HIDDEN COURSE COSTS SLEEP DEPRIVED DOESN’T COVER IT CHINESE SUPER LEAGUE
/TheQHNewspaper
WESTMINSTER VS. TRUMP
GOODBYE TO UNPAID INTERNSHIPS
VALENTINES DAY LOOK BOOK
PG 6
PG 3
PG 15
@The_QH
ARE YOU SURE YOU PAY £9K?
6TH FEBRUARY | ISSUE 34 | FREE
WEMBLEY STUDENT STABBING
BY TOOBA HAQ
VP for Harrow Dan Seamarks is campaigning for upfront course costs.
• STUDENTS SPENDING UP TO OWN MONEY ON FINAL PROJECTS
OF THEIR
• SU PUSH FOR TRANSPARENT COURSE COSTS BY NICOLE EL-HELOU
Hidden costs on some University of Westminster courses have been identified by the Students’ Union. The SU are using the National Union Of Students’ campaign #CutTheCosts to highlight them to incoming students. The Vice President of Harrow, Dan Seamarks, who has campaigned extensively
on this topic, said, “The costs existed prior to the fee increase but sadly we’re never incorporated into them.” “The four areas that we identified in our Hidden Course Costs Survey, were printing, project funding, books and communications of costs”, Seamarks said. “While these may not apply to every student, the Students’ Union is campaigning to create equality across all faculties by working with the University’s
stakeholders to remove these costs. Students have told the Students Union that they spent up to £2000 on a final project with funding of just £500.” The sabbatical officers are writing a report to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor about these hidden costs to aid the removal of them. Students can also sign the Sabbatical Officers’ open letter to the university to show their solidarity with these efforts on uwsu.com. The National Union of
Students first identified these costs in a report using data from 2011 to 2014. Activities and resources students need to carry out their studies are not factored into the £9000 tuition, as reported in their #CutTheCosts campaign. An NUS report highlighted the problem, saying, “It’s ridiculous that many students pay so much for their education in tuition fees in the first place. MORE ON PAGE 3...
Student Djodo Nsaka was attacked near Wembley Stadium on Friday, 20th January. Police and ambulance services were called at approximately 1:00am to the scene of the crime at Fulton Road. Officers and Ambulance services fought to save the young man’s life, but he passed away at the scene of the crime. A post-mortem report stated that the 19 year old was killed with a single stab wound in his chest. Detectives believed that the University of Middlesex student was involved in a fight between a group of men at Fulton road. Another 20-year-old man was also involved in the fight but escaped with minor injuries. The roads close to student accommodations such as Felda House, Victoria Halls and Unite Students were closed while forensic officers investigated the scene until the early hours of the morning. Eyewitnesses say that crime tape and police cars were there until 5am. The business student’s family was heartbroken. They told the Evening Standard that he “He had a big heart, he was so forgiving. He had no hate inside his heart.” The family pleads for anyone to come forward with any sort of news. His eldest sister Falone Nsaka, 26, said: “If anyone was where the criminals were they should let the police know. We want justice. He was our only brother, losing him is so painful.” MORE ON PAGE 3...
2
NEWS
qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
TEAM Rituja Rao Editor rituja.rao@smoke.media
Tooba Haq Deputy editor tooba.haq@smoke.media
Joshua Hackett Managing editor
j.hackett@su.westminster.ac.uk
Micaela Kolischer Production editor micaela.kolischer@smoke.media
BY RITUJA RAO
Leanne Hall Online editor
leanne.hall@smoke.media
Cameron McIntyre Online editor cameron.mcintyre@smoke.media
Lauren Waugh News editor lauren.waugh@smoke.media
Nicole El-Helou News editor
nicole.el-helou@smoke.media
Jack Cummings Features editor
jack.cummings@smoke.media
Aylin Paula Karansis Lifestyle editor
aylin.karansis@smoke.media
Francisco Gimeno Societies editor
francisco.gimeno@smoke.media
Damian Burchardt Sports editor
damian.burchardt@smoke.media
ABOUT THE QH The QUINTIN HOGG is produced monthly by a team of student volunteer editors and contributors. All students can get involved. No experience is needed and full training is provided.
The QH published by the University of Westminster Students’ Union, but views presented do not necessarily mirror those of UWSU or the editorial team. If you would like to make a complaint or comment about our journalism, please contact the managing editor, Joshua Hackett, in the first instance.
@The_QH
IMAGE: NUS Connect
BROOKS IN UNDERCOVER NUS SCANDAL BY LAUREN WAUGH
Al Jazeera revealed on January 11th that the National Union of Students Vice President of Union Development, Richard Brooks, had attempted to remove NUS President, Malia Bouattia, and had close relations with the Israeli Embassy. Brooks has faced internet trolls telling him to resign and implicating that his relations with the Israeli embassy may have placed Malia Bouattia at risk, due to her past antiSemitic comments. Brooks is also being investigated by the NUS.
BROOKS: “I’M HELPING ORGANISE THEM” In video footage recorded by Al Jazeera’s undercover reporter, Brooks is asked “How can we get in touch with the people who are trying to oppose her?” He responds: “you can speak to me because I’m helping organise them.”
NUS confirmed that they are investigating the situation and “the behaviour of NUS officers will be reviewed.” The undercover footage also shows both Brooks and the Vice President of Society and Citizenship, Robbie Young, visited Israel, though this is not stated in their NUS expenses. Brooks has, over the past year, made clear his support for Jewish students. Appearing on Radio 4 in September this year, Brooks said “what we want to make clear to thousands of Jewish students would be that the student movement is a place for them.” Brooks stated through his personal Facebook page that he has “written to the NUS UK Board to refer myself for an investigation under the Code of Conduct.” He went on to say he was “going to turn my attention to trying to fix this broken politics that is alienating students and annoying just about everyone else.” Bouattia said “to assure everyone that I am listening to what the membership is saying and also that I am here to speak to anyone about their concerns and worries.”
Welcome back! And hello 2017. This is our first edition in the new year and the start of a new semester. In this issue you’ll find Westminster vs. Trump, and the experiences from the Anti-Trump protest in London. We also bring you stories from other universities across the country and the major changes to student life post Brexit. Our cover story this issue talks about hidden course costs which affect the majority of us. It is important that we recognise these no matter
which course we are on and bring it to the forefront of the movement. In the lifestyle section we have you covered for the ideal Valentine look with our exclusive Look Book that you cannot miss! With this edition, I’d also like to invite you to participate, involve and vote for the upcoming SU officer elections. In times of today where political power runs unchecked and feelings of despair rule, we must realise that the power lies in us. Instead of complaining about not being able to do something about you-knowwho, let’s do our bit for student representation and student voice. Because after all leaders of tomorrow are born today, and born here. I urge you to vote at these elections. If you’d like to be involved with media coverage for these elections, write to us today at editor.qh@ smoke.media Enjoy your read!
LETTER FROM YOUR SU PRESIDENT
BY FREYA THOMPSON
You’ve returned at an exciting time, as nominations to a Sabbatical Officer have just closed. That means YOU get to vote soon in the annual elections for an SU President, and 4 Vice Presidents! Keep your eyes peeled for all the candidates’ campaigns, and don’t forget to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! We have some crazy exciting events planned for
you this semester, kicking off with Consent! Then leading in to Employability Month, LGBTI History Month, and International Women’s Week! There’s going to be events happening all over the shop, so don’t miss out! Our Dragon Sports teams are heading in to the next half of the season, and we have an incredible FIVE exhibition games lined up for you! This includes our fabulous Boxing team, and our amazing Women’s Basketball! Societies are recruiting for even more members! There are over 100 to choose from, so make some new friends, and join them at our Awards Ball! That’s right, the Awards Ball isn’t far away, along with out Boat Party and Varsity. Semester 2 is super exciting, but also very busy, ultimately, enjoy it!
3 qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
NEWS
@The_QH
WHAT’S ON?
WESTMUN CONFERENCE 2017 3rd-5th Febuary, 10am Westminster Model UN Society hosted international delegates to open the IV International University of Westminster Model UN Conference 2017. Delegates came from all over the UK, as well as from Tashkent, France, and Pakistan to spend a weekend in the heart of London debating topics from ISIS to the South China Sea conflict. Under Secretary General for Chairing, and Vice-President of the society, Rituja Rao said, “At WestMUN, one truly has a global experience. WestMUN 2017 saw some heated debate and great conclusions come out of it. The socials were appreciated by external delegatees.”
IMAGE: NUS Campaign
ONE THIRD OF STUDENTS CONSIDER LEAVING UNI DUE TO FINANCES BY NICOLE EL-HELOU
NACUE’S CONCEPTHACK 24th- 25th February, 10am ConceptHACK, in collaboration with NACUE is a live business competition. You’ll be rapidly building businesses around a given theme of ‘Food’ provided by The Food Foundation. They’ll pitch their problem and you’ll have the opportunity to generate a solution. Developing core skills such as pitching, problem solving, creativity, teamwork, task led research and decision making. A prize pot of up to £1,000 will up for keeps.
CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 “more so that they are being asked to fork out cash for items and services which are key to taking part and thriving.” The NUS’ main campaign
point is that everyone enrolled on any programme should be able to benefit from all opportunities regardless of their financial state. Between 2011 and 2014, the NUS surveyed students across the UK on their finances at university. 24% of students said
they spent between £25 and £49.99 on materials, activities, and other costs associated with their study during their first semester. Students who paid more than £25 during the semester felt more confident in their ability to concentrate on the
course. However, over a third of students had considered leaving their course due to financial difficulties, while half of all students worried about not having enough money. The nature of the costs varied from course books, printing, and stationery, to field trips, and travel placements. Even though the report showed more than half of the students were aware of the costs, the majority of students who paid for bench fees, instrument hire, and specialist software, for example, were not made aware of the costs in advance. The NUS classified these hidden costs into three separate categories: mandatory costs, necessarily incurred costs, and optional costs. Mandatory costs covered materials and resources, DBS checks, and bench fees. These needed to be available to students at the time of application as they were from studying core modules. The necessarily incurred costs were not directly from core modules and were not experienced by all students. These included living costs (including accommodation) and, care costs or costs for disabled students. Optional costs arose from optional modules, but the NUS reported that these needed to be indicated so to advise student module choice.
WEMBLEY STABBING CONT’D BY TOOBA HAQ
CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 The young man worked at JD sport in Wembley to support his business degree at Middlesex University. Mr. Nsaka went to school in Clapham, then later in Catford before moving to London. Authorities believed that this was the first London student related crime in 2017, and they hope that the number does not escalate. The Complete University Guide in 2015 stated that burglary, robbery and violence per 1,000 were at a
47.65% rate and the numbers are steadily rising. Scotland Yard said that a man in his 20s has been arrested for suspicion of murder, has been released without any further action. The detectives from the Met’s Homocide and Major Crime Command are leading the investigation. The University of Middlesex declined to comment. Crime rate in Wembley from December 2015 to November 2015 shows an increase in antisocial behaviour at 698 and violent crime reports at 561. Crime rates in Wembley are one of the highest in London, at a 14.62% and rising.
Police car.
4
NEWS
qh@smoke.media
GREGGS RAISE THE STEAKS BY BEN WALTER
PICCADILLY CIRCUS LIGHTS TO BE TURNED OFF
BEN WALTER
The world-famous advertising banner at Piccadilly Circus was turned off n January and will remain off until Autumn 2017 to allow for a major renovation. The company behind the lights, Land Securities, said “we are aiming to give new brands a rare chance to secure a sought-after spot.” Currently the advertising board is made up of several different LCD screens, advertising the likes of Coca Cola, McDonalds, and Samsung. The redevelopment will replace these with one single screen, The lights at Piccadilly have only ever been turned off twice before; during World War II, and the funeral of Princess Diana. This time marks a dramatic change and a new chapter in the way in which the 100 million people who pass through Piccadilly Circus interact with the iconic lights.
@The_QH
BRITS AND BAFTAS FOR WESTMINSTER ALUMNI
LONDON
Greggs, the bakers famous for their cheap and cheerful pastries and cakes, have raised their game and will be offering delivery (although, there are a LOT of strings attached). If you are lucky enough to live within 0.4 miles of the Cheapside or Eastcheap stores, and want a sausage roll and a Yum Yum, Greggs will deliver right to your door. That is if you want it between 10am and 12 noon. Hopefully soon enough Greggs will come to the rescue of many a hungover or simply hungry student and start to roll out their delivery service across London. Until then we should look enviously at those who do live within the pastry catchment area.
/TheQHNewspaper
BY NICOLE EL-HELOU
IMAGE: William Iven
GOODBYE TO UNPAID INTERNSHIPS BY SONAKSHI SHARMA
A recent report from MPs and members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) says unpaid internships should be banned as a barrier to social mobility. The report cites research showing that almost a third of graduates working as interns were not being paid. But an attempt in Parliament to introduce such a ban on unpaid internships was blocked last November. Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke had labelled them the “acceptable face of unpaid labour in modern Britain”. But his bid to outlaw unpaid internships was opposed by the government. As well as calling for a ban on unpaid internships, the APPG wants work experience to be more widely available and “fair and transparent”, as well as interns being paid after their first month. The report also states that all work experience posts should be open to the public in order to allow a more diverse range of applicants. Chair of the APPG, Justin Madders, said “better access to top jobs for those from less advantaged homes” is key in moving forward.
Work experience has become an important starting point for many jobs and there are concerns that this could freeze out young people without family connections in professions. A study called Class Ceiling follows concerns that jobs in sectors such as law, medicine, and media are disproportionately filled by socially-advantaged, privatelyeducated youngsters who have attended top universities. It is also highlighted in cross-party social mobility reports that entry into some professions can be skewed in favour of more affluent young people. Such internships without a salary are used as a stepping stones into jobs which are a financial block to those who cannot afford to work unpaid. The use of unpaid internships as an entry system means that it is only available to young people who can either support themselves or who have parents who can provide for them while they are working without pay. There is also a geographical barrier when internships are in London, with such unpaid work much more feasible for young people from the capital who can live with their parents.
Two Westminster alumni, Michael Kiwanuka, and Babak Anvari, have been nominated for BRIT and British Academy for Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards respectively. Kiwanuka has been nominated for Male Solo Artist, and Album of the Year for his album Love & Hate, after graduating from the University of Westminster’s Commercial Music Performance BMus Honours.
‘‘THE FILM WAS A UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER COLLABORATION His album was selected for recognition by the music industry for awards such as ‘Best Album’ at the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards and Hyundai’s Mercury Prize for ‘Album of the Year’. Love & Hate reached number one on the UK official album charts. Anvari’s film Under the
IMAGE: Laura Lee Moreau
Shadows, has been nominated for Outstanding British Film at the BAFTA’s 2017, alongside films like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and I, Daniel Blake. Under the Shadows received critical acclaim after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. The Guardian called the film “This year’s unarguable horror standout” and “the feminist horror film that scared Sundance silly”. The film was a University of Westminster collaboration, as the Director of Photography, Kit Fraser, and Executive Producer, Patrick Fischer, are both Westminster alumni. The three met at the university and have worked together since. Set in Tehran in 1988, Under the Shadows describes the last years of the Iran-Iraq War. The BAFTA will be held on the 12th of Feburary at the Royal Albert Hall. Stephen Fry will be hosting this years awards. The BRITS will follow on the 22nd of Febuary at the O2 Arena. The awards will be hosted by Dermot Oleary and Emma Willis after Micheal Buble withdrew.
5 qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
NEWS
@The_QH
IMAGE: Slava Bowman
CRACK DOWN ON VISAS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS UNIVERSITIES WARN OF THE EFFECTS BY CHANTELLE PARTRIDGE
Universities are warning about the potential effect of plummeting international students. At the October Conservative Conference, the Home Secretary Amber Rudd, announced that international students will face new restrictions in the wake of Brexit. These will also include a crackdown on the number of international students being awarded visas, with The Guardian reporting that these
numbers could be as much as halved. Rudd said “we need to look at whether this generous offer for all universities is really adding to our economy”. Many are shocked by Rudd’s comments, with some institutions even labelling them as ill-informed. In response, Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central said “she [Rudd] doesn’t seem to know how many Universities we have in the UK or understand the current rules for which she is responsible, let alone appreciate the enormous contribution international students make
to the universities and cities where they study”.
“WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHETHER THIS GENEROUS OFFER FOR ALL UNIVERSITIES IS REALLY ADDING TO OUR ECONOMY”
Times Higher Education reported that in 2014-15 nonEU students made a total contribution of £7bn to the UK economy; a fact that questions the validity of Rudd’s proposals. Sally Hunt, the University and College Union (UCU) Secretary, said “international students make an enormous contribution to UK higher education, both educationally and economically. As highly skilled people, they make an invaluable contribution to our economy”. With plans to make cuts to international student numbers
set to go ahead in the coming months, it is uncertain of the direct impact this will have on UK Universities. Applications for student visas have now become so stringent that many Universities are now speaking out over the new policies. The Guardian have reported that even if non-EU students are able to meet the grading and financial entry-requirements set by The Home Office, this still might not be enough to secure entry. An unnamed ViceChancellor has confirmed such rumours, saying “some applicants are being asked questions we would never ask a domestic student”.
SOAS TO DROP WHITE PHILOSOPHERS BY RITUJA RAO
Students at University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) are calling for white philosophers to be removed from the curriculum to better represent the university’s focus on Asia and Africa. SOAS’ SU is calling for the reduction of white philosophers taught on the syllabus, as part of a new campaign. The campaign, ‘Decolonising SOAS: Confronting the White Institution’, is part of a wider
movement to Decolonise SOAS, which was first proposed as part of the Student Union’s ‘Educational Priorities’ for 2014/15. The Students’ Union argued that the majority of philosophers taught on university courses come from the Global South or its diaspora. If white philosophers need to be included, that it should be done purely from a ‘critical standpoint’ and acknowledge the colonial context in which so called “Enlightenment” philosophers wrote within.” In response to the SU’s proposals, the Head of SOAS’
Religions and Philosophies Department, Erica Hunter, has commented that she would ‘firmly resist from dropping philosophers or historians just because it was fashionable.’ Despite the university’s
‘‘STUDENTS WERE WIDELY ACCUSED OF OUT OF CONTROL POLITICAL CORRECTNESS’’
focus on African and Asian studies, students were widely accused of out of control political correctness for wanting to move away from the teachings of white philosophers. They were slammed as ‘snowflakes’ across national media. SOAS spokesperson Dr Deborah Johnston, pro-director learning and teaching, defended the proposal, “One of the great strengths of SOAS is that we have always looked at world issues from the perspective of the regions we study - Asia,
Africa & Middle East,” she said. The SOAS Student Union has had support from students within and outside the university, with many questioning why an institution dedicated to studying the East and Africa, should focus on Western philosophy. King’s College London’s People of Colour Association has also come out in solidarity with the union, alongside the Decolonising Our Minds Society, a London-based movement with more than 11,000 followers on Facebook.
6
NEWS
qh@smoke.media
COFFEE COSTS NORTHUMBRIA £400,000 IN FINES
IMAGE: Anete Lusina, Unsplash.com
/TheQHNewspaper
BY LAUREN WAUGH
A Sports Science class at Northumbria University left two students in intensive care after overdosing on the equivalent of 300 cups of coffee. Alex Rossetto and Luke Parkin were invited to partake in the experiment which very nearly cost them their lives. The case has seen the University fined £400,000. The experiment included students taking 0.3g of caffeine to investigate how it affected performance in sport. Rossetto and Parkin were given 30g each. There is only 0.1g of caffeine in the average cup of coffee. Both students were close to death when taken to the hospital and were placed on dialysis. The second year students volunteered to take part in
@The_QH
the experiment, however the mathematics were incorrect when the measurements were calculated. A decimal point was misplaced. The court heard how there was no risk assessment that accompanied the experiment. The university staff had not had experience in running such experiments and Newcastle Crown Court heard how the university recently stopped using tablets for this experiment and switched to powder instead. Death has been previously reported after the consumption of only 18g of caffeine, 12g less than what Rossetto and Parkin had consumed. Both students did return to campus the following semester. Adam Farrer, prosecuting lawyer stated “They suffered violent side effects within minutes of drinking.”
WESTMINSTER TAKES ON TRUMP BY NICOLE EL-HELOU
On Friday 20th January, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America, despite the chaos and tension surrounding his victory. His inauguration was not an event that would be met with much compliancy, as with the riots in Washington on the day. In a non-violent way of protest, marches were organised across the USA, and even across the world. These marches were for women, and marched by everyone who believed in equality. These marches were also to oppose many of Trump’s promises to abolish abortions and birth control, as well as confronting the statements he made on the campaign trail, which were put on posters held throughout the marches. In London, a march was organised on 21st February starting at the US Embassy, 24 Grosvenor Square. Around 100,000 activists gathered together in solidarity for the women of America, where comediennes, actresses, and MPs addressed the crowds. University of Westminster
students, Women’s Officer, Ethel Tam, and Feminist Society President, Louise Åkergren, brought the march to the attention of fellow Westminster students. Tam said of the day “I know for sure that, I wasn’t marching for Trump’s sake, but so that I could sit with my conscience and say I chose to protest when it mattered most for the rights of those who marched before us, for our rights today, and for those who will come after us.” University of Westminster Professor, Sam Raphael, spread the message of collective action against Trump’s promise to build a wall between the USA and Mexico. The campaign, # B u i l d B r i d g e s N o t Wa l l s , created a series of banner drops on iconic bridges bearing the same statement. Each of the bridges on the Thames had a banner, each with a specific theme: Islamophobia, LGBTQ+, women, and environment to name a few. Raphael said, “[it] simply states that we are united against fascism, racism and bigotry.”
IMAGE: Flickr.
7 qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
NEWS
@The_QH
BUCKINGHAM UNIVERSITY TO MONITOR STUDENTS’ SOCIAL MEDIA RITUJA RAO Students of Buckingham University are to have their Facebook and Twitter feeds monitored under a radical plan to improve mental health and wellbeing and prevent suicide. Buckingham published plans on 26th January, to become Europe’s first “positive university”, using “positive psychology” to help its 450 staff and 2,500 students feel more engaged with learning. There were 130 student suicides in England and Wales in 2014 and half the ambulance call-outs to universities are for self-harm or suicide attempts. Hence, there has been a growing concern at the rising number of mentally distressed students. As a part of the drive, Buckingham students will be asked to opt in to having their comments on social media monitored. The social media posts will be anonymised and then run through algorithms to detect positive or negative
emotions. This will enable staff to measure the effectiveness of the university’s 10-point action plan. This step was inspired by research from University of Pennsylvania found that these posts are more honest indicators of a person’s mental state than asking them to complete a questionnaire. The initiative comes from Sir Anthony Seldon, vicechancellor of the University of Buckingham. He said, “I’m appalled by the needless suffering at universities. It waits until somebody has been to see a therapist, or is missing essays, or the tutor is worried they are not in class or have heard worrying signs.”He warned that action was needed to tackle a “mental health crisis” in universities. This radical plan has seen some criticism due its ethical considerations and possibly a breach of privacy. Further, it is unclear how many students will opt in for this, weigh against the privacy of
individual students. The QH asked some students at the University of Westminster for their opinion’s on this initiative. Louis Holder, a first year TV student said, “Although risky I think it would prove a useful insight to monitor students’ wellbeing through their social media output. This needs to be something that’s at the forefront of SU’s everywhere so it’ll be an interesting trial to observe.” Another student, Shiven Kapoor, BA Digital Media, echoed the sentiment, “Seeping through the minds of students via social media is not the worst idea.” However, some disagree strongly, “I think this strategy will not work because I don’t believe students happily post their mental health issues online for the world to see or talk about, therefore it might useless. If Westminster did this, I wouldn’t be apart of it,” said Naila Ali, BAME Liberation Officer. Kushagr Gautam, a final year Music
student also added, “Though novel, this plan has raises many questions about privacy and I doubt students will not opt for any algorithm surveying their personal data especially
IMAGE: freestocks.org
in the crisis times like these. At the moment, with Brexit and Trump, student’s opinion are at risk and any controversies to encroach upon it should be avoided.”
8
FEATURES
qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
@The_QH
NACUE IS HERE FOR YOU
H
SPEAKS TO HOLLY FROM NACUE...
ave a business idea and don’t know who to talk to? NACUE is your answer. The QH spoke to Holly Knower, CEO of The National Association of College & University Entrepreneurs (NACUE) to understand all the opportunities available to students at Westminster. NACUE is a charitable organisation for engaging students in enterprise. Established in 2009, the organisation was founded by Victoria Lennox who was then, leading a Student Led Enterprise Society at Oxford Brookes University along with 12 other Enterprise Society Presidents. NACUE’s mission is to support the development of education and student engagement throughout college and universities by championing student enterprise societies and peerto-peer learning. They have been working with the University of Westminster for the last two years. Collaboratively with the University, NACUE runs a number of events to inspire students to be more ‘enterprising’. Holly Knower is based in the Employability Hub in Cavendish campus to extend NACUE’s support to university students. “At Westminster, we aim at providing young individuals with opportunities to boost their skills, confidence and aspirations through student-led enterprise societies, practical programmes and inspiring events such as HackMinster, Big Ideas Competition, Varsity Pitch, etc.”, she said. Working with Westminster, she further added, “A highlight that particularly stands out is seeing the passionate and dedication of so many students are last years ‘Big Ideas Competition’. Where three teams went on to the Varsity Pitch finale.”
Holly Knower, is currently the CEO of NACUE and describing her new role, she said, “It is Busy... but exciting and incredibly rewarding to be working with so many creative and ambitious students on a daily basis.” She went on to say, “A typical day at UOW would be a combination of meeting with academics who have a passion for enterprise or meeting students who have budding business ideas.”
T
o get involved with NACUE, there are many upcoming events at Westminster and opportunities to volunteer too. ConceptHACK, to be held 25th and 26th February, is a live business competition, where one can pitch their ideas. Prizes up to £1000 are up for keeps . Student’s Enterprise Conference, 11th and 12th March, will be bursting with inspiring talks, practical workshops and networking opportunities. One can learn about starting a business, and connect with successful entrepreneurs What started as an extraordinary movement in student entrepreneurship, NACUE is now connecting and representing student enterprise societies and student entrepreneurs worldwide. As a student at University of Westminster, you too are invited to participate and encouraged to avail the services NACUE has to offer. The one thing Holly wants you to know is, “At NACUE we’re passionate about students and ensure that all our offerings and support are designed with the students are the centre. Whether your interested to launching a student-led society or have an idea and need someone to bounce ideas off of - we’re here to support.” IMAGE: nacue.com
WHY I CHOOSE PRINT QUESTIONS WHY PRINT SURVIVES
M
ost of us don’t read newspapers. Print media is becoming increasingly redundant, and The QH is no exception. Make no mistake, a student newspaper in 2017 is virtual reality publishing: a simulated nod to the dying world of print journalism, and irrelevant in reality. To its team, The QH is a virtual Guardian, where deadlines, pitches and editorial meetings occur like a real newspaper. The organisation feels real until the issue goes to print, but sometimes it feels like our readers could be counted on two hands. The alleged solution to this, is that every member of the editorial team does a shift handing out papers. It’s framed as a distribution issue, but the reality is that no one wants them. Certainly they should. This paper aims to provide relevant, student-driven news of readable interest - but it doesn’t. That is no fault of anyone’s, but simply a reflection of contemporary journalism.
If this paper had something genuinely newsworthy to tell you, you’d have found out through Facebook first. It’s by no means a reflection of quality, and it’s the same reason the Guardian now begs for donations. So why pick The QH up? An opinion piece from Louise in 2nd year Law? Something about a University sports team? No thanks. To put matters into perspective about The QH’s redundancy on campus, one need look no further than our Facebook page. We claim to be the “official voice of students”, yet harbour a meagre few hundred likes. In the space of a week, the spoof-page University of Westmemester has attracted nearly 800, and their success proves a point they were quick to make: student print media is a joke. Ironically, one of their memes also touched on the topic of student elections, with hordes of political devotees contrasted with a single tumbleweed representing the disparity between how the SU views election, and how students view them. In an Inceptionesque move, The QH (a newspaper few care about)
will cover the elections (a political event nobody cares about). This grand spectacle will warrants an extra eight pages, which will be a sparsely-read traverse of quasi-politics.
T
he question that arises from all this of course, is why on earth do I work on The QH? How can I be Features Editor of a newspaper I call redundant? The answer is simple: I embrace the redundancy, and embrace the virtual reality of student media. The motivation for this role ultimately comes down to one reward, and that is the feeling I get from helping new contributors write. To see a piece transform into something that sings rewards both myself and the journalist, even though nobody cares, and nobody is going to read it. Look at it this way: If the media was like the world of aviation, The QH wouldn’t be a plane, it’d be a flight simulator, but that doesn’t matter - it’s nice to help out future pilots.
9 qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
“SLEEP DEPRIVED DOESN’T COVER IT’’ TALKS TO LUCY TONGE...
“O
pinionated”, she described herself in one word. Lucy Tonge is a first year Radio Production student, and she has Narcolepsy, let’s get that out of the way. Lucy is extremely open book about her disability, and it is admirable how she takes it with stride. I spoke to Lucy to understand what it takes to get to this point in life where she is able to speak out her mind about disability and her life at university. Lucy was diagnosed with her condition when she was 12 and for a while she didn’t know what was happening. “I was not popular in school but neither was I ‘unpopular’. I just lay low and tried not to stick out,” she says. However, when she got to 6th form, she was completely open book about narcolepsy and learned to own it. “Disability means different things to different people”, she says thoughtfully, “It has taken me a lot of time to get to this point. I took some time to work my limit and learn to function within the limits of what I could and couldn’t do.” She has now learned to make most of it, she adds, “I have learned to manage my disability in such as way that I don’t let it get in my way, but still get all the help I need.” Coming to university has been a major change in her life, especially since moving away from her family has been difficult. She’s currently Head of News for Smoke Radio, and working extremely hard for her degree. Lucy has had to repeat her first year due to coping difficulties in her first year.
“IF YOU HAVE A HIDDEN DISABILITY, PEOPLE TEND TO OVERESTIMATE YOU OR IGNORE IT’’ “I struggled with first year because I was learning to be independent and getting the help you need is difficult. It is something the university doesn’t know and you don’t know either, until you get here and actually live the Uni life,” she says. A very outgoing
FEATURES
@The_QH
Z
Z
Z
Leading university life, involves self determination and a lot of support from University too. Lucy sees a mentor once a week to discuss her academic standing and seeks study support to help her get through readings, even if it means a small nudge to keep her from falling asleep. She says, “There is a limit to support in Uni. The support comes slowly, and having to wait 3-6 months, one is already far behind on the course.” She suggests that the disability support could be much quicker, and there could be more regular meetings to discuss issue, rather than to wait until it goes downhill to seek help. She struggled with disability support for the first six months at university, she adds, “You can’t tell what you need until you actually are in a situation and need it.” Hence, she’s had to wait for support in a limbo and even fight for it. “I once needed a lumber chair, which was later taken off my statements. I had to fight to get it”, she recalls. She feels that the support at university is very limited to common disabilities and the knowledge regarding wider range of disabilities is missing.
“DISABILITY MEANS person, Lucy tends to make friends very easily, yet she adds, “It’s taken time to recognise the right kind of people that I can talk to, who understand what it really is.” Hidden disabilities get a very different reaction than a physical one. She says, “If you have a hidden disability, people tend to overestimate you or ignore it. And if you have a physical disability, they tend to underestimate you.” So how does Lucy really come open about it when she meets people? “Well, I obviously don’t say I am Lucy and I am narcoleptic”, she jokes. She tends to make a little joke or drop a small hint during conversations about her sleeping tendencies. Or some politely ask her. She says, “People tend to make ignorant comments sometimes, so I take it on me to discuss it with them. It makes for a great conversation and more people tend to join in.” The conversation is really about what narcolepsy is, which is a lot more than just a sleeping disorder, she adds, “They tend to go away from the conversation more informed. It’s a win-win!”. Also, what is Narcolepsy? Catch Lucy for a quick conversation, you will not be disappointed.
DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE” She feels that instead of ticking boxes as to what disability one might have, the support should be tailor-made to each student’s need. “There’s a first for everything,” she says, “Perhaps, I was the first with Narcolepsy.” “No student should have to prove their level of disability to get support”, she strongly emphasises. In spite of having to repeat first year, Lucy has had the best time in university and feels that an extra year will help her achieve her goals more realistically. “I now have an extra year to meet more people in my industry and land a job at the end of this degree”. She also feels that she is through with her ‘fresher fever’ and can concentrate on academics a lot more seriously. But really, what is Narcolepsy like? She light-heartedly replies, “Sleep deprived doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
10
FEATURES
qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
@The_QH
OSCARS, FINALLY, NOT TOO WHITE
A
fter sparking increased controversy over the past two years, the Oscars has produced one of its most diverse crop of nominees ever. It has now become #Oscarsnotsowhite in 2016. In the past two years, no actor or actress from an ethnic minority was nominated for an Oscar. Thus, all eyes were on the Academy Award nominations this year which are in stark contrast to those in 2016. This year proved to be a much stronger year for diversity, both in front and behind the camera. This year saw every acting category recognise a person of colour with a total of six actors of colour. “The Oscars have rallied to do a better job reflecting the diversity of America and the world,” said Tom O’Neil, founder of awards website Goldderby.com. Not everyone agreed with last year’s protest criticising Oscars as being racist, as tweets suggested – “I always found #OscarsSoWhite to be ridiculous. Is
ON AT OSCARS 2017...
something so arbitrary as race truly more important than a person’s character or talent?” “I care about whether a movie is good or not, not how quote on quote ‘diverse’ it is. Why is #OscarsSoWhite a thing. #Oscars2017” This year, in Best Actor in a Leading role category, Denzel Washington has landed his seventh nomination for Fences, extending his record as the most nominated black actor. His co-star Viola Davis was nominated in supporting actress, which also saw Davis’ The Help co-star Octavia Spencer nominated for Hidden Figures and Naomie Harris for “Moonlight.” With three nods, Davis is now the most nominated black actress. In the Best Actress in a Leading role category, Ruth Negga was nominated for her work in Loving. And in supporting actor, Mahershala Ali landed a nom for Moonlight. Also recognized in supporting actor was Dev Patel, a British actor of Indian descent, for Lion.
These nominations not only showcase that Oscars are about recognising the hard work of actors but also about the fact that race does not play a role in the nominations. In fact, the nominations earned praise from the African American Film Critics Association; AAFCA President Gil Robertson IV said, “The African American Film Critics Association is totally thrilled with the record-breaking number of nominations earned this year by actors and other creative artists of colour. AAFCA applauds the Academy’s efforts and we hope that their progress continues to reflect America’s rich diversity.” Hence, last year’s hyped hashtag has now been put to rest. The 89th Academy Awards which will be broadcasted by ABC on February 26, is indeed not as white as its predecessor. Now, we just wait and watch to see who bags the Oscars after all.
UNI OF WESTMEMESTER
E
very student who has a Facebook account is aware of The University of Westmemester Page. Given its popularity, those who have liked it are curious to know one thing – who’s behind it? Whilst we may not be able to get the name of the maverick who made it, it’s clear that the Westmemester is a Harrow student. We had a little chat with the page admin and here is what we know so far: Ever since the start of the page on 19th January, it has grown exponentially in popularity. This means that the page needs to be handled quite well and one person alone cannot do this. YES! Ever since the page has grown its number of fans, it has recruited a couple of other admins, who according to the creator “are also sworn into meme-secrecy”. The page has been around for only a couple of weeks now and has already gained 800 likes. If they keep up with the quality of memes it is capable of getting more likes than ‘official’ student media outlets – showing the power of social media and good humor. Like many great ideas, according to the creator the page was born on a drunken night. “It’s just an attempt at humour.” The Westmemester said. “No one ‘liked’ this page or knew it existed when it was made. People enjoyed the content, the page exploded, and ten days later here we are now.” We think it’s more than just humour. The memes certainly speak the truth, which is why it caught the attention of the students in the first place. We hope to see this page grow into something bigger, and hopefully they will expand their reach to other campuses. After all, the power to make people laugh can’t be understated.
SPEAKS TO THE VIRAL PAGE...
IMAGE: The QH
11 qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
FEATURES
@The_QH
ANTI-TRUMP PROTEST
O
SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE...
n Monday 30th January, thousands of people in cities around the country united in protest against the pending state visit of President Donald Trump to the UK. After a petition requesting the Government to call off the state visit reached more than 1,300,000 signatures, people took to the streets to stand in solidarity with the Muslim community, and make it clear to Theresa May that the people of Britain will not stand for her cosying up to Donald Trump, especially while his ban on immigration from a list of Muslim-majority countries is in place. I went to the demonstration in Whitehall and left with a renewed sense of hope and optimism. The number of people who attended demonstrations exceeded all expectations, to the delight of all progressives who object to Trump and Theresa May’s appeasement of his authoritarian governing. It is uplifting that in such dire, depressing times, the mood around the place was not gloomy, but full of hope, energy and unity. The chants shouted and placards displayed summarised people’s feelings in the most British way, blunt humour. From “Raisin bran not racist ban” to “Keep your tiny hands off refugees”, there were countless signs aimed at both Trump and May. A personal favourite was “Which side of history?”. Protests like this will not change Trump or May’s mind on anything immediately, but a continued display of such resistance will be necessary in the coming years in order to make a difference. It is easy to despair and feel powerless in times like this but what yesterday reminded me of, was the power of people. With persistence, commitment, and people like Owen Jones leading the way, we can make a difference. Let’s make sure we’re on the right side of history.
IMAGE: Wikimedia Commons
WOMEN’S MARCH
SPEAKS TO WOMEN ABOUT THE ICONIC MARCH... Millions of people around America marched in solidarity with women as Donald Trump cut funding to Planned Parenthood shortly after his inauguration into office. Despite weather conditions, people got together in having their say towards the President elect. Sister protests were found around the globe with one in London hosting 100,000 people. A protestor and Westminster alumni, Otis Kirby was found at the London march, “(It) felt particularly calming, yet extremely powerful. I have been to many important marches during my adulthood, but none more populated than this.” He believed it was a community that got together and, made people believe that they have something to fight for. “The turnout brought hope and encouragement to those whom I met during the march, and hopefully to those being oppressed around the world” Another protestor based in Arizona told the QH that it was one of the best experiences she’s ever been a part of. Emily Quinn is head of her University’s
woman’s society, “We’re only a couple hours from the Mexican border so we have a really diverse community who were marching that day, but the majority definitely seemed to march with either Planned Parenthood and/or immigrant rights. But it seemed most everyone there was very anti-Trump.” Eman Ahmed, a Pakistani marching in Minnesota showed her solidarity when she marched with Macalester College. “It was a unifying experience. It was heart warming to see not only women march for their rights but individuals from other communities that feel oppressed. And also, those who are against the oppression even if they themselves aren’t being denied their rights in any particular way.” Alongside outraged protestors were celebrities such as Madonna, Alicia Keys, Janelle Monàe and countless others also made an appearance. “I’m so glad I did because I’ve connected to that community and am able to take action with them from here on out.” Emily Quinn, Arizona.
IMAGE: Samantha Sophia, Unsplash.com
12
FEATURES
qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
@The_QH
FAN-TASTIC USE OF TIME THE QH TALKS TO FANS TO FIND HOW THEY ARE FINDING THE REWARDING EXPERIENCE...
F
ANS (Friends of Arriving New Students) provide a personal welcome to new undergraduate students who start at the University of Westminster in September. FANS help students settle into the university community and act as their first point of contact during induction week. Previous FANS have gained key transferable skills through this role as well as much more, many have said it has been a highlight of their university life due to the amount of people they have met and the fun experience they had. Take a look at some FANS testimonials below for reasons to why you should apply for this position: “I’ve never been a socially savvy person. I went through my first year at university without making many close friends because I didn’t like to put myself out there, at the mercy of strangers. Every conversation with someone new was an ordeal. I went to my classes then went straight home, attending a grand total of three society events during the year. So when I got the email about being a part of FANS, I dismissed it at first as something I would never do, but clearly some divine force had decided otherwise and made me sign up. I was unsure if I’d made the right decision – could I become confident enough to be a guide for new students?
“I KNEW EXACTLY HOW THEY WERE FEELING” The promise of a residential in Buckinghamshire clinched the deal for me in the end. During our two day stay at the hotel, we did loads of fun icebreakers, as well as learning new skills like public speaking, problem solving, and how to deal with difficult people. We worked with the same group of people
IMAGE: FAN at Regent Street Campus
IMAGE: Fans at a reccruitment seminar
during the stay, and I became friends with all of them – we still hang out regularly because we had the shared experience of FANS. By the time induction week rolled around, I was excited to start my role and catch up with my new mates, and any anxiety I felt had disappeared because we were given all the information we needed to know, and were supported every step of the way. When I saw how shy and uneasy a lot of the students were on their first day, it made my role a lot easier because I saw that all they needed was some help settling in, and I knew exactly how they were feeling as it had only been a year since I was in their place. Meeting so many new people has made me feel more settled in to university now, because I always see these familiar faces around campus. Being a FAN has even helped me with my course because I met students in third year doing the same course as me who I can ask for help with my studies, as well as new people in the same year who I can swap notes with. -ZAINAB DAWOOD, BA English Literature “During my first year as a student I did not take part in projects or activities and I realised that it was a big loss. I decided to become a FAN to offer students the opportunity to see what is going on in terms of projects and activities and to convince them to get involved from their first year. Others had a similar story regarding their first year. I cannot find the right words to describe how we feel when we see that “our students” are active in societies or became course reps. I consider that this project represents one of the highlights of my university life and would definitely recommend it to any of you” -DENNIS LUCAN, BA Business Management, Marketing. I signed up to the FANS project because of the positive impact it would have on my CV, but I soon found out that it gave me so much more than just ‘transferrable skills’. We were taken away to Buckinghamshire for our training days in this big old lodge. I was nervous going to the session – Ironically this was the exact same situation that our in-coming ‘fanettes’ would be in just a few months later (fanettes is the name given to the new undergraduate students starting). Realising this fact helped me overcome the initial shyness, and the plethora of ice-breakers
suddenly made more sense than ever. The whole time there was such an amazing atmosphere because everyone gave it their all. I won’t lie, it was also super intense, but because the instructors kept changing it up we were constantly kept on our toes and never bored. Meeting the new students for the first time was a unique experience, you are alone in a room of thirty odd people who all expect you to take the lead. But then you realise how good the training really was because you suddenly see yourself leading the group, throwing ice-breakers at them, and laughing like there is no tomorrow. Even better, when meeting other FANS in the corridors the special bond of ‘I-know-the-situation-you-are-in’ was evident, and it was almost like a scene out of Harry Potter with highfives and cheers in between ferrying the ‘fannets’ around. Becoming a FAN is hands down the best thing I have signed up for at university. -METTE HYLLESTED, BA Linguistics & Creative Writing
“THIS PROJECT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY UNIVERSITY LIFE” If you would like to become a FAN for September 2017 then now is the time to register. You can register your interest at the following link uwsu.com/fans by Monday 10th April 2017. Further benefits of being a FAN are cash rewards, training in a luxury hotel, leadership & employability Skills and recognition on your HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Record) Don’t miss out on this FANtastic opportunity!
IMAGE: Fans at a reccruitment seminar
13
/HostWembley
Prices from £185pw
The best reasons to live with Host at Wembley
North End Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 0UU
• 10 minute tube ride from Westminster University Harrow Campus • Penthouses, studios and cluster flats available • All bills included • 24/7 security and maintenance • 2 minute walk to Wembley Park Tube Station • Free 100Mb Wi-Fi internet • Free contents insurance • Common room, study room and free onsite gym • Stunning views of Wembley Stadium from penthouses
To arrange a viewing, call us on: 020 3475 5952 or email wembley@host-students.com QUALITY MARK INTERNATIONAL ACCOMMODATION
H0130-WEM Westminster SU 1216_ad.indd 1
2016
BEST
VALUE FOR MONEY
21/12/2016 15:42
14
LIFESTYLE
qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
@The_QH
NO EXCUSES ON VALENTINES DAY
YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM THE DAY OF LOVE... BY CHARLOTTE RACHER
IMAGE: FLICKR
OH MY DEAR SWEET VALENTINE
WHETHER YOU LOVE OR LOATHE IT, IT IS AN UNAVOIDABLE DAY OF THE YEAR… BY AMELIA WALKER-HALL
Having once been on the receiving end of a packet of biscuits on Valentines Day, I am all too aware that some can get the 14th February very, very wrong. Gift buying can be a stressful experience, causing some people to crack under the pressure and succumb to buying a fluffy teddy bear the size of a small child, that can be seen in each and every shop window in the run up to V day…fear not. Whether you’re a baller or a penny pincher this article will (hopefully) help you to treat your loved one in a non conventional or, god forbid, cringy way. Giving someone your time and undivided attention can be the best present of all, so why not change your V day ways and treat your sweetheart to the gift of a memory? It will last longer than any box of chocs and will show your other half just how thoughtful and romantic you can be. Win Win.
1. Sky Garden- enjoy the extensive
cocktail list in the paradisal sky pod bar while drinking in the city skyline. The view is unparalleled come day or night, rain or shine.
2. Eurostar to Paris- this is probably
for the ballers among us but tickets to the city of love can be picked up at a relatively reasonable price if booked in advance or left to the last minute (this is only for the very brave).
3.
Colombia road flower markettake your honey honey to the beautiful Shoreditch street market, walk among the array of stalls hand in hand then surprise them with a bouquet of the fresh flowers they’ve just been oohing and ahhing at. Plus, plenty of eateries nearby if you really fancy making a day of it.
Valentine’s Day got its name from St Valentine, a man who was jailed and sentenced to death for arranging marriages in secret when they had been banned by Emperor Claudius. St Valentine then fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and on the day of his death sentence, February 14th, he sent her a love letter signed “from your Valentine” – much sweeter than a super-like on Tinder or an eyelash flutter at a bar. If you’re bitter about a day literally all about love, you need to have a think. Or if it’s your other half, then be sure to banish all the classic Valentine’s Day excuses. “I love them everyday.” But do you show it? This excuse is only valid if this person is so romantic that they’re Love Lock Bridge, guitar-serenading and kissing in the rain all rolled into one. But February 14th is just one day – and night- to be a little bit romantic and show someone that you care. Of course you should love everyday but Valentine’s Day is a reminder to say “I choose you” like a loved up Ash to Pikachu. “It’s so busy!” It doesn’t really matter if you dine at Sketch in London or you stay in and demolish a slightly dodgy yet tasty take-away. It’s about doing
4.
Tate modern- A museum isn’t an obvious pick for a romantic day out but the 10th floor of the Tate is a viewing gallery providing unforgettable 360° views of London. Afterwards enjoy a drink or five in one of the many surrounding bars along Embankment.
5.
London Eye- it’s one of those things that people think is expensive but it actually isn’t too bad. If you’re really thinking of pushing the boat out, you could buy two tickets for the London eye’s champagne experiencethere’s something about sipping on bubbles looking out over London, 443ft up. There you have it. Valentines day 2017-sorted!
IMAGE: FLICKR
something one on one together, there’s no compulsory price tag or activity, do what fits you best as a couple. As Kevin Hart, voice of the people, said “Do you boo boo.” “Capitalism!” Oh Karl Marx, shut your mouth and eat an overpriced heart shaped chocolate. Conforming may not be cool or edgy and giving into company pressures may not be at the forefront of your economic and philosophical mind. However, I think in the name of passion, a teddy and a cheesy card, you can let this go for 24 hours.
“WHY GIVE SOMEONE FLOWERS WHEN THEY’RE JUST GOING TO DIE?” “Why give someone flowers when they’re just going to die?” You don’t necessarily have to buy someone flowers on Valentine’s Day but if you don’t, don’t let that be your reasoning. This is the very worst excuse, because guess what? Everything dies, including you. St Valentine had unbelievable charm the day he was forced to die, so what’s your excuse?
15 qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
@The_QH
VALENTINES DAY LOOK BOOK
LIFESTYLE
A GUIDE TO QUICK AND EASY STYLES FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY...
Little Black Dress Look
BY AYLIN KARANIS
BUTTERFLIES Going somewhere outdoors and a bit more of a casual evening? This look is the one for you. White shirt, black skirt, black tights, black boots and a warm coat. If you think you will be cold with skirt, high wasted black jeans with a big belt will look sophisticated as well. As it is a casual look, I would recommend the makeup to be more natural looking, however if you feel like adding some glitter-please don’t hold back. You can never do wrong with glitter. The makeup I went for was: Skin: The same skin routine I used in The Little Black Dress look. Eyes: Conceal eyes with Rimmel Wake Me Up and set them with Laura Mercier translucent powder. Use neutral eye shadow tones as a base so that you can blend the other colours easily. MAC’s eye shadow palette Burgundy Times Nine is perfect for a Valentine’s Day Look. I used the shade Embark on my cut-crease and towards my upper eyelid platform, so the inner part of my cut crease I blended the shades; Antiqued, Haux, Poppy seed and Honey Lust. Make sure to blend these colors and apply them to your lower lash line. Rimmel London’s Exaggerate brown eye definer on the outer lower and upper lash lines. Make sure to smudge and blend it to give it a more subtle and smoky look if you want to achieve this look. I did not use
Butterfly Look
Make-up for Butterfly look
Turtleneck by All Saints,Shirt by NEXT
Make-up for LBD look
fake lashes therefore using Lancome Virtuose mascara in black will make your eyes pop and your partners eyes to pop out. Lips: Rimmel London Exaggerate Lip liner with Rosie for Autograph in the shade of Lady Rose No. A335
blends very easily.
SIMPLICITY Nice dinner with your special someone? As Coco Chanel once said “Less is more”. A nice shirt and trousers can do the job for a nice meal out. Instead of going black or white shirt on black trousers I would recommend a dark blue shirt to make the outfit stand out. It is a very simple thing however the difference it will make on your look is unquestionable. Black shoes and a black leather watch will be the cherry on top.
‘‘IF YOU FEEL LIKE ADDING SOME GLITTER-PLEASE DON’T HOLD BACK’’ For makeup you can use Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer to cover any spots, under eyes or redness however, make sure to blend it well. If you feellike giving a bit of definition to your cheekbones or jawline using MAC Bronzer with a big brush would be the best option as it is very subtle and
COLD HANDS WARM HEARTS As it is February and we are in London, the cold weather is inevitable. If your plans include outdoors and nice strolls in the park, this outfit will make you not only look good but also keep you warm and snuggly. You can never go wrong with a turtleneck, and on the plus side your other half cannot steal your scarf, as you will not need one. Wearing a beige or burgundy color will put a bit of something extra to you casual Valentine’s Day look. But of course these are all just suggestions, feel free to rock any look with as much make up or no makeup at all. As long as you feel good, comfortable and happy – you will be glowing and that is a promise I can make.
LITTLEBLACK DRESS You can never go wrong with a little black dress. This purchase is not only going to save your life for Valentine’s Day, but also could be worn to many events in different styles. Everyday look to all-glam, little black dress is here to save the day. If you are planning to go on a cute, elegant dinner with your partner or friends, accessorizing this dress with white pearl earrings and a vintage Audrey Hepburn make-up look
will do the job. You can get a black dress almost from anywhere in any shapes or sizes. Go for the one you feel most comfortable and good in – as you would like to have your dinner whilst being able to breathe. Accessories or H&M is perfect to find a cheap yet stunning pair of pearl earrings that will define the look. For this look I would recommend black heels however if you like to add some color, feel free to wear those red heels on your feet. The make-up I went for to achieve this look was; Skin: The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimizer as a primer, Maybelline color corrector to cover under eye and any redness on my face, Rimmel Wake Me Up as a concealer (again under eye and any spots I want to cover), Laura Mercier translucent powder to set my face. Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blusher. Contour sticks by Smashbox and last but not least, stick sculpting highlighter by Clinique. For this look I didn’t go overboard with highlighter, which was quite unusual for me but thought a subtler look worked better for the whole outfit.
‘‘YOU CAN GET A BLACK DRESS ALMOST FROM ANYWHERE IN ANY SHAPES OR SIZES’’ Eyes: After priming your eyes, Rimmel concealer on your eyelid and translucent powder to avoid any creasing. The Body Shop Down To Earth Eye Shadow Palette base colours on your eyelid Colour Crush Eyeshadow No. 220 in the shade of Chocolate Linger to your cut crease and NARS velvet shadow stick on your upper eyelid platform. Benefit mascara Roller Lash. After I used Maybelline Matte Liquid Black Eyeliner. Eyelure Fake Lashes by Cheryl. Eyebrows: Blinkbrow Extra Slim Brow Pencil in the shade of Indian Chocolate, Blinkbrow BrowBuild Gel Lips: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade of Mysterious Red. This is by far one of my favorites as it does not smudge and very easy to apply or top-up.
Want more? See more at
theqh.co.uk
16
SPORT
qh@smoke.media
/TheQHNewspaper
DRAGONS’ CORNER This month we sit down with Lemar Darien-Campbell, men’s 1st basketball team captain.
The QH: How would you describe the Dragons’ performance so far this season? LDC: I think that hard work and dedication put in so far has placed us in an ideal position to see this season off in top class style. The QH: Are you already thinking about Varsity? Chinese football club
LDC: Varsity is something I have been fortunate enough to be a part of for two years now. With lots of games and time to practise between now and then, we aim to achieve another win against West London. The QH: The Exhibition Game was huge for Dragons basketball, wasn’t it? LDC: It was a huge experience for both myself and the club. With the fans support, nothing was going to stop us from completing an excellent afternoon for the Dragons. The QH: Is the team planning to make some additions to the squad? LDC: We are hoping to have another successful set of trials this January. In previous years we had talented international and postgraduate students joining us about this time. The QH: Let’s talk about NBA a bit. This is a first season without some of the league’s legends: Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. How big is the legacy of the trio? LDC: With many stars in the NBA and sports in general, their impact is felt regardless of whether you are good at what they do or not. Each of these players has seen a loss, but their drive to win and be the best possible version of themselves has had a worldwide influence on so many different levels. The QH: Who will win the NBA title this season? LDC: It’s the Warriors’ time again!
THE CHINESE TAKEOVER BY REUBEN PINDER
T
he Chinese Super League has been flexing its financial muscle at an exponential rate to attract many Premier League players in the past few years. Diego Costa became the latest star to be linked with
a move to the China, when Tianjin Quanjian submitted a bid to Chelsea in an attempt to lure the Brazilian born striker away from London. The deal fell through and it is understood that Costa will remain with the Blues. However, the offer made the star of the Premier League’s
current leaders unsettled to the extent that shows there is an issue to be addressed. New rules in the Chines Super League “scuppered the deal”, claimed Tianjin Quanjian owner Shu Yuhui, who has also been chasing Karim Benzema and Radamel Falcao. From the next season onwards, Chinese
@The_QH
clubs will only be allowed to have a maximum of three foreign players, as the Chinese Football Association attempts to grow the domestic game as well as attracting foreign stars. Tianjin Quanjian already have three foreign players, including Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel. The China-bond transfers precursors seemed to be Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, who both signed for Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC in 2012. Now, the club managed by Gus Poyet have the likes of Carlos Tevez on their books, who is reported to be the highest paid player in the world, earning an astonishing £615,000 per week wage. This sum is almost a double that which Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi are earning. The top ten highest paid footballers consists of four players currently playing in the Chinese Super League, with former Premier League stars Oscar, Hulk and Graziano Pelle also making the list. Their wages range from £ 290,000 to £500,000 per week. Premier League clubs will have to come to terms with having another financial super power to compete with, as more players make the trip east, not only in their twilight years but in their prime years as well.
NO TOUCHDOWN FOR THE DRAGONS BY DAMIAN BURCHARDT
T
he UWSU Dragons American football team has been embroiled in organisational troubles, resulting in the club conceding both games of the new season. The opponents, Essex and Queen Mary, have been awarded walkovers due to the team’s players unavailability. The American football team was the last UWSU Dragons club to start competing in BUCS leagues at the beginning of December. The ball, however, has never been kicked. ”Due to some player availability for certain games and strict deadlines for confirmation of pitch times, the team have had to concede two games”, a Students’ Union spokesperson said. The team’s president Mathias Ijeh explains the situation: “When five people show up at a Thursday practice session, it’s impossible for us to play a game that same Sunday”. “The issue is we can’t force anyone to come down to practice and games. We’ve been messaging them but it evidently hasn’t worked”, he adds.
Another impediment has turned out to be some of the Dragons players not signing up on the British American Football League (BAFA) website. This is a requirement to be eligible to play, however, couple of weeks ago the club’s
board found out just eight of the Dragons team’s members had done it. “BAFA essentially told us they won’t let us play unless we get those numbers up”, Ijeh says. Both UWSU and the club’s
The UWSU Dragons American football team.
president say they have plans to get the situation under control; and are working hard to ensure the team can normally play out the rest of the season, including a possible feature in the upcoming Varsity.