October 2017 ¡ ISSUE 17¡ FREE
smoke.media/mag
Venture through south east asia PG.14-17
Exclusive interview with Sam Feldt
PG.19
Should celebrities air their dirty laundry? PG.5
2
INSIDE
TEAM editor
Lama El Khamy mag.editor@smoke.media
Deputy Editor Katherine Cenaj
A word from the editor
mag.deputy@smoke.media
Comment
Michael WarD & Jasmin Goken mag.comment@smoke.media
MUSIC
next trip idea which you can find in pages 14 to 17.
Miriam Cocuzza & mark hoskin mag.music@smoke.media
Arts
Kristiyan Stefanov & Louis Holder mag.arts@smoke.media
lifestyle
peony hirwani & kaz bosali mag.lifestyle@smoke.media
fashion
kate reichardt & omar balde mag.fashion@smoke.media
SMOKE MAG is produced monthly by a team of student volunteer editors and contributors. SMOKE MAG is 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 editor, Lama El Khamy, in the first instance.
Hiya beautiful people! Can’t believe summer is over and uni has already started. I hope you had a great summer and here’s hoping you have a great year at uni. Believe me, all the excitement (and stress) is just starting! We’ve been happily slaving away for the last month to produce the best possible freshers issue for you. And since we’re welcoming a lot of lovely new faces, we’ve decided to release the October issue early online so you can have a sneak peak! (If you haven’t seen the online one yet, then welcome to the print version!) The summer haze hasn’t gone yet, travel and fun is still in our minds and what better way to satisfy ourselves than to plan our next trip. Luckily, Jasmin Goken, comment editor, has been gracious enough to offer you your
Smoke Mag is here for your every whim. We can fix you up with some updates on music, arts, fashion and even throw in some lifestyle pointers and critical thinking (not the kind you encounter in lectures of course.) This issue is here to offer you a range of topics related to summer, freshers and your life at uni, so make sure you enjoy yourself and contribute with us. We’d love to have you join the team! I know, self-promotion, ugh, but I promise you, once you join Smoke Mag, it become your baby. I really hope you enjoy this issue and I give you all my love with it. Peace out, Lama xoxox
INSIDE
3
COMMENT PG. 4-7
FEATURES PG. 8-17
MUSIC PG. 18-21
ARTS PG. 22-23
LIFESTYLE PG. 24-25
FASHION PG. 26-27
is freshers overrated? & addictions to delivery services
Interview with sam feldt & songs from the summer
ten skills to learn before graduating and our lifestyle & social media
traveling in south east asia and young & talented
what’s to come at london film festival
social media’s influence on fashion & kahmune’s new collection
4
COMMENT Illustration by carl randall
Freshers: Overrated or underfunded?
MAria Campuzano gets candid about why london really isn’t the life of the party for freshers
It’s that time of year again. Students all over London prepare to start, or return to life at uni. The thrill of independence is real. And it all starts with the legendary Freshers Week- or as the SU is calling it this year, ‘Arrivals Week’. Honestly for me, whatever you want to call it, the week was absolute nonsense and completely overrated, and I think London as a city is to blame for that. It isn’t until you move here that you realise how easily your money evaporates. You’ve been researching the best fresher’s nights for months, you’ve been promised at least 7 nights of insanity, and you’ve already organised an outfit for every
single occasion. But when the time comes for the ‘Biggest fresher’s events in the nation’, you have no money for them. Maybe you do, but then there’s finding transportation and someone to go with.
Another big thing is Freshers Fair. The intention is great, yet when it comes down to it, it’s just exhausting. Packed with a crowd of 18 year olds that probably won’t join everything they sign up for, chances are you won’t find what you are looking for. So if you’re excited to go to London for uni and even more for the legendary Fresher’s Week, I am sorry to crush your expectations. This doesn’t mean that you won’t meet great people and have fun the rest of your first year. As far as Fresher’s Week goes, it’s not everything it’s cracked up to be, so forgive London for not being student friendly; however, your time in this endless city will be some of the best in your life.
What the hell “Forgive is the London for not being point in “national days”? student friendly” Unlike everywhere else in the country, London is not a student city. Few places offer student nights, during the week, limiting transport options. There’s always the uni bar, but chances are, it’ll look like a scene from The Inbetweeners.
By sissi Yi Hu
Everyone loves music. And everyone knows how artists say time and time again that a certain song or album is based on their own life experiences. Songs based on love, whether it’s falling in or out, are the most common subject. However, an increasing number of artists are focusing their singles on revenge.
“is this really something we want to listen to?” They are focusing their lyrics on their hatred towards someone else and, although they never outwardly single out the artist who their song is aimed at, via media speculation and theories, everyone ends up discovering who it’s most likely about. Most recently, Taylor Swift
released her single Look What You Made Me Do, with many people speculating it was either about her ongoing feud with Katy Perry, or Kanye West and Kim Kardashian after West’s Famous lyrical argument. I think, that no matter who it was about, she should have let it go. The video footage that caused the Kanye/ Kim versus Taylor feud, was released in July 2016. It’s been over a year, and yet Swift is acting petty, as if she’s still the innocent American sweetheart she longed to be since the beginning. She’s naively playing their game by firing back, and she’d clearly stated in a Twitter and Instagram post (these have now been taken down) that she wanted to be “excluded from this narrative”. But by having written a song about the topic of reputation – whether it really is about Kim and Kanye, Katy Perry or someone else entirely is still a great mystery – she’s pushing
Taylor Swift - Look What You made me do
herself into the narrative again. Whether it was just a good PR move from her team, where a nasty situation turned her into a person who writes songs bad mouthing others, or not, I don’t believe artists should include their own personal fights with other artists into their lyrics.
“Shake it off Taylor” In a sense, it’s a way of bullying and, although very discreet, it’s still somehow obvious. People might try to brush it off, and say that they need to talk about their feelings, and the way to do it is with their lyrics, but is this really something we want to listen to? In this case, Swift should have just listened to her own lyrics. Shake it off, Taylor Swift. Shake it off.
lookwhatyoumade do
revenge songs: hot or not
COMMENT
5
6
COMMENT
How I got addicted to delivery services by tristan prawl It all started at the Taste of London, November 2016. A particularly enthusiastic booth worker pulled me into a conversation at the HelloFresh booth. HelloFresh delivers three meals for two – fresh ingredients and recipes included – every Sunday AND “you can get your first two boxes half off if you sign up right now!”, or so my new friend told me. In the interest of fewer trips to the grocery store and some variation from the five meals I already know how to make, I signed up. Plus, I could always cancel my subscription after the first two boxes, right? Box number one had come, and oh what fun it was. There is nothing quite like the rush of getting your very own delivery to unpack, like a present you buy yourself once a week? It’s literally the gift that keeps on giving. Helpless to this entrapment, I did not cancel
my subscription after the first two deliveries. Now, I pay 40 pounds per week instead of 20. Nonetheless, I felt like I was living my best life. Making things like Sicilian caponata, Iranian lamb stew, and zaatar salmon I felt like some kind of Gordon Ramsey apprentice. The kicker? It wasn’t just food that came in the box, a small envelope came with it every week – the cause of my demise. Vouchers. Vouchers for other delivery services. A voucher for your first and fifth Graze box of healthy snacks free (once a week), a voucher for half off your first Birchbox of makeup samples picked just for you (once a month), before I knew it I was subscribed to all four delivery services. Telling myself, yet again, I would cancel after my initial complimentary boxes. I think you can guess how that went. I’d created a Utopia for myself in which I almost never had to go to the
grocery store. I drew the line at a 55 pound discount for a crate of 12 bottles of wine (once a month) – but what a steal though really. It may be too late for me, but you can save yourselves! As much as I loved receiving package after package, once past the honeymoon phase, I started to realise some of the Graze snacks were too healthy to be tasty and even though I described my hair as “afro” on my Birchbox profile I was sent volumising spray – an oversight I am still baffled by today. I am happy to say I have now canceled three of my four subscriptions, with plans to cancel the fourth. And no, it is most definitely not because it’s almost time for me to return to the states for the summer holiday. It is a vicious cycle ladies and gentleman. It may be too late for me, but you can save yourselves if you can resist like I could not.
8
FEATURE
being a working student. modern slavery? MAria tomsone fills us in on the difficulties of working while studying at university
B
eing a working student is tough. I n most cases it means being responsible for absolutely all of your expenses – rent, travelcard, groceries etc. And, obviously, the more money you spend, the more money you need to get back. This is where the struggle begins.
“The more money you spend, the more you need to get back.” Despite the common saying that London is the city of opportunities, finding a part-time job with a decent salary is quite a challenge for students. Most employers
offer the minimum wage, sometimes even less (as the minimum wage in the UK is constantly increasing). McDonald’s is the perfect example for that. They offer very low wages (usually below six pounds per hour for part-time workers) for long hours and exhausting jobs. It honestly sounds more like
slavery to me, especially for that amount of money. McDonald’s workers in Cambridge, probably, thought so too – they went on a strike in the beginning of September demanding a ten pounds an hour minimum wage and the ination of zero contracts. Seems understandable to
FEATURE
9
me - from my own experience I can say that standing for eight hours can be really exhausting and is not worth it for five pounds.
“standing for eight hours can be really exhausting and is not worth £5.” Working in a restaurant is a different story, but again, you need to know where to look for a job or hope to be lucky and get one with a decent wage. I have been waiting tables in London
for almost two years now. I cannot complain about my salary, but the struggle is not the wage, it’s the hours. I get good money (i.e. slightly more than enough) when I don’t do anything else and have enough time for more hours, but balancing work with university life and studies is challenging. You need hours, but you cannot actually work those hours because there are plenty of essays, presentations and group works that also demand time and do need
to be done. But there is one good thing about being a working student. Being able to manage your time wisely is always a priceless skill.
“balancing work with university life and studies is challenging.”
10
FEATURE
TheTheseason of all music european festivals were never this good by omar balde
Primavera Sound Primavera Sound Barcelona is considered one of the best festivals in Europe, and now we totally get it. It started with the set list, with names from Grace Jones to Pond. There was real diversity from the music style to the reputation of the artist, which Primavera knew how to work well to attract even more festival-goers.
“Primavera Sound takes the music
experience to another level” Despite the diversity of the festival and the public, there is one thing that unifies everyone: the love of good music and living in the moment. Everyone is careless and free, only wanting to discover new artists, new music and watch great concerts. The other preconceived ideas of what a festival is do not exist here. One of the most popular events through Primavera weekend is called The Unexpected - a string of secret pop-up concerts which would be revealed to the crowds only just before they started. This
year Arcade Fire performed a sneak-peak of their new album as well as performances by Mogwai and HAIM. It captured the excitement of the festivalgoers well with everyone wanting to find out when and where the next pop-up was.
PRO TIP: CHECK OUT AL RAVAL The festival experience is taken to a complete different level with Primavera Sound not only throughout the weekend but starting a whole week before; the free gigs known as Primavera Al Raval were dotted around the city of Barcelona as a run-up to the main event.
FEATURE
11
Super Bock Super Rock
“Super Bock Super Rock is fantastic!”
The city of Lisbon is home to Super Bock Super Rock - a small festival with big plans.
If you are passionate about discovering new sounds and up and coming artists then you will love Super Bock Super Rock. With a smaller capacity of 30,000 people it allows for the eclectic mix of fairly unheard artists like Jessie Reiz and Akua Naru with musical legends like Red Hot Chilli Peppers and London Grammar.
If you are after a line up where you will have posters of half the acts on your bedroom wall and won’t recognise half the acts then this is the place for you! For the free and ready to discover new rhythms whilst enjoying the beauty of Lisbon I couldn’t recommend another festival more.
This little festival means there is always space to dance wildly, you’re never stuck in awful crowds where you can’t
breathe and the queues for the portaloo are basically nonexistent - well in festival terms anyway! PRO TIP: SECONDARY STAGE STARDOM The secondary stage is one of the best places to be throughout this festival; so make sure you check it out! You get to connect with unknown artists feeling the raw emotion in their performances and find a new sound all whilst dancing the night away with a drink in hand.
12
FEATURE
young & talented: dj virgin
A
dj virgin chats to arts editor louis holder about music and everything in-between
n emerging pioneer of the night, DJ Virgin is destined for greatness - some could say, she might have achieved it already.
She naturally evolved into DJ-ing, starting off with friends’ parties all the way to performing regular sets in Chelsea and London’s West End - all in a day’s work, or rather night’s work, for Clara.
Her musical presence and exuberant persona are testimony to her ability to attract thousands of clubgoers to her gigs. DJ Virgin, also known as Clara Pedro, studies Law at the Regent Campus. Her range of abilities goes far beyond just the electronic dance music scene. She was classically trained in music before having the realisation that the contemporary field is where she wanted to be.
It would be an obvious statement to make but at the forefront of her success is her attitude and work ethic, both of which have been a fundamental driving force in her career and something which radiates off others too, which creates a real connection between artist and audience. With this in mind, Clara has created a rigorous
lifestyle for herself - one which requires much balance and downtime in order to let go. Any prejudice about the job of a DJ should be instantly denied. Going back to the aforementioned ‘Contemporary’ above, DJ Virgin is known for combining genres; rather than endorsing the norm by inserting a USB stick - in other words: doing a Guetta. Using her breadth of knowledge on the music that brought her up, whatever she plays serves the purpose of immediately reflecting the vibes present in the venue. I must admit I have not been to one of her live shows, and am yet to experience the DJ Virgin Craze, as has been described by a few who’ve been - although as an increasingly experienced clubber myself I know I can relate. Mentioning this in passing to her, I recall her immediate cringe at the phrase however it was a tender reminder that her position isn’t reflected in gross arrogance, but rather sheer modesty and courtesy. Catching up with Clara, on a late Sunday Night in the Harrow Library, we talked about her emerging artistry and future of the business. For the full interview, see the Arts section online.
“whate the pu ver she play reflec rpose of im s serves m ting th e vibes ediately pr the ve nue.” esent in
For the full interview, visit the arts section at smoke.media
tined for s e d s i n i “DJ Virg atness” gre
FEATURE
13
14
FEATURE
Adventures in south east asia by jasmin gokEN
buildings older than some countries, food so simple yet so cheap, unknown adventures around every corner Asia has it all!
South East Asia (SEA) is one of the best destinations for students who are lusting for a bit of adventure anywhere. This might seem like a cliche phrase one can find in travel magazines but it is true! Speaking from experience: it is cheap, you get to meet fun people and if there is anything you have always wanted to do (visit a trans strip club, go diving,...), this is the place to do it!
TRANSPORTATION The number one rule when it comes to transportation (and just about everything else) is: Do your research in whatever city you’re in. Tell agencies about other agencies’ prices to get them
to lower their own and don’t give in unless you are absolutely certain this is the best offer you can get.
“SEA IS THE BEST STUDENT deSTINATION” The cheapest option is usually busses. If you don’t mind sleeping in bunk bed like night buses (bring your own blanket because you won’t want to touch the provided ones if your life depended on it!) you can even save on accommodation and time while going from city to city. Trains are a bit easier when it comes to getting a good price without getting ripped off. However, in places like
Vietnam you’ll need to go to the actual train station to get your ticket and a lot of the staff won’t speak any or not very good English. Then again, nobody will be able to beat you at charades once you’re back. Then there are scooters. If you’re up for the roadtrip of a lifetime, go for it! Even though people always say how crazy the drivers in Asia are, it’s not that bad. Most of the locals drive scooters and it is one of the best ways to see the landscape around you while being spontaneous. Make sure to get a good scooter though. Going from hostel to hostel, you’ll see plenty of people with bruises and scratches who’s scooters burned them or just stopped working in the middle of the street.
FEATURE
15
island hopping in honda bay, philippines
ACCOMMODATION Accommodation wise, there is either couchsurfing, ridiculously cheap hostels (I’m talking two to four pounds per night) or slightly nicer hotels which usually have a pool and bar. Depending on your budget, all three can be fun. Couchsurfing is definitely the way to go when your biggest goal is to experience the locals’ culture. There is the chance that you will be sleeping on a bamboo mat on the ground but this just adds to the experience.
FOOD If you’re the kind of person who cannot go a day without a burger, you might want to
stay in the big cities where Westernization has built all kinds of McDonalds copies.
“YOU WILL SLEEP ON A BAMBOO MAT ON THE GROUND” It is surprisingly easy to get a full English breakfast in most of Asia, although the question is why you would do that when you can eat Pho or rice with pork on every street corner. Additionally, you get to sit on cute stools that will be a reminder of the times when you used to play tea time with your dolls. Depending on whether you have food allergies or are vegetarian/vegan, you might
want to know that it is quite difficult to communicate your needs properly. It has happened more than once that a supposedly vegetarian soup ended up having chicken strips in it.
Locations When it comes to finding the right places to go to, it really depends on what you want to do when you get there. It is a good idea to go away from the bigger cities such as Hanoi and Bangkok to find the hidden (and also way cheaper) gems. The top three places around SEA to travel to without running into someone of your own nationality in every hostel are Hoi An in Vietnam, El Nido in the Philippines, the Thakhek Loop in Laos and Koh Rong in Cambodia.
16
FEATURE
a smoke, this last location probably won’t be for you. The Cambodian island Koh Rong is one of the hidden party gems in Asia. You won’t find as many people as you will in Phuket, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a party on every single night. Besides that, there are booze cruises, full moon parties and a jungle that leads you to more peaceful beach towns.
Mango & Shrimp paste
Hoi An Hoi An is a party city on the coast. You will find that there are a lot of bars that offer happy hours. Some will even give you three to four hours of unlimited drinks for four pounds. Another perk is that the city is host to a lot of tailors who can hand design and cut your dresses, pants and even suits within a day for a fairly reasonable price compared to Europe.
el nido El Nido will remind you of paradise. Even the most cynical person will have to admit that this tiny city on the island of Palawan in the Philippines is magical. Large rocks surround the bay where you can enjoy a cold beer after a long day of diving, island hopping or sunbathing on the beach.
koh rong If you’re not into partying or enjoying your day with
thakhek loop One of my absolute favourites was Thakhek Loop in Laos. You rent a scooter in the city of Thakhek and then drive to the surrounding sights which include a lot of big caves, temples and gigantic and beautiful rock constellations. The round trip takes about 2 to 5 days depending on how much time you take. Finding people to join you on your ride is very easy. Even in the off-season, travellers gather in
local hostels to rent their scooters the next day. As the loop has become more popular, you will have to pay more for the scooter rental than other places though. But the food that you can get at around one pound makes up for it. To be honest, escaping tourists will be close to impossible no matter where you go in Asia. The beauty, affordability, unlimited amount of parties, culture and delicious food, has drawn Western countries to stop spending their money on expensive resorts and explore the Eastern hemisphere instead. So, if you’re sick of the drousy British weather and the same dull sandwich for lunch every day, why not book a ticket and go on an adventure?
FEATURE
17
temple in hanoi
In front of Angkor Wat during sunrise
Bridge in the 4000 Islands of Laos during kayaking tour
traditional fishing boats in the small harbour of koh rong
The Golden Temple in vientiane, lAOS
Our Host trang shopping food and flowers for our ‘half new year’ Feast
TheGrad: Get Closer to Employers By gemma smith
Are you on the quest for inspiration in the job market? You may be a student or a recent graduate searching for that guidance in the professional, working world but you might not know where to go. Or you could just be curious about an industry that you’re studying and want some insight. If so, you’re in the right place‌ TheGrad is a unique start-up that was founded by a group of recent graduates. Four of the six founders are University of Westminster Alumni, which makes TheGrad exceptionally special and very-well gelled. TheGrad team understands the challenging employment pressures graduates face in the current economic climate.
The mission is very simplistic yet forward-thinking: we strive for students and graduates to have clarity, reassurance and confidence when entering the world of work, while helping them to make an informed decision about their future to progress successfully in a chosen field. For both students and graduates, registering with thegrad.co.uk is free. We are here to help and care about your education and thereafter pursuing the ideal career for you. We strive to help in the following areas: accommodation, career planning, integrating into University life, insightful industry advice and other general student/ graduate related issues. For the full advertorial, visit smoke.media.
19
M
iriam Cocuzza met with Sam Feldt at South West 4 to discuss his inspirations, colaborating with Akon and future plans. What brought you to produce this kind of music and become Sam Feldt? I started Djing when I was 11 years old, I bought all the equipment, lights and speakers, and played anything from Hip-Hop to Hard Style. After a couple of years I changed my name from Sammy Renders to Sam Feldt, so I could play and produce music that I personally like, such as ‘Show me love’ and ‘YES’.
Who is your biggest inspiration right now? Inspiration comes from everywhere, especially in music it is so broad, Ed Sheeran is doing it right for example, or I love Don Diablo and how he does his branding. I can get inspiration from every aspect of my life.
“my album is going to be very diverse” How would you describe your upcoming album? It’s very diverse. It is going to be accessible every day, you can have a Sam Feldt track perfect for when
MUSIC
Face to face with Sam feldt
you wake up at 9am in the morning, or a 2am track for a banging festival. What do you do before going on stage? I try to be on site at least half an hour before, see what the current DJ is playing, what I need to play, if I want to play some new songs. How did you end up producing a song with Akon? He was a child hero of mine and his label had a vocal of ‘YES’ with a different singer. I made the track and when it was finished, the guy from the label said Akon also had a vocal, so we actually didn’t meet before the video shoot, but he is a really cool and funny guy.
20
MUSIC
the songs of SUMMER BY MARK HOSKIN
S
ummer is all done and dusted, so whilst you prepare the blankets and the hot chocolate for a cosy night in halls, let’s look back at five songs that made summer special.
“everyone’s guilty pleasure” Did You See The highlight banger from the Mercury Prizenominated album, Common Sense. J Hus’ ‘Did You See’ gave everyone the Afrobeats vibe this summer. With plenty more to come, BBQ’s have just got a lot better.
Wall of Glass
Despacito
Many solo careers have kicked off over the summer, but none much better than Liam Gallagher’s. The catchy number of ‘Wall of Glass’ set him up for a smashing festival season, in which he tore apart fields around the country. As you were.
It is safe to say that this was everyone’s guilty pleasure of the summer. Now the most streamed song on YouTube – because we all love pretending we know the words (including Justin Bieber himself).
Malibu After a fairly controversial period a few years back, Miley Cyrus returned freshfaced and in love, ready to hit the charts running. The simple, yet chilling ‘Malibu’ set her up for a successful campaign ahead of the upcoming album.
Feels With a line-up that features Katy Perry, Pharrell, and Big Sean, it’s obvious that ‘Feels’ was going to make an appearance in the list. This will be shelling down festivals and summer parties for years to come, and deservedly so. Calvin Harris, you have done it again.
22
andy serkis’ directorial debut ‘breathe’ opens
ARTS
61st bfi london film festival at headline gala
what’s to come at lff 2017 BY louis holder
I
t’s that time of the year again where we bear witness to a star-studded red carpet of some of the nation’s most innovative and exciting filmmakers and talent. The BFI London Film Festival runs between the fourth and fifteenth of October 2017. This year’s festival is unlike any other that has come before - most notably for it’s entrants in the First Feature Competition, Official Competition, Experimental and Short Film Competition strands - whose selection recognises the filmmakers’ unique cinematic voice. Films such as 120 BPM (Beats Per Minute), The Killing of a Sacred Deer and the featurelength directorial debut from Michael Pearce ‘Beast’
are surefire contenders to impress film lovers and challenge the very best that cinema has to offer at the moment. We’re also excited for the range of Headline Galas including a what promises to be an endearing performance by Andrew Garfield in Andy Serkis’ Breathe which opens the festival - a true story about a man who overcomes his suffering after he contracts polio in his early adult life.
“BLOOD, GUTS, BODY PARTS, ROMANCE AND COMEDY” I’m honoured to announce
that on this year’s festival, I’m a young jury member for the First Features Competition Strand - working with a panel of eleven other filmmakers, theorists and film journalists to watch, critically define and crown a winner for this year’s Sutherland Award which recognises the most original and imaginative directorial debut. I’ve already watched three films so far of the twelve I’m due to watch including Summer 1993, Beast and Winter Brothers. You can check out more of the #LFF experience in the Arts section where I’ll be posting my reaction and analysis as the UK’s biggest film festival takes shape.
BOOK CORNER zadie smith: swing time BY elizaveta kolesnikova
The title of Zadie Smith’s novel, Swing Time, refers not so much to the epoch it describes, but to the temper, pace, and flow of its narrative. Like swing music, it waves through decades, countries, and social classes to reveal unexpected interrelations between parties, considered to be so different. The novel tells the story of an unnamed black girl from a middle-class family, who breaks the social barriers, securing a place in college and making a stellar career as the PA of popular singer, Aimee. It’s in no way a success story. And it’s neither a coming-of-age story, though a solid part of the book is dedicated to the narrator’s reflection on joys and sorrows of grown-up life.
westminster alumnus film at lff London Calling, a strand of short films produced by a Film London supported scheme who nurture the capital’s most exciting upcoming filmmakers, offers an exciting showcase this year including our very own Westminster Film BA Alumnus; Jimmy Dean, whose film V is a confrontational coming-of-age drama that uses vampire mythology to explore themes of femininity, isolation and sexual abuse. Interestingly, V marks the third collaboration from Writer/ Director Dean and Producer Ellie Gocher whom he met whilst on the Film course and are most notable for their award-winning short films Charity (2014) and Offside (2015). His films often give new perspectives on difficult important issues that many young people experience which are distinguished by a beautifully rich textured aesthetic - as can be deduced that he is an advocate of
shooting on film. He also modernises it by giving us house music, drag queens, more female roles and love in many forms.
“distinguised by a beautifully rich textured aesthetic” Student Accreditation to the BFI London Film Festival is available to full-time students, where Film is an element of their course. A standard student delegate pass is £30 which entitles a student to attend LFF Screenings including Press & Industry Events subject to availability. Applications close at 5pm on Friday 29th September and can be purchased on the BFI Website. Get them now as they’ll be gone soon!
ARTS
23
24
LIFESTYLE BY Asya Gadzheva
ten Skills Students Should Master Before Graduation Time management You can never really measure how time flies until you have procrastinated an essay for half a semester. University is a good place to realise the fundamental importance of time management skills. It is not only about attaining work-life balance or multi-tasking efficiency, keeping track of and managing your time will save you a lot of headaches, confusions and anxieties when it comes to life in the professional world.
Social skills Communication is a human necessity and doing it well can get you a long way. Grasping different conversation patterns related to different social situations is essential for thriving in a personal and professional aspect. Being able to sustain an engaging conversation is a great ice breaker, while the skill of communicating ideas fluently will assist any career aspiration. Just remember that joking and sarcasm are social skills too.
Listening How many of us actually listen to understand rather than to reply? The art of listening can really set apart a good conversationalist and a good friend. Listening to people is a learning process. It is also a demonstration of respect for the speaker. Learning to listen and pay attention is essential for building relationships and gaining people’s trust. Let’s face it, a good listener is always more pleasant to talk to.
Self-initiative Sometimes it is up to you to take the initiative and make something happen. In life, it is often the case when you have to push yourself to do or achieve something. It is in those moments that we grow as people. Getting into the habit of cultivating an initiative by yourself will liberate you from relying excessively on other people’s motivation.Self-initiative teaches discipline and originality in problem-solving that will serve you well in adult life.
Coping with failure Life is a journey and hitting a dead end or having a door slammed in your face is not the end of the line. You fail. You learn. You do better. Failure and rejection can hurt but, alas, they will always be there. How you react to them is what determines how much you will actually learn. There is a dose of positivism here. Treating it as a lesson for the future makes it lighter but also teaches you to look on the bright side. That is always a good approach to life.
Adaptability This one is a core module. People who adapt to their situation and surroundings live better, cleverer and frankly, more peacefully. Adaptability and flexibility in dealing with different circumstances are highly beneficial for one’s psychological health and resilience, as they are related to the ability to cope with and overcome difficulties. Essentially, life is one long lesson in adaptability and the sooner you make a head start the better.
Self-preservation Think of it as a form of healthy selfishness. It exists and it’s fine. Self-preservation is somewhat linked to survival and covers the individual’s instinct towards looking after and caring for himself and his needs. Shielding yourself from harmful influences or toxic people is essential for your wellbeing. It is a matter of stability and state of mind. To be clear, it does not make you a bad person. It is advanced preservation.
Punctuality Being fashionably late has been going out of fashion. It is said that punctuality is a virtue and when it comes to making an impression it certainly is. Even though it is largely due to organisation and time management, punctuality plays a key role in day-to-day tasks. People value punctuality because it signifies reliability, initiative and trustworthiness. Isn’t that what we all want to convey?
Learn to say NO Refusal is wrongly labelled as an act of rudeness and neglect. Actually, it has much more to do with selectivity. Not all people reaching out to you deserve your helping hand. Refusal in that sense is an act of rational decision making, preventing any attempt to take advantage of one’s good will. Learning to say NO when you deem necessary is a very good tactic for dealing with manipulators, while looking after your own interests.
Stress management Chances are, you would have had some experience with stress control during your time at university. It is part of the package but also a good training for what lies ahead. Life is a prolonged stressful event, which can get the best of you if you don’t take control. As well as your wellbeing, stress management also affects the ability to meet and cope with challenges and tackle issues. Quite useful for any future or soon to be graduate’s survival kit.
The Twittering Dead: The Ugly Downside of the Internet BY Maria Campuzano
A few days ago, I went over to visit a friend whom I hadn’t seen in a while. She started making food while we briefly updated each other of what was going on with our lives. We then sat down to watch a film and, as soon as the film started, we both grabbed our phones and started scrolling through our Facebook feeds, no longer talking. I am a big fan of the Internet, really. It has enabled me, and everyone who can access it, to discover a world beyond our usual physical environment. But it has also allowed us to abuse that use. I’ve been lucky in the way that I’ve never been victim of cyber bullying or anything like that, because I am smart in how I use it.
Even more worrying than that is the fact that we can’t stand being offline for more than 10 minutes. I pride myself in taking a book on the tube to entertain myself, yet there are always the ones that just hold their phones staring at the home screen despite being aware of having no signal underground. Where has human interaction gone?
LIFESTYLE
25
26
FASHION
Is Fashion ruled by social media? BY Elizaveta Kolesnikova
If the Internet revolutionised the way we consume fashion, the rise of social media brought the second wave of changes, establishing new rules in the game. With the digital revolution, brands have acquired the opportunity to present their own styles and communicate their collections directly to customers, competing with major fashion titles. Social media, however, has made everyone a content curator, so now the image of any brand is build of thousands of pieces, published by ordinary users under the brand-tags or store locations. “In essence, the consumer and reader become part of the promotion process for a brand – sharing information
online, sending it to contacts and followers, until it is blogged and tweeted about”, stated the writer Gwyneth Moore.
“Only fifteen per cent of fashion sales happen online” The question is, however, what this change actually means. One significant consequence is the boom of digital influencers and fashion bloggers, who gain power by growing their audience, and now attend the key fashion industry events and are treated by fashion houses as the chief editors of iconic fashion titles
such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, or Marie Claire. Thousands of young people follow these bloggers to pick the latest trends. Furthermore, they copy their looks and attend the streetstyle meets to share their feelings about the trend. Through social media, the wider range of styles and brands become available, no-name accessories start to mean even more than the branded clothes; while print media have to please their advertisers, in blogs and social media, good taste takes the reign, attracting more attention and bringing the authors the most important social currency – likes, followers, comments, - engagement.
TOP PICKS
Feeling the threat of new rivals, established fashion houses have also started using social media, to provide customers with access to VIP events and exclusive experiences. All types of content and format are used by luxurious brands to engage with the audience and regain their authority.
“does it really matter what fashion editors say” Olivier Rousteing, the director of Balmain, calls this trend ‘inclusivity of fashion’, referring to relatively cheap opportunities that social media provide to both the brand and its customers. One of the most successful social media adopters, House of
Balmain leads constant social media activity, keeping its hashtag and trends on top. Other brands have followed this trend. With all these fundamental changes taking place in the fashion industry, the future is still yet to arrive. Only fifteen per cent of fashion sales happen online, and most shoppers still prefer the classic physical stores. However, over 50 per cent of purchasing decisions are based on online research. Such behavior challenges brands to turn shopping into a unique experience, take stands on political, social and cultural issues, and clearly define themselves, both online and in-store, to make people believe in the product and brand behind it. Which brings us to the conclusion: does it really matter what fashion editors say in the age of Social Media?
TOP PICKS Kahmune’s New collection Kahmune, the shoe brand that launched its first collection featuring two styles in 10 different nude shades last fall, is now kickstarting another Fall Collection with eight new styles in various shades of nude.
“We’ve set out to redefine nude by recognising that ALL shades are beautiful and ALL women deserve to see their skin tones represented”, says Jamela Acheampong, CEO of Kahmune.
FASHION
27