bags can add a fun element to your festival look, jazzing up your simpler outfits - wear with plain fitted t-shirts, denim shorts and festival wellies and let your bright and bold bum bag be the focus of your outfit.
THE STATEMENT SUNGLASSES So be fashionable and practical with a funky pair of sunnies! Style the look: The best part about this outfit is that you can literally pair anything you want with a funky pair of sunglasses! There is something celebratory about a pair of mirrored sunglasses. They’re a brighter choice for eyewear, and a festival is a perfect venue to experiment with colour. There are a bunch of different styles that work well with mirrored lenses. Wayfarers and aviators typically are the most obvious choices, but our recommendation is to opt for a great pair of round mirrored sunglasses. Round sunnies will lend a little classicism to your festival get-up, not to mention they are a flattering choice for most face shapes.
FOOTWEAR Don’t misconstrue the word ‘comfortable’ for ‘dowdy’. Festival or not, shoes always need to be stylish so be conscious of what you are wearing on your feet for the long day ahead. White sneakers have emerged as the essential casual shoe and are perfect for versatility and comfort. Festivals can get messy so if it’s a pair you love, buy another in case they get super dirty. Boots can also be great, and work well in rusty browns and black colours. Boots are also the perfect accompaniment to an outfit that may be slightly more bohemian-inspired. All in all, ensure you have a pair that is comfortable and will withstand all your festival expeditions.
THE GLITTER/JEWELS/BLING If you’re ever going to rock these, a festival is where it’s at! Style the look: If you really can’t afford a whole new outfit, pair these body jewels with a simple outfit like a black bodysuit and some denim shorts! Dress it up with some glitter and presto! You’re festival ready.
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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 SUPPORTED BY
TOP 5 SUMMER TIPS Summertime brings a lot of warmth and happiness to the country. However this heat can get in the way of keeping the perfect make-up all day. I’ve conjured up my 5 top tips on how to stay fresh and looking good, despite the heat and sun. SULA ALERT! Now if you’re like me and one of the unfortunate people that suffers from a SULA (sweaty upper lip alert), then you will know it makes it near impossible to keep foundation, powder or even concealer from going patchy on the upper lip. Just the tiniest bit of sweat will separate the formula and leave me with a lovely white ‘moustache’. My top tip to help prevent this is roll-on deodorant. Now even though deodorant doesn’t stop you from sweating altogether, it does help slightly
WRITTEN BY OUR BEAUTY EDITOR ROSIE MAY prevent it and I find just using some roll-on over my upper lip helps to keep my foundation stuck for a lot longer! I use my moisturiser first and then the deodorant before applying the foundation. COLD SETTING SPRAY Now as the day goes on and the sun is shining down, I find myself searching for the nearest fan or air con to stand in front of to cool myself down. Since discovering this tip, I no longer need to! Placing setting spray in the fridge helps me hugely throughout the day. For starters, it is a lush spritz of cold mist for my face when I’m getting hot and bothered, but at the same time it is keeping my make-up locked into place! It’s the perfect remedy.
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TONE DOWN THE HIGHLIGHT Now this may seem an obvious one, but one thing I’ve learnt is to definitely tone down the highlight in the hot months. Your face is naturally going to become a little oilier and sweatier throughout the day, so having tons of highlight on is just going to enhance these factors. Use a smaller amount in the morning and as you get oilier and sweatier throughout the day, it will even itself out without looking cakey.
from breaking out and makes me feel more comfortable in the weather conditions.
NATURAL IS THE WAY FORWARD When it gets really hot outside, it causes your pores to open. This always causes my skin to break out, because it’s allowing my oils and foundation to seep into my skin. One thing I do to prevent this is try and make my makeup as natural as possible. It keeps my skin
So here are my top tips. A lot of days in this heat I just go bare faced, as I can’t handle the summer heat and a face of products. However on the days I do decide to brave the full face, these are the best methods I’ve found to ensure I stay looking my best throughout the whole day.
POWDER UP THAT NOSE! I suffer from a very oily T-zone so powdering my nose is a routine for me anyway. However in this weather it is even more essential. One reason because of getting oily and sweaty around the nose, and secondly to prevent leaving sunglasses marks on your nose! In the morning I apply a very generous amount of powder and this helps to last all day.
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STUDENT Beauty SUPPORTED BY
EASY SUMMER HAIR WRITTEN BY CARA FOLLON SPACE BUNS This hairstyle is a popular one, especially for festivals and it’s really easy to create! It also looks very cute, especially if you throw in some hair glitter and use some scrunchies. For this hairstyle, I’d recommend you washing your hair beforehand, so your hair is light and fluffy. The easiest way to create this look, is to separate your hair with a middle parting, and depending on the thickness and length of your hair you can either put all your hair up into the buns or separate it, so you have a half-up half-down look. For me, I have quite thick, long hair so it’s easy for me to just put the top half of my hair in the buns. After separating your hair, pull back the right amount of hair into a ponytail using either an elastic band or hair band, then twist your ponytail around until it forms a bun. Depending on how tight you want your bun, you can either pin it or use another hair band to keep it in place.
you’ll need to separate your hair into a middle parting, I’d recommend you have wet hair for this as well. Next, you need to grab either the left or right section of hair and split the section into three strands. Cross the right strand under the middle strand, the left strand under the middle strand. Now add more hair to the right strand before crossing it under the middle strand. Repeat this until you reach to the end of your hair. TOP KNOT BUN A top knot bun is probably one the easiest hairstyles and is perfect for the summer as it keeps you cool and you don’t have to worry about your hair throughout the day. Firstly, you need to tie your hair up in a high ponytail and make sure it’s secure. Start to twist your hair around and then wrap it around your hair band. To keep it in your bun, you can either use pins or another hair band. Once you have your bun, you can either keep it tight or to make it a messy bun, start to slightly pull at it.
DUTCH BRAID Braids are a great way to keep yourself cool and keep your hair out of the way. The Dutch braid is one of my favourites. Once again, 10 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
HOT Make-Up WRITTEN BY CARA FOLLON
During the summer, it becomes increasingly difficult to have a light, fresh make-up look that stays on all day. Sometimes I scrap having any make-up on, purely because of the scorching heat. However, if you would still like to have a make-up routine – here are a few tips and tricks for looking fabulous in the hotter weather! MOISTURISE, CLEANSE AND TONE As always, it’s vital that you look after your skin when wearing make-up, especially in the summer. When it is hot, I’m prone to developing oily skin and acne so I make sure that I moisturise before putting any product on. I’m currently using Nivea’s Soft Lotion, alongside Nivea’s Visage 2 in 1 Cleanser/ Toner. Both products have really helped my skin stay healthy and fresh! GO FOR A NATURAL LOOK Sometimes the best way to have a natural make-up look, is to go quite natural! I’m not saying don’t wear any make-up all, but as someone who has freckles I really love a natural look that emphasizes my freckles and
makes them more prominent in my makeup look. I’d advise anyone who wants a look that brings out their freckles, to use a lighter foundation, perhaps a BB cream like the BB Cream Golden Glow, or a tinted moisturiser. SHEER TONES Instead of using quite heavy, dark toned blusher, foundation or concealer, I’d recommend products that have ‘’sheer’’ in their name as they are more likely to have a lighter and thinner consistency. This means that although they do provide coverage, it won’t melt off during the day and will make your skin feel quite light. I’d recommend the bareMinerals Original Foundation, which includes SPF15. SWAP FOUNDATION FOR CONCEALER Although you still want full coverage during the summer, swapping your foundation for concealer will do wonders for a summer make-up look. Lighter based concealers will still cover blemishes, spots and any unwanted marks without being too hot and heavy on your skin. Any light concealer can be used for this kind of look.
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STUDENT Travel
live it up in
LISBON WRITTEN BY & IMAGE CREDIT TO RACHEL GILBEY
There’s nothing I love more than a city break, so when I had the opportunity to travel with a couple of friends last March, Lisbon, the capital of Portugal was top of the list for a 4-day adventure. We stayed in a little apartment situated in Santa Apolonia, which overlooked the River Tiber and was just on the outskirts of the main town. On our first full day we hit all the tourist spots around Lisbon, made easier with a CitySightseeing Hop-on Hop-off tour bus. Sights included Torre de Belem, Padrao dos Descobrimentos and Jeronimos Monastery. The first two attractions we viewed from the outside, taking in the amazing architecture and history. For Jeronimos Monastery, we paid 10 euros to visit inside, which I highly recommend. There is so much culture and history and I found myself immersed, imagining back to the time monks walked the long corridors. During the evening, we visited the famous Time Out Market where we had dinner and tasted local dishes such as Bacalhau and the famous Pastel de Nata. Much of the local food on offer included fish dishes and salmon was my ‘go to’. The following day we took a 5-hour ‘fairy-
tale’ excursion to Sintra. We had pre-booked this through Viator and it included being picked up from our apartment and taken on an adventure by a local tour guide. On route we visited Cascais, Guincho Beach, Cabo da Roca and Pena Palace. It was an incredible road trip through the mountains and local villages, being told the history of the area as we went. This trip definitely added something magical to our stay. Our last day in Lisbon saw us explore the city by foot and hunt for the hidden treasures. We visited Castelo de S.Jorge for 8.50 euros each and the views around the castle walls were breathtaking. The grounds are home to a number of peacocks which freely roamed about, displaying their colourful feathers. There is a lot to see and do in Lisbon and I wish we had had more time to explore. Hopefully in the future, I’ll be back!
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MY Life
SCHOOL’S OUT! WRITTEN BY REV. TOM ROUT
One of the distinctive features of my job is that it’s a split role: besides being a ‘regular vicar’ to the Waterfront parishes, I’m also Anglican chaplain to what some people call ‘the Education Quarter’; by which they mean the University of Suffolk, which perches on the Waterfront and Suffolk New College, set slightly further back from the marina. Geographically, it makes a lot of sense after all, the Education Quarter I serve as chaplain is located in the Waterfront area where I’m vicar. A chaplain is really a faith representative who works within a particular community. My role is an acknowledgement on the part of my employer (the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich) that there are two particular communities within our Waterfront area, both formed around learning and the provision of learning, which are large enough to warrant the presence of an ordained minister on-site. It allows me to meet and work with people from outside our Waterfront area. That’s because many of those who work and study are non-resident, people who come in from outside Ipswich (or even Suffolk!) The chaplaincy is ‘multi-faith’. That means I work alongside chaplains of other faiths. We don’t pretend to share the same beliefs; we’re not expected to. But we’re
all committed to supporting the staff and students of the Education Quarter, whether or not they have a religious faith. Our role is partly as ambassadors for the faiths we represent, but also to be a supportive presence on campus, listening to people who want to talk and helping them in whatever way we can. For example, this year we conducted a survey at Suffolk New College. We asked 500 students one simple question - what hurts you the most? It was a way of finding out (anonymously) what young people, studying in our patch, find hardest to handle in life. Next term a display will be installed in the atrium showing the results. Our job at chaplaincy will then be to work with Student Support and other agencies, to provide the students whatever help we can to meet the needs they’ve identified. Young people may be hurting in all kinds of ways; but getting alongside them on campus is the first step to pointing them to light at the end of the tunnel.
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STUDENT Careers SUPPORTED BY
Knowledge Equals Opportunity KEO Staying Safe Online project Volunteering Matters, through the KEO family project, delivers online safety sessions to children in school years 5 and 6 and will enable them to share with their parents the knowledge gained through the programme.
and an ability to commit during school hours to support this project. Volunteers will receive relevant training during the summer, ready for a start in September.
The KEO family team, which is well established in its work with families and migrant families, facilitates each group to become aware of online risks of abuse and helps students design and deliver presentations about internet safety to parents. The project has successfully delivered 9 programmes in 3 primary schools, with another 3 schools starting in September.
KEO Project The KEO programme is aimed at migrant parents with primary school aged children. The programme will support parents in: understanding how to create the right conditions for learning, understanding the school system, understanding the host community, increasing parental engagement with schools & enabling parents to support their children’s reading and writing. In addition, the KEO project also delivers English Conversational Classes twice a week based at our office.
The KEO Staying Safe Online project is looking for volunteers with an interest in education & young people, safeguarding
The KEO project needs volunteers who are interested in education and understand issues relating to being new
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WRITTEN BY DARREN OXBROW
to the community - such as having a limited knowledge of English and/or any other issues which might create barriers to inclusion and communication. Volunteers will receive relevant training during the summer, ready for a start in September. The KEO project offers a great opportunity to anyone wanting to gain valuable skills and experience working with young people and families. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Sara Caravelas T: 01473 418035 Sara.caravelas@volunteeringmatters.org.uk www.volunteeringmatters.org.uk
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STUDENT Careers SUPPORTED BY
WRITTEN BY SIAN ROBERTSON
LOCAL LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION Using it to make informed career choices
This month I will be helping you to understand what Labour Market Information (LMI) is and why awareness of it can support you in deciding what to study at sixth form/college/university and where to go next. LMI is derived from data and statistics that assess current - and predict future - trends in employment. It is the information that can help us to answer the following questions: • Which sectors/industries/job roles are growing both locally and nationally? • What skills are employers looking for in future employees? • What education levels will be needed in the future? • Which employers are looking to move into the local area? • Which sectors/industries/job roles are decreasing locally and nationally? •Which sectors/industries have a high ageing workforce?
Being able to identify large, current employers will enable you to look for work experience opportunities as these companies are likely to take on part-time and inexperienced staff. Some of the largest employers in Ipswich are Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Hospital, AXA and BT. Understanding the sectors that are growing and declining will allow you to think smartly about where job vacancies are likely to occur in the future. Training to enter into a sector that is declining could mean having to re-train or change your career path in a few years’ time. Being aware of skills gaps and job shortages will also support you in your decision making – training and becoming skilled in areas that are highly sought after, for example Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) industries, will likely mean a well-paid career in a growing industry. Although understanding the labour market and being aware of what’s happening locally is good, in next month’s issue we will be looking at how technology and globalisation are changing our world in a way that we can’t predict and why studying a higher education qualification can help to prepare you for this.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CAREER READY AND ALL THAT WE DO TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE, VISIT Career Ready Tel: 020 7986 5494 www.careerready.org.uk www.twitter.com/CareerReadyUK www.facebook.com/CareerReadyUK www.linkedin.com/school/954160/
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WTF W H AT T H E F OO D
Cover photo by RACHEL JAMES 17 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
WHAT THE Food WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY
IT’S NATIONAL HOT AND SPICY FOOD DAY August sees us still languishing in the heat (maybe not always in England!), and what better way to celebrate than to match that heat in our food. No I’m not talking about temperature, I’m talking spices, chillies and hot sauce! Spicy foods are my absolute favourite and August brings us a special day to celebrate. August 19th is National Hot and Spicy Food Day, and I definitely know I will be celebrating in style! This is a US national day, however I feel like there is no reason why us Brits can’t celebrate alongside them! Now not to get confused between the ‘Hot’ and ‘Spicy’ parts of the day – they class items such as wasabi and horseradish as ‘Hot’, and peppers an chillies as ‘Spicy’.
Sweet & Spicy Now spices don’t just have to be in savoury food. A lot of crazy people out there enjoy a little spice in their desserts and sweet dishes. A lot of sweet ingredients such as cocoa and milk based dishes actually complement the hint of spice and heat. The first interesting dish is Jalapeño Cheesecake Ice Cream. Now this may sound strange, but the jalapeño and the ice cream work together really nicely. The dairy in the dish helps to counteract the jalapeno spice, so instead of leaving you gasping for air it is leaving you with the fresh jalapeño taste. The cheesecake adds a sweet cakey texture and all these components create a unique and tasty dessert! Mexican brownies are another favourite of mine. The spice and chocolate combination
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SPICY FOOD FACTS
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Chilli peppers are actually good for you! They contain a high number of vitamins and are also proven to help lower cholesterol. Now that is worth the numb tongue feeling!
• • Although they don’t seem it; hot mustard, horseradish and some mustards are in the same category of hot and spicy food. Though they may not have the same impact Chilli peppers can also help you lose some pounds, by boosting metabolism rates and dismissing your cravings for fatty foods!
as a jalapeño!
•
The most effective way of easing the burn of a spicy food is with cold milk or yoghurt. People mistakenly drink water, which won’t mix with the oil and will cause the heat to move to other parts of your mouth instead.
•
The chemical that is found in peppers that causes them to be hot, Capsaicin, isn’t found in any other plant and is so distinct that humans could identify it, even if it were in a concentration as little as one part per million.
is tickling to the senses. Adding red chillies to your usual brownies adds the perfect kick and touch of flavour. It is an old Mexican tradition to combine cocoa with spice and heat, so these Mexican brownies are a great snack.
WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY
Now if you’re a peanut fan, this one may appease you! Chocolate-Covered Habanero Peanut Brittle is a great little snack with a big flavour. Again, the chocolate and habanero work hand-in-hand, alongside the touch of peanut. Brittle is a great snack to pick at and is equally as tasty! There are so many sweet dishes that you can add a touch of spice or heat to, and it transforms it into a whole new flavour. How about you try it and celebrate National Hot and Spicy Food Day in style! A touch of chilli here and a drop of spice there and you can have your tastebuds tingling. 19 • A UGWHAT UST 2018 THE•F OOD S TUDENT LIFE
WHAT THE Food WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY
WHY IS SPICY FOOD SPICY? Now if we’re going to get very scientific, there are some interesting facts as to why spicy food is actually spicy. That tingling, hot feeling that usually comes from chilli peppers, but sometimes from horseradish (a root) or mustard. There is a secret ingredient hiding in the shadows, that is causing this feeling. LET’S TALK ABOUT PEPPERS. Their seeds have capsaicin (cap-SAY-uhsin), which is an irritant to us. We feel this irritation like a burn. That is what we associate with a ‘spicy’ feeling! Pepper plants are trying to protect themselves—and make more pepper plants. This is where Capsaicin has it’s shining moment. Birds and animals eat the peppers
and then dispose of them all over the ground. The seeds then grow in a new place. But when bugs eat the peppers, they leave little holes in the fruit. Fungi enter the holes and eat the seeds, stopping them from growing. Capsaicin protects the seeds from the fungi. Meaning they can grow and grow! However this does mean creating a spicy, tingling taste when we eat the delicious food. A lot of people think a little burn makes food taste better. But a lot of others don’t. Eating food that’s too spicy for you can hurt your mouth and your stomach. So it’s important to know your peppers before you eat them. The Scoville Scale orders chilli peppers from hottest to mildest. The hottest peppers can be more than 2 million times spicier than the mildest. Now that’s hot!
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1. A GLASS OF MILK. I think this is a classic when it comes to battling a fiery tongue. Milk is excellent for relieving the effects of spicy foods, as it contains ingredients that help break down the spicy components of chillis and peppers.
SOOTHE THE BURN WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY
Now, I’m sure we’ve all been there when we’ve bitten off a bit more than we can chew, especially when it comes to spicy food. I, for one, have always thought I can handle a lot of heat and spice but sometimes I push it too far! Here are the best ways to soothe the burn after getting a mouthful of too much spice.
2. ACIDIC JUICE Now this is one that isn’t as popular, however taking a big swig of lemon, tomato or orange juice can help neutralise the pH level of the spicy food you’re eating, helping to cool off the burn! 3. A SPRINKLE OF SUGAR OR HONEY Although this may sound strange, sprinkling a drizzle of honey or sugar onto your tongue after feeling the heat can help to neutralise the spiciness as well. Alongside helping to soothe the heat, it also leaves a rather pleasant sweet taste in your mouth! 4. OLIVE OIL As disgusting as this sounds, apparently swallowing a teaspoon of olive oil helps to tackle the spiciness of the foods. I can’t say I’ve ever personally tried this technique, however the combination of fat and oil helps to soothe the burn. 5. PEANUT BUTTER If you really can’t stand the thought of the olive oil, then peanut butter has similar qualities and can work as a good substitute!
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Chicken Jalfrezi
METHOD •
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Prep 10 mins – Cook 1 hour
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE; • • • • • •
½ large onion, chopped 1 tsp turmeric 1 tbsp ground coriander 400g can plum tomatoes 1 green chilli, chopped 1 tbsp ground cumin
• •
FOR THE MEAT & VEG; • • • • • • •
•
2-3 chicken breasts ½ large onion 1 red pepper 2 red chillies 1 tsp ground coriander Any other spices that you enjoy Cooked rice and naan bread to serve
•
Coat the chopped chicken with the cumin, turmeric and coriander. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes. Fry the onion and garlic together with the green chilli and some black pepper. Do this for 5 minutes until the onion has browned. Add 300ml water, and leave to simmer for around 20 minutes. Place the plum tomatoes in a food processer and mix until it presents as a smooth consistency. Fry the coriander, cumin and turmeric in some oil and then add the tomatoes, ready to simmer for 10 minutes. Process the onion mixture and add to the tomato sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes. Fry the marinated chicken and stir continuously. Turn down the heat after a few minutes and add the other half of the onion, the red pepper and the chillis. Stir until the chicken is cooked. Mix the chicken with the sauce and simmer all the contents for 10-20 more minutes. Season and serve with cooked pilau rice and a side of naan bread. Now this is a way to celebrate National Hot and Spicy Food Day.
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STUDENT Entertainment
Wireless FESTIVAL
WRITTEN BY CHANEL McKENZIE
As some of you may know from my previous articles, Wireless Festival has always been a festival I continuously look forward to every year. Although I have been to the festival every year for five years, I have never done the full weekend of three days, so this year was a first! To describe is quite swiftly… What a weekend! Many talented artists performed across the whole weekend including, J Cole, Stormzy, Giggs and Partynextdoor. For me, out of all the days, Saturday was definitely one that stood out. The day began with the England vs Sweden World Cup quarter final match and what a great start that was! Wireless Festival created the biggest crowd to be watching the England game in the UK. The atmosphere was electric and especially when England finished at 2-0. Around 9pm on the Saturday evening, UK’s grime sensation Stormzy took to the main stage. I have never been so mesmerised during a performance. It was so capturing and everyone was quite simply
blown away. The night ended with Stormzy performing his single ‘Blinded By Your Grace’ with a live orchestra and fireworks adding the lasting touch. On Sunday morning, everyone was awoken by the news that the headline act, DJ Khaled, will no longer be performing. We had no idea of a replacement, so we were left in suspense all day. Until… the OVO flag unveiled as a backdrop at the end of Giggs’s performance. DRAKE was DJ Khaled’s replacement and the crowd went crazy. For me, this will be a moment I will remember forever. Everyone in the audience was taken by such surprise! The weekend in itself was very tiring, a festival for three days is not an easy task! Despite the tiredness we all felt at the end, it was a weekend we will remember forever. Every single artist I watched really made the Wireless stages their own. I look forward to more music events this year, let me know where you guys are going!
23 •SATUDENT UG UST 2018 ENTERTAINMENT • S TUDENT LIFE
Top Tunes
WRITTEN BY LOUISE DICKMAN
Welcome to our 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:
RISE JONAS BLUE (FEAT. JACK & JACK) GOD IS A WOMAN ARIANA GRANDE JUST MY TYPE THE VAMPS JUMPSUIT / NICO AND THE NINERS TWENTY ONE PILOTS IN MY FEELINGS DRAKE *EXPLICIT*
Rise has been the most on repeat this month for me. I was never really a big fan of Jack & Jack’s music but this collab with Jonas Blue makes for a really good tune. The piano chords throughout make the song very catchy and so upbeat! The story behind this song is mainly based on teenagers not wanting and refusing to grow up and take on responsibilities (I can definitely relate!). After hearing Jack & Jack on a radio interview, Jonas Blue approached them for this, now very popular, summer hit. Turns out this was the right decision as it sounds great!
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Just My Type is an example of how much The Vamps have changed their music definitely for the better. Compared with their old songs from a few years ago, well, it’s not comparable. The bassline during the song makes it what it is. It’s about falling for someone you know you shouldn’t or isn’t good for you, however, realising that this kind of person is your ‘type’ as they are all you ever fall for! The Vamps used to be for younger teenage girls, but as they’ve grown up, so has their music so I would encourage you have a listen to this! Along with Jumpsuit, Nico and the Niners were released this month to give us a taste of TØPs new album, Trench, coming out later this year. Both of these songs have definitely made me excited for the whole album release. Despite seeming to have a darker meaning, they both have an upbeat tempo, which actually goes for a lot of their songs. Although, Jumpsuit has such a more rock feel to it – the guitar riffs are just amazing and the music video is insane!! There are a lot of hidden meanings in this video that makes it an even better watch.
God is a Woman, as you can certainly tell, is really focused on female liberation. The video is especially great to watch and gets that message across to the viewer. In multiple scenes she’s sitting on top of the world, makes herself bigger than her haters and recreating the Creation of Adam, but, using all women for this. The song also shows how she doesn’t care what people think and especially about her new relationship. It’s definitely a bop and I have been listening to it since I came out. Despite listening to it so much it hasn’t got boring at all!
And finally, which seems to be the most popular from new album Scorpion, In My Feelings. This song has such a good vibe to it and is a song, if played, would get me feeling good/happy. The basis of this song is Drake just firing out names of people he has a crush on, had a thing for, or been with in the past. Another great thing about this song is all of the vocal samples used throughout, including Lollipop by Lil Wayne and Smoking Gun by Magnolia Shorty. In My Feelings is such a great track and absolutely one of my top favourites of this month.
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TORY’S WRITTEN BY VICTORIA REYTON
MAMMA MIA! – HERE WE GO AGAIN
Tory’s Rating:
Director: Ol Parker
Run Time: 1 hour 54 26 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
Certificate: PG
After 10 years, the band is back together. Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, Colin Firth and Dominic Cooper return for another round of Abba’s greatest hits as well as singing some of their lesser-known songs. The 2008 film Mamma Mia! was widely mocked when it was released, with Brosnan on the receiving end of most of the scorn for his singing ability which was described as appalling. It looks like the Bond star may have taken the criticism to heart, only sing-talking a few lines of Knowing Me Knowing You in this sequel. Whereas Mamma Mia! lacked much of a storyline, here director Ol Parker follows two narratives throughout the film. In the present day, Sophie (Seyfried) is preparing to open her boutique hotel, the Bella Donna on the Greek island of Kalokairi. The hotel manager Fernando (Andy Garcia) — cue “can you hear the drums” — is doing his best to get everything ready in time for the grand opening party and one of her dads, Sam (Brosnan), is doing his best to reassure Sophie. But her relationship with Sky (Cooper) is going through a rough patch and just about everything that can go wrong does in the lead-up to the big day. In flashbacks, the story of how a young Donna (Lily James) ended up in Greece and meeting Sophie’s three dads is told. Goddess of pop Cher has a small role as Sophie’s grandmother who has been largely absent in both her and Donna’s lives. We know she can sing and perhaps was cast to make up for the lack of musical ability the first time around, however, viewers get only a small taste of her vocal prowess. The film lacks some of the big song and dance numbers of the original, but it does have its moments. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is not going to win any awards but neither did the first film and it went on to gross $144.1 million in the US and a total of $615.7 million worldwide. It’s purely light entertainment wrapped up in toe-tapping music that plays homage to the Swedish super group’s timeless tunes. And, like the first film, the all-in final number — Super Trouper kickstarted by Cher — featuring sparkling jumpsuit- clad Firth, Brosnan and Skarsgard alongside the old and new trio of Donna and the Dynamos, will have movie-goers saying I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do want more.
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STUDENT Safety
…WE’VE UPDATED OUR PRIVACY POLICY WRITTEN BY PAUL MASKALL At the end of May, our email inboxes took an absolute beating. Notification after notification of companies and organisations bombarding us with emails and popups stating, ‘We’ve updated our Privacy Policy’ or ‘We take your Privacy seriously’. For the majority of us, it was definitely easier to click ‘I agree’ or to delete the email altogether. If you are terrible at deleting emails like myself or are feeling particularly bored, it is worth going back and seeing the sheer amount of companies that have your data in some form or another. Of course, I had companies that I regularly buy from or interact with regularly, but also had random companies email me that I hadn’t even contacted or had an account with for years. The very fact that my data is stored in the darkest and deepest recesses of the internet is alarming, as we underestimate how far our digital footprint really does go. There is a reason for this though, we are so accustomed to trading our personal data for a product or service. The immediate form to fill in is second nature to us if you want that
social media profile or to buy that product. The truth of the matter is that over the years, the majority of us have always valued the product or service significantly more than the personal data that we are giving them, so that trade is easy and effortless. The difficulty with that though comes from the fact, that with data breaches seemingly in the news every week, like Ticketmaster losing personal and financial information of its account holders, and Timehop, the popular nostalgia based social media addon, losing personal data of 21 million accounts and that is just in the past month. We then see the impact on the people whose data has been lost. Targeted by scams, exploited or at increased risk from fraud, that trade is going to become harder to do, once more of us become aware of the consequences. So where is the accountability to these companies who hold our data? Brought about by the European Union, the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) was put into action on the 25th May and this is the reason for the emails and the updated policies. Part of the new requirements of these new regulations is for companies to inform their customers how your data is handled and who by, but also how you can go about deleting or moving it. This is not just a flash in the pan, as the GDPR brings with it a lot more accountability and a welcome move towards a world where we take greater care over how our data is treated. You may not realise it, but your data is important, as the impact on you if it is lost, mistreated or exploited can have a huge consequence on your wellbeing. It is about valuing your data, the same way you would do something that you value physically. For instance, have you ever thought how easy it is to spend money using contactless, but find it harder to hand over
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physical cash for the same thing? By no means am I saying stop sharing your data, but it’s about understanding your rights and knowing that you have a say over how it is used. It’s about making an informed choice of who you give your data to, how it’s handled and who it’s handled by. If you want some more information about your rights, check out the ‘Your Data Matters’ campaign introduced by the Information Commissioners Officer (ICO) https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/
YOU HAVE TEN FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS: • Your right to be informed if your personal data is being used by an organisation • Your right to obtain copies to see exactly what data is held by that organisation • Your right to correct as it is important that your data is accurate • Your right to delete and request for your personal data to be removed • Your right to limit the way they use your data and for what purpose • Your right to data portability and to move your data to another organisation • Your right to object to how your data is being used in some circumstances • Your rights in automated decisions and to query those made without human involvement • Your right to access information held by you from a public body • Your right to raise concern if you have issue as to how your data is being used
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STUDENT Safety
Wildfires
PREVENTING
IN SUFFOLK
This year has seen a significant increase in wildfires across Suffolk. The weather conditions have left areas of grassland, forest and cropped areas particularly vulnerable to fire. A large forest fire or crop fire can impact hugely on Fire and Rescue resources and is very hard work to extinguish. Crews, control room staff and landowners would like to ensure that the risk of wildfires are kept as low as possible by following some simple steps. 1. Avoid throwing cigarettes and matches from vehicles or whilst out and about 2. Have the difficult conversations with your children about the dangers and consequences of playing with fire outdoors 3. Avoid BBQs in areas of woodland and near grassland. Keep them off the ground when you do use them and dispose of them properly when fully cold 4. Avoid leaving glass products in full sun as this can concentrate the sun’s rays to create a hot spot Enjoy this period of hot weather but please help us reduce fire risk.
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MY Life We are delighted to bring yet another new section to Life! Co-ed Rachel will be heading up all things ‘My Life’ in a supplement that focuses on tips, life hacks and advice on a variety of subjects. A one-stop shop for the inside scoop on starting your next adventure - written by students who have been there, done it. My Life will also include articles and support for ‘nontraditional’ students; such as mature students, international students and those who have caring responsibilities.
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MY Life
UNIVERSITY MUST HAVES
WRITTEN BY CARA FOLLON
Moving out and moving into student accommodation or into a student house can be really scary and confusing. You suddenly have to buy so many different things and many things I can guarantee you will NEVER use. However, there are certain items that I know you cannot live without while at University. 1. A DOOR-STOP A door-stop is a great way to allow you to make friends when you first move to University. By having one under your door, you’re making it clear to your new housemates or flat mates that you’re an inviting person who doesn’t mind people coming into your room for a chat or to watch some films. However, always remember to take it out of your door so you can lock your door at night, just in case!
accommodation. One of the worst things is when you’re arranging how you want your room to look and none of your electronics can be plugged in because the leads are way too small. I’ve used extension leads for so many of my electronic items and it’s been so useful! 4. FULL-SIZED MIRROR Although many student accommodations do supply a mirror, usually in the ensuite or shared bathroom, a full-sized mirror that you can hang over your door or just have in your room is a great item to have. There have been many times where I have desperately wanted a full-size mirror to check that my outfit was on point. 5. EARPLUGS I absolutely love noise-cancelling earplugs. Living in student accommodation can be extremely noisy at times and during exam season you need a good night’s sleep. I usually wear earplugs every night, just in case.
2. HANGERS Although a pretty easy item to remember, I know SO many people who seemingly forgot to pack hangers when they first moved in. It’s so important to bring them, especially if you’re like me who in my first year decided to pack the whole entirety of my wardrobe. Even if you don’t want to bring hangers from home, most supermarkets have some great, sturdy hangers for a reasonable price, so I advise you to snap them up! 3. EXTENSION LEAD/CORD Extension leads have been my saviour these past few years living in student 32 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR FIRST WEEK AT UNIVERSITY WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM
Harriet is twenty-one years old and has just completed her degree in BA (Hons) Digital Film Production. She will be graduating with a 2:1 Harriet got involved with Student Life because she enjoys writing and wants to continue this skill. The first week of University can be daunting, especially if you are leaving home for the first time. It’s difficult to adjust with moving away from home and into student accommodation, but by surrounding yourself with good friends and coursemates it makes everything less intimidating. One of the best pieces of advice that I learnt during my first few weeks is that everyone is in the same boat. The majority of my coursemates had also moved out of home which made me feel more comfortable and relaxed. Firstly, there are several different ways to get involved in activities at University of Suffolk and improve the overall experience by meeting new people. I discovered most of the University’s activities from social media and from the Freshers and Re-Freshers’ Fairs. I learnt about the Students’ Union Most Active Students sessions and regularly attended a wide variety of sessions including - Zumba, Pilates, Insanity and Self Defence. These weekly sessions are vital for students
at a reasonable cost of just one pound per session and help students to meet new students. Secondly, the Students’ Union societies only cost one pound per year and featured over twenty active societies. These are a great way to join a friendly community and attend enjoyable events where you can meet new people and make friends. From my experience, there are a wide range of student bars and restaurants around Ipswich waterfront, which are great places to relax with friends and for attending social events. There are also weekly quizzes at Revolution Ipswich every Monday night, which are beneficial to meet new people and friends of friends. Once or twice a month, my flatmates and I would usually order a takeaway at weekends to catch up and take a break from our studies. To conclude, I would advise any new students to follow the advice above to appreciate their time at University. It’s important to get involved with numerous University related events. Moreover, I would suggest hanging out with coursemates and flatmates to make your first week and University experience less overwhelming and more pleasant.
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MY Life
ATTENDING UNI AS A MATURE STUDENT WRITTEN BY PENNY FENTON
Penny is 30, from Woodbridge and is in her second year of a foundation degree in Bioscience. She decided to get involved to encourage others who need a change to consider mature study. I can’t imagine me ten years ago, away from home, committing to my studies while negotiating new surroundings and building a new social life because for me studying right now and right here near my friends and family, just fits. With few serious commitments, uni is my priority and my life for the time being and I take it very seriously, a quality that some I’m sure find a touch irritating. I see my age and seemingly late start as an advantage that has gifted me focus, clarity and a sense of urgency. Perhaps it is fortunate that I’ve not had the delightful experience of midweek nights out leading to painful crawls into 9 am lectures and my social life still revolves around my long-term friends from whom I receive amazing support. However, I do feel very student-like and I love flitting between the two worlds, from a wedding with friends at
the weekend then lab time or study during the week, without any long commutes. On the subject of stress, I won’t be attending any group crying sessions, but it happens on occasion and I choose to blame my keenness rather than admit to being ridiculously soft and sometimes painfully stubborn! Snacks and exercise help keep the angst at bay. The former train my bum into a rounder, squashier shape just right for hours of comfortable sitting and reading while the exercise prevents this squishiness from getting out of hand in times of sedentary exam and assignment writing. The world of work taught me that there’s a lot of competition out there, so I know I need a high degree. To me resilience will be as important in achieving this as ability, and I find I do well when, no matter what, I just get on with it. Sometimes that means being an absent friend, studying while ill or freshly out of hospital when I just want to wallow, or missing out socially due to money and workload. However, when on insanely good days I imagine people addressing me as Dr and on more grounded days see myself working in the field glamorously taking samples of animal leavings, I know I am doing the right thing at the right time for me.
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DECIDING TO GO TO UNIVERSITY WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE By far and away the biggest step I have taken in my life is making the decision to go to university. In September 2018 I will be starting a four year psychology course at my top choice of university, the University of Surrey. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s back track a little to the beginning of the journey, which means getting in our time capsule and going back to 2016 when I first began looking at universities. Even if you aren’t 100% sure you want to go to university, I highly recommend hopping onto UCAS and having a rummage around all the courses available. By getting a look at everything available, you’re more likely to come across something you want to do, or are interested in. Many of us may be put off the idea of university due to the cost, or because by this point 13 years of education is enough to have driven any of us insane,
but you really shouldn’t put off the idea until you’ve had a look. I was on the fence about university (another four years of education? Umm no thanks!) but having explored UCAS, I couldn’t be happier with my choice to apply. The hardest part of applying is definitely choosing the courses you want to apply to, as there are so many! But, you can apply for up to five, so this leaves room for debate over which ones you want to apply for. Filling out and submitting your application is a doddle, UCAS offer step-by-step videos on how to do this. By this point, it was December 2017, and my application was all sent off. The best advice I can give you is get started on your application early, and do as many drafts as possible of your personal statement; it’s the key element to your application. Again, UCAS and The Student Room offer brilliant advice on writing the perfect personal statement. Then, I’m afraid it’s just a waiting game! The sooner you send off your application, the earlier you are likely to hear back from the universities on whether they want to offer you a place. However, don’t rush your application for this sake! Take your time, get it right, and don’t give up hope!
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STUDENT Tech SUPPORTED BY
LOXONE SMART HOME PRODUCT REVIEWED BY ROSIE WEDGE
As part of our partnership with Hughes, each month we will be reviewing an exciting and innovative product for your home. This month, we test the Loxone Smart Home - Building Management System. As someone who is not wholly articulate when it comes to technology, I assumed the Loxone System would be a highly complex device. Claiming to be capable of helping the buyer to ‘Save 50,000 tasks’ by carrying them out for them, I was blown away by the system’s simplicity. Loxone is designed to make life easier, by carrying out a multitude of features such as temperature regulation, control over lighting and voice-activation, simply by installing a set of motion sensors and detectors in your home. The system is very simple to install; a case of mounting the brackets on to the wall, no bigger than a traditional light-switch, and then placing the battery-operated sensors inside; that’s it!
Of course, Loxone can be added to so it can help with other aspects of life, such as automatically heating a home pool for you, or being able to turn-off all the lights and electrics in your house, just by giving the sensor pad a triple tap. However, even its core features can be of incredible use. If you’re someone who often worries whether they locked the door before leaving home or feeling anxious that you left an electrical appliance on, the Loxone system can verify this for you by giving a sign when you close the front door, such as a red light from the sensors, that confirms everything is turned off, giving you peace of mind and saving you time. It also has great security benefits too, as it can use special technology when unlocking the door, or trying to gain access, to let you know who has tried to contact you when you aren’t home, or if anyone has attempted an unauthorised entrance. So, not only does it make life more convenient, it makes it safer and more secure.
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HUGHES’ VIEW Who are Loxone? Loxone are a true smart home ‘building management system’. They are the backbone to the true smart homes we create at Hughes.
It doesn’t even have to be that expensive, you can use bog-standard lamps and speakers from Homebase with Loxone; no fancy gadgets needed and the system can work with existing home assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant! Furthermore, Loxone can also be powered through an app meaning you can control your home from your phone or tablet screen. Overall, this high-tech gadget is beautifully simple to use, and provides fantastic benefits with no drawbacks on first impression.
A Loxone Smart Home thinks the way you do. It understands which lights to turn on, which music to play and your preferred room temperature for different times of the day – whether it be in the morning or evening, or specifically when you’re cooking, relaxing or having guests over. This level of comfort can only be experienced in a Loxone Smart Home. With solutions for complete re build, all the way through to retro fitting an existing home, Loxone have a solution that can work for everyone to help create a custom home right for you.
your home connected
hughes.co.uk/smarthome 37 • A UG UST S TUDENT 2018 •TEC S TUDENT H LIFE
RAISING THE BAR
Suffolk County Council’s ‘Raising the Bar’ awards celebrate and recognise excellence across education in Suffolk. It is a chance to say thank you to those who are making a difference or to show how proud nominees are of a star pupil or student. The Raising the Bar awards 2018 took place on 10 July at Trinity Park, Ipswich and Student Life was nominated in the ‘Excellence in Collaboration’ category. WRITTEN BY RICHARD STEWART
Having been nominated in April, receiving a telephone call in June to tell me that Student Life had been shortlisted as a finalist was genuinely thrilling. I think it’s very fair to say that nobody associated with the publication is in it for the awards, but accolade is infectious. We won Suffolk Coastal District Council’s ‘Big Bang’ award in January and the springboard that this type of recognition gives the team is priceless. Last month’s event was just as special as January’s. Leanne Arnold, Rosie May and I arrived at Trinity Park suitably attired in ‘smart-casual’ and bumped into Kesgrave High School’s head of sixth form – Sarah Wheatley – who was a nominator in a separate category. It was great to chat with Sarah and as we caught each other up on the previous few weeks, we were joined in the garden area by many students, teachers and other education-affiliated people, all eagerly anticipating the evening. Steered through the proceedings by the amiable Terry Baxter, awards were presented in the categories; Rising Star of the year, Young Achiever of the year, Inspirational Young Person of the year, Educational Setting of the year, Educational Leader of the year, Excellence in Teaching, Excellence in Middle Leadership, Business Partner of the year, Support Staff of the year, Outstanding Contribution as a Volunteer and then………. Excellence in Collaboration. Being on stage, seeing the envelope opened and then being announced as winners was a very proud moment. Having the support and seal of approval of Suffolk County Council means a lot and shows just how far Student Life has come in a very short space of time. As I previously mentioned, we don’t do what we do for the potential awards – but it sure helps to motivate and spur the team on to better & better things. Congratulations to the whole team at Student Life. Your dedication, commitment & professionalism is inspirational. I’m now off to polish the glassware ready for its various appearances this month!
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SEXUAL Health
(RSE) RELATIONSHIPS & SEX EDUCATION WRITTEN BY ANDY TURNER
Sunday 12th August marks International Youth Day, so this month especially, we’ll be looking at the issues around sexual health which specifically affect young people. ‘Don’t you do that every month?’ I hear you cry. Yes of course, although the article on HIV for instance is one that everyone should read, regardless of age. In fact, it’s so important, we’ll be revisiting the subject of HIV in the November issue of this (multi award winning) magazine. So, where do we start when we consider sexual health and young people? For anyone working in sexual health, the first thing that springs to mind is education. Information, knowledge, understanding of risk – all make a great foundation when negotiating and having sex, and looking after your sexual health. Without this education, it’s like putting together an IKEA wardrobe without the instructions – something is bound to be put in the wrong hole, and the end result isn’t quite what you’d hoped for.
in 2016 we published our Shhh… No Talking report, which detailed the experiences of RSE lessons from over 900 young people aged 1625 across Britain. The report highlighted the inadequate or even non-existent provision in many schools. We found that young people do want RSE but they aren’t always getting it - 99% of young people surveyed thought RSE should be mandatory in all schools , and that one in seven young people did not receive any RSE in school at all. The quality of RSE varies, with over half of those surveyed (61%) receiving RSE just once a year (or less in some cases). Half of young people rated the RSE they received in school as either ‘poor’ or ‘terrible’. 95% were not taught about LGBT sex and relationships - 97% thought RSE should be LGBT-inclusive. When it came to learning about HIV, three out of five respondents either did not receive any information about HIV or did not remember receiving information about it in school. Worryingly, 75% of young people were not taught about consent. RSE is due to become compulsory in all schools from September 2020. It was originally supposed to be September 2019, but in June of this year we were informed that this would be delayed by a year. In February 2018, we submitted evidence to the Department for Education on what should be included in RSE lessons.
RSE Terrence Higgins Trust have been campaigning for higher quality relationships and sex education (RSE) for many years, and 4 0 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
TERRY HIGGINS
We asked that: • Lessons are LGBT-inclusive • Up-to-date information is given on HIV and sexual health, including testing, PrEP and treatment. • Information on consent, safeguarding, the law, and healthy relationships be included. • Young people are made aware of how to access services, both locally and online, involving sexual health practitioners in schools to help normalise accessing these services. • Young people are involved in the design and evaluation of lessons, and that there is clear inspection criteria for Ofsted when evaluating the quality of lessons. • Teachers receive training and development so that they can be confident when delivering lessons. STIS Where sexually transmitted infections are concerned, the two of the most common STIs among young people are chlamydia and gonorrhoea. They are passed on during vaginal, oral or anal sex. Left untreated they can cause serious problems in both men and women, including infertility. If there are any symptoms, they can include discharge, and pain when urinating or during sex. Testing is quick and painless, and the two
infections can be treated with antibiotics. You’ll be advised not to have sex until treatment has finished or you could pass on the infection. If you were given a single dose of antibiotics you will be asked to wait for a week to have sex. You can get a test at a sexual health clinic, order one online at www.youngandfree.org. uk or from a Terrence Higgins Trust outreach worker. Remember, you can have an infection without knowing, so regular check-ups are a good idea. FREE CONDOMS The Suffolk c-card scheme is a free condom distribution service, aimed at improving sexual health and condom access for young people living in Suffolk. It is free to any young person between 13-24 years old. The c-card scheme is easy to sign up to and there are loads of outlets across Suffolk from student services to pharmacies, which are usually identified by a poster or window sticker with the c-card logo displayed. For a map of outlets visit - https://www.icash. nhs.uk/contraception-sexual-health/c-cardscheme/c-card-suffolk That’s all for this month, see you in September!
Email: sexualhealthsuffolk@tht.org.uk
Website: www.tht.org.uk
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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. Family Events & Activities Maritime Festival 18th & 19th August Quay Place will be running craft activities over Maritime Weekend. Join us to make cork boats, sequined fish and flags. A Touch of Gold 8th & 9th September During the Heritage Weekend, we are celebrating the golden jubilee of the Arts Society with an exciting installation decorated by children across Suffolk. You can also take part in activities including a gold treasure hunt. Seahorse Crafts Take part in free crafty activities during the summer holidays linking seahorses and memory together. You can also visit the seahorse sculpture as part of the All About Ipswich Family Trail.
Garden Explorers Fridays, 10am – 11.30am Garden Explorers is for children aged 2 to 4-years-old, and their parents, to have fun and play outside. Every week a different theme will bring new fun activities. £2 per child - includes activities & refreshments. To book call 01473 569696. Writing Workshops Come and join our Writers’ Workshops for ages 11 to 16. By the end of the session you will have written your own exciting story! Email events@quayplace.co.uk for more details. Wellbeing Wander Trail Come to Quay Place on weekdays during the summer holidays to take part in a trail to learn about your emotional needs and resources. One lucky young person will win a summer prize for completing this challenge. This is a free activity, no booking needed.
Quay Place Key Street, Ipswich, IP4 1BZ • quayplace.co.uk • 01473 569696 42 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
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. 4 3 • A UG UST 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE
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Editor’s
August has come around so fast, as usual here at Student Life we have been very busy. This month, in the US, they celebrate friendships, so therefore we have decided to run articles on friendships and how they can be impacted by mental health difficulties. Not only this, we also have a piece on social media and the effects this can have on people’s mental health. If you have had any experiences of this and want to write about it, please send me an email! Likewise, if you are interested in mental health and want to get involved with writing for Student Life please drop any of us an email, it’s a great publication to be involved in and looks great on your CV. A little reminder to keep hydrated this summer: it’s very warm and humid so keep topping up that sun-cream and drinking plenty of fluids! Take care, guys! xo
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CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 leanne@student-life.co www.student-life.co
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Contents... SELF CARE FRIENDSHIPS Q&A RELATIONSHIPS
45 46 49 50-51
SUFFOLK MIND 52-53 FLEXIBLE WORKING 56-57 58-59 LGBTQ+ BULLYING 60-64
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SELF CARE ENJOYING NATURE WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY When you want to clear your head, it’s often the great outdoors we embrace. It’s a simple and free way of introducing self-care into your daily routine. In regards to your mental health, walking may help improve self-perception, self-esteem, mood and sleep quality as well as reducing stress, anxiety and fatigue. Studies have found that physically active people have up to a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed (walkingforhealth. org.uk). Going outside for a walk not only helps your mental health but it also has a number of physical health benefits. The NHS recommends that a brisk 10 minutes of walking a day can help you to build stamina and help make your heart healthier (nhs.uk/ live-well). Walking for Health is England’s largest network of health walks and not only is this a good way of keeping active but by joining a local walk, you may make new friends. Alternatively, why not plan your own walking route? This could form part of your daily commute or it could be a weekend leisure
activity. Ipswich is fortunate to have a number of local parks that you can explore such as Holywells Park, Alexandra Park, Christchurch Park, Ravenswood Park and Landseer Park to name a few. You could choose to explore on your own, or you could take some friends and family and make the most of the weather by having a picnic. Whichever you decide, may sure you are keeping safe and maintain contact with someone in cases of emergencies. Happy exploring!
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FRIENDSHIPS & MENTAL HEALTH WRITTEN BY AYLA BLOOM
Ayla is 21-years-old and is in her final year, studying Screenwriting and Film Studies. Ayla decided to get involved with Student Life to share her experiences in the hope that it will help and inspire others. Nowadays, we would like to think that people were much more understanding of mental health issues than they were, say, ten years ago. This includes our circle of friends being in the know. While mental health can affect friendships, the people we associate ourselves with can also impact on our own mental health in positive and negative ways. This month, I would like to address how we can help a friend who might be struggling with their mental health. Friendships play an important role in having good mental health. Connections are important and finding like-minded people contributes to our happiness and general well-being. However, mental health issues can be complex and some do not understand, or are not willing to. This is not uncommon in friendship circles, particularly large ones. Say there is an individual in the group who is suffering from anxiety. They might isolate
themselves, choosing not to go to parties or replying to messages, for instance. Often, this individual is met with stigma from their friends. They will be accused of not bothering, or being boring. This can lead to deeper feelings of anxiety because the individual may give into peer pressure, forcing themselves into a situation they don’t want to be in. However, this isn’t always the case. If we have true friends, they will support us with whatever problem comes our way. I think that’s the bottom line when it comes to friendships and mental health. Choose people who will support you through thick and thin. As for supporting a friend who might be struggling with their mental health, do not think that you have to know all the answers. While you should help a friend to seek professional help, you can do small things. Doing things like coming with them to appointments (if they want you to); encouraging them to go out of their comfort zone (but not too much); being there as a shoulder to cry on; or just making them a cup of tea and having a catch-up is more than enough. Don’t be that friend who excludes someone for their mental health issues.
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SOCIAL MEDIA & MENTAL HEALTH WRITTEN BY HARRIET RACKHAM As an avid social media user on a daily basis, I am aware that it does affect my own mental health at times. I have numerous social media accounts including – Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn etc. In the past, I have been cyberbullied through Facebook and discovered that the best thing to do is put your phone or laptop to one side and ignore the messages or comments. From this experience, I learnt that all the bullies seemed to want was a reaction and it was better to disconnect myself from the situation and take a deep breath. Additionally, numerous friends have been mistreated and bullied through social media platforms and I do think it is easier for people to bully others since they say things which they wouldn’t say face to face. However social media is a viable asset for finding employment, selling/buying products and creating a community. Out of all the social media platforms, I discovered that Facebook and LinkedIn are most useful for the above aspects. An advantage of social
media is that it keeps people in touch and connected, especially if they are living away from home or at University. Moreover, if someone has relatives living away or on the other side of the world then it means they can stay in touch. Furthermore, social media is a huge advantage for small businesses and I have seen it have an incredible impact on several businesses I follow around East Anglia. Businesses can use social media to generate a following and I found Facebook most significant when I managed and was president of the University of Suffolk’s Students’ Union Film Society page. Over the time this page was active, it generated a following of over a hundred and fifteen likes and follows. To conclude, I think that there are some advantages and disadvantages which come with each social media platform. However, from my experience I think social media does cause unnecessary arguments. Finally, I think social media is a positive resource in this day and age if everyone respects it and uses it correctly.
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Talking about
DEPRESSION WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD
This month I thought I would feature an article on the ins and outs of depression in preparation for next month’s feature on the topic. The ICD-10 define depression as; low mood, reduction of energy, and decrease in activities. The enjoyment, interest, and concentration of the person is severely reduced, and levels of tiredness are increased. The person’s sleep is usually disturbed, and their appetite is often lowered considerably. Self-esteem and self-worth are almost always reduced which can sometimes be accompanied by feelings of guilt and reduced confidence levels. Depressive episodes can be classed as mild, moderate, and severe. Depression is more common than many people realise, statistics from MIND state that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience mental health problems each year. In England, 1 in 6 of these people report experiencing depression and anxiety in any given week. Unfortunately, some people believe that depression is trivial and not a genuine condition. Depression is a very real mental health illness and can sometimes lead to people taking their own lives as they cannot
cope with life any more. I personally have suffered with depression and can honestly say it was one of the darkest and most difficult times of my life. I lost all motivation for everything that I used to enjoy, I slept all the time, I didn’t want to be around and wanted to escape the harrowing feeling of constant doom and blackness. If you were to ask me how to describe my depression I would say this: “I can never really feel myself falling into the deep black hole, but I certainly realise when I am there, it’s like trying to climb out of a well that has steel walls and no grip, you’re cold and wet at the bottom and the people at the top cannot reach you to help you out”. However, it’s super important to recognise that people with depression can and do make full recoveries! With the right treatment and support people can recover and live fulfilling lives! Depression is not something that you can ‘snap out of’ by ‘pulling yourself together’ – it is a very debilitating disorder!
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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED 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 IS SCHIZOPHRENIA, I HEAR LOTS OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE BEING ‘PSYCHO’ AND ‘HAVING SPLIT PERSONALITY’, ARE THESE ALL THE SAME THING? A: Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that causes long-term psychological symptoms; it is often described as a type of psychosis. Psychosis is a mental health problem that causes a person to interpret things differently to those around them. Schizophrenia can be accompanied by psychosis, the specific types of psychosis that can accompany schizophrenia are hallucinations and delusional thoughts. A combination of both hallucinations and delusional thoughts can cause extreme stress and mental upset for a person, their reality is not what others is and it can become difficult to manage and cope. A common delusion that people with schizophrenia suffer with is where they believe there is a conspiracy to harm them – this can be in the form of ‘government chips in their necks’,
How to ask: PLEASE SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: LEANNE@STUDENT-LIFE.CO *Please note not all questions will be answered, and all will be posted anonymously. If you are seeking urgent or professional advice, please see our contact list at the end of this sub-section.
‘thoughts that nursing professionals are out to harm them’, ‘thoughts of family conspiring against them’ – naturally these thoughts and beliefs can cause a tremendous amount of stress and emotional upheaval for someone. Hallucinations are where a person sees, hears, feels, and sometimes tastes and smells things that aren’t there. This is most likely the reason for why people mistake schizophrenia as split-personality. The most common hallucination experienced by people who suffer with schizophrenia is hearing voices. Many people associate hearing voices as someone having a splitpersonality – this is not the case. Split-personality, more formerly known as dissociative identity disorder, is defined under the NHS as a person who experiences the presence of other identities. This may mean that the person could have uncertainties about their identity and who they are. The ICD-10 is the UK’s diagnostic manual for mental health conditions, this can be accessed online and can give formal descriptions of mental health conditions.
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WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE
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 former 6th former at Kesgrave High School and a founder member of the Student Life steering group. More so than ever before, many of your relationships and communications in life take place over social media. More people than ever are using social media platforms to communicate with their friends, family and loved ones, and this has both its pros and cons. But what about the relationships we are building with people online that we don’t even know? People we have never met before, yet many of us look up to and find inspiration from them. Are the relationships that we perceive ourselves to have with YouTubers and content creators who document their whole lives online, damaging for us? I’m no stranger to the world of YouTube. By the age of 14, I was already subscribed to over 30 channels. I remember going on holiday several years back for two weeks, and not having any WiFi access. By the time I came home, I had 247 emails from YouTube for new content from my subscriptions to catch up on. That’s crazy. At one point I was so inspired, that I even had a channel of my
IMAGE CREDIT ROSIE WEDGE
own, uploading random challenges, sketches, Q&A’s, all sorts! Sorry to disappoint you all, but that cringe-fest no longer exists as I deleted it, and thinking back to it, boy am I glad I did. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still love YouTube, and have around 10 content creators I love and watch. However, I do think that for some people, especially younger teenage girls, some YouTubers can be destructive. The growing trend of beauty gurus have a primarily female, teen audience and from the content that I have viewed, their lives are portrayed as nothing short of perfect. Constant shopping sprees, perfect hair, perfect figure, tons of cash and perfect relationships; they live in a world of fake perfection. It is obvious that their lives aren’t
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perfect, nobody’s is. No doubt YouTube and the fortunes they have gained from it have improved their lives, but we are led to believe that their lives are flawless, which results in many people comparing themselves to their YouTube idols. You only have to view the top few comments of a Zoella video to see countless young, impressionable teenage girls stating how much they love Zoe and want to be her. Yet we know in recent years there has been controversy around some of these YouTube mega-stars taking advantage of their impressionable audiences for personal gain. I’m not for one moment saying these creators are bad people, however the morals behind many of their actions do question whether it is healthy to see ourselves as having a personal connection with them.
One thing that really encourages the whole ‘relationship’ between subscribers and YouTubers is the whole family vibe. Nearly all large YouTube channels will have a pet name if you like, that the content creators call their viewers, and the views call themselves. PewDiePie’s ‘Bro Family’, grav3yardgirl’s ‘Swamp Family’, and SprinkleOfGlitter’s ‘Sprinklerinos’. This creates a real community feel and gives fans a sense of identity that is recognised and acknowledged by their YouTube idols. Therefore, when these said YouTubers are putting on an appearance of perfection and pure happiness, it encourages their viewers to want it too, and when they can’t achieve it because they don’t have the fame and fortune that the likes of the above have, it leaves them feeling frustrated, upset, and can even lead to issues with identity, self-confidence and self-worth. I think a brilliant example of this is when YouTubers, particularly beauty gurus, do makeup or clothing hauls. They spend, what to many of their early-teen audience is an utter fortune, then conclude their video with “And all this only costs *insert crazy amount of cash*!” Again, I’m not against these people having money and treating themselves, they worked for it and earnt it, however I think we need to be wary of our relationships with YouTubers, and vice versa, they need to be aware of how impressionable we are as young people, who already deal with issues of low self-esteem and a desire to fit in. It’s fine to love these content creators, but remember; don’t compare yourself, you’re already awesome!
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EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WRITTEN BY EZRA HEWING, HEAD OF MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SUFFOLK MIND
The need for emotional connection, to have at least one relationship which allows us to feel accepted ‘warts and all’ for who we are, is a key emotional need – one of nine emotional needs which have to be met to secure good mental health. So, friendships are important for all of us at all times, but especially so if we are experiencing mental ill health. Suffolk Mind’s emotional needs audit is a questionnaire which has been completed by over 2000 people across Suffolk. The emotional needs audit asks people to score how they feel their emotional needs are being met at the moment. The latest data shows that even when people feel that emotional needs for feeling secure, having control over their lives, feeling valued and that they are achieving things are not being met so well, it is having an emotional connection which is a key factor in helping to maintain emotional wellbeing and resilience. So, it’s little wonder that the prospect of disclosing personal experience of mental
ill health to friends can be daunting – particularly if we feel anxious that it might affect the relationship in a negative way. How might we begin a conversation about mental health with a friend if we are unsure of how they might respond? One approach might be to introduce the topic of mental health into a conversation in general terms – not about our own experiences specifically. For example, we might talk about how mental health was portrayed in a film or a book. You might mention an article that you’ve read in Student Life or perhaps an idea related to mental health which you’ve come across, and ask for their opinion. For example, an idea which we teach on our Suffolk’s Needs Met course, and which is generally agreed upon by mental health professionals, is the mental health continuum. The idea that mental health is on a continuum – or in plainer English a spectrum - suggests that all of us are somewhere between feeling well and severe mental ill health and can find ourselves moving between these points at different times in our lives. You might explain that you’ve read that we’re all on a spectrum somewhere between feeling well and serious mental ill health and ask your friend what they think about the idea. It’s worth remembering that, given that one in four people experience some kind of mental ill health in the course of any given year, it is more and more unusual to come into contact with people who have never been affected by mental ill health in some way. Your friends might surprise you by talking
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about their own experiences of mental ill health or the experiences of people in their family. If you feel that it would be better to be more direct, you might think about choosing the best way of communicating how you feel. Picking a time and place to speak face-toface for example, where you’re not going to be interrupted, even if there is ‘never’ an ideal time. Or, perhaps you would feel more comfortable writing down how you feel or speaking on the telephone. If you’ve ever experienced anxiety you’re probably very good at rehearsing things in your head – but not always in a helpful way. Well rehearsing what you’re going to say is one way of taking control of an overactive imagination in a useful way. Find a time and a place to calm down, perhaps when you’re out for a walk, having a soak in a bath, or after you’ve done something relaxing, and rehearse what you’re going to say, keeping what you plan to say simple. See yourself feeling calm as you practice explaining how you feel. Perhaps you might explain that things have been challenging and that you’ve been to see your GP or are planning to do so, to ask for help. If you have a relevant example from a film or a book, this could be the time to use it to describe your experiences. If there are parts of your experience which make it more tangible, it can be useful to describe them, if we want to help other people understand. For example, if there’s a particular time when the symptoms affect you most, such as waking up feeling exhausted or lacking in energy or hope that things will improve, or specific issues which are a cause of worry, describing
these can help people to better understand what you’re going through. It might be that your friend wants to know how they can help and support you and, if they do, you might want to think about practical help you need, or perhaps you would just like them to be aware of when symptoms are getting in the way of you keeping to your usual routine, or enjoying the activities you share with your friends. Importantly, give your friends time to understand so that you can both talk about mental health openly.
WWW.SUFFOLKMIND.ORG.UK
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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 set up and run 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.
Event Volunteer This is an exciting and varied role which will include talking to groups and individuals to support and signpost people seeking advice and information about Suffolk Mind services. 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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ACADEMIC PERFECTIONISM
Perfectionism vs. your dissertation
WRITTEN BY AYLA BLOOM Even in first year, the prospect of writing a dissertation is imminent. Now you’re in third year. Maybe you’re nervous, petrified, or excited about writing 10,000 words. It’s natural to have a mix of emotions when undertaking such an important piece of work, but a dissertation can become a breeding ground for perfectionism. Here’s a few tips to help you break out of that perfectionist cycle whilst writing your dissertation. DON’T EDIT UNTIL ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!
After days of researching, hours of thinking, and minutes writing, it can be too tempting to start editing what you’ve already written. And, if you’re aiming for a high grade, you’ll be conscious of perfecting your grammar and punctuation. Obviously, you don’t want to be editing your dissertation at the lastminute, but it is important to make sure it is productive. Set goals for yourself. Tell yourself you aren’t going to edit a chapter until you have completed the next one. Sometimes too much editing can decrease the quality of your work (I’m sure every undergrad has been there!)
DON’T SPEND TOO LONG RESEARCHING
There’s no doubt that researching for your dissertation will take up a lot of your time. However, it is impossible to read absolutely everything about your topic. If you did, the dissertation would never get written! Research can also be a form of procrastination - the brain’s way of putting off doing the work. To break this, go back to the goals/aims in your proposal. Break it down into topics and subsections. HAVE BREAKS
The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken thus far. You will end up living and breathing it. You might think that it’s best to get the whole thing over with in one go, but that is counterproductive. As before, set realistic goals for yourself. Make sure to give yourself breaks (both big and small) The general thesis of your dissertation will be changing all of the time, so having time away from the work is actually a positive thing. When the brain is at rest is when the ideas start piling in. You never know, you might end up surprising yourself!
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FLEXIBLE WORKING GETTING IT RIGHT Flexible working relates to an employee’s freedom to work from different locations (including working from home) and at different times of the day / on different days. Flexible working practices can be an incredibly positive way of working, but it takes a little finesse to ensure that time is spent productively and work relationships thrive when colleagues are not physically based in the same place. Working from different locations (including home) can massively reduce our need to travel and also exposes us to a range of working environments within a business. It can extend our understanding of the organisation and the complexity of micro-cultures within it, and can also teach us discipline in working proactively when not being actively supervised in the work environment. Working flexible hours can enable us to work to our own body clock, to fit in exercise and to manage work and home life effectively (especially around family commitments).
However, working flexibly does take a bit of planning and preparation to ensure that time is spent productively and that we maintain vital relationships with our team and our line manager. Below are a few key things to consider if flexible working is something you are able to benefit from at work:
1) Having clear agreement with your manager and team about what flexible working means in your environment. This is the first thing to consider if flexible working is an option for you. Making sure that you and your team have a shared understanding of what it means to you all ensures that expectations are met and everyone feels that they are being treated fairly. Have a direct conversation with your boss about arrangements, expectations and any core business needs that must be met to ensure everyone is comfortable with the arrangement.
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WRITTEN BY DR KATE BLACKFORD
2) Productive working space and times. So, once you have agreed the parameters for your flexible working schedule you need to make sure you have a place to work productively – whether this is at another work location, or at home, you need a space and time that will be conducive to you getting the job done. Working flexible hours is all well and good, but if you end up trying to work around your family or housemates, this will prove challenging! Similarly, not having the physical space to work will also inhibit your ability to do your job – if you are working from another office location, check out what the hot desk situation is and the process for securing a desk before you arrive. If you are working from home, find a space where you can set yourself up comfortably and shut the door on anything else going on around. Avoid setting yourself up in a room with a television – the temptation will be huge!
3) Maintaining contact with your team. One of the things that can suffer when you work flexibly is relationships with your colleagues and manager. Whether it is because you are working different hours, or from a different location, it is easy to become isolated from what the rest of your team are doing. Ensure you plan in times to catch up (both via phone / video conference or in person) with your colleagues and with your manager to ensure you are all up to speed on what the team is doing and what the
expectations are. Physically being in the same place as your colleagues is also important in providing social interactions through work and in building collaborative working relationships – it’s amazing what you can discuss and agree over a cuppa – so ensure you plan in times where this is possible on a regular basis
4) Using your flexible working time productively. When we work from other locations (and especially when working at home) it can be easy to get distracted by things around us and lose productive working time. Put in place a structure for your flexible working days and stick to it. Have clear boundaries around when working time is and when it is time to switch off for the day – it is easy for the work / home divide to become blurred when you work at home. Develop a routine for your flexible working and where necessary, communicate it to anyone you cohabit with so they know not to disturb you. Flexible working can be a great way to balance the demands of work and home life and reduce the drudgery of the daily commute, giving you more productive time for work, home life and healthy activity. Put these simple structures in place and you will find huge benefits in a flexible working schedule – for you, your family and your organisation.
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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
+ Q T LGB THE ‘B’ IN LGBTQ+: THE ISSUE OF BIPHOBIA WRITTEN BY AYL A BLOOM Last week was Pride, a time for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and have their voices heard. A call for celebration, right? Instead, I saw how people who identify as bisexual were being oppressed and marginalised across social media platforms from people in and outside of the community. This was followed by further ridicule, such as the ‘#droptheb’ movement, where it was asked that the ‘B’ from LGBTQ+ was to be removed, subsequently excluding bisexuality from the community. This is called ‘biphobia’.
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Biphobia can be defined as the oppression of bisexuality. The belief that someone cannot be attracted to more than one gender/ sexuality. A type of xenophobia, biphobia enforces the ideology that bisexuality isn’t a valid sexuality. If you look under the hashtag #bisexualityisvalid you will find mixed opinions about biphobia. Some think it is highly present in society. Others say it doesn’t exist at all. Both opinions are alarming – Who is anyone to say who someone can and cannot love? As someone who follows the LGBTQ+ community I find it upsetting that people who identify as bisexual are being shunted out of their own community. The essence of being a community is to stand together and support one another, not bring each other down. I think that’s what needs to be remembered. After noticing the rise of biphobia, I asked friends about their experiences. One said
that they were initially too scared to come out as bisexual for fear of ridicule. Another said that their sexuality was never taken seriously during their teenage years. They were accused of ‘lying’ or ‘attention seeking’ by their peers when they dated someone who identified as a woman. They also admitted that they were spat on in a nightclub and called ‘selfish’ for choosing to date partners who identify as male and female. Others I asked didn’t know what biphobia was. Some felt misinformed about biphobia, and didn’t realise how often it was happening in society. Although one article about biphobia will not change the world, it is clear that awareness of the issue needs to be raised. At the end of the day, biphobia is real and it should not be ignored.
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STAMP IT STOP IT Hello everyone! Welcome back to our Anti-Bullying section. We had a huge response from last month’s inaugural pages and have many students who now wish to collaborate with this part of the publication. If you would like to receive an email with monthly article briefs relating to our anti-bullying campaign, or you would like to free-type an article, please email info@student-life.co We are also launching our anti-bullying film...full details of how to get involved are on page 64 #stampitstopit
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NEGOTIATING
Safety
WRITTEN ANONYMOUSLY Form room, playground, field, toilets…..there was no escape from the 7 lads who were the school year’s ‘hardnuts’. I don’t lose many seconds wondering what happened to these people, but I do hope that there was some sort of comeuppance in later life. Just a small payback for the weeks of misery inflicted in the name of being seen to be ‘ard. I tended to stay in the form room at lunch – the most frequently chosen timeslot for prowling for victims – as there was a better chance that a teacher might wander past. Most days, I would escape any harm, but I’m referring to the physical variety. Every day would add to the emotional scars…not knowing if I was to be targeted or not; not a very relaxing lunch break. If I was noticed, in they would come; chests puffed out and school ties knotted in a unique way that I guess made the ‘gang’ feel different – in charge somehow. I only realised, much later, that this was true safety in numbers for the majority of these lads. Yes, some were destined for the thug life, but most were merely ensuring their own safe passage through school. Over to my desk they would saunter and nearly always the same question “what you lookin’ at?”. My usual answer; silence – as if that would work. What did work though was talking to them! Not just talking, negotiating. After the
second verbal probe, I would usually try to move the discussion to football. This baffled the bullies, as they all loved football and would talk about the sport amongst themselves regularly. What baffled them was whether to engage in conversation with a proposed victim. The confused look on their faces was priceless. So, when we got to their question “which arm do you want the oriental (nod to 2018 politics) burn on?”, I would counter with “if I know where Cambridge United play their home games, can I be let off?” It didn’t work all of the time, but it did SOME of the time and that was good enough for me. Born negotiator – that’s been levied at me many times in my life, but hey….you have to learn your trade somewhere. Thankfully, smart phones weren’t around in my school days or some of my more imaginative football ground names would have been checked and found to be questionable at best.
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