Issue 1425 Monday 21st March 2022
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Easter food around the globe
Students as scapegoats
Find inspiration in three top-tier Easter treat suggestions
The reboot rationale
Food & Drink | page 23
TV | page 26
Misbehaving Kermits or easy targets? Sam Norman discusses Campus Comment | page 6
John Heycock dissects this trend
City Council gives students a say at ‘Shape of the City’ Joseph Caddick - Puzzles sub-editor
The event surveyed student opinion on a range of key issues
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tudents, Sabbatical Officers and staff from Newcastle University, Northumbria University and Newcastle College met with Newcastle City Council for their Shape of the City event. Taking place on Wednesday 16th March at the Civic Centre, the meeting aimed to discuss how to create a better environment for students living in Newcastle. An important aspect of the event was its collaborative approach; people from different institutions and the Council were encouraged to work together to identify the key issues students faced, and any potential solutions for these. Each group had members from most of these branches, in order to encourage a wider variety of viewpoints.
people from different institutions and the Council were encouraged to work together Lasting three hours, the event was split into a number of different topics, including housing and transport, welfare, employability and climate change. Attendees had to discuss these topics one at a time, raising any issues they could think of. There was then a vote for the students to take part in, with each group putting their issues in and any that students agreed with being upvoted.
Some of the most highly-voted options as part of the student votes included dealing with dishonest landlords, introducing welfare spaces in nightclubs, safer cycling routes and more water fountains being introduced in the city centre. Many more issues were raised for each of the topics, with a large proportion receiving interest from voters. This could have been a methodological issue due to the ability to upvote as many options as possible, rather than being restricted to only a few.
the discussion routinely returned to students’ sense of belonging within Newcastle The final topic concerned citizenship. This is a term that was loosely defined, and a number of people suggested different interpretations of the word, but the key theme was to do with integration. Tensions between students and permanent residents was discussed here. Another issue that was raised regarding this issue was how international students have their attendance monitored, with their VISAs being revoked if they are unable to attend a certain amount of lectures. By the end of this event, each group had covered a broad range of issues within each of the given topics, and there was more time at the end for any uncategorised issues to be raised. Throughout, the discussion was routinely brought back to ensuring students felt a sense of belonging within the city, with the long-term goal of many being comfortable enough to stay beyond the point where they end their studies.
Work with Student Media!
Image: Wikipedia
Student Media Afternoons return on 27th April at 1:30pm! Attend for guest speakers, content sign-ups and more!
Find out more here!
Inside 21st March 2022 Current Affairs | News Pay Gap Bot exposes unequal gender pay Appearing on International Women's Day, it highlighted the difference in median pay between men and women in businesses . Page 5
Current Affairs | Comment Western coverage of the Ukraine Crisis and perceptions of the Middle East Western press coverage of the Ukraine Crisis reveals racial biases. Page 8
Life & Style | Relationships Me, Dave and the wall between us The love-hate relationship between roomates and the wall seperating them. Knock knock, who's there... Page 14
Life & Style | Fashion & Beauty Media and Male Bodies How does social media and internet culture influence male mental health and body image? Page 18
Life & Style | Travel Interview: Robert Lundgren Jones A behind the scenes interview with the founder, tour operator and guide of Lundgren tours. Page 21
Culture | Film Celebrating the films of Ukraine From Dziga Vertov to President Zelensky, find your next Ukranian film reccomendation here! Pages 27
Culture | Arts The Witcher: a case for video game adaptations in television Has Henry Cavill changed our minds on the game to TV pipeline? Page 31 i hate capitalism. to show my hatred, i am no longer using upper case letters. - george bell, courier jester and film sub-editor
A note from the Editor
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nd just like that, one more term draws to a close! The UCU’s industrial action has been a clear constant over the last two months, so it seems inevitable this final week on campus before the break is one more strike week. As before, it’s important to mention that the Students’ Union is a neutral zone in the eyes of the UCU, so please feel free to head across to the Courier office for any past issues of the paper! In the
meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue. It’s now been two years since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, and consequently the first term in two years that The Courier has been fully operational. As ever, I’d like to thank our incredible team of volunteers who have remained determined in putting together content throughout this time. This is the term where their skills and enthusiasm has flourished, and I’ve been very fortunate to witness that first-hand. For you, dear reader, I’m sure that very same skill and enthusiasm is clear
to see throughout the forty pages of this issue. I hope you enjoy our content, and if you find yourself inspired to give it a go too, please do head over to our next Student Media Afternoon on the 27th April to get involved. Until then, I hope you all have a restful spring and are looking forward to the summer term. George, Editor-in-Chief & Student Media Officer
THE COURIER
SECTIONS Editor
George Boatfield -- mediaofficer.union@newcastle.ac.uk
Current Affairs
Senior editor: Elizabeth Meade -- e.a.meade1@newcastle.ac.uk
News
-- courier.news@ncl.ac.uk Ruby Story-Dartford Alexander James Becca Alexander Renzo Szkwarok Daniel Wales
Campus Comment
-- courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Kayleigh Fraser Tiyanna Mistry Amana Khan
Comment
-- courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Humphrey Jordan Rosie Norman Emily Kelso
Science
-- c2.science@ncl.ac.uk Erika Armanino Jon Deery
Sport
Deputy Editor
Muslim Taseer -- m.taseer1@newcastle.ac.uk
Life & Style
Senior editor: Meg Howe --m.j.howe1@ncl.ac.uk
Relationships & Blind Date
Annabel Hogg Gabbi de Boer Imogen Mole
Lifestyle
-- c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk Leanna Thomson Faye Navesey Molly Taylor
Fashion & Beauty
-- c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Imogen Clarke Lizzie Yockney Sophia Ayub
Travel
-- courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Lenka Minarovicova Alice Holmes
Food & Drink
Marcel Shamshoum Scarlett Welch
Senior Editor: Peter Bath -- p.l.bath@ncl.ac.uk -- courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk Lucy Rimmer Mitchell Hall Katie Siddall Castor Chan Ethan Todd
Social Media
Head of Social Media: Sarah Lahiri -- s.a.n.lahiri1@newcastle.ac.uk Meagan Screen
Culture
Senior editors: Maud Webster --m.webster4@ncl.ac.uk Hattie Metcalfe -- h.metcalfe1@ncl.ac.uk
Music
-- c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Rowan Christina Driver Oren Brown Lucy Bower
TV
-- c2.TV@ncl.ac.uk Rachael McCreanor Rebecca Sykes Carly Horne
Film
-- c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Jess Bradbury Autumn Keil George Bell
Gaming
-- courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Michael Duckworth Joseph Caddick Haaris Qureshi Peter Lennon
Arts
-- c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Ruby Taylor Maja Mazur Tom Wrath
Puzzles
Joseph Caddick
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Alexander James & Daniel Wales
News
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Newcastle's City Centre illuminated by a cultural projection art show Joseph Caddick Puzzles sub-editor
Four nights of artistic light projections brightens iconic Newcastle buildings
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Image: Twitter (@seenewcastleuk)
rom the 10th until 13th of March, city centres in the North East were transformed, with magnificent displays of light projected in Newcastle. This was the finale of the ‘North of Tyne Under the Stars’ event that has taken place over Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside over the past month. Roads were pedestrianised during the event so people could travel freely to the various displays dotted around the town. Newcastle University’s campus also hosted a projection in front of the Armstrong Building and a display of pyrotechnics near the Old Library Building. All of the visuals aimed to capture the beauty and character of the region in a way that could spark the imagination of the audience. The Newcastle finale concluded the narrative that had taken place throughout previous events that had been held in Byker, Fenham, North Shields and Wallsend. Having been called down from the stars, the Story-Weaver sought to find fables and facts about the region to establish a new mythology. This explains the ghostly creatures and
iconic landscapes that were projected onto some of the city’s most prominent buildings, as the finale was the culimation of the Story-Weaver’s quest. Pinwheel and DAT Events were responsible for the production of the event, which was commissioned by the North of Tyne Combined Authorities. NOVAK, Newcastle-based projection artists, were in charge of the visuals. Accompanying the visuals was a score composed by Roma Yagnik. Simon Sharkey directed the narrative behind the event.
The ‘North of Tyne Under the Stars’ event showcased the city in a new light Prior to the first show, there had been a number of test runs to ensure that the show would go ahead without a hitch. Members of the production team could be found on campus as late as midnight, checking that all of the details were right. Not deterred by the poor weather on some of the nights, people flocked to see the finale on all four nights. The show was on from 6:30 to 10pm every night it was in Newcastle, and throughout this duration you could see people following the trail. With the intention of bringing a sense of magic to the region, the team responsible for the ‘North of Tyne Under the Stars’ event were able to showcase the city in a new light.
Students 'walk out of education' as part of NUS strike Becca Alexander - News sub-editor
The National Union of Students took action on 2nd March
S Image: Twitter (@UCUnorthern)
howing that direct action is not reserved for those who work in the university but can be used by those who study in it too, the National Union of Students organised a student strike. Students gathered in the streets of London, being the flagship site of the strike, but also in Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield, to oppose the changes being made to higher education. Participants asserted the need for a ‘new vision of education' citing issues ranging from student loan repayment to rent exploitation. Not deterred by the rain, over 700 students joined together in London, some traveling from as far as Strathclyde and Cardiff universities. The day consisted of discussing a range of pressing issues – whether this be decolonising the university, or solidarity with Palestine – alongside creative activities. Key figures from the NUS joined those
who had ‘walked out of education' in Bloomsbury, London, to speak at the rally. The NUS President, Larissa Kennedy, asked students to “reimagine education”; to “build a system rooted in care and liberation”. NUS Vice President for Higher Education, Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, echoed Kennedy’s sentiment, attacking the “racist, classist, ableist government” that is “pricing students out of their futures”. Trade union organisation and solidarity here was essential, with the event’s staging provided by the Communication Workers Union and coaches to London supplied by the University and College Union. Given the student strike coincided with the UCU strikes, those who could not make it to the London rally opted to join striking staff on the campus picket lines – emphasising that the struggle here is one that is shared. This comes in light of news from earlier this week, that Newcastle University – after holding a regular three-yearly student referendum – will reaffiliate with NUS after unaffiliating in 2016. NUSU have stated that information on what this means will be provided soon.
Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Alexander James & Daniel Wales
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Monday 21st March 2022
News
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How the North East is helping Ukraine Maja Mazur - Arts sub-editor
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espite there being a significant distance between England and Ukraine, this hasn't stopped North East organisations and individuals from providing for those in need. Ed Blackbird, a businessman from Gateshead, travelled 1300 miles in three days to deliver hundreds of items donated by the local community to Poland. The managing director of Deal Direct Blinds hired a motorhome and decided on a journey, moved by
images of suffering Ukrainian refugees. "They've left houses behind, they've left businesses behind - families, mams, dads, brothers. It's exactly why I've come. I'll get back home and we'll assess the situation and I might come back”, he told ITV Tyne Tees. Similarly, Jack Vincent from Bishop Auckland, together with a second driver, was said to take items, including clothing and medicines, to Poland. Supported by various charities, he told BBC that “the response from people has been unbelievable”. He added: "I want to acknowledge and thank the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have made donations and supported the appeal". The County Durham-based
Chernobyl Children's Project was one of the non-profit organisations supporting Mr Vincent's effort. Gerald Hirst, manager, said: "The kindness and bravery of people like Jack shines through like beacons in these dark times in Ukraine and the rest of Europe. They are giving their all to help people who desperately need our help". As part of a nationwide action by the National Fire Chiefs Council, Tyne and Wear firefighters donated equipment including fire engines, thermal imaging cameras, generators, lights and hoses. The Chief Fire Officer, Chris Lowther, said: “As a fire and rescue service we play an important role in humanitarian response and we will do our bit to provide that to communities and
emergency responders in Ukraine". A group of North East doctors formed Medical Aid Ukraine to collect medical supplies. The group - founded by Karolis Rozanas of Gateshead hospital from Lithuania, and Katarzyna Kostrzewa, a surgical trainee from Poland - is working closely with the British Ukrainian Aid Charity, the Ukrainian Medical Association and other national organisations and charities. Dr Rozanas said, “people are still joining us and getting involved. There are people from all walks of life, including retired NHS CEOs, who have all the contacts and the time to help". Newcastle's Polish Centre organised donations, which are now paused due to the overwhelming numbers of received
products. Wojciech Płoszaj, a volunteer, said: "At the moment we need to pause collections as it is a marathon, not a sprint. We are asking people to slow down, which is hard to do as people want to help. We need to focus on sending donations to Poland now, to ease our load a little bit". Volunteers from the Polish Society at Newcastle University engaged in sorting and packing donations for Ukrainian people. Klaudia Bady, the society’s president, wrote on Facebook: “It's amazing to see so many of you getting involved. I'm really proud of our little community working so hard to help others".
Image: Twitter (@Hawaay61)
County Durham cuts twinning ties with Kostroma in Russia Maud Webster - Co-head of Culture
Durham County Council decides to sever ties with Russian City Kostroma
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ollowing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, County Durham has decided to cut links with the city in Russia to show support for Ukraine. Similarly, other cities in the UK including Doncaster and Wakefield have already cut ties with Russian cities. The twinning was established in 1968, with Kostroma which is a city to the West of the country around 250 miles from Moscow. Durham County Council is flying the Ukrainian national flag, alongside many other institutions in the country. The leader of the Council said: “We share the horror and sadness felt by people around the world at the situation in Ukraine and our thoughts are very much with those who live
there, as well as their family members and friends in different countries. We are an inclusive and welcoming county and as part of that have developed a number of town twinning arrangements over the years.
Durham County Council is flying the Ukrainian national flag In light of the military action being carried out by Russia, and in line with steps already taken by other councils across the country, we will be ending the twinning arrangements with Kostroma as a show of our opposition We wish to make it clear we do not blame people in Kostroma for the actions of their country's leaders". County Durham also have connections through twinning with cities and places in Europe, including France, Spain, Denmark and Slovakia. Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Alexander James & Daniel Wales
News
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Council's March meeting: The quiet one Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment sub-editor
End of Term Reports and environmental motions were debated at this week's Council
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n the 17th March Student Council gathered for their penultimate meeting of the semester. Here's The Courier's Student Council roundup. As always, Haaris opened the meeting by welcoming everybody to Council and explaining the rules. Looking around, it was a rather quiet meeting with a low number of attendees.
The President stated we all have had a "very varied term" The meeting opened with the passing of committee reports. Steering, Disciplinary and Scrutiny Reports all passed without any objections. Next up was Abbie Hutchinson's State of the Union report. The President opened her report by stating we all have had a "very varied term", and mentioned events, campaigns, crafts and workshops. She continued to praise the positive atmosphere around campus, as she has observed "a lot of fun on campus, and I think something we've all missed". The President also affirmed NUSU's support of Ukraine, and solidified the Sabbatical Officers standing with the people. Hutchinson went on to praise the Home Truths campaign led by Fergus Mainland, the Athletic Union Officer. Aiming to open up conversation around student housing, the President affirmed that housing for students is an ongoing issue. Amongst many other things, Abbie specifically mentioned the Shaping the City event that took place last week.
Anyone was welcome to attend, and it focused on issues in Newcastle that members of the public can share in and even possibly help with. Abbie also spoke of the strike action 'Take your stance' poll that asked students whether they supported the UCU strike action. In the end, 52% did. Abbie also announced rather excitingly that the Sabbs have secured funding for first years to access academic societies for free for six weeks in an effort for them to "build a community on their courses". Next up it was time for questions. Elizabeth Meade asked Livia Scott, Education Officer, to clarify whether the Home Office reduced attendance requirements for international students to 50%, in line with home students. Livia answered in saying that she was aware that it was being discussed in the Home Office and Livia would update Council with any news on this score. LGBTQ+ Officer George Wood asked a general question next, asking why four End-of-Term Reports from the Sabbatical Officers were missing. For context, these missing reports were from the President, Education Officer, Student Media Officer and Welfare and Equality Officer. Livia, Education Officer replied saying "Life gets in the way, it happens", and explained her reasonings to Council. George, Student Media Officer, said that during election coverage he had worked 150 hours over two weeks which explains the reason for his missing report.
towards Education Officer, President and Welfare and Equality Officer. Student Media Officer remained. At this point, I got up and asked Lewis to take into consideration the amount of work put in by Student Media for Elections 2022. This all went into debate. Alex Walker asked "how can a report be passed when it's not been submitted?" I jumped in again with this conversation saying that the Sabbs work is about "more than just a report". Finally, it went to a vote. 83% of people chose to accept the missing report, whilst 17% of people objected. At last,
we moved on to motions. It was an Elizabeth Meade double special, with her first motion asking to mandate Sabbatical Officers to support the 'Local Electricity Bill', that helps to enable renewable energy. She said "This has a good shot of making some real change". Owen Lukins spoke for the motion, stating that it will give "power to the people". The motion passed with 19 votes for and 1 against. Again it was time for The Courier's very own Elizabeth Meade to take to the podium. Motion 402 detailed an idea to facilitate opportunities for students to
speak directly to the university on issues of environment and ethics. Elizabeth said, "the university should be listening to more than one student". With some debate, we went to voting. The motion passed, with 15 votes for and 8 against. That concluded Council for March, and the second last Council of this academic year. Keep an eye out for the final Council report in May... we'll be back.
George Wood asked why four End-ofTerm Reports from the Sabbatical Officers were missing It wasn't over there. Lewis Telford was invited to the podium as he objected to all missing reports. Having heard from the Sabbs, he took back his objection
Image: YouTube (NUTV)
Pay Gap Bot on Twitter takes on one company at a time in exposing unequal gender pay Hannah Gul-Khan
The account emerged on International Women's Day
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Gender Pay Gap Bot has gained much attention on social media last week after revealing the difference in median pay between men and women in large corporations. The account emerged on International Women’s Day, a day that aims to celebrate women’s achievements in the fight to establish sustainable gender equality. Social media manager Francesca Lawson is responsible for the Twitter account and in an interview with Politico she said: “What we’ve done is enable people to refocus on the actual issues at stake and keep on pushing for better pay and better representation across all sorts of levels”. Along with her partner Ali Fensome, they aim to
continue to expose companies whilst also implementing race and LGBT representations into their discussions.
“You’ve got a whole year now to work on it, so that next International Women’s Day won’t be so embarrassing”
In a self-authored article by the Metro, the Manchester-based copywriter hoped that the humiliation companies felt from the posts would urge them to place an end to the gender inequalities within their organisations. The firms listed were long and familiar, Newcastle University and the British Red Cross were amongst just a few targeted by the bot. The Gender Pay Gap Bot replied to
Newcastle University’s tweet celebrating International Women’s Day: “In this organisation, women's median hourly pay is 17% lower than men's.” The statistics can be found publicly accessible on the gov.uk website where businesses with over 250 employees are required to post gender pay gap information annually. The response on social media has come as a shock where many have voiced their appreciation for the account whilst also seeing the situation as ironic considering the progress gender equality is yet to make. It highlights the institutional flaws that need to be confronted in a way that leads to visible action and accountability. Media Lecturer Tina Sikka said: “I think it’s a useful bit of activism: naming and shaming duplicitous corporations but it needs to be connected to steps to actually achieve parity and challenge the gendered (and racialised, heteronormative) structures
Image: Twitter (@genderpaygapbot)
Sub-editors: Kayleigh Fraser, Tiyanna Mistry & Amana Khan
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Monday 21st March 2022
Campus Comment
What Ukraine's invasion means to me Maja Mazur - Arts sub-editor
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ven before 24th February, I was constantly anxious about the increasingly probable war. The night before the Russian invasion, my boyfriend told me not to worry yet and that we have to wait for big news. Well, I woke up to the information about the attack on Ukraine and the fact that I expected it doesn’t make anything less terrifying. With my family and friends living in the Eastern Poland, Russia attacking a bordering country is scary. My worries are nothing compared to Ukrainian students and staff, and I hope to avoid putting myself first. Nevertheless, the whole weekend after hearing the news I wanted to spend in my bed, having absolutely no energy for neither work nor socialising. However, with an assessment due in less than 2 weeks I couldn’t allow myself a longer break despite feeling off and struggling to focus. I’m using past tense here but the truth is that even though I’m doing better now, I’m still anxious and terrified, expecting bad news any time. I know the advice to check news at
specific times a day, instead of scrolling phone all the time, but it is surprisingly difficult to resist the urge when you’re imagining the worst.
After chatting to my worried parents, I feel scared again.
I struggle the most with is the contrast between the attitude towards war in Poland and England. I’m not saying that English people don’t care – I see supportive posts on social media, people around me checking
Sometimes I manage to feel comfy but after chatting to my worried parents, I feel scared again. It is so weird to be safe, living in a country that isn’t significantly impacted by the war so far, when my family and friends are not far from the warfare. This whole experience makes me miss home as much as I only did in the first weeks in England and video calls don’t make it easier. One of the aspects
news, my flatmates asking how I feel. Rather it is the way how people perceive reality. For Poles, it is a question of: “how can I continue my life, my normality, when people across the border are being killed and we can be next?.” For many of them, everyday help became a reality. They prepare hundreds of sandwiches a day for refugees, volunteer in the donation points and drive to Ukraine to help with the rescue. I’m not a hero, I don’t think I would find the energy to make lots of food, time to spend whole days sorting products and definitely not enough bravery to cross the Ukrainian border, but nevertheless, here I feel useless. I guess donating money helps but it is difficult to overcome the feeling that I’m not doing enough, especially since I’m in the privileged position of safety.
Image: Pixabay
Student culture and the scapegoat narrative Sam Norman
A writer discusses the notorious societal depiction of student culture
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n the past few years, the media has employed numerous negative stereotypes to defame and point the figure at students for any societal problems. Anti-social behaviour, lockdowns, vaccines, ‘woke-ism,’ are all issues students have been served the responsibility for in just the past two years alone, but it brings to the surface the question, what made students the easy scapegoat? The Guardian reported in 2020 that Universities fined students more than £170,000 for breaching coronavirus safety rules in the first weeks of the academic year. This extraordinary figure was blasted through all media at the height of the pandemic, giving many irritated citizens in lockdown a target for their discontent. Coupled with the stereotype that all students do is drink, the perfect scapegoat narrative was set up for lockdown continuing. If the students just stop drinking and partying for once, then everything will go back to normal? Ironically, it was around these very same times the government themselves were organising their own private parties. When looking at specific incidents in which students were fined, of which of course some were validly given – like too many people across the UK – it is unfair to generalize every case. Given the fact the Guardian refers the £170,000 specifically to the first few weeks of the
academic term, many students would have just left their families for the first time. Whilst this is no excuse to break isolation rules, it must be noted that 18-year-olds across the country would have been suffering from crippling loneliness during this time, with classes called off, and interaction kept to a minimum. This doesn’t call for an extravagant party, but can they be blamed for being so desperate for social interaction? What was reported on is only a fraction of the amount of time student's were subject to ill treatment from accommodation services. Most infamous was the Manchester fence case, where students were imprisoned in their accommodation by a huge fence around the perimeter, with many living there also claiming security guards questioned any movement. This inexcusable treatment did not receive nearly the magnitude o f
judgement many other student cases too, with the BBC titling their own article “Manchester University students pull down campus fences.” Many skimming the headlines could just subject that to student vigilante behaviour, rather than the actual corrupt operations of the University. A time in the pandemic I recall and remember is a conversation, where two people agreed it was a surprise that students were furlough money throughout lockdown. Whilst this shocked me at the time, it isn’t an unpopular belief, with many very quick to forget it is students who are often the bedrock of hospitality, retail and the supermarket industries. Without the core crew, who are often made up of students, many places would collapse, and it is those students who were witness to the height of risk during the pandemic when they were taken off furlough a n d
Image: Pixabay
placed back into work. For me, I was employed at McDonald’s at the time, a place where the crew and some managers are majority student. Returning from furlough, it was clear to see it was students putting themselves in the vulnerable position so those at higher risk of infection could continue to shield. This wasn’t the first sacrifice of the pandemic with what is often referred to as ‘the best years of our lives' put on a hold, so students could protect those around us. As the rise of vaccines came, so did the reopening of schools and Universities. However, vaccines were prioritised for the elderly and vulnerable, a fair decision, but what is ironic is this coincided with media and the government saying younger people were the most hesitant for a vaccine. Is it possible this hesitance came from the only possibility of getting a vaccine at the time was to lie about age? As education reopened and students were sent back to a highrisk environment without the opportunity of a vaccine, they were once again vilified and used as a scapegoat. The biggest irony of this scapegoat is that the media are losing track of their own narratives. In June 2021, The Sun claimed “Wokeism has infected our universities and schools”, regurgitating their familiar tripe that students are left-wing robots, serving only a woke purpose. This starkly contrasts the media narrative of students not wanting the vaccine, however, as there is meant to be a direct correlation between the vaccines and masks, and the ‘woke theory.’
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The perfect essay length
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Ashna Mathur ’ve written around 25 essays in my university life till now, and the word count is a major factor in how I feel about them. At this point, I believe 2,500 to be the ideal word count, but my first-year self would be too intimidated by that. I know this may seem too short to some of you Stage 3 students, and also most lecturers, but that’s ideal for me. Even before I start working on my draft, my first step is always the calculator app on my phone. My planning process includes a decent amount of math in an attempt to figure out how to structure my essay- if my introduction and conclusion are about 350 words together, it leaves me enough space for 5-6 body paragraphs. Perfect. My first assignment at university was a 1,000-word commentary, and I’d never written something that long. I was so stressed and spent a week writing that, but it turned out good. Three semesters later, a thousand words is a onesitting thing for me, and I’m quite happy with the progress I’ve made. I recently tried to cram a commentary in 660 words- weird limit, I know- and I felt I just wasn’t saying enough. A 2,500-word limit is perfect, giving me space to create at least three arguments explored in proper detail. That being said, I’m quite nervous about the idea of my daunting 13,000-word dissertation next year. Send help, someone? Josh Watson - NSR Deputy Station Manager
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hat about no word limit at all? Over in the Herschel, most assignment handouts don’t expect you to write a word. Well, that’s not completely true. Many a maths-based assignment ask for a few words here or thereabout, explain some context for some symbol or some equations. But we do, once in a blue moon, get a written-based assignment. Lab reports are by far the biggest source of this – these are explained what we did in an experiment and what our results mean. You might be surprised to hear that this also has no word count limit, instead of a page count. In the range of 4 to 6 pages, this limit does not just force you to be concise with your words. Physics papers require diagrammes, equations, and graphs to paint a full picture of the subject and this restriction can make that difficult. Equations can be simple to simplify and shorten and as a language in its own right, at least from a physicist's point of view, limiting it like words makes sense. Diagrammes and graphs do struggle at this point – a large diagram takes up a lot of precious space but there needs to be a lot of space for your marker to see the results you worked so hard to make. Even then, the alternative word limit means you must write everything in a concise way, a useful skill for a physicist.
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Kayleigh Fraser, Tiyanna Mistry & Amana Khan
Campus Comment
Why I'm scared to graduate this year Sarah Lahiri - Head of Social Media
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he fear of unemployment after graduation is crippling. After investing three years of blood, sweat and (mostly) tears into my education, the thought of formally needing to enter the workforce in a few months is incredibly overwhelming and the corporate job hunt doesn’t make that any easier. My time at university has consistently been disrupted by the pandemic and industrial actions, realistically making it feel like I haven’t had the chance to actually have any uni experience, and despite my best efforts to come to terms with the realities of it all, being launched into the corporate workforce is something I simply am not ready for. A recent survey shows a 17% increase in the average amount of applications per graduate vacancy, making the competition to secure a position a genuine struggle that starts even before my time at uni comes to an end. Amidst a fiercer job market, lower available vacancies and increasingly difficult recruitment processes, the prospects of actually locking down a role postgraduation do not seem optimistic. Graduate job application processes are also not a breeze, and the constant apprehension around the quality of
every application and the struggle in seeing the positives in inevitable rejections becomes heavy to deal with. Alongside this, keeping up my final year grades and consistent investment in extracurriculars while also maintaining some sense of a personal life outside of it all just adds more fuel to the fire.
The prospects of actually locking down a role post-graduation do not seem optimistic Being an international student, there is the added pressure o f maintaining my visa status and remaining in the country; making it absolutely crucial to have some options sorted before my student visa expires. The overall uncertainty of the future and what it entails for my career makes it very difficult to look forward to my time post university. T h e struggle is very real.
Why I chose Newcastle Jessica Mckeown
P
icking a university to study at was a trickier process than one would usually expect because of how the pandemic affected opportunities for higher education events. There were no inperson open days or offer-holder days for me to properly explore the campus and facilities. Deciding on universities to apply for was an even bigger commitment for me and my peers because we were going in somewhat blind. In the summer before year thirteen, I came up with several universities I wanted to look around. For someone who comes from a more rural area, these cities seem daunting and feel like a whole new world at the same time. I must have looked at about five universities and their cities but there was just something different about Newcastle. The city itself isn’t a sprawling metropolis like the likes of Manchester and yet it has everything a student would want. Renowned nightlife, a variety of entertainment and restaurants and of course the gorgeous Quayside all appealed to me. I took English Literature, Media Studies and Sociology for A-Levels and I had no specific job in mind for the future, but I at least knew what sort of areas interested me. It made the most logical sense to apply for Newcastle University’s Combined Honours, a degree that stood out as something unique that couldn’t be found in other universities. Choosing Combined Honours meant that I had around twenty different subjects to choose from instead of being locked into a particular area. Initially I was
However, I do recognise that graduation is a stressful time for every student, and I just have to find an approach that works best for me. Managing my time and expectations better and just jumping into the job market head first is the only way to beat the anxieties surrounding it all.
drawn to English Literature, but by the end of year thirteen I had completely changed my mind on it. In the end I settled on Politics and Media and Communications, and I can confidently say that I am loving studying them.
The city itself isn’t a sprawling metropolis like the likes of Manchester and yet it has everything a student would want When I was asked by teachers, family friends and neighbours about which universities I had applied for, they all had nothing but glowing endorsements for Newcastle University. Everyone I spoke to remarked how friendly everyone is in Newcastle and I have found that that observation is true. Prior to sending off applications, I actually came to visit my neighbour who was in her third year at Newcastle. Having the insight of a current student to show me a more authentic expectation of student life in Newcastle helped me be able to envision myself here. I’ve been able to grow as a person, try new things, meet new people and widen my knowledge through the many opportunities available at Newcastle University. Now halfway through the second semester of my first year, I can confidently say I made the best choice for myself by picking Combined Honours at Newcastle University.
Image: PDV.org
7
My favourite uni memories
Castor Chan - Sports sub-editor
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think we can all agree that the past couple of years have been hectic, pockmarked by COVID, strikes and storms. Yet there are plenty of good times that have made my uni experience unpredictable but exciting. Firstly, I’m going to keep it education-related. Despite the stress and suffering assignments give me, doing overnighters with my friends in the library means that they’re a tiny bit more bearable. I have spent countless sleep-deprived hours there, so I now have a favourite library (the Marj), and know exactly what I want from the coffee machine (hot chocolate is the only right answer).
I’ve met people I wanna stay close to for the rest of my life
Being in Newcastle, I couldn’t not mention the Toon. From food spots to pub quizzes to slightly
wilder nights in the clubs, there is no shortage of things to do and see. I’ve now become accustomed to BYOB house parties and British culture (room for improvement still on the latter), and I’ve enjoyed every single moment. There is no denying that I miss home, but I’ve definitely found a close substitute while at uni. As a sub-editor, I really couldn’t end this article without including some student media memories. From commentating Fight Night to chaos in the offices, so much of my second year has been media. I’ve met people I wanna stay close to for the rest of my life, written and produced things that I’m genuinely proud of and learnt invaluable experience while sitting next to a giant lobster. (Hi Jordan) One of my favourite from all of that? Probably socials at Luther’s and the Hancock when everyone gets chatty and drinkfuelled shenanigans begin. Looking back, my education is of course, important. But what I love more are the things I do outside of lecture halls, whether it’s in the SU or out in town. All of these memories are near and dear to my heart, and I can’t wait for whatever third year brings.
A Postgrad's take on strikes Rachael Winters
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t is fair to say that the past two years have been hard on university life, for staff and students alike. After the pandemic derailed much of our learning and research, yet another round of strike action was the last thing anybody wanted. However, for the fifth year in a row, our teachers chose to walk out of the classroom demanding a correction to the injustices they face due to worsening corruption within the education system. Employers expect unmanageable workloads to be completed on exploitative casual contracts, which are then met by 35% pension cuts and immoral pay gaps. These are the four fights that now see teaching staff at a ‘breaking point’. Additionally, repeated industrial action suggests that these demands are falling on deaf ears. The Students’ Union voted to support the strikes by a close majority and this article hopes to address the concerns of the 42% that voted against the motion and give a little clarity around the necessity of industrial action. Despite agreeing with the demands made by the UCU (and, more generally, the use of strikes as a vehicle for the voice of the worker), as a student, it can be difficult to sympathize w i t h industrial action which seems
to be aimed in the wrong direction. During my undergraduate, I felt that the disruption of the strikes did not hit university employers but my education itself. When classes were canceled, feedback withheld and routines dismantled, it was my learning that took the brunt of the fall and my mental health that was affected.
During my undergraduate, I felt that the disruption of the strikes did not hit university employers but my education itself Upon talking to members of the UCU and reading their publications, the real severity of the issue became clear. Staff and students are no longer united under the
university as an institution of learning; they are divided by the systematic commodification of Higher Education. Tuition fees have risen over 900% since their introduction in 1998, and the conditions that educators are expected to work under are depleting along with their pension funds. The value of profit has exceeded the value of education. The problem lies with executive management and their interest in capital over the quality of education and work-life standards. Now as a PGR student, I find it highly frustrating that every year the fight recurs. My colleagues and friends are now fighting the same battle as the lecturers, with astonishing workloads impacting their studies with little reward. Working and learning are two sides of the same coin for PGRs which offers a unique perspective on this matter. Strike action is necessary to improve working conditions whist disruptions are targeted at the learning environment. Seemingly we have to choose between the two, which should never have to be the case. The wider this gap becomes the more the institution fails to function, and the more people will be dissatisfied. Staff working conditions are our learning conditions, which is why standing in solidarity with our lecturers is paramount to the improvement of university life.
Image: Pixabay
Monday 21th March 2022
Sub-editors: Emily Kelso & Humphrey Jordan
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Comment
Second-wave feminism & intersectionality: a complex legacy Imogen Clarke - Fashion & Beauty sub-editor
middle-class white woman is why she was the face of second-wave feminism. And, in my mind, this is where thirdwave feminism comes from: The acknowledgement that women of colour, non-cis women and nonmiddle-class women have always been pushed to the fringes of the feminist movement. However, this has been recognised by Steinem herself, at the time, and more recently.
Second-wave feminism began in the early 1960s, but its practises and priorities may seem flawed by today’s standards...
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e are all aware of the first wave of feminism. This movement was focussed on the women’s right to vote, which was first achieved in the former colony of New Zealand in 1893, and in Britain (partially) in 1918, and fully in 1928. This wave of feminism was a primarily Western affair, and the legal campaigning for the right to vote prior to 1918 was done by, and for, middle-class white women. Second-wave feminism took off in the late 1960s and lasted about two decades. The key names in the movement are Americans Shirley Chisholm, Betty Friedan (who instigated the movement with her book, The Feminine Mystique), Bella Abzug, Jill Ruckelshaus and, of course, Gloria Steinem. Yes, by the 1960s, women had universal suffrage in most countries. However, the second wave began to address the inherent inequalities still faced by women, both legally and socially. ‘Second-wave feminism’ as a phrase originated in America, and issues of reproductive
Intersectional feminism had its troubled birth in the second wave
Image: Instagram @ourgoldenage
rights, domestic violence and rape, and equal rights in the workplace were starting to be addressed. The movement culminated in the campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was never ratified in enough states to be passed into law. However, the amendment was designed to guarantee equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Many white Americans, men and women, tried to
argue that this was already the case. However, second-wave feminists disagreed. And rightly so. For example, abortion was not legalised in all states until 1973. However, the legacy of the second wave is questionable. For the time, the fight for ERA was very forward, which is evident from the sheer amount of opposition. For a good dramatization of the movement, see “Mrs. America”,
by FX and Hulu. The second wave emerged from the civil-rights and antiwar movements of the period. Through thinkers like Steinem, intersectional feminism was born. She aligned all women as ‘sisters fighting against… outdated myths’ and claimed to believe in ‘equality, without division by sex or race’. She spoke publicly against ‘white feminism’. However, her existence as a young, straight, good-looking,
We are now on the fourth wave of feminism, and the second wave has been branded as outdated, and criticised for centring on privilege white women. Due to this, some black women formed their own organisations, such as the “National Black Feminist Organization” (NBFO). Either way, the movement was still too “ahead of its time”, and began to loose momentum by the 1980s, due to Ronald Reagan’s conservatism in the White House. Even though intersectionality was arguably started with Steinem’s movement, it did not become a mass priority of feminism until the third wave in the 1990s. This is where the second wave fell short, but, considering the time period in which it rose, this is not surprising.
What Western press coverage of the Ukraine crisis tells us about the perception of the Middle East and Africa Samantha Seidu
The palpable racial biases surrounding the invasion of Ukraine are taken to task
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Image: Wikimedia Commons, Libreshot, PxHere
eventeen days into Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine has seen damage to built structures in various cities and the enlistment of many Ukrainian citizens to join the army and millions of refugees trying to avoid shelling from Russian forces. On top of this there have been thousands of casualties, many of which are children. In our efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine and the refugees of war, a serious problem arose which must immediately be addressed: the issue of racism. It is disturbing to see that even in the midst of war, there is still time to discriminate and segregate on the basis of skin colour. As millions of refugees try to leave Ukraine, reports of African and Asian students being subject to racism at the border began to arise. When trying to flee the conflict, they were often not allowed to board trains because their white counterparts were prioritised. The treatment of non-white people at the Polish Border became another grim reminder of how non-white people are viewed by white European society. The racism does not stop there though; the Western press coverage of the conflict has been hugely problematic and racist to say the least.
Western press coverage of the conflict has been hugely racist to say the least
This is what some journalists had to say from well known news platforms: “These are not refugees from Syria, these are refugees from Ukraine, they’re Christian, they’re white, they’re very similar”- Kelly Cobiella, NBC “This isn’t a place, with all due respect, like Iraq or Afghanistan, that has seen conflict raging for decades. This is a relatively civilised, relatively EuropeanI have to choose those words carefully, too- city, one where you wouldn’t expect that, or hope that it’s not going to happen”- Charlie, D’Agata, CBS “They seem so like us. That is what makes it so shocking. Ukraine is a European country. Its people watch Netflix and have Instagram accounts, vote in free elections and read uncensored newspapers. War is no longer something visited upon impoverished and remote nations”Daniel Hannan, The Telegraph “It’s very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed”- David Sakvarelidze, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Ukraine What all these statements have in common is that they make it clear that war does not belong in Europe, only in ‘impoverished and remote nations’,
i.e. the Middle East and Africa. It implies that white, Christian, Europeans with blonde hair and blue eyes do not deserve to be refugees and that it is ‘emotional’ when they are, whereas when it applies to refugees fleeing the Middle East under similar circumstances it is not. What this says is that Middle Eastern and African countries are underdeveloped, uncivilised and somewhat backwards or primitive so when war happens, it doesn’t matter all that much.
War is only seen as significant, an event, when in Europe
Naturally, the conflict in Ukraine will cause a lot of worry, because of its proximity to countries such as the UK or the US, however, to draw comparisons and attempt to mitigate the scale of conflict in the Middle East and Africa is deeply offensive and upsetting. The press has no right to humanise white suffering whilst simultaneously dehumanising that of non-white people. War generally is a traumatic experience for everyone involved, regardless of its location, so our aim should be to offer as much support to Ukrainian people without undermining the suffering of other victims of war. It is possible to offer this support without being racist and discriminative.
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Emily Kelso & Humphrey Jordan
Comment
9
Sarah Everard and Reclaim These Streets: one year on Leah Graham
One year since Sarah Everard's death at the hands of a police officer, our lack of faith in the police is discussed
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few months ago, I wrote an article in which I discussed the inadequacy of the Metropolitan Police in supporting women’s safety and the growing distrust against the force that is meant to protect us. One year on, have we seen any change? My article was penned as a response to Dame Cressida Dick’s refusal to step down as Police Commissioner over the force’s handling of Sarah Everard’s murder. Only on the 10th of February did she announce her intent to depart from the role after losing the support of London’s mayor Sadiq Khan. Too little too late? A year after Sarah Everard’s death, women still can’t walk alone at night. On the 3rd of March 2021, Sarah Everard was kidnapped and murdered by a police officer who claimed he was arresting her for breaching COVID-19 regulations. A few months prior, sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman
Image: Flickr
were murdered and non-official and inappropriate pictures of their bodies were distributed by police officers via WhatsApp to friends. On the 17th of September 2021, Sabina Nessa was murdered minutes after leaving her home. Around the same time, Angel Lynn was kidnapped by her boyfriend and thrown from a van travelling 60mph leaving her paralysed and unable to communicate. One of her kidnappers, Rocco Sansome, will serve less than two years in prison for his crime.
These women received so-called ‘justice’ and have the luxury of having their attackers be sentenced to prison. But no prison sentence will bring them back. Less than a year after Ms Everard’s death, her murderer was sentenced to life imprisonment. If that last statement gives you reassurance, know that in the same week as the year anniversary of her murder, Wayne Couzens was rewarded in prison for good behaviour. At the same time, a Cheshire man made
threats to slit a woman and child’s throat and shouted that Wayne Couzens was coming to ‘get’ them at female swimmers. This man was given a restraining order and a fine; it is through inconsequential punishments such as this that misogynistic and dangerous men continually get away with their actions and, facing no punishment, do it again. It is a vicious circle wherein there is a reoccurring victim. In the same week as the year
anniversary of her murder, Wayne Couzens was rewarded in prison for good behaviour. Sarah Everard’s death highlighted the failure of police in protecting women. In my previous article, I wrote that the Met needs to acknowledge its "misogynistic culture, take assault allegations seriously against its officers, and provide us with proof that they are working to change themselvesand do a lot more to combat male violence". Since the time of writing that article, at least six allegations against Mr Couzens have been made public citing assault or misconduct. More officers have been suspended or placed under investigation for sharing inappropriate graphics during the search for Ms Everard, or for failing to act appropriately when investigating Mr Couzens in the past.
No prison sentence will bring them back
When Cressida Dick announced a review into standards and internal culture of the Met I was hopeful that the force was making strides in the right direction, but with the Police Commissioner departing the job, it seems nothing had changed. Perhaps the Met is hoping we will forget that the system that is meant to protect us is failing so badly.
Inopportune or convenient timing? Has ‘Partygate’ been forgotten? Ross Bennett
It is discussed whether the 'Partygate' investigation should be brought back into the limelight or left on the backburner
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nly a short while ago, the lockdown-breaking parties at Number 10 were all anyone could talk about. Now the news cycle has moved on, but should it have? In the past few weeks, the news media has been (rightfully) dominated by the ongoing situation in Ukraine. The events unfolding in Ukraine are an international crisis and the closest we’ve had to the beginnings of a World War in decades. Obviously, it is pertinent that the conflict does take centre stage but in doing so, Sue Gray's investigation into the holding of illegal parties at Number 10 during lockdown has disappeared from the headlines.
The holding of parties at Number 10 during lockdown has disappeared from the headlines Only recently has the Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross withdrawn demands for Boris Johnson’s resignation over the ‘Partygate’ scandal, citing the war in Ukraine and stating the following: “There will be a time
and place to debate Partygate but, as even Keir Starmer said at the weekend, we should put that on pause while there is war in Europe. It's essential that we all fully support what the UK Government is doing. In light of Russia's appalling actions, the government and Prime Minister need our backing, and they have mine and the whole Scottish Conservative party. We should all be focused on what we can do to help the Ukrainian people in any capacity”.
Even Keir Starmer said we should put Partygate on pause This a major U-turn from Mr Ross’ previous criticisms of the Prime Minister’s handling of the scandal, with repeated calls for Mr. Johnson to resign from his position. Should we view this change in stance as a bad thing? Or should we see it as a stand in solidarity with the Prime Minister and, by extension, Ukraine? Before the Ukrainian crisis boiled over and Russia invaded a sovereign nation, it seemed like Mr. Johnson’s time at Number 10 Downing Street was coming to a close. After somehow deflecting
Image: Flickr
scandal after scandal, it looked as if Mr. Johnson was finally unable to pull his fat from the fire. Now, can we really say that’s the case? There is the train of thought that now is just simply not the time to be discussing allegations of corruption and demanding the resignation of our Prime Minister, when there is a war going on in Eastern Europe. After all, that is the most pressing issue of our times. Yet this does not mean that Sue Gray report and its scandal should be swept aside. It is the opinion of this writer that Mr Johnson wouldn’t be disappointed if the situation in Ukraine causes the public and the media to forget about ‘Partygate’. That is if Mr Johnson was able to steer his ship through the Ukraine storm, of course. So, whilst it is important to focus on the war ravaging Ukraine, we cannot throw aside our own government’s failings. Instead, the likely best course of action is to place Sue Gray report on the back burner until we find peace in Europe. Ultimately, ‘Partygate’ still happened and those in government should face consequences for their actions, but it seems as if that will have to be at a later date.
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Erika Armanino & Jon Deery
Science
11
Shackleton's Clean Newcastle with the #BigBagChallenge! ship found Daisy Harrison
Emily Kelso - Comment sub-editor
The endurance of those archeologists looking for the Endurance has finally paid off!
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t was announced by marine archaeologists this week that the shipwreck of the Endurance had been discovered in the Weddell Sea near Antarctica. The ship was part of Ernest Shackleton's now-famous attempt to cross the entirety of the South Pole in 1915; the ship suffered damage from ice, causing the crew to abandon ship and the Endurance to sink. Since then, multiple expeditions have tried and failed to locate the Endurance, until the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust succeeded - and on the 100th anniversary of Shackleton's funeral. The Endurance has excited archaeologists and historians alike for several reasons, primarily because of the jawdropping state of preservation. Preservation of shipwrecks can be a hit and miss experience. The Titanic for example was found well-preserved although there are microbes present, dubbed 'rusticles', which are slowly eroding the Titanic and there will eventually be no ship left. The Endurance was lucky to sink where it did: it appears the normal microbes that cause organic material to deteriorate are not present in the freezing waters, and thus the Endurance has not suffered the fate of others. The only damage is from the sinking itself. It is difficult to speak of other discoveries relating to the shipwreck as these have yet to be released, but the scholarly community will no doubt wait on tenterhooks for them (as will I!). Even marine biologists have gotten in on the fun. Scholars have been quick to draw attention to some of the wildlife present in the snaps of the wreck. A particular fan favourite is the "squat lobster", which has been suggested to be from the genus Munidopsis. If the lil' guy truly is a Munidopsis, then the lobster would be the first example of this particular genus to be discovered on the eastern side of the Weddell Sea. What is next for the Endurance? Such a priceless shipwreck no doubt appeals to treasure hunters, who have been known to quite literally take the shirt off of a ship's back (see RMS Titanic Inc. who in 1998 removed a 15 ton section of hull from the Titanic, dubbed 'the big piece', to display in a casino). The Endurance luckily will not suffer the same fate. As the Endurance wreck was found in Antarctic waters, the wreck is automatically protected from normal international waters rules (finders-keepers) under the Antarctic Treaty. This treaty stipulates no country can claim land or possessions in Antarctica, which extends to shipwrecks. Even for those determined to break the law and loot the wreck, they would be faced with a shipwreck 3,008m below water and thick sea-ice. The Endurance is therefore safe for now, to rest in the murky waters below.
Image: @Endurance_22 on Twitter
Newcastle City Council encourages residents to take part in the #BigBagChallenge from the 25th of March to the 10th of April
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Ending waste focuses on the importance of recycling and reducing food waste. Recycling helps to reduce landfill and prevent pollution ultimately benefitting our ecosystems and wildlife. Some tips to help reduce food waste are: not overbuying food, planning meals before you go food shopping, and freezing leftovers. This will also help to save money in the long term!
Educating Future Generations includes evolving schools and learning platfforms. Currently, over 2.3 million children are involved in Eco Schools, which is a charity-led programme, engaging young people in environmental action & education. By taking part in the #bigbagchallenge, we can inspire future generations to keep Britain green. Taking part in the #BigBagChallenge is easy! You can collect litter as
he Great British Spring Clean is back for its seventh year this Easter! Keep Britain Tidy are running their #bigbagchallenge between 25th March – 10th April. The campaign focuses on creating a greener Britain by encouraging everyone in the UK to fill at least one bin bag with litter. So far, the challenge has over 100,000 pledges from individuals, schools, and groups, to fill a bag. Newcastle City Council are putting particular emphasis on Saturday 2nd April, in which they are calling for a city-wide spring clean.Keep Britain Tidy have outlined their main causes for the #bigbagchallenge, including end waste and educating future generations.
an individual or you may want to gather a group of people to help. It is recommended you take a strong black bin bag, litter pickers, gloves, and hivis vests. You should then find a safe, public area and separate the litter into three bags – one for plastic, one for metal, and one for general waste. Once you’ve filled your bags, you should dispose of them into bins, or arrange with Newcastle Council to get the bags collected. Results can then be reported via the ‘collect and count’ form on the Keep Britain Tidy website and posted onto Twitter using #yourcityyourhome. You can also keep an eye on the Go Volunteer page, as they often run events with Keep Jesmond Clean, which is a great way to get involved with reducing waste whilst also meeting some new people!
Images: Canva and Newcastle Library via Flickr.com
Crypto in Kyiv: Drop Russian NFTs to fund fossil fuels war in Ukraine
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CC Lee
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Josh Watson
orget war bonds, Ukraine’s government has taken collecting money for its army into the 21st century with its most recent plans to print a range of NFTs to raise money to fight off the Russian invasion. Is this a valid use of NFT? I, NFT Correspondent Joshua Watson, am back at it to see what is going on in the world of digital apes this time. On the heels of WWF’s attempt to raise money for charity, the Ukrainian government is at it as well. In a tweet on the 3rd of march, Mykhailo Fedorov – the vice prime minister and minister of transformation of Ukraine – announced that "we will announce NFTs to support Ukrainian Armed Forces soon. We DO NOT HAVE any plans to issue any fungible tokens’’. While the £200 million from the sale of war bonds is by far the biggest contribution to the budget so far, these NFTs alongside a single over $3 million donations in bitcoin to leading NGOs have many people’s attention. And there is a good reason to use crypto in this way. One of the major advantages is its anonymity, allowing you to give money to the Ukrainian government without your own government tracking you down (as easily anyway). Say you were a relatively wealthy Russian and support Ukraine; this gives you the perfect way of supporting the enemy of your government. NFTs on the other hand lack this aspect, the main purpose of an NFT is to get the image as proof of purchase, it is all about proof of ownership! Once again, we get on to the list of issues with NFTs – energy consumption, money laundering being chief among them – however, it seems there has not been the same public backlash we have
s it really possible to cut financial aid to the Russian governseen when NGOs used them as moneyment and discontinue the use raising opportunities, suggesting that of fossil fuels whilst cutting war is a good reason to print NFTs. co2 emissions? Yes, yes it is. By Regardless, I am concerned about how the government will get the money out relying on renewable energies to fuel of these NFTs. The cryptocurrency that the entirety of Europe and America is used to purchase these images can be we could stop fuelling the war against hard to obtain, requiring someone else Ukraine and help reduce the impact to buy it off them in exchange for a ‘real’ on the Earth from global warming. Around 41% of Europe's import of currency. This process can take quite a while – pay-outs for NFT sales taking gas and 27% of import of oil is directly weeks or months compared to the brief from Russia, including half of its coal time in truncations for bounds. While supply as well. The UK and USA also this crypto is still an asset to loan with, rely heavily on the import of Russian many larger organizations will not ac- fossil fuels in order to supply energy to cept it, making it harder to have real those respective nations. By importing cash with you would think. You cannot these resources from Russia, our gover n- ment is funding the war buy guns and ammunition or pay on Ukraine. This is exsoldiers with ape pictures or ontremely damaging not line Disney bucks. only for increasing And it is not like all the cypothe military power of bros are on the same side here. the Russian Army and Cryptocurrency giants, such aircrafts as Binance and Coinbase, have carried on trading in Russia – showing no sign of halting sales or restricting use for individuals facing international sanctions. This alongside a rampant increase in the use of cryptocurrency by Russians due to the falling value of the Rubal, which has been the laughingstock of the internet may lead to being a larger part of this war than we thought. Image: Wikimedia Commons
etc, but also keeps adding to the ever growing problems of global warming and climate change. Despite the UK's pledge to weed out Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2022, the UK is still providing £2 billion to Russia, which will be no doubt spent on military efforts. But what does this mean for Europe? Germany's reliance on Russian fuel – supplied by the Nord Stream 1 pipeline – is extremely damaging, especially given the fact that Russia is threatening to cut supply lines. Germany shut down all their nuclear power plants in 2011 due to the horrific scenes of Fukushima, which merely led to the country opening more fossil fuel sectors in order to supply energy to the country, and meant that they relied more fervently on Russian aid. By replacing a low carbon emission energy supplier with a high carbon supplier, this increases the damaging effects on climate change and is also largely counter-productive in reaching zero emissions. It also does much to limit the resources that Germany has in order to run the country of its own accord. Why is this bad? With energy bills ever on the increase, the axing of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline could be detrimental for the civilians of Germany – not to mention the rest of Europe. So by cutting off the reliance on Russian fossil fuels now, and putting in more funds to renewable energies, we can massively offset the disruption that Russia could potentially cause by cutting Europe’s supply lines. If the government can declare to sever all the ties with Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2022, perhaps they could go further and stop using fossil fuels altogether. But with the capitalist ideologies that they have it probably won’t be happening, unless Russia interferes.
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole
Relationships
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Rate the Date What made you sign up for Blind Date? It's a good opportunity to meet people you wouldn't normally run into. What was your first impression of Eleanor? She seemed nice and had a colourful dress. What interesting thing did you find out about Eleanor? She likes cats which is nice but she harasses them regularly on the street. What did you think about Pizza Punks? It was a good atmosphere but I think they were understaffed. If your date was a pizza topping, what would they be and why? Probably pineapple because she would ruin an already good thing like pizza. Describe your date in 3 words. Regularly harasses cats. Would you like to see Eleanor again? Probably not, she kept waking me up when I was trying to sleep through a movie .
Eleanor, Politics, 20
Alwin, Civil Engineering, 20
Rate the Date What made you sign up for Blind Date? I wanted to take part in blind date to meet new people, it seemed like a bit of fun! What was your first impression of Alwin? His hair was wet, and he was kind of short. What interesting thing did you find out about Alwin? He wouldn't stop talking about boxing, so I guess that. He also made clear that he wasn't attracted to me, so I felt very special. What did you think about Pizza Punks? Very cool vibes, the pizza was definitely enjoyable. If your date was a pizza topping, what would they be and why? One sad anchovy, pretends to be different, in reality is just a bit salty and kind of gross. Describe your date in 3 words. Vain, tired and lack-lustre. Would you like to see your date again? Probably not, he fell asleep in a movie he took me to, and he wouldn't stop talking about his ex...eek!
Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole
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Monday 21st March 2022
Relationships
THE
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Me, Dave, and the wall between us George Bell - Film sub-editor
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ommunication is key in a lot of relationships, be it with partners, friends, or family. It’s not everything, though. Sometimes actions speak louder than words, as long as those actions are banging on your shared wall with uncomfortable force. It isn't like my flatmate David and I don't talk. We do, quite frequently. But I’ve never thought of it as what kept this beautiful friendship afloat. What I actually think stops it from collapsing in on itself is what stops the ceiling from collapsing in on itself - the wall between our rooms. Violent bangs and rhythmic knocking have been our main source of interaction, even just indirectly. Sure, one of us could have walked the six steps to the other’s room, but there is something inexplicably amusing about the unseen conversation, like waving at someone you know through a window.
Something deep and powerful grows with each knock between us. Namely hatred
However, it isn’t all about the funny moments. All the knocks and banging have almost become a kind of reassurance for me. Both of us working in front of a computer for long hours can get quite isolating, so the occasional knock acts as both a comfort that I’m not alone and an open invitation to come in if I ever need anything. Most of the time we won’t
reciprocate each other's knocking (it can hurt your knuckles or other knocking appendage of choice), but knowing the other is there is enough. Words are great and all, but once you’ve experienced the sweet sweet sensation of a rhythmic wall-based conversation, you’ll realise that: 1.) Having a meaningful conversation like that is quite difficult and 2.) That is 100% okay. The unspoken word is a powerful thing and so is knowing you don’t have to be doing too much and still maintain a great friendship. There is also the beautiful power of annoying them. Are they fast asleep? Not anymore, I do be a knocking. Trying to engage in the devil's tango? Only if it is between your hand and the wall David, I crave your attention. Be it hatred or love, something deep and powerful grows with
each knock between us. Namely hatred. So next time you need to go ask your flatmate if you can borrow their pan, why not consider banging obnoxiously loudly on the wall? You don’t have to leave the comfort of your own room, and you have to make your flatmate come to you. Win, win.
Image: Pixabay (stocksnap)
Getting under someone to get over them Imogen Mole - Relationships sub-editor
Theres no right way to get over someone, but it's important to understand yourself first
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ost- break up hook-ups can be a great thing to get you back into the dating world, experience the single life or to get to know yourself outside of a long-term relationship, but sometimes they're not always the way forward. I think it’s important to note that there's no one way to get over someone. All relationships are completely individualistic, which means so are break-ups and the way people heal, so prescribing a quick get off in the club with a sexy stranger will probably not do the trick for everyone. Some people may want to immediately head out and grab the first person they can get find, some, as I did, may want to take some time away from it all to heal first, or some may want to declare celibacy for a long long time to take the time to be alone for a while, and so be it, everyone’s heart is different and everyone heals differently. However, I think where it does get difficult is when hookups become a distraction from loneliness. When a relationship ends, whether it was a good one or not, there is undoubtedly a gap left where that person used to occupy, so naturally after a break-up it can be so
Where it gets difficult is when hook-ups become a distraction from loneliness
tempting to try and find a new puzzle piece to immediately fill it, however, the issue with this is you become so focused on the need to fill the space and hold off emotions that
you don’t get a real chance to get to know them, so they're likely going to be the wrong piece, and so seeing people that aren’t right for you whilst depending on them to
make you feel wanted intensifies the emotions you didn't want to feel in the first place.
After a break-up it can be tempting to try and find a new puzzle piece to fill the gap that person occupied So maybe you’re reading this finding yourself newly single with a gaping hole in your heart, or maybe you have been single a long time but you just can’t forget that one person. There’s truly no one way to get over someone and there’s really no right or wrong answer. Do whatever you need to do, just make sure that part of you that they used to occupy that now feels empty, is filled with good friends, plenty of ice cream, hugs with your housemates and days out on your own before you decide to let someone else in. Remember you can make yourself whole better than anyone else ever could.
Image: Pixabay (geralt)
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole
Relationships 15 How to support someone with a mental illness Charlotte Dredge
When 1 in 4 people will be affected by mental illness, it's time to look at how we can support our loved ones
individuals across the broad spectrum of mental health conditions, including OCD, Bipolar, Anxiety and Depression. Advice from some of their partners is also included, adding important perspectives on how they have felt best able
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isclaimer: the views shared are not from medical professionals and should not be treated as medical advice. It’s important to clarify that there’s no one ‘right way’ to support someone who lives with a mental health problem. At least one in four of us will be impacted, with each experience challenging in its own unique way. Whether it develops from personal experiences, or without necessarily any prompt at all, it is always worthy of support. What makes the difference is the support
to serve both theirs and their partner’s needs: ‘…reminding you who you are and what you enjoy eating/doing when you can't remember. It really depends on the stage of illness… sometimes all you can do is just be there. I remember he always managed to get me to laugh at least once a day, even when I was at my worst.’ ‘…he doesn’t judge; he reminds me that my brain is lying but also validates all my experiences… and he's always gentle when I'm not feeling good… That's the best thing, it's supportive but there's no expectation… From this side I really make sure that when I am feeling better, I show him I appreciate him and how he supports me. I know I don't 'need' to, but at the same time it is easy to forget that having a loved one struggle is hard.’ ‘I don’t want my partner
He reminds me that my brain is lying but also validates all my experiences systems in place, that can adapt in line with each person’s individual needs. The role of a partner in this is at times complicated, as supporting a partner whilst looking after your own welfare can be difficult. Below are some personal reflections from
All you can do is help ground them when they’re struggling, and be present with them as they put the work in
Image: Pixabay (naobim)
to solve what’s going on in my head, that wouldn’t be productive or healthy for either of us. All you can do is help ground them when they’re struggling, and be present with them as they put the work in, even when you don’t
Seize the moments together where you can find fun and laughter. understand everything.’ ‘We are very clear about needs, boundaries, personal time, things like that. We appreciate that we both need solo time to decompress… so when we communicate, we're very upfront about where we're at and what we need.’ ‘The key things are to listen to them, regardless of your own thoughts. When you’re not living with them, you have an escape, but when you do, it’s important to make sure you have hobbies that aren’t necessarily in the same location as that person otherwise it will wear you down. Although the other person may not realise it, it can be quite exhausting for the person listening.’ Across these statements, what is clear is how important it is to give your loved one the time they need to sit in those painful moments, and not push them out of it before they’re ready. However, it is vital that the mental space of both partners is cared for. Use available support, such as loved ones or a mental health charity. Seize the moments together where you can find fun and laughter. Invest time in what makes you happy outside of your relationship. Remember that sometimes simply being there is enough.
"So, if I don't have kids, I'm not a woman?" Gabbi de Boer - Relationships sub-editor
It's time to stop defining women through the societal expectation of being a mother
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s women, we tent to find that we are defined by the roles we play in society. Most often encountered in all relationships is the expectation to be motherly - to look after those around us and and always have a caring nature. If we are older than another person, motherly responsibility is thrust upon us in unexpected ways. And honestly, I think it’s time we agreed women shouldn’t be defined by this characteristic.
There's no need to attach the 'mum' label
Coming to uni, I knew how to do most household chores already, and assumed everyone would. I quickly found out that wasn’t the case, and naturally, tried to help out as and where I could. It was then that people started referring to me as their ‘ m u m’, and when asking for help,
would also use the term. Now, although I acknowledge it’s a joke, I can’t help but feel that the ability to look after and teach those around us is a lot more deeply ingrained than I originally thought. You hear it everywhere, women called “the mum
friend” because they look after their friends on a night out or are willing to run errands for others. But why isn’t being a caring human being just … the norm? Why does being a decent person make you a mother? That's not to say I don't like helping out, I do - but there's no
need to attach the 'mum' label. I don't have children right now, and you're not my child.
It can be easy to forget this when there is an expectation to be 'motherly' This can also be especially hard in romantic relationships. For many, acts of service are a love language, but it can be difficult to strike a balance between what is an act of service and acting like your significant other's parent. You shouldn't just be a glorified taxi or fit into the 'housewife' aesthetic, it's a partnership with give and take. It can be easy to forget this when there is an expectation to be 'motherly'. Although I know it’s a compliment to some, I can’t help but feel that I’m only in my 20s, and personally have no children myself so being defined by this societal expectation isn’t something I enjoy. Obviously, that’s just my opinion, many people enjoy being the nurturing type, but it’s just not for me! It’s not a woman’s job to look after you or teach you how to live simply because she is a woman.
Image: Instagram (florencegiven)
Sub-editors: Molly Taylor & Leanna Thomson
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Monday 21st March 2022
Lifestyle
Therapy: my experience
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Leah Graham
e are more open than ever in discussing mental health; various campaigns are splashed upon our TVs, social media, and even bus stops. From Every Mind Matters to Get Britain Talking to #Don’tFilterFeelings, reminders that someone is there for you are everywhere, but why is therapy still considered a taboo topic? Openly, I first started attending therapy aged fourteen, and I have been on and off for the last seven years. I’ve had three therapists in these seven years, the first two on the NHS and the third privately. My experience with therapy has taught me two things, number one, therapy shouldn’t be something to be ashamed about and hide from others; number two, the NHS mental health channels are desperately underfunded. When I started attending therapy, a counsellor would come to my school and talk with me once a week. I don’t remember much, but the lady was nice, and I could openly tell her about all my worries, which had absorbed me, irrational or not. After she left, I never received any communication about the outcome of the sessions; years later, when reading my notes in a doctor’s office, I saw she had written I had ‘signs of psychosis’- a massive help. My second therapist came during sixth form; I had had a significant anxiety attack that lasted a few weeks. By the time I was over the worst of it, a slot had opened in the NHS waiting list. After a few weeks, I was back to ‘normal’ and didn’t require therapy, but I had six sessions with my therapist, and I was determined to make them count. I asked if we could explore more my triggers so I could work on these. My therapist said something along the lines of ‘I don’t know if we have time’ or ‘I don’t know if we can do that.’ My final therapist made me believe in therapy again. I could openly talk about everything I was feeling, and I had someone to listen and support me. The work I did with her was some of the best advice I’d ever received; I’d leave each session with a new sense of clarity. That wasn’t to say I wouldn’t cry my heart out in the sessions either, but when you’re bottling so much up, just having someone to listen to you can be everything. In the last year, I’ve learned that more of my friends, family and classmates are in therapy. They don’t need to discuss reasons they don’t want to, but admitting you’re attending therapy shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of. Working on yourself and having someone to support you in your struggles aren’t signs of weakness; they’re signs of strength. Though my first two therapists couldn’t help me in the way I needed, therapy on the NHS is still something I am incredibly grateful for. More needs to be given to the NHS to help people suffering from mental health issues, but also, if we were all a bit more open about therapy, the world might be a bit brighter.
Image: Pixabay @mohamed_hassan
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When activism turns toxic Sarah Lahiri - Head of Social Media
What is performance activism, and why do we need to stop?
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erformative activism (also known as slacktivism) is when ‘support’ is rooted in capitalisation on a social issue to gain some kind of social capital rather than showing genuine support for the cause. This behaviour can either be intentional or unintentional, and is more to do with seeming ‘woke’ than actually taking action towards an issue. This kind of engagement usually comes during a surge in online uprisings and show no effort in positively contributing toward the movement, but instead to centre oneself within it to obtain social approval. Performative activism is also counter-productive. By flooding online spaces with useless attempts at being politically correct, actual significant information gets drowned out. This was specifically evident during the recent Black Lives Matter movement, specifically the #BlackoutTuesday trend during which half the globe posted black squares on their social media channels to show their support. This seemed like a social misfire, as crucial information regarding protests and safety information amongst others lost the space that the plain blank squares took up. It contributed nothing but a wave of black Instagram feeds. Performative activism is also convenience based,
with people strategically timing when they decide to wake up and say something. In todays day, we are hardwired into documenting everything online. And we are unable to stop these habits even in such important contexts. From companies posting aesthetic graphics, to changing profile pictures to celebrities singing Imagine; these attempts are futile and honestly, a bit tone deaf. Oversimplifying issues and reducing them to singular posts that come at convenient times take away from the reality of these issues and blurs the line between genuine support and meaningless contributions online. Performative activism doesn’t always come from a place of malice though. Not everyone is out chasing social ‘clout’ when they post about social issues. It can be argued that despite it not making a huge impact, it is still bringing attention to the issue. Something is better than nothing. Still, I personally think that it comes off as insensitive and just a waste of time. It diminishes the intensity of real-life activism and allows people to believe that simply posting content here and there on the Internet is enough. Activism should not only be an extension of an online persona. Social media has programmed us into believing that unless we post about something, it never really happened. However, we need to stop and question whether the hashtag we’re about to tweet will really help in the larger scheme of things. Does it really do anything? Does it really help? It is perfectly acceptable to use your platform the way you see fit, and you can let people in on where you stand on a cause, but take a second to do some research into what you can do beyond that. It can be difficult to tell the difference, but people need to educate
themselves to be aware that social injustices are very real, and the urge to raise awareness should be present even when it is not trendy and even when your friends are not posting about it.
Prioritise mental state over physical weight Ethan Todd - Sports sub-editor
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Content Warning: weight loss n the age of Instagram influencers, body positivity activists and gym fanatics, it can be a troubling experience for many to actually enjoy exercise. Often people's goals centre around solely weight loss, which negates what exercise should really be about: feeling good. With a generation so obsessed with appearance and aesthetics, the goal of exercise very often centres purely around losing weight, whether that be strenuous exercise, hours of cardio, or ridiculous fad diets which constitute colossal health risks. Or often, worse repercussions can lead to harmful eating disorders, with eating disorder charity ‘beat’, estimating over 1.25 million people in the UK suffer from an eating disorder. Shifting the focus of exercise to feeling good is necessary to ensure that those who struggle with body image issues can enjoy the plethora of benefits that regular exercise can offer, without being haunted by the number on the scale. Exercising relieves stress levels, improves sleep, releases powerful endorphins and can yield fantastic social benefits when involving team sports. Toxic gym culture, akin to over-strenuous diet and exercise as well as potential risks of body dysmorphia, will inevitably do more harm than good to the mental wellbeing of many.
Forgetting this, going for a morning or night-time run with your favourite playlist or podcast in your ear, as well as daily yoga and stretching, or playing a sport you love with friends will bring monumental benefits physically; but most importantly, mentally. Womensrunning.com highlights that ‘Long-term exercise has been proven comparable to psychotherapy and drug therapy', showing that mental health problems such as anxiety and depression can be alleviated with exercise inevitably leading to a better mental state. Personally, I have exercised all my life whether that be stints in the gym, lockdown runs, or mobility based exercises when I was performing physiotherapy after a torn ACL. Despite this, undoubtedly the most I have ever enjoyed exercise has been playing football with my friends, whether that be with the school team with which I made memories I will cherish forever, or a game of 5-a-side after work or Uni, which allows me to totally unwind and forget any problems. The competitive aspect, the physical benefits of playing a sport, as well as spending time with mates vastly outweighs the positives of arbitrary weight loss. I implore anyone struggling with trying to enjoy working out to think about the social aspect, as this could be the key to enjoying all the physical and mental benefits of exercising. Being obsessed with the number on the scale will largely do more harm than good, and negates the whole point of exercising: to feel good. Image: Pixabay @GDJ
Image: Pixabay @mohamed_hassan
So... Everyone thin
F Cc Lee
riendships. Aren’t they lovely? Yes, yes they are. However they present themselves: in groups, in trios, online, in person – they are wholesome and make life worth living. But what happens when people think that you and your best friend are dating? Oh, have I made it awkward now? So you’re spending a lot of time together – maybe you met in a lecture, a society or just randomly on a night out. But whatever way, you’ve now decided you enjoy each others company enough to actually meet up. You go out for a meal, or go for a walk – maybe you post about it on social media. But hang on, now a few mutual friends are messaging you both and “omg – didn’t realise you were together!” or “wow, never noticed it before but you two are great together,” or maybe people say it to your face, “aww, your outfits are matching, #couplegoals" Let me go throw up, and cue the awkward glances. Maybe at first, it’s kind of funny. “Aha, they think we’re together,” or “be with you – oh my god, imagine.” You laugh, brush it off and carry on as nor-mal. But then of course, people see this as more fuel to the fire. “You said you aren’t dating but no one cooks meals with just friends.”
Images: Pixabay @Mon
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Molly Taylor & Leanna Thomson
Lifestyle
17
What makes me happy An ideological journey Castor Chan - Sports sub-editor
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n my opinion, happiness is hard to define. There’s such a range of emotions that I would associate with the word happy contentment, excitement and even just sheer giddiness. So many things make me light up from big to small, but here are just a few of those that mean the most to me. To start off, music has always been a huge part of my life. My mother worked with musicians, and my brother and I played instruments growing up. While I’m far from the most knowledgeable, there’s just something about how music makes me feel. It doesn’t matter if it’s listening to my favourite songs or finding new loves, I constantly have ones that I’m absolutely obsessed with at any one time. And if I’m fiddling around with new covers, it’s always exciting when I finally pin down a riff I’ve been agonising over. Then there’s entertainment. Is it cheating to put Broadway given that it has both music and entertainment? When I went to see Pretty Woman at the West End, I was beaming through the entire show. I’ve also got films and TV shows that are my feelgood choices - some examples being Brooklyn 99 and Legally Blonde.
I could live without music or entertainment, but the source happiness that I will never give up is my people.
Lastly in this category, sports. The atmosphere of sports events is exhilarating, and honestly, it’s just as good as my top films and shows. And as a mix
Images: Pixabay @Emphyrio, @Pexels
nks you're dating Don’t they? So people aren’t really getting the message, but then if everyone else is saying it – what if you are dating? It seems that everyone knows your friendship better than you do. By now, you are well into the awkward stage. And by awkward, I mean neither of you know how to act around each other and there’s only so many times you can both reject each other (without even asking them out in the first place). So how do you resolve this miscommunication? Delete and block them on all social media? If you ignore them forever then no one can say you’re in love. But who wants to axe a great friendship just because other people have their own perception of how it is, or how it should be? I certainly wouldn’t. The only way to push through this awkwardness is to do exactly that, push through it. Granted, it may be uncomfortable for a while, and it will probably get very exhausting having to state constantly that a friendship is a friendship, nothing more. Maybe take some time apart and let things breathe – once people get the idea, you can finally get back to actually enjoying each other’s company and not have to worry “but do they fancy me?” There will come a time when you can laugh about it and say “God, remember when everyone thought we were dating? That wasn’t awkward at all".
nicore, @Takmeomeo
Lucy Lawrence
In conversation with Caitlin Halfacre surrounding the evolution of ideaology
W of sports and TV, Netflix’s Drive to Survive is one of my favourites, and I find it hilarious that it plays out more like a reality show than a documentary sometimes. I couldn’t finish this article without my main source of happiness - people. Whether it's fond video calls with my family (and dog), tears of laughter from mucking around with my friends or weekly lunch dates with my boyfriend, there’s joy to be found in every moment. I’ve been fortunate to find people that I simply click with, and I’m lucky to have every single one of them. There’s just a certain sense of warmth that goes through me when I notice that my friends have specially made time for me or when I realise that my mum has sent me another parcel of candy. And to be sappy for a second, my boyfriend’s presence no matter if we’re chatting or just sitting together is enough to make my day brighter. I could live without music or entertainment, but the source of pure, indescribable happiness that I will never give up is definitely my people.
ith the UCU strikes taking place over the last few weeks, our campus has been alive with political debates. Indeed, it can be difficult to not feel like campus has become a political landmine of kinds, where there is no straightforward solution to the current dilemmas rampant in our institution. However, these divides are only further complicated for postgraduate students across the country. Many have described feeling that their identities are almost split into two, as many are simultaneously a student and worker-- providing teaching for their departments while completing their doctorate degree. Caitlin Halfacre is one such Ph.D. student who has struggled with balancing a student identity with her professional teaching role. As a final year linguistics postgraduate at Newcastle, she has been a vocal participant in the UCU strike action this semester-- avidly participating in rallies and joining picket lines. However, such political activism has not always been a part of Caitlin's life. In fact, at one point in time, she actually identified with more rightwing ideology - a stark difference to her quite radical leftist outlook today. I was curious how this political shift occurred, and so reached out to Caitlin for an interview. Prior to her pursuit of Linguistics, Caitlin was
Image: Caitlin Halfacre
actually a woman in STEM studying Chemistry. She shares that there was little political awareness or discussion within her circle of friends at Imperial College London. There were no elections during this period, and politics was a rarely touched-upon topic. The community surrounding her acted as a shelter from thinking too deeply about politics. Moreover, Caitlin's experience of the Labour government in 2009 was clouded by Tony Blair's involvement in the Iraq War, which was then followed by the Financial Recession under Gordon Brown. From 1997 to 2010, Labour government leadership was viewed by many to have caused catastrophic economic, social and military precarity for the United Kingdom. Caitlin was partial to this view of politics, and so her worldview inevitably lent to the right. Yet, Caitlin soon discovered a new academic passion, changing courses to Linguistics and moving to Newcastle University at 23. The change to her political outlook was slow, but steady, as she increasingly connected with political friends and academics. The first time that she participated in the UCU strike action was in 2018 during her master’s degree - the period when the implications began to impact her livelihood and future career. A year later, her hope for the cause was renewed when the Autumn 2019 strikes did manage to win a re-evaluation of the pension scheme. Small victories powered Caitlin's activism and propelled her to begin organising PGR students within the Newcastle UCU branch, shifting her political conservatism to leftist involvement with strike action. Caitlin’s story shows us that politics are not static, but ever-evolving as we grow and experience life. Who we surround ourselves with act as vital influences in our political journeys. Whatever your politics are guided by, it is important to remember that change is okay. Political development is normal and should never be used to impose shame onto others. We are all constantly learning, and should support one another within our current political landscape. Only with respectful engagement between the left and right-wing, can we hope to avoid developments of political indifference and radical extremism which harm to us all.
Spring in Newcastle Emily Kelso - Comment sub-editor
These are our top picks of activities you can take part in this spring within Newcastle!
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s the weather finally begins to work in our favour and the holidays approach, it is time for nocturnal students to stumble out of libraries and into the Toon to see what is on offer this spring. Rest assured, there is something for everyone! Whilst it can be seen as a cliché, nothing beats a walk through Jesmond Dene Park. The Park is home to beautiful scenery such as the Falls and the Old Mill. The best way to experience the Park is to start at the very top and walk down the river. At the end of the river lies open spaces perfect for picnics, as well as Pets Corner for those animal lovers in your life. There are frequent markets upon on Armstrong Bridge which make a visit to the Dene all the more special. Yoga Therapies have started monthly rooftop Yoga and Brunch sessions atop Fenwicks on Northumberland Street. This was first introduced in February 2022 and it is meant to reenergise your mindset whilst admiring the Newcastle skyline. After each yoga session, customers are treated to brunch and freshly-pressed juice. Sounds like Heaven! An art trail that’s present in the North East at
the moment is the Morph Trail. The trail of large Morph replicas was debuted across the North East since the creator of plasticine was born in North Tyneside. A bit of a tenuous link I admit, but I digress. Each replica has a unique design and a trail map can be downloaded to catch them all! Even if art is not your thing, it encourages you to get out and about to explore the North East. For those of you who dislike too much warmth, then fear not! That can be easily remedied by a visit to a Newcastle metro station and riding
the metro all the way to Whitley Bay. Granted, this location does push the brief a bit of things to do in Newcastle, sue me. Whitley Bay is home to an ice rink, where you can hire ice skates and join in on public sessions. The experience of learning how to skate for the first time is priceless, and I can promise the sight of your mates all falling over will have you in tears. Afterwards, a trip to the beach for a chippy will warm you all up before heading back to Newcastle in cheery spirits. Such an experience is hard to beat.
Image: Unsplash @Phillip Atkinson
Sub-editors: Sophia Ayub, Imogen Clarke & Lizzie Yockney
18
Monday 21st March 2022
Fashion & Beauty
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Decades: 1970s Fashion Media and male bodies Leah Graham
An opinion piece on the iconic fashion of the 1970s!
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he 1970s was a decade of many things; man walked on the moon a year prior, The Beatles disbanded and living with your partner unmarried became more common as the pill became widely available. But one thing that can’t be missed, the 1970s revolutionised fashion. The 60s gave an explosion of colour that the 70s took and evolved into new styles. Gone were square blazers and block colours; wide-legged jeans and wide, long collars were in. When most people think of 1970s fashion, they picture swirly flares and the flower-power daisy-chain aesthetic that most people wear to festivals, and whilst some elements of these styles were fashionable, they weren’t all there was. Wide-legged and flared jeans were typical, paired with single pattern t-shirts and jumpsuits; they were the perfect transition from the polished suits and dresses worn the years prior. The 1970s has
to be my favourite decade in fashion because of the freedom it brought, styles and trends were no longer rigid, and many women had much more choice in what they wore. Take Farrah Fawcett with her iconic wavy hair, for example, slinky jumpsuits to patterned suits to just a t-shirt and jeans. The 1970s gave people the freedom to personalise their styles and experiment with their looks.
Image: Pixabay Rabbixel
Images: Instagram @taylor_the_creator
Joseph Caddick - Gaming & Puzzles sub-editor
Our section has covered female body image and beauty standards in depth, but how do men face these struggles?
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ocial media has come under a lot of criticism in recent years for perpetuating harmful stereotypes of beauty. This criticism is extremely valid and unfortunately affects a lot of people, putting pressure on them to attain the ‘perfect’ bodies. Men’s mental health is an issue that is often not talked about, particularly by men. There is an expectation that we should just ‘suck it up’ and deal with any problems that come our way, which is an outdated and frankly toxic ideology. The case where this can be most prominently seen is with men who are concerned about their body image. If you are the type of person who browses the social media accounts of celebrities, you are often exposed to the sort of body types that can, for most people, only be attained if you have access to a lot of money; personal trainers, nutritionists and protein supplements are not cheap. Not only that, but a number of celebrities have admitted to taking steroids, which can create muscles that are simply unobtainable without the use of drugs. In addition to social media, the introduction of influencer culture to TV and more traditional forms of media has accelerated growing body image struggles. Shows like Love Island are problematic for both men and women, as many
contestants have generally gone through some form of cosmetic procedures prior to entering the villa, be it veneers, botox or anything else. Because our TV screens and social media feeds are portraying unrealistic beauty standards almost constantly, it’s hard to escape any insecurities we may have about ourselves. Sadly, it is of no surprise that the number of young people undergoing cosmetic surgery and taking steroids is reportedly on the rise, according to Save Face and UK Anti-Doping respectively. A dangerous precedent is being set. I’ve struggled with body confidence issues myself, especially in the past couple of years. Going to the gym is a competition where I have to outdo my previous performance, otherwise I feel as if I’m letting myself down. Consequently, I injured myself and have had to take time off exercising, during which I’ve gained weight. It’s a very vicious cycle, and one that it is difficult to defeat, because setbacks like this only make you feel worse about yourself. Perhaps more subtle than the issues with muscles is that of height. I’m of average height myself, slightly on the smaller side if anything, but you always see and hear of who are above six feet tall, with celebrities who aren’t that tall being described as surprising. This issue is difficult, because although you can work to improve your muscles, if you’re small then you’re small, you can’t change it. If anything, that makes it easier for me to accept this, but it is another case of people being made to feel inadequate about themselves because of their appearance. It is important to remember that although many of us are often concerned about how we look on the outside, it is important to be kind to ourselves . We have to remind ourselves that it’s what’s on the inside that counts.
Colourism in the beauty industry Samantha Seidu
After years of criticism from dark-skinned people of colour, has the beauty industry done enough to combat colourism, or, could they do more?
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he issue of colourism has been one of the longstanding criticisms of the beauty industry. Whilst in more recent times, we’ve started to see a slow increase in diverse representations of various skin tones, is there still more that can be done to fully eradicate this issue? Colourism may be a term that many people aren’t so familiar with. I like to describe colourism as the ‘ugly cousin’ of racism, in that both are rooted in the concept of white supremacy and stemmed from European colonialism. The difference between the two, however, is that racism is perpetuated by those in institutional positions of power whilst colourism is perpetuated by the same systems but is often upheld by those in the same community. Colourism effectively is the discrimination of a person on the basis of their skin tone (light-skin or dark skinned) and is often experienced by dark-skinned people of colour. This often sees people with lighter skin tones receiving more opportunities and privileges because of their proximity to ‘whiteness’.
and skin bleaching products, a very common practice in many African and Asian countries. Makeup was something I never bothered to try because nothing was in my shade or would suit my complexion. Even in the present day, I cannot pick up a skincare product without googling ‘does this work for dark skin tones?’. In comparison to the late 2000s/ early 2010s to now, colourism has definitely being addressed more: Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty launch in 2017 set the standard for complexion
product shade ranges and the rise of dark-skinned beauty gurus such as Jackie Aina and Nyma Tang have helped dark-skinned people navigate their way through a whitewashed industry. The only issue with this, however, is that these were individuals that took it upon themselves to enter an industry that wasn’t accommodating to a certain demographic. The industry itself still has not done enough to get rid of colourism, increasing the shade range of foundation is only the tip of the iceberg. Many
Increasing the shade range of foundation is only the tip of the iceberg
For a lot of people, colourism is not something they have experienced, but for anyone that is dark-skinned, the difficulties are all too familiar. Growing up, I had no representation of darkskinned black women and thus, found myself trying to become as visibly ‘white’ as possible. This made me resort to using chemical hair relaxers
Image: Instagram @__deevp
skincare products are still created with lighterskinned people in mind, containing ingredients that could possibly cause hyperpigmentation and scarring on dark skin, many makeup and skincare products look ashy and chalky on dark skin and some beauty procedures such as laser hair removal work better on those with light skin than dark skin. Most importantly, the representation of darkskin people is severely lacking, with light skin or sometimes racially ambiguous people being the ‘dark skin representation’.
The beauty industry still continues to push a harmful narrative that eurocentric are the most valuable in the indsutry Despite the beauty industry making beauty more accessible to dark-skinned people, it still continues to push a harmful narrative that eurocentric features are what is the most valuable in the industry and that anyone outside must conform. The skin lightening industry is worth $8 billion, meaning that dark-skinned people of colour still feel the need to lighten their skin in order to conform to eurencentric norms. Even with small improvements, the beauty industry mustn’t settle for the bare minimum: we need more representation of dark-skinned people and more products created specifically for their skin type, tackling the issues that are exclusive to them. Most importantly, we need more diversity in the beauty industry itself, ranging from darkskinned photographers, to make-up artists and bloggers who know how to work with dark skin. Dark-skinned people have continuously been let down by the beauty industry, whilst there seems to be a slow stream of progress, more needs to be done to get rid of colourism for good.
THE
COURIER
Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Sophia Ayub, Imogen Clarke & Lizzie Yockney
Fashion & Beauty
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How to shop for sustainable beauty Imogen Clarke - Fashion & Beauty sub-editor
How can we make our consumption of beauty products more climate-friendly?
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n 2022, sustainability is becoming trendy. Which is great for those of us who want to shop for sustainable beauty products, but not so great when it comes to deciphering the greenwashing brands from the genuine climate-savers. The beauty industry is the top offender for creating plastic waste, producing 120 billion units o f plastic packaging
Image Instagram @ aaron_tilley
each year, most of which is non-recyclable. Not only are our beauty products, both make-up and skincare, coated in plastic, but it is also present within the formula itself in many cases. So, what can we, the consumer, do about it? Not only is it better for our health to go sustainable and plastic-free where possible, but we can also help to reduce this astronomical amount of plastic waste.
The beauty industry produces 120 billion units of plastic packaging each year, most of which is nonrecyclable
Ten, even five years ago, you would have struggled to find a shampoo bar in a mainstream beauty chain such as Boots. Yet today, we are seeing most toiletries compressed to bar form, without all the plastic packaging. Before the plastic onslaught of the 1970s, bars of soap were commonplace. Although they are still used today, the ease of the squeezy bottle has taken over. Perhaps we need to revert to our grandparent’s tactics. However, we are even seeing “waterless” shampoo taking off. The principal ingredient in shampoo is often water, hence the need for a plastic container. However, shampoo in powder, or bar form, which can then be combined with shower water to create a lather, is a much more sustainable alternative. Refillable is the new go-to. You only have to walk to Grainger market to see a ‘refill store’ for all of your beauty and household-product needs.
However, a lot of mainstream beauty brands, such as Kiehls and Garnier are offering refills of their products, to reduce the need to resell several plastic bottles to the consumer. You might think that there are just some beauty
The beauty industry has made billions off people thinking it is "better" to buy and throw away products necessities you just have to buy and throw away. Yet the brand ‘Last Object’ claim to be the first to create reusable cotton buds. At an RRP of £12, they are expensive, but repeatedly purchasing cotton buds at £2 a pack would cost in the long term! Their reusable make-up remover pads are also a great idea that has been replicated by many other brands. Even simple beauty products such as tissues can be made more sustainable; going back to ‘hankies’, or washable tissues is a great alternative. Minimal waste make-up brands are also on the up. The brand ‘Axiology’ has created the world’s first zerowaste lip crayons, which are also vegan and palm oil-free! In hindsight, when it comes to all of these throw-away alternatives to otherwise sustainable beauty products, capitalism is the problem. The beauty industry has
made billions off people thinking it is “better” to buy and throw away products like tissues and cotton pads, rather than wash and reuse. I’m not saying go and throw away all your existing make-up and beauty products, replacing them with sustainable alternatives. But next time you run out of your favourite product, why not try shopping for a plastic free, or waterless alternative?
Image: Instagram @plasticfreeamsterdam
Fashion sustainability in 2022 Ukraine & the fashion industry
Scarlett Welch
What progress do we expect to see in the sustainability sector this year?
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n the last few years, sustainability has become a huge topic in the fashion industry. From the dreadful working conditions and low wages of the people making our clothes, to the huge levels of CO2 emissions caused by clothes production, the fashion industry certainly has a lot to answer for. But what has really been done to improve this? What goals have been set out for the year ahead, and most importantly how will they be met? The fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, producing 2.1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. At COP26 in November 2021, the UN Fashion Charter made certain promises in the aim of reducing this, with the focus shifting to also include sustainable and fairer working conditions for those in the industry.
Within the next year, we should be seeing plans of action from big fashion brands.
As a result of COP-26, the UN Fashion Charter has pledged to make companies set science-based targets to halve their emissions by 2030, giving these brands 12 months to specify how they are going to do this. This indicates that within the next year, we should be seeing plans of action from big fashion brands. Certain brands are also calling for governments to enforce trade policies which encourage the use of more environmentally-friendly materials. Currently, it is often far less cost effective for brands to use more sustainable materials, such as organic cotton. This means that many brands, particularly those which provide cheaper clothing options, tend to choose less sustainable options in materials. The Textile Exchange Group has been
established to convince governments to change this. COP-26 highlighted the importance of improving working conditions in the fashion industry. The fact that workers are paid such low wages gives companies the option to mass-produce cheap clothing at a low cost to themselves. This in turn means that clothes are a lot cheaper at a consumer level, allowing people to buy far more items at once, leading to the well-known fast fashion problem where these items are discarded as quickly as they are purchased. For a long time, we as consumers have been discouraged from buying from fast fashion brands. However, for some people these are the only options and this is a classic case of blaming the consumer for a problem being caused on an industrial level. A focus of COP-26 and a goal heading into 2022 is improving working conditions and raising wages in an attempt to reduce this problem. However, no concrete promises have been made so far. A huge focus-point of sustainability in fashion is reducing the use of fossil fuels. Several pledges were made relating to this, however there was a concerning change in wording in the UN’s final agreement. Largely pushed by India and China, two of the most prominent nations in fashion production, the phrase ‘phasing out fossil fuels’ was changed to ‘phasing down’.
The majority of the population is keen to make fashion more sustainable as we head into 2022. It is clear that the vast majority of the population is keen to make fashion more sustainable as we head into 2022. Pledges have certainly been made to support this, yet it seems as though governments and companies are still not willing to make the drastic changes required. So, will fashion become more sustainable this year? Only time will tell.
Heather Adams
How are key fashion brands showing solidarity against Russia?
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he Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24th February 2022 and has escalated rapidly in these short weeks. Countries and industries all over the world responded swiftly to this crisis with the UK imposing sanctions on 386 Russian politicians who backed Putin’s invasion and companies such as Coca-Cola, Starbucks and McDonald’s have halted Russian sales. The fashion industry is no different. Luxury fashion brands such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci have ceased trading in Russia after Vogue Ukraine called on the fashion industry to place embargoes on exporting their goods to Russia. LVMH, the owner of Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, has announced that it would close all its 124 Russian stores, and (on 2nd March), shared a statement that it would donate €5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Meanwhile, French company Kering, the owner of such brands as Gucci and Balenciaga said that it would make a ‘significant donation’ to the United Nations Refugees Agency (UNHCR) to help Ukrainian refugees. Additionally, Gucci has made its own individual donation of $500,000 to UNHCR, and Balenciaga has donated an undisclosed sum to the World Food Programme. Concurrently, high street brands have also acted against Russia.
On 2nd March ASOS halted its operations in Ukraine as well as Russia and, on the following day, H&M Group suspended sales in Russia amid the ongoing conflict. Inditex, Zara’s parent company, released a statement on 5th March, which said, “In the current circumstances Inditex cannot guarantee the continuity of the operations and commercial conditions in the Russian Federation and temporarily suspends its activity.” Inditex will, consequently, close its 502 stores in Russia and cease its online sales in the country. Despite its continuing support, the fashion industry has faced backlash for hosting its exclusive and highprofile fashion week events throughout Europe as it makes the world’s elite seem out of touch with reality. Much of the initial response also took place online, with many brands simply posting on Instagram to raise awareness for the issue and has resulted in many unimpressed social media users urging for more to be done. It does however seem as though the industry is listening, as Russia is increasingly facing punishments.
Image: Instagram @voguemagazine
THE
COURIER
Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Alice Holmes & Lenka Minarovicova
Easter Island and the Easter holiday... Elžbieta Voverytė
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he most remote inhabited place in the world yet easily recognized by anyone is Easter Island. The island with an area of Newcastle city is located in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean and belongs to Chile. While the name associates directly with the upcoming holiday, it’s nothing more than a sheer coincidence – the island was discovered by Dutch traveller on the 5th of April in 1772, and the date happened to fall on Easter Sunday. Besides the well-known name, the island is called by at least 4 others, one of which is Rapa Nui. That is the original name that indigenous people of the Easter Island still call it today. Although the island mainly functions on tourism, there are around 8,000 permanent residents on the island. Keep in mind, getting to and from the Easter Island is not that easy, which makes the number of residents even more impressive. The only way to travel to see the monumental statues of the Easter Island is by flying, though it is quite of a journey. Alongside of your initial departure place, you must take a 5-hour flight from Santiago de Chile or 7-hour flight from Tahiti in French Polynesia. While all of this might seem like a lot of effort, it is worth the trip. Not only will you get to see the
You should try to avoid the usual Easter month, April, if you don't want to get caught in rainfall that drags on for days
iconic moai (statue in native Rapa Nui language) carvings, but you will get a lot of time to rest and have a quiet week or so. The island has very little if any cell phone reception, not to mention internet connection. Therefore, you will certainly have a blast immersing yourself in local culture and stepping away from your daily routines. Since the most popular pictures from the Easter Island are of the semi-circle of the monolithic stone statues, not everyone knows that there’re nearly 900 of them around the island. Additionally, the famous pictures have created an illusion that when visiting you can only see the ‘heads’ of the giant carvings when all of them are full body statues that were submerged in 2012. The temperature in the island is quite consistent throughout the year, although, ironically, you should try to avoid the usual Easter month, April, if you don’t want to get caught in rainfall that drags on for days.
Travel
Interview: Robert Lundgren Jones from Lundgren Tours
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Lenka Minarovicova - Travel sub-editor fter a captivating GIAG trip operated through Lundgren Tours, I got really interested to hear the story of this business, so it was an honour to interview the founder, tour operator and guide Robert Lundgren Jones. Lundgren Tours is a company based in the northeast of England providing among other things, guided tours to North-East England and Scotland targeting mostly (international) university students, though, in my humble opinion, anyone can enjoy.
What exactly is your job? On the actual trips, I am the tour guide. I dress up as a variety of costumes, as my cupboard could show you, to try and bring history to life. We try and do a few activities as well. To give you an example, our Harry Potter trip and a castle, we always provide a character service, we do karaoke, and as we’re approaching the filming location for Hogwarts, the castle, we play the Harry Potter theme tune. I then provide a Harry Potter and history theme tour of the castle; we show all the filming location and then we do a broomstick training. We go inside the state rooms of the castle, which people still live in today. It’s the second largest inhabited castle in the UK, second only to Windsor. People also get to cast spells and get cool videos and then we go to taste free samples of locally brewed potions, erhm, alcohol. And then we go to the tree house and so on… so very much packaged day of immersive experiences and to give you as much value as possible.
How did it all start?
Image: Source: Thomas Griggs on Unsplash
TV series that inspired travel around the UK Emily Kelso - Comment sub-editor
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he 1995 TV serial adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is one of the most famous, not just for Colin Firth’s Darcy but also the awe-inspiring filming locations from across the UK. These locations are not just worthy of travelling to if you want your own Lizzie Bennet moment, but they also are fascinating in their own right. TV shows like this are a testament to how much there is to explore on our own doorstep if we just take the time to look. Lyme Park is an estate in Cheshire that acted as the outside of Pemberley, and it’s easy to see why. Lyme Park is home to 1400 acres of formal gardens and woodland to explore, making
it easy to get away from the crowds and spend the day in solitude. The house itself is similarly magnificent, with a history spanning six centuries that now entrances visitors with priceless books, ghosts and of course secret passages. What’s not to love? My only word of warning would be that the staff will not take kindly to any visitors attempting to push their significant others into the pond, in order to recreate a certain scene… Belton House in Lincolnshire meanwhile was the setting of the Rosings Estate, the home of Lady Catherine DeBourg. Often called the perfect country house estate, Belton is surrounded by 1300 acres of woodland bursting to the brim with wildlife. For those wishing to go inside and pretend Mr Darcy is just a room away, the house is full of exquisite collections. From sets of porcelain to a lapis lazuli cabinet, it is clear Belton House is indeed an abode fit for a prima donna aunt. Don’t go wandering trying to find the home of Mr Collins, however, as his house is a 6 hour walk away! Image: Source IMDb
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So, I never dreamed of being a tour guide. For my A-levels, I did Maths, Physics and Economics and very much went down that traditional career path. And at the end of school, I realised I don’t want to do career in any of these subjects (laughter). I liked Physics, I have a deep passion for astronomy and cosmology, space… but I thought it would be quite hard to get a job at NASA. And so, you know, that left me where it leaves a lot of people. I’ve chosen these subjects just because I have this expectation that if I did academic subjects I do well in life. But in reality, all I wanted to do is to do something that allowed me to stay up in the North of England, which I'm very passionate about, doing something that I enjoy. So all that, and the fact my dad set up his own business and I saw how much happy he was, to be honest. And I wanted that for myself. So I found a very practical degree at the university, an entrepreneurial course that allowed you set up your own business and you’d relate all of your assignments to it, which was great because it was basically a testing ground of doing business. Then, my mom and I talked about what I can do, we said maybe tourism which very much fits in keeping me in the North-East because it’s a big industry here, and talking to people which is what I enjoy. And then there was an opportunity in 2016. I set up my business and did then twice a week in August I did a coach tour around the area for a big agency. I really enjoyed and clearly, I
Image: SourceLund-
wasn’t that bad, so in my second year, I came back to what I knew – students, because if we’re going to do coach trips, it needs to be targeted groups. So relating back to the passion I had for Astronomy, I approached a Physics society and asked if they wanted to go stargazing at the Kielder Observatory and it was a hit, fully booked. In my final year, the one thing that really pushed me to continue in the business, other than the fact that I really enjoyed it, was how much agony my friends were going through applying for jobs and how awful the experience him to be (laughter), so that really motivated me.
What's your favourite part of being a tour guide? A tour guide specifically? Because my favourite part of my business is actually developing partnerships. It’s really exciting when a new partner comes into play or when a partner you’ve been working with for a while proposes something new. For instance, NUSU, which is probably one of our best clients, promote all of our trips, but they also now provide a mini bus trips with me around Northumberland, which was their idea that I love, because it’s Northumberland. Obviously, I do enjoy the trips, some more than others. I’m more of a nature person than the city person, so I tend to enjoy the ones in Northumberland over for instance York or Manchester. Though I do love Edinburgh, but everybody loves Edinburgh (laughter). People ask me all the time “Do you not get bored doing the same tours?” and the answer I always give is: “No tour is the same because the people are always different.” It’s not just me talking and giving them the tour content, it’s all the interactions outside of that as well. And obviously, I am an entertainer, I’m a show off, so I enjoy being in the spotlight, I can’t deny that (laughter).
What is your favourite place? For me, it’s usually based on memories and attachment, for instance, my favourite beach is called Howick Beach and it’s very hard to get to. It’s very secluded and not touristy at all. It’s actually a quite small beach but ever since a child, I’ve absolutely loved to climb, and it’s got lots of cliffs and caves to explore. It’s also got breath-taking views of the coastline. It’s called Howick but until the age of 11, I used to think it was called Robert’s beach because as a child, I loved it so much my family would call it that. In terms of trips, Holy Island is my favourite place. I don’t know why, but I get this special feeling whenever I’m there. It just feels unique to me, I suppose.
What is your favourite memory for the trips? Can I even answer that… I mean, when a trip goes perfectly, no issues, the weather’s amazing, that’s just an incredible feeling. And when students genuinely come up to you and really tell you how much they’ve enjoyed the trip, but a specific one… Last year, at the beginning of October, I think, we did the Holy Island and Bamburgh trip. This trip was particularly special because the weather was amazing to start with and all the students were really enthusiastic. And it makes a difference, you know, when they’re all engaging and interacting. I feel like that’s rare now because since the pandemic people close themselves, they might not have even noticed, but I have… so, usually, when the weather’s good, we all go to the St Cuthbert’s Isle. This time, there’d a particularly low tide and a storm a week prior to this, and it somehow resulted in land being created. It was almost like a film, there is just this massive sand path that took you from the St Cuthbert’s Isle good 1000 metrer into the sea. It was an insane feeling to describe. And at the time, there were lots of seals swimming around and you could get really close up to them. It was something that was so unexpected that’d happened that made the trip extra special. Many thanks to Robert for finding some time for our chat. If you are interested in going on a trip with Lundgren Tours, have a look at their website or Instagram @ lundgrentours.
THE
COURIER
Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Scarlett Welch & Marcel Shamshoum
Food & Drink
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Recipe of 2 delights, 1 nightmare: the best the week: and worst of TikTok food trends Goan fish A review of the best and worst food trends to grace the platform of TikTok curry Emily Kelso - Comment sub-editor
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Hannah Ross
great batch meal to make up portions to save for later...or cook for your friends! There is freedom to mess about with the spice and cut out some of the chillies if flaming hot isn't for you! Great served with rice and/or a naan! Prep-time: 10 minutes Cook-time: 30-35 minutes Ingredients (serves 4) - 1 tsp turmeric - ½ tsp salt - 2 tsp plain flour - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 175g fish (cod or haddock recommended but I like to use salmon sometimes to change it up!) - 1 tsp cumin - 1tsp black pepper - 2 cloves of garlic – finely chopped - 2 tsp ginger - 1 red chilli pepper – seeded and finely chopped - 1 onion – chopped - 3 green chilli peppers - sliced - 400g tinned tomatoes - 2 tsp tomato puree - 400ml coconut milk Method 1. Combine turmeric, salt, and flour. Sprinkle fish with lemon juice then rub (or sprinkle if you'd rather not get too dirty!) the turmeric mix over the fish to coat it. 2. Combine the cumin, ginger, coriander and black pepper with the chopped garlic and red chilli. Set the spice mix to the side. 3. Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the fish on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side to brown them. Remove and set to the side. 4. Top up the oil and fry the onions 5-6 minutes to soften but not brown. Add the green chillies and cook for 1-2 minutes. 5. Add the spice mix, tinned tomatoes and tomato puree and fry for 1 minute. 6. Add the coconut milk and stir until fully incorporated, then bring it to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. I sometimes like to leave it a little longer if it hasn't thickened up too much by this point. Add the fish and break it up a little in the pan and simmer for another 6-8 minutes. And Serve! 7. Serve! This recipe also works well with chicken, in which case do not remove from the pan like the fish but keep it cooking throughout to ensure it is cooked through!
Image: Instagram (@flavours_onmairasplate)
in duck fat/salt and then layering the potatoes into a bread tin. Once cooked for 3 hours and sliced,
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will start this article with a disclamer – I do not have a TikTok account nor the app In spite of this, TikTok trends have managed to invade almost every facet of life I hold dear such as music: the UK’s entry for Eurovision, I have been informed, is prominent on the platform. TikTok food trends have even appeared on YouTube, being reviewed by channels such as Sorted Food. It is here where I have learnt which TikTok food trends are the cream of the crop and which need to be dropped. Let’s start with a classic: potato. How can one improve the humble potato? PoppyCooks’ 15 Hour Potatoes might be the answer. Her recipe includes thinly slicing potatoes, smothering them
Image: Pixabay @Sayyid69
the potatoes are then fried and ready for eating. It might involve more time and preparation but there is no doubt the results pay off. The use of Duck Fat may seemingly exclude vegetarians, but I anticipate soaking the potatoes in vegetable stock would work too. Chocolate bombs are intended to be a level up in hot chocolate making and honestly, I agree. They consist of hollow globes of tempered chocolate filled with drinking chocolate and marshmallow, which when complete are added to milk. It is easy to adapt this recipe and experiment with fillings: why not swap out marshmallows for cubes of fudge? The possibilities are endless! Truly the worst TikTok trend has to be the Sprite Pie. The recipe is as follows: place pastry into pie tin; add Sprite; sprinkle even more sugar; add flour; grate butter on top; place into oven and pray for a miracle. How on God’s green Earth does anybody expect this liquid monstrosity to magically turn into a proper pie?! It truly has the soggiest of bottoms and quite frankly it is a waste of both Sprite and time.
Easter food traditions from around the world Maja Mazur - Arts sub-editor Katie Siddall - Sports sub-editor Marcel Shamshoum - Food & drink sub-editor
Easter; basically the spring version of christmas, where food is everything. Join us as we explore the world through some Easter food delights! !
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Easter foods - Poland hile traditional Polish Easter food is not as characteristic as Christmas dishes, it is still distinctive and, obviously, delicious. It is also deeply rooted in Christian heritage. On Holy Saturday Polish people go to the church to have their food basket blessed. Among others, you can typically find there an egg, the symbol of a new beginning/life, bread, the symbol of Christ and salt, the symbol of truth. I know that it doesn’t sound particularly exciting but I promise it gets better on Easter Sunday. On Sunday we have a festive breakfast followed by sharing an egg within the family members (it sounds weird and it actually is weird). As a vegetarian, I’m not very enthusiastic about sausages nor salad with salmon but stuffed eggs my grandma makes compensate me for the meaty struggles. Taking the insides of a hard-boiled egg and mixing them with spices and mayo just to stuff them again inside the shell might sound controversial but believe me, it tastes amazing. My second favourite type of Easter food is, what a surprise, cakes. We have two main types: bundt cake and “mazurek”. We usually have the classical, simple version of the first one but it can have various flavours, from chocolate and pistachio to lemon. It’s puffy and not too sweet, perfect for a coffee break. I’m not too sure how to describe “mazurek” because it comes in every shape and form. Basically, it’s a bit similar to millionaire shortbread but shorter and often contains nuts. My favourite version is with chocolate, fudge and plums. It is a pain to make but since I’m staying here over Easter, I’m tempted to bring it to my English kitchen.
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Easter foods - England
ow this may not be a tradition that all of England knows about, why it might even be something that only my family does... but it's our tradition and I would never not do
it. So what is this tradition? We roll our chocolate eggs. I don't know what you'll first thing of when reading that sentence but let me explain! Upon eating a chocolate egg (the actual Easter eggs, not like a Cadbury's Creme Egg) we roll our eggs, in their wrappings, on the floor. Whilst the egg rolls we make a wish - it can be anything. This happens with all our Easter eggs - it isn't just a select one. When I was younger I used to wish my syrian hamster, Daisy, would live forever - as eight year olds do. Only if that wish actually worked! My parents always have the same wish too but I shan't tell you that. The rule, like when making any wish, is that you cannot tell your wish. If you tell your wish then it will simply not come true. Wishes can be made when someone sees a shooting star, when someone blows an eyelash off their finger or when someone blows dandelion seeds off the stem but, for my family, we make our wishes by rolling our Easter eggs.
salted cod otherwise known as bacalao, it also incorporates some of Ecuador’s best produce like beans, chochos, corn and peas to make a fragrant, wholesome soup fit for any celebration. What is Easter without candy? That is why we head to Brazil to explore the renowned Brazilian Peanut Candy Paçoca. Popular in the southeast of Brazil, these treats are made from the humblest ingredient you can find, peanuts, sugar and salt; stick them in a food processor, and blend until it they form a crumbly texture, easy and delicious! Speaking of delicious sweets, in Argentina Rosca De Pascua is always a crowd pleaser, roughly translated to Easter ring, it is a brioche like bread decorated with various toppings like pastry cream, fruits and nuts or simply eat it plain. Central and south America have one of the best cultures in the world, while they might seem very similar, each country stands unique on its own. If I were to write on each and every one of them I’ll probably need the whole newspaper to do so, that’s why I’ve only scratched the surface of this amazing culture in the hopes of giving it the praise it deserves.
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Easter foods - Latin America or this bit we ago across the pond to savor our mind, eyes and pallet to the wonders of Latin America. A region often underrated when it comes to food and drink, and personally I think it has so much more to offer than tacos. You’d assume that Easter time in that part of the world would be a big deal for locals, and you’d be right given that 90% of the people are Christians, and about 69% of them identify as roman Catholics. That being said Easter traditions start 40 days before Easter, beginning at lent. During lent many Christians refrain from eating meat, that is why most dishes surrounding this time of year are often meat-free. In Ecuador for example, a famous soup called Fanesca is consumed during lent. The main ingredient of this soup is
Image: Instagram (@ @mojewypieki)
Sub-editors: Oren Brown, Lucy Bower & Rowan Christina Driver
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Monday 21st March 2022
Music
Hit to the Head Franz Ferdinand
Annabel Hogg - Relationships Sub-editor
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ince its launch in 2008, Spotify has done notorious damage to the music industry. From artist compensation to Joe Rogan’s podcast controversy, the streaming service has gained widespread criticism in the last few years. Topping Spotify’s list of victims is none other than the artist’s craft: the physical album. It is a well-known fact that albums are created to tell a story, to show a journey. They are made with the intention to be listened to in the order that they appear on the track list. Thanks to streaming services and the popularised shuffle button, the album died a sad death during much of the 2010s. It was rare to see people listening to an album from start to finish, let alone owning a physical copy of it.
A sort of storybook of the progression of Franz Ferdinand You could not have a 'best of Franz Ferdinand' album without Take Me Out. Hence, it was a great choice to put in second place. At the time, the band battle claims that it was 'one-hit wonder', something they wanted to discourage as it could take recognition away from the rest of their music. That being said, it is the one that everybody knows and would turn up the radio for. It is a shame that other singles like Do You Want To and No You Girls did not gain the same success, however they have still been popular and gained a place on the album. The album finishes with one of the band's new singles Billy Goodbye. Franz Ferdinand have given no suggestion that this will be their last album, however this song feels like a proper goodbye, remembering the good times but that 'maybe it's time to go (oh, oh, oh)'. Perhaps Franz Ferdinand have had their day and a compilation album with a couple of new tunes is the best way for them to go, remembering the best bits. This followed by a tour seems like a safe way out, but if nothing else, Billy Goodbye acts as a good novelistic epilogue for their album.
Perhaps Franz Ferdinand have had their day
COURIER
Is the physical album a dying artefact?
Hannah Ross
repare for a nostalgia trip as Franz Ferdinand release some of their greatest hits all in one album. Usually, I question the use of compilation albums as they can seem like a bit of a money grabber when very little new content is added. However, in this case I am willing to forego some such qualms as lead singer Alex Kapranos explains how he always wanted to make a 'best of ' album saying 'they were such a big part of my life growing up'. The album begins with their first ever single from 2003 Darts of Pleasure. I feel like this transforms the album into a sort of storybook of the progression of Franz Ferdinand, showing where they began and setting the neo-indie rock base that the rest of their music follows. Whilst a lot of their songs use a similar musicality, Franz Ferdinand have always been unique from the rest of the crowd, and it seems to be the attitude for them that if it ain't broke don’t fix it. Therefore, much of the album is rather one-dimensional, though that does not mean that the songs were not enjoyable to listen to!
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The more something is popularised, the more the price increases
parents, they actually wince at the price of albums that they ‘could have once given [me] for free!’. So, though the physical album has been making a comeback over recent years, it’s so inaccessible that it’s understandable why many of us still turn to streaming services. The vinyl makes a comeback, but (quite literally) at what cost?
Vinyl sales were up by 8% in 2021 However, like most things in life, the physical album appears to be making a resurgence. This seems to be particularly in the form of the vinyl, which you cannot walk into a single Urban Outfitters without seeing. In fact, it’s reported that vinyl sales were up by 8% in 2021, the 14th consecutive year in which sales have increased. True, it seems as though the rebirth of the vinyl is led entirely by aesthetic culture, but it’s still comforting to know that music is being appreciated in the way in which it's intended to be. Sadly, I don’t think the same can be said for the CD. True, my best friend owns the entire collection of Taylor Swift CDs, but I think she’s the odd one out. I have a lot of friends who’s lives genuinely revolve around music, yet they don’t own a single CD. So, it seems we do have record players to thank for the reawakening of the physical album. This come-back, however, comes with a downside. Like everything, the more something is popularised, the more the price increases. So much so that whenever I go record shopping with my
Credit: Kacper Bach
NME Awards Summary
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Betsy Cleaver
osted at the O2 Academy in Brixton, the NME Awards make the Grammys and the Brits look boring. Only there can you see Sam Fender (who had a great night, winning two of the six awards he was nominated for) dance with TikTok’s train enthusiast Francis Bourgeois and watch Dick and Dom start off their iconic “Bogies” chant in a room full of music’s A Listers. Performances included Sam Fender, The Cure’s Robert Smith and CHVRCHES performing together for the first time and Griff and Sigrid debuting their newest single “Head On Fire”. The event was politically charged, with villain of the year being won by none other than Jacob Rees Mogg. There were also urges to vote Boris Johnson out and many a “fuck the Tories” shout from artists and audience alike. Bring Me The Horizon also featured the Ukraine flag on their drum kit. Described by Taylor Swift herself as “the craziest awards show [she’s] ever been to”, here’s the rundown of the most important, iconic finger raised trophies that were handed out. The Godlike Genius Award was won by FKA Twigs, the youngest ever recipient of the award. Halsey collected the Innovation Award whilst the Radar Award (for new talent of the generation) was given to singer-songwriter Griff. Nenah Cherry was presented with the prestigious Icon Award by none other than her daughter, Mable. Newcastle’s finest Sam Fender beat the likes of Wolf Alice, Lana Del Rey and Tyler the Creator for Best Album Credit: Twitter @NME in the World with
“Seventeen Going Under”, as well as winning Best Album from a UK artist. Best Song in the World was won by Lorde, with “Solar Power”. Others nominated in this category included Olivia Rodrigo (who won Best New Act in the World) and BTS. More deserving women were celebrated, with Holly Humberstone’s “The Walls Are Way Too Thin” EP winning best Mixtape/EP, Little Simz winning best UK solo Act and Wolf Alice winning best Festival headliner. On the topic of festivals, the best UK Festival was won by Reading and Leeds (are you team Reading or Team Leeds?). Music Moment of the Year was awarded to Liam Gallagher and his free concert for NHS workers. Love him or hate him, he dedicated the award to the invaluable workers of the NHS. Best Band in the World was awarded to Dublin post-punk band Fontaines DC, Best UK Band to Bring Me The Horizon and Best Solo Act to Burna Boy (who topped the category containing the likes of The Weeknd, Billie Elish and Sam Fender). Taylor’s Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) got the recognition it deserved with the best Reissue Award, proving her eternal relevance to the music industry, as did Jack Antanoff, who won the The Best Songwriter Award. Being the front man of Indie Pop band Bleachers a n d behind almost
every alternative female singer songwriter in the game at the moment (think Lana Del Rey, Lorde, St Vincent and Taylor Swift), it's hard to dispute this one. Finally, best live act was won by Rina Sawayama, while CHVRCHES picked up Best Song by A UK Artists for “How Not To Drown”. Agree or disagree with the results, the NME Awards celebrated a diverse, talented line up and proved how lucky we are to be living in such a n exciting
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Oren Brown, Lucy Bower & Rowan Christina Driver
Music
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Interview with Big Neil Anderson Muslin Taseer - Deputy Editor Maud Webster - Head of Culture Peter Bath - Head of Sport
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ig Neil Anderson is the musical alias of Tom Leach, a Newcastle University student who has worked on their ambient and electronic music over the past few years. We catch up with Big Neil following the launch of their first album, BNA.
My creative process is basically make something
And, the readers want to know, where does the alias Big Neil Anderson come from? I'll give you the real story, I don't have a funny one made up. I just changed my name to Neil
Anderson on Twitter, as like, a laugh. Thought it was funny for some reason. The 'Big' got tacked on later and then it kind of spiraled. Neil Anderson in my head is a sort of middle class, middle aged, British bloke, drinks Peroni, in a sort of not weird, not loveless marriage, but close. It was just a name. I never intended it to be the face of my music, but when I decided to upload something, Tom Leach just didn't feel special enough. Nobody's going to
ask, "who is Tom Leach?"
What's your favourite track on it? Probably H Plus - it was the second to last one I completed and I really like how the kick sounds on that. But really, I like them all. That's why they're on there. It's very similar to some of your earlier work? Yeah, but with a kick. Would you say most of your influences come from, say, 'conventional' music? Great question. I guess electronic music. I only relatively recently started getting into electronic music, I was always more of a rock guy. And my interest in electronic music sort of coincided with starting to make it. As far as influences go, I suppose just whatever I'm listening to at the moment. I guess I like nineties sort of British hardcore rave, it's fun and I think a lot of dance music is way too serious. Especially in Germany where I'm living, it's really dark and brooding.
When you were first interested in making music, what was it that first sparked interest? Really, I got into playing and making music before I started listening to it. In year three I started playing trumpet - me and my brother took lessons together - and my music teacher got us to join his brass band.
Neil Anderson in my head is a sort of middle class, middle aged British bloke
Do you feel there's a brass influence in your ambient music today? Would you ever whip out a trumpet? Ooooh, I don't know, I like brass sounds but the nature of the music I'm making... synthesised brass sounds like shit most of the time. So no. Do you feel maybe there's a connection between oom-pah music and house music? Like polka? I mean they're both dance music. You could draw comparison between polka Tuba basslines and disco basslines, there's a lot of that [makes noises].
Would you say there's any kind of artists you listen to and you go, that's the kind of stuff I want to make? I suppose in terms specific influences, Four Tet is kind of not too heavy, but still fun and rythmic. Brian Eno of course. For the ambience.
So, you've recently released what I suppose is your 'debut' album, BNA, can you tell us about that and what's inspired it? Yeah, I'm sort of reluctant to treat it as an album because there wasn't a concept behind it, it was more I wanted to put something out. My creative process is basically make something, if I like it enough I'll upload it somewhere, and I ended up with enough tracks to put something out. But there's no concept.
Does your music sort of span from sort of ambient stuff to techno stuff to drum and bass, do you design your music to be sort of danceable? Will we one day be dancing to it in a nightclub in Berlin? No, I guess, I don't think it's club ready music. It's not sort of heavy. I guess it's like pop music in a dance style - if that doesn't sound too pretentious.
Credit: Facebook
Introduction to a Venue: Bobiks Kate Daisy Harrison
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ocated in a 150-year-old disused ballroom, this quirky music venue is the perfect place for a nightout! The Punchbowl Hotel is just a 20-minute walk from Newcastle University campus and can be found on Jesmond Road. Opened in 2019, Bobiks has transformed the first floor of the Punchbowl Hotel into a live music hotspot for the latest artists to play. It offers a wide selection of drinks, including local and specialist beer, and is extremely dog friendly, so it’s a great place to relax before heading upstairs to enjoy some music. Bobiks brings a particular spotlight onto upcoming North-East stars, but artists from all over the world have performed there. With capacity for only 60 people, the gigs have an intimacy to them, which makes it clear to see why the venue has become so popular with locals! Not only does it offer live music, but you can also attend a vast range of events, including quiz nights, comedy acts, and cinema. The calendar is regularly updated, with events occurring several times per week, so you’re guaranteed to find something to keep you entertained! A range of artists and acts are available to view – here’s some of what’s on offer over the Spring Break: 26th March, Negul Nehsai – a local alternative band, performing their latest album ‘Inside Divine
Circles’ in its entirety. 5th April, one for all the Potterheads – Harry Potter Quiz. 9th April, Sarah Johnsone – this rising NorthEast artist will be performing her latest single ‘don’t wanna be your girl’ accompanied by her band and support act. 23rd April, Sebastenelli – this hip-hop, rap group are bound to leave you feeling hyped! 28th April, Felt Tips – a comedy and new material show, featuring at least 8 acts, which is guaranteed to provide some light-hearted entertainment. 29th April, Moon Wax – with a mixture of retro funk, soul, and jazz incorporated into their music, Moon Wax have released six successful singles since they first emerged in 2020.
Credit: Facebook
Bond: Songwriting, Influences and 'fuck-you' soul Rhys James Lillie Waine
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orn and raised in Bradford, Kate Bond’s debut single Beauty Sleep featured on BBC 1’s Best of 2021 Introducing show. She’s also been recognised for her “top tier” live lounge session of the track by BBC presenter Gemma Bradley. Bond attributes her musical influences to her parents, both of whom had their own musical interests. As a Jazz musician who taught her piano, her father helped to establish Bond’s recognisable tone, and married with her mother’s feminist punk ideals steered the artist to her self-described “fuck-you soul” sound. As a feminist, these values are evident within her own discography. Her number one streamed song Beauty Sleep, with almost 11,000 streams on Spotify, details the warped perceptions men have regarding casual sex with women. Following a break-up with her long term partner, Bond experienced first hand the double standards within hook-up culture. The lyric “Check your audacity before you come for me” illustrates this sentiment assertively. Having taught herself the electric guitar over lockdown (which she bought with her student loan), the Newcastle based Bond is continuing work with the BBC, whilst playing gigs around the city in which she attended university. As a rising musician, we asked her thoughts on the evolving methods of promotion within the music industry. She noted how the rising popularity of social media platforms, especially TikTok, have made it easier to
gain overnight fame without longevity, a path the artist does not wish to take herself. Bond reflects on her own desire for overnight gratification, before realising this was unsustainable; “it’s hard to maintain an audience” she concludes. Since the release of Thinking of You in January of this year,, the upcoming artist has plans to release an EP by the summer of this year. An album is also in the works, however Bond is in no hurry to rush this process. The cost of producing an album including promotion, distribution and videography, amongst other factors, complicates matters. Nevertheless, Bond is not willing to compromise the quality of her work as “for people to invest in you, you must prove you will invest in yourself ”. Kate Bond performs live at Blues and Bourbon on Nelson street every Sunday from 8pm. Her music is available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify and A p p l e Music.
Credit: Facebook
Sub-editors: Carly Horne, Rachael McCreanor & Rebecca Sykes
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Monday 21st March 2022
TV
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A look at some of TV's strongest women Rebecca Sykes -TV sub-edior
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V blesses us with a range of different characters. Sometimes, though, there’s a lot of stock characters, especially for women. There’s the love interest, best friend, mother, the ‘strong female character’, and the warrior. Often, these can fall into being flat; we may know nothing about the love interest’s ambitions and the ‘strong female character’ may have no female friends. So, in honour of the recent International Women’s Day 2022, here’s some female characters that deserve some more love! Heather (Vella Lovell) from Crazy ExGirlfriend (2015-19). Heather is Rebecca's (Rachael Bloom) best friend in the musical/dark comedy series. Rather than a typical ‘best friend’ arc, Heather has her own life whilst being a supporting friend. Her wit and sarcasm contrasts well with
her being a genuinely good person and friend that you wish her the best. She’s an absolute scene stealer as a character who is very unexpected in a musical!
The acting and lyrics so clearly encapsulate Heather! She begins as our protagonist’s neighbour and lives with her parents, before moving in with Rebecca, whilst taking every class possible at community college in an attempt not to graduate. (Relatable, right? Graduating and change is nerve-wracking!) As the seasons progress, she eventually graduates, which leads us into an hilarious song called ‘The Moment Is Me’. It’s already surprising for the character to sing a solo but hearing a dejected Heather reluctantly sing the most inspirational musical theatre ballad
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ever produced is just perfect. Please listen to her songs- the acting and lyrics so clearly encapsulate Heather! Donna from Doctor Who (2005-) Doctor Who has treated its’ female characters brilliantly over the years; they’re independent with their own lives. Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) as a stand-out. Donna and the Doctor (David Tenant) had fantastic platonic chemistry. Partners in Crime opens Season 4 of Doctor Who with the perfect mix of quips between the Doctor and Donna and essential teamwork. It leaves the audience awaiting more adventures and Donna denying any relationship between the two as she exclaims “Well, you’re not mating with me, sunshine!” to a very perplexed Doctor. Grace & Frankie (2015-2022) The beautiful and chaotic friendship between Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) drives the show and keeps me rewatching! Grace and Frankie begin at dinner with their husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterson), breaking the news that they are gay and in love with each other. It’s a reveal that shocks
the 70-year-olds and brings them together! So, with everything changing they end up living
They form a gorgeous friendship that we would all be honoured to have in our later lives together, despite having never gotten along in many decades. Why would they get on? Grace is strict, the founder of Say Grace cosmetics company, quite cold and an independent character rarely seen without a martini. Frankie is freespirited, often smokes drugs, a people-person, disorganised and an independent character who loves to eat at Del Taco. Yet, they form a gorgeous friendship that we would all be honoured to have in our later lives.
Fresh Meat: An accurate portrayal of unive Ruby Taylor - Arts sub-edior
Ten years since its initial release, does Fresh Meat still speak to the student experience?
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t’s been just over ten years since Fresh Meat, a show about a group of freshers in a shared house, first hit our screens. My question is, how accurate are the char ac ters' experiences to students today?
The show follows six students in their first year at the fictional Manchester Medlock University, who didn’t get into halls and are put in a student house together off-campus.
Everyone at university has met someone they could compare to one of the characters Not only does the questionably habitable house with a “glory hole” between two of the rooms accurately represent dubious student living conditions, but surely everyone at university has met someone they could closely compare to one the characters on Fresh Meat. Perhaps the most outlandish yet surprisingly sympathetic character is JP (Jack Whitehall). He
is extremely privileged, constantly shocking his housemates with the extent of his wealth and entitlement - something we have all encountered at university. However, very early on in the show something tragic happens in JP’s life that causes you to reframe his character. Not much better than JP is Oregon (Charlotte Ritchie). She’s middle class and owns a horse, but tries to hide it from the rest of the house with her bohemian appearance. One of the ways she attempts to hide her background is by trying to emulate her best friend and fellow housemate, Vod. Vod (Zawe Ashton) is definitely the cool but scary housemate, with her antiestablishment outlook and leather jacket. She often looks to Oregon to help her with university work, as they both study English Literature. The power dynamic between the two is really interesting and really accurately written.
Vod’s character is also the only one in the house who has to work to afford university, and her frustration and struggle is something the s h o w brilliantly portrays. Geology s t u d e n t Kingsle y, awkwardly played
The power dynamic between the two characters is really interesting and accurately written
Why are TV reboots and spin-offs so popular? John Heycock
Over the years many shows have been revived and spin-offs created - but why are they so popular?
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hen TV companies are needing a new show, they seem to be increasingly turning to, well… old ideas. It is undeniably difficult to create new formats which audiences will enjoy and crucially keep watching. Every year, plenty of new shows will appear on our screens, only to never be seen again. Only a select few, usually tried and tested formats, stick around for each new cycle. If we take The Void, a brand new ITV show in 2020, for example: it was mediocre at best - trying to be both Total Wipeout and Ninja Warrior UK at the same time, it achieved neither. Failing to make a splash, viewers turned off and the show was cancelled after one series. Travel to the States however, and the Wipeout reboot I wrote about in October has made an impact, currently airing it's second series with high-profile star John Cena (Peacemaker) at the helm. Rebooting a successful show from the past or
creating a spin-off of a current show therefore may seem like a logical method to work around this problem. A show with a known brand and already boasting a captive audience is much more likely to get the reach required to succeed. More casual fans might also tune in for a dose of nostalgia or to see a new twist on something familiar. The return of an old show can often delight fanbases who've been waiting years for a new series of their favourite show. But bringing back
In 2005, Doctor Who was brought back for a new run which proved highly successful and continues to this day
a new show comes with a great deal of risk as it may not be perceived to have done justice to the original format, perhaps by changing too many aspects that made the show what it is, or bringing the show back unchanged whilst the industry has moved on. Get it right, however, and the rewards can be huge. Perhaps the most famous reboot of them all, Doctor Who, provides a shining example of a rebooted show finding its time and space. After
a long original run from 1963 to 1989, spanning 7 different doctors, the show was attempted to be revived in 1996 with the release of a movie. Whilst somewhat successful in the UK, it flopped in the US. In 2005 however, Doctor Who was brought back for a new run which proved highly successful and continues to this day. At the peak of its popularity, a rebooted Doctor Who launched spin-off shows Torchwood (2006-2011) and Sarah Jane Adventures (20072011). Both could target different audiences to each other and the main show, whilst also sharing many viewers with their original counterpart. The truth is, some juggernauts of shows are just too big to slay. Captive audiences take time to develop, and in a crammed market with ever-increasing production costs, sometimes an old friend is also your most reliable.
Image Credit: IMDb
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Rebecca Sykes, Rachael McCreanor & Carly Horne
TV
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Review: One of us is Lying has been adapted to our TV screens Scarlett Welch - Food and Drink sub-edior
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aving been a huge fan of the book, which came out in 2017, I was intrigued to see how the story would be reimagined in the Netflix adaptation. However, I was left slightly disappointed, for a number of reasons. I will preface this by saying that I had certain expectations as I was already familiar with the story, so some of my criticisms of the plot might not be shared by others who have only watched the series. Despite this, I would probably still not recommend watching it. One of Us Is Lying (2022) is a high-school drama / mystery, beginning with five characters being sent to detention together, with a Breakfast Club (1985) style array of personalities. However, this
is where the resemblance to the Breakfast Club ends, as one of these characters, Simon (Mark McKenna), dies during the detention. The death quickly becomes treated as suspicious, and the rest of the series follows Addy (Annalisa Cochrane), Bronwyn (Marianly Tejada), Cooper
(Chibuiken Uche) and Nate (Cooper van Grootel), who were in the detention with Simon, as they scramble to prove themselves innocent - despite all having a motive. The premise of this story is fantastic, and the book executes it perfectly. Yet the series felt extremely
lacking in terms of both substance and execution. The characters felt far more one-dimensional, with a lot of their original story-lines being watereddown or changed entirely. The acting felt insincere and cringe-worthy in places, which distracted from the tension of the plot. It was certainly not all bad. The series was fastpaced and easy to get invested in. I also appreciated how the Netflix adaptation raised real-life issues such as abortion, wealth disparity and toxic relationships. The biggest disappointment was the conclusion of the series. It has been left far more openended than the book, in order to allow the possibility of a second series, but in doing this they have sacrificed the crux of the plot. This meant that the shock ending achieved so well in the book fell a little flat in the series, as I personally didn’t feel it quite made sense. As I mentioned, this series may be far more enjoyable with no preconceived plot expectations. However, I still feel Image: Instgram @ that it was very evident that both the oneofusislyingpeaplot and the acting left something to be cock desired.
ersity life, or another glamourised drama? to work to afford university, and her frustration and struggle is something the show brilliantly portrays. Geology s t u d e n t K i n g s l e y, awkwardly played by Joe Thomas, can be recognised in a lot of university students. His dream is to make music, and he goes through phases of self-reinvention throughout the show to fit into this, such as making (frankly awful but hilarious) music, and growing a soul patch. I honestly find Kingsley one of the most loveable characters in the show, and really liked how the writers
I really liked how the writers explored the pressure to have sex at university
explored the pressure to have sex, and to have had it with lots of people, before you start at university. However, no one in the show is as awkward and lovely as Howard, played by Greg McHugh. No one in the house can figure out how long he has lived there and how old he is. He is extremely sweet, and very studious, and definitely one of the best
characters in the show. University is lacking in Howards!
It is great to see the friendships formed between these characters of all different backgrounds Finally, there is Josie, a dentistry student who shows the reality of how stressful and difficult university can be with her bumpy time in her course. She is one of the most sensible characters in the house, very sweet and kind, but can be extremely stubborn. She’s always the one who tries to bring everyone together, and I think it’s a lovely thing to know someone like Josie! The show has the perfect balance of critiquing these all too familiar characters, whilst always offering ways you can sympathize with them. It is lovely to see the friendships
formed between these characters in the show, and how they make a house full of people off all different backgrounds work (mostly).
Image Credit: IMDb
The most disappointing TV deaths
Rebecca Sykes -TV sub-edior
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ome TV characters’ deaths are heart-breaking but ultimately make sense. We’ll cry over them (if they’re done well) and wish our favourites were still alive, though ultimately, we respect the writers’ choices. However, some TV shows made the wrong choice in killing characters for either shock factor, the termination of an actor's contract, or the end of the show. So, here are three characters whose deaths still frustrate me! Justin Foley (Brandon Flynn)- 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020) 13 Reasons Why had plenty of controversy during its 4-season run and kept it up with the death of fan-favourite character Justin Foley. Justin had a brilliant arc and endured many trials (including homelessness, child abuse, drug addiction and a drug-addicted mother) only to die in the finale. He transformed from being a rather antagonistic force in season 1 to trying his hardest to atone for his actions by protecting his friends, testifying in court and being a great ally when characters needed
it the most. He was even adopted by Clay’s (Dylan Minnette) parents and was looking forward to college. Basically, many viewers believe he had the show’s only successful redemption arc. He died due to contracting AIDS, yet his HIV wasn’t mentioned until the finale (coughing a few episodes ago doesn’t count!) and, nowadays, people live full lives with AIDS. Plus, it takes HIV roughly 8-10 years to develop into AIDS and the apparent cause of Justin’s infection (sex work and needle use) only happened a couple of years prior. There was awful research, it was a terrible way to end the drama which was often called out for fetishizing trauma, and it received widespread anger at the time. I saw a spoiler and never
bothered to finish the final season because of his death. Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles)– Supernatural (2005-2020) I’m a massive fan of Supernatural, but even I’ll say it overstayed its welcome and horrible choices were made in the penultimate episode and the finale itself. For a show that made a habit of killing everybody, including the main characters (although the Winchester brothers would always be revived), ending the show with the death of two of the most beloved characters was simply disappointing and wrong. Castiel’s death was a huge
Image Credit: Pixabay, flikr
disservice to the character and it was another example of the show falling into the ‘bury your gays’ trope. Castiel declared his love for Dean and immediately died. Sacrificing himself for Dean is well within Castiel’s character, but it didn’t need to happen. It’s made worse as the way he died prohibits him from accessing Supernatural's Heaven. If that’s not bad enough, we never saw Dean’s response to Castiel’s admission of love, although Jensen Ackles has lent his voices to rumours that his response was cut. Next, Dean, who was established as an incredibly skilled monster hunter, died from falling into a rusty nail in a fight with vampires. Yes, it shows he isn’t indestructible, but this character had spent seasons depressed and not caring about living. At this point, he wanted to live and own a dog. It reduced the majority of his character development over the past 15 years; he didn’t want to die a hunter anymore. Not only did it make no sense, Jensen Ackles said it took a lot of persuasion for him to accept his character’s ending. Terrible choice.
Sub-editors: George Bell, Jess Bradbury & Autumn Keil
Monday 21st March 2022
Film
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The Weekend Away drowns face down in the Adriatic Sea Ashna Mathur
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ossip Girl's beloved Leighton Meester makes her comeback in a girls' vacation gone wrong. University BFFs Beth (Leighton Meester) and Kate (Christina Wolfe) plan to spend their weekend in Croatia, but this mini-getaway comes to a swift end. Based on the book by Sarah Alderson, the film follows new mum Beth, who is pushed into an adventure by the freshly-divorced Kate. Their Friday night starts off fun - ordering a dozen oysters and the most expensive bottle of champagne on the menu, followed by clubbing with strangers. But this excitement dies down immediately when Beth wakes up to Kate’s disappearance and little recollection of the night. Frustrated with the police’s unwillingness to help, Beth makes every attempt to uncover the truth herself as she seeks support from Zain (Ziad Bakri), a Syrian refugee driving his taxi around the beautiful streets of Split. Bakri delivers a splendid performance - he has such a sincere and charming screen presence that his character had to be my favourite part of the movie. Zain’s character is so well-written and I appreciated the tiny insight into his life and how the war affected him. I would have loved to see more of
his backstory, but the film is only 90 minutes long and it’s about Beth’s experience, so I get it. Beth’s own investigation takes a dark turn when Kate’s body is discovered, and she becomes a suspect. Her passport is taken, and Meester is quite convincing as a scared mother longing to go home to
her baby. With the short screen time Kate has before her death, she’s a terrible friend to Beth - pressing her to drink, despite her refusal, and suggesting that she have a one-night stand with a man at the club. Despite being
uncomfortable and annoyed with Kate’s behaviour the night before, Beth is brave and committed to getting justice for her while clearing her name, and I admire the portrayal of friendship in the Netflix film. The film also featured a strange Airbnb host Sebastian (Adrian Pezdirc), police officer Kovač (Iva Mihalić), a complex female character who is both tough and sympathetic, and some good selfdefence advice. That’s all the good stuff; let’s get to the list of disappointments now. After the body is found, the film is just too many plot twists, eventually obvious and exhausting. After a point, it just gets tedious instead of thrilling. There are several plot holes, and it’s frustrating as an audience to notice such apparent inconsistencies that reflect sloppy police work and poor writing. Some of it just made me wonder, did they really not consider all motives? How did the murderer get away with it at first? Was the investigation that bad? It’s just not possible, so the big twist at the end comes out too bland. Meester and Bakri carry the film with their acting, with help from Mihalić- but all the other performances fall flat. In short, The Weekend Away is worth a watch if you're a Blair Waldorf fan and are excited for Meester's return on screen - just keep your expectations low and try not to pick out the one too many plot holes. Image: IMDB
Stanisl
A celebration and exploration of the di Ellen Dixon
Man With a Movie Camera, 1929
Here are just a few of the best feats from Ukraine's cinema history that you should check
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n experimental silent Soviet documentary, the film explores the everyday working life in the city of Odesa, Ukraine. Man With a Movie Camera is one of the most important films of all time that explores, at the beginning of cinema, what film can be. Directed by Dziga Vertov, a filmmaker way before his time, who experimented with film effects during the early days of cinema.
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he current invasion of Ukraine is a tragedy for both its people and their culture. To help support and celebrate Ukraine, where we can, here is just some of the amazing cinematic talent the Image: IMDB country has to hold.
Feathered Dreams, 2012
Image: Flickr
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krainian-Nigerian film which is one of the first Ukrainian films to be almost entirely shot in English, and shot onlocation in the capital Kyiv. The film explores the lives of African students studying in
Ukraine and the bridging of two very different countries and cultures together.
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom, 2015
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vgeny Afineevsky’s documentary film depicts the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, from November 2013 until February 2014. The film’s greatness is evident by its number of accolades, including nominations for both an Academy Award and an Emmy in the documentary category, and was awarded the People’s Choice Award for best documentary.
Two very different countries and cultures bridged together
Ryan Reynolds reigns in The Adam Project Imogen Smillie
Ryan Reynolds is a time traveller in Netflix's latest blockbuster
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ant to watch yet another film about time travel? Head to Netflix to watch the new spectacular because time travel does exist, we just don’t know it
yet! Last Friday the 11th, a new Netflix Original film was added to our screens – The Adam Project. It shows a nerdy and slightly asthmatic Adam Reed (Walker Scobell) who struggles at school having recently lost his father in an accident. But after finding a strange man in his backyard shed and discovering it's actually himself from the future, specifically 2050 (Ryan Reynolds), his world is literally changed for the better. We see ‘Little Adam’ and ‘Middle-Aged Adam’ support each other through life’s struggles to save the ones they love. No spoilers, but it perfectly balances emotional moments with action-packed ones.
Let’s get the main point out of the way – yes, this is yet another film where everyone’s biggest crush, Ryan Reynold’s, plays himself. But I don’t think anyone should ever complain about him playing to his strengths when it clearly pays off, right? Playing the ‘older’ Adam he shows a sense of authority and that kind of father figure, without actually being a father. His younger self, played by the very talented 13-yearold Walker Scobell, does the perfect impression of Reynolds, imitating his dry and awkward sense of humour, allowing audiences to see the connection between the two (there isn’t much of a physical likeness). The two of them bounce off each other and I think have been perfectly cast to play, well, each other! More on the star-filled cast, we see Adam’s parents played by J e n n i f e r Garner and Mark Ruffalo. A lovely little 13
Going on 30 (2004) reunion! These two bring the more heart-warming and emotional scenes to the film, grounding the overall storyline, making it more relatable to most audience members. Aside from these scenes, the action in this movie has clearly had a big budget. Creator, director and best buddy of Reynolds, Shawn Levy (Free Guy (2021), Night at the Museum (2006)) shows time travel in a more realistic way, with a nice focus on the science as well as the action. Car chases, explosions, guns on VR drones and what appears to be a modernday lightsaber – this film, set in the past, present and future, has it all! Despite its cheesy moments, mainly its references to the Back to the Future trilogy, this film has nicely lived up to the hype. Thanks to the stellar cast and not-too-complicated storyline, it is a good film to watch with family and friends on a cosy evening in. Especially if you are into Levy’s film-making style (Free Guy is one of my favourites) get ready for an emotional and actionpacked rollercoaster. Based simply on Reynold’s childhood imagination, this is a good watch, and if it has taught me anything, it’s that being a nerd really does pay off sometimes (thank goodness!). Image: IMDB
lav Ka-
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: George Bell, Jess Bradbury & Autumn Keil
Film
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The Duke - Jim Broadbent stars in Newcastle based drama Rachel Carron
Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren star in this thought provoking and comedic film
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ewcastle-centred film The Duke follows Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent) an anti-establishment, politically active elderly man in the 1960s as he struggles in his fight for free TV licenses for the elderly. Kempton appears to let his social principles get in the way of normal life, a path which eventually leads him to London to be ‘properly’ heard. When a painting of the Duke of Wellington, recently purchased by the British Government for £140,000 (approximately £1 million today). It becomes apparent early on that Kempton and his wife Dorothy (Helen Mirren) have strayed down different paths in coping with the young loss of their daughter. Ironically, Kempton seems to lose a sense of family in his mission to amend the guilt he feels as he blames himself for his daughter’s death. The importance of money, reputation and routine are meaningless to him if he cannot see the world as a good place. It is an elegantly told tale of life after grief with hints of true Geordie self-deprecating humour.
Furthermore, this is truly a film of opposition, between public and private; North and South; reputation and principle; rich and poor; right and wrong. What is especially interesting about the oppositions in this film is that Mitchell does not tell us which one we should think is better. The audience can support Kempton but also see him making poor decisions. In the same way we can see why Dorothy acts the way she does but equally condemn her for her denial. The pace of the film is near perfectly kept with brilliantly earnest performances from Broadbent and Mirren as well as incredibly enjoyable appearances from Jeremy Hutchinson, Sian Unsworth and Anna Maxwell Martin. I got the sense that watching this film in a cinema in the centre of Newcastle was the best possible way to enjoy it. Small glimpses of Tyne Bridge and Grey’s Monument did not go unnoticed in this ode to 60s Newcastle and Northern Eastern working-class lifestyle. However, next time you’re endlessly scrolling through Netflix and fancy a thoughtful and touching but genuinely funny film look no further than The Duke. Image: IMDB
ifferent films and filmmakers of Ukraine
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Stanislav Kapralov
his Ukrainian director Stanislav is known for his work on Let It Snow (2020), a horror thriller and Egregor (2021). The director, in the middle of producing a new Hollywood film, was disrupted by the invasion of Ukraine and is unwilling to leave his homeland - as he believes this conflict is scripting a new story for Ukraine’s cinema.
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Maya Deren
krainian born Maya was one of the most influential filmmakers who established the avant-garde film movement in the USA. She is known for her work on Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) and At Land (1944). She was also a choreographer, dancer, film theorist, poet, lecturer and photographer.
President Volodymyr Zelensky
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efore standing as one of the most powerful men of the 21st century, Zelensky was a popular actor in Ukraine, known for his light-hearted comedy. He co-wrote No Love in The City (2009), where he starred as a dentist. The film is likened to a male version of Sex and the City. Zelensky has even played the role of the President of Ukraine in Servant of the People (2015), now being shown on Channel 4, which may have inspired his future career. Did we mention, he also played Ukrainian Paddington?
Did we mention, he also played Ukranian Paddington?
Images: IMDB
The BAFTAs bedazzled our screens in its 2022 ceremony Ellen Dixon
The BAFTAS have finally returned to our screens, posing an evening of glamour and the celebration of film
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he BAFTAs graced our screens on Sunday 13th March and the event was as glamorous as ever. Hosted by Rebel Wilson, the usually formal show was made light by Wilsons digs at her own performance in Cats, which she hailed as one of the worst things to happen in 2020 apart from Coronavirus. Wilson also centred a few of her jokes on her dramatic weight loss since she last hosted the BAFTAs in 2020, and I think she looks fabulous. Wilson not only allowed herself to be the butt of her jokes, but she also attacked Ridley Scott’s film House of Gucci (2021) saying: “Lady Gaga is nominated for House of Gucci. Apparently, they all had Italian accents in that film, I didn’t notice” - I applaud you, Rebel. The slow-burning Western Power of the Dog
(2021) took home awards for both Best Film and Best Director, for Jane Campion. The film was predicted to win more awards, leaving us to wonder how well the film will do in the upcoming Oscars in a few weeks’ time. Benedict Cumberbatch, who was nominated for Leading Actor for the film, lost to Will Smith - who won his first BAFTA for his part in King Richard (2021) in which he played the father of Serena and Venus Williams.
Scanlan's performance in After Love was as great as her face and exclamation of "come on" as she accepted the award Joanna Scanlan won the BAFTA for Lead Actress, her performance in the indie film After Love was as great as Scanlan’s face and exclamation of "come on" as she accepted the award. Ariana DeBose accepted the award for Supporting Actress for her performance of Anita in West Side Story (2021).
She praised the film's casting director, Cindy Tolan, for allowing the star to combine all of her greatest talents singing, dancing and acting into one film. Denis Villeneuve’s Sci-Fi film Dune took home the most awards for the night within the technical categories, including: Production Design, Visual Effects, Sound, Cinematography, and Hans Zimmer’s striking soundtrack for Original Score. The beautiful and moving film Belfast (2021), a semiautobiographical black and white film directed by Kenneth Branagh won Outstanding British Film, which was extremely well deserved. Other winners included Coda (2021), which awarded Troy Kotsur for Supporting Actor. The film stands Image: Wikimedia a very good chance of winning
the Oscars, and for Best Adapted Screenplay. Disney’s Encanto (2021) won the BAFTA for Animated Film, which was no surprise following its totally catchy songs, which we won’t talk about…
Image: IMDB
Print sub-eds: Michael Duckworth, Peter Lennon & Haaris Qureshi | Online sub-ed: Joseph Caddick
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Monday 21st March 2022
Gaming
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'Nintendo Switch Sports' trailer brings back a fan favourite game Make sure there are no people or objects around you
sports. Players will also be able to take on random opponents in the game. Increasingly challenging opponents await them as their stats grow.
Nintendo Switch Sports will be available on the 29th April 2022.
Kefan Chen
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intendo will be releasing a sequel to Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, a long-awaited sequel to one of the Wii's biggest successes. On the new system, it will be known as Nintendo Switch Sports and will include both old and new favourites as announced at the latest Nintendo Direct. Sports like soccer, badminton, and volleyball have been added to the game's already extensive list of options. Chambara, Wii Sports Resort's swordplay, makes a reappearance as well. It's likely that the second update, due out in the spring or fall, will add golf. The announcement video also hints that gamers will be able to use a new, more fashionable Mii. In order to control the various sports equipment, players will move their joycons with their wrists. As with the original Nintendo Switch, the joycons will be used to allow up to four people to play at once. Those who buy the game in physical form will be able to use the leg strap attachment, that allows them to play soccer in a shootout mode by making kicking motions, with a future update enabling this feature for all soccer modes. This leg strap accessory was formerly available to Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure owners who purchased a physical edition. When playing with numerous people at the same time on a single Nintendo Switch, the game's trailer shows that it will allow for local play. Anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription will be able to join the fun and challenge their friends in all
Images: Nintendo
Simping for The Simpsons: Hit and Run...
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Ben Stoddart
dedicated fans to enjoy, and the more hardcore fans will get a kick out of the several billboards and posters advertising niche products used in the show. The interactions with side characters and civilians helps to make the Hit and Run feel like a genuine Simpsons experience, which is why it was surprising to hear that much of the dialogue wasn’t written by any of the writers of
rom skateboarding to wrestling, The Simpsons have had their fair share of games. However, The Homer's signature pink Simpsons: Hit and Run is not only one of the best video games inspired Sedan is still one of the by a tv show, but it is also one of the best and most underrated video games of all time. funniest aspects Combining the chaotic open world dynamic of GTA V alongside the wacky world of The Simpsons, Hit and Run is a game for die the show. hard fans of the show as well as casual Driving round Springfield is fun and observers. gives you chance to see just how much In true Simpson’s fashion, the detail is put into the game. Anyone story is something of a fever dream, who has seen the show will recognise featuring aliens, robot surveillance the flaming tire stack, the power wasps and zombies. As the player, we plant, city hall and Moe’s Tavern, all must guide the characters of the show of which are present in the huge as they complete boring mundane tasks, open world map. And call me such as collecting ice cream from the sadistic, but bumping Kwik-E-Mart, as well more radical into NPCs whilst missions like evading a blood thirsty driving Homer’s robotic dinosaur or throwing vats signature pink of nuclear waste at an alien Sedan is still one of spaceship. It’s just as hectic as the funniest aspects it sounds. Alongside the main of this game. story, there are plenty of side Despite its ridiculous nature, the missions and collectables to game has a charm to it which keeps keep players interested. you entertained and enthralled Any fan of the show throughout. It feels like a love will recognise the letter to the show, rewarding constant references to the fans for their knowledge the cartoon featured of the cartoon and provides an in the game. Iconic enjoyable gaming experience lines and catchphrases for anyone who enjoys The Image: Vivendi Universal Games are included for less Simpsons.
The gaming sub-editors are on the hunt for the best Easter eggs in video games Hidden Demos Joseph Caddick - Puzzles and Gaming sub-editor
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s someone who loves demos, I'm a huge fan of developers hiding demos of upcoming releases in their games. One of the most famous examples of this is the Spyro the Dragon demo in Crash Bandicoot: Warped, unlocked by inputting a cheat code. Years later, Insomniac returned the favour in Ratchet and Clank 3, where players could access a demo of Sly 2: Band of Thieves. Again, this was accessed by inputting a cheat code. This one also has a bonus Easter egg, as once you’ve accessed the demo, Ratchet can swap out his famous wrench for a double-edged lightsabre, which is the cherry on top of a fantastic cake. Eggceptional.
The Hanged Man Peter Lennon - Gaming sub-editor
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’m a horror fan at heart. Books, television series, and films. All great stuff in the world of horror. A horror video game though? Well, I haven’t quite made the jump yet. Let’s just say that I prefer watching other people make bad decisions than having to make them myself. That being said, the Luigi’s Mansion series is a perfect blend between of comedy and horror, much like the good series of Scooby-Doo. In the first entry, however, is a pretty morbid Easter egg that appears around the midpoint of the game.
While exploring one of the many rooms of the mansion, a bolt of lightning strikes. The camera is positioned from the large windows of the game towards the back wall. In the brief flash, a silhouette of Luigi being hanged is imprinted on the wall. The easter egg is genuinely shocking and honestly too gruesome for a children’s game. And yet, it works as a reflection of Luigi’s fear of death as he reluctantly works to save Mario from imprisonment.
The Easter Egg Where He Kills You Haaris Qureshi - Gaming sub-editor
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o r tal spoilers - which you don't want to read if you've never played because going into the games unaware is unbridled joy. If there is one moment in the Portal franchise which embodies the tone of what is undeniably the best video games ever, it is Portal 2, Chapter 9: The Part Where He Kills You. The most-backstabb e y-and-I-feelpersonally-andi nt i m at e l y - b e t r aye d video game antagonist Wheatley has put you through a series
Images: Valve/Activision/Nintendo/Vogue
Looking back at a classic hit and home run game
Our favourite Easter
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Monday 21st March 2022
Print sub-eds: Michael Duckworth, Peter Lennon & Haaris Qureshi | Online sub-ed: Joseph Caddick
Gaming
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The Witcher: A case for game adaptations in television Toss all your coins to this video game adaptation
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Ben Stoddart
ver since their initial creation, video games have long been adapted into TV shows. The likes of Mario and Pac Man have all received spin-off shows as big gaming companies attempt to milk their biggest character for even more money, with varying levels of success. However, the best of these adaptations must be The Witcher (2019). Yes, the fantasy drama arrived at Netflix 3 years ago and managed to surprise audiences everywhere with its excellent quality. Blending intricate writing with a superb cast, the show was an instant success, receiving a Rotten Tomatoes score of 81%. A quick recap for those unfamiliar. The Witcher series follows Gerald (Henry Cavill) a mutant who hunts monsters for money as he deals with the world and a society who hates his kind. Meanwhile, Image: IMDb
Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) attempts to master the art of magic, and princess Ciri (Freya Allan) attempts to stay alive against the army who killed her family.
I've never been more enthralled than seeing Gerald attempt to slay a series of CGI beasts
So, what makes The Witcher so much better than other video game adaptations? For starters, the show doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s obvious that the actors are enjoying themselves which makes the show easier to watch. Cavill (a well-known nerd and fan of The Witcher video games) truly demonstrates his passion for the franchise in this series through his outstanding performance as the dark and brooding protagonist. Alternatively, Joey Batey (who plays Gerald’s annoying accomplice Jaskier) provides plenty of comic relief to keep the show fun as well as dramatic. Further proof that The Witcher
Eggs in video games of traditional test chambers, all the while Potato!GLaDOS is quipping along. With Wheatley goading about your imminent demise a few chambers ahead, GLaDOS assures you she can free you both soon. But surprise, Wheatley springs his trap early and you are catapulted off into another section of the Enrichment Centre and on to a platform surrounded by Crushers - a moment GLaDOS announces as "the part where he kills us!". To which Wheatley joyously declares this is "the part where I kill you". On screen: Chapter 9: The Part Where He Kills You Achievement Unlocked: The Part Where He Kills You. And on top of that it's the name of the track being played! And as one final Egg, when you escape, Wheatley begs you to come back. A n d you can return to the trap. What follows is a two minute of further dialogue that most players would never hear in their adrenaline-filled flight. Wheatley makes a list of unbelievable promises (from Chell's parents to a newly designed fashion jumpsuit from France). Just before you do or do not jump in, GLaDOS
is the best video game TV show is the battle scenes. I’ve never been more enthralled than seeing Gerald attempt to slay a series of CGI beasts. It helps that Henry Cavill is built like a tower of bricks on steroids because you don’t doubt for a second that he would be physically capable of taking down a literal dragon. But the fight choreography is off the charts, and you can’t take your eyes off it. At the heart of things, The Witcher is a loving
makes one final remark. "You really do have brain damage, don't you?"
The Konami Code Michael Duckworth - Gaming sub-editor
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p, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A. The key to the universe, any gamer worth their salt knows this little retro secret. Originally appearing on the NES system in 1986 on the slide scroller game Gradius, the infamous Konami Code was an accidental oversight by developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto who left the cheat code in the game from play testing. The code was popularised in America on another NES game, Contra, another arcade port run-andgun, but since then the code has popped up across every console and every genre giving the player more lives or unlocking extra levels or characters. Even recent releases like Bioshock Infinite use the Konami Code to hide difficult game mode "1999 Mode". Personally, I first encountered this code in the Castlevania series where entering the code gives you some desperately needed bonus lives, but some of the most fun uses are often the most useless. When used in Frogger on Xbox 360 you can make your frog a bit bigger, which ultimately just makes the game harder but it does give you a five second chuckle. Another goofy one is in Silent Hill 3 on PS2 where entering the code makes PI Douglas Cartland appear in his pants in every cut scene. The Konami code has become such a staple in pop culture, from being referenced in Disney's Wreck it Ralph, Family Guy and Archer all reference this code. Hundreds of sites across the web have hidden secrets using this code, including Vogue who, for a time, had a series of fashionably dressed velociraptors pop up when the Konami code was typed in. Iconic.
tribute to the game that attempts to appease to both casual and die-hard fans. The route of its success is that, much like the game, is able to take us away to a glorious new fantasy world where the audience can sit back and watch a monster hunter does his job.
Image: Netflix
...Also simping for Sims 3 Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment sub-editor
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ims 3 will forever be a very special game to me. With a huge collection of expansion packs and stuff packs, it's playable for hours on end. It's also very special because its head and shoulders above the Sims 4. I remember back in late 2014/early 2015 when the demo for Sims 4 was finally released. I downloaded it immediately, excited to see what was going to be in the brand new Sims game. I'd already racked up a large amount hours on Sims 3, having bought every single expansion pack by setting up notifications on 'Sims 3 expansion packs' on eBay. My home was in front of the computer, spending far too much time decorating houses for families that I'd later abandon. Some say those families are starving now, like my Nintendogs. All was well with the world. That was, until, EA decided to disrupt the perfect harmony that was the Sims. They destroyed it. I must say, I was impressed at first. The slider features on the create a sim is excellent. Compared to the Sims 3, the level of customisation users have with their Sims is unparalleled. Want a Sim with big thighs and a skinny waist? Done. Do you want them to be super muscular specifically on their upper arms? Done and done. This is where me being impressed comes to a halt. When I’d created my utterly
perfect Sims, it was time to move them into a house. I started playing the game, and found the dreaded loading screen. Why, EA, why? Why on earth would you create a game with a closed map when one of the Sims 3’s most redeeming qualities was its open map? Don’t even get me started on the colour
I want to sit looking at a waterfall whilst my Sims are sleeping and look for unicorns customisation (or lack thereof). All pieces of furniture and clothing are pre-set in terms of colours. You can only have a set combination and you literally cannot customise anything at all. Way to stifle creativity EA! Sims 3, overall, is just superior. Nobody wants to play with loading screens. I want to sit looking at a waterfall whilst my Sims are sleeping and look for unicorns. That’s the beauty of an open map and the Sims 3. If I’m honest, I’m never going to hop onto the Sims 4 bandwagon. EA has truly ruined this era for me and I am anxiously waiting for Sims 5. You’re done, EA. You’re done.
Image: Electronic Arts
Sub-editors: Tom Wrath, Maja Mazur & Ruby Taylor
Monday 21st March 2022
Arts
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Arty attractions for Easter Review: NUTS 'The Pillowman' Maud Webster - Head of Culture
Five places to keep you entertained/procrastinate deadlines over the break Hatton Gallery On our very own Campus, the Hatton Gallery displays a new exhibition every three or four months in a relatively small venue. You’ve got the ‘The Ignorant Art School: Five Sit-ins Towards Creative Emancipation’ exhibition on at the moment and throughout Easter, which looks pretty cool.
Discovery Museum Head West past Central station and come to the discovery museum. If you can bear a bit of ‘kid-friendly’ activity (probably emphasised by the Easter school holidays) then I think it’s a pretty fun visit. They’ve got an exhibition taking you all the way through the development of the city right up to the present day - accompanied by funny but kind of scary mannequins. Anyway, it's worth a look (it’s free) if you're nearby.
Side Gallery Tucked away near the Quayside is this little photographic gallery, run by the Amber Collective who have been around since 1968. It hosts exhibitions on it’s second and third floors, though is currently closed until mid April… so maybe take a visit just before your return to academic routine?
Colbat Colbat studios offer a wide showcase of different visual arts, performance film, and music events to the East of the city. Each day of the week has event themed on a different command - Mondays and Tuesdays for 'CHANGE', Wednesdays for 'LEARN & DO', Thursdays are ambiguously labeled 'FRESH', on Fridays it's 'LIVE' and Saturday is 'LEARN & DO'. It''s also a Club venue at the weekends.
Newbridge Project In their new home on Shieldfield Road, the Newbridge Project hosts exhibition and gallery space, bookshop, as well as workshop areas and artists studios. Similar to Colbat Studios, they have a variety of events going on throughout the month.
Image: Hatton Gallery on Facebook
Meg Howe - Head of Life & Style Content warning: sexual abuse, child abuse, ableism, suicide, murder, torture, police brutality.
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on the chair, with a fabric bag over their head and you don’t realise until after the play begins that this is Katurian (a choice that Warlock made herself). Aside from this, Lucy Duncan’s character, Detective Tupolski, is the first the enter the stage. Duncan’s harsh and stern persona perfectly encapsulates the police state within which this play is set. Along with her second in command, Ariel (Oscar Errington), she torments Katurian through a series of long-winded sentences that I don’t think made any sense at all. The pace of the dialogue between the two detectives and Katurian is perfect, with a range of brief exclamations and lengthy monologues delivered with perfection to keep the audience engaged. Equally, Errington’s performance really encapsulates the trauma felt by his character. An ode must be paid to Jon Deery, playing Katurian’s brother. Michal. Whilst he was only in one, albeit very long, scene, Deery’s characterisation could not be faulted at all. His portrayal of a character who had an incredibly traumatic upbringing was delivered with sensitivity, yet he had the audience in stitches time and time again. Despite this only being his second production as part of NUTS, I feel that Deery’s repertoire will only grow, and am amazed by the vast range of emotions that he is capable of. The performances by Chloe Mendez and Daniella Orlic are ones that I won’t forget quickly. Despite having very little stage time and few lines, the way that Prothero was able to utilise them as part of the set really highlights the creative direction. Overall, this NUTS production was fantastic! The audience was transported on a journey, and I felt like I was on the front row of an emotional rollercoaster. The Pillowman really shows why I keep coming back for more NUTS productions!
s you can tell by the extended list of content warnings above, Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman is definitely not for the fainthearted. Before watching the show, I thought it was a pretty bold move for director Charlie Prothero to suggest a play with such emotionally hindering content. But right from the very start, I was totally gripped and on the edge of my seat. From the shrilling violin played by Georgina Abram, to the thrilling monologues delivered with perfection by Cassidy Worlock and Jon Deery, every aspect of The Pillowman is worthy of a fivestar review. The Pillowman follows the story of writer Katurian K. Katurian (yes, the script makes fun of this name on several occasions), portrayed by Cassidy Worlock, as he is interrogated in a police cell for the content of his short stories, and their oddly-similar nature to a series of child-murders that have happened in his town. Whilst you may think that the content of this play would be incredibly dark and leave you pondering over its horrendous nature for hours, the play itself highlighted the fine line between comedy and tragedy. NUTS’ adaptation is an utter mastery and (without getting too soppy), Prothero should be incredibly proud. From the start, you are transported to the police cell - which was made all the more realistic due to the intimate size of the audience. There is someone sitting Image: Cassidy Worlock
Spotlight: Comic Books in pop culture & Art Peter Lennon - Gaming Sub-Editor
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Content warning: Suicide ince the release of The Dark Knight and Iron Man in 2008, comic books and graphics novels have become an increasingly intrinsic part of popular culture. Unfortunately, the obscene success of screen adaptations, particularly seen in the multi-billion dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe, has led to but a trickle of commercial and cultural recognition for the medium itself.
Comic books have often been unfairly regarded as entertainment for children.
Comic books have often been unfairly regarded as entertainment for children. I say “unfairly” because every other artistic medium also facilitates a child’s audience – it’s hard to imagine a world without children’s books, films, and television series. As such, the adult market for the medium continues to be incredibly niche, in spite of the on-screen success. The comic books that do break into the literary canon are often referred to as graphic novels. I imagine this as an equivalent to the recently popularised term “elevated horror”, disassociating so-called canonical work with a medium that self-esteemed “intellectuals” are
otherwise embarrassed by. Works such as Watchmen (1986-1987) by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgons and Maus (1980-1991) by cartoonist Art Spiegelman are two of a select group to have solidified their place in the western canon, brandished on the bookcases of academics across the nation. Do not get me confused and believe that I am being dismissive of these canonical works – they have pierced these boundaries for a reason. Instead, I hope to encourage a wider audience for a medium that is as varied as any other. While DC Comics and Marvel continue to be the biggest publishers in the industry, there’s an expansive collection of monthly released titles and trade paperbacks (comic book issues collected as volumes) that will fill any genre itch you may have in your search for new fiction. Recently, Indian writer Ram V finished his limited fiveissue series The Many D e at hs of Laila Starr, which follows the titular character in Mumbai, exploring t h e
boundaries between life and death. This theme of existentialism can also be found in Tom King and Mitch Gerard’s award-winning limited series Mister Miracle, a darkly-comedic sci-fi drama that deals with the titular character’s depression and coming fatherhood after a suicide attempt. The series is visually striking, using 9 panel grids that are intermittently interrupted by Television static, as well as talk-show host panels implemented to explore the character’s psychology. This is a personal favourite of mine as the series makes full use of its medium to arrange images both psychedelic and all-too familiar in its examination of masculinity and men’s mental health. Despite my decadelong love affair with
the medium, I only found the words to coherently explain how these comic book texts are able to affect me quite recently. In fact, it was personal tutor who recommended that I read Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud. In this text, McCloud works through a definition of what a comic book is – how we distinguish a comic book from other art and art forms – and how all the different elements (panels, lettering, splash pages) operate to inspire different emotive reactions. The best thing about this work is that it’s a comic book itself! McCloud explains while demonstrating, making for a light, yet incredibly informative read. I have met many people who have wanted to start reading comics, but find the comic book world of superheroes (some characters have nearly 100 years of continuous story history) to be too intimidating. While my advice for superheroes is to start with standalone classics (Batman: The Long Halloween etc.), you can bypass this entirely by selecting self-contained limited series, of which there is an abundance of each year. Like any other art form, comic books have their own annual awards show called the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. There, one can find a curated list of the best annual series, each with their own styles and generic forms. Of course, lists and curations can only do so much. In the end of the day, the only way to start is to start. Go to your friendly neighbourhood comic book stores and book shops, talk to the staff about what you’re after, and they’ll steer you in the right direction. After that, it’s up to you – safe travels on your new journey through one of the world’s most underappreciated art forms! Image: @MarshallJulius on Twitter
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Monday 21st March 2022
New novels crowdfunded by Sanderson fans
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Emma Leask
ver the course of three days, Brandon Sanderson fans broke the record for Kickstarter's highest earnings for his four new lockdownwritten novels. Although the author has an impressive backlist with traditional publisher Gollancz, he decided to self-publish these upcoming works, using crowdfunding. As a huge name in fantasy, it was inevitable that his dedicated fans would rally behind him and donate if it meant that they could get their hands on more Sanderson novels. This isn’t the first time the author has published his books this way. Last September, tenth anniversary editions of his series The Way of Kings were published following a crowdfunding campaign, raising $6.7m in total. The books were too large to be published via the traditional routes, but Sanderson wanted his fans to be able to purchase special editions. This, and his second crowdfunding campaign, goes to show the influence that readers can have in an author’s career. This is one of many crowd-funded literary projects. There’re multiple crowdfunding publishers available to access online, the first worldwide being Unbound. It can be a fantastic way for a debut author to share their works for the first time, when it’s otherwise incredibly difficult to have them commissioned by traditional publishers. Amy Lord won the Northern Writers’ Award in 2015 for her novel The Disappeared, her debut which she crowdfunded through Unbound. There was even a 400th Anniversary edition of Don Quixote published by indie American publisher Restless Books, which met its goal of $20,000. A major advantage of publishing books this way is that it allows the reader to be connected to the project, a feature lacking in traditional publishing where the process is almost mysteriously hidden. It not only creates a community of readers who have specifically chosen to support that book, but it also brings the author closer to the readers than they may have ever been had they chosen to publish through a publishing house. It is the readers who are effectively allowing that book to enter the market, which gives them an impressive amount of power in the whole process. The success of publishing this way obviously depends on the number of people supporting the author, something which is of no concern to the likes of Brandon Sanderson. But when it is successful, the power of readership is truly something to behold.
Sub-editors: Tom Wrath, Maja Mazur & Ruby Taylor
Arts
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Independent Bookshops: How can we support them?
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Georgia Purcell tudents are notorious for carrying around stacks of books and the cost of these reads can quickly add up, even if said books end up collecting dust on a windowsill in
Jesmond. With Jeff Bezos casually taking over most of the high street and seemingly catering to every possible need with delivery within 0.2 seconds of ordering, Amazon is a temptingly cheap and speedy option for buying books. Especially over the last two years with the rise of internet shopping and the ease of clicking to order something and it arriving at your door the next day. It's so easy to forget the real impact this has on our independent bookshops. So how do we keep bookshops alive? We’ve compiled a list of the best ways to support independent bookshops without breaking the bank: Bookshop.org is a go-to for new books from independent bookstores around the country. If you search for a particular title, they’ll offer it from a range of different bookshops, or if there’s a specific store you have in mind you can buy directly through them within the website.
To date, they have generated over £2 million for local bookshops around the country. WOB.com is my favourite site for secondhand books, or when I’m on a tight budget. They source their books from charity shops around the country, buying up stock that the charity shops either don’t want or don’t have the space for. Wob has a range of books rivalling Amazon, and with their free delivery they really are a student’s best bet.
WOM.com is my favourite site for second-hand books or when I'm on a tight budget. Obviously, I can’t forget our high street shops – there’s nothing more comforting than walking around Blackwells on a rainy day. These bookshops will also order in books for you, so don’t worry if you can’t find what you need on the shelves! Post-pandemic, it’s never been more important to try and support these independent bookshops to make sure we don’t lose them!
Interview: Tilda Bilsberry-Grass & Martha Watson Ruby Taylor - Arts Sub-Editor
How has your background as actors influenced your approach to directing?
A chat with the directors of NUTS latest play, 'Taking Care of Baby'.
TILDA: I want to direct TV And film as a career so I think I have always approached being a part of production as thinking about if I was director. I do really enjoy acting. I’m really enjoying the process because it’s really collaborative.
Why did you decide to do 'Taking Care of Baby?' TILDA: We chose it basically based on the themes originally, and then once we read the script we we were like there’s lots of things we can do with this. MARTHA: It’s nice as well because we very much like the more naturalistic side of acting, so especially during auditions it was very much we wanted as natural as possible. I always find natural acting on a stage quite difficult, but I just loved the idea that it was very real. This is what we love about it. As we read it more and more often and as we go over it, we’re noticing little bits we can pick out.
Could you give a plot summary of the show?
How have you found collaborating as directors on the play? MARTHA: In the auditions obviously there’s two of us, and we just had very similar notes. And I think it works quite nicely because our ideas seem to be the same, and we're not competitive It’s comforting because obviously we’ve never directed before, so it’s kind of all of our ideas being validated a little bit. Having another perspective, and someone who knows the show so well, is just really nice. [To TILDA] It’s really nice having you there Tilda!
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TILDA: I think because we came to the project at the same time, like we found it for the first time and read it within a day of each other, just a lot of our ideas alligned with each other. It’s
How has your background as actors influenced your approach to directing? MARTHA: I’d like to think we’ve created quite a safe space for people. Especially with this kind of show, it’s very important the cast is quite solid and relying on each other. We’ve definitely prioritised people getting to know each other, so the play isn’t just surrounded by the darkness. You have the light and the fun and the socializing as well. I’d like to think we’ve created a safe space for people that if they did have issues they could talk to us or at least someone in the cast and crew that they have issues with the themes, because they can be quite dark and quite hard. 'Taking Care of Baby' shows at The Cluny 2 on 16th/17th March. Tickets available via the NUSU wesbite. Full interview available on The Courier website
Image: NUTS
n on gobli ketch e: @s Imag
TILDA: It focuses on a mother, or a woman, who’s been accused of murdering her two children on separate occasions. They’ve both died accidentally, and since the second one died they are now accusing her of murder. In the wider context, it looks more at truth. You look at this story through interviews. An anonymous interviewer speaks to the mother, and a psychiatrist who has diagnosed her with a disorder that justifies her. She pleads her innocence, the doctor says she’s guilty, but she’s mentally ill so this is why it’s explainable. It really looks at the mother-daughter relationship as well between I guess Donna and her dead children, and her and her mum. The overall thing we want to get across is the nature of truth, and you don’t know who to believe. Everyone’s saying these different things. I think that’s why the natural acting is so important, because whoever’s on stage we want the audience to believe them even though they’re saying a different thing to whoever’s just been on before them.
MARTHA: I think I’ve struggled a bit in shows before about not being sure about your character, and if you and the director are on the same page. I think me and Tilda went into this knowing we know what we want, but we were still going to hear what they know. Obviously, we were coming into this for the first time, we want as much input from everyone else as we can get because at the end of the day, these are the people we’re going to be working with. If they don’t like our ideas, they’re not going to do the job like we want them to do.
only recently as we’re getting to the really nitpicky stages where there’s more things that we disagree on, but even that it’s like three or four things per rehearsal, like in terms of the way that someone says something.
Sub-editor: Joseph Caddick
34 Across
Monday 21st March 2022
Puzzles
1. American teen drama series. (1,1,1,1,1) 4. ___ Dalmatians, 1961 Disney film. (3) 6. Fahrenheit ___, Ray Bradbury novel. (3) 8. Elements currently in the periodic table. (3) 9. Associated with marijuana. (1,2) 10. Expression meaning ‘information’, or ‘the lowdown’. (1,1,1) 11. Year David Cameron became the Prime Minister. (4) 13. ___ Nights, collection of Middle Eastern folk tales. (4) 16. Refers to all day, every day. (2,1) 17. 2018 Anne-Marie song. (4) 18. ___ Zoo Lane, children’s cartoon. (2) 19. Phone area code for London and surrounding areas. (1,1,1) 21. 1998 Steps song. (1,1,1,1) 23. DD/MM/YYYY date of D-Day. (2,2,4) 27. American supermarket chain with international branches. (1,2) 29. Edges on a cube. (2) 30. Amount of years in ten millennia. (5) 33. Minutes in a month. (5) 34. The meaning of life in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. (2) 35. 2013 Childish Gambino Song. (4)
Passcode:
Down
1. American emergency services number. (1,1,1) 2. ___ Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne novel. (5) 3. Phone area code for Newcastle and surrounding areas. (1,1,1,1) 4. Year Newcastle Football Club was established. (4) 5. Days in 4 years. (4) 6. Internet error, means ‘not found’. (3) 7. First digits of pi after the decimal point. (1,1,1,1,1,1) 12. James Bond’s code number. (2,1) 13. Yards in a mile. (4) 14. The minimum IQ needed to be classed as a genius. (3) 15. Pounds in a score. (2) 16. ___ A Space Odyssey, 1968 Stanley Kubrick film. (4) 17. Bones in an adult human body. (3) 20. Gifts in The 12 Days of Christmas. (3) 21. Depth of the Arctic Ocean in metres. (4) 22. Speed of sound in mph. (3) 24. UK salary that, when taxed, is left with £48,138. (5) 25. Skateboarding, 2 ½ revolution spin. (3) 26. DD/MM of The Queen’s birthday. (2,2) 28. Year Super Mario Bros was released. (4) 31. Type ___ Destroyer, Chinese missile destroyer. (1,2) 32. Associated with bad luck. (2)
Wordsearch - Italian
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Crossword
Last Issue's Answers
Codeword: Trombone
Biscotti Cannoli Focaccia Grissini Marinara Polenta Spaghetti
Bruschetta Cassata Frittata Lasagne Pesto Risotto Tiramisu
Calzone Ciabatta Gelato Linguini Pizza Sorbet
Word Wheel: Fossilise
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editor: Joseph Caddick
Puzzles
Word Ladder
35
A Puzzaroo puzza-review Peter Lennon
Start at the top of the ladder, and change one letter each time to form a new word. By doing this, you will be able to get to the word at the end of the ladder.
Puzzaroo brings the experience of an escape room to the comfort of your own home, but do the puzzles hold up?
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uch like an escape room, these puzzles are themed and incorporate a role-playing element to the game. For instance, the game available at the moment – titled The Corporation – begins with the premise that you are a rogue agent who has been given one last chance to get back in touch with your agency. To do so, however, you must complete the puzzle to decipher the meet-up location. In the envelope, players will find a wide array of objects, such as lottery tickets and a map What struck me about this game is the player flexibility – and I don’t just mean what order you approach
Mini-Nonogram
Notes:
Image: Puzzaroo
Difficulty: Hard
Sudoku 21 March 2021
Word Wheel Create as many words as you can of 3 letters or more from the wheel. Each letter can only be used once and you must use the one in the middle of the wheel. Try to find the 9 letter word that uses all the letters. Goal: 20 words
the items in. Though this game can be solved by oneself, I couldn’t help but imagine that I’d enjoy this even more with some of my riddleloving friends (this is just personal preference). And there’s nothing to stop me from doing so! But what if I get stuck? Well, Puzzaroo has set up their own website to receive clues from if you hit a massive roadblock. These links are included within the brief, along with a site for inputting the location-answer to the puzzle. In this way, the game will not forego giving players a sense of closure if they are struggling too much. All in all, Puzzaroo has caught onto a rather niche market, but one that I believe would appreciate every asset and inspiration of these new games. of the metro station. This is the only game available right now so I shall try to be as vague as possible in order to preserve the game’s mystique! The objects, as one can imagine, hold many clues with each one connecting to another in some shape or form. Within these clues are a variety of puzzle-solving elements. While some require a more comprehensive approach, others are more algebraic and mathematical.
Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall
36
Monday 21st March 2022
Sport
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League One: Sunderland AFC lights up the stadium with win against Crewe Josh Smith
Sunderland AFC beat Crewe Alexandra 2-0 during Saturday's thriller
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underland welcomed bottom of League One’s Crewe Alexandra to the Stadium of Light, with Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday breathing down their neck, having two games in hand and only one and two points less. Being overtaken by them would mean being pulled out of the Play Off places, adding to the disappointment of the once-league leader’s season. The line-up appeared optimistic: 3-52 or 5-3-2, with Patterson still in goal after Burge’s COVID-19 complications, Wright, Cirkin and Winchester holding the defence, Gooch and Clarke on the wing, O’Nien and Matete in the middle and attacking, Evans playing a defence midfield role, then finally Defoe and Stewart up front. Despite his lacklustre second spell at Sunderland, Defoe’s
start sparked roars around the Stadium of Light. They were lined-up to attack Crewe, risking non-defensive wingers like Clarke to cover the back. Much to the confusion of fans who trawled in late from the pubs, Sunderland played in their away kit at home. This was an attempt to raise awareness for the Ukrainian conflict, with their away kit being yellow and blue. It was announced that this kit would then be signed, then auctioned off to raise funds for the DEC Ukrainian
The kit was signed and auctioned for the DEC Ukrainian Appeal Appeal. The game kicked off with intense sun sabotaging the game for the left wing and blinding the fans near it. Nonetheless, the wings brought the brightest moments of the first twenty minutes. Clarke and Gooch whipped a few exciting balls in, but lacked the
Canaries get Stung as Brentford FC finally find a win Joshua Watson - NSR Deputy Station Manager
Norwich suffers the end of Brentford's drought in their home game against the Bees
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having by far the lowest goal difference and regulations isn’t just on the cards, it's all but certain from here. Meanwhile, this win puts Brentford back on track. Having won Burnley last weekend, the Bees will be buzzing at six points above relegation. (currently 8) With Christian Eriksen taking man of the match and Toney's hat-trick, is this the boost they need to reach the end of the season? Or will we see yet another drop in the rollercoaster that is Premier League football?
oming straight off a loss to our boys in Newcastle, Brentford has broken their 8-game winless run by beating Norwich city 3 v 1 in a smashing game. Ivan Toney, coming back to the forum after some fighting within the club involving him using explicated language to describe his teammate, scored the complete hat-trick of the away team. From one-nil to Brentford at halftime, it seemed clear this match was going to be a close one, but some desperate defending from Norwich lead to giving away two penalties. Ben Gibson was the main cause of concern for Norwich, giving away both penalties from a high foot and felling Ivan Toney within 6 minutes of each other. These were swiftly followed by two offside goals, one from each team, and with the clock ticking down it's fair to say the Canaries were getting desperate. But it was Teemu Pukki that gave the boys in yellow something to cheer about, grabbing a final goal in stoppage time. However, this loss for Norwich puts them at the bottom of the board, with 5 points Image: Twitter clear from safety and only 11 (@worldofawaydays) games left this season, add to that
quality to connect with Stewart’s head, despite being six foot odd in the air even without jumping. Their game was unconvincing at best. The chants of “you’re not fit to referee” began to circle the stadium, more a reflection of their frustration with the game than the referee’s actual mistakes. The same comments can be applied to the Crewe as to almost all games this season — Sunderland hold 80% of the ball, yet do nothing dangerous, settling with long, hopeful balls. This leads to players such as Matete and Defoe chasing the ball out of frustration, pulling the team deeper and adding to the hopelessness. 30,036 fans attended and it is a miracle that most stayed to see the late excitement begin. It all began with Crewe’s attempt to waste time around the 70th minute, with the ‘keeper holding the ball for too long and gesturing for Stewart to distance from him. For the first time in any game I have ever watched, the referee blew his whistle for an indirect free kick inside the box. It came to nothing, but sparked momentum in the players. Then, in the 84th and
89th minutes, Sunderland managed to squeeze two goals in, from the late substitutes Neil and Roberts. They came seemingly out of nowhere and left the fans more confused than excited. Fans were left with a disappointing performance, yet a positive result. Regardless, if their performance against the bottom of League One is a true indication, their performances in the Championship would be even worse, leaving fans questioning whether they are destined to stagnate in the lower league for another year.
Image: Twitter (@SunderlandAFC)
Image: Twitter (@SunderlandAFC)
Vanarama National L race for promotion to Tom Barlow
The fifth tier of domestic football is set to feature a frantic title race as we near the season's end
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yan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC currently sit third in the Vanarama National League, with aspirations of moving back into the football league amidst their Hollywood takeover. The National League offers up one automatic promotion place for the champions of the league, unlike
Image: Twitter (@footballmemorys)
other leagues which normally offer multiple places. The fifth tier also has a set of play-offs to get into League Two, so the sides placing second-seventh at the end of the season all have the chance of making that glorious leap into the football league. Wrexham have the unwanted award of being the longest serving side in the National League, after their drop from League Two in 2008. However, the arrival of League One and Two players during the Summer and January transfer windows has seen the Reds make a surge up the table. Five league wins in a row, including a 4-2 romping of fellow promotion chasers and FA Cup extraordinaires Boreham Wood, has seen Wrexham rise up the table to third place, which is a play-off position.
Wrexham are the longest serving side in the National League since arriving in 2008
Chesterfield currently sit in second, having played an extra game to Wrexham. The Spireites will be without their goal-grabbing striker Kabongo Tshimanga for the rest of the campaign though, as the man on 24 goals from 27 games sustained a fractured leg and dislocated ankle mid-February against
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall
Sport
37
Chelsea crowd request: have they learnt nothing from Super League fiasco? Mitchell Hall - Sport Sub-editor
A frank view on on Chelsea's request to play without a crowd
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hades of the past fell heavily upon British football this week as Chelsea requested the FA to let their upcoming FA Cup game against Middlesbrough be played behind closed doors, allowing no spectators from Boro’s support despite the game being played in their stadium. In a statement regarding the lack of availability of away tickets for Chelsea fans, the club announced that they were “asking the FA board to direct that the game be played behind closed doors for matters of sporting integrity,” suggesting that they felt the lack of away support would negatively affect the performance of their players. They went on to say that they believed this was the “fairest way of proceeding.” It was immediately clear to the football world that this was a disgraceful statement from start to finish and displayed a sickening level of entitlement
over a side who have produced a magic cup run thus far. Boro’ fans will be raring to get behind their team during this once in a generation series of performances, which have already seen them knock out the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. To suggest that robbing the fans of such an opportunity (despite no guilt in regard to being owned by an oligarch with significant ties to a warmonger currently ravaging a nation) would be in any way fair, is an insult to the game and its supporters. It demonstrates once again that the priorities of monolithic clubs in the sport will never truly line up with the fans’ love of the game.
This displayed entitlement over a side who have produced a magic cup run
The debacle has evoked memories of the failed Super League project that is still fresh in the sport's consciousness, a point which was emphatically drilled
home by an incensed Boro’ chairman Steve Gibson, who stated that “Sporting integrity and Chelsea do not belong in the same sentence” and would go on to label the attempt as “pathetic.” Such a heated reaction is more than understandable, with the request being something of a spit in the face towards the club and its fans, believing that the smaller club should roll over and deny their fanbase in order to better facilitate Chelsea’s cup chances, a situation they are in due to the actions of their ownership, not poor luck or an act of God. The lack of accountability displayed here is rife within the modern game, and can be seen in the mindset of many clubs and the players within them, perhaps presenting the place from which players are instilled with such an attitude that has caused the increase in football related scandals in recent years. Far too often the governing bodies cave
League: the frenzied o the Football League Weymouth. Stockport County will prove to be Wrexham’s biggest foe. They currently top the table with 67 points; five more than Wrexham. The Hatters came from behind to beat Wrexham 2-1 at Edgeley Park earlier in the season, but the two sides will meet on the penultimate game of the season, at what is set to be a packed-out day at the Racecourse, the oldest international stadium in the world. Wrexham cannot afford to be complacent and forget the pack chasing them behind. Halifax Town and Boreham Wood both have multiple games in hand on Wrexham and Chesterfield, which if they won would see them leapfrog the two sides into the automatic play-off positions.
Solihull Moors, Notts County, Grimsby Town and Bromley are all strong contenders to finish fourth-seventh, with Dagenham & Redbridge tailing close behind, and so the competition for places is rife at the moment. Due to the enhanced competitive nature of this league, fans have been crying for extra promotion places in line with the leagues above.
Wrexham secured 98 points in the 2011/12 campaign, but failed to find promotion from second place
In order to claim promotion this time around, Wrexham will have to beat the likes of Halifax, Solihull, Stockport and a currently 13 match unbeaten Southend United all at home, whilst playing Boreham Wood and Dagenham & Redbridge away from home at the end of the season. A continuation of the outstanding form shown by the new signings, such as Ollie Palmer, Paul Mullin and Aaron Hayden will be vital in continuing the impressive win streak that Phil Parkinson’s men are under, alongside home-grown talent in Jordan Davies and Max Cleworth. 84 points were enough for Sutton United to be crowned champions last year. How many points will this year’s champions require?
Image: Twitter (@TheVanaramaNL)
Image: Twitter (@Boro)
to the demands of the sporting giants at the expense of fans, smaller clubs and therefore the game itself. As with the Super League however, the cynical event was stopped in its tracks by the power of public outrage, with Chelsea withdrawing their request and presumably crawling back to Stamford Bridge dejected and confused as to why
anyone would care about any football team that is not themselves. Whilst the opinions of the people are currently keeping such actions at bay, it is down to the regulators to crack down on such attempts to subvert the game, and it is worrying that Chelsea had to retract the request rather than it being burned and thrown out as soon as it arrived.
Head-on Collision Costs England Six Nations Joshua Watson - NSR Deputy Station Manager
England Rugby's competition hopes were dashed after a defeat against Ireland
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rom beginning to end, England’s game against Ireland was a roller-coaster ride. Both nations needed to win here to keep in the title battle for the six nations, but after things started off on the wrong foot for England, it was downhill all the way. With just over a minute on the clock, Charlie Ewells takes a head-on collision with James Ryan, the Irish captain. It was an avoidable mistake, with no real effort being made to get around things or bring his head down. It was a clear red card, especially as head injuries are currently a big talking point in the rugby community. Now down to 14 men, England had an uphill battle for the rest of the afternoon. Irelands' first two tries came
in from James Lowe and Hugo Keenan in the first half, however they gave away many a penalty from a scrum to England – impressive given that England had to rely on a winger to make up their ranks in the scrum. Marcus Smiths' boot kept England in the game with three penalties converted to out of three for a 15 – 9 score at the break. After the break – England kept keeping it up with the penalty conversions, with Smith getting two more between the bars after the hour mark. Now all tied up, was it possible for England to save the game? Well, when you’re a man down, everyone must make up for the extra man’s position. The defence is the first thing to fall when the men get tired and Ireland where the first to act. Jack Conan and Finlay Balham squashed the last resistance, driving England into a 15 – 32 defeat. With this England’s chance of victory went out of the window and Ireland now need England to win in their game against the French in Paris this weekend. With this game only being the third loss in the six nations in their past 26 six-nation games, it is not as unlikely as you think.
Image: Twitter (@EnglandRugby)
Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall
38
Monday 21st March 2022
Sport
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Chip Ganassi Racing Dominic Thiem skips Indian launches Women in Wells for clay-court season Motorsports effort Tom Barlow
Castor Chan - Sports sub-editor
International Women's Day marks the start of their ''Women in Motorsports'' campaign
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n the 8th of March, Chip Ganassi Racing and PNC Bank unveiled their new initiative to promote further gender equality in motorsports. The campaign encompasses an internship opportunity with CGR during the Indycar season for female college students, and a video series featuring female industry leaders in their organisation. According to their statement, the following women will be included: Indycar engineer and mechanic Angela Ashmore and Anna Chatten respectively, Extreme E driver Sara Price, and IMSA lead engineer Danielle Shepherd (who previously helped Scott Dixon win an Indy championship). Speaking on Shepherd, Dixon commented, “I hope that one day, it isn't necessarily a rarity to see women working on the team side of things in motorsports, and I'm happy for Danielle that she can be a leader in this program and share her knowledge with the next generation.” “We’re excited to highlight the achievements of our team members and share a behind-the-scenes look at their contributions, … which will hopefully help pave the way for female students to develop specialised skills in areas such as racing operations and engineering to information technology and athletic training, to name a few,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. Chip Ganassi and PNC have an existing sponsorship link, but this new campaign hopes to inspire further conversation about the need for women as decision-makers and industry leaders in the motorsports world. PNC’s Head of Enterprise Technology and Security, Debbie Guild said, "While women continue to make inroads in careers dominated by males… much work remains in achieving greater access to highly skilled jobs and equal pay. Cultivating opportunities to build out the next pipeline of female innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders is critical to closing the economic gender gap.” The Women in Motorsports campaign will include ‘on-site learning and career-development experiences’ and possible academic credit, in hopes that the internship program will accelerate their career
pathways and allow for more opportunities in the motorsport industry. Running out of CGR’s Indianapolis site, accepted interns will be placed into any of the following departments: ‘engineering, racing operations, information technology, athletic training, or other (e.g. technical or operational)’. Dedicated initiatives like these will no doubt be beneficial for many young women going forward, and other programs promoting female participation include Formula Woman, Girls On Track and the slightly controversial W Series. Formula Woman is a competition for racers with little to no track experience, with 4 winners forming a 2 car team in the 2022 GT Cup. The Girls on Track UK program is a collaborative initiative between Motorsport UK and the FIA, forming a community for women, hosting webinar series and offering events for young girls between 8-18 in particular.
''Cultivating opportunities to build female leaders is critical to closing the gender gap''
The W Series is now near the start of its fourth season, with its second being held virtually during the pandemic. There were arguments both for and against the formation of a solely female junior series; on one hand, it allowed for more women in single-seaters, but it also potentially alienated or discouraged those racers from going into regular series. One example is Jamie Chadwick, who despite winning the W Series twice, could not get enough money to proceed through junior championships and has sparked rumours of stagnation. This internship will bring more attention to Indycar and racing in the States from young girls, and the earlier that they are inspired to start gaining an interest in the motorsports industry, the better equipped they are for their futures. What Chip Ganassi Racing and PNC Bank aim to do is encourage more females into the technological side of motorsports, giving them the STEM opportunities that will allow them to showcase their talent and accumulate a more competitive skillset. It also comes at a good time, with Drive to Survive having introduced a global and more diverse audience to racing. With motorsports being such a male-dominated sphere for so long, this is a good step in the road for more gender equality and a foot in the factory door for many aspiring women.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The former world no. 3 has slipped down to no. 50 in the ATP rankings after his hiatus
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uccessive injuries have hampered Thiem’s comeback for Indian Wells and Miami, seeing him opt for a return in April instead for the clay court season at the famous Monte Carlo Masters. The Austrian has been out injured with a wrist injury since June 2021, which he sustained at the Mallorca Open. The then world number 5 was forced to retire against Adrian Mannarino, after being 5-2 up on the grass courts of Mallorca. His comeback was set to be at the Cordoba Open 250, but a further injury to his right finger’s ligament has seen the former world number 3’s return delayed. He announced that he is recovering well and is set to return for the clay court season at what will probably be the Monte Carlo Masters, starting April 10th. "The wrist is perfectly fine, the hand is getting better and better.” From all accounts, the 2020 US Open Champion sounds unpanicked by his latest injury, and the withdrawal from
the two upcoming tournaments seems precautionary. He also admitted that clay was his most comfortable surface and so perhaps he is more at ease with retuning from his long-spell injury on these courts, rather than the Laykold and Plexipave hard courts of Miami and Indian Wells. “[Clay-courts are] still the surface I feel the most comfortable [on], so it's a perfect time to start there.” Thiem’s record in America speaks for itself, as he was crowned champion of the US Open in 2020 and Indian Wells the year prior. The Austrian also had to cancel on defending his Grand Slam title at New York in 2021, due to underestimating the severity of his wrist injury. The art of cancelling on the Americans is something Thiem has had to master. The dubbed ‘sunshine double’ is set to be without the injured Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori, along with world female number 1 Ashleigh Barty. Novak Djokovic will also miss out on the tournament pair, due to travel restrictions in the US for unvaccinated people. The world number 2 still remains to be the only player inside the top 100 to be unvaccinated. Thiem has played 12 matches at Monte Carlo, winning only six. The Austrian has failed to make it past the quarter
final stage in years prior and 2019 saw him wiped out against the Serbian Dušan Lajović in the 3rd round, losing three and three. A more successful run in the tournament on the back of a long-term injury does not seem likely, but Thiem will be hoping to glide back onto the clay courts and shed any rustiness that may linger.
biggest annual BUCS events separately, for most team sports competing weekin week-out this is the highlight of the season. However, only a few fortunate teams can make it to their final and the chance to participate in Big Wednesday. This is the university’s best showing yet at the event. This success is reflected in a current seventh place standing for Newcastle in the BUCS table. Men’s Basketball, Women’s Volleyball, American Football, Men’s Rugby 1sts and 2nds and Men’s Lacrosse will all be represented in Nottingham in their respective finals. Fergus Mainland, NUSU's Athletic Union Officer had praise for these teams: "I'm delighted to see so many of our teams head down to Nottingham this week. "
level, Newcastle Men’s Basketball beat Loughborough in the semi-final to reach their final at Big Weekend. This means they too come up against our old rivals from up the Wear, playing Durham. This contest will be one of the last matches of the day at
Image: Twitter (@atptour)
Team Newcastle to take o Peter Bath - Head of Sports
The rundown of Newcastle's clubs competing in finals in Nottingham on Wednesday
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ewcastle are well represented as the university sports calendar reaches its finale this Wednesday with BUCS Big Wednesday. University sports teams from across the country will head to Nottingham to compete in finals of their competitions, and Newcastle have participants from basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, rugby and American football. Nottingham University hosts the competition across various sports facilities in the city. With a total of 57 fixtures this is the biggest of Big Wednesdays BUCS has organised to date. A busy schedule sees men’s, women’s and mixed teams from sixteen sports go head to head for their respective titles in both trophy and championship competitions.
Six teams from Team Newcastle have qualified for the finals in Nottingham on Wednesday
Sports represented include fencing, rugby (league and union), football and hockey. While many sports clubs such as rowing or swimming have their
"I'm delighted to see so many of our teams head down to Nottingham this week. " He continued: "It’s testament to all the hard work that has gone on this year from the athletes as well as everyone behind the scenes. I know the whole of Team Newcastle will be behind them every step of the way.” In the Women’s Volleyball Championship showdown, Newcastle’s women will go up against our uni’s ‘sophisticated’ progenitor, Durham University, at 12:30 on Wednesday afternoon. They beat East London Women 3-2 in the semi-final earlier in the month to earn their spot. Also at National Championship
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COURIER
Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall
Sport
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‘Rebooted’ England team draw NCL uni announce first test of West Indies tour free bus passes to
D Tom Barlow
espite centuries from Johnny Bairstow, Zak Crawley and captain Joe Root, England were unable to claim victory on a flat, uneventful wicket. All the talk at beginning of play was about how England would fair without their two greatest ever bowlers in James Anderson and Stuart Broad amidst a poor batting display all year round in 2021. Joe Root decided to bat first at the toss and throw in debutant Alex Lees to open the batting. ‘Project Reboot’ quickly turned into project ‘same old same old.’ No runs at the top of the order, including Root promoting himself to the speculated number three position, left England 48-4, as only Dan Lawrence made it to 20 runs. England would again have to rely on the middle order to salvage some runs and a dogged display by Ben Stokes and Bairstow gave England hope of reaching that elusive 300 run mark. 140 precious runs from Yorkshire’s Bairstow would be England’s salvation in this test match, as handy partnerships with Ben Foakes and Chris Woakes enabled the ODI opener to reach his tonne and beyond. England’s first innings target of 311 would be an
adequate score for the Windies to chase down. Although, leaving over 1000 test wickets at home would evidently prove costly, as England’s mid-paced seamers did little to trouble the home batters on a flat track. The determination for Woakes to replicate his home form abroad is unwavering, but the worst economy, bar from Root and one wicket has left fans pondering over the persistence to pick Woakes abroad. A century from Nkrumah Bonner and an opening half century from Kraigg Brathwaite led the West Indies to a lead of 64, as England’s unwanted reputation of struggling to dismiss bottom orders continued.
Yorkshire’s Bairstow would be England’s salvation
After a poor year all round for Crawley, being dismissed on his third ball for LBW would have English head in hands, but as the series rhetoric went, the umpire’s decision would be overturned by DRS. Crawley would channel the double century performance of 2020 against Pakistan and smash an impressive tonne alongside his captain, who didn’t take too long to get his either. England would boldly declare on 349/6 on the morning of day 5, seeing
Root praised for a possibly well-timed declaration in search of a win. The pace of Mark Wood is vital in order to salvage wickets on a deflating track, but injury left him unable to bowl. An 80mph ‘bump’ bowler in Jamie Overton wouldn’t leave too may batsmen worried and so it was up to spinner Jack Leach to find the wickets. Leach could only muster up three wickets, seeing the test match end with the West Indies 147/4, with Jason Holder being a nuisance with the bat once more, as he was 37 not out at the close. Although England managed to pass the 300 mark in successive innings, fans shouldn’t be too ecstatic as the pitch was woefully flat. If England are to win the next test in Bridgetown, they will desperately need the likes of Saqib Mahmood to come in and impress for the injured 90mph bowler Mark Wood, as they crave those 20 wickets that win test matches. Image: Twitter (@mirrorsport)
on BUCS Big Wednesday 8:00pm. In the National Vase competition, Newcastle University Men’s Rugby first team will face Nottingham University’s. Our rugby lads beat Exeter 2818 last week, setting up the final.
Image: Newcastle Rugby Team - Twitter (@NewcastleUNIRfc)
The Newcastle boys will be up against it, however, Nottingham possess the home advantage as the Midlands uni is
A live stream of the events will be available online via BUCS website and YouTube channel
Newcastle has had success with eight teams winning their Northern Conference Cup Finals. Mens Fencing 1sts, Women’s Football 1sts, Netball 5ths, Men’s Rugby Union 3rds, Men’s Rugby Union 5ths, Women’s Squash 2nds, Women’s Futsal 1sts and Men’s Water Polo 1sts all beat their opponents to end cup runs as champions of the North. On top of these BUCS competitions, Newcastle’s clubs will be looking forward to Varsity on Wednesday 27th April. The revived competition will see Newcastle as well as Northumbria Universities’ sports teams battle it out across various arenas to earn the bragging rights on Tyneside. The Stan Calvert Cup saw the unis compete since 1994, but was unfortunately cancelled in 2019 after Northumbria won for the fifth consecutive year. Team Newcastle will be hoping for better luck this time round.
hosting the competition. The Men’s Rugby second team will also be competing, this time in the National Trophy final. They’re up against Brunel University after beating Durham in the semis. The 2nd XV face off against the Londoners at 14:30 on Wednesday. In the National Trophy final, Newcastle University’s American Football team face SGS College. They secured their place after emphatically beating Sheffield Hallam Warriors 2421 in last Sunday’s semi-final. The victory also established the Newcastle Raiders as Northern champions and secured their promotion to the Premier League. They will kick off the competition on Tuesday evening before the rest of the action gets underway on Wednesday. The Men’s Lacrosse team have also reached the final of the National Trophy. They play Plymouth Marjon at 12:30pm on Wednesday. Eleven sports are being covered, sadly not including Newcastle’s rugby or volleyball hopefuls. With several teams making the long trip down to Nottingham, students can get behind their friends, peers and coursemates in supporting Team Newcastle at the pinnacle of their Image: Shield of the University of Newcastle season. (wikimedia commons) Outside of Big Wednesday, Team
sports venues
Fergus Mainland - Athletic Union Officer
University to provide free bus passes to university sports events
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fter three years of negotiations, Newcastle University will be providing subsidised bus travel for students. The partnership, led by the Athletic Union alongside Sports Services and the Sustainability team will see students travel to and from Cochrane Park and Longbenton Sports Grounds Free of charge. The trial will run until 17th June 2022 with plans for a permanent contract in place for the 2022/23 academic year.
The trial will run until 17th June with plans to be permanent in the 2022/23 year
Students will be able to register for a card at the Sports Centre Reception and use the Number 1 service from the city centre to get out to the university sports grounds. Passengers will be able to board and alight at Sandyford Road (outside Civic Centre), Sandyford
Road (outside Archbold Terrace ‘Jesmond 360’), Heaton Road (Falmouth Road), Cochrane Park Sports Ground (Red Hall Drive) and Longbenton Sports Ground (Coach Lane Campus East).
Students will be able to register for a card at the Sports Centre Students will be able to show their cards whilst boarding and the university will cover the cost of transport. This will help break down barriers to sport by removing some of the hidden travel costs and will make our sports grounds more accessible to all students. Katy Storie, Newcastle University's Director of Sport commented. "I'm delighted by the new partnership with Stagecoach as it supports students by connecting our main campus with our outstanding sports facilities at Cochrane Park and Longbenton. This agreement also contributes to the university's commitment to reducing barriers for students to engage in an active wellbeing." This travel scheme will be open to a huge number of students from across the university. Those involved with AU Clubs, Campus League games, Intramural programmes, society members, volunteers and staff members. Plans for this idea were originally presented to the University Partnership Committee by previous Athletic Union Officer, Joe Gubbins. However, as COVID-19 the project was shelved until Autumn 2021.
As Athletic Union Officer, I am delighted to see this over the line This arrangement between Newcastle University and Stagecoach Buses paves the way for expansion opportunities to other sports grounds such as Heaton Cricket Ground or the Newburn Water Sports Centre to make travel to and from training for our students as easy and accessible as possible. As Athletic Union Officer, I am delighted to see this project over the line. There has been a huge amount of hard work over the years from predecessors to get this scheme implemented and my thanks must also go to the university for their assistance over the past few months. This will make significant steps to making Team Newcastle more accessible, inclusive and united. With Varsity taking place on 27th April, this project comes at a welcome time for students looking to engage with the relaunch of this exciting sporting event.. Image: Newcastle University Rugby player - Twitter (@NewcastleUNIRfc)
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Monday 21st March 2022
Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall
Sport
A cracking guide to the world of Easter sports Uppies and Downies
George Bell - Film sub-editor
Find out about the egg-cellent sports that happened around Easter
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all me shell-fish but I’m not one to be invested in sports. It just never really appealed to me. But after egg-stensive research over the past few days, I might be a convert. No, I’m not even yolking. Okay, I’ll tone down the egg jokes. Maybe. You might be well versed in Easter and all it has to offer: the birth of Jesus, hot cross buns, eating enough chocolate to go into a week-long coma. But are you aware of the eclectic mix of weird and wonderful sports that also take place around Easter? If no, fear not, for a lesson is at hand. If yes, still keep reading, please? So here are some of the wackiest Easter sports that I wholeheartedly recommend trying out yourself:
Imagine football, but Game of Thrones football. That is kind of what Uppies and Downies is like. Taking place on Good Friday in Workington, Cumbria for hundreds of years this sport involves splitting teams based on where they live, with the aim of getting a ball into an opponents’ goal. Sounds just like football right? That is until you take into account the pitch: it incorporates a huge proportion of the town centre. Involving hundreds of players and taking several hours, Uppies and Downies is not for the faint of heart (my condolences to most football players).
Numerous safety warnings have been given by police as there is a history of serious injuries But while the smart thing for this dangerous sport is to stop it or keep it where it is, I propose the exact opposite. Bring it to Newcastle. Hordes of Geordies targeting every Greggs in the city centre sounds admittedly quite dangerous, but a lot of fun.
The World Egg Championships
Jarping
Image: George Bell (Katie Siddall)
However, not everyone is into team sports, myself included. Enter The World Egg Jarping Championships. Yes, it is as epic as it sounds. This contest of champions takes place every Easter in the Hearts of Oak pub in Peterlee. Contestants each select their weapon of choice, a boiled egg, and mercilessly bash them together until one of them cracks. It’s basically conkers with eggs. There are serious anti-doping rules in place to
ensure a fair and equal beating of one’s eggs. Cheating has included such nefarious deeds as dipping the eggs in bear, painting them with nail varnish or holding them against the radiator. It’s an intense sport filled with blood, tears and eggshells.
The
World Marbles Championship
Bored of eggs yet? I certainly am, you could say I’m losing my marbles over them. That oh so subtle segue leads me to the epic World Marbles Championship; held each Good Friday in Tinsley Green, West Sussex for hundreds of years. Squid Games fans need not worry, losing here won’t result in your death, but maybe a fate much worse…having to buy the next round. There are oh so many more egg-based
Enough on marbles, back to eggs.
and more epic, an entire federation. This worldwide federation promotes the beautiful sport of egg-throwing as well as several variations like throw and catch, static relay, and egg trebuchet. I, for one, cannot contain my eggcitement and will be applying for membership as soon as possible.
The Egg and Spoon Race Last but certainly not least is the staple of most school sports days. A crucible of rage and intensity, the egg and spoon race was the testament to all that is cool. Want to be praised by all your peers? Win the egg and spoon race. A throwback to easier times with a spoon to hand would solve many of the problems of the world... Be them boiled, raw, poached, or fried, there are so many uses of the humble egg beyond eating that are sure to be a blast to try out. Or maybe eat them, that works too. The only question to ask now is, why aren’t any of these in the Olympics?
sports to test your mettle at. From the sports day classic egg and spoon race to egg rolling and egg-throwing (of which there is an actual federation). Be them boiled, raw, poached or fried, there are so many uses of the humble egg beyond eating that are sure to be a blast to try out. Or maybe eat them, that works too.
The World Egg Throwing Federation While not egg-xclusive to Easter, this is where real egg sportsmen and women are made, or boiled. The concept behind egg throwing is a simple one: a group of people taking turns throwing eggs but attempting not to break them. But since it has grown into something much greater
Image: Pixabay
Image: Twitter (@OOSNSW)
Image: George Bell (Katie Siddall)
View from the AU Fergus Mainland - Athletic Union Officer
BUCS wins & Varsity’s back
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s I sit and write this, late for print on a Friday, The Students’ Union is basking in sun and turquoise skies. Like many others, I can’t help but feel like spring is finally here. Very quickly, office talk turns to beer gardens and long afternoons watching sport, especially with the clocks going forward this coming weekend. It seems an apt moment to reflect on this term and everything that’s gone on. Since January, our teams, BUCS and non-BUCS have stepped up to the mark and collectively outperformed everyone’s expectations. Over the past couple of months, we’ve moved up in the BUCS rankings, sent a huge number of teams to Manchester for Northern Conference Finals, many of them winning and this week six teams will head to Nottingham for BUCS Big Wednesday Finals. I also had the pleasure of attending The Dance Club ‘Blame It On The Boogie’ show last night. This was the culmination of a year’s hard work and truly a celebration of the success they’ve had this year. We’ve done a lot of winning and picked up dozens of medals, trophies and rosettes this season. These achievements are the culmination of all the hard work from committees, coaches and volunteers who were able to hit the ground running at the start of the year. It seems like an eternity ago when we had all those transport issues at the beginning of the year… The exciting thing is that we’re not done yet. As the easter break comes around, Cricket will be gearing up for their season, Rowing is training hard for BUCS Regatta and many more clubs will still be performing through the exam period. As well as those club fixtures we can also look forward to the return of Varsity with Northumbria and the longanticipated return of the Athletic Union Ball on May 6th . Rest up over Easter. We’re not done yet. There are still memories to be made and a poly to batter on the 27th April. Howay Team Newcastle.
INSIDE SPORT THIS WEEK
BUCS finals
Peter Bath looks at Team Newcastle’s standing going into Big Wednesday Pages 38+39. Image: Twitter (@NewcastleUNIRfc)
Football
Updates from the top flight to the National League Pages 36+37 Image: Twitter (@worldofawaydays)
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Free buses
Newcastle University announces free Stagecoach bus passes to Sports Venues Page 39 Image: Twitter (@StagecoachNE)