Student Life - December 2018

ISSUE 23 • DECEMBER 2018 • SUFFOLK

Lifestyle Magazine by Students, for Students

www.student-life.co

Proud supporter of

Cover photo by RACHEL GILBEY

STUDENT Life

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Editor’s

- We were nominated for and subsequently won 3 awards: Suffolk Coastal Business and Community Award, Raising the Bar Award and Community Action Suffolk Award.

- We launched our Mental Health film in partnership with Kesgrave Sixth Form media students and ‘Unity Films’ was born.

- We achieved roll out of our pilot and phase one stage of our schools workshop into 6 different settings around Suffolk. We now collaborate with students from the University of Suffolk, Kesgrave High School, St. Alban’s High School, Northgate High School, Felixstowe Academy and most recently, Copleston High School and Suffolk One. - We launched our ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’ anti-bullying campaign, which includes our latest film.

- We have bid for funding from the Clinical Commissioning Groups to co-present and design a new workshop and film on Self Harm which will be presented in schools.

- Last but not least, our publication has increased in page count and now stands at 76 pages!

WORD

CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co FB: @studentlifeips Instagram: @studentlifeips Twitter: @studentlifeips

I know I often thank our students, but it’s true that none of this would be possible without you - so thank you so much for giving up your time and sharing with us and your peers, your experiences and articles. We are so excited for what 2019 will bring!

Wishing you all a brilliant Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Rachel Gilbey, Co-editor

Contents ENTERTAINMENT STUDENT FASHION STUDENT BEAUTY STUDENT TRAVEL STUDENT CAREERS

5-12 13-16 17-20 21-24 25-28

MENTAL HEALTH WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? WHAT THE FOOD MY LIFE

STUDENT TECH

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“

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And just like that, we are in December and approaching the end of 2018! I can’t believe how quickly this year has gone and how much we have achieved! Here are some of our highlights:

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The

entir

e te am a t St woul uden d lik t Lif e to e wish our r and eade our s rs trat egic part very ners Merr a y Ch ristm as a nd a Happ y Ne w Ye ar.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED We’re looking for:

Writers Photographers Designers Business Development Team Mystery Shoppers & Reviewers Distributors

“Since working with Student Life I have gained both confidence and knowledge within the business and journalism sectors.”

Get in touch info@student-life.co

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“My roles at Student Life have shaped my leadership and decision making skills.”

THIS MONTH @ STUDENT LIFE Having completed Phase 2 of our project roll-out last month, students from six of our educational settings attended the largest student steering group to date, at the Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre (IWIC) on Wednesday 7 November.

The meeting was also attended by 7 Suffolk Councillors who have financially supported the initiative through their annual locality budgets or through third party activities.

Some very nice words were said about our publication...

“Student Life is a hugely important way for students to speak out about mental health issues and make informed decisions.

Raising awareness and ending the stigma surrounding mental health will make a great contribution to students health and wellbeing. Locality funding will ensure that students are able to be involved and benefit from this exciting and life enhancing initiative. I am very pleased to be able to support Student Life”

“Student Life has opened up a very much needed debate on mental health with young people. My family has been caught up in the horrors of this and it is very difficult to understand and so to be able to watch the film made by the students telling their stories has been a great help to me. I am very honoured to be Patron and so pleased that the magazine is going from strength to strength” SAID CLLR LIZ HARSANT.

“I am impressed with the commitment of students in producing such a valuable publication. As an Ipswich Councillor, I am increasingly concerned for the wellbeing of young people; having support and advice is essential. Student Life offers that support, from students themselves who know better than adults what it’s like growing up with today’s pressures. I am looking forward to seeing how the funding I have offered Student Life publications helps young people in Ipswich” SAID CLLR SANDRA GAGE.

SAID CLLR SARAH ADAMS.

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ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR LOUISE DICKMAN

Top Tunes Welcome to our monthly feature! Each month we will be sharing our 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.

1. PROPAGANDA – MUSE 2. WONDERFUL LIFE – BRING ME THE HORIZON (FEAT. DANI FILTH) 3. BABY – CLEAN BANDIT (FEAT. MARINA AND LUIS FONSI) 4. EUPHORIA – ECHOS *EXPLICIT* 5. SWEET BUT PSYCHO – AVA MAX Another Muse song on the list! Speaking of which their album has recently dropped so you should go and give that a listen. The big reason I love this song is the combination of kick and snare drum during the verses – it’s quite hard not to ‘head bang’ to it. Their

whole album has shown a different side to Muse yet always maintains their sound with the singing and in the choruses. Something that definitely sticks out in the song is the very deep tone that’s been added to the word ‘Propaganda’, sticking in your head as well.

Many people are saying the songs remind them of Prince – what do you think?

Bring Me The Horizon have produced some really great songs recently especially ‘wonderful life’. The main riff of this song, as usual with BMTH songs is so great. It sticks in my head with the rest of the song. Even though they are not as heavy a band as they used to be, they still maintain heaviness with some elements of pop, perhaps attracting other people to listen. The structure of the song is really well done, the sounds between verses and choruses and the bridges.

Although I feel as if the whole song could’ve ended a bit heavier than just the riff alone.

The music video along with this is really

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cool, edited with a very old school look, and is actually pretty funny in some parts.

‘Baby’ has a very Spanish/Latin vibe with the melodic guitar riffs and summery feel, which is no surprise considering Luis Fonsi is on the track. This song is going to be part of Clean Bandit’s new album ‘What Is Love’ which is set to be released at the end of November. This collab on the song with Luis Fonsi wasn’t really expected but it works so well, his voice singing over Marina’s voice complements hers perfectly.

Despite ‘Euphoria’ having quite deep lyrics, it has an electronic and upbeat feel throughout the song. Although it’s a very chilled out song, so if you’re in need just to lay on your bed after a long day, then this is definitely worth the listen. I find if I’m ever feeling

exhausted or just rubbish after a long day, turning up my music whether it be out loud or with head/earphones can make a massive difference. This is a song I definitely blast out.

‘Sweet but Psycho’ is probably my fave out of these for the month. Ava Max, who I previously haven’t heard of since I first listened to this song, has a very distinctive and talented voice. I hadn’t realised that the song has actually been out since August. But it’s worth a mention in case anyone is in the same boat, having not heard of it. Ava Max considers herself to be ‘sweet but psycho’ but that’s okay. She feels like women are quickly labelled ‘psycho’ when they do something wrong, but she wrote this to emphasise that it’s okay to be psycho but sweet.

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new artists, playlists, bands etc. As I often use public transport, I can download music to listen to without wi-fi. I find myself using Spotify on a daily basis and it is very reasonably priced. I have discovered a wide range of new artists, most recently Lewis Capaldi, Foals and The White Stripes. From film soundtracks, to throwback tunes, there is truly something for every music lover on Spotify.

Making The Most Of Your Spare Time 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.

Firstly, I believe that making the most of your spare time is the key to the importance of a work/life balance that everyone should have. It is important to remember to enjoy your spare time and make it worthwhile.

The main things that I enjoy are going to the cinema and seeing live music concerts.

As a digital film production graduate, I regularly go to the cinema every one or two weeks to see new releases. During my time at University, my coursemates and I would go to the cinema often and it was a great way of socialising, since we would discuss the film afterwards.

Over the past few months, there have been some remarkable albums. I think my favourite albums from this year so far include: High as Hope by Florence + the Machine, Staying at Tamara’s by George Ezra and Sweetener by Ariana Grande. It’s great that there are so many talented artists within the music industry at the moment.

Regarding live music concerts, I have seen several popular singers and bands, many of which were at affordable prices. Acts such as Ellie Goulding, Fun., Taylor Swift, The Feeling, Of Monsters and Men, Ed Sheeran and many others. I have attended concerts at London O2 Arena, Wembley Arena and The UEA Waterfront and UEA LCR. Overall, these are some of the best ways for making your spare time entertaining. I think that music and film have the power to connect people which is quite amazing.

However, remember to surround yourself with like-minded people who share your passions and who you can be yourself around.

Another one of my main interests is music.

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What's On My Current Playlist

Da Author. Still keeping the reggae culture throughout, Stefflon Don created a whole different story and concept of the piece. This is one that is always on full blast in my car!

WRITTEN BY CHANEL MCKENZIE

I’m back and it’s been a while since I shared with you my current favourites.

I thought I’d give you all an update with the tracks that I’ve been listening to over the last couple of months. So here they are, my top four tracks in my current playlist.

FLEXIBLE TORY LANEZ, CHRIS BROWN, LIL BABY It is only very recently that American artist Tory Lanez has dropped his latest album ‘LoVE me NOw’. After listening to the album, I was so impressed and FLEXiBle was the track that stood out most to me especially due the feature of Chris Brown!

The production of the whole album itself is a masterpiece.

NO STYLIST FRENCH MONTANA, DRAKE The collaboration by the two American artists has been cleverly done. The production of the track is what stands out most to me and the catchy lyrics that coincide with it. The repetitive chorus is something that can stick in your head from morning to night.

POUR ME ANOTHER ONE KREPT & KONAN, TABITHA Krept & Konan have always been in my top ten favourite artists and this song definitely did not change that. Tabitha, from the garage duo ‘Sweet Female Attitude’, added the female vocals for this track. Krept & Konan have always had a way with their lyrics and this is something I have always appreciated when listening to them over recent years.

PRET TY GIRL STEFFLON DON, TIGGS DA AUTHOR Inspired by the reggae classic ‘Tuck In U Belly’ by Lef Side & Esco, Stefflon Don puts her own touch on the song with artist Tiggs

So there you have my top four tracks and what are currently sitting at the top of my playlist. I’ll be sure to let you know if and when others take their place. But for now, go have a listen!

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CINEMA Bohemian Rapsody

Director – Bryan Singer

WRITTEN BY TSHEQUA WILLIAMS

Certificate – 12A

Tshequa is 16 years old and decided to get involved with Student Life as she has a passion for writing and aspires to have a career in journalism/media.

She is currently studying her A Levels at Northgate Sixth Form.

set at Live Aid in 1985 in Wembley Stadium.

Having grown up listening to Queen, it was amazing to see how they would have been as a band including Freddie and to gain an insight into how they all contributed to making Queen’s masterpieces. Rami Malek (as Freddie Mercury) did a great job of capturing the charisma that Freddie always had. It was also impressive how they managed to recreate Live Aid with such

Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic film based on the life of Freddie Mercury and Queen from their formation up until their iconic

Run Time – 134 mins

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precision, even down to the exact gestures of all band members.

These scenes beautifully tied together the story, leaving a nostalgic note for Queen fans.

Although the movie has been criticised for falsely portraying Freddie’s sexuality, I think that it was significant that they emphasised the importance of Freddie’s heterosexual relationship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton).

Mary knew Freddie in a way no one else did and stood by him throughout his struggles with fame, his sexuality and his fatal battle with AIDS. Admittedly his main homosexual relationship with Paul Prenter (Allen Leech) was portrayed in a negative light with Paul causing Freddie to become distracted from music and his ‘family’ (the band), however the film showed how Freddie eventually found happiness with his last partner Jim Hutton (Aaron McCusker).

Again despite not going into too much detail about Freddie’s heritage and family history, it was touching to see the scenes towards the end where Freddie’s father finally accepted what he had become, rather than what he had aspired for him to be (a ‘proper’ job) sitting down to watch the Live Aid performance after Freddie reiterated his wise words “good thoughts, good words, good deeds”.

The movie made me very emotional at some points, particularly towards the end which showed the band uniting after Freddie’s diagnosis. Most of the cinema emptied out slowly at the end with many staying till the end of the credits, highlighting how much this movie means to so many people. I’d recommend this film to anyone whether you are a Queen fan or not. From energetic live shots to personal moments exploring Queen’s life behind the fame, Bohemian Rhapsody was everything I hoped it would be - flamboyant, fantastic and very Freddie.

Rating:

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Crimes of Grindelwald WRITTEN BY JADE HALLAM

Jade is 17 years old. She takes maths and further maths at Felixstowe Academy.

Jade got involved with Student Life as she enjoys writing and wants to get more involved in the community.

What with Red Dead Redemption 2 coming out, Crimes of Grindelwald almost upon us, and Ariana Grande dropping a hot new album entitled ‘Thank U, Next’, everyone has some fun new things to occupy themselves with.

about Beauxbatons, the French school. Along with this, we may learn about Durmstrang from Grindelwald, who attended the school, as Viktor Krum tells us in the Deathly Hallows. Learning about these two foreign schools, along with Ilvermorny, the American school, expands the wizarding world like never before.

There are a lot of questions surrounding the upcoming film, and I know already that, as an avid Harry Potter fan, I will be going to see it at least twice in the cinema, and buying it as soon as it’s available on DVD, so that I can dissect every part of it, and find out as much about the wizarding world as is possible.

I personally can’t wait for the next instalment in the Fantastic Beasts series, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp, it’s bound to be a hit. The first instalment in the series introduced us to Newt Scamander, an avid protector of magical creatures. Along with him, we met Jacob, the loveable muggle (or no-maj if you’re American), the sisters Tina and Queenie, and Credence. In the new film, we know we’re going to meet Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Nagini, and we get to return to Hogwarts, a place Harry Potter fans everywhere are missing, but what else does the upcoming film hold for us?

In the trailers, we can see Ezra Miller, who played Credence in the first film, but we saw him disintegrate in it, raising the question, how is he back? We also see the Mirror of Erised, which means we might finally get to find out what Dumbledore can see in the mirror, and Dumbledore giving Newt the address of a safe house in Paris, which means we may be introduced to Madame Maxime, who in the Harry Potter series, is the headmistress of Beauxbatons. If Newt does go to Paris, we may get to know more 11 11 • • EDE NTCE E RM TABE I NM R 2018 E NT • • SSTUDENT TUDENT LIFE LIFE

Iconic The message of this song teaches ideas of self confidence, showing how you need nothing but self belief to be iconic.

IMAGE CREDIT : LILY JAMES

Chic Chick Like the earlier song, this song shows again, self confidence with a more personal approach with Poppy’s own experiences and her own encouragement, particularly in the lyric “I am my own bodyguard”.

w ie v e R m u b l A Poppy’s ‘Am I A Girl?’

WRITTEN BY LILY JAMES

Lily is a college student currently studying A Levels. When she’s not petting a dog or eating pizza she writes articles for Student Life in order to improve her writing skills and help her pursue a career in journalism. Whether you’ve heard of the female artist and internet sensation Poppy (also known as That Poppy), there’s no doubt that the sound of her latest album ‘Am I A Girl?’ is moving musically and lyrically.

In A Minute As the first song, this catchy tune with simple lyrics underlines the pressures of fame within the media.

Fashion After All The low, electronic beat gives a nostalgic feel of the 90s, but it also serves as a power song!

Time Is Up Approaching ideas about the deteriorating future of our planet, this strong warning about the effects of the human treatment of our Earth has the most relevant context to our world today, hidden behind a highly contagious tune.

Aristocrat A more reggae style approach, ‘Aristocrat’ mocks the class divide, suggesting that money and social status contribute little to character.

Hard Feelings Following the main theme of the album, Poppy questions her identity in this song, something that her young adult demographic can relate to.

Girls In Bikinis Some argue this song criticises the objectification of women.

Others say it’s about sexuality and same-sex relationships. Either way, ‘Girls in Bikinis’ is a great song to listen to in any season regardless of its summer sounding name.

The Rapture Ball As the title suggests, ‘The Rapture Ball’ is inspired by the millennium teaching applied to a modern day environment.

Am I A Girl? A more upbeat song, and the title of the album, it fulfils the overall self identity theme, particularly gender identity.

Play Destroy A crossover between electronic pop and rock adds an edgy twist that makes the song stand out from the others.

X The most unconventional song on the album, ‘X’ switches frequently between rock and pop, showing the peace but also the conflict that dominates the society it’s based on.

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SUPPORTED BY

FASHION FASHION CO-EDITOR PAM DAVIS

Putting On The Glitz Let’s get the party started The most glamourous season of the year is nearly upon us. And this can only mean one thing – it’s time to dress up and be more fabulous than ever!

Christmas party season is fast approaching.

From sequins to ruffles, midis to maxis... it’s time to start thinking about your festive wardrobe.

Our diaries will be filling up with festive invitations, from office parties, black tie balls, evening cocktails, dinner dates, nights out with friends, family get togethers... the list is endless!

The shop rails have all the full collections in store, with everything we will be wearing for the months to come.

Ladies, this year it’s all about sequins - season staple piece perfect for the Christmas/New Year season.

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Wearing Sequins 3 Ways BLING BUSINESS A dazzling pencil skirt works well with knits and tuxedo style jackets.

SHINE AT WEEKENDS Introduce some wow into your weekend look with a sequin t-shirt - great with jeans, biker jackets and trainers.

PARTY SPARKLE For certain occasions only all over sequins will do. Style sparkling dresses with sky-high heels.

The Modern Way To Master The Party Dressing •

Asymmetric Hemlines, high-shine fabrics and Western-inspired heels are a sure hit

• • • •

If sequins are not your thing here are some other stylish alternatives: Wide-leg trousers teamed with a ruffled blouse Winter nights velvet, with killer heels and red lipstick Sharply tailored two-piece suits with minimal accessories work from office to party

EMBELLISHMENTS Jumpsuits are party heroes; nipped-in waists and wide legs are flattering and add the right amount of glamour.

ADD RETRO INTO STYLING 70’s – Jumpsuits plus glitter and textured cover ups 80’s – Power pieces, sequin minidresses and shoulder length earrings 90’s – Slip dresses, feathers and diamantes There’s perhaps never been a better time to add a sequin dress to your party wardrobe.

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For Men Whether it’s office drinks, a formal event, or something decidedly more chilled out, finding the right side of smart-casual is a well-honed skill.

From the office bash to a big night out with friends, thinking about what to wear to a festive do can pose quite the dilemma, especially since parties can be all over the show when it comes to dress code.

Chinos are great as they can be easily dressed up or down. Pair them with some trainers and a denim jacket for a relaxed vibe, or with a buttoned-up shirt to go more formal.

We all love a leather jacket and think every man should own one. Wear your leather jacket over a thick warm jumper and some jeans or chinos to finish.

The key here is knowing just how to stand out in a sea of boring black tuxedos.

If you want to wear a suit then make sure it’s not the one you wear to work.

Instead, opt for a relaxed alternative in grey or seasonal hues like navy, boozy red and green that will grab just the right amount of attention.

Alternatively, if you really want to stand out from the crowd then velvet should be your go-to.

Have a fabulous stylish Christmas and New Year all Pam x

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 15 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

How To Look Good This Winter And Still Be Warm WRITTEN BY MARILINE QUARESMA

Mariline Quaresma is 17 years old and is doing her A-levels. Mariline decided to get involved with Student Life because she has a passion for writing in her spare time and thought that Student Life would be a good way to start!

FASHION - THE WINTER DO’S & DON’TS Winter’s round the corner and the temperature is slowly dropping! But that doesn’t mean that you have to make the decision between being warm or looking good. These tips are for everyone from any gender to shapes and sizes! Therefore, here are my top go-to’s this winter!

LAYERING UP Layering up can be difficult, however you just have to know how to do it.

COATS After November is definitely the time to begin whipping your big coats out! Long trench coats, faux fur coats and parker coats are some of the best ones. Unless you’re wearing something warm underneath then it’s better not to wear small denim jackets or raincoats (raincoats are better for spring because they’re not actually very warm). For trench coats neutral autumn colours are in this winter such as: green, auburn, beige, mahogany, mustard yellow and mauve. These are a few colours that are easy to match with the rest of your outfit!

BOOTS It’s finally boots season! The moment everyone has been waiting for! Knee high boots, ankle boots, Chelsea boots, you name it! How to style them you may be wondering? Easy, these are a few tips on how to style. When using knee high boots try to maybe wear them with either skinny jeans, miniskirts or shorts. Sock boots are in and look the best with anything! Ankle boots luckily go with everything from being able to go to school or even to church if you prefer flats shoes in contrast to heels.

Number one tip of layering up is to wear TURTLENECKS! Turtlenecks look cute whilst keeping you warm. An outfit idea for turtlenecks is wearing any colour underneath and then adding a stringy tops or short sleeved tops, also you could just wear the turtleneck and it’s enough.

However, don’t forget we live in the UK and layering up too much may leave you to regret it later on in the day! Therefore, wearing warm, fuzzy or big jumpers doesn’t necessarily mean you need a coat too! Just wear a long sleeved top underneath the jumper and you can show off your cute jumper without covering it with a coat!

Scarves are also a cute accessory!

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SUPPORTED BY

BEAUTY BEAUTY CO-EDITOR ROSIE MAY

Best Foundations For Winter Full coverage foundation is a musthave for me. The cold, harsh weather can really have an impact on my skin and often leaves me with bad acne and scarring. I try to give my skin a breather but full coverage is essential for when I’m leaving the house! I used to spend a lot of money on foundations to ensure they were the best coverage, but I’ve discovered a lot of drugstore foundations that are a lot cheaper and match up to the intense coverage of the high end products!

My all-time favourite full coverage foundation is the Maybelline 24 hour Superstay Foundation. This product retails at

£9.99 and is super full coverage. The formula is very similar to the Estée Lauder Double Wear – but a fraction of the price! The formula isn’t too heavy and a small amount goes a long way so the bottle lasts you a long time. The colours, for me, are perfect because they have good olive undertones to match my fake tan!

My second recommendation is the Fenty Pro Filtr Foundation. This one is on the pricier side, but is one of my favourites. If you suffer from oily skin then this product is perfect for you! My skin is very oily and tends to end up coming through my foundation, however this foundation stops that from happening due to how matte it is! The coverage is full but is also buildable which I like. One thing I will

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say is that these are quite yellow undertoned, so I do have to mix it with another one to adjust the colour slightly.

A third favourite of mine is the L’oreal True Match Foundation. This is a funny one for me because when I worked for L’Oreal, I ended up getting sick of wearing this foundation every single day. However I have fallen back in love with it! This is a more light-medium coverage but when built up it is great for full coverage! They have a range of undertones and it has SPF 15 in it which is still important to have in the Winter!

My final recommendation is the Make Up Forever Ultra HD Stick. Now, stick foundations aren’t really my thing as they

tend to mix with the oils on my skin and end up separating or going patchy. However this foundation is super creamy and a dream to blend out. The stick lasts you a LONG time and the coverage is buildable which I love.

This foundation is loved by many famous Youtubers and it lasts all day on your skin without wearing off. I tend to not put huge amounts of it in the areas where I do get oily, but I love to build it up on my cheeks and forehead to give me an even and smooth complexion.

So there are my top recommendations. I pair these with a full coverage concealer and a good setting spray to last me through the harsh and cold weather. You don’t always have to spend a bomb to get the best quality and coverage in a foundation, as the high street has a lot to offer these days!

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Top 3 Beauty Advent Calendars WRITTEN BY ROSIE MAY

As Christmas is drawing closer, one of my favourite parts of the build-up is Advent.

As delicious as chocolate ones are, nothing beats opening up a new makeup product each morning for 24 days. It’s like Christmas morning every morning!

Here are my top 3 favourites that I have my eye on…

So I’m starting off with the priciest one, and that’s the Selfridges Glam Sparkle Beauty Advent Calendar. This retails at £90.00 (currently reduced!), which is A LOT! However this is a luxury calendar and includes brands such as Urban Decay, Kiehls, Lancome, Black Opium and more. So it is definitely worth it! It has a range of perfume, makeup and skincare so is sure to suit your needs. Plus mini versions of products are just SO cute! This is definitely worth it if you are willing to invest!

The second option which is slightly cheaper is the NYX Sugar Trip Advent Calendar.

This is a bit of a different style to NYX’s usual ones and the packaging is adorable.

It includes a mix of lip products and face powders. This calendar retails at £50 so is a little less expensive than the Selfridges one!

NYX is a great brand for lip products too.

The third and final calendar is the Revolution Lip Advent Calendar. This retails at £40 and is great for the lip addicts out there! It comes with a range of matte and satin lipsticks, as well as some liquid lips, lip glosses and lip liners! Revolution is a fantastic brand that has exceeded all of our expectations this year so you know this calendar is going to be unreal! You get a range of colours too so it will suit all skin types/tones.

So there are my top 3. Beauty Advent calendars make the lead up to Christmas even more exciting and add a touch of glamour to your Christmas day makeup (once you’ve opened all the doors!). It’s definitely worth treating yourself to one this Christmas!

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Beauty Co-Editor If you think you can stamp your mark on our BEAUTY section, then email info@student-life.co and put yourself forward to be one of our co-editors next year.

What have you got to lose!?

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TRAVEL WRITTEN BY HOLLY GIT TINS

Ljubljana, Slovenia Prior to booking it, I’d never heard of Ljubljana. I just saw it on a map one day and was nearby so decided to check it out. The capital of Slovenia, and the Eco capital of Europe 2016, Ljubljana makes for a nice 2 night break.

Being the Eco capital of Europe, there are very few cars in the city centre, as well as being fairly flat, making it the perfect place to cycle. A funicular can take you up to Ljubljana castle, on the hill in the city centre.

The 900 year old castle offers interesting history, as well as great views of the city.

Before going, I purchased a Ljubljana card, which I believe was worth it for a 2 night stay. It included everything I mention in this article (apart from Lake Bled), as well as much more, such as bus travel and a guided tour. A 48 hour card currently costs €30.60.

Running through the heart of the city is the river. A short boat trip shows you loads of interesting sights around the city, and along the river is a high concentration of bars and restaurants, making it a great place to spend an evening.

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IMAGE CREDIT : HOLLY GITTINS

Ljubljana also offers some great museums.

The Museum of Illusions is a must for an hour or so, with multiple floors of interactive illusions (some work better with a group), and is the perfect photo opportunity! The Museum of Puppetry (part of the castle), is worth a visit if you have the Ljubljana card.

The old puppets were interesting, if not a little creepy, and I enjoyed the interactive parts of the museum.

For a trip out of the city, check out Lake Bled, only a 30 minute drive from the city centre.

It’s absolutely gorgeous, with an island in the middle of the lake, housing the iconic gothic church, which you can get a boat to, or rent a boat and row to yourself. If you’re feeling up to a little walk, you can climb the 130 metres to Bled Castle, another 1000 year old castle, offering great views of the lake.

Overall, for a place I knew very little about, Ljubljana was a great little break, with a lot to offer for 2 days away.

Rhodes, Greece WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY

It’s rare that I get the opportunity to go abroad for a summer vaycay, but in June last year, I spent 7 luxurious days in Faliraki, Rhodes, Greece. Booked only a week before the flight, myself and two friends travelled to Sun Palace hotel for an all inclusive, much needed break. This was my first experience of a ‘girls’ holiday and it was lovely to have the opportunity to catch up and relax together.

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We booked through Thomson and flew out from Stansted on Saturday afternoon, arriving at the hotel in Faliraki at 11:30pm. I absolutely love travelling to new places and as this was my first time in Greece, I was really excited!

The hotel itself was situated approximately 10 minutes from the beach, shops and ‘the strip’ but we rarely left the hotel. On the days we did, we headed to the beach and experienced the ‘Ringos’, a water activity where you sit in a ring which is tied to a jet boat… you can imagine what happens next!

The other day we spent away from the hotel was spent exploring Rhodes Old Town which was a 30 minute bus ride away. Transport links were easy to locate with a bus stop outside the hotel and the journey itself costing 2.40 euros each way.

Rhodes Old Town was beautiful and in every direction you looked you could see a castle or the walls of one. The old part of the town

is very touristy with bars, restaurants and souvenir shops lining the streets. The main streets were very busy so we decided to slip off and explore some of the quieter alley ways and streets which on occasion provided much needed shelter from the blazing sun.

The quieter areas housed residents of the town and every so often you’d hear the beep of a moped as it came round the corner, forcing you to stop in your tracks and make way. It seemed peaceful and I can imagine those that live there to be a tight-knit community who are proud of the town they reside in.

When we booked our holiday, the main things we were looking for was a hotel which provided on-site entertainment, all-inclusive food and drink and a pool to lounge around during the day. Despite the fact Sun Palace seemed to attract mostly families, we could not have had a better experience and we have the Animation Greece team to thank for

IMAGE CREDIT : RACHEL GILBEY

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IMAGE CREDIT : RACHEL GILBEY

that. From the first day we spent by the pool, the animators (a group of fantastic young people) involved us in conversation and activities that they run for both adults and kids. We were also invited to join them after hours at the local bar down the road and on one night we ventured to the nightclub strip. It is always fun to experience a night out elsewhere, especially in another country as the rules are often so much more relaxed and anything goes!

The evening entertainment in the hotel was run by the Animation team every night (other than Wednesday, when the hotel hosted a Greek themed night) and we always made sure to get a table outside, ready to enjoy. It would start with a kids disco, bingo and eventually move on to the adult entertainment. The adult’s entertainment appeared to go round on rotation and when we were there we saw: A comedy night (by far the best night), a couple of tribute nights

(one of which was Jersey Boys), karaoke night and a ‘Mr Hotel’ competition night! Audience participation was encouraged and we had a lot of fun!

In addition to the facilities at the hotel, on the same site, round the corner was a Water Park. It was linked with part of the hotel and as guests at Sun Palace, you could freely enter the park whenever you wanted.

It was also a bonus that there was a snack bar available with hot and cold food. My favourite part was the lazy river, made even better once I had bought my own inflatable lilo!

For me, Greece was the perfect getaway location, Sun Palace Hotel was the perfect place to spend it in and my friends were perfect company! It is definitely a hotel I would revisit! I’m glad to tick Greece off my travel list and look forward to seeing more of the country in the future!

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SUPPORTED BY

CAREERS CAREERS CO-EDITOR RACHEL GILBEY

Introducing EDF Energy Continuing our careers relationship with EDF Energy at Sizewell, Student Life is delighted to introduce Niki Rousseau to readers.

Niki is responsible for Community Relations at Sizewell B and is the Deputy Chair of EDF Energy’s Women’s Network which was created in 2009 and has now grown to over 800 members across the business.

The Women’s Network is a companywide network that supports EDF Energy in meeting its diversity ambitions around gender.

Managing the Sizewell B visitor centre, Niki has welcomed over 35,000 visitors since it opened in 2012. The majority of visits are from local schools and the centre is used to inspire and engage students in STEM subjects.

Niki joined the industry, what was then the CEGB (Central Electricity Generating Board), when she was 18 just as construction work started on site. Niki went to Leiston High School (now Alde Valley Academy) and then Lowestoft College before joining the nuclear industry. Niki said: “The opportunities have been abundant and it has been amazing

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to be part of a company that grows and nurtures talent. Through our mentoring programme I have been able to go ‘back to school’ to encourage young people to think about a career in science, particularly girls, to share my experiences and how my learning journey started exactly where they are now.”

NIKI ROUSSEAU

YOUR FUTURE IN ENERGY Whatever stage you’re at, make your next step a big one.

Gearing up towards your GCSEs? Wondering what’s next when you finish your A-Levels?

Eager to experience the world of work while studying at university? Or weighing up your options for when you finish your degree?

Whatever the case, here at EDF Energy, you’ll find a variety of exciting and inspiring opportunities to find out more about the work we do and kickstart your career in one of the most interesting industries around.

EDF OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCLUDE: • APPRENTICESHIPS • GRADUATE PROGRAMMES • POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES • INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENTS • INTERNSHIPS WORK INSIGHT PROGRAMME Through the Social Mobility Foundation’s Aspiring Professionals Programme we’re offering the opportunity to develop your employability skills and gain experience working at EDF Energy.

If you’re currently in Year 12, have an interest in science or business and would like to get a real insight into the world of energy, our Work Insight Programme will be perfect for you. Over two years, you’ll be given the opportunity to spend time at EDF Energy and gain an insight into different careers and opportunities available to you.

See if you’ve got what it takes to shape the future of energy.

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The Importance Of Networking To Develop Your Career - Using LinkedIn WRITTEN BY SIAN ROBERTSON

As discussed in last month’s issue – networking can be extremely important when it comes to searching for the right job, or developing your career.

LinkedIn is a social media tool that can really support you with your networking. It has over 400,000,000 members worldwide.

It can be used to create a professional online work profile, to showcase: your qualifications, your skills, your potential, and to highlight the type of career that you are looking for if you are just starting out.

In short, it can act like a CV for you that’s visible to millions of employers.

It can be used to build up a network of contacts; people who can help you with your career development – perhaps those you’ve already met in person through face to face networking, and it can also help you to share work related and news stories information with other people. By following companies, sectors and influential people you can start to locate new contacts that could be really useful to add to your network, and vice versa, employers will be able to find you if they are looking for someone with your specific skill set.

The best way to start your networking on LinkedIn is to find all of your existing contacts – from this you can start to explore other people you might know, or people you want to know. It’s a good idea to then ask your existing contact for an introduction to these people, or to mention the person you

have in common when requesting this new connection.

In addition to being great for networking, LinkedIn can also help you to research career paths and evaluate your options.

It does this by allowing you to research different companies, jobs on offer and what those jobs look like. You can also check out universities and courses, and look into the careers graduates go onto. All really useful information if you are trying to figure out what career choices to make next.

We will be taking a break from writing for the magazine while our Regional manager goes off on maternity leave.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU LOCALLY PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

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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Careers Co-Editor If you think you can stamp your mark on our CAREERS section, then email info@student-life.co and put yourself forward to be one of our co-editors next year.

What have you got to lose!?

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SUPPORTED BY

MENTAL

HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR LEANNE ARNOLD

Mental health difficulties are like weeds in your garden.

We can spend so much time ignoring the issue that the root spreads.

Digging deeper identifies the root; removing the root, removes the problem.

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“

Editor’s

So since November Student Life have been super busy. We have been working extremely hard on filming and editing our Speak Up, Speak Out anti-bullying film, and I am super excited for you guys to see this when it is complete.

This month I decided to focus on all things festive; although the festive season is usually filled with happiness and joy, it’s also important to remember that mental health problems don’t disappear, and that people are still struggling with these. The dark nights and dark mornings can also cause some of us to feel lousy and can contribute to exacerbating already existing mental health problems.

On another note, people with eating disorders find this time of year very difficult too and can often feel under tremendous amounts of pressure.

So, although for the most part we can feel very joyous and elated during this time of year, it is also important to bear in mind those of us who are still struggling, who are less fortunate, and who are unable to be with their loved ones.

Merry Christmas and warm wishes Leanne xo Leanne Arnold Mental Health Director

Contents

WORD

CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 leanne@student-life.co www.student-life.co FB: @studentlifeips Instagram: @studentlifeips Twitter: @studentlifeips

“

Hi Everyone!

SELF CARE 31 Q&A 37-38 SUFFOLK MIND 39-42 LGBTQ+ 46 SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT 47-49 CONTACTS 50 30 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

Self Care: Treat Yo’ Self!

WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY

Tis’ the season for giving, for sharing and for treating but it’s also important to remember yourself amongst the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

Around Christmas, we spend a lot of time finding the perfect gift for our friends and family, often resulting in a lot of stress and last minute buys. It’s during this period that my family usually remind me that I don’t need to be spending a fortune on them, that they are far more grateful for my time spent with them since moving away and that I should save my money for other things. I have to confess, in the past, I’ve rarely taken the advice as I absolutely love finding and

gifting presents, however, this year, I’m going to be more mindful and sensible and take more care of myself.

It’s true, there is a lot of pressure surrounding Christmas: giving the best gifts, serving the most delicious roast, decorating your home to the highest standard, but sometimes we just need to take a step back and not let it overwhelm us. Christmas comes just once a year, so it’s totally understandable why some people go to extreme lengths, but also remember it’s okay not to.

Consider treating yourself this year, whether that’s by being a little kinder to yourself and reducing pressure and self-expectations, or maybe your treat is in the form of buying those shoes you’ve been eyeing up all year, or snuggling up one evening with a hot chocolate and Christmas film- after all you deserve it.

However you choose to spend your Christmas, I hope you enjoy it!

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Tis The Season To Be Jolly?

WRITTEN BY EMILY AINGER

Emily is 16 and is studying Media, Sociology and English Literature. Emily decided to get involved with Student Life as she would like to pursue a career in Journalism, and is passionate about writing about important issues that affect many.

Christmas is a wonderful season of snow (if we’re lucky), family getting together, presents and perpetual happiness. Somehow one of these I feel isn’t totally true.

Just because it’s Christmas, don’t feel annoyed or pressured that you don’t feel 100% joyous the entire season. It’s just like any other day (just with a little more tinsel), that it’s fine to be anxious or feel just not quite as happy. Anxiety doesn’t take a Christmas holiday, mine sure doesn’t, and people’s understanding about it shouldn’t either.

Don’t despair, I will give you three tips that hopefully, will help you make the most out of this festive season.

1) BREATHE. It sounds so simple but it’s easily forgotten how much it helps you to feel calm. Just breathe in for 3, hold for 3, and out for 3 and repeat until you feel calmer. Big deep breaths and just focus on your counting.

This has really got me out of some sticky situations and I hope it’s a simple step that makes you benefit from it.

2) REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE SITUATION. Never feel forced to stay if you are feeling uncomfortable and panicky. Just slip away.

Find a quiet place, distract yourself, breathe and go back when YOU’RE ready. Don’t feel like you have to explain yourself, but please do make someone aware if you can that you didn’t/aren’t feeling your best. Talking helps but only if you feel able to.

3) STILL REMEMBER TO GET GOOD SLEEP AND EAT GOOD FOOD. I know when it comes to Christmas, chocolate, sugar and fatty foods are practically calling your name. By all means enjoy these but, remember to get good nutrients like fruit and vegetables and to get proper sleep. These really help your body repair and process and, in turn, boost your mood.

I hope these have helped and you feel properly prepared for the season and the hideous (yet loveable) Christmas jumpers. Make the most out of Christmas, you deserve it.

Just The “Winter Blues?”

WRITTEN BY ELAYNE LACORTE

Elayne is 18 years old and is in her final year of sixth form. She decided to get involved with Student Life as she likes the idea of students sharing their stories, and hopes to be part of it Commonly mistaken as the winter blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is linked to the change in season, beginning and ending at about the same time every year.

During the beginning of autumn, you might have noticed a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, or you are feeling sluggish and agitated, and have trouble sleeping. All of these symptoms link back to Seasonal

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IMAGE CREDIT : ELAYNE LACORTE

Affective Disorder. As winter rolls in, the symptoms are likely to increase and become more severe, only really going away when spring comes about. Less often, Seasonal Affective Disorder causes depression in the early spring or summer, but the focus today is on those who experience it during winter, a time when most people do.

One of the many reasons as to why Seasonal Affective Disorder comes about, is because of our biological clock. Reduced levels of sunlight can disrupt a body’s internal clock and could possibly lead to feelings of depression. Our serotonin and melatonin levels are also affected by the change in season; reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin, which may trigger depression, while the change in season can disrupt the balance of the body’s level of melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.

So do not listen to anyone who shrugs off your depression and labels it the “winter blues”. It is more than that. If the disorder begins to overwhelm you, seek help. Just because it is not constant, and only comes around during autumn or spring, it does not decrease the importance of getting help.

As the season of Christmas begins, being surrounded by people who are excited and happy might have the opposite effect on you. Seeing everyone take on a festive spirit may well cause you to feel worse about how you are feeling, something you need to remember is beyond your control. Therefore, it is important to recognise the signs and the severity of the disorder.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is real, and just like any other disorder, should be taken seriously. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

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S.A.D. WRITTEN BY JESS SWANSBOROUGH

Jess is 16 years old, and studying English Language, Psychology and Sociology at Sixth Form. Jess decided to get involved with Student Life because it is a unique opportunity while still in education, and is really interesting to write articles and expand writing skills, alongside reading articles written by others, and to see their point of view.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known, fittingly, as SAD, impacts a lot of people’s lives, the majority without actually knowing they have this disorder. Sometimes people describe themselves as having ‘the winter blues’ because there isn’t much awareness for this condition, so you may not realise that there are things you can do to get your mojo back. The disorder involves a noticeable mood difference during the summer and winter seasons, with depression creeping in during the colder months, and your mood being generally happy during the warmer ones. Scientifically, these mood changes occur during the winter because of a deficiency of vitamin D, which we can gain from the sun. The days are shorter and the sun is out a lot less frequently in the winter, so consequently, many of our vitamin D levels drop, along with our mood.

are also light boxes that you can buy, which actually are so bright that they simulate the effect of the sun, and can get your vitamin D fix even without the sun. You would only need to spend around 30 minutes per day with the light on for a noticeable lift in your mood, and I’ve found that this time is best spent in the morning when I’m getting ready for the day, because it really makes me feel awake too! There are many places you can buy them from – I got mine from Amazon for £45. This may seem expensive, but the light really helps lift my mood, and has continued to do so for a few years now!

Whether you choose to take vitamins, eat different foods or invest in a lightbox, I hope you soon start feeling happier for the Christmas season!

This may sound familiar, but don’t worry.

There are ways around feeling down, without the need for the sun. Of course, you can buy vitamin D tablets, however, if you’re anything like me, you won’t like to take tablets if there’s another way to solve the problem.

You can include more vitamin D rich foods in your diet, such as orange juice, cereal and bread (you can always check the label to see how much vitamin D there is), but there 34 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

Seasonal Affective Disorder, What is It? WRITTEN BY MACY HESSEY

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or otherwise known as SAD, is a form of depression that people experience at a particular time of year, during a particular season.

Most of us are affected by the change in seasons; however, experiencing SAD is much more than just having more or less energy, or a slight change in sleep or appetite. Having SAD can lead to symptoms of depression and has a large impact upon your day to day life.

COMMON SIGNS: • Problems with concentration • Problems with sleeping • Symptoms of Depression or Anxiety • Panic attacks • Being more prone to illness • Overeating • Drastic changes in mood • Loss of interest in social interaction, relationships or physical contact WHAT ARE WINTER BLUES? For some people, seasonal symptoms are mild and are usually concentrated in the middle of winter. These symptoms are known as the ‘Winter Blues’ or sub-sydromal SAD. This is very common!

WHAT CAUSES SAD? • The effects of light • Disrupted body clock (your circadian rhythm) • Low serotonin levels • High melatonin levels • Other possible triggers; traumatic events, physical illness, change in diet or medication and the use or withdrawal from street drugs or alcohol.

HOW TO COPE WITH SAD: Most people have their own personal strategies when dealing with SAD. These are some useful strategies: • Make the most of natural light– being outside during the winter doesn’t CURE SAD, but it can be useful to be exposed to natural light!

• Avoid Stress– Many people find that they are more likely to experience stress in the winter months. If this is the case for you; try to plan ahead to reduce the number of stressful activities during that time! Take advantage of the summer to prepare for winter, like buying Christmas presents or stocking Christmas cupboards.

• Build a support network– Think about joining a social/support group! Share your experiences with others who experience the same as they will be the most understanding.

Alternatively, you could speak to your GP to seek help and guidance. Realising that you’re not alone is important as it makes it easier to cope with.

• Exercise and eat well- Try to stay physically active during the winter. It can be effective in lifting your mood and increasing energy levels. Examples of activities you could incorporate into everyday life, during the winter months, could be; going to a slow walk or doing gradual housework.

• Visit somewhere with more light– If you can spare the expenses of a holiday, a summer climate is likely to reduce SAD symptoms.

Nonetheless, when returning to the UK, your SAD will temporarily become worse.

• Consider using a light box– Using a lightbox, a specialist device that contains a very bright fluorescent tubes, has been found to be effective! This is because it increases your exposure to light during the winter.

The routine of using a light box varies from person to person, so you will need to find out what suits you!

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WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SAD? • Talking treatments– These can include things such as counselling, psychotherapy or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). These can be seen as useful as they let you understand how to cope and recognise and deal with other factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.

• Anti-depressants– These drugs work by increasing the activity of particular brain chemicals such as serotonin.

The DON’T cure SAD but they can help cope with symptoms.

• St John’s Wort– This is a herbal remedy that some people find helpful to deal with mild or moderate symptoms. You shouldn’t use it in harmony with a prescription or light box.

• Bright light therapy– Alternative to a light box, bright light therapy is a more structured form of light therapy. It is supervised by a medical professional. It is recommended by the NICE, but isn’t available usually on the NHS. The NHS estimates that SAD affects around 1 in 15 people in the UK between September and April.

Some people with SAD, may experience all the listed symptoms but during the summer and feel better during the winter.

USEFUL CONTACTS: British Association for Counselling and psychotherapy (BACP)01455 883 300 www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk NHS Choices - www.nhs.uk

Jenny’s Story WRITTEN BY JENNY WOLEDGE

My name is Jenny Woledge and I am a mother to two children, Rebecca and William, I lost my Wills to suicide on 2nd January 2015.

This has been a busy summer for me, I have delivered suicideTALK and safeTALK to our local university’s and my local schools, so in Canterbury we have around 80 people who have completed suicideTALK, and around 90 people that are now safeTALK trained, I have been involved with Kent Mind who are running free courses next year, they have got funding from the steering group which has been given money by the government to make us a suicide safer community. I have been overwhelmed at the work going on in University’s, schools, colleges, doctors etc and I feel privileged to be paying a part of this huge piece of work.

One key message, you do not have to face this problem on your own, there are people who can help you or someone you know who is struggling with life.

Hopeline... 07786 209697

Although Jenny lives in Canterbury, she is more than willing to come to Suffolk and deliver training. We will update students on potential dates as soon as possible.

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Tips & Advice YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Got a burning question about mental health difficulties? Want non-professional, peer-to-peer advice? Look no further, this feature will appear every month and invites readers to send in questions regarding mental health for tips and advice*. My name is Leanne and I have both specialist training and personal experience in mental health and will aim to provide user-friendly, nonprofessional advice to anyone who asks for it!

Q:

MY MENTAL HEALTH IS GETTING WORSE AND I DON’T HAVE ANYONE TO TALK TO AND I’M SCARED I WILL UPSET MY PARENTS BY TELLING THEM IT’S COMING BACK, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

A: I would always advise you to talk to someone, whether this be a school counsellor, teacher, or tutor, or someone such as a person from the Samaritans helpline.

Bottling up emotions can often exacerbate

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things which isn’t helpful when you are feeling this way. I understand that talking to parents about mental health can often be scary and a daunting prospect, but you say that it is coming back. Maybe think about your previous experiences with sharing your mental health problems with them; how did this go? If you feel that you would need support talking to them there are services available which can help you with this, and if you’re able to talk to someone at school/ college/university they also may be able to offer you help with this. However, if you are in a crisis and become un-safe, I would 100% encourage you to talk to whoever is available and to keep yourself surrounded so you are able to keep yourself safe. Please look at the end of this sub-section, there is a list of mental health contacts that you may find useful.

Q:

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.

feeling this way, is feeling the total opposite! It will get better.

FALSE HAPPINESS – HOW CAN YOU FIX HAVING FALSE HAPPINESS AND ACTING AS IF THINGS ARE GREAT WHEN THEY ARE NOT?

HOW DO I HELP A FRIEND WHO IS FEELING DEPRESSED AFTER A RELATIONSHIP BREAKUP?

A: Pretending that you are okay, when you aren’t is actually extremely exhausting and can in itself impact on someone’s mental health. If things aren’t great for you at the moment, I would always encourage you to speak to someone about your thoughts and feelings. There are many services that can offer you support with this, alongside your friends and family. Writing a diary can often help people in expressing their feelings if talking to someone feels too daunting. It may also help you to identify what is causing you to feel this way, it may be your mental health, or it may be a factor in your life that you might be able to change/manage. One thing I can say is that the most likely outcome to

A: I feel that this area is slightly out of my depth, but as with anyone feeling depressed for whichever reason, reassurance and support are key. Supporting someone who is feeling depressed is very important, being there for them in a non-judgemental way and reassuring them that things will get better. Recognising that you cannot ‘fix’ them and magically cure them to feeling better is also important, depression can take time to right itself, and it is super important to not dip out of the person’s life when you cannot see any improvements or changes in their presentation. Be there for them, support them, and make sure they know they aren’t alone and that things will get better.

Q:

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Seasonal Affective Disorder WRITTEN BY EZRA HEWING, HEAD OF MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SUFFOLK MIND

Many of us will miss the sunshine during the winter months and, even if you love the festive season, you may also look forward to the return of spring and summer. Some of us, however, are more affected by the change in daylight hours.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, results in low mood and some of the symptoms of depression, including loss of concentration and motivation; social withdrawal; loss of pleasure in hobbies and interests; problems with going off to sleep and getting up in the morning; and waking up feeling exhausted the next morning. While SAD tends to mostly affect people in the winter months, a smaller number of people also experience the symptoms during the summer months.

What causes SAD? Certainly many people experience stress in response to pressures during the festive season. We know that pressure to spend money on food, presents and going out can be a financial burden which affects people’s need to feel financially secure into the New Year. People can also experience increased social isolation if they do not have families to spend the festive season with. On the other hand, if people are expected to be sociable or entertain others without a break, they can miss the need for privacy or time alone.

Any of these factors, if they prevent a person from meeting emotional needs can result in stress, which if not addressed, can give rise to anxiety or depression. But what about other potential causes of SAD?

One theory is that the change in sunlight disrupts the rhythm of our metabolism, rest and digestion, heart and breathing, sometimes called our body clock. However, this is not a cause of depression generally, so there is doubt that this theory can fully explain SAD. An older idea suggests that the cause of SAD and depression are low levels of the brain chemical serotonin. However, this idea is no longer supported by the evidence. More recent research shows that antidepressants do not change levels of serotonin in the third of people who benefit from their use. Instead, they improve transmission of serotonin; although serotonin itself has not been shown to be the cause of depression.

A stronger candidate for the cause of SAD is the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone which induces the stage of sleep known as REM; the stage of sleep where most dreaming occurs, and which stands for rapid-eye movement.

People who have attended Suffolk Mind’s Suffolk’s Needs Met or Sleep Well, Work

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Well sessions will know that the quality of our sleep has a huge bearing on our mental health.

In particular, deep sleep, sometimes called non-REM or slow-wave sleep, is critically important for the repair of our body’s cells; and REM sleep, where most dreaming occurs, is involved in keeping our brains healthy, by discharging emotions we have not acted upon while awake.

We enter REM sleep at the beginning of sleep and, in a healthy sleep cycle have further episodes of REM sleep at ninety minute intervals, during the first half of the night.

In the second half of the night, REM sleep episodes occur more frequently.

Short intervals of REM sleep calm emotions we have not acted on during wakefulness, and clean up neurotoxins which damage the brain’s cells. However, REM sleep also burns off the brain’s energy – so too much is not good for us. We have known for about fifty years now, that people experiencing depression have longer and more intense episodes of REM sleep.

The increased REM sleep experienced by people with depression is brought on by

worrying about unmet emotional needs. In response to stress, worry and anxiety, too much REM sleep exhausts the brain; deprives us of deep sleep which repairs the body; and causes us to wake up feeling tired, miserable and lacking the motivation to address the problems which cause worry.

What has this got to do with melatonin and SAD? Well, melatonin is produced when it gets dark, so shorter days and longer nights would produce more melatonin and therefore increase the amount of REM sleep we have.

People with SAD have been found to have higher levels of melatonin than usual.

It makes sense that people with higher melatonin levels would have more REM sleep than is healthy, and wake up feeling less rested and motivated to get going in the mornings.

While the symptoms of SAD may persist, even after melatonin levels have returned to normal in response to light levels, addressing causes of worry can help.

Speaking to somebody who understands how we can meet emotional needs in healthy ways, is the way to lift symptoms – and our spirits during the festive season.

4 0 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

Quay Place brings together wellbeing and heritage by offering y Place brings together wellbeing and heritage by offering a range of therapie a range of therapies, classes and training. The venue is also classes and training. The venue is also available for room hire and wedding available for room hire and wedding receptions. receptions.

Activities & Events

Writing Competition Our YoungCompetition Writers Competition is open Writing Winter Explorers to anyone aged between 11 and 16 and Our Young Writers Competition is open to nter Explorers Friday 21st December all Suffolk schools.

You just need to write a anyone aged between 11 and 16 and all st ay 21Come December and enjoy our free family day at Quay Suffolk poem, schools. short story, diary entry, letter or article You just need to write a me andPlace. enjoyGet ourinvolved free family day Quay in crafts andatChristmas about the emotional need for achievement. poem, short story, diary entry, letter or e. Getfun involved infamily. crafts and Christmas for all the The competition on Friday 26for April article about the closes emotional need for all the family.

2019.

Enter to be in with a chance of winning achievement. The competition closes on Christmas Carol Service a £100 book token.

Wednesday 12th December, 7pm – 8.30pm Friday 26 April 2019. Enter to be in with a ristmas Carol Service I# chance of winning £100Place book token.

Christmas tree ataQuay Join12 usthfor carols with7pm The Royal Hospital dnesday December, – 8.30pm Our beautiful Christmas tree is now up at and mulled us forSchool, carolshomemade with The mince Royalpies Hospital Christmas treein at Quay Place Quay Place. Pop to see it and get in the wine/juice.

Advanced tickets £3 or £5 on the ool, homemade mince pies and mulled Our beautiful Christmas tree is now up at festive spirit. door.

Book by tickets calling 01473 e/juice.

Advanced £3 or569696. £5 on the

ivities and events

r. Book by calling 01473 569696.

Garden Explorers Friday’s, 10am – 11.30am den Explorers Garden Explorers is for children aged 2 to ay’s, 10am – 11.30am 4-years-old, and their parents, to have fun den Explorers is for children aged 2 to 4and play outside. Every week a different s-old, and their parents, to have fun and theme will bring new fun activities. £2 per outside. Every week a different theme child - includes activities & refreshments. bring new fun activities. £2 per child To book call 01473 569696.

udes activities & refreshments. To book 01473 569696.

Quay Place. Pop in to see it and get in the Quay spirit.

Place Christmas closure festive Quay Place will be closed from 5pm on Friday Place 21st December and will fully reopen Quay Christmas closure again on Monday 7th January.

Quay Place will be closed from 5pm on

Friday 21st December and will fully reopen Staff on andMonday volunteers Quay Place wish you again 7thatJanuary.

very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

We and look volunteers forward to seeing you Place in 2019!

Staff at Quay wish you

very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

We look forward to seeing you in 2019!

Quay Place Key Street, Ipswich, IP4 1BZ • quayplace.co.uk • 01473 569696

01473 569696 •.quayplace.co.uk • Quay Place, Key Street, Ipswich, IP4 1BZ IF THIS ARTICLE41 HAS ANY EMOTIONS THATLIFE YOU WOULD LIKE •BROUGHT DE CE M BEUP R 2018 • S TUDENT TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

Support your mental health this January by taking part in RED January with Suffolk Mind – getting active every day to beat the blues away!

What is RED January?

Suffolk Mind is excited to be partnering with RED January, a community initiative that encourages you to support your mental health by doing something active every single day during a characteristically tough month.

Whether it’s running 5k or walking to work a new way, a morning swim or taking your bike for a spin, you can join the thousands of people around the UK, kick-starting their 2019 in the most positive way.

Do you need to fundraise to take part?

You don’t need to fundraise to take part in Red January. However, if you’d like to raise money for Suffolk Mind, that’s great!

The easiest way is to set up a giving page on our website: suffolkmind.org.uk/redjanuary

How can physical activity help support your mental health?

RED January is founded on research that physical activity can have a positive impact on your mental health.

87% of REDers reported feeling significantly better physically and mentally after completing RED January 2018 according to the post-RED survey.

Suffolk Mind

To register for RED January, visit the Suffolk Mind website: suffolkmind.org.uk/redjanuary

0300 111 6000 • suffolkmind.org.uk

42 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

Seasonal Stress WRITTEN BY EMILY DAVIES

Emily is a seventeen-year-old Suffolk one student. She decided to get involved with student life as she hopes to gain experience in her chosen career path (teen magazine journalism) and broaden her horizons for future job opportunities.

With the end of Halloween, people are now donning tacky yet fun jumpers with snowmen patterned across the chest. Yes,

it’s Christmas. And while this time is loved by millions, many struggle to cope with the stress that comes with the season. Here are three of the biggest causes of stress faced over December, and what might be done to help cope;

1. Gift Giving Starting with the obvious, gift giving can be a difficult task. Particularly as you get older, with increased pressure to pick out the perfect presents without help and money from others. The stress can escalate when you’re tasked with buying gifts for your

IF THIS ARTICLE4HAS THATLIFE YOU WOULD LIKE 3 •BROUGHT DE CE M BEUP R ANY 2018EMOTIONS • S TUDENT TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

awkward friends and family (you know, the ones with niche, or even no interests and hobbies), as you find yourself scouring every shop in town and every corner of the internet trying to find something, only to end up giving them a gift that’s okay at best.

With these mounting pressures, Christmas can become hellish. However, you can find amazing gifts that people will love without the drama and ridiculous costs. It may not be exactly what you were thinking, but what you find may remind you of someone, or shared memories. If you consider yourself artistic, you could create something unique to them.

If all else fails, food is always the perfect last resort (whether it’s homemade or not!).

2. Family With the festive season, comes a whole snowstorm of family meals and day visits, particularly when you have a vast number of relatives. As somebody who recently lost a close family member, I can’t express how important this time together is, especially in the long run. However, I understand how exhausting it gets. My advice is to persevere and try to enjoy yourself. And if you have relatives who are unable to meet with you for whatever reason, try to contact them in some way. Put yourself in their shoes and understand how difficult it must be for them.

Showing that you care goes beyond gifts, and you should express gratitude for what you have, particularly as others aren’t so lucky.

3. Work and Fun Once Christmas starts, it’s easy to neglect work and school in favour of celebrating.

However, it’s important to keep a healthy balance between both. On one hand you should be enjoying the festivities, but on the other, you should be putting in effort where needed to avoid slacking. You have time for both, even if one choice seems more appealing. Carefully consider what needs to come first.

Workplace Bullying WRITTEN BY KATE BLACKFORD

I hesitate to write this article for the reason that starting your first full time job should be an exciting and positive experience, but in the spirit of being prepared it feels like something that needs to be talked about.

Being treated, or spoken to in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable at work is extremely unpleasant and can turn your working week into a weekly nightmare. The effects of ill-treatment can make Fridays feel like forever away, and Sunday night a time of dread. Feeling uncomfortable with the way someone at work is treating you can disrupt

4 4 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

your sleep, your health and your mental wellbeing and is not something that should be tolerated in any business.

By now you will likely have noticed that I have not mentioned the ‘B’ word. There is a reason for this. The way that someone behaves towards you, or speaks to you can only be classified as bullying if they are aware that you feel uncomfortable with it. Herein lies the problem. If we feel uncomfortable by the way someone treats us it can be incredibly difficult to actually tell them that. We can feel isolated and alone and fearful of raising the issue with HR in case it makes things worse. However, if the person is not aware that you feel uncomfortable with their treatment of you, technically they are not bullying you, because they may not realise the effect they are having.

There is a solution however. Speaking to someone you trust, someone who is able to talk to whoever is making you feel uncomfortable and who is adept at communicating in a diplomatic and assertive style can stop the discomfort before it escalates. The conversation with the person you feel uncomfortable with can be orchestrated by the trusted colleague and can be hypothetical – along the lines of “if you were to behave towards / speak to this person in this way, they could interpret that as bullying”. That way the issue can be gently raised and the person given the opportunity to adjust their approach to you without any difficult ‘face off’ situations. Hopefully that will resolve the situation, and if it fails to, your HR procedure is there as a last resort.

Good luck!

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+ Q T B LG Question of Identity WRITTEN BY AMIE PERRY

My name is Amie, I am currently studying Media Production at college. I’m a 16-year-old bisexual trans girl and I wanted to write for Student Life because it gives me a voice to talk about things and share stories that I usually wouldn’t be able to do.

Today, I’m not going to tell my story, but one from a good friend of mine. He started to question his identity from a very young age. Since he was nine, he knew that he wasn’t a girl. For a while he settled on being a Demi-girl. But over time that seemed to fit less and less. During this time, school was getting extremely tough for him. All his friends were finding their labels and working

out who they were, and he was still so unsure about everything. Anxiety and depression hit him very hard at this time and it wasn’t helped by the social pressure of his dad being a public figure. However, he managed to get through it all, with the help of friends online and sheer determination. For a while the label of non-binary seemed to work, but once again it wasn’t quite right. However, the social pressure of having to keep coming out and the feeling that people were sick of him changing his identity stopped him from finding his true self. Despite this, today he happily identifies as a trans man and he is proud of it.

If you ever feel like you’re questioning your identity too much or feel like people are getting tired of it, then please remember this story, remember that it doesn’t matter what most people think. The people who really matter won’t make a fuss and will accept you for who you are.

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Hello Everyone!

Welcome back to our anti-bullying pages.

Our ‘Speak Up, Speak Out’ campaign is attracting countywide interest and we have several meetings planned in the coming weeks to discuss funding and of course, our film.

If you would like to get involved with any aspect of our anti-bullying message, please email info@student-life.co

Speak Up, Speak Out Filming Update WRITTEN BY RICHARD STEWART The second film-editing session has been completed by Student Life’s very own production company Unity Films. The cast and crew met at the Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre (IWIC) on the University’s campus and spent several hours planning the b-roll, after re-watching the 6 interviews that were shot at our first filming day at Offset Films in Wickham Market.

IF THIS ARTICLE47 HAS THATLIFE YOU WOULD LIKE •BROUGHT DE CE M BEUP R ANY 2018EMOTIONS • S TUDENT TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

Cast member, bullying survivor and anti-bullying co-editor Tommy Curry explained....

Speaking about your past experiences will always be scary to begin with. Will people’s opinions of you change, will they think of you as weak, will you remember something you hoped to have forgotten? ..... but the reality is completely different.

My story of bullying isn’t the best or the worst and so far it hasn’t been easy going into detail, but by helping with this project it has shed some positive light in an area that seemed pitch black.

This project is more then just speaking in front of a camera. It’s meeting people who can empathise with you. It’s inspiring hope into young lives that need to hear there is a future for them. It’s making peace.

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I’ve learnt so much already, I will never be able to thank Student Life enough for helping me find my voice again.

I’m ready to shout from the rooftops. Why don’t you?

So many people are getting involved with the whole SUSO project, but the more that help....the more people we can reach.

So please join in.

IF THIS ARTICLE49 HAS THATLIFE YOU WOULD LIKE •BROUGHT DE CE M BEUP R ANY 2018EMOTIONS • S TUDENT TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

CONTACTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CONTACT NHS OUT OF HOURS SERVICE: 111 OR CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY AMBULANCE: 999

Otherwise you can contact other services such as: SUFFOLK MIND: 0300 111 6000

or Your Local GP: www.nhs.uk/service-search/GP/LocationSearch/4 4YP – 01473 252607 or www.4yp.org.uk Childline: 0800 1111 Inside out Community: www.insideoutcommunity.com Lighthouse: 01473 228270 or www.lighthousewa.org.uk Papyrus Hope Trust: 0800 068 4141 or www.papyrus-uk.org Samaritans: 116 123 or www.samaritans.org Stem4: www.stem4.org.uk Students against depression: www.studentsagainstdepression.org Suffolk Wellbeing: 0300 123 1503 Turning Point: www.turning-point.co.uk

50 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

WHAT ARE

YOU SAYING? WRITTEN BY THOMAS HEATHWAITE

The Devastating Impacts of Litter I’m sure most of us have now seen or heard about the devastating impact of litter, particularly plastic which has a devastating impact for sea life.

Once plastic gets into the sea, marine animals can mistake it for food causing toxins to infiltrate their body, mistake large pieces of debris for food like jellyfish resulting in them dying because they can’t digest it or become entangled in the debris & suffocate. Did you know, for example, that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris

within our ocean, according to National Geographic? The worst part? If we eat fish, then we could potentially be eating tiny parts of plastic called microplastic which could potentially have a serious impact on our health. But what can me and you do I hear you ask?

Well, one solution is to care for the environment and try to spread the word about the devastating impact that litter has on the ecosystems around us. That’s why I set up The Environment Club at my school to try to reduce litter (we have a massive problem with litter, as the photos show), and

51 • 51W• H AT DE CE A RM E BE YOU R 2018 SAYI N •GS• TUDENT S TUDENT LIFELIFE

IMAGE CREDIT : THOMAS HEATHWAITE

to spread awareness. Another is to make the materials we use biodegradeable so that they break down and don’t cause damage to the environment.

My school canteen has just changed their packaging from polystyrene containers to 100% compostable containers due to our club and have listened to our voices. A small success, maybe. But a big success for a small club. And this is why our success is so great.

Lots of small steps, grow into a larger action if lots of people follow suit. In other words, our club is like sowing a seed in the ground.

If other schools did the same, wouldn’t the impact suddenly become larger as the plant grows? But there’s another solution.

If everyone stopped littering wouldn’t the world become a better place? Wouldn’t there be less litter everywhere? Indeed. And so, this is my challenge that I set you: either have the courage to start up an environment club, or take the simple step of rather than dropping litter on the floor, put it in the bin. Because, after all, we all have a duty to protect the Earth and we all have a duty to respect it.

IMAGE CREDIT : THOMAS HEATHWAITE

52 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

A Beginner’s Guide To Astrology...

WRITTEN BY SOFIYA KHALYAEVA

This is Sofiya, a 17 year old studying A-level psychology, graphics, literature and media at Northgate. Sofiya decided to get involved as she’s always loved to write so composing for Student Life would allow her to express this to a wider audience.

WHAT IS ASTROLOGY? Astrology is the divination of stars and planets which influence a person’s being and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects. Although we can use it to understand ourselves and others better, we shouldn’t use it as a device to label people or an excuse for behaviour. Treat astrology as an imperfect language as we can’t know absolutely everything about someone just because we have their birth chart details.

THE JUICY STUFF...

In total there are 12 constellations which are then divided into 4 elements: fire, water, air and earth.

FIRE: STRONG, SELF ASSURED, CREATIVE & ENTHUSIASTIC. (ARIES, LEO, SAGITTARIUS) WATER: SENSITIVE, EMPATHETIC AND BASE THEIR ACTIONS ON SENSE RATHER THAN LOGIC. (CANCER, SCORPIO, PISCES) AIR: CURIOUS, INVENTIVE AND LOVE TO ANALYSE. (GEMINI, LIBRA, AQUARIUS) EARTH: DEPENDABLE, FAIRLY MATERIALISTIC, PRACTICAL, TEND NOT TO TAKE BIG RISKS. (TAURUS, VIRGO, CAPRICORN) 53 •53W• H AT DEACE R EMYOU BE R 2018 SAYI NG • ?S TUDENT • S TUDENT LIFE LIFE

Overtime WRITTEN BY TARA BORZONI

Tara Borzoni is a 20 year old Screenwriting student attending the University of Suffolk. Having been told about the collaborative efforts and passion of Student Life she decided to approach them and offer her enthusiasm and writing.

The brainchild of Mario Covone, Overtime is an upcoming horror feature film created by a crew of University students. Having previously found success in the comic book industry with the UK’s best-selling independent comic, Video Nasty, Mario’s branch into screenwriting was a natural leap. A Kettering native, he came upon the University of Suffolk and soon found a lecturer who encouraged his written work and recognised his talent.

In any such environment collaboration and exploration come hand in hand. Here a group of like-minded ambitious individuals came forward wanting to do more than their degree required. Enter Jack Burman, an Ipswich local and second year Digital Film Production student, having an aptitude for networking and a dedicated work ethic, the pair fell into a partnership. Miracle World was born, a budding production company with high aspirations, and with this newfound enthusiasm, Overtime came to fruition.

Thomas Rumbellow - I am a freelance composer, sound designer and voice actor from Suffolk, working under my company title Rumbellow Music. I have been composing music for 10 years now and past work includes UK TV advertisements, short films, animations, documentaries, promotional videos, games and more! I am extremely excited to be working on Overtime and very thankful that I am on board with such a committed and passionate team of creative people.'

Daniel Luenswilken - I’m the cinematographer for this film. Oh, I’m also German. After packing all my belongings and coming to England all by myself, I became fascinated with the visual side of film.

I’m expected to bring my talents into this collaboration and make some great movies!

Set to film in January, the film continues to gain traction in public opinion on both its Facebook page: OverTime Movie and on its other social media sites. Stay plugged for more interesting news.

At first only an idea, the pair approached all three years of students studying both Screenwriting and Digital Film Production degrees with the project. Over thirty students came on board, still growing each week. A few of our many crew are: 54 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

WHAT THE FOOD

WTF

Top Tips: Keeping Your kitchen Organised I don’t know about you, but I end up cleaning my kitchen daily- sometimes even twice a day! It’s not that me or my partner are particularly messy but we spend a lot of time in our kitchen cooking.

It can be quite a chore to keep it tidy, so I’ve compiled a list of some easy tips and tricks on how to keep your kitchen organised.

Fresh Food

Keep food fresh for longer by keeping it sealed in a food bag or by using a clip tie.

This can stop food from drying out which will happen shortly after packaging is open

WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY and exposed to the air. I often use them in the fridge to keep ham or other cooked meats sealed.

Takeaway Tubs

If you’re partial to a cheeky Chinese takeaway, then you should consider washing up and keeping the plastic tubs the food comes in. These tubs are perfect for when you want to bulk cook and put portions away in the freezer. They stack really well and you can fit a lot of food in there. You can also buy the empty tubs in a shop.

Two Tea Towels

To avoid spreading muck about, I like to have two different towels for drying. I use one tea

55 55 • •W DEHCE ATMT BE H ERFOOD 2018 • • SSTUDENT TUDENT LIFE LIFE

towel to dry up washed items or to dry down surfaces and I have a separate tea towel to dry hands on. Both towels are washed on a weekly basis but it’s nice to know that my clean hands aren’t mixing with dishwater.

Wall List

It’s always after returning home from our weekly food shop that we find we forgot to purchase several items, despite making a list before we leave. To combat this, we have a shopping list on our wall which we can add to every time we notice we’ve run out of something. It’s much more efficient

and allows us to swiftly complete our shop without hesitation.

Stock Up

No tidy kitchen is complete without it being clean too and nothing’s worse than running out of cleaning items such as kitchen towels, sprays and sponges. As they are relatively cheap to buy, I recommend stocking up so that you always have a spare under the kitchen sink in case of emergencies.

Have tips of your own?

Tweet us at @studentlifeips

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COOKING ON THE DIME

CHICKEN IN A CREAMY MUSHROOM & SPINACH SAUCE WRITTEN BY CHEV MITCHELL

Cooking on the Dime, our new recipe segment geared towards students. Each month, our resident chef Chev will be taking you through quick and easy recipes which you can use to impress your peers! Cooking for yourself can be stressful but necessary when preparing for University or just life! Don’t worry though, we’re here to help.

RECIPE

Serves 4 / Estimated time 30 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp of Olive Oil 2 Large Chicken Breasts 300g of your favourite pasta (75g of dried pasta each) 1 tbsp of double cream 1 150g box of diced mushrooms 1 bag of spinach 1 tbsp mustard Seasoning to taste METHOD • Dice the chicken into chunks and season to your preferred taste.

• Lightly oil a frying pan and turn on to medium heat. Take your diced mushrooms (if you’re not a big mushroom fan, just dice as many as you’d like) and add to the pan.

• After 6-8 minutes, add the diced chicken to the pan and stir with the mushrooms, making sure they are cooking evenly.

• Cover the frying pan with a lid until the chicken has cooked.

• Add a tea cup of water and simmer for 5-6mins with the pan lid on.

• Next, add a bag of spinach (or as much/ little as you like). Simmer with the lid on until the spinach goes soft.

• Add 1 tbsp of double cream and 1 tbsp of mustard and mix thoroughly in the pan.

• Put the lid on for a further 5-6 mins.

• While you are waiting for the sauce to cook, in a saucepan, put the pasta to boil.

• Once the sauce is cooked, serve on a bed of pasta and enjoy!

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Festive Favourites WRITTEN BY RACHEL GILBEY

There are so many festive foods that make their appearance in shops around Christmas time. I’ve compiled a list of 10 favourite festive foods, all of which can be bought from shops on the high street.

Have you got any favourites to add to the list? Let us know!

lemon, orange and citrus as well as raisins.

It can also be bought plain or with chocolate added. A Panettone is large and dome shaped in design, meaning you’ll always end up with a generous portion- perfect alongside a cup of tea.

MINCE PIES I absolutely love a mince pie and especially a homemade one! For me, they are a musthave addition to any Christmas buffet.

CADBURY FESTIVE FRIENDS I remember these fondly from my childhood with a box always in the cupboard for an after-dinner treat. These are bite sized little biscuits, half covered in chocolate with different festive faces on including a reindeer, Father Christmas and a snowman - great for children as well as us older ones!

They are very moreish and I could easily finish a box in one sitting- oops!

GINGERBREAD Another seasonal classic and available to try in a variety of shapes and sizes! It’s a taste that I have learned to like in small doses but it certainly reminds me of this time of year.

It’s a popular flavour that has also made its stamp in coffee houses and is highly anticipated in the lead up to Christmas.

Making gingerbread can be a family fun activity in the kitchen, with the option to get creative in the decorating department!

PANETTONE This is a traditional Italian sweet bread, originating from Milan and a favourite for Christmas. Inside a traditional panettone, you’ll find a burst of flavour including

CANDY CANES Ah Candy canes, the peppermint taste that is refreshing on the palette! The beauty of candy canes is that they have many uses. Not only are they a sweet treat, they can also be

58 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

used as Christmas tree decoration or used to add flavour in a hot chocolate as well as being a handy stirrer!

century and it’s crazy to think that it is still loved to this day. Serve with a dollop of cream and there we go.

CHOC COINS A great stocking filler, chocolate coins appear everywhere around Christmas time.

I always receive some as a gift and they are usually gone by the time Christmas day is up! Now that they come in both white and dark chocolate too, what’s not to love?

YULE LOG Another classic dish that appears at this time of year in a variety of forms, a chocolate yule log is sure to be a hit with all the family.

Staying true to its name, this cake does in fact resemble a log, although definitely tastes a whole lot better. Inside, you will find a swirl of double cream, which keeps the cake creamy and easy to digest! You can even buy mini versions for on the go!

SPROUTS Much like marmite you either love them or hate them and for me it’s a definite love!

No Christmas dinner is complete without sprouts dripping in gravy. Mmmm. If you’re not a fan, you can now opt for the chocolate kind! It could also serve as quite a good prank…

FIGGY PUDDING ‘Oh bring us some figgy pudding, oh bring us some figgy pudding, oh bring us some figgy pudding, and bring it right here!’ A verse from a popular Christmas Carol but how many of us has actually tried figgy pudding?

This traditional dish dates back to the 16th

CHRISTMAS CAKE Last but not least is the Christmas Cake.

Packed with dry fruit such as currants, cranberries and cherries, this cake actually takes a lot of effort and time to make. It’s traditional to feed the cake with brandy or rum to keep it moist and this process is typically continued over a couple of weeks before any icing is added. I have to admit, while this is included on my list and it can look so appealing, I’m not a fan! Maybe I’ll give it another go this year…

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Traditional Mulled Wine Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a glass or two of this warming tipple. For extra booziness, add sloe gin or brandy when reheating; or if you’re feeling creative, try adding some gingerbread syrup for added sweetness!

OVER 18’S ONLY

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

75cl bottle dry red wine

1. Put all ingredients in a large saucepan and gently heat for 10 minutes without boiling.

2. Allow to stand and infuse for a further 30 minutes prior to serving for maximum flavour.

3. When ready to serve, warm through on a low heat.

4. If using the slow cooker method, simply place all ingredients in the pot and sit on a low heat, ensuring the wine is warmed through before serving.

2 cinnamon sticks 1 orange (sliced) Peel of 1 lemon 3-4 star anise 1 tsp cloves Sugar to taste

Sausage & Stuffing Plait Got family heading over for a Boxing Day buffet?

Make use of leftover stuffing with this quick and easy crowd-pleaser that can be prepared the night before (or Boxing Day morning if the brandies have got the better of you!).

INGREDIENTS 400g sausagemeat Leftover stuffing 1 ready-rolled packet of pastry (puff or shortcrust) 1 tbsp each of fresh thyme, rosemary and sage Salt and pepper 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 egg, beaten 1 tbsp mixed seeds for decoration (optional)

METHOD 1. Place sausagemeat, herbs, seasoning and garlic into a food processor and pulse to incorporate.

2. With your pastry sheet laid out on a floured surface, cut a triangle from each corner, then cut diagonal slits down each side (approx. one third of the way towards the centre).

3. Assemble your sausagemeat mixture in the centre column, ensuring it is evenly packed. Then add the leftover stuffing on top, pressing into the meat.

4. Fold the ends of the pastry in first, then work your way down from the top, plaiting the sections of pastry.

5. Once ready to bake, use a pastry brush to wash the entire plait with beaten egg.

6. Pop into a preheated oven (190 degrees) for approximately 35 minutes until golden.

6 0 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

IMAGE CREDIT : ELAYNE LACORTE

MY LIFE WRITTEN BY ELAYNE LACORTE

Dear Future Me...

Elayne is 18 years old and is in her final year of sixth form. She decided to get involved with Student Life as she likes the idea of students sharing their stories, and hopes to be part of it.

I bet you don’t remember all the things we’ve been through. All the times you thought you wouldn’t get through something, and yet you are here, reading this. So whatever it is, just know that it will get better. I know things don’t always go according to plan, but I bet you are where you need to be. Whether that

is in university, or a very last minute decision to be somewhere else.

Or maybe this isn’t about struggling, maybe it’s just looking back to who I was before.

I honestly can’t predict who I’m going be, or rather, who I am right now, as you are reading this. But I’m living life, and it is always full of surprises, I’m sure you know that. And I’m also sure that whoever I have turned out to be, is an even better person than I imagined. With that said, I’ve built the foundations for us, now the rest is up to you.

Do what makes you happy, be with the people you love and be the person you are proud of.

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Relationships...

WRITTEN BY ELAYNE LACORTE

Every relationship you form within your life has a reason. You will meet people you believe will be your ‘forever friends’ and then, you’ll actually meet your ‘forever friends’. You will fight endlessly with your family and you will love them unconditionally. You will lose the people you thought you’d never lose.

This is because over time, you grow and change, and so do the people around you.

From there, the relationship shifts, and the things that kept you together are no longer there. That’s okay.

The truth is, every person has a part to play in your life. Sometimes, once they’ve played their part, there’s no necessity for them to stay. And you don’t need them to. The best thing about being human is, without even trying to, you will form relationships over and over. Some will stay, some will go, some will be a fleeting moment. But, they’ll still be part of who you are.

I love family. They are the people you grow up with and share the same blood with and they are one of the strongest relationships you could ever have. There’s always this controversy with blood being thicker than water. But blood aside, these people watched you grow and change, and they are still there.

Friends are an even crazier version of a family. They can’t even use the blood excuse.

By choice, a relationship was formed, and they have also seen every side of you that there is to see. They are tied to you because they choose to be.

Now, classmates. Most people wouldn’t even say they have a ‘relationship’ with their peers.

But during year 11 prom, I was happy to be surrounded by the people I had been with for 5 years. The exact same people I had classes with, exams with, and grown with.

Sixth form is different. The friends you make there will carry you through a time where you’re unsure about who you are and who you want to be. Sometimes they’re forever friends.

Regardless, each relationship will be different and each relationship will make you, you.

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Can You Have Peace Without A War? WRITTEN BY EMMA FAWKES

As winter approaches, everyone is covertly seeking a source of warmth and wants Jack Frost to get lost. Whether that’s attained from your regular gingerbread latte or radiates from those you love, we can all identify with the need for comfort and trust within our lives, particularly as the festive season approaches!

Out of the blue my young cousin recited a particular phrase to me the other day which I think should be perpetuated more within our generation: ‘I’m a lover, not a fighter’. She may be unaware of its significance, though I think it reflects a lot regarding what we take for granted in modern times.

The idea of love over conflict is a present and prominent message, but a familiar one. Its abundance within books, film and other easily accessible media can distance it from us, masking its relevance to our society by transforming it into a cliche, more of an idealistic, unattainable goal than a possibility.

The reality is, we still have to fight to achieve what should be a right rather than

a privilege. The term ‘fighting’ can be ambiguous: it can refer to campaigning, to activism, which is important to engage in.

Fighting for equality, for peace, for freedom, for what we believe is right and justified, is something relevant to all societies and cultures, as we still haven’t yet achieved a world in which love dominates conflict completely. But each day we are getting there, and each individual act effects change.

My overall point is, the importance of love and peace is so familiarised to us that we become desensitised to it, and its significance becomes lost. Though society is more accommodating and accepting now than ever, conflict and struggle still manifest themselves in various ways, so in order for love, cooperation and unity to prosper, we should engage in forwarding change when and where we can. We should fight for it!

Relationships can be worth as much as the conflict we endure to maintain them or more; they are worth fighting for. Conflict to me is necessary to appreciate peace, rather than to merely achieve it. I think you can be both a lover and a fighter; context is all.

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IMAGE CREDIT : ROSIE WEDGE

Choosing What To Study WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE

This month, we’re gonna take it one step back. The stage before studying begins, the pre-studying era, if you will. That is, choosing what to study.

Quite possibly the most stressful academic choice you will ever make, other than selecting a university, is actually choosing what to study.

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Whether it be selecting your GCSEs, A Levels, college course, or university degree, with education being so diverse and offering so many more options nowadays, it can be quite hard to decide.

What makes it hardest, I feel, is that by the age of 14 when we chose our GCSEs, people seem to expect us to have our future all mapped out so we can “chose the subjects you need later in life”. Well, let me tell you now, I’m 19, at university, and still question whether I’m going to use the psychology degree I’m paying £9k a year for once I (hopefully) graduate, or whether I’m just going to leave uni in 3 years’ time, adopt a ton of shelter cats, and become a crazy cat lady instead. Tough call. Obviously, very few of us have a solid idea at 14 what we want to do with our lives, and so I recommend trying to take a broad range of subjects. For example, don’t just chose all the sciences, try maybe one or two sciences, with a creative arts subject, and a social science too. That way, when it comes to choosing your future path, you’re better equipped to adapt.

Now, this one is more likely to only apply to further and higher education, as GCSE often gives us options we have never tried before, but try and chose something you enjoy and perform well in. Obviously at GCSE, you can read the prospectus your school offers, or ask teachers for information about the course to try and get an idea as to whether you will find the subject interesting, however at education beyond this level, you should already have an idea of what subjects you really enjoy and shine in. As much as I hate to say it though, make sure you balance these two factors, If you really love a subject, but it is not tailored to your skills and you

don’t perform well in it, reconsider a similar subject instead. Unfortunately, in today’s society, we cannot escape our grades when it comes to employment, and as unfair as it is, for many well-playing professions, our grades do define us. Therefore, don’t jeopardise this by choosing a subject you know you won’[t do so great it. On the flip side of this, don’t chose a subject you dislike just because it’s easy. Boy, the amount of times I have heard people say “I chose *insert subject here* because its easy and I’m basically guaranteed an A” then witness them walk away with a failing grade because they hated the subject, didn’t put effort in, and just expected the grade to be handed to them on a silver platter. You’ve still got to work for it, and so make sure it is something you are willing to work for.

Finally, if you decide to go to university, then I strongly recommend you chose a subject that you have previously studied or have studied closely related subjects. Even though for many courses, the first year is considered the ‘catch up’ year for pupils who have not previously studied the subject, the content is so heavy and quick paced, that if I had come to this course without a previous understanding of basic psychology, then I’d be rocking in the corner of the lecture hall crying constantly. Of course, we all learn at different paces, and this is not to say you aren’t capable, but even if it’s just reading a few textbooks over the summer break before university, really do chose something you are passionate about and already have an understanding of. The last thing I need is more people crying in the corner of the room; I’ve reserved that space for me next year.

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My First Christmas Abroad WRITTEN BY MARIA LAZAR

I cannot believe how fast three months can go by, yet here I am. I arrived in the United Kingdom in September, and I am preparing for my first Christmas away from home.

Bringing a Christmas tree into a student accommodation was quite the adventure.

I was a little heartbroken at first, since I am used to having a natural tree for every Christmas. It doesn’t help that snow is stubbornly refusing to fall, as I am used to extremely cold and snowy holidays. My sadness went away as soon as the tree was fully assembled and decorated; it was just absolutely lovely.

I have chosen to spend the holidays in England because of my English boyfriend.

I will be away from my family, that is true, yet I will be with him, which makes up for it. I would say I made the best decision, as

we got into a competition of which country has the best Christmas traditions. He was very confused when I left my boots in front of the door after thoroughly cleaning them.

I explained that on the night of the 5th of December, Romanians celebrate St Nicholas, which we say is “Santa’s cousin”, because he goes to every single house on that night and leaves a small gift in your shoes.

I had to admit, their traditional food was better than ours. Despite my best efforts, my stuffed cabbage was no match for his roast dinner. He liked my bouef salad, although he could not eat too much as it is an extremely rich dish. Unfortunately, we had to stick primarily to English carols, as he doesn’t speak a single word of Romanian.

The last thing I absolutely love about Christmas is giving and receiving gifts. It is not even about the present itself, it is about the surprise and joy you feel, knowing that someone spent so much time thinking about you and picking this one thing out for you.

Those small moments of happiness are the meaning of Christmas.

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IMAGE CREDIT : ROSIE WEDGE

My University Experience So Far WRITTEN BY ROSIE WEDGE So far, university has been exactly what I was expecting and more. Like most people, I went into it with the terrified mindset of ‘I’m not going to make any friends,’ and yet within the first week I already had a small group of girls I was happy to call my friends. University of Surrey played a huge role in this, as during Freshers’ week they co-ordinated plenty of orientation activities to get us working together and meeting new people; and that’s where I met my Dynamite Girls (long story, don’t ask!)

Thankfully, my course only has around 1113 contact hours a week, so I always have plenty of time on my hands to explore the area, as well as keeping on top of work. First essay didn’t go exactly to plan, but it’s all a learning curve, and a good starting point.

Guildford is great in terms of its access

to wider areas, which is something I recommend considering when you choose your university if you’re someone who likes to travel around, or gets bored of the same scene quite easily. Heathrow and Gatwick Airport are less than a 45 minute drive away each, Guildford has a decent sized train station with frequent trains into London, around every 10 minutes, and bus and coach routes that go further out into the wider Surrey and Sussex area. So far, I’ve ventured no further out than Sutton, but even that has been a refreshing break from Guildford. Not to say the area isn’t beautiful, but we all get bored of the same pretty place after a while.

Another thing I’ve noticed since getting here that I didn’t necessarily consider before applying is how beautiful the campus is.

Sure, I knew the accommodation was nice and there is a gorgeous lake surrounded by beautiful foliage, but I never considered the impact this would have on my experience.

When I have an hour to spare between lectures, I love to go and read down by the lake, and I’m pretty sure that’s what keeps me sane in-between all the textbooks!

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WRITTEN BY RAHUL ANEESH

in my form. Although, I did make friends, especially this encounter with a girl in my maths class who I am best friends with to this day. We have some good times together.

Also, there was an air guitar competition which I won and that was one of the biggest achievements and because of that I was quite popular.

Year 7

Overall my first year was decent.

My Normal Yet Bizarre School Life I had questions concerning high school: How I would cope? Will everyone be nice? Will subjects be harder? Etc. My queries were all answered.

A few changes were needed since I used to get involved in fights but one scenario got me in a lot of trouble and people in my form disliked me for that, but nowadays I won’t hurt a thing. I also got bullied by this one boy

Year 8

My popularity grew. I started hanging out with a group of peers and my friendships with my closest ones developed. But it wasn’t all perfect…

A girl in my form was an irritation start to finish this year. She was also jealous of me for some reason, no I’m not kidding.

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I used to place feelings first. Also, my CTL took a drop. Activities week was the cherry on top of a terrible year because I was so angry over a few unnecessary things.

Year 10

Better than year 9 but still some issues. The close friend I previously had feelings for was everywhere for the wrong reasons even though we got over last year. She didn’t treat me like a good friend and the companions she had were quite rebellious apart from maybe 2 people.

Also, my close friend was influenced by terrible things i.e. smoking and hanging out with even more rebellious kids and I tend not to be part of that culture.

I quit dabbing because I feel like there are better things to do. I started writing my own books and I even passed my literature exam. I was also improving in school even in my weaker subjects and I enjoyed work experience. I enjoyed ASDAN too because I just got to mess around.

Also some people in my form brought up rumours of me getting someone expelled from school, which I didn’t. Push aside the negatives it was another solid year.

Year 9

This was actually my least favourite school year because I was distracted by infatuations for a close friend; I was also bullied by a boy that recently joined. This was where my bond with my Head of Year started to take shape.

I uploaded dabbing videos on Instagram and I was the “360dabbmaster” and was popular to a majority of people even lower kids. But did this help me? No, because I was cyberbullied by some people and this made me into an arrogant person.

Also my best friend moved to Saxmundham and year 9 was more depressing.

Year 11

My favourite year of high school; firstly I was concerned but then I enjoyed it. My mocks weren’t good because I couldn’t organise my revision well, but this motivated me to work hard and even bagged 4 subject rewards.

Also, most of the teachers I had for year 11 were helpful.

Also, a lot of the problems I originally faced started to fade away since the new boy was less of an issue and I got over my close friend too.

The best moment was getting my results and I did really well - but couldn’t get the grades for Lang + Lit…..but I can succeed without it.

A-Levels here I come…

This is my normal yet bizarre school life.

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motherhood as a student midwife makes all of the studying worthwhile. Midwifery is not something that programmes such as ‘One Born Every Minute’ and ‘Call the Midwife’ can demonstrate in the hour that they have to broadcast something entertaining. It is an art comprised of so many aspects; full of compassion, care and empathy.

Student.Midwife.Me WRITTEN BY IMOGEN SNOWLING

Starting my own website and business was never something I envisaged to happen while I’m on the three-year course of midwifery training. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster; coming straight from sixthform, to writing my first assignment, to those first few shifts on the birthing unit at the hospital and now to think that I’m starting out in the business world – it’s overwhelming but absolutely incredible.

Throughout my student years at school, I used visual revision to help me achieve my GCSE’s and A-Levels, so it was no shock to the system when I began revising for my first midwifery exam. I soon found a design theme that worked for me and I used different colours to associate with different topics. Taking notes has always been my preferred method of revision, however everybody learns in various and individualised ways… While tackling a visual route works for me, it may not work for another student.

I set up a midwifery-specific Instagram account in the hope of sharing my midwifery journey with others going through the same training. My posts began with photos of stationery, anatomical models and milestone cards, but these soon developed into photos IMAGE CREDIT : IMOGEN SNOWLING

Midwifery has appealed to me ever since I became aware of the profession. I can’t think of any career more rewarding, where you get to advocate for women, listen to their needs and wishes, and facilitate the formation of a new family (or a new addition to a family!).

Women are often taught that their bodies are extraordinary; they can grow a baby, birth it beautifully and mother it for years. Being a part of someone’s journey from pregnancy to 70 • DE CE M BE R 2018 • S TUDENT LIFE

IMAGE CREDIT : IMOGEN SNOWLING

of my revision notes and diagrams. I wanted to have the ability to revise on-the-go by storing posters on social media – there is a vast amount of content taught on the course, and it didn’t take me long to realise that my revision could actually benefit other students as well as myself. I had so many positive comments on social media, and people were even asking to buy my revision! I was playing around with ideas and before I knew it, I was designing my own website.

Amongst shifts on the ward, shifts in the community and studying at university, I created a website design which captured my intentions to sell posters to other students.

I now owned a personalised URL, had a logo and a business was unfolding right before my eyes! The response I received after I launched the site was remarkable and now I am really focused on trying to have a platform to help other students. It is also a

great way for me to contact other students or professionals for advice while I am studying.

I’ve still got a long time left as a student before I could hopefully have the privilege of calling myself a midwife; I’ve got numerous assignments to hand in, exams to pass and practical requirements to meet. Nonetheless, I am very optimistic that with extensive revision and hard work, I might make it as a midwife one day. Many people dream of becoming a midwife, and I’m so fortunate to have started on the road there already.

The lecturers on the course are fantastic and I can’t thank my fellow midwifery students enough for all of the support and encouragement they’ve given me. There are many benefits to having a small cohort, but the best one being the friendships you get to form… I’m not sure I could have progressed this far without them and for that I am very grateful.

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‘TIS THE SEASON TO GET INVOLVED! WRITTEN BY REV. TOM ROUT

It’s that time of year again, time to wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and God’s peace and blessing on you and your loved ones as one year closes and another begins.

Of course, most of us will look forward to spending Christmas with family and closest friends, but Christmas gives us all a great reason to join with festive activities and events in the wider local community. The Waterfront Churches extend all our readers a warm welcome to our Christmas services, which start on 16th December. There are services specially for children and families (like Festive Family Fun at Holy Trinity 10:30am on Sunday 16th December and Christingle at St Helen’s 4pm Sunday 23rd December) and there are services of a more traditional kind (Lessons and Carols at Holy Trinity 4pm Sunday 16th December and midnight communion at Holy Trinity 11:30pm on Christmas Eve) There’s even a brand new open air carol service at the Bowls Club opposite the Cliff Lane shops at 4:30pm on Christmas Eve, a real community collaboration, complete with brass band and Santa.

Come along - it’s open air and open to all!

But what about giving back at Christmas? At this time of year many people like to make

a charitable donation, to help those less fortunate than ourselves. There are lots of worthwhile causes and charities Waterfront Life readers may have chosen to support. But if you still haven’t made up your mind, may I suggest two local charities helping people in Ipswich who’ve fallen on hard times?

FIND (Families In Need), who provide emergency aid (food and household items) to people caught in the poverty trap. Details of how to give to FIND are available on their website: findipswich.org.uk/support-us or call 01473 833351. Then there’s Selig (Suffolk) Trust who run the Ipswich Winter Night Shelter, helping people currently homeless into sheltered accommodation and positive life choices. More details about the charity and how to donate are available on their website at selig.org.uk/donate/ The impact? Well FIND have helped 3,000 people so far this year while Selig have helped 6 people into accommodation since October. Your donation could make a real difference. Merry Christmas, everyone!

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SUPPORTED BY

TECH PRODUCT REVIEW BY ASHLEY SHOREY-MILLS

The 4th Utility...

In a slight change to our previous reviews, we met up with Ashley from Hughes to talk about improving broadband speed... that pain in the a*** that shows itself as ‘buffering’ or the dreaded spinning wheel!

For many years, having decent broadband at home was nice to have, but increasingly now with more and more devices “connected”, it has rapidly evolved that your broadband at home has become just as important as the other utilities. This has in turn meant that marketing departments at the big IT firms like to tell you about the speeds that they can send to the exchange on your road, or even to your door now… But what happens on the other side of your door? Do you get those speeds across your house? And more importantly how can you help maintain your speeds across your home at all times of the day?

I am sure we all experience certain parts of

the house or garden where the Wi-Fi doesn’t work, making working, relaxing, watching or listening a struggle. But why does it have to be that way? In short, it doesn’t, but there are some key changes or additions you can make to help this, which hopefully I can help with.

Firstly, it is not necessarily openreach’s fault that your house or flat etc is built the way it is. Sadly, it is a non-joined up way in which we seem to continue to build homes in this country. Super insulation, certain building materials, and even your microwave can all affect how strong your Wi-Fi signal is. But also, we are to blame... we use Wi-Fi too much, not “hard wiring” devices that don’t have to be on Wi-Fi... you can’t hard wire your iPad or phone, but you can hard wire your smart tv or Xbox for example. So what simple changes can we make?

1. MOVE YOUR ROUTER If possible, move your router away from the front door and get it somewhere central in

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your house, preferably in an open space.

Imagine your router as the centre of a circle… out the front door gets great signal, but not the upstairs rear of the house. Moving the router is often the cheapest and simplest way to make a positive change 2. HARD WIRE EVERYTHING YOU CAN This is very easy if you have a home that has a cabled infrastructure built into the walls, but sadly we still don’t have enough forward thinking house builders investing in this, so either you need to run cables yourself, or you can buy devices like home plugs which for simple solutions like where your TV is in the living room, can help remove the need for them using Wi-Fi. Home plugs start from around £30 so are not exactly expensive, and of course it depends on how many devices you want to plug in, but we have a full range to suit.

3. UPGRADE YOUR ROUTER Often, the free routers you get from ISP’s are OK, but can lack flexibility to work across huge numbers of devices at home (especially WIFI related), so upgrading your router to something more dedicated can have huge impacts on performance, but also security and control….. As well as boosting your Wi-Fi, why not control when the Wi-Fi can turn on and off in the home to stop people using it at UN suitable times? Handy in a HMO for example? Prices vary hugely depending on usage, but routers form £100 upwards will give you far greater performance.

4. BOOST YOUR WI-FI MESH systems are becoming more and more common nowadays, and this is a great way to increase your Wi-Fi spread across your home. Put simply, imagine it as having multiple routers all-round the home that bounce the signal between each other. You should still take the advice above and hard wire where possible, but in addition, these MESH

systems allow you to get perfect Wi-Fi in the further reaches of the home, without the need for cables being run everywhere. These start from £150 and I am showcasing to Richard today the 3 point solution from TP Link at £229.99.

5. CABLE IN A PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE The most complete option, but we are often installing a proper wired solution to a customer’s home. In short, running cables from the customer’s router, around the home (often externally) and back in to fit ‘access points’ at various places across the home, garden, summer house etc. This is the most perfect way to guarantee complete Wi-Fi across your home as it will take that 50mb download you get at the front door, and dot it round your home at every access point location. A more considered plan of action, as it involved cabling, but certainly if you are in a heavy traffic home with lots of devices and lots of people using them all at once, this is the way to prevent the standard issues of slow speed, internet drop out, and just generally the hassle of moaning about the WIFI. Prices vary hugely in this market, but access points start from as little as £99.99, but will require cabling, other suitable products and professional installation.

Ultimately, all the above pieces of advice will have an impact to some degree so any are worth a try if you are experiencing issues that we all get from time to time. Of course if you need help, then you know where to contact us.

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Tech Co-Editor If you think you can stamp your mark on our TECH section, then email info@student-life.co and put yourself forward to be one of our co-editors next year.

What have you got to lose!?

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