May 2013 by iAston Magazine

May 2013

PASS YOUR EXAMS WITH

FLYING COLOURS

+ FUN, SUMMER TRAVEL COMPS, SHOES & MORE Aston Students' Union's Official Magazine

Feeling stressed about exams? Need someone to talk to or just somewhere to relax? Come to MLK Mul Faith Centre, chaplains are here most week days and will also be oﬀering stress management sessions from Monday to Wednesday with 15-20 medita on techniques, Indian head massage sessions and relaxa on technique sessions. To enquire about these sessions please contact: Jema Wya j.wya 1@aston.ac.uk

May 2013

CONTENTS Letter from the Editor...

Contents

It's my final issue! Wah! For you, however, it just means you've got an extra-special copy of iAston in your hands right now.

The Team

In this month's issue, we take a sneak peak at "New New Build", deliberate over when heels trump flats, guide you to the best summer travel experiences as well as provide you with some ultra-handy exam tips!

A.S.U. News

A Day In The Life...

On top of all this, we've got info on your new Exec Team, along with my farewell letter (#29). I'm gonna miss all this, but wish new "me", Ryan Skeet (#30), the best of luck!

Besma Whayeb

Students Union

Features Summer Travel

New New Build

To Heel or Not to Heel

Exam Survival Kit

Cut Out & Keep Exam Timetable 18 Anti-Procrastination

@besmalucy

May 2013 Best Worst Exams

Sports Report

An Audience with David Walsh

Villa's Young Lions

Billy Boy Condoms

Letters

Latitude Festival

Entertainment Nadine Shah Competitions

Innovation in the Sun 24 Amsterdam Open Air 24

Farewell from The Editor

Hello to the New Editor

@iAstonMagazine

The Team

FEATURED WRITERS

Editor: Besma Whayeb Features Editor: Reha Kansara Sports Editor: Henry Walker Music Editor: Rushiv Nayee Film Editor: NoĂŠmie Noel

Rebecca Wilson Summer Travel, #10

Assistant Editor: Alex Rymer Head of Promotions: Jema Wyatt Chief Photographer: Craig Shuker This Month's Team: Maximillian Pullen Aggy Jacobs Tom Farrelly Marie Shireen-Hadid

Adrian Bennion New New Build, #13

Rebecca Wilson Adrian Bennion Besma Whayeb Alex Rymer Rushiv Nayee Henry Walker Ryan Skeet

Ryan Skeet

Incoming Editor, #30

News

A.S.U. News What's been going on this past month in Aston Students' Union?

Your Incoming Executive Team!

L-R: Neil Bushell, Union President; Ahmed Hassan, Vice President of Finance, Media & Entertainment; Jake Delaney, Vice President of Education & Welfare; Becky Jones, Vice President of Student Activities; Dimitar Kostadinov, Chairperson; Ryan Skeet, iAston Editor; Dave Bithell, RAG Officer; Dominic Anelli, Market Research Officer; Naomi Palmer, Equalities & Environment Officer

Your Executives A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... THE UNION PRESIDENT

Max Pullen

Hi all! The life of President of the SU is very diverse, encompassing many responsibilities, all of which are brilliant fun! One moment you can be in a toplevel management meeting discussing medium or long term strategy for the University, the next you can be in a one-on-one meeting with a student regarding business proposals! When elected as President you are actually elected into three roles. Firstly you are the Chief Representative of 10,541 students, expressing their opinions at meetings and functions across the university, from the Learning Technologies Working Group and the development of BlackBoard, to the Aston Student Villages Project Management Group, setting next year’s rents. Secondly you are Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, responsible for the strategic management and administration of the SU. In this role you lead the Board, ensuring that the £1m business stays within its remit and the law to “positively impact on the life of every student”. Finally you are a member of the University Council, the highest representative body in the university. At University Council you present a report at each meeting detailing strategically important developments across the breadth of the SU, whilst ensuring that decisions such as the possible purchase of the Old Fire Station are in line with the strategic and financial plans of the university. No doubt you will see me zipping across the university in a suit or working hard in my office on the 3rd floor of the SU. Please feel free to pop in for a chat or stop me at any time if you want to ask me any questions. I have enjoyed every minute of my year as President and I wish the incoming Executive team all the best, I am certain you will have a fantastic year!

- Max You can find out about your Union Executives on our website, www.astonunion.com

Your Executives A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... THE VPEW

Aggy Jacobs

Hi everyone!

The first thing I should probably say is that there is no such thing as ‘a day in the life of’ a VPEW, every day is completely different! There could be one day where I have a full day of meetings with people from the University or people from external organisations such as West Midlands Police, and then there could be another day where I am solely meeting with students and dealing with their queries. There could be a day where I am in from 9am until late evening, and there could be another day where I am able to stick to my core hours of 10-5. It’s a good thing that variety is the spice of life! Taking yesterday as an example of what my days often look like, I came in at 9:15 and went straight to a meeting about exam invigilation with a colleague from the ARC and the Director of Registry and Student Planning. I then went to a meeting with the Chief Operating Officer of the University to catch up on what we’d both been doing, then a meeting with various members of University staff about the Complaints Procedure. After this I had a bit of time in my office catching up on emails, and also managed to grab a quick lunch in the fresh air. At 1pm I chaired Union Senate, which is a meeting of the Course Reps, to discuss their concerns. Finally I had a meeting with Union colleagues to discuss a potential project. I finished at 5pm and enjoyed a relaxing drink with friends in the sun!

- Aggy You can find out about your Union Executives on our website, www.astonunion.com

Your Executives A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... THE VPFME

Marie Shireen-Hadid Hello! “A Day in the Life” of the VPFME of Aston Union can contain different things depending on the time of year. If I was writing this in the summer, my hands would be full with the planning of the very exciting time that is Freshers’ Week! Writing it now, means that I am currently running around organising Final fling 2013, to give all of you lovely people a great end of year! As VPFME your daily activities range from attending Finance meetings over in the University, sitting on union committees such as RAG, ENTS and SA Exec, advise students on events and promotion to checking over expenditure in the Union and the Union publications. I’m going to give you a little insight now into organising Final Fling. A typical day would now be spent finding the right venue for Takeover (now that we’re going external) and make sure all the details are arranged for that evening. Booking acts is another important part, as you contact agencies and booking agents and you negotiate prices to make sure the fee is actually in our budget (difficult task, as our budget is very tight!). This year, we’ve been lucky enough to succeed in getting two amazing acts for Final Fling: both the amazing Scott Mills and The Wombats! I will then spend a lot of time on the phone or meeting with venue managers, to negotiate and finalise details for the upcoming Annihilation pubcrawls. Those will be cemented by signing contracts. Another part of my day will be spent directing promotion and overseeing it. As I have limited space to talk about my day, I’m going to stop now. My closing sentence will be that the VPFME position can be very demanding and busy at times, but also rewarding when everything comes together and you know you have provided a moment of entertainment for Aston students!

Luang Prabang

- Marie

You can find out about your Union Executives on our website, www.astonunion.com

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Feature

Summer Travel

Rebecca Wilson takes us on a journey around the world with a guide to the best exam motivation - pre-booked travelling!

Europe Europe is a backpacker’s dream, with so many different easily accessible countries and so much to see and do! The added bonus of not having to fly and no need for visas or no nasty injections makes it an even better getaway.

Berlin

Rome

Amsterdam

The classic way to travel Europe is via InterRailing, with tickets starting at just over £150 for under 25’s. This offers great flexibility with 30 countries included in the ticket and as an added bonus there are plenty of night trains so you save on accommodation and arrive in a new country the next day! Popular budget destinations include Berlin, which has great complimentary city tours in the day and some of the best nightlife too! So you can soak up some history and enjoy some of the best clubs in Europe. Another obvious choice is Italy; with so many places to visit and different types of food to eat, it speaks for itself. There are loads of different ways of travelling around Europe, with budget airlines often having sales, and Megabus offering tickets from Birmingham to Amsterdam, Paris or Brussels for only £1 - and you don’t have to worry about your luggage being over weight! Another extremely cheap way of getting around is cycling, although a fair bit of planning and fitness is needed of course! It’s a great way of experiencing

Feature Europe, and a mixture of campsites, hostels and hotels means that you’ll never be stuck for a place to stay. Consider not just the typical locations as well; Ryanair offers cheap flights to Iceland, a country like no other! With lagoons that are constantly over 30 degrees and amazing scenic views, it’s not to be written off your lists. Also don’t overlook staying the UK! It’s perfect for mini road-trips: Cornwall is great for beaches, partying and surfing, while the Scottish Highlands has some amazing sights. The bonus of the UK is that you can visit all your friends in other universities and get free accommodation while being shown around to the best places by a local!

Iceland

Highlands

Asia Being the largest continent on Earth, Asia offers some amazing experiences; with super cheap food and accommodation, white beaches and 1000year-old ruins it’s a very popular choice. The only big cost is getting there - flights are around £500 to Thailand, a favourite backpacking destination. Here you’ll be met with stunning islands, amazing food, and a mixture of drinking and culture. The whole of South East Asia is very easy to travel around, and highlights include the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia, Hanoi in Vietnam and Luang Prabang in Laos. Another backpacking favourite is India, perfect to travel round by train and if you are feeling adventurous look at Mongolia.

Feature

Australasia Going “down under” can be expensive but a truly amazing experience! It’s the perfect place to go travelling and has everything set up for backpackers. There are numerous ways to travel; my personal favourite is via the hop on buses, which allow great flexibility and with the comfort of being dropped off at your hotel door and are a great way to meet new people. From scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef to sky diving in New Zealand there is so much to do, but it does come at a cost. A great way to travel is to get a working visa - and with a £10 minimum wage, fruit picking or bar work doesn’t seem that bad!

Great Barrier Reef

Money Saving Tips

There are so many ways to save money while travelling. As accommodation can really add up, feel free to call in all your favours – especially with international friends! Do you have a flatmate who goes back home to Spain over the summer? Or a Great Uncle who moved to Singapore? Not only will you get a free or cheap place to stay but you’ll also get an expert tour guide. If you’re not lucky enough to blag sleeping on a friends sofa, perhaps try Couch Surfing (www.couchsurfing.org), a website that offers free places to stay around the world. Another tip is to look at reward schemes, such as Airmiles or even Tesco Clubcard. Finally, working or volunteering can be a great and different way to see a country. Au pairing, hospitality work and teaching English normally offer a great package such as accommodation. When looking to find volunteer work, make sure you do your research as a lot of companies charge high fees that don’t even go to the charity. A good place to start is www.idealist.org. Happy travelling!

Sneak Peak

New New Build!

Adrian Bennion takes a sneak peak for iAston Magazine at the brand-spanking-new New Build, open next year! As part of ‘The Takeover’ initiative from the Aston University Web Marketing team, I was able to take over the Aston University Twitter account for a day on Tuesday 30th April. During the day, I was tweeting all about Student Life here at Aston, as well as answering questions from prospective students. Paul, Clive, Liseli and Adrian Without doubt, however, the highlight of the day was being able to go behind the scenes, on a tour of the new residences that are being built. Aston’s Student Village (ASV) Phase 2 is due to open in September, and is really starting to take shape. I went with Daniel Blyden from the Web Marketing team, and Liseli Madiri, another student taking part in ‘The Takeover’. When we got there, we met with Clive Eals, the ASV Project Manager, and Paul, who works for BAM, the company building ASV Phase 2. This is what we were shown… On the right is what will be the new Reception Area, which is where the Residential Services staff will be based.

Sneak Peak 1.

1. What will be the new Games Room, with a space to chill out. 2. The Courtyard is taking shape! 3. A 7-flat study bedroom, much like the bedrooms in William Murdoch and James Watt Residences. 4. There will be some great views across campus from the new halls. 5. The new Common Room is currently being used for storage. 6. Old and new! Stafford Tower is due to be knocked down in 2014.

Feature

To Heel or Not to Heel? It's a more important question than you might think! It’s hard not to notice the 90s style making a comeback on the streets of Birmingham. The crop tops and platform shoes are two signature statements of the era, however while you may not injure yourself from a shortened hem, sky-high heels may be a regrettable decision. Now, don’t get us wrong, every girl loves a pair of platforms, such as the ASOS beauties below; it’s just that sometimes they should come with their own warning label! That’s why it’s important to know when you should strap on a pair, and when to leave them in the safety of your own home.

TO HEEL: Some tips for those nights where you can’t stand leaving your favourite pair at home:

-‐

New shoes - when you first put them on, close your eyes and take a few steps, this allows your brain to find its natural balance with the type of shoe. For extra stability, lace ups, wedges and block heels give those who are not as confident in heels a great chance to test the waters.

-‐

Always wear them around the house with a pair of socks a day or two before, then for an hour or so before you go out. This will give you a chance to get used to the height of the heel and you will know of any pressure points where you can put on a plaster to prevent further irritation.

-‐

Make sure you take the chance to sit down throughout the night. It can be hard to pull yourself away from the dance floor but having a break will rest your feet and will actually bring the shoes to a focal point so you can embrace the ‘ohmygad they’re amazing!’ compliments.

Feature -‐

Always take emergency plasters and if you can, invest in some Party Feet – even better! You don’t want the shoes to decide whether you have a good night so taking ammo will stop them from defeating you.

-‐

And lastly, if you’re injured- go home! Damage can be more permanent than you think and no one wants to be ‘that girl’ who’s crying because she’s walking like a baby deer. Don’t be ‘that girl’!

NOT TO HEEL: Sometimes it’s best to quit while you are ahead and embrace the flats: -‐

For starters, bar crawls are one of the biggest endurance tests you will have to go through as a student. With their fast paced nature you don’t want to be left behind shuffling from bar to bar.

-‐

Unpredictable dance floors, we all know them; they’ve got years of spilt drinks embedded creating a sticky, slippery muck. Not only does it make the dance floor a minefield, but it also puts your shoes at high risk of being ruined.

-‐

Cobbled streets - unless you have a very good friend who is willing to give you a piggy back, it’s not worth the unstable mission from one place to another.

-‐

Mosh pits – enough said.

Even the pros can suffer a bump on both the bum and on the ego when on stage performing. Beyoncé, Lady gaga and Rihanna all manage to show true showmanship by carrying on as if it was part of their routine. On the catwalk it’s a little more obvious seeing Katie Fogarty, Agyness Deyn and Jessica Stam make the runway a lot more memorable. It’s always a giggle to watch, as long as it isn’t you nursing the bruises. So don’t let heels ruin your night, just be wise about when and how you wear them.

Exam Survival

Exam Survival Kit

Music edit Book club

Instructions: Read. Laugh. Learn. Good luck!

Preview

The PLACE to go

7 Classic Exam Mistakes

If you manage to avoid these classic exam mistakes, we're sure you'll pass with flying colours (well, with the addition of revising, of course...) 1. I'm fine, I'm fine, I like cramming... As a rule of thumb: nobody likes cramming. Nobody even likes revising. Try not to leave it 'til the last minute! 2. Forgetting to do past papers Know the format of your exam, so it isn't a surprise to you on the day. Questions will also be similar, therefore helping you to create a style of answering past papers that will help hugely. 3. It's open book? Why did nobody tell me! Make sure you know what type of exams you have (open/closed book, with/ without calculators, multiple-choice/essay questions...) and how long you've got for them too. 4. Not reading the question(s) properly Make sure to analyse the question in depth - everything is put their to point you in the right direction. Get your highlighter pens at the ready! 5. Panicking as everyone writes novels... Looking at others is bad enough - you could look like a cheat! - but looking and panicking further as you can't think of anything to write doesn't help. 6. Feeling like a fish out of water This works two ways - in the literal sense, that you need to drink a lot of water, both while revising and in the exam - as well as the emotional sense. Few people are "comfortable" in exams, so don't worry if everyone else seems to be happily getting on with theirs. 7. Forgetting the question on the back page... We've all been there. "How did you do on question 8?" a classmate asks, to which you reply, "There was a question 8?!". Make sure to check all over the paper, even if it's never been the case with past papers.

Exam Survival

Cut Out & Keep Exam Timetable Below is a calendar for the whole of Aston's exam period - cut it out, write on your exams and stick it on your wall/noticeboard/fridge door. It'll help you work out what to revise, when! From everyone at iAston Magazine, good luck in all your exams!

May Monday

6 Monday

13 Monday

20 Monday

Tuesday

7 Tuesday

14 Tuesday

21 Tuesday

Wednesday

8 Wednesday

15 Wednesday

22 Wednesday

Thursday

9 Thursday

16 Thursday

23 Thursday

Friday

10 Friday

17 Friday

24 Friday

31 June

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Summer Holidays! 18

Exam Survival

10 Steps to Stop Procrastinating It’s that time of year again - the weeks of partying are coming to an end, and it’s time to sit down and do the thing you came to university to do: study. Everyone else may be studying, or claiming to study, at the same time as you, but what can you do to make your time spent at your desk more efficient? How can you turn hours of procrastination into time well spent revising? By Alex Rymer 1. Don’t revise in bed Have a set place in which you revise (i.e. your desk) and stick to it – your bed is a place of relaxation. 2. Listen to music while you work This will keep your mind stimulated so you don’t start catching up on the latest episode of Big Bang Theory instead of revising. Classical music is especially good! 3. Reward yourself Every time you finish a topic or get good marks on your practise test, give yourself a little treat as this will keep you motivated. 4. Focus! Turn off the internet. Stop texting. Turn your mind-set away from these distractions and focus on work. 5. Plan Ahead Make a to-do list at the start of every week or day; you'll be surprised at how satisfying it is to tick off everything on your list. 6. Be realistic with your goals How much are you actually going to accomplish in one day? If you have extra time, starting on tomorrow’s tasks feels even more accomplished! 7. Revise in short periods Studies have shown it is more efficient to revise in short bursts: so half an hour spent on one topic allows the information to process properly, instead of several hours spent cramming! 8. Get started! Starting is the hardest part – it takes 15 minutes to become properly focused in work, by which time it is easy to keep going! So turn off Facebook and the TV, put your phone away and start working – you’ll soon build up a rhythm.

Exam Survival 9. Revise, and revise again! Mind-maps and revision cards are useful as initial revision tools, but try doing practice exam questions when the exam gets closer as this will refresh your memory. 10. Get into a routine We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t procrastinate things that are routine such as brushing our teeth, because they are a habit. Revise at the same time each day and it will soon become a habit.

Best Worst Exam Answers

For those of you who're stressing out now - make a note of how not to answer your exam questions!

New Music

Nadine Shah

Rushiv Nayee reviews Nadine Shah's new EP, Dreary Town

Nadine Shah follows up her critically acclaimed debut EP, Aching Bones, with the sombre and emotive Dreary Town EP. Shah is yet to release a full length album, although this hasn’t stopped her from receiving plaudits from several esteemed sources, including the NME, BBC and the Daily Mirror who described her as ‘a singularly unique artist’. The Dreary Town EP is sure to add to Nadine Shah’s reputation as an immensely talented singer-songwriter. Her operatic vocals are at full force as they fuse with melancholy piano notes to create a dark and heavy atmosphere. The title track is the highlight, where she conveys her anguish though powerful vocals which resonate as she describes being “down and out in London / sharing beds and sharing money.” As well as emotional depth, there’s a terrific power with Shah’s vocals, which makes for a potent combination. Shah showcases her storytelling ability with echoing and penetrative vocals on Bobby Heron, where she recounts the tale of her great-grandmothers son who was lost at sea. The EP concludes with a cover of Cry Me a River, a number first popularised by Julie London, where Shah manages to spin her own wonderfully unique take on the song, in a typically haunting style. Regrettably, the EP is only three tracks long, and one is subsequently left feeling that Shah has so much more to offer. Nevertheless, it seems inevitable that Nadine Shah’s star will continue to rise and her fame flourish once music fans and the press have the pleasure of experiencing the sounds from the Dreary Town EP. - Rushiv Nayee

Competitions WIN!

WIN!

Win a Pack of

WIN!

10 lucky readers can stay safe with a 10-pack of these supreme condoms! Our friends BILLY BOY condoms have given us ten packs of their ten pack condoms to give away to ten lucky readersâ&#x20AC;Ś That's lot of tens! To be in with a chance of winning , answer the question below: The BILLY BOY mascot shares a resemblance to which body part? Simply email your answer, along with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com. Terms & Conditions All winners chosen at random. Only one entry per student. Winners will be emailed notification of winning, please make sure to check your inbox and junk mail regularly. For more information, please email editor@astonunion.com

WIN!

Competitions WIN!

WIN!

Latitude Festival Tickets One lucky reader will win a pair of Latitude Saturday tix! With bands such as Bloc Party, Kraftwerk, Foals, The Maccabees, Hot Chip and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, this is a festival not to be missed by any music fan! Hosted in the lovely Henham Park, Suffolk on 18th-21st July, we've got 2 tickets to give away. For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Latitude" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 31/05/13)

Innovation in the Sun One of you could be off to Barcelona with a mate!

If you like drum and bass, this is the ultimate getaway for you and a mate! We've got two tickets up for grabs - all you need to get is the flights! (See page 21 for more details on Innovation in the Sun). For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Innovation" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 31/05/13)

Amsterdam Open Air Win tickets to the AOA Festival for two!

If you like house, tech house, deep house, techno, disco, hip-hop and electro, THIS is your festival! (See page 22 for more details on Amsterdam Open Air Festival). For your chance to win, send an email entitled "Amsterdam" with your name, email address and student number to editor@astonunion.com (Ends 31/05/13)

WIN!

Sports Report AN AUDIENCE WITH

David Walsh

iAston Magazine’s Henry Walker attends ‘An Audience with David Walsh’, where David discusses the story of his pursuit of Lance Armstrong David vs Goliath- a biblical story often referenced in today’s popular culture to describe a battle where the perceivably weaker opponent wins. David in this case is David Walsh; an award-winning journalist for the Sunday Times who doggedly and relentlessly pursued Lance Armstrong over his use of performance enhancing drugs in cycling. Goliath is Lance Sunday Times Sport Journalist, David Walsh Armstrong: seven time Tour de France winner, lead cyclist of the famous ‘US Postal’ cycling team, founder of Livestrong charity and face of sport brand giants Nike. When Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France in 1999, having recovered from life-threatening testicular cancer (which subsequently spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen) just 2 years earlier, there was a flood of support for him and he became a world sporting icon overnight. However not everyone was convinced… A small group questioned how, in the organiser dubbed ‘Tour of Renewal’, Armstrong rode faster in this ‘clean’ race than the riders of the previous year who were cloaked in controversies of doping. Something was wrong. David Walsh was one such person who harboured these suspicions spending the next 13 years investigating Lance Armstrong & his team- US Postal- digging up evidence and persuading witnesses to come forward. In his journey David was ridiculed heavily by Armstrong that made him a pariah in certain journalist circles for fear of upsetting Armstrong purely for associating with David. The

Sports Report mockery Armstrong was making of justice and of sportsmanship peaked in 2004 when the paper David worked for- The Sunday Times- was successfully sued by Lance for over a $1million after it printed allegations against him from a book David Walsh had published titled ‘L.A. Confidentiel – Les secrets de Lance Armstrong’.

“I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics: I’m sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. I’m sorry you don’t believe in miracles.” An extract From Armstrong’s 2005 Tour victory speech -‐ a dig aimed at David Walsh.

However the hardship and scepticism David had to endure all proved to be worthwhile in October 2012 when the shocking truths of Lance’s success started to come to light. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) released a report detailing evidence that proved that Armstrong was a part of “the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.” Unbelievably, Lance Armstrong initially still profusely denied the accusations before then changing his stance to ‘tired of denying he cheated’. Eventually he did come clean in an interview with Oprah Winfrey when Lance Armstrong admitted unequivocally that he had used doping to win his Tour titles and apologised for doing. Though it is more than likely what Lance was actually sorry for was being caught, David, and justice, had won.

David tells his remarkable story in full in his book‘Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong’. In it David is shown to be fiercely passionate over his sense to do the right thing but his actions and thoughts are calm & methodical. The constant through his journey, and arguably his personal motivation from which he drew strength from, is the memory of his 12-year-old son John who was tragically killed in accident whilst riding his bicycle. A moving and inspiring read. - Henry Walker

Sports Report

Villa's Young Lions Claw Towards Safety For the last three seasons Villa fans have attempted to cover up their clubs poor showings in the league as a “transitional season”. This time it’s different. Paul Lambert has repeatedly gone against the grain, putting his absolute faith in previously unknown youngsters and encouraging them to play football the right way. Notable early criticisms were the dropping of proven Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given, the continued omission of star striker Darren Bent and the lack of real activity in the January transfer. Paul has been proven right at every turn though. Brad Guzan has gone on to have an outstanding season, Benteke is now being tracked by Europe’s top clubs and the two relegation candidates who went all or nothing in January (Newcastle & QPR) are in a worse position that Villa. There can be no doubt Villa have had some “sticky patches” dipping their toes into the icy waters of the relegation zone on several occasions, but Lambert has stuck with his young guns through thick & thin and he is now reaping the rewards. Villa’s inexperienced youngsters have grown steadily in confidence and maturity with every game and now find themselves in full form towards the business end of the season. The previous two “transitional seasons” were sweet lies Villa fans told themselves to help them sleep at night. This transitional season is the real McCoy and, if they stay up this season that they look likely to, then Villa will be a nightmare for every team in the league.

Sports Report SEASON HIGHLIGHTS !

! ! ! !

3-1 away win against Liverpool at Anfield 6-1 home win over Sunderland when the chips were down Stilyan Petrov winning his battle with cancer and well on his road to recovery Benteke becoming the first Villa player in a decade to bag 20 goals in a season.

! ! !

Matthew Lowton’s outrageous volley against Stoke Knocking Man City out of the League Cup in their back yard. Young players: Westwood, Weimann, Benteke, Lowton, Delph, Clark, Baker and Bennett

MOMENTS TO FORGET !

! !

An embarrassing loss to League 2’s Bradford over the 2 leg League Cup semi-final A lacklustre performance losing to Millwall in the FA Cup

Throwing away a 2 nil lead against local rivals West Brom

Losing 8 nil away to Chelski. EIGHT. NIL.

iASTON MAGAZINE'S AWARDS

Player of the Year: Brad Guzan Young Player of the Year: Christian Benteke Goal of the Year: Matthew Lowton vs Stoke City

Celebrations after what we think is Aston Villa's Goal of the Year

Out with the Old... GOODBYE TO...

Besma Whayeb

So it all comes down to this! I can't believe my time as Editor is almost up. It's been a great - if not sometimes stressful! - experience, and I really wish Ryan, and the Editors of the future the best of luck. Running iAston Magazine into its second year has been a real eye-opener as to how start-up businesses work. Even with its 60+ year legacy (yes, the "Student Union News" newspaper started in 1949 according to the archives!), adapting the newspaper into a magazine, alongside its standalone website, social media pages and e-magazine version has meant re-inventing it totally. Yet, with the support of all our readers, followers and friends, we've reached an astounding 1000+ readership every month! Other highlights have included the many celeb and sports interviews, the amazing competitions, and my personal favourite - the press conference with Tim Burton for Frankenweenie. I still have the recording saved on my phone! On the experience side of things, managing not only a monthly publication, but also the 80-strong team of wonderful contributors and hardworking Editorial Committee, has paid great dividends. I've dipped a toe or two into the world of marketing, PR, and publishing too - all things I'm very interested in following up after my time at Aston. Further to this, the editorship has helped me to secure two perfect placements, and even though I'll be 400 miles away Ă Paris, I'll be sure to write. Until then, you can find me writing away on my blog, Bonjour Mademoiselle (www.bonjourmademoiselle.net). Alongside he usual music and lifestyle posts, I'll be keeping a placement diary for anyone that's interested! Au revoir, mes amis!

Besma Whayeb

...and in with the New! INTRODUCING...

Ryan Skeet

Who am I? When Besma asked me to write a quick few words to introduce myself, I thought it would be easy. Turns out it is very hard to blow your own horn. However, as many who know me would attest to: I shall certainly give it a go! I am just finishing my first year as a student of English Language, a rugby player, Chair of Aston’s Japan, Anime and Manga society, and a Student Representative. ‘Where will I possibly find the time to run a magazine?’ I hear you ask. I laugh in the face of adversity, bring it on! What can I bring? I have friends who are Aston Alumni going back a good few years (I knew B4 back when it was Einstein’s!), so my ties to the University and the Union began taking hold before I even came here. In my short time here so far though, I have met some amazing people and forged what I hope will be lasting connections (it’s not what you know, it’s who you...). Going forward, I hope to build on the excellent foundations that have been left for me and continue to make a high quality publication. What’s next? Well, this is where YOU come in: I will need a strong Editorial Team to do the best job possible. I am looking for writers, bloggers, critics, gossipmongers, videographers, sound technicians, photographers and more. If you think you have something to offer iAston - even if you’ve never been involved in anything like it before – contact me on editor@astonunion.com! I can’t wait to start! See you in the next edition.

- Ryan

KEEP CALM AND

FOCUS Exam Tips from Aston Students’ Union: ! Get a good night’s sleep before your exam; it will help you to be alert and to focus better. ! Drink plenty of water before and during the exam – mild dehydration can impact your ability to concentrate, and causes headaches and lethargy which energy drinks will not cure! ! Plan ahead and arrive 10 – 15 minutes early, this gives you time to check your seat number in advance. ! Make sure all electronic devices are switched off and placed in your bag at the back of the room, or handed into the invigilator as instructed. ! Don’t write anything on your hands or arms – wash it off before the exam. ! Make sure all revision notes are placed in a bin (not the toilet bin) before you enter the exam room. ! Do not communicate in any way with anyone other than the invigilator until the exam is finished and you have left the exam room. ! Do not make eye contact with other students during the exam. ! Follow all instructions and when the invigilator asks you to stop writing, stop immediately. ! After the exam is over, give yourself time to take a break, and then move onto the next exam – don’t worry about what you have just written, it is far better to focus on the next exam than to worry about how you did in the previous one!

e from th utive! k c u L d G oo n Exe c io n U ’ s S tu d e n t