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Southampton University’s Student Magazine
ISSUE 3 NOV 2012 www.wessexscene.co.uk
1 / WS / Editors ///
EDITORS
E D I TOR’ S LE TTE R / Editor / Ellie Sellwood / Deputy Editor / Jo Fisher / Graphic Designer / Bronwen Rees / Online Manager / Sam Whitehall / Imagery / Sasha Spaid, / Bryony Wellburn / Features / Andy Haywood / Amy Sandys / Science / Claire Critchley / Politics / Charlotte Harwood / Alexander Green / Winchester / Amy Harwood / Opinions / Samuel Gilonis / David Mendoza-Wolfson / Travel / Chris Clarke / Lifestyle / Emma Hobbs / Emma Chappell / International / Jack Kanani
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Wow, is it really November already? With autumn well and truly here, I hope you have all been getting stuck in, enjoying yourselves and wrapping up warm. It’s been a very busy month for the Wessex Scene Editorial team from getting the latest news stories up online, to giving you last minute Halloween outfit tips to dancing on concourse handing out copies of Issue 2, we’ve been trying hard, as ever, to make your students’ online newspaper and magazine everything that you deserve it to be. We’re always open for suggestions and are always on the look out for new contributors. What do we have to offer you this month? With the NUS Referendum looming just around the corner we have a series of articles designed to help you make a very informed decision as to whether SUSU affiliates or not. We also have a surprise appearance from our online procrastination hub, Pause and a discussion about the use of drones in the War on Terror, along with some tips about visiting the Battlefields this Remembrance Day. As always, lots for you to savour so I hope you enjoy this Issue. Ellie Sellwood
/ Sport / Jack Winter / Richard Windsor / News / Tom Durham / Sera Berksoy / Pause / Sam Everard / Publicity / Luke Goodger / Front Cover by Bronwen Rees /
/ Get in touch... We want your letters to the Editor for page 2 in the next issue so send us your comments to editor@soton.ac.uk / Be sure to head online to check out our regularly updated News section and Pause, our procrastination central.
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SOCIETIES COLUMN / Chloe Green /
S
o you signed up to dozens of societies at the bunfight and I’m guessing by now you will have narrowed it down to doing two or three! One thing that I always find when I go into the Union in the evening, is that it is a buzz with societies activity. From a ballet lesson to game soc there is something fun going on everywhere, whatever your idea of fun is! So if you ever get bored one evening, head into the Union and see what you stumble across and if you see something you like, join in! Recently I’ve been inundated with people wanting to start up a new society. If there is a society that you think is missing, something that you love doing but we don’t do- then grab 24 of your friends and you can set one up! Check out our website for the steps to setting up a society, we have an affiliation meeting coming up soon. There was some great collaboration going on between societies last month. ‘Explore the UK’ led with ‘the Culture Clash’an evening of music and fun in
The Bridge, whilst ‘Soctoberfest’ pulled in many like-minded societies, to welcome in the start of the new academic year. There was also Debating society’s US election debates which brought together other political societies.
tion, people can go to powerdown2012.eventbrite.co.uk/#)
Below is a quick taster of events coming up this month. As always head to our website or check out Facebook for more details:
Don’t worry if you still haven’t managed to find the society for you- most societies welcome people joining all year round so check out our website for a list of every society and get involved.
Tuesday November, 13- Hindu Society (in collaboration with SUSU) will celebrate the Indian festival of lights called Diwali at SUSU concourse from 11am to 7 pm. There will be Indian music, floor painting, henna, food, indian drummers and more.
Thursday, November 29- Debating society EU debate as it is the anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty
Saturday, November 17 – ‘International Development Conference’ brought to you by Southampton Hub. Saturday, November 24 - Green Action is running a PowerDown at The Art House, an unplugged (i.e. totally un-mic’d) electricity free gig, very intimate. Doors open at 7.30, music starts at 8, 5 acts (free tickets but must book in advance at ticket registra-
/ Get in touch...
3 / WS / Features ///
TOMS: Footsteps Towards the Future / Tahlie Cooper / ///
Upon meeting children in Argentina 6 years ago, Blake Mycoskie, an American traveller and entrepreneur from Texas, noticed that none of the children he came across had shoes and probably never have owned a pair. Owning an item seen as fashionable in Britain begs the question; why are they needed amongst children living in poverty?
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his is where ‘One For One’, the motto you hear from the people at TOMS, comes in. But what does it mean? After seeing the lives of these struggling children living miles from water, surviving on less than $1 a day and living amongst dangerous terrains first hand, Mycoskie wanted to help. So he founded and established TOMS, ‘the shoes of tomorrow,’ giving a deprived child a pair of shoes for every pair sold to a consumer. One for one. ‘It allows someone to buy something that they’re already going to buy or they want or they need and help someone at the same time’ says Mycoskie. ‘It’s really amazing to me.’ One of the main ways that someone can come into contact with disease, in developing countries is through soil. Hookworm can stump mental and physical growth, with irritant soil causing Podoconiosis leading to swelling of the feet and legs. The infectious and fatal disease tetanus can penetrate cuts and wounds under the feet. Doctor Peter Hotez
of George Washington University validates the importance of footwear: “In Africa, there is a desperate need for footwear that will protect from highly prevalent neglected tropical diseases transmitted through the soil.”
‘In Africa, there is a desperate need for footwear that will protect from highly prevalent neglected tropical diseases transmitted through the soil.’ So when children walk miles for infectious water, it’s not just the water they drink that can potentially harm them, but every single step they take. Even the smallest scrape can lead to severe pain, illness and even death. Every pair of TOMS, which is given as a result of our purchases, is critical to the physical health of these children. But what more could they possibly do? They can provide an education. Without shoes children in the majority of schools cannot have a full uniform: without the correct uniform they go without
a well deserved education. Giving shoes to over 40 different countries across the globe from Angola to Zambia, TOMS works with other non profit organizations to order shoes for individual communities that they believe need them most. Although the process from consumer purchase to giving to a child is not instantaneous (it can take from 4-6 months to complete), the success of the company selling over 2,000,000 pairs allows them to provide numerous pairs for every child as they grow. Now with 3 factories based in Argentina, China and Ethiopia, the company that successfully built the bridge between fashion and activism has become an entrepreneurial victory for Blake Mycoskie. However the successful traveller/business hero clearly isn’t just in it for the money. “Giving is what fuels us. Giving is our future.” It’s the core of our business and it’s time we celebrate it.’ This drive through a growing demand and the desire to give is what makes TOMS different to every other
fashion brand. With retailers such as Nike and Topshop being exposed for their sweatshop shames, the shoes of tomorrow brings true charitable ethic to the business world. With the exclusion of child labour and fair wages to workers, the people at the forefront of TOMS ensure that their employees are rewarded for their help, too. However this is not yet the TOMS happily ever after. The next chapter potentially reaches out to 285 million across the world: the 285 million people affected by blindness or visual impairment. Currently helping thirteen countries worldwide,
for every pair of glasses sold by TOMS, money is given towards helping the visually impaired through medical treatment, prescription glasses or sight saving surgery. Working alongside the Seva Foundation, a charity dedicated to building a sustainable and cultural future in lower income countries, eyesight can be restored. Within a day children can go to school, adults can return to work within a week and the results can last them a lifetime.
those most knowledgeable of the miracle that is the one for one cause. ‘I don’t think I was fully prepared for how significant of a life change it would have on these people. There is no feeling in the world that compares to that.’ Blake Mycoskie
It’s an astonishing, overwhelming experience to see the result buying a pair of shoes can have. This experience is still felt by
/ Images by Tara Shore / Email contact: features@wessexscene.co.uk
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FIRST IMPRESSION OF A MATURE POSTGRAD STUDENT / Paul Rouse /
Mature Postgraduate Student Paul Rouse gives an insight into the world of the more ‘seasoned’ students here at the University of Southampton.
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ou will, from time to time, come across confused slightly older looking people wandering the campus in a distracted, somewhat absent fashion. These poor souls are probably like me, a mature student who has returned to study - come back to ‘school’ after many years in the other ‘real world’ - to take up the challenge of learning once again. After a career of over 21 years in the public sector, I decided it was time for something new that would put a spark back into the brain. I am now studying for a MPhil/PhD in the social sciences and have, in the past few weeks, learnt some valuable lessons as a mature member of the student world; 1. Learning to read and study properly and efficiently takes time. Learning to learn again is more difficult than trying to keep up with student social life. But it does get easier over time. 2.You’ve probably forgotten almost everything you remembered from last time you were in education, but your knowledge
and experiences drawn from life will be invaluable. 3. Cardigans turn out to be acceptable clothing, indeed perhaps even fashionable! However the younger students will giggle if you match your favourite cardy with your cherished (probably tartan) slippers in lectures. Slippers aren’t cool on campus. Your taupe shoes with Velcro ‘laces’ will do. 4. You’re no longer in the competitive ‘real world’ where you might often keep good ideas to yourself. This world is about sharing and debating ideas in a supportive environment. 5. Your fellow students will accept you. They don’t see you as an old git but rather will recognise you as one of them. The common denominator of our interest in our subject of study overrides everything. You are just another student,though perhaps a bit slower up the stairs to the 10th floor. 6. Don’t waste study time trying to find those fashionable baseball caps with a peak at the back in the shops. You’d look ridiculous in a cap, cardy and slippers combined with your inevitable
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paunch. 7. The library staff are remarkable. Use them; they will make life easier. They have psychic insight and can find any text, publication or report in moments. Even when the last reader returned what you’re after to the wrong shelf on the wrong floor. 8. ‘Blackboard’ isn’t a blackboard at all. 9. The university doesn’t wake up until mid-morning. Your younger colleagues are rarely to be seen before ten. So, if you’re used work in the ‘real world’ when you arrive in the morning and the campus is near deserted, don’t panic. Enjoy the peace and quiet in the library it opens at the beginning of the working day and is there for you. 10. Finally, you’re not having a hot flush - it is too hot in most university buildings. If your varicose veins aren’t too off putting for public view, try wearing shorts, perhaps with sandals and socks. / Image by Jo Fisher / Email contact: features@wessexscene.co.uk
7 / WS / Politics ///
THE DRONE WARS: America’s Cover t War of Terror / Alexander Green / ///
In the town Miranshah, northwest Pakistan, two young lovers are getting married. The whole village has turned up to witness the couple’s happy day as they celebrate by doing the Attan; a traditional drum-based circular dance of the Pashtuns. At the same time, a man is sitting at a desk in a Nevada-based CIA trailer; staring at a computer screen, joystick in hand, watching images of mountains flying past. He presses the trigger and watches a Hellfire missile soar down towards the earth below. Boom! The missile hits and the wedding party disappears in a fireball of high explosives, shrapnel and hot air, leaving behind only ashy fragments of what went on before.
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he above story is actually a work of fiction; yet, one very close to fact. It could fit any number of recent attacks in the Arabian Peninsula over the last few years; a target killing of one ‘terrorist’ leading to the deaths of many innocent bystanders. The culprit behind such attacks are known as combat drones or, more officially, Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles. Fast, cheap and deadly military tools, drones are missile-carrying aerial vehicles that can be piloted from a computer. Whilst normal UAVs are there for surveillance and reconnaissance, combat drones are exactly what they say on the tin; high-tech killing machines. Since 2001, drone attacks have become a major component of the “War on Terror’; in Pakistan alone, there has been more than 350 attacks since 2004. This is the new and increasingly more frequent nature of war; not war as we know it, but one computerised, distant, impersonal and safe.
Indeed, it is a far cry from the massive counterinsurgency efforts of Iraq and Afghanistan where the hope was to win over citizens through the heartsand-minds policy of discourse and rebuilding of infrastructure. This has long been deserted; slow, expensive and ultimately fruitless in these two cases, the use of drones offer clear advantages to conventional warfare.
Yet, what is clear though is that these deaths are morally unacceptable and unlawful; the death of many innocent people is not a proportional trade-off for the death of one terrorist. It stands solely against the UN’s declaration of human rights. The US administration is aware of this themselves, often denying and hiding the deaths of civilians in botched operations.
They are far cheaper; carry no risk to US troops; and are often claimed to be far more precise, reducing the chances of civilian casualties and other damages that is unavoidable with aerial bombing and ground assault.
The fact that the US launch these attacks without remorse makes it far worse; rumours of ‘double-tap’ attacks where a drone returns and targets those rescuing the injured shows the extent to which the US is willing to accept civilian deaths.
It is this last point that requires most scrutiny. Drone attacks are anything but precise; in the aforementioned 350 attacks in Pakistan, over 800 civilians have died with the killing of nearly 200 children. These figures are estimates at best; the programme remains so secretive that it is difficult to asses the true extent of such killings.
Indeed, many times, civilians death are expected. The targeting of funerals and wedding has been an actual policy in the drone doctrine in order to take out many targets out at once; to the CIA, any male past a certain age is considered a combatant. What about Obama then? The liberal-king, the anti-Bush and
the Nobel Peace Prize winner; he has has sextupled Bush’s drone use and personally presides over a ‘kill-list’ which requires his approval of which specific people should be targeted for elimination. By doing this, Obama is choosing to play god; assassinating anyone he deems to be a threat to the US. Even US citizens are not spared; last year, Anwar alAwlaki was targeted, and whilst a radical cleric, there were no definite links to terrorism. Without any incitement of a crime, it was nothing more than extrajudicial murder. Why did the US not try to arrest him first? Considering that many men were wrongfully detained at Guantánamo, it is likely that many ‘terrorists’ will be tenuous at best. After all, what criteria is needed for someone to be classed as a terrorist?
The drone programme is thus abused as a way to kill suspects as it is easier than trying to capture them and give them a fair trial. These are ‘legitimate killings’ in the face of an imminent threat, but purely the surgical removal of another person of a anti-US sentiment - a flagrant abuse of the laws of war. Despite this, figures indicate that over eighty percent of the American public support the use of drones. Many media sources too have been complementary; the Wall Street Journal declared Obama’s expansion of the drone programme into Yemen and Pakistan as “one of his finest accomplishments” Of course, this is due to the desire to protect US troops, as drones offer a ‘risk-free’ alternative; the lives of those from Pakistan, Afghanistan,Yemen and countless other nations are therefore clearly deemed as ac-
ceptable losses with no meaning or worth. Collateral if you will. Away from the ethics, the use of drones also poses two fundamental miscalculations; a double-edged sword of hidden costs. Firstly, the idea that a terrorist group can be killed merely be the elimination of its leader is flawed. Indeed, Osama Bin Laden may be dead, but al-Qaeda poses as much threat as it did in the post-9/11 years before his death. You cannot change a fundamental belief and idea purely by the surgical removing of its head; there is always another ready to take a fallen leader’s place. Then there is the potential of blowback. Drones may take out a few terrorists, but they alienate local populations, pushing individuals towards radicalization and support of terrorist groups. Figures show that al-Qaeda has tripled in size in the Arabian Peninsula due to drone attacks. Imagine, after all, if your family were decimated in a US drone attack; the decision to become radicalized against the superpower in order to exact revenge would be perfectly explanatory. The use of drones is both flawed and a challenge to peace; the US, seeking to destroy terrorism, is merely aiding it. More importantly, the remorseless murder of thousands of innocent is a moral aberration. It must end now.
/ Image by Bryony Wellburn / Email contact: politics@wessexscene.co.uk
CHINA AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER
/ Alexander Green /
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In the midst of once-in-decade leadership changes, Alexander Green discusses whether China can face up to its ever-growing list of problems and truly cement itself as a global superpower.
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n the last few months, politics has been dominated by the US presidential election with non-stop coverage in nations around the globe. It’s unsurprising; the next US president is essentially the de facto leader of the world. Or is he? Many believe that position may be soon be taken up by the Chinese state president; the incoming Xi Jinping. Indeed, whilst the West has been floundering with its economic crisis - and the social unrest at the austerity measures imposed to deal with it - China has continued to grow, establishing itself as the world’s second largest economic power. Yet, China’s boom years - with an average of 8% annual growth during the last 30 years - looks set to be over. It therefore faces the challenge to try and keep the growth sustainable with a turn towards higher household consumption and a greater role for the service sector needed; otherwise, the bubble may burst. This economic liberalization has also created issues in itself; the disparity of living standards is ever increasing with wide regional differences. The proliferation of state corruption too money disappearing, land-grabs
by officials and the bypassing of environmental regulations - shows a regime struggling to control itself. Indeed, the walls are falling in somewhat on the ruling Communist Party (CPC); its repressive control of everyday life and constant abuses of power are no longer going unchallenged. Over the last decade, there has been a dramatic growth of civil disobedience with as many as 360,000 protests in the last year. The Chinese are, at last, questioning the leadership of their nation - and they want more freedom. In reality, these isolated incidents are not signals of a populous discontent, but for the paranoid security state that is China, they are seen as dangerous signs. Political reform has not been forthcoming, however. Rather than dealing with the underlying social issues and the party’s own corruption, the CPC’s has instead had a crackdown with the construction of a massive $100 billion internal-security apparatus. It’s mandate? To keep Weiwen; stability. In other words, the creation of secret prisons, beating up political protestors and opposition cou-
pled with stronger censorship of the media and internet. Such actions only serve to create a self-perpetuating cycle where the lack of political and social freedom create further instability and unrest. Moreover, it looks unlikely to stop the rot: helped by the development of Chinese social media, there is growing number of dissent voices within the state. In the past, the CPC has been able to bottle up such notions, but no longer. One thing is for sure though; with China’s economy set to overtake that of the US in less than two decades, the postCold War unipolar American world of the last two decades is nigh. But without dealing with its swathe of internal problems, the future is unlikely to be a Chinese-led one either. Reforms may occur; China, after all, remains a mysterious place, especially in the Maolined upper echelons of the country’s communist party. But, for the moment, what’s in store for the next ten years remains very much unknown.
Email contact: politics@wessexscene.co.uk
11 / WS / NUS ///
/// NUS REFERENDUM 2012 /// / Helen Van Riel /
/ Tom Durham /
/ Alexander Green /
Over the past few weeks, strolling through campus, many of you will have heard the words NUS, affiliate and referendum thrown around; yet, for many of you, this whole NUS fiasco may be just white noise. Never fear, the Wessex Scene is here to tell you what’s going on, when and why it matters.
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orget the US election; the 2012 NUS Referendum is the biggest political decision this year - at least for all of us at Southampton University. In the depths of SUSU, a fierce referendum debate continues. However, the most frequent feedback from NUS-related conversation with students consists of questions like “Isn’t Southampton part of the NUS already?” or “What does the NUS mean?”
country. The organisation was formed in 1922 after a meeting at the University of London and, since then, has continued to grow. Currently, 600 students’ unions are members which accounts for more than 95% of all higher and further education unions in the UK. This amounts to around 7 million students; the confederation is also a member of the European students’ Union.
So to help you get involved and feel part of your Union and its decision-making process, here’s a brief guide of the issues, the history and the events taking place in order to make sure every student is both fully informed of what this NUS Referendum is about, and more importantly, can get involved!
Like SUSU, the NUS is student-led and is run by a full executive made up of full time (Presidents and VPs) and parttime officers. They are supported in their work by around 50 or so full time staff.
What is the NUS? The National Union of Students (NUS) is a confederation of students’ unions from around the
The organisation claims to be the national voice of students and states that it will “campaign, provide research, represent, give discount, training and expert advice for individual students
and students’ unions.” They do this through providing the infrastructure, which allows each individual union to be autonomous with the right training and research. Their mission statement is as follows: “Our mission is to promote, defend and extend the rights of students and to develop and champion strong students’ unions.” It is the NUS that organises the demonstrations, which students attend - most notably and recently the student protests of November 2010 - as well as a national student demonstration on the 21st of November. They also state that there are a number of services available for the unions; collective purchasing, support services, and marketing services being the three key aims. These include; free legal and financial advice
and projects to support unions in Governance, fundraising and volunteering. Why is SUSU not a part of this? Southampton University’s Student Union (SUSU) is, in fact, not part of the NUS. In 2002, the Union decided to disaffiliate from the organisation - with the 2002 NUS disaffiliation motion - after a decision at the Annual General Meeting. It is stated within the motion that the Union concluded that the £68,850 fee to be affiliated with the NUS was not good value for money; and that the money could be better spent on increasing funding for all the union groups, including union clubs and societies and the Athletic Union. The additional cost of many NUS services, such as training, was also noted as a problem. Moreover, it was deemed that the NUS no longer seemed to be a good representation
of Southampton students, as it became more consumed by politics and dominated by political factions. Consequently SUSU believed the Union was failing to give an effective and representative voice to students; indeed, it was lobbying by the Aldwych Group, not the NUS, which had failed. Finally, it was revealed that only 10% of students actually had an NUS Associate discount card, which poured scorn of the belief that many students believed it was one of the major advantages to being part of the NUS. Indeed, the motion declared that even students at non-affiliated universities can get both online and in-store discounts with their student ID - and that it was still possible to get a card. It is also important to highlight that Southampton is not the only University which is not currently affiliated with the NUS. Others include; Aston, Dundee, Glasgow, Imperial, St Andrews and UWIC. Why have a Referendum now? In 2010, SUSU held a referendum, allowing all students to vote to decide whether the Union should reaffiliate to the NUS; the student body rejected the motion by around two votes to one. Nonetheless, it was decided at this year’s AGM that another referendum was to be held as students voted for the motion to be passed. Whilst 2 years may not seem like a long time, the majority of students who were here in 2010 have now left the University, thus the Referendum gives a chance for the current crop of students to decide whether affiliation would be
worthwhile. The hope is also to learn from the mistakes of the Referendum in 2010 and to give a more educated and informed campaign, with two clear ‘YestoNUS’ and ‘NotoNUS’ campaign groups. Furthermore, it was asserted by Sam Ling, who put forward the motion, that “the landscape of higher education has changed, as has the structure of both SUSU and the NUS”, so it is valid to raise the question again. Furthermore, he stated it would be ‘fair and democratic to ask the question to all students’ rather than have a motion passed without student consent. What Next? On 6th December, SUSU will hold a referendum with this question: “Should the University of Southampton Students’ Union (SUSU) be affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS)?”. YOU get to decide what the answer is with every student allowed to vote on the decision! Students of Southampton; this decision will affect you - from the beers on tap at the Stags to the speakers allowed at the University to national representation. This is your chance to decide how your own Union is run; so get involved and make sure the decision we make is the right one.. So Get Involved, Campaign & Vote!
/ Image by Emily Mansfield / Email contact: news@wessexscene.co.uk politics@wessexscene.co.uk
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NUS... A faceless organisation, trying to rob us of independence, or a national movement of unity? A mere price tag, or an unrivalled list of services and support? Is your vision clear, or clouded by myths which are getting in the way of you truly knowing what NUS is really about?
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ere are just ten ways NUS could benefit you and your union:
1. National recognition for our fantastic students – You should be recognised for your hard work, not just at SUSU’s EVA’s but on a national scale, being part of NUS will ensure that you are! 2. Access to a national Employability award scheme – Currently the University has its own Graduate Passport, which is recognised by a few employers; NUS has a scheme which is nationally recognised by a large, and growing, group of employers. 3. Unique discounts for our students – On top of the discounts you get from your student card, should you buy the optional NUS extra card, you could benefit from online discounts ranging from ASOS and Amazon, to half price premium Spotify and discounts on EasyJet, National Express and MegaTrain – and many more! 4. Greater opportunities for our student entrepreneurs – Encouraging innovation and social enterprise, NUS has a pot of £120,000 for small start-up
businesses to apply to for seed funding. 5. Improved training for our students – NUS offers free training to students, elected officers and staff, for decision-making, team building and project management, which can greatly improve the effectiveness of the Union and really help your officers do a better job for you. 6. NUS Connect – We’d get full access to NUS’ online data base which is a huge body of online resources, briefings and campaign plans available to all elected students, this would ensure we don’t waste time doing research that has already been done and can focus on the things which are more important. 7. NUS Digital – We’d be provided with the tools to enhance the online experience of SUSU and to generate a greater income through online advertising. 8. Support in developing a greener campus – The NUS Green Impact scheme helps Unions develop a greener strategy with the help of experts, and Unions are recognised for their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. 9. Liberation Campaigns –
From LGBT to black and ethnic minority students, those with disabilities to international and women’s campaigns – NUS does a lot of work supporting and campaigning for the rights of Liberation groups, and could help us better support, engage and campaign for these groups too. The recent situation at London Met is a prime example of how NUS can help support students, something that we currently do not have access to. 10. A National Voice – NUS is seen as the main leader in lobbying for better standards on behalf of students. From ensuring you pay no council tax, to fighting the changes being made to Higher Education, NUS is constantly lobbying on behalf of students, but we can’t influence their message if we’re not involved. Interested in voting YES2NUS? Find us on Facebook to find out more! / Image by Katie Chisnell /
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December, 6 sees Southampton students decide the fate of their Union to the hands of the NUS. We, the NoToNUS team, believe that a decision to affiliate would leave SUSU poorer, weaker, and less focussed upon those who matter – our students.
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USU has remained independent of the NUS for over a decade and has since grown to be a successful, independent organisation much to the envy of unions across the country; it’s no wonder the NUS want SUSU in their grasp. To join, our Union would fork out £51,000 per year just to be a member. It’s our money, which we believe should remain with our students supporting us and our societies, sports clubs, projects and events. The exorbitant affiliation fee would allow SUSU access to a range of NUS services, services SUSU already has and excels at. For instance, NUS Digital, a generic website-in-a-box for unions which struggle to develop such services themselves; we at SUSU already lead in this area and after a summer of regenerating our own website
have left NUS Digital trailing in our dust. Also with training, we’d be unlikely to use it in the future now SUSU has it’s own dedicated development department and staff. Similarly the NUS offers access to funding for entrepreneurial projects, but our university offers more money than the NUS does between every union in the country, for instance the £50,000 in the Takeoff project open to all Southampton students. The only way to partially offset this exorbitant affiliation cost is to purchase through NUSSL, the NUS buying consortium. Currently, our bars and shops buy products through other consortia or directly at extremely good rates and with full control. NUSSL would dictate what we can sell and our current products would change so your favourite drinks in the Stags, random items in the shop or food in the Café may become nostalgic memories. The NUS brings its own host of political infighting, party politics, chaos that has resulted in attempted censorship and ‘rogue’ officers. Furthermore, the NUS enforces a ‘No Plat-
form’ Policy, denying political extremists freedom of speech, and students the opportunity to make up their own minds on such issues. Foremost, the NUS is a political organisation, with educational and student issues seemingly taking a back seat whilst individual unions’ delegates spend time furiously (and fruitlessly) debating issues such as solidarity with Palestine in a climb to enter politics. Although important, this valuable time could be spent addressing more relevant problems, such as £9,000 fees, which the NUS failed to prevent being introduced or increased. Is this the national voice we want to have? An oft-repeated point from the Yes team is that we don’t need to use what the NUS offers, but when paying £51,000, surely we ought to take full advantage of all the benefits? It’s like paying for an all-you-can-eat buffet when you’re not hungry. This is money that would be better spent benefitting our Union and the students who make it great. Our Union stands strong; it’s clear that the NUS wants us but we don’t need them. Vote NO to NUS on December, 6. Email contact: opinion@wessexscene.co.uk
15 / WS / Lifestyle ///
GET YOUR COAT! The Psychology of Attractiveness / Vicky Simons-Bourne / ///
As a Psychology student, I have learnt many things about what we find attractive in a person and why we have ‘types’. Every day we see sexy images of Jensen Ackles and Rihanna and we all find ourselves dribbling. So what is it that doesn’t make us dribble over, say, Susan Boyle or Steve Tyler?
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am going to share with you some quirky psychological theories that can explain why we go for certain people, what makes a relationship work and how to be more attractive… hopefully. Me, Tarzan – you, Jane Back in the cave times, men and women had certain roles to fulfil; men were hunter gatherers and women were cave-wives. The women had to make sure that they were with the right guy (the right guy being the fittest and most able candidate to look after her). So through natural selection, women chose to mate with men who had the strongest genes for survival, and men chose the most fertile women to pass these genes on. David Buss, an evolutionary psychologist, found global features that men and women find attractive when picking a partner. Such features have evolved from the caveman era. He found that men tend to prefer traits related to fertility, such as youth and physical attractiveness, whereas women prefer traits relating to resources and security, such as ambition and social status. Recent studies suggest that men look for baby-like features in their potential partner, for ex-
ample large eyes, small nose, big smile and prominent cheekbones. Females, on the other hand, like their men to be manly. All features associated with masculinity were high on the females’ lists of desires; things like stubble, height, strong jaw, and broad shoulders drove girls crazy. What girl wouldn’t want a tall, rugged man to sweep her off her feet?
“Men tend to prefer traits related to fertility such as youth and physical attractiveness” When you fell from Heaven… There are several factors that encourage two people to start dating, and these go a long way in explaining why so many students find love at university. These are: 1. Proximity (who’s ever got with their housemate?) “The more we see and interact with a person, the more likely he or she is to become our friend or intimate partner”. 2. Similarity: makes sense, you need to share things in common with your partner.
3. Familiarity: seeing your face frequently makes them feel comfortable around you, however seeing it too often will only freak them out and they’ll end up thinking you’re a stalker. 4. Reciprocity: no one wants to be in a relationship with themselves, if they aren’t responding to you they’re obviously not interested. 5. And lastly, physical attractiveness: because you can’t jump into bed with someone who just doesn’t do it for you. You know when you see your attractive ‘lad’ friend around campus and he’s surrounded by adoring girls and wannabe guys, and you think to yourself, ‘Why do so many people like him when he’s such an arse!?’ Well, that’s because we tend to attribute other positive traits to physically attractive people, even before really getting to know them. This is known as ‘The Halo Effect’, and we do this because we want them to be the whole package. We usually assume that they are more friendly, fun and interesting than they actually are. They usually have more friends than the average person because of this, and generally pull a lot more people.
It is important to distinguish between pure infatuation with a person and genuine liking for them before you make a move. Get to know them first, as you may find that looks can be deceiving and you’re left feeling pretty disappointed. The Long Haul Once you have got the partner of your dreams and you don’t mind waking up next to them every morning, there are a few things you need to bear in mind. There are three elements that make up the ultimate kind of love; passion, commitment and intimacy. If you’ve got these pegged, you’re in it for the long run. These can be paired together to explain other types of love; companionate love (the love some people have with their dog), romantic love and pure infatuation (when you can’t stop watching Will Smith shower scenes on YouTube). In a strong relationship you need to be comfortable disclosing your
deepest thoughts and feelings to your partner. They should be your best friend as well as your partner. Whether you grow to find them hot or you thought they were saucy at first sight, passion is key at keeping a relationship healthy. And finally, commitment; no one wants a guy who dips his paint brush in every pot. Obviously we need to take into consideration the fact that everyone is different and types change dramatically. Just because this is what a bunch of psychologists have found doesn’t mean we are all the same. Not everyone has prominent cheekbones or broad shoulders; so I went around campus and asked your fellow students what they found attractive in their potential partner: Jessica, Third Year Children’s Nursing student: “I like my man to be funny, creative, rugged and protective. I’m a bit of a
stereotype really.” Tim, Third Year Chemistry with Maths Masters student: “The most attractive quality has got to be the person’s personality. It doesn’t matter who the person is or what they look like, if the personality is right there is nothing better.”
“No one wants a guy who dips his paint brush in every pot!” Lauren, Third Year Psychology student: “He’s got to be funny, considerate, and ambitious. As long as I find him beautiful that’s all that matters.” James, Second Year Chemistry student: “Nice eyes, nice figure, bright personality and compassionate.” Email contact: lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk
L A I C E P R S A E W S MEN / Sarah S
myth /
How to dress for campus this winter: Men’s fashion is big news. Here are the ways to work the trends for an easy daytime look on campus.
ayering is a key way to look good but stay warm this season. A L smart shirt doesn’t just have to be saved for posh dates or nights out, they also look great (and sexy!) when worn around campus for a smart daytime look. Try this one from Topman at £20, either on its own or underneath a v-neck cardigan for when it gets chilly. A fine or chunky knit will work equally well depending on how streamlined you want your silhouette to be. This cardigan from H&M at £24.99 would look great over a slim fit shirt. The muted grey works well for an urban look but try a more daring, coloured cardigan if you’re feeling adventurous! n easy way to work colour into your outfit is to try coloured A trousers. Wear chinos or cotton trousers in the autumn and switch to corduroy when it gets colder in the winter. This mustard
pair from H&M, £14.99 is an excellent way to brooch colour as yellow matches a surprising amount of other colours! If you’re feeling more adventurous, try a pair in plum, dusty pink or bottle green. Designers have been giving coats special attention this season, turning them into a must-have item rather than simply an afterthought. Double breasted coats are huge you are guaranteed to be fashionable with this piece! There are plenty on the high street to choose from but if you want your coat to be versatile, stick to a muted colour; either black, grey or navy. This one from New Look at £59.99 may seem pricey but it’s definitely worth investing in. If you find the right one, you’ll be wearing it for year o keep this look smart and preppy, team your outfit with a T cool pair of boots or brogues. These, from Topman at £38, will polish off your look nicely. Top tip: cheap leather always looks better in brown rather than black. If you’re trying to make your loan go further, choose brown as it’s a lot more forgiving.
Finally, finish the look with some fun accessories. A book bag needs to be strong and roomy so try this one from Burton at £26.00. The simple colour will match a lot of outfits (and hide the dirt it picks up from being dragged along the library floor!) If you want to experiment with pattern but are afraid to do so, take baby steps with this scarf from New Look at £15. It will keep you warm this winter. Polish the look off with a smart watch and you’ll be the most stylish man on campus! Email contact: lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk
19 / WS / Science and Enviroment ///
GREEN LABELS MAKES GOING GREEN EASIER / Helen Kitley /
/ Olivia Ojuroye / ///
Helen Kitley and Olivia Ojuroye take a look at the new student-led project that’s making ethical shopping and buying for allergies a doddle.
S
hopping ethically as a stu dent is not easy. Good intentions tend to get overridden by a desire to be in and out of Sainsbury’s with the maximum efficiency and the smallest dent in the overdraft. You might find yourself thinking, “I’ll buy ethically in the future, but I can’t afford it now”, or perhaps, “Green products are too hard to find – I’d buy them if I knew which ones they were.” However, thanks to a new student-run initiative, issues like these will soon be a thing of the past. The Green Label Project has designed a set of labels to help you instantly identify the most eco-friendly products around the university, empowering you to start making those ethical, informed purchases right now.
The labels are to identify:
Gluten Free Products which don’t contain the protein gluten, usually found in wheat, rye and barley.
Nut Free Products which don’t contain nut ingredients and are made in a nut-free environment.
In the coming weeks, the SUSU shop will introduce a new pricing system which will incorporate the Green Label symbols, as well as posters explaining what each symbol represents. Vegan Friendly Food products containing no dairy, eggs, meat, honey, beeswax or gelatine. Non-food products
which explicitly state that they are not tested on animals.
Well Packaged Made from at least 50% recycled material. Buy these if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.
Local Manufactured or grown locally. Buy these products to support local businesses and reduce your food miles.
It’s hoped that highlighting vegan products will be of great benefit to the growing number of vegans and vegetarians around campus, but if you’re not one of them don’t be put off ! You are probably consuming Vegan food and drink already - ‘accidently Vegan’ products include Special K cereals, Oreo Biscuits, Walkers Ready-Salted Crisps, and even Red Bull. If you’re passionate about the environment then you might be purposely looking out for vegan produce. Any products containing meat or dairy require crops to be grown and transported for animal feed as well as the growth and transport of livestock itself. But vegan products don’t get transported to animals, reducing harmful emissions of
“Did you know...That sweet treats like Nestle KitKats and The Fabulous Baking Boys Muffins are Nut Free” CO2, Nitrous Oxide and Methane into the air, water and soil. With this in mind, the Green Label Project aims to encourage widespread purchase of vegan products, whether for just one meal a week, or as part of a dedicated lifestyle. Along-side the ethicallythemed labels, the project will also be identifying nut-free and gluten-free products in the shop. According to Allergy UK, 1 in 50 people in the UK have a food allergy and 45% of the UK population suffer from food intolerances. For someone with
allergies, food shopping can be complex and frustrating. Even if a product looks like it should be free from allergens, there is often an element of risk in eating it, as manufacturers seem to throw around the ‘may contain’ label as a substitute for good hygiene practice. The new allergen food labels will hopefully alleviate a little of this stress and make shopping less of a scavenger hunt by directing allergic customers straight to the products which are safe for them to eat. Because the ingredient information on products is subject to frequent change, these labels will only be placed on products which directly specify ‘Nut/ Gluten-free’ on the packaging, rather than those which just don’t have nuts/gluten listed as an ingredient. Did you know... That sweet treats like Nestle KitKats and The Fabulous Baking Boys Muffins are Nut Free As well as the products in the SUSU shop, the Green Label Project wants to make eating out at the university easier for those with dietary requirements. They plan to incorporate a key system into the Bridge Bar menu, which will highlight vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals, and flag up those which contain nuts. This way, people with specific requirements will be able to easily identify suitable meals, and those with allergies will feel safe in the knowledge that the food they want will be carefully prepared. The project is also encouraging
both the SUSU shop and the Bridge Bar to stock more meals and products which are ethically-sourced and allergen-free. If there is a particular product that you and know and love which you think should be on sale in the shop, then email the suggestion to the Green Label Project, including the name of the product and the brand to the ethics and environment team. Equally, if you are passionate about ethical produce or allergen-labelling and think you’d like to volunteer for or give any feedback about the project, contact the Ethics and Environment team at: eande@soton. ac.uk. The Green Label Project leader, George Crone says, ‘Get involved and help us make it easier for people to be healthy and ethical around campus. It’s never been so easy and rewarding to stick out your green thumb and make a lasting impact at the university.’ For tips on coping with an allergy at university, check out the Young Person’s section on http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk
/ Image by Zahra Warsame /
Email contact: Science@wessexscene.co.uk
BATTLEFIELD TOURS: Dark Tourism or Respectful Remembrance?
/ Chris Clarke/
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Can Battlefields Tours can be classed as ‘Dark Tourism’ or are they a positive way of remembering the sacrifice of our forgotten war heroes?
A
t 11am, on 11 November 1918, an armistice between Germany and the Allied forces was agreed, signifying defeat for Germany and the end to one of the most horrifying conflicts the world has ever witnessed: the ‘Great War’ of 1914-1918. The sheer scale of the war was unprecedented and, with almost a million British soldiers killed in some of the most brutal warfare ever witnessed, it is important that we still remember their sacrifice today. Remembrance Day has since come to incorporate other conflicts such as WWII, Falklands and Iraq wars amongst others. It is a time of reflection when many put themselves in the shoes of the soldier to imagine
the horrors witnessed by those who have played a part in conflict throughout recent years. Although traditionally celebrated in the UK with church ceremonies and parades followed by two minutes silence, some choose to take a different approach to remembrance. For those who want a more interactive experience, there are an increasing number of tour groups offering Battlefield and War Graves tours, promising ‘inspirational and moving’ journeys following in the footsteps of military heroes. But is it disrespectful to treat the cemeteries as money-making tourist traps? And what are the motivations for the thousands of people who travel to these sites each year, in
a kind of historical pilgrimage? One of the most popular destinations is by the Somme River in France, where an allied offensive in 1916 resulted in over 1million allied and German casualties; one of the most bloody military operations ever recorded. The battle has often been classed as a military disaster, as on the first day alone almost 20,000 British soldiers were killed and over 35,000 were injured. These shocking statistics lead us to the question of motivation. Perhaps it is due to the Somme’s infamous reputation that people, eager to create an image in their mind of an event that has been long engraved into British history, decide to visit the site. Or maybe they are simply keen to visit the graves and pay their respects. Whilst these suggestions are plausible, is it possible that they are covering up a darker, more sinister motivation? Dark tourism is a fascinating concept, which explores the motivations of people who travel to sites associated with death or tragedy. Whilst battlefields such as the Somme or Ypres (Western Belgium), fall under this category, after some brief research, it appears that they aren’t usually classified as dark tourist sites, whilst places
/// Travel / WS / 22
like Auschwitz, Ground Zero and Chernobyl are priority visits. Possibly this is because war is two-sided and death is seen as an inevitable consequence of conflict, even if it is on an unprecedented scale like that of the Somme. Dark tourism can raise serious questions of human morality as it examines people’s interest in visiting sites of death, even when the person may have no direct connection between the event and its consequences. Although many visitors may have relatives resting at the Somme cemeteries, clearly, this is not the case for everyone. But why do sites of historic brutality obtain interest from our supposedly civilised modern society? Some experts have argued that it is the excitement of facing our “own mortality”; that visitors can empathise with those who suffered, before stepping back into the safety of their own lives. Yet the danger with the expanding business of ‘dark tourism’ is that visitors will only experience a more ‘tourist friendly’ view of events as opposed to the tragic, real-life events which are being commemorated. This blurring of memorialisation and tourism can have direct effects on how people think and act at sites such as Ypres and The Somme. About 5 years ago, I visited the memorials around Ypres on a school trip. My initial worry before departing was the fear that one of two idiots would mess around and forget where they were. I was pleasantly surprised as everyone was impeccably behaved, leading to a thoroughly interesting and thought provoking trip. Although I recognise that not every school group may
act in the same fashion, I got the impression that the sheer scale of the cemeteries and the incredible power they possess to incite respect would be enough to subdue even the rowdiest teenagers. However, my support for Battlefield tourism diminished somewhat after seeing a small number of groups posing for photographs, often smiling, in front of spectacular stone memorials such as the Thiepval memorial, commemorating the ‘missing soldier’ with no known grave. Whilst I don’t have a problem with photos being taken, I cannot understand those who choose to pose in such a way, degrading a beautifully haunting memorial to simply another tourist photocheckpoint. From my experience therefore, I believe that the battlefield tours can be a fascinating experience, and if conducted tastefully, a respectful way of commemorating those who have sacrificed their lives for their country throughout the ages. Although some
may not agree with the premise of ‘dark tourism’, it is human nature to be inquisitive. Ultimately, museums and memorials need tourists’ money for their upkeep, meaning companies offering Battlefield and War grave tours are integral in keeping alive the memory of our lost soldiers.
/ Image by Rebecca Hopkinson / Email contact: travel@wessexscene.co.uk
EXPLORE THE UK BEGINS WITH A BANG
/ Lara Keay / ///
Explore the UK are a pre-sessional society, aiming to better integrate international and home students and give them a broader university experience, extending beyond Southampton itself. By running cultural visits to some of the UK’s top tourist destinations, they hope that students will gain a greater sense of what the country has to offer, whilst making friends and socializing in the process.
P
reviously known as just ‘The Pre-Sessional Society’, Explore the UK are enjoying their first official year of SUSU affiliation and funding, and despite only being up and running for such a short period they have already proved popular. With well over 300 people signed up at the bun fight and the highest number of hits of any society on the virtual bun fight, the committee has been very impressed with the initial response, holding high hopes for a progressively better year ahead. Pre-sessional English language courses (lasting either 6 or 10 weeks) are available for all international students who come to study in Southampton, giving them the opportunity to improve their level of language and also preparing them for the change in culture. Using this idea as a foundation, and expanding on the social program they run during the summer, Explore the UK have focused less on helping students settle into academic life at Southampton and more on providing the means for them to discover beyond just the university and the city that surrounds it. Speaking to Explore the UK Society’s President James Brant,
it became clear that there is a real need for a society like this within SUSU, as the university often fails to realize that international students come from a diverse range of countries and backgrounds and are not always interested in some of the typical aspects of UK university culture. For example many of them will not have drunk alcohol in their home countries, or at least not to the same excess as we do here, and thus the idea of a bar crawl or a night out clubbing will be completely alien to the most part. As a result it falls on a society like Explore the UK to provide more well-rounded events that cater to everyone’s tastes and not just ones that try and mimic what is already on offer. “Firstly we want to help integrate home and international students and bring them together as we feel there is a gap that needs to be bridged here. Secondly we want to show students what the UK has to offer regardless of whether you are an international student or a home student. Our plan is to get as many people on board as possible as there is something here for everyone!” James Brant – Explore the UK President
This year alone the committee has already organized a multitude of different trips, including typical tourist hotspots like London and Oxford, but also weekend visits to places like Edinburgh and Mount Snowdon. Jade Hearne, the society’s Promotions Officer, explained that it is SUSU’s funding that has made it possible to run these trips on such a low budget; allowing the society to subsidies the trips and providing the students with every chance to see places they might not otherwise see, at a fraction of the price. Additionally, not only does it give international students cheap access to the UK’s top tourist destinations, but also a greater sense of British culture outside of day to day life in Southampton. “I really enjoy the fact that you get to explore yourself more and that you get to meet loads of new people - it’s an extremely social thing!” Jade Hearne – Explore the UK Promotions Officer Last Saturday saw ‘Culture Clash’, the first social of this year. A relaxed evening of live music and general chat with other members of the society was held in the newly refurbished Bridge Bar, in an attempt
/// International / WS / 24
get everyone who signed up, together on a more social basis. Jade emphasized the lack of focus on alcohol: ‘we’re not basing tonight on drinking. A lot of these students don’t even understand the concept of a pub, and we’re aware of that.’
vocal group singing glee-style accapella medleys. The lead singer Sarah Ellard explained that, having been previously part of Jazzmanix, the group have been singing together for about a year and felt the Bridge Bar was a great venue.
Instead everyone seemed to use the opportunity to converse, in anticipation of the Oxford visit scheduled for a couple of week’s time, and listening to the live acts that were being performed. First to play was Will Dawson, a Southampton history student who played acoustic covers, playing in honor of his relatives and raising money for Cancer Research UK. The second live act to play was Allure - a mixed
All in all it seems that Explore the UK have had a positive start to the year. Their SUSU affiliation means they can continue to subsidize things like transport and accommodation and continue to provide exciting trips for their members. However they still would like to include other international societies in order to help expand their membership and would also be happy if any other groups who
want to, to get involved. Finally the President noted that he would really like more groups to join: ‘if there’s enough people who’ll come we’ll do things like book out the Cube’. Until then the committee have final preparations to make for their first trip to Oxford on November 10th and lots more socials to organize, for what will hopefully make a great first year for Explore the UK. Remember to check out the Facebook page and get involved with future events! http://www. facebook.com/ExploreTheUK / Image by Sasha Spaid / Email contact: international@wessexscene.co.uk
ART STUDENTS: AN ORIGIN OF SPECIES
/ Diogo Lopes /
///
Art Students are a different species. Don’t even front, it’s FACT. After some people watching and Internet browsing I came to the conclusion that Southampton University’s Art Department is far away in Winchester for a good reason.
fter observing my fellow A Art Students who I see
every day and going through the many stereotypical personalities society has thrown up, I have narrowed them down to the five most entertaining categories; Hipster Hippies, The Eccentrics, The Fashionistas, The Really, Really Ridiculously
Good Looking People and The Rejects of Society. Hipster Hippies Let’s begin with The Hipster Hippies. When they bother to come in to university they tell tales of wonderfully crazy dreams where they rode rainbow Unicorns over clouds of Coco-
Pops and rivers of peppermint tea. They crawl local charity shops on a daily basis, hunting for those bargain designer pieces which they will then re-sell on eBay to get enough magic beans for the week. I hear business is good around here. Nocturnal, most likely found on Instagram.
/// Winchester / WS / 26
The Eccentrics Then there are The Eccentrics. For some, Halloween is every day. They can spend days making a costume just so that they’re able to scare the bejeezus out of you when they walk past. They are walking, talking art exhibitions. It’s awesome how they don’t care about what people think about them though, you feel me? We all need some kookiness in our lives, right?
The Rejects of Society And finally, The Rejects of Society. I won’t write anymore on them. As I said, we are being kept away from you for a reason.
The Fashionistas Now for The Fashionistas. Them dudes come equipped in Rick Owens head to toe. Shawties wearing ALL BLACK EVERYTHING are big in the game right now. Big shout out to them. Of course, you also have the ones who dress like the Internet. You know what I mean when I say this, yeah? TUMBLR GIRLS. Camo over-shirt, printed sweatshirt, short faded denim shorts, Doc Martin boots and some snap back they got from JD Sports. Move on with your life, gurl.
The Really Ridiculously Good Looking People The Really Ridiculously Good Looking People are a rare breed, but they can be seen around our art school on a daily basis. I’m gonna be specific though. There’s only two of them I care about: one of them is to be kept a secret and the other one can often be found in the library - I see you reading them books, you fiiiine! But yes, the model-looking specimens are unreachable and intimidating, but maybe they’ll read this and give me a chance.
So there you have it, just remeber that we are a variety of rare species and when you come in contact with us, treat us carefully and try not to scare us and in return we’ll try not sound to weird. / Images by Diogo Lopes /
If you want to write for us Email contact: winchester@wessexscene.co.uk Twitter @wessexscene
27 / WS / Sport ///
THE REJUVENATION OF BRITISH TENNIS / Ben Soper /
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It’s been a successful year for British Tennis. Ben Soper takes a look at the reasons for the success, where British Tennis is heading, and where it could look to improve.
J
ust picture the scene: the city of New York is blanketed in darkness, but the location of the U.S. Open, Flushing Meadows, is bathed in floodlights. The raucous crowd - including the likes of Sir Sean Connery and Sir Alex Ferguson - have been here for just under five hours witnessing something very special. World Number 2 Novak Djokovic hits a forehand long in, what has been, testing conditions. Game, set and match! Finally, Andy Murray wins his maiden Grand Slam title (the
first British player to win a Grand Slam since Fred Perry 76 years ago), lifting an expectation not only from the British public but most importantly, from himself.
‘Murray’s victory in the States is one of many triumphs for British tennis this year’
Murray’s victory in the States is one of many triumphs for British tennis this year and it had been a long time in the making after years of improvement but no reward. With his first Grand Slam victory now under his belt, a gold medal at London 2012 and a finalist at Wimbledon, Murray has now closed the competitive gap on the ATP Tour that had previously existed between himself and the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. He is no longer chasing the pack; he is now a genuine contender for future Grand Slams, which in the past had eluded him. This is due, in part, by Murray’s decision to part ways with former coach Alex Corretja (among many other predecessors) and enlist the help of former Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendel. Armed with stoicism that would make a lump of marble blush and the tennis credentials to boot, Lendel has been a key factor in Murray’s success this year. Not only has Lendel made Murray even stronger, faster and assured that his return is still the most feared on the whole tour, he has introduced self-belief into Murray’s game. His confi
dence on court now oozes with such ferocity that even under pressure, he is still able to pull off the most sublime cross court winner or cheeky drop shot, when before, we were so used to him crumbling psychologically. Over the years, Murray’s physicality has developed year in, year out but his mental strength and lack of consistency was becoming a concern and it is this piece of the Andy Murray jigsaw that has finally been put into place.
‘Both show the signs to consistently challenge for the top honours on the tour as well as Grand Slam titles’ Of course, it would be absurd and down right unfair to ignore the strides that the British women have made this season. It’s also no surprise that it is a member of the Murray clan that has been influential in this progression. Judy Murray - who has been involved in tennis coaching and various schemes for many years - has now been assigned to captain the British Fed Cup squad and it is two young players from the squad’s ranks that have really rallied up the WTA rankings this year. With no disrespect to Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong, it is Laura Robson and Heather Watson who harness this current potential. At the ages of 18 and 20 respectively, both have made massive strides on the WTA tour this year. Robson, after winning a silver medal partnering Andy Murray at London 2012, she went on to be a final-
ist at the Guangzhou Open. All though eventually losing in three sets, she shot up in the rankings to a career high of #57. Heather Watson is currently ranked #49 thanks to her WTA win at the Japan Open, which is the first such win for any British woman since Sara Gomer in 1988. Both show the signs to consistently challenge for the top honours on the tour as well as Grand Slam titles, which is something that the British women’s game has sorely missed. However, with this success comes questions regarding the state of British tennis at lower levels. With Murray, Robson and Watson having trained abroad as youngsters to get where they are, are the standards of tennis facilities here in Britain good enough? This year for example, funding for the LTA from Sport England was cut by up to £500,000, due to a drop in people just playing tennis. By
cutting, you only inhibit potential and a drop in numbers is always inevitable. Hopefully, with this new found success running through the British game at a professional level, one can only hope that burgeoning youngsters and training camps alike, have the ambition and the vision to stride for the excellence tennis here in Britain has experienced this year.
/ Image by Bryony Wellburn / Sport is sponsored by
Email contact: sport@wessexscene.co.uk
# IS TWITTER SPOILING SPORT?
/ Jack Winter/
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Never before have we had such an immediate personal connection to sportsmen and women, but following a string of scandals we should be questioning if Twitter’s relationship with sport is a healthy one.
I
t seems as though a week can’t pass without another story of a famous sportsperson treading on a big Twittershaped banana skin and landing in a pile of headline-shaped trouble. Sporting fame and Twitter have become ingredients in a potent cocktail that is increasingly leaving a throbbing media hangover for many sports stars. The complete list of slipups and scandals would scarcely fit in the whole of this magazine let alone this page! But there are a couple I think are worth a mention... Ashley Cole recently called the FA a ‘bunch of tw*ts’ following their verdict on the John Terry racism case. The FA fined Frederico Macheda and other footballers for Tweeting homophobic comments. Who remembers when Lewis Hamilton got put on the naughty step for Tweeting his team’s telemetry sheets following qualifying at the Belgian GP? Then there was the time that cricketer Tim Bresnan verbally abused a follower for tweeting a picture of him edited to make him look fat. Oh and let’s not forget Joey Barton, whose list of controversial outbursts on Twitter would dwarf an Argos catalogue. Giving a bunch of athletes the
ability to give uncensored, unlimited 140 character press releases is a PR minefield, yet people act surprised when it throws the door open to the winds of controversy. It does raise some pressing questions however. Does Twitter encourage, or simply provide a magnifying glass to expose imperfections in sports stars who would otherwise appear to be model professionals? Does Twitter add a spattering of intrigue and personality to an increasingly sterile sporting world, or as purists might argue, distract from the true substance of sports that fans fell in love with in the first place? The ever-expanding universe of celebrity has left an addiction to personality. Athletes such as Arsenal’s Emmanuel Frimpong, Rio Ferdinand, Joey Barton and countless other sports stars, have used Twitter as a tool to feed their personal brands to hoards of hungry followers. But there is a danger that sportsmen and women will be chewed up and spat out, just look at poor Darron Gibson (then of Manchester United) who received such a bludgeoning of abuse in his first hour on Twitter that he closed his account almost immediately. Sport needs personality to maintain its vigour. Whilst the Gareth Barrys and Steven Ger-
rards are inevitable and necessary, the Jenson Buttons and the Mario Ballotellis give it that extra tang on the consumer palette. Twitter targets that need with microscopic precision. But when it is used as a means for abuse and deliberate stirring of controversial issues it becomes unstuck. Though the personalities of tweeting athletes casts them in leading roles on the vast stage provided by Twitter, it is sport that grips us with the most compelling plot-lines Perhaps it would be best if the performance were kept where it’s at its most enthralling: on the track, the court, the field and the pitch.
/ Image by Nicola Manuel / Sport is sponsored by
Email contact: sport@wessexscene.co.uk
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THINGS STUDENTS SAY: (And what they really mean) Students are a mysterious bunch.We frequently say one thing and actually mean something completely different. Thankfully, Pause is here to help with this easyto-use guide to what your fellow academics are really talking about: (Fresher) “I’ve got a pretty quiet week planned, actually.”
“I’m gonna do shots off someone’s arse, steal a car and throw up in a traffic cone. But only four nights this week, not every night.” (Third Year upwards) “I’ve got a pretty heavy week planned, actually.” “I’m gonna sit at home on the sofa in a blanket with one beer and have a Great British Bake Off marathon.” “I can’t believe how quickly these assignments pile up.” “I can’t believe how much unplanned Facebook stalking I did yesterday.” “I hold positions on five different committees and attend every session of Union Council.” “WHY WON’T YOU LIKE ME?” “I prefer the more alternative nightlife, like Lennons and The Edge. Jesters and Sobar are too mainstream.” “If I wear hipster glasses in Bevois Valley people will just throw up on my feet again.” “I’ve got a lecture in building 27.” “I’m the only person on campus who learned the numbers for all the buildings. It doesn’t benefit me in any way.” “I went to Jesters last night and brought someone home with me.” “I went to Jesters last night and brought someone home with me.”