Issue 1 - October 2015

WessexScene.co.uk University of Southampton’s Student Magazine

OCTOBER 2015

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Affluence vs Depravity

Page 26

Welcome

BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES Editor

Editor’s Letter, Issue 1 The third magazine of the year and we’ve only been back a few weeks!

WESSEX SCENE TEAM Want to write for us?

Get in touch with a section editor.

Editor BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES editor@soton.ac.uk

Deputy Editor MICHAEL OLIVER

deputy-editor@wessexscene.co.uk

Head of Design SEBASTIAN STEELE design@wessexscene.co.uk

HEAD OF IMAGERY JORDAN STEWART image@wessexscene.co.uk

Features ELLIE WERMTER

features@wessexscene.co.uk

Features ALICE HEARING

features@wessexscene.co.uk

Science and Environment TRINA DAVIES science@wessexscene.co.uk

Politics SAMUEL WILLIAMS

politics@wessexscene.co.uk

Opinion FREYA JEFFRIES

opinion@wessexscene.co.uk

Now it’s October and we’re fully back in swing for the new term. We’ve had an intensive start to the term, with our editorial team undertaking a creative industries training week learning some valuable skills to make the magazine and website even better this year!

We’ve also been recruiting lots of new readers, writers and illustrators and lots of freshers’ week events. We can’t wait to see what the talent new intake have to offer to the team; in fact you’ll even find some of their articles in this magazine!

We’ve been working hard with some local and national companies to give away some lots of goodies to our regular readers, including tickets to the Clothes Show Live, Union Films Passes and dinner for two in some local restaurants. Like ‘Wessex Scene’ on Facebook and follow us @WessexScene on Twitter to keep up to date with all the fantastic competitions and events we’ve got planned throughout the year!

In this issue, we’ve got some a range of fantastic pieces, from the success of the HeForShe Campaign, to the Ethics of Porn and The New Look for Saints football club. If you like what you read and want to get involved, it’s not too late. Get in touch with our editorial team if you want to join us!

Bridie

Travel NUALA MCBRIDE

travel@wessexscene.co.uk

Lifestyle Laura Cox

lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk

International CAMERON RIDGWAY

international@wessexscene.co.uk

Sport JACK PETHICK

sports@wessexscene.co.uk

Sport SEAN O’BRIEN

sports@wessexscene.co.uk

News REBECCA LAKE

news@wessexscene.co.uk

News TOM MORGAN

news@wessexscene.co.uk

Pause TOM RANDALL

pause@wessexscene.co.uk

MARKETING DAN LINSTEAD

publicity@wessexscene.co.uk

VP DCI KERRY SCLATER vpdci@susu.org

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FRONT COVER IMAGE BY OLLIE SILVESTER WELCOME

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 12 ‘Veisalgia’: The Science of a Hangover - Aidan Starr. Image by Sophie Edgerley

ISSUE 1 october 2015

FEATURES

LIFESTYLE

15 Things All Males Need To Stop Doing on Tinder

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12 Things You Learn in Your First Term at Southampton

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The Rise of ‘Rape Culture’ at University

06

OPINION

Fresher’s Fashion

20

Fit in 15

22

The Very Basics of Beauty

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TRAVEL

The Must-See Italian Island I Never Knew Existed

24

Affluence vs Depravity

26

The HeForShe Campaign: One Year On

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The Ethics of Porn

10

The Plight Of Local Asylum Seekers

28

Veisalgia: The science of a hangover

12

Migrants and refugees - what’s the difference?

30

Beat Stress With Yoga

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SPORT

INTERNATIONAL

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

POLITICS

Who are the Lords anyway?

16

The Politics of Black Twitter

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A New Look Saints

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English Football’s Headache: The ‘Next Season’ Player

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PAUSE

wessexscene.co.uk

Highfield Campus Nature Spotting 34

@wessexscene fb.com/wscene WELCOME

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15 Things All Males Need To Stop Doing on Tinder WORDS BY ELLIE WERMTER

IMAGE BY ALEXANDER MAVRONICHOLAS

T

inder has changed the face of 21st century dating, the days of blind dates, lonely hearts columns and speed dating are fading away and from its ashes, tinder has ignited (pardon the pun), here, you can meet potential dates from the comfort of your own mobile phone. It’s revolutionary- you simply filter your acquired sex and age range, and then simply swipe left or right, depending on if you fancy them or not. Essentially, Tinder has become the online shopping of the dating world.

However, this whole new method of meeting potential dates has its complexities; especially, it would seem, for the male contingent. The Tinder App requests users to select up to six photos to display on a profile, along with a few words about yourself in your bio. It is here when men, in particular, appear to struggle- as perhaps, taking a sultry selfie isn’t quite so socially acceptable as it is for women. To further add to the challenge, one can’t be seen to come across as too arrogantly, flashy or creepy, so constructing the “perfect” profile may appear to be an impossibility. Fear not, because here are ten essential things to avoid when giving your Tinder profile an overhaul…

• Never upload a picture of yourself holding a baby. It doesn’t matter if it’s your baby, a friend’s’ baby, a cousin, a nephew/ niece, whatever. It may seem like a great idea to display your ‘warm sensitive side’ But trust me, it’s a turn off.

• Pictures of your ex partner/girlfriend/wife and, the mothership, wedding photos. It just leads to so much unnecessary confusion; ‘Are you married?!’ ‘Where’s your wife?’ ‘Does she know you’re here?!’ ‘WHAT IS YOUR DEAL?’ kind of questions.

• Posed topless pictures

• Pouty selfies.

• Posed topless pictures in the gym • Posed topless pictures with ‘the lads’

• Pictures of your car, no we don’t want to date your BMW, Mark.

• All six pictures are you with ‘the lads’- I’m not here to play, “Where’s Wally?” with you and ‘the squad’

• A picture with a friend that’s hotter than you. It’s just a disappointment on all fronts.

• Ask for our Snapchat name after 0.4 seconds of small talk.

• Mention your height. If you’ve got it, flaunt it, if not, pipe down.

• Pictures of you when you were a child. Nobody cares about what you looked like when you were four, and we certainly don’t want to date pre-pubescent you, thanks.

• Act bitter in your bio; ‘swipe left if you’re a spoilt princess and if you just want someone to drive you around and buy you things’ Urm, okay.

• Have poor grammar. You could be the hottest specimen to grace planet earth, but if you can’t string a coherent sentence together, then it’s a no!

• Make creepy-ass comments. ‘You have nice skin, I’d like to wear it as a onesie.’ BLOCK BLOCK BLOCK. • And the worst crime of all- when you’re breathtakingly beautiful/perfect/seemingly intelligent, and don’t make conversation with us when we match * sad face * You don’t even know what we could have been…

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FEATURES

Features

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Things You Learn in Your First Term at Southampton Yes! You’ve got into the University of Southampton.

The next few years of your life are going to be incredible. But, what is your first ever term going to be like? Let me help you unravel this riveting mystery from which are the best clubs to how you feel about university.

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Your freshers experience is not complete without a trip to the Palace of Dreams. Jesters is a path of righteousness for most Southampton students. Just wait until they play Baywatch. Then have a Jesticle whilst you’re at it.

On the other hand, you don’t need to drink to have fun and meet new people. SUSU has the most societies of any university in the UK. There are over 300 which means you’re likely to find something you like.

Whether it’s Quidditch or Cake Decorating, Southampton’s got it all.

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A popcorn sandwich is not an acceptable meal of choice. Nor is pot noodle as breakfast. Despite the assumption that student meals are literally anything you can get your hands on, you’ll realise that you can budget and make a decent meal that is nutritious, tasty and cheap.

A lecture at the top of the maths building followed by a lecture on the other side of campus, or god help you, on Avenue campus, is a one way ticket to hell.

You’ll arrive at your lecture sweating and wheezing but you’ll have some excellent glutes by the end of term.

All-nighters are a terrible idea, however, you will become a pro at them. You’ll know exactly just how much caffeine and how many snacks can get you through the night. This is also a result of your professional procrastination. You will realise just how much your ability to avoid work has developed since A Levels.

FEATURES

WORDS BY ALICE HEARING IMAGE BY KAYLEIGH SHARP

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In addition, you’ll work out exactly how much you need to work to reach the bare minimum of 40% in your modules in first year.

You’ll seriously come to value home. You’ll miss the cleanliness, the cooking. You might not miss home as much as you think you will but you’ll certainly value it.

Total freedom to drink and eat and do whatever you like isn’t as satisfying as you thought it would be.

Being lazy is nice but you’ll feel the consequences and you’ll want to get out and do something. Netflix is great but so is meeting new friends and gaining new experiences.

You’ll realise suddenly that the university has so much to offer in terms of opportunities.

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Having a wobble is natural. At times you’ll doubt where you are and what it means for your future. You might miss home or consider changing your course.

But you’ll realise that there is a solution to all of your worries.

Your lecturers, your friends, your union are all here to help and more.

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Living on your own doesn’t mean you have to truly act like an adult. You’re allowed to make forts in your kitchen, have duvet races down the corridor and act like the floor is lava.

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Features

The Rise of ‘Rape Culture’ at University WORDS BY ELLIE WERMTER IMAGE BY OWEN WEBB

R

ape culture is the normalising of male sexual violence, and any behaviour that endorses male sexual aggression over women. It includes jokes, TV, music and words that make violence against women and sexual coercion seem normal.

a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student. Sadly, many women see this threat of assault as a part of student life.

Rape culture is everywhere; from the song, ‘Blurred Lines’, that tells women that they ‘know you want it’ regardless of their consent - to stories of college women in America being instructed to vomit or urinate on demand to protect themselves against rape. At University, ‘Rape culture’ is a prominent feature of student life. A common phenonomen is hearing stories of drinks being spiked or girls being taken advantage of when drunk. In 2010, a study by the National Union of Students found that one in seven women experienced

“A rape culture condones physical and emotional terrorism as the norm… both men and women assume that sexual violence is a fact of life, inevitable.”

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Emilie Buchwald, author of Transforming a Rape Culture says:

The ‘lad culture’ that exists at university often permeates the prominent rape culture in our society by belittling a woman’s FEATURES

Features We must admit to ourselves that rape and serious assault does happen at University.

It must not be belittled as simply part of ‘lad culture’.

right to say no. Many notorious student events such as Carnage are accompanied by sexist themes that encourage women to dress provocatively and drink to excess. Furthermore, joking about rape is at the very crux of this ‘laddish’ environment. A boy kissing a girl who is too drunk is considered ‘a bit rapey’, whilst sexual abuse is made to be something to laugh at; with jokes about ‘surprise anal’ or ‘surprise ejaculation’ being the norm in pub conversations. These respective acts are rape, and serious sexual assault by definition.

Jinan Younis of the Guardian says:

tell him where to stick it. Guys seem to be able to hurl all kinds of sexual obscenities at you and as soon as you retaliate even mildly they turn really nasty, it’s as though it’s not your place to stick up for yourself.”

Dave Llewellyn, a PHD student at Oxford University, works for the ‘Good Lad Workshop’, which is determined to turn sexist lad culture on its head.

“Drinking and pack mentality definitely ‘It’s worrying that some boys who are studying feed into guys, and they do things that they to become doctors, lawyers, scientists and wouldn’t do otherwise.” teachers think that it’s acceptable to take advantage of a girl regardless of her consent. He says that after a few drinks and encouraging chants from It’s disturbing that they find it amusing to their mates, their behaviour may change. encourage girls to drink to the point when University rape culture may also stem from ignorance around they can no longer refuse to have sex with consent, which leads to a major problem when people may not know when they are actually committing rape. The them.”

A recent NUS study shows that female students are at a higher risk of sexual harassment or violence than their male counterparts. This experience is echoed by Melissa Wirth, an English and History student at the University of Southampton:

“Generally guys on nights out have no filter and I think most girls have gotten used to being eyed up and shouted at like objects on nights out which is awful. ‘Ive been grabbed by the arm quite a lot, as if a guy sees you and physically plucks you out from a crowd and there’s not much you can do other than FEATURES

law states that a person consents to sex when they agree by choice, and they have the capacity and freedom to make that decision. When a girl is drunk, she may lose that capacity.

Often, sleeping with as many girls as possible and drinking lots epitomises a classic fresher’s experience, but many young men may not realise that this can be considered as rape in some instances.

In order to tackle the worrying rise of rape culture at university, the casual references and jokes towards sexual assault and rape must be fronted. We must admit to ourselves that rape and serious assault does happen at University. It must not be belittled as simply part of ‘lad culture’. Because such a dismissal condones an emergent culture thereby sanctioning a potential epidemic of exploitation and degradation.

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The HeForShe Campaign: One Year On WORDS BY FRAZER DELVES IMAGE BY JOSH SAMWAYS

L

ast September, UN Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson gave a passionate speech at the UN Headquarters in which she launched the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign, encouraging men and boys across the globe to become greater advocates for gender equality in the social, economic and political arenas. The initiative has received widespread praise across the globe, but some critics have questioned the effectiveness of the campaign.

There has been great work done so far, but there is also vast amount of progress that still needs to be made.

One year on, has the campaign been a resounding success, or a stark disappointment despite having the noblest of intentions?

Emma Watson launches the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign during a special event at the UN Headquarters in September 2014Emma Watson launches the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign during a special event at the UN Headquarters in September 2014

“Men - I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too.”

There is a good amount of evidence to suggest that the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign is working. In March, Union Council passed a motion formally supporting the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign. Although a number of US universities have publicly given their backing, it is believed that SUSU is the first Students’ Union in the UK to do so.

Sam Bailey, SUSU’s Vice-President Welfare, has praised the initiative, saying: 8

“It’s really great to see so many people around the world joining together to support women’s equality - the map on the HeForShe website says 448,456 people have signed up already and it would be amazing to see that grow. The important thing now is that people hold their governments, politicians and community leaders to account, ensuring that real change happens.”

The campaign has truly had an international reach, with success even in countries where gender equality has been a seemingly impossible challenge to overcome. Until October 2001, the city of Kabul raged with war as the Taleban regime attempted to enforce Sharia Law on the people, which treated women as second class citizens. Earlier this year, Afghan men in the capital took the rare move of encouraging others to pledge allegiance to the campaign.

However to think that gender discrimination is no longer an issue would be a grave misunderstanding. In Saudi Arabia, women were allowed to register to vote in elections for the first time ever this year, seen by some as a massive leap forward. Indeed while a degree of progress has been made, the human rights group Amnesty International have warned that the change is too little, too late. Women will still need a male to take them to the polls if they are to have any say at all, as women themselves are banned from driving in Saudi Arabia.

Critics of the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign have also argued that the initiative is flawed because it leads men into believing that they are making a real change by signing a pledge to support gender equality, instead of taking real action to confront the most pressing issues.

Ultimately it could be said that the ‘HeForShe’ Campaign has gone a long way to encourage men and boys to stand up for gender equality across the globe and call for an end to prejudice and discrimination. However to suggest that the campaign has been a glorious success would be rather far-fetched. To truly tackle the issue of gender inequality; men, women, girls, boys, governments, charities and human rights groups must all stand together on a long-term platform of solidarity. An issue of this magnitude could never be solved in one year.

OPINION

Opinion

The Ethics of Porn: Is It Really

The Demon?

Pornography, to many, seems like a dirty word; something that we wouldn’t dare use, or talk about. But recent studies have shown that at least 69% of UK young adult men watch porn at least once a month, and the number may even be higher. Take, for example, the University of Montreal Study, which aimed to understand the sex-habits of non-porn watching adults, that was abandoned because they could not find a large enough sample.

WORDS BY BRUNO RUSSELL IMAGE BY JORDAN STEWART

P

eople aren’t just doing it at home. There were as many as 300,000 attempts made to access pornography within the Houses of Parliament in 2013, and over 4,000 OFCOM workers decided to view it while at work in the same year. Their Director of Technology, Stephen George-Hilley, responded by saying that: ‘clearly Ofcom needs to get to grips with this problem to ensure staff know not to try and access explicit content online’. I’m sure there staff already know this, it just doesn’t stop them!

So, clearly, the UK has a porn habit - perhaps even obsession.

So why has it remained a ‘dirty word’? Is it actually really all that ‘dirty’ anyway? There are two ways to remove the stigma of pornography; by challenging its social status, and by removing the apparent philosophical or ethical arguments against its usage and creation. As a philosopher, the second is rather appealing, but I will demonstrate both here.

So why does philosophy say no to porn? There are several reasons. The first is that it apparently demeans a women’s body, but this seems backwards. If a woman has a right over her own body and a right to make her own decisions, then why does she not have the right to use her body within the porn industry? Are we only going to give women the rights we see fit for them to have? This all seems rather hypocritical and male-centric. Furthermore, the idea that porn ‘demeans’ women has been shown as unfounded by studies, completed at the university of Hawaii, that could find no direct link between pornography and male image of women. We’re making out 10

that there are negative links - which simply don’t exist - in an unfair attempt to demean pornography.

The second most popular argument comes in the famous utilitarian form: 1.

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People only have a right to do something if it does not cause harm to others Pornography causes harm to others Thus, pornography is ethically wrong.

It is this style of argument you see in most social arguments against pornography too, followed by figures of porn usage under the age of 16, or the number of ‘porn addicts’ that have arisen. However, such an argument is not convincing. Does pornography really cause harm? We have a choice whether to watch it! Can I say that using a knife is wrong because it could cause harm? No, because it’s about how we use it! We can’t just focus on the negative effects of porn, and then say porn must be wrong. Arguments based on harm can only apply to non-consenting acts, like rape or murder. Ethicists have made an amateur mistake.

Even if you grant this flawed argument, does pornography really do more harm than good? It seems that it provides a form of sex-education that many 16-year old would otherwise not get (even if it does create temporarily flawed views that women are always shaved or happy not to use a condom).

Furthermore, it is has been shown by Professor Milton SECTION

Opinion

Diamond that viewing pornography directly correlates to a reduction in sex-crime. This is backed up by Clemenson Professor Thomas Kendall who showed that the states within the US that adopted internet pornography saw clear reductions in sex-crime. Even just a 10% increase in pornography viewing reduces sex-crimes by 7%. These positive studies cause for the ethical arguments against porn to come crumbling down.

The social arguments are perhaps a little more widely known.

Many people worry that 83% of children under the age of 13 have viewed pornography. Whilst this is clearly problematic, is it really the fault of porn itself? Without a doubt, pornography is readily available on the internet. Estimates suggest that 14% of internet searches, and 4% of websites, are pornographic (and note these are not the scare-mongering figures that anti-porn activists use). ISPs, however, are blocked from showing porn randomly, unless such websites have already been viewed on that computer’s internet history. The reality is not, as it is in Ted 2, that explicit pictures pop up on the internet, regardless of what innocent search you may enter in to Google. Therefore, it is down to parents to control access, and for schools to actually teach young people about porn. It’s our ignorance that holds us back; surveys showed that 64% of parents believed their children have never watched porn.

Clearly they need to get their head out of the sand! After all, if large numbers of kids are viewing porn, is it better to ignore it and moan about it, or to actually teach them about pornography; the problems with it as well as the positives?

SECTION

So what does this all mean? Well, it’s time to break the stigma – it’s time to talk about porn. For many, watching porn is as frequent an activity as eating and sleeping – and we sure talk about those a lot! Once we talk about porn, the social barriers start to fall down; pornography stops being that naughty 10mins of your day! When we talk about it, we will see that the apparent ethical conundrums of porn are unfounded, and that the social implications of it can be addressed. We need to embrace pornography as a part of sex. It’s clear that pornography plays a major role in teaching children about sex, so we should address that and work with it, rather than moan about it. Pornography is not some great demon, and you’re unnecessarily making yourself feel guilty if you believe it is.

“The reality is not, as it is in Ted 2, that explicit pictures pop up on the internet, regardless of what innocent search you may enter in to Google.”

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Science & Environment

WORDS BY AIDAN STARR IMAGE BY SOPHIE EDGERLEY

‘Veisalgia’: a word derived from Norwegian and Greek that literally means “The pain and uneasiness following debauchery”...

That’s right, it’s the medical term for a hangover. But what actually is a hangover? Or, more importantly, what can be done to prevent and cure one?

L

et us begin this educational journey with some causes. Many people believe that a hangover is simply dehydration, and whilst they’re partly right, it’s actually a whole lot more complicated - and still not properly understood. There’s basically a plethora of pathophysiological happenings, that can all contribute to feeling like that 9am lecture just isn’t going to happen.

you end up feeling tired towards the end of the night and is essentially what keeps the Southampton taxi industry in business. Once you finally get into bed and fall asleep, your brain decides it had better make up for this lack of glutamine and produces loads of the stuff all at once. This ‘glutamine rebound’ therefore prevents you reaching deep levels of sleep and can be why you wake up feeling weak, feeble and shaky.

One of the primary causes of Veisalgia is the metabolism of ethanol into toxins such as aldehydes, which can be almost 30 times more toxic than alcohol itself. These can mess you up by making standard bodily functions much more difficult, resulting in nausea and headaches. As well as this, there are some pesky fermentation byproducts known as congeners around that can worsen the hangover even further. There is a general rule that darker alcohol contains more congeners: dark rums, red wines etc. Also, mixing what alcohol you drink on one night can result on a cocktail of congeners, which can only be a bad thing.

There we have it, a little bit of the science behind your hangover. Now based on the science, there are actually a few ways of mitigating the effects *cheers optimistically*.

But wait, there’s more. When you have your first few drinks, the alcohol can cause the pituitary gland to stop producing antidiuretic hormone, consequently causing the bladder and kidneys to turn more liquid into urine rather than absorbing it. This sudden flood of urine to the bladder is what the more experienced drinker out there may eloquently refer to as ‘breaking the seal’. Not only is this super annoying, but it also causes the horrible dehydration and dry mouth in the morning. As well as this, a useful stimulant called glutamine is produced less during alcohol consumption. This is why 12

Firstly, and at the risk of sounding like your mum, definitely don’t drink on an empty stomach. This is because food, especially fatty foods, can help to slow the absorption of alcohol and can reduce the peak amount in your blood. Whilst you eat, try and drink a load of water and maybe pop a berrocca as this can prevent the depletion of important vitamins. Also try to avoid the heavily carbonated drinks such as champagne, the bubbles in which can make the alcohol get absorbed much quicker. Bubbles equal troubles. Furthermore, drink lightercoloured spirits, due to fewer congeners, and definitely ditch the drunken smoking!

Now these tips might help, but ultimately there is only one way of completely avoiding a hangover and that is to not drink at all. Or at least try to keep things moderate.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

Beat stress with

yoga

WORDS BY MIKE OKEOWO IMAGE BY JORDAN STEWART

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nxiety and depression is on the rise. Official statistics report that currently one in five adults suffer from this form of mental illness.

Even more worrying is the fact that students are one of the groups most vulnerable to anxiety and depression. The pressures exerted from mounting deadlines, the desire to “fit in” and new responsibilities that come with being away from home leave many feeling stressed, lonely and potentially depressed.

Unfortunately this is a problem which is rarely tackled – a survey by the Mental Health Foundation revealed that 1 in 3 students dealt with it by ‘hiding themselves away from the world’.

This signals that it is time we start taking our well-being seriously. Yoga provides us with fun, natural and low-cost way to decrease stress which leads to these illnesses and it promotes a positive, joyful and healthy lifestyle.

But just what does bending, balancing and breathing have to do with reducing depression and anxiety?

According to a Southampton based yoga teacher, Wai Chung;

Active asana stimulates the sympathetic nervous system; then, more-calming poses activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The effect is a moment of quiet that is soothing to the anxious mind. Through a combination of yoga postures, movement, breathing techniques, sound and meditation it is possible for more ease and joy.

And it is not just practitioners of yoga who are seeing the benefits; scientists also have been conducting experiments which back up these claims.

One recent study compared levels of the amino acid GABA in those who practice yoga in comparison to those who take walks for the same amount of time.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

GABA is an amino acid which is vital to the functioning of the central-nervous system and the brain, it also helps stimulate feelings of calm and well-being in the body. A low level of GABA is associated with depression and anxiety. During the tests, scientists found that the levels of GABA were significantly higher in those who practised yoga in comparison to those who did other forms of exercise for the same amount of time.

In addition, a 2013 study by the Massachusetts General Hospital found that yoga produced immediate benefits to immune function, energy levels, metabolism and insulin secretion.

Insulin is important for mental wellbeing because it triggers the production of serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good neuro-transmitter which is artificially stimulated by drugs like MDMA, cocaine and anti-depressants like Prozac. In short, yoga will give you the long-term benefits of making you happier and healthier (also you don’t have to worry about the come down!).

Let us not forget that yoga can be just as beneficial for the healthy as it is for those suffering from anxiety and depression.

If you’re generally interested in self-improvement, getting the most out of life or just want a new hobby; yoga could be for you.

For those interested in attending yoga classes at the University of Southampton, join YogaSoc on Facebook for information on classes.

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Politics

Who are the Lords anyway?

With David Cameron’s recent appointments to the House of Lords proving controversial, TOBY LEVESON lookS at just what the House of Lords is, who they are, and what they do.

IMAGE BY CHESTER FRAMPTON

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he Parliament of the United Kingdom is split up into two houses; the upper house, the House of Lords, and the lower house, the House of Commons. The aim of Parliament is to pass legislation, and the government of the day has the power to introduce bills to the House of Commons, before it gets sent to the House of Lords for scrutiny, one of the key roles of the Lords, where it can be reviewed and amended where necessary.

Cameron’s recent appointments, the total is in excess of 800.

Furthermore, since becoming Prime Minister in 2010, David Cameron’s rate of appointments is higher than any Prime Minister in British History. In addition to this, the fact the Lords are appointed and not elected remains a problem in the eyes of some. An overwhelming majority of bicameral legislatures have both an elected upper and lower house, and there have been renewed calls for the UK to follow suite.

However, the House of Commons is an elected body, with is a defined 650 seat membership. On the other hand, the House of Lords has no upper limit, there are currently 826 members, and all are either appointed by the Queen on behalf of the Prime Minister, or are hereditary peers, meaning they have their title from birth. There are 92 hereditary peers, along with 26 Bishops, who are known as Lords Spiritual.

The Solution?

How do I become a Lord?

Unless you become an important Bishop or happen to be born into the right family, the only way you can become a Lord is by being nominated. This can happen either on the advice on the Prime Minister or by an independent body, and often as a result of years of work towards a public service. So for example, Lord Sugar (that one off The Apprentice) was awarded a peerage for services to business and enterprise, and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber (that musical one) was awarded a peerage for services to music.

So what is the problem?

The first problem is purely a practical one; the House of Lords can only physically seat around 400 members, and with David 16

Tony Blair passed legislation to reduce the number of hereditary peers to 92 in 1992, but there are arguments to suggest that this has not gone far enough. Would making the House of Lords a fully elected chamber work? Would it diminish the role of the MP? Is the best solution a part elected, part appointed chamber? Would that even work?

The solution is not necessarily straightforward, and so for the foreseeable future the House of Lords will continue to operate the same way, amending bills and challenging the government where appropriate.

“the fact the Lords are appointed and not elected remains a problem in the eyes of some.”

POLITICS

Politics

The Politics of Black Twitter WORDS BY COURTNEY ISMAIN IMAGE BY ALEX WILLETTS

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n 2013, Buzzfeed’s Shani O. Hilton commented that ‘the hive has become a swarm’ when writing about the power of Black Twitter. What formed naturally as a source of entertainment, built upon the shared humour and experiences of mostly African-American users, has transformed into a formidable and essential force for cultural activism in 2015. The humorously incisive commentary (often culminating in viral hashtags), combined with the first-hand, uncensored coverage of injustice and controversy, enables Black Twitter to wield so much influence in popular media.

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POLITICS

Politics

“When it comes to cultural activism, the depth of social media’s power and reach is hardly a surprise.”

When Rachel Dolezal, a former NAACP leader, allegedly lied to the organisation about her race, Black Twitter hilariously ridiculed her identification with the African American community with the trend #AskRachel. Not for the first time, satirical tweets accompanied outraged discussion about racism and cultural appropriation. Of course, these issues are nothing new to the black community: the crucial factor is that now the conversation is online, amplified to an audience of non-black social media users. The LA Times recently hired a full-time reporter to cover Black Twitter topics, reflecting the growing interest surrounding it. Although not ‘mainstream’ (and it is probably best this way), it is powerful enough to inspire discussion about race and cultural differences. It is influential enough to shape popular internet humour, with #TweetLikeJadenSmith, #GrowingUpBlack, and recent viral video ‘Why You Lying’ being a testament to this.

In Black Twitter, everything is a talking point or a source of entertainment. More importantly, everybody is accountable for their actions: countless public figures and news publications have been called out for offensive comments or behaviour. In 2013, PR representative Justine Sacco tweeted, “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!” to her 170 followers just before boarding an 11-hour flight. Whilst she slept on the plane, her racist tweet went viral and Black Twitter called on her employer IAC to fire her.

POLITICS

Swift-moving and determined is true; yet far from being just an overzealous witch hunt, the points being made highlight long-standing issues which are incredibly valid and relevant to the black community.

When it comes to cultural activism, the depth of social media’s power and reach is hardly a surprise. This has been exemplified before by the Arab Spring, when it was crucial for defying state censorship and organising protests. Likewise, Black Twitter has been unyielding in the fight against racism and inequality, particularly police brutality in the USA. Courtesy of those at the forefront of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, uncensored coverage of demonstrations is instantly available on your timeline, with the latest updates being shared thousands of times before it has even reached any news desk.

Black Twitter can be credited for the spread of #BringBackOurGirls, #HandsUpDontShoot and #ICantBreathe, and after the shooting of African American teenager Michael Brown, it confronted the unfair portrayal of black people in Western media with #If TheyGunnedMeDown.

Twitter reaches audiences that traditional media sources do not, and activists need that. When in other instances mainstream attention might have withered away, Black Twitter has kept the conversation alive.

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Lifestyle

Fresher’s Fashion A Guide To Every Student Night of the Week NANCY INDIANNA REED IMAGE BY SOPHIE FELL

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anicking about what to wear during fresher’s week? Worry no more! This is the essential guide of what to wear and where to go every night of the week. Dressing to go out can be stressful; even at home going to the same club I’ve been to hundreds of times I can guarantee that there will be mounds of clothes everywhere as I scream ‘I don’t know what to wear!’ So, starting uni and going to clubs you’ve never been to before, can only be worse. Luckily, I’ve thrown together this little guide, with some handy hints about what to wear each night, so you don’t need to stress and can focus on making friends and having a great time!

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LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle Monday

Monday night is undoubtedly Jesters night. Jesters is a weird and wonderful place. I guarantee that if you haven’t heard about it already the rumours will be flying in fresher’s week.

And what to wear will defiantly be a high priority. If you take one thing away from this article let it be this: YOU NEED JESTERS SHOES! Honestly, they are essential. A Jesters shoe should be categorized in two ways. Firstly they need to be cheap, you will be binning them. Secondly, they should be high-sided – this is essential.

At about 10.30pm the Jesters toilets look horrendous.

High-sided shoes like trainers will attempt to protect your feet from ‘you-don’t-want-to-knowwhat.’

Clothes wise; Jesters is super casual. There is no dress code, so anything goes. I tend to go for jeans and a crop – because after all it’s Monday and who can be bothered? It’s best to wear dark clothes because no doubt at some point someone is going to spill a bright pink Jesticle or a neon green Juicy Lucy down your legs and you will thank your stars that you didn’t wear your favourite white skinnies out.

Tuesday

On a Tuesday, we are heading just a few doors down from Monday night’s Jesters (try not to think about it) to Sobar.

Although maybe slightly more dressy than Jesters, and with no need for specific shoes, I would argue that the dark clothing rule still applies. The most popular drink is the quad blue - no one knows for sure what the blue is, but we all know it’s gonna’ stain.

Pretty much anything goes in Sobar, so if you fancy dressing up you’re never going to look out of place, but at the same time if casual is what you fancy go ahead! A good tip for outfit inspiration is to look on the Sobar Facebook page because they take pictures literally every night and post them on there, so you can see what everyone else is wearing.

Wednesday

Wednesday night means its time to hit Oceana for ‘Student Therapy’. For some of my flatmates this is the best night of the week, because it means you get to dress up! Dresses and skirts are common for girls and most girls are in heels (although LIFESTYLE

often people walk from the bus stop at the station, which can be a bit of a trek in heels.) The dress code is fairly strict here – especially for boys. If you’re wearing scruffy trainers you won’t be allowed in. You don’t have to worry about your clothes getting ruined because there is plenty of room – most likely the only person who will spill something down you is you! So go ahead and wear your best togs.

Thursday Most people tend to head to Chocolate Factory at Café Parfait on a Thursday night. The free chocolate and chocolate fountain, mean you might want to be careful what you wear.

Here is a similar dress code to Sobar – wear whatever you fancy! Head to Parfait’s facebook photos if you need a bit of help.

Friday

Friday night at Switch is normally big. Bearing this in mind there is usually quite a queue, so it is advisable to wear something you’re not going to freeze in.

There’s a mix of students in Switch means that people wear anything from a tracksuit to a playsuit. You definitely want something you can move in, because unlike some of the other places mentioned, there aren’t really any chill out areas - it’s mainly dancing all night long! Out of all the clubs in Soton, Switch is probably the place where you can experiment with your style the most, without looking too out of place in the crowd, so if you fancy trying out a few new looks – this is the place to do it!

Saturday and Sunday

The weekend tends to be reserved for the locals, so most students use these days to catch up on work or more likely - TV. You’ll probably see more students in Sprinkles than in the clubs, and if you do go out then the likelihood is that you will be going to one of the aforementioned clubs so just follow those guidelines!

Final tips

•If you’re heading to a fancy dress night, always make an effort. The weirder the better! Even if you feel like an idiot, you will look like a legend! It’s a talking point and a great way to make friends.

•The Fresher’s Ball is a great excuse for a new outfit, or to dust your tux and ballgowns off!

•Make sure whatever you wear makes you feel happy and comfortable.

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Lifestyle

Fit in 15 The 15 Minute Workout WORDS BY SNIGDHA TIRUVURU IMAGES BY SAM GALLAGHER

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s the new academic year begins, while it is exciting to be back in university after a long summer break, soon all students start feeling the stress. Assignment deadlines are creeping up, notes to catch up on, topics to revise and all this can have intense pressure on our health. One way we can alleviate this is by spending some time to focus on our health and doing exercise. This not only gives us a break, as we sift through our workload, it will also relax our mind and will lead to effective performance in our academia.

Set 1

Set 2

Set 3

JUMPING JACKS

30 secs

45 secs

1 min

PLANK Keep forearms on the

15 secs

30 secs

30-45 secs

8 reps

12 reps

20 reps

6 reps

9 reps

12 reps

6 reps per leg

8 reg per leg

12 reps per leg

15 secs

30 secs

45 secs

floor and back flat.

BODY-WEIGHT SQUATS Squat down, as if you were sitting on a chair.

Rise and repeat.

PUSH-UPS Modify by doing them on your knees.

LUNGES Step forward, dropping your back knee to the floor.

Alternate sides.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS With hands on the flood, quickly step up and back (bringing your knee to your chest on each step)

WALK Walk slowly for 30 seconds between each set.

Going to the gym is not everyone’s preference. The gym can be expensive and getting there and back is time consuming also, so in this article I want to particularly focus on a fitness regime that I have been following over the summer. It is quick, easy to grasp and the only equipment needed is our body!

This 15-minute workout builds stamina, helps us keep fit, and, if you want to, lose that extra bit of weight that we may be putting on due to sitting down too much while studying. Even though it is only 15 minutes, it can be quite intense and it is definitely very effective.

My uncle, who is a fitness guru and taught me this workout, told me something I hadn’t thought of before: If you are doing the 15 minute workout for losing weight, then doing it every day will not be as effective because our body gets used to the rhythm of it. Hence, it is important to mix up the exercises on a daily basis. Never allow our body to get used to a workout.

While on Mondays we can do the 15-minute workout, on Tuesdays we can stick to some yoga and on Wednesdays some Zumba while following a YouTube video. If the weather is good, we can also go for a run in the Common for 30 minutes or so and repeat the order.

It is all about looking after our body and all we really need is 30 minutes, perhaps a yoga mat and that interest and responsibility of wanting to look after ourselves. Of course, a balanced diet, enough sleep and keeping ourselves hydrated are essential along with the exercise. To fulfil our potential we all need to have a healthy body and mind. This regime works for me and it will definitely work for you all too.

Good luck to everyone starting the new academic year. Here’s wishing all of us an enjoyable, healthy and successful year.

22

LIFESTYLE

The Very Basics of Beauty WORDS BY MARYAM MIR IMAGE BY KATHRYN SMITH

Beauty is an extremely personal matter and what works for others, may not work for yourself. So the first piece of advice I would give someone would be to work with themselves; get to know what works well for you and what doesn’t so much. Here are some tips to master the basics of beauty.

skin

One of the most important areas this principle can be applied to is skin. Before you even consider using make up, you should have perfected the art of skincare. Finding the perfect skincare is not easy, but it is however worth the time and effort, as it can completely transform your skin. This does not have to be a financially strenuous activity; there are plenty of natural remedies that work just as well given the chance. Popular natural ingredients include honey and turmeric. If you find that you have exhausted every possibility, the problem is most likely internal. Skin is closely linked with other factors such as sleep and diet. However once again, it is about knowing your own body. Some are gifted with genetically flawless skin, whilst others work hard to maintain their skin. My own personal routine includes aiming to drink as much water as possible, as well as eating healthily.

hair

Hair is another beauty basic. Whatever style, length or colour you prefer, keeping your hair healthy is essential in maintaining its appearance. One way in which you can do this is to reduce the amount of heat you use on your hair as it can be damaging and drying. Allow hair to air dry, and only style if really necessary. Serums, oils and sprays can all be LIFESTYLE

used to protect hair from heat damage. Another tip I would recommend would be to oil your hair. Coming from an Asian background, oiling hair is very much a part of routine. There are several types, with many uses, from making hair thicker to reducing dryness. I would recommend the brand Vatika.

It’s also highly beneficial to research which oil is most suited to your hair’s needs. As with skin, hair is also linked to your dietary intake. Vitamins A and E are particularly beneficial, as well as Omega-3 oils that can be found in fish, or are available in tablet form.

eyebrows

The last basic I will be covering is eyebrows. Eyebrows have recently come back into the beauty limelight following the trend of thick brows on models such as Cara Delevingne.

Eyebrows are an important feature as they frame your face, therefore groomed brows make a world of difference. Popular methods of grooming include waxing, tweezing and my personal choice, threading. If you then want to fill in your eyebrows, as many people now tend to do, you can also do this using powder or a pencil. If you’re not sure how to do so, there are many tutorials on YouTube and Instagram.

I hope you found these tips insightful, and remember, the most important thing to focus on is whatever you feel suits you best, and that you are most comfortable with.

23

Travel

The Must-See Italian Island I Never Knew Existed WORDS BY WAREFTA MURSHED

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his summer, I spent 6 weeks in Italy; eating lavishly, meeting wonderful people and seeing some really extraordinary sights. I lived mainly in Naples, and during my time there I went to Sorrento, Salerno, Pompeii, Vesuvius, Rome and Florence. But my favourite place to visit was an island I never knew existed - the island of Ischia.

I was in Naples with a student run organisation called AIESEC, teaching at a primary school whilst living with a loving and welcoming host family. My two travelling companions were fellow volunteers from Canada and Colombia who were also doing a similar program at other summer camps. We had heard about the islands off the coast of Naples from the locals and since we had no plans for the weekend, my Canadian friend and I decided to pack our rucksacks and leave for Ischia on Friday evening, with not much further planning.

Our journey there was an ambiguous one. We managed to get lost whilst looking for the port, only because we missed the gigantic sign that said “PORTO”. We managed to get the last ferry to Ischia only to find everything closed once we arrived.

We managed to find the nearest hostel, only it was about an hour and half away from the port (and not to mention the manager was rather creepy), the atmosphere of the hostel was eerie and the conditions were less than sanitary. But hey, not bad for 14 euros.

We decided to grab dinner and get out first thing in the morning; 8 hours in that hostel was enough.

We learnt of an ancient castle from a crepe vendor whilst we were having breakfast and decided to visit it after our beach session in the afternoon.

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And what a wise decision going to the caste was. It was breathtaking; one of the most beautiful experiences either of us had ever had. The lift to the top of the castle was broken, so it took us about an hour to climb the castle and each time we got higher, the view got better.

“Oh My GOD. Is there any point going up there?!” shouted a lady with an American accent. “Uh… no! It’s just an empty white room!” we yelled back. We continued to walk up to the top of the castle together with the American lady, whilst she told us the history of the castle and how it had not changed in the 35 years since she last visited. The three of us shared a weird sense of déjà vu as she told us that she too was a student when she had come to Ischia for the first time: 19, just two girls trying to survive the 39 degree heat – just like us. When we got to the top, she talked to us about how she stood exactly where she standing now and predicted her life, and how her perspective changed through the following years.

We left in a haste because we had to catch the ferry back, but when we looked back at the castle and from the bottom we could see her gazing out nostalgically. She didn’t know it; but she too would become a part of our nostalgia.

Traveling is about getting inspired. It’s about who you meet and what you see and what the adventure teaches you. My adventure taught me the beauty of discovery. I liked Ischia because it was obscure. Unlike Rome or Florence, I had never planned on going there, I had discovered it. If Naples had become home, Ischia became my escape – a place I may never have found if I was simply a tourist.

TRAVEL

Travel D1

Affluence vs Depravity: Types of Crime Whilst Travelling WORDS BY RHYS FAIRLIE IMAGES BY SAMMIE BURSTOW

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ll I had done was jaywalk - a simple harmless act of crossing the road in a place not allocated by the state for crossing - and a man in police uniform is shouting at me that I am going to spend a long time in jail if I don’t pay him £100.

Next thing I know, I’m on the corner of an unknown street with my best friend crying and not knowing how or why we had just lost all we had to a man who, to the best of our knowledge, was a legitimate police officer.

Fortunately, as crime goes this was not the worst that could have happened. I could have been left at the side of the road with nothing at all, or worse I could have had my life threatened. Regardless of the impact of this crime, financially, this event shocked me and set me to thinking - what could I have really done? Is there a link between what happened to me and the type of travelling I was doing? Is there a particular genre of crime that me and my fellow travellers should protect against depending on where we are?

I came to the idea that the prevailing type of money-driven crime a traveller will be confronted with is likely to be linked with the economic state of the area that they’re in. So, imagine crime on a scale from petty theft of a few small notes out of your pocket to a major crime such as theft of hundreds of pounds, or worse, kidnapping.

The answers I came to were speculative and not tested. I wish to explain why I as an individual came to the conclusions and use this to give some advice, that is subject to your own interpretation and judgement.

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In a deprived area - an area where there is a lack of education and an absence of expensive chain stores - it stands to reasoning that the crime you are likely to encounter will be low level.

The people there are not going to have the desire to acquire a large amount of money in one go; because what do they have to spend it on? And even if they intended to steal a lot from you or kidnap you and hold you to ransom; if there is a lack of education where are the potential criminals to draw knowledge from to plan an elaborate crime? Therefore, I expect the crime one is likely to encounter will be on a level of false advertising and petty theft. A stolen camera or misplacing fifty dollars you needed for a wildlife tour will upset anyone, no crime is good, but it is unlikely to stop your travels and it hopefully won’t have knock-on effects in the future. The advice I would give here is of vigilance and forethought, it’s difficult for someone to swipe your camera if it’s always around your neck or in front of you. Likewise how can someone pickpocket your cash if you attach your wallet to a chain or string? Simple measures like this will go a long way and hopefully this will also give off the picture that you are well prepared and therefore, deter opportunistic thieves.

In a more well-off area the game changes. Perhaps you are in a capital, with a stronger education system and a lot of opportunity to spend and gain money. The crime a traveller would be likely to encounter is more on the severe organised crime end of the scale, as everyone is battling to reach the top and people are more well off initially. A criminal isn’t going to need a few dollars to help their weekly shop, what they are likely to be looking for is a quick fix that puts them above everyone else in terms of wealth or position. This TRAVEL

said I would expect a higher frequency of crime on par with identity theft, kidnapping or major theft. In an area with better education, a complex scam that manipulates a person to part with a large sum of money (like the one I encountered) is far more manageable. So, what’s my advice for a place like this?

Vigilance again is definitely key; however when I’m talking about the more serious crimes it’s important to have a plan of action and do some prior research. Also, in a situation where you are scared, it is good to have a plan and remain calm. For example, if you lose a passport in a capital city do not panic and cause alarm by posting a Facebook post telling everyone how you’re stranded, start by thoroughly checking every part of your luggage. When you’re certain it is gone find your embassy and they will help you.

Sadly, crime exists everywhere and it is not always driven by money like I have assumed in my article, what’s more is I have categorised crime according to the environment you’re in; whereas in truth all types of crime will happen wherever you are and I simply think the relative proportions of types will change. When travelling we put ourselves at risk, that is the price we pay in exchange for being able to enjoy a different country. So, the best advice I can give is to prepare beforehand by researching and finding out (from friends, family or the internet) the ways you can minimise the likelihood that you will be targeted. Had I done this I may still be £100 richer.

TRAVEL

“When travelling we put ourselves at risk, that is the price we pay in exchange for being able to enjoy a different country.”

27

International

The Plight Of Local Asylum Seekers WORDS BY CAMERON RIDGWAY IMAGES BY SIMEON COATH

All countries have a moral duty to provide asylum to those in need, many of whom have fled from lives of violence and persecution in conflict ridden countries. With asylum seekers spread across the UK, all local authorities have a duty to support and care for asylum seekers while their application is being processed.

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ocal government figures reveal that in Southampton, 67 asylum seekers received Section 95 support between April and June 2015, meaning they had undergone a ‘destitution’ test and were deemed not to have sufficient accommodation for themselves and their dependents while their application was processed. The amount of support provided also appears to vary in different local areas.

As a comparison, 128 asylum seekers in Portsmouth received this level of support during the same period, while no-one in Winchester was in receipt of Section 95 assistance. Asylum applicants can also claim a short term support allowance, known as Section 98, while their application for longer term support is being processed.

The value of such support, other than the cost of accommodation in cases where it is provided, has been fixed at the same level since 2011. According to the British Refugee Council, the level of financial support provided is £72.52 per week for a couple with no children, £43.94 for a lone parent aged 18 or over, and £36.62 for a single person over 18. This works out as lower than even the most basic form of support that can be obtained through the benefits system.

In terms of accommodation, asylum seekers are granted temporary accommodation until their claim is processed then eventually move into more permanent accommodation - usually shared housing. According to the British Red Cross, however, they are in some cases dirty, overcrowded and missing certain amenities. Asylum seekers are normally 28

granted accommodation under a policy known as ‘dispersal’, which means they are relocated to an area outside of the South East of England with no say in where they may be placed.

Issues have also been reported regarding the short term accommodation that asylum applicants stay in before being allocated a more permanent residence - in one case hundreds of people were found to be living in a London hotel designed for 98 people.

Campaigners on both a local and national level have called for an improvement in conditions for asylum seekers and the support provided by the government. Local charities such as the Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group (SWVG) support asylum seekers on a voluntary basis, providing goods and additional funding to help with the costs of living in the UK, which can’t always be met by the Section 95 support they are given by the state. Nationally, the British Red Cross has warned about the ‘demonisation’ of asylum seekers, saying that some of the goods portrayed as luxuries are in fact essential for them to live properly and communicate with home. It has also urged a reconsideration of the ban on asylum seekers working, arguing it puts more people at risk of being considered ‘destitute’.

“the British Red Cross has warned about the ‘demonisation’ of asylum seekers” INTERNATIONAL

International S2

Migrants and refugees what’s the difference?

WORDS BY CAMERON RIDGWAY IMAGES BY CHARLOTTE RICHARDS

In the current migration crisis, media outlets have been using the terms ‘migrant’ and ‘refugee’ interchangeably to mean the same thing. However, the terms have distinct meanings that carry different international obligations and consequences. If used improperly, it could mean the difference between life and death. What’s the difference?

Migrant

Simply put, a migrant is someone who moves from one place to another in order to live in another country for more than a year. There are many reasons why people become migrants, but commonly migrants move to work and better their living conditions.

Refugee

A refugee is a person who has fled armed conflict or persecution and who is recognised as needing of international protection because it is too dangerous for them to return home. They are protected under international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines refugees as: “Someone unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”

Every nation that signed that convention – which includes the UK – is bound under its rules to consider all asylum applications. Article 17 states they all have a right to earn a wage. Article 31 states there must be no penalty for illegal entry of a country. Under the rules, refugees have the same

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right to education, healthcare, freedom of association and movement as any other citizen of the nation that considers their asylum application.

So the difference between migrant and refugees is clear. A migrant has a choice to return to his country of origin; he can live safely there with no threats on his life. But a refugee doesn’t get a choice. They are forced to leave.

It is vital that the media stops labelling Syrians, Eritreans, Libyans and Iraqis as migrants. AlJazeera online editor Barry Malone claims the term does not do people justice, and is no longer fit to describe the horrors of the Mediterranean crossings. The term ‘migrant’ carries connotations of an unwanted and uninvited swarm that’s attacking fortress Europe. It is a dehumanising term that strips away the human suffering and the life and death situations refugees face on a daily basis. It is very important to recognise them as refugees and not migrants in order to arouse empathy and compassion.

Alexander Betts, director of the Refugee Studies Centre at Oxford University says: ‘Refugee implies that we have an obligation to people; that we have let them on to our territory’.

This is why words matter in the migration debate; it could mean the difference between life and death.

INTERNATIONAL

A New Look Saints Sport Editor Jack Pethick gives you a quick guide on the players to look out for if you find yourself in the stands at Saint Mary’s this season.

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IMAGES BY CHARLOTTE RICHARDS

ow that you are well and truly settled into the Southampton life, it is almost compulsory to have Southampton as your second or even first football team that you support (unless you’re a Portsmouth or Bournemouth fan of course!) Their relatively inexpensive tickets - compared to most other teams in the Premier League anyway - make seeing a Southampton game relatively easy whilst you’re at uni. Just a short walk from Above Bar Street, Saint Mary’s is one of the nicest grounds in the Premier League with a friendly atmosphere about it. Southampton had a fantastic season last year, finishing 7th in the league table and achieving their highest points tally ever in the Premier League - their success meant that a number of key players such as Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathaniel Clyne and were snapped up by bigger clubs, and a squad overhaul was needed by Ronal Koeman.

If you do manage to find yourself down at Saint Mary’s this season, we here at the Wessex Scene have provided a quick guide for some of the key players both new and old to look out for at Southampton this season:

Virgil Van Dijk

Arriving from Celtic on transfer deadline day for a reported fee of around £11.5 million, Van Dijk is a centre-half who’s both powerful and comfortable on the ball. A lot of bigger clubs such as Manchester United were reportedly interested in the Dutch international, so although the fee of £11.5 million may seem sizeable for a club such as Southampton, I would argue that it’s an absolute steal. Van Djik has already showed signs that he’ll play well alongside club captain Jose Fonte and his comfortable nature on the ball means he’ll be a perfect fit for the system and style manager Ronald Koeman likes to play.

Cedric Soares

A player who has big shoes to fill at right-back following the departure of Nathaniel Clyne to Liverpool earlier in the summer. After gaining his first full cap for Portugal in 2014, Soares is a player who would be described as a fast and defensively sound full-back who again is comfortable on the ball. Still only 24, it will be interesting to see how he develops over the course of the season.

SPORT

Jordie Classie

Another player who has big shoes to fill at Southampton this year. Morgan Schneiderlin was key to Southampton’s success last year, so it will be interesting to see if Classie plays a similar role to Schneiderlin over the course of the season. Dubbed by some as the “Dutch Xavi”, Classie is a short but stocky centralmidfielder who is both good in possession and defensively, he should play a key role if Southampton are to succeed again this year.

Jay Rodriguez

“Jay-Rod”, as he is known to most Saints fans, has been with Southampton since 2013 and had quickly became a fanfavourite following the impressive amount of goals he scored for the club in the 2013-2014 season. However, in March 2014 Rodriguez ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, ruling him out for 11 months in the process, just a few months after he received his first England call-up. But now he’s back to full fitness it will be interesting to see if he can re-capture his goalscoring form and get back in the England squad in time for the European Championships.

James Ward-Prowse

Although just 20 years of age, this is a big season for the young midfielder. Being recently made the captain of the England U-21 side, Ward-Prowse has been impressive thus far this season for Southampton and has a real chance if he stays fit and on form to make the plane for the European Championship’s with England. A similar player in terms of style to Classie, Ward-Prowse is both defensively sound and has a good passng range.

Graziano Pelle

After signing for Southampton in the summer of 2014, Pelle quickly became a fan favourite with his red-hot start to the season, scoring 8 goals in the opening 2 months of the season, however, Pelle was unable to maintain this form, finishing with just 12 league goals by the end of the season. At the start of this season it appears that Pelle will continue to be the main striker up-front, acting as the target-man and focal point of Southampton’s attacking play. Pelle will need to re-capture his goal scoring form if Southampton are to be a success again this season.

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Sport

English Football’s Headache: The ‘Next Season’ Player SEAN O’BRIEN AND SIMON SLATTER IMAGES BY ALEX WILLETTS

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s University students, it is often difficult to comprehend the standards and expectations that come with the money paid for and to some of the youngsters in the world of football.

With new laws recently introduced requiring squads to contain a certain amount of English players, the price of home grown youngsters has rocketed through the roof.

It’s one of the most tired clichés, particularly in the English game. Commentators and pundits alike often throw a blanket over young players by pointing out that ‘they’re still young’ or ‘they still have time to develop’, but is this really an appropriate defence for some of our underperforming youngsters?

English football is almost crippled by ‘next season’ syndrome, which takes focus away from a player’s development. How long can we really allow the transition from youth to full potential? Where do we draw the line? Many top players in world football have shown their full potential from a young age, including the likes of Messi. But more importantly for English football; Rooney, Gerrard and Shearer were all players who blossomed early on. Conversely, players like Charlie Austin and Ian Wright did not reach their potential until later in their careers.

England, despite performing well under par at the U21’s tournament this summer, have produced players with big price tags. But is it enough to have a ‘promising future’? Jack 32

Wilshere and Theo Walcott are prime examples. Injury may have halted their progress, and they may have shown glimpses of what they are capable of, but glimpses don’t win league titles or World Cups. A poor season is usually excused by the supposed fact that they’ll discover top form in the following term.

Ross Barkley is rumoured to have a £30 million price tag, yet has often seen himself on the bench for Everton. Moreover, Raheem Sterling has just been purchased for £49 million, a price tag that has brought much scrutiny. Here, it is important to remember that City aren’t paying £49 million for the player that he is right now. His youth and potential come under that price tag.

The FA has invested huge amounts of money into youth football, but the results have been questionable, with clubs often looking abroad to recruit talent. Clubs have used so many different methods in trying to develop their youngsters, with the loan system commonly being used – but to what end?

Patrick Bamford has been loaned out by Chelsea numerous times, achieving a playoff final with Derby, and earning Championship Player of the Year with Middlesbrough in a season which saw him bag 17 goals in 39 appearances. You could argue how beneficial it is to be the best amongst a group of players you’re expected to be better than, as opposed to learning and developing against technically more advanced and experienced opponents. Josh Mceachran and Nathaniel SPORT

Sport

“English football needs to remove the idea of a ‘next season player’ [...] if a player is not performing, instead of labelling them as ‘too young’, it would undoubtedly be more productive to ask why. “

Chalobah appear to be further examples of players failed by the loan system.

Yet this is where the headache begins. Were these players to stay at Chelsea, would their likely lack of first team football hinder their development in the years when they need to be gaining experience? Sterling’s constant first team football has allowed him to improve at Liverpool, eventually resulting in a big move. Should managers be taking more chances with young, unproved players?

doesn’t help. Sterling has proved his potential, and the £49 million price tag on his shoulders is more of an investment, with Manchester City hoping in the next few years he becomes a title winning player. The potential is obviously there and as a footballing nation it is paramount that we set about reaching it, not postponing it.

Alan Hansen’s famous quote about not being able to win anything with kids was proved wrong by Manchester United in 1996. Surely clubs should be doing their best to replicate the success that Ferguson gained through the trust he put in United’s young talent. With financial fair play and regulations on the amount of English players required in each squad, it appears to offer a far cheaper solution to clubs like City rather than spending £49 million.

English football needs to remove the idea of a ‘next season player’. Footballers do improve as they travel through their twenties of course. But if a player is not performing, instead of labelling them as ‘too young’, it would undoubtedly be more productive to ask why. Hazard is young and winning Chelsea league titles. Messi did the same for Barcelona, as did Ronaldo for Manchester United.

Developing players is complex and difficult, but using labels SPORT

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Highfield Campus Nature Spotting FROM TOM RANDALL, THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA IMAGE BY OLLIE SILVERSTER Sadly, given the greenery of Highfield Campus, there are no badgers, swans or geese with lasers living on the campus. Rather, the nature spotter must look for an altogether different sort of wildlife. Homo Undergraduatus is a commonly spotted but misunderstood species that dominates the area of Highfield Campus. We can subdivide this extraordinarily diverse species into many different subspecies, this article will explore some of the more interesting types.

Human Undergraduate[1] Temporal range: 0.002 - 0 Ma Hellenistic - Recent

Contents [hide] 1 Introduction 2 Subspecies

2.1 Homo Nursicus

2.2 Homo Mathematicus

2.3 Homo Artifarticus

2.4 Neanderthal Ruggerus 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links

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An adult human female from the United Kingdom

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Mammalia

Order:

Primates

Suborder:

Haplorhini

Family:

Hominidae

Genus:

Homo

Species:

Undergraduatus

SECTION

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Homo Nursicus

Homo Artifarticus

Main article: Homo Nursicus

It takes all sorts to become a nurse but after three years of rigorous cleaning up after other people and getting covered in god-knows-what in the process, they become surprisingly similar.[2] The Nursing student is a pack animal, wandering around campus in large groups. Their social behaviour is largely based on speculation, back-stabbing and gossip.[3] Nurses, with their day studies and future jobs revolving around body parts, know far more about their friends than could possibly be considered healthy. This gives ammunition for constant gossiping and catty games of Never Have I Ever.

The species is migratory with frequent placements to places as far afield as Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and Basingstoke[4] - the town you take your Northern friends to if you need to prove that the South isn’t completely full of soft chinless wonders. In dress they are unremarkable on campus and so the species must be distinguished by the unique social structure it possesses.

Main article: Homo Artifactus

The most magnificently plumed of them all, the arty-farty as they are better known, dresses like they’ve just robbed their grandparent’s wardrobe. A rarer sight on Highfield, this subspecies is commonly confined to Avenue Campus.[8] Socially they interact mainly through moody Instagram photos and tumblr accounts[9], although have been known to socialise in groups like the rest of the wildlife in this delicate ecosystem.

Their diet is the most refined of all the subspecies, as they require Waitrose [insert unspellable ‘food’ name of your choice] and loose leaf green tea to fuel them through their three contact hours a month.[10] They do not rise from bed before noon but could hardly be considered nocturnal, the average Humanities student sleeps 17 hours a day, rising only to eat, post moody selfies and do the one chapter a week of required reading.[11]

Homo Mathematicus

Neanderthal Ruggerus

Main article: Homo Mathematicus

This subspecies covers several breeds in their own right, but who can be considered similar enough. Generally speaking although the archetype of the subspecies is Mathematicus, we can extend most of the traits into Engineering and Physics.

Identified by a buttoned-up shirt, the plumage of pens in the top pocket is one of nature’s marvels.

This subspecies also has notably pale skin from spending all time indoors studying[5], and is often emaciated, helpless and totally reliant on the surrogate mother of halls catering for feeding. Those who have flown from the nest have a diet primarily of pot noodles and doritos.[6] Socially a solitary creature, they interact primarily through their laptop computers, which they can use to communicate with other members of the same species.[7] The gender imbalance here is more marked than in other subspecies but without the competition. Rather than increasing the stakes of mating rituals, most of this subspecies are frightened and intimidated by the women in their ranks.

Main article: Neanderthal Ruggerus

Characterised by an inability to walk without knuckles dragging on the ground,[12] this subspecies can be identified by wearing his t-shirt from when he and the lads went On Tour to a grotty Spanish resort and the mating call of ‘TOP BANTER’.

The social structure of this grouping involves getting naked far more often than necessary,[13] as if the tight chino shorts worn by all didn’t reveal enough. He dines on a diet of Nando’s and Manzil’s, inexplicably not having constant food poisoning.

See also There are many other prominent subspecies the observer can see on Highfield Campus, not to mention the related species group of Homo Postgradus, which has much the same but of a moody disposition. We have sought to highlight some of the easiest to spot species. If you see an unidentified new breed or subspecies, please write the description on the back of a £20 note and send it in. We will contact you.

[citation needed]

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