Roar!

Page 1

elections special inside: candidate manifestos

ROAR!

March 2014

King’s College London

INSIDE: LONDON FASHION WEEK

roarnews.co.uk

If you only do one thing today, make sure you

vote VOTING has long been the backbone of democracy. Women’s suffrage campaigns held peaceful and violent protests, wrote letters to MPs, were arrested, went on hunger strike in prison, were force fed, and one woman died, all fighting for the

right to vote. Slaves weren’t given the right to vote as part of a systematic denial of their personhood and citizenship. Turn to page 5

in the king’s students’ union elections this week turn to page 3 >>


2 ROAR! March 2014

FOLLOW US: @ROAR_NEWS

LIKE US: FACEBOOK.COM/ROARNEWS

ROAR! student’s sky

Nek-Nominate Unpaid internships SAYS

STUDENTS aren’t worthless. Their labour isn’t worthless. But every year, thousands are taken on as unpaid interns. Unpaid internships are illegal, yet it has become the norm for students to endure unpaid internships in order to get into the world of work. The worst part is that the most prolific offenders for hiring unpaid interns are companies that make vast amounts of profit. It’s not difficult for these companies to pay their interns a decent living wage for the fair work that they do. The cost of living is rising, but it is apparently still acceptable for young people to be exploited by being forced to work full-time, unpaid, for months. Many are forced to take up a part-time job alongside this just to survive. It must end, and we support the campaign to make unpaid labour a thing of the past. Employers like Alexandra Shulman, who recently argued that “Life isn’t fair” when questioned about unpaid internships, should bear in mind that the richest talent is not always found among those with the most bulging bank accounts.

A SPOOF Nek-Nomination video by a King’s College Student Union Officer was featured in a Sky News report. Anthony Shaw, Vice President of Representation and Communications, appeared in the video drinking a “horrendous cocktail” of various brands of mineral water. The video was filmed by KingsTV, and ended with Shaw stating the he nominated: “absolutely no one, because this is a ridiculous game. Just stop it.” Sky originally approached the College about interviewing KCL students on their opinions, but College PR vetoed it. The union disputed the decision, but by the time the College had changed their mind, Sky had already run with Royal Holloway.

IMPRESSIVE: Anthony Shaw nekking a pint of blackcurrant juice

Tutu: antigay Bill like ‘Nazis and Apartheid’ Watch the full vid: bit.ly/kclsunek

Eh-oh! Roar’s 1998 election coverage found

THE comedy society aims to fulfil all of your comedy viewing and performing needs, whether you like sketch and character comedy, stand up, or if you want to try your hand at a bit of improvisation. When there is enough comedic material, they record podcasts which are hosted on the KCL Radio website. These are brilliant for people who are writing for the first time and don’t want to expose their work to a large audience. They hold monthly socials at different venues in London with plenty of home grown talent, and ample opportunity to give it a go yourself. The society meets every Thursday from 6-8pm in the Franklin-Wilkins Building, Room 1.13. If you have any questions, contact kclcomedy@gmail. com. •

- Alexandra Shulman EDITOR, BRITISH VOGUE on unpaid internships

OUR TEAM DEPUTY EDITOR Megan Hector editor@roarnews.co.uk ONLINE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Imogen Morrell editor@roarnews.co.uk

science@roarnews.co.uk FASHION & LIFESTYLE EDITOR Lauren Clark fashionlifestyle.rogue@ gmail.com ARTS & THEATRE EDITOR Daisy Bartlett artstheatre.rogue@gmail. com

COMMENT EDITOR Madhav Bakshi MUSIC EDITORS comment@roarnews.co.uk Joe Brookes and Oscar King FEATURES EDITOR musicreviews.rogue@ Laura Jessop gmail.com features@roarnews.co.uk FILM EDITOR POLITICS EDITORS Josh Stupple Michael Di Benedetto filmtv.rogue@gmail.com (Print) and Charlotte le Maignan (Online) SPORTS EDITOR politics@roarnews.co.uk Tobias Bruce-Jones sports@roarnews.co.uk SCIENCE EDITORS Durr-e-Maknoon Tariq SOCIETIES EDITOR (Print) and Vanessa Tskenya Fraser Megaro (Online) editor@roarnews.co.uk

KING’S alumnus Archbishop Desmond Tutu has condemned a new anti-homosexuality law passed in Uganda. The Bill extends prohibitions and penalties against homosexuality, including prohibiting acts such as ‘suggestive touching’ in public and applying up to a life sentence for same-sex relations. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni had originally pledged to oppose the bill before changing his mind after seeking ‘scientific advice’. Tutu said: “There is no scientific or genetic rationale for love,” and compared the legislation to Nazi Germany and Apartheid South Africa. Instead Tutu called on Museveni to clamp down on sexual exploitation rather than orientation and to strengthen Uganda’s ‘culture of human rights and justice’. The criticism came during LGBT history month this February. •

Comedy at King’s is lol

Life isn’t fair

EDITOR Dulcie Lee editor@roarnews.co.uk

ALUMNUS . . . Desmond Tutu

Roar

WHILE rummaging around the archives the Roar! team has found a piece of memorabilia from our coverage of the 1998 Student Officer elections. The pullout is a throwback to the days when King’s had campuses at locations in Chelsea and Kensington as well as on the Strand, and pre-dates the merger with the GKT Medical School. However, what remains less clear is the link between the 1998 elections and the Teletubbies. Hopefully the 2014 campaign will be free of any such dipsy moments.

Creative writing soc

THE creative writing society will be advancing into its fifth year of successfully uniting and channelling creative minds from all disciplines. No matter what your interest and level of skill in writing, everyone is welcome! They meet on a weekly basis for approximately 2 hours and try to organise at least one ‘special event’ once a month. •


February 2014

ROAR! 3

ELECTION 2014 DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS? WHO TO VOTE FOR? WHY TO BOTHER? TURN OVER FOR EXPLANATIONS AND MANIFESTOS >>


4 ROAR!

W The guys who run the place W

Sebastiaan Debrouwere

liam jackson

Areeb Ullah

anthony shaw


W

ELECTION 2014 W CONT FROM FRONT PAGE >>

King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU) is a

charity

ROAR! 5

ROAR! SAYS

specifically designed to

stand up for

Even today, in the US the Republican Party consistently tries to pass legislation which is ostensibly about preventing voter fraud, but which actually just predominantly prevents African American people from voting. Here at King’s, voting is easy. No one has to campaign for their right to have a say over who gets elected to the Student Union. You are automatically given a say in what ‘Voting is easy

you. The union is run by

students

KCLSU does - it exists to serve you, and voting in the Student Officer elections is the best way of making sure that your needs are being served. There is no sense in not voting, and then complaining that your KCLSU is not representing your views. So log onto kclsu.org and get voting.

who are elected by students at the uni each year (elections are open now). Everything they do is overseen by

the all male TRUSTEE BOARD.

£4.7m kclsu income

The organisation’s direction is decided by the

student council.

The union is responsible for societies and provides commerical stuff like

waterfront. Most importantly, it puts

pressure on king’s to give every student, including you

what you NOTABLE WINS

NEED & want.

Saved The Spit, Guy’s Bar and winning £2.5m for refurbs

Extended library hours

NUMBER CRUNCHING

The officer elections are open to all students now so

vote.

Got Costa Coffee machines

SEB’S LEADERSHIP

£1,200 Cost of Roar!’s election print edition in lost advertising and print run £500 Contribution from KCLSU towards the edition


6 ROAR!

PRESIDENT

SEB

Gradua te Interna tion Politics al

DEBROUWERE FOR A KCLSU THAT WORKS FOR YOU!

MINI FESTO KCLSU should empower you and deliver positive changes. If re-elected, I pledge to: 1. Win reduced library fines, a universal printing-allowance and fair reimbursement for placement travel costs 2. Demand 24h term-time hours for all libraries 3. Oppose the closure of Hampstead Halls and fight for affordable accommodation 4. Introduce a postgraduate discount for King’s alumni 5. Support student groups with increased funding and improved activity spaces at Guy’s and Tutu’s 6. Create a student letting agency 7. Introduce broad welfare support at King’s covering liberation, funding and employment 8. Increase bursaries and demand a national postgraduate loan system

And on the morning of deadline, convenient.

I want to work in an educationrelated social enterprise. I’ve also been told my hair is lunarattracted.

] RANYA N W A R D H

Love, the editor xxq

T I [W

MINI FESTO

EL-BACHANI LOOKING TO MAKE A CHANGE!

I am looking to make a change to the students at Kings College London and this is through my experience and knowledge as a student myself. I believe that my enthusiastic, energetic and motivating ethics to work will prove to be a great asset to the KCLSU team , as I will no only motivate myself but others also. Being part of the Kings Leadership Award, my teamwork and leadership skills have increased - definitely a main element needed for this role. THIS CANDIDATE DECLINED TO GIVE ANY MORE INFO. THEY DID NOT ATTEND THE PHOTO SESSION.

ar 2nd ye of the Politics tional Interna my Econo

MINI FESTO

ROBBIE

HIRST

FOR STUDENT ISSUES, VOTE ROBBIE. VOTE KING’S SLATE! Spent my last summer working for the consultancy consultancy- MBARC - as Policy Officer combating social exclusion in London. London

A vote for me as president is a vote for a stronger King’s and GKT community, with a London-wide voice. I have and will continue to deliver innovative fresh solutions to long term problems. I already have a team who want to work with me! The King’s slate is a group of four driven candidates who will deliver on these issues: 24 hour library all year, Macadam cup for 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams, a King’s mental health awareness week, and Cheaper, better quality food across campuses.


ROAR! 7

DISCLAIMER: ALL MANIFESTOS WERE PRINTED VERBATIM. MISTAKES ARE THOSE OF THE CANDIDATE.

MINI FESTO

FAUZIA

IMAM

CHANGE YOUR PICTURE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

As VP Welfare & Community I would seek to increase opportunities for all students, undergraduate and postgraduate alike, to take advantage of student-status in all aspects of academic, personal and leisure activities. I would like to see increased capacity in halls of residence, College influence on rent regulation and greater financial assistance so more students can live closer to campus; mentor support for struggling students, and promotion of certified student-led stress management workshops; more initiatives for the growing postgraduate and mature student population; and encouragement for all-inclusive societies driving social enterprise.

(One MSc

year) Neur o ence sci-

DANIEL

MINI FESTO

JOHANSON

WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORK!

As an International student, I understand the problems that International Students experience. I’ve completed a Master’s and now am a PhD student at King’s, so can relate to everyone’s concerns throughout campus. I want to make sure that I work with all of you to do the most I can to make studying at Kings an even better experience. Any problems that anyone has with regard to student wellbeing, International Student issues, or anything that affects students off-campus-we can address! I want to work with the King’s student body to identify and solve problems; together we can me it work! THIS CANDIDATE DECLINED TO GIVE ANY MORE INFO. THEY DID NOT ATTEND THE PHOTO SESSION.

SHANICE

OCTAVIA MCBEAN

It's my 21st birthday on election results day on the 6th :)

CAMPAIGNS NOT SLOGANS!

MINI FESTO

WHO ON EARTH AM I... Former Women’s and current Welfare Officer on student council, Feminist Society president and dedicated anti-racist, LGBT, anti-sexist and Living Wage campaigner/activist. ...WHAT DO I STAND FOR? 1. Challenging sexual assaults on campus - Liberation-groups at the heart of KCLSU! 2. Fighting student poverty - Affordable housing and scrap hidden/extortionate course costs! 3. Ethical investment at KCL - No to companies that abuse human rights and the environment! 4. Living Wage for all student staff - No poverty pay at a thriving uni! 5. Mental Health Matters - For peer support and investment in counselling services!

JAMIE

SWEENEY

FOR AFFORDABLE UNI, VOTE SWEENEY. VOTE KING’S SLATE!

MINI FESTO

I own an electric blue velvet blazer, which I occasionally team up with a leopard-print shirt. This combo will be coming out during campaign week.

My priority will be to address the affordable accommodation crisis. Two years ago King’s provided 1335 halls places for less than £150 p/w. In 2015 this is set to become 507. This will cause a significant access issue for students from low-income backgrounds and is the biggest issue the union faces. I will fight for affordable accommodation for all students. I’m part of the King’s Slate. We are four candidates campaigning for the following student issues: 24-hour libraries all year, Macadam Cup for 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams, a King’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and cheaper, better food across campuses.


8 ROAR! March 2014

CAMERON

I aim to overthrow John Cooper Clarke as the best poet from Salford

BRAY

MINI FESTO

BRAY'S THE WAY

I believe that students deserve more than academic qualifications from University. Qualifications like First Aid classes, coaching cards and TEFL certificates will help students in the job market. Our community would benefit from volunteering opportunities in local areas. I would lobby KCLSU to support a wider range of sports. I would focus on addressing the discrepancy between men and women participating in sports. I would demand that more be done to accommodate students with disabilities. We should develop Student Media into an integrated outlet. The student voice is loudest when we collaborate, especially on issues that concern all of us.

MINI FESTO

LIAM JACKSON ACTION JACKSON FOR VPAD!

3rd

yea r Eng Lan lish g Lite uage & ratu re

Lover of Pacman and Pokémon. Brief TV fame on both The One Show and Apprentice. Love-child of Jensen Button, Andy Murray & Chris Martin (apparently).

Vote Liam Jackson, a Vice-President to voice student issues and act passionately on the needs of student groups. Develop the application for a £300,000 sport activation fund, introducing more students to sport through the Give-it-a-go programme. Lobby KCL for increased funds to entrepreneurship, enterprise and skills development opportunities. Increase financial and administrative support for societies. Finalise College Estate plans for essential media space. Gra dua te Create a January Re-Freshers. Geo gra Further showcasing/celebrating success i.e. Varsity, RAG, ISOC, UH Cup, One World Week, Liberation Months... phy A vote for one more year of commitment, achievable goals and hard-hitting impact.

EMILY

QUINN

I have had every possible colour of hair imaginable.

#QUINNTOWIN, VOTE KING’S SLATE!

MINI FESTO

Awareness, Access, Quality. Three qualities that King’s students expect when it comes to joining a society, volunteering or playing for a sports club. To achieve them, I will implement an extensive Re-fresher’s week and Volunteering awareness month, make it easier for societies to access facilities and funding opportunities and set up a KCLSU CV skills programme to improve the quality of student experience. 3rd y ear I’m part of the King’s slate. We are four candidates campaigning for the following student issues: 24-hour libraries all year, MacG eogra adam Cup for all-level teams, a King’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and cheaper, better food across campuses. ph

y

MINI FESTO

RUPINDER I am a student ambassador for the charity Right To Play

If I were elected as Vice President for Activities and Development I would aim to: Increase the visibility of societies and events, and participation in activities among all students Increase the number of events and opportunities available throughout the year Provide a platform such as a newsletter to advertise upcoming events and opportunities Continue to ensure Wednesday afternoons are kept free for as many students as possible to take part in more activities from sports to volunteering Organise events which include all campuses, and bring together different societies and student groups

I came 6th in a BBC-tele vised spelling competi tion, 'Hardspell', when I was 13 - it's all gone downhill from there...

3rd

r

yea

ic

Mus

JONNY

SANDAL

3rd y

ear LLB L aw

STEWART

VOTE BRIGHT. VOTE ORANGE.

MINI FESTO

Developing the extra-curricular side of student life is a longstanding passion of mine. I want to make every student’s time at KCL as fulfilling as it can be, and make King’s a supportive and safe environment in which its students can grow as individuals and unleash their immense creative and sporting talent. Here are just a few of the areas I want to tackle: More application-based grants for societies. Greater mental health support. Sexual consent workshops in hall. Transform Tutu’s. Accessible and affordable room booking. More sports in Varsity. And I’ll sort out the Guy’s Bar queue. Here’s Jonny.


March 2014

ROAR! 7

DISCLAIMER: ALL MANIFESTOS WERE PRINTED VERBATIM. MISTAKES ARE THOSE OF THE CANDIDATE.

MUBARAK

WASEEM

BRIDGE THE STUDENT FACULTY GAP- JOIN TEAM WASEEM

MINI FESTO

1. Strengthen student reps. As your VPE, I will strengthen student reps and facilitate the relationship between students and faculty. All reps will be given the structure and support they need to ensure constant dialogue between students and departments. 2. Complete the push for lecture recordings. I will campaign for an improvement of the existing ECHO360 technology, and widespread use of it by departments. 3. Tackling poor feedback. Poor feedback is a multi-faceted problem, with different causes in each department. I will strive to improve feedback across departments by tackling the problem’s causes.

I was a star of "hit" KingsTV series "Made in King's" playing the role of Maximillian.

NIK

JOVČIĆ-SAS

VOTE NIK VICE PRESIDENT FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES

3rd y

ear

Law

MINI FESTO

Giving you the best start: Introductory lectures in all departments for first years on essay writing and referencing. Showing off your talents: Departmental lectures and events informing you about future career and study opportunities. Easy access to University of London Resources: To lobby for quicker, easier access to all London’s university libraries. Fight for affordable accommodation: King’s is planning to close their cheapest accommodation. I will fight to keep affordable accommodation. Taking faith seriously: Better provision for students to worship and study with better exam timetabling and catering for all religious dietary requirements.

CRAIG

3rd y

ear

Theo

logy

POKU

I’ve been training in Jiu Jitsu for the past two years. Student by day, day ninja by night

MINI FESTO

YOUR VOTES, GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL!

Education is a huge part of my life and I have always fought for the rights of students to have the best educational experience possible. For this, you should vote me for Vice President of Education. If you elect me, I will campaign for the following policies: Better organisation with regard to exam timetables, computer room bookings and course changes Transparency when it comes to postgraduate funding More computer facilities around campus 3rd y ear Improved timetabling especially for master and joint honour students M athem I have experience and drive to represent your educational needs! atics Vote Craig Poku for VP!

ar

3rd ye

ry

Histo

WILL

JELLIS

I have, after many years of practice, developed the ability to move my little toe indepen dently of all the others!

MINI FESTO

A WILL TO LISTEN, A WILL FOR CHANGE

I Will build the U.K’s first university wide student led Outreach Programme. I Will reform the role of Student Representatives I Will link Student Representatives with Academic Societies. I Will improve the student and personal tutor relationship. I Will introduce a Peer Support Programme. I Will improve induction week. Vote Will Jellis VP Education Arts and Sciences

MINI FESTO

AREEB

ULLAH

VOTE AREEB. VOTE B-E-A-R-D

B - Big Ideas. Showcase KCL by having monthly TedX style lectures. Paid research opportunities for undergraduates. Representatives as partners in shaping education. E -employability. Promote societies working on alternative careers. Alternative careers promotion. Funding for alternative careers employability. A- Assessment. Changing 0% late submission policy. Students as partners in designing curriculum Assessment style to suit different student needs. R- resources. 24/7 Access to Strand for undergraduates. Online forums for ideas and note exchange. More textbooks and online resources in libraries. D - Discount. Alumni discount for KCL Postgraduate study. Second Hand book-fair. Cheap printing.

2nd year Inte rnat poli ional tics


10 ROAR! February 2014

My real name is Amelia which confused my flatmate in halls who recently told me that she'd panicked as she thought I had been lying about my identity.

FERN

DISCLAIMER: ALL MANIFESTOS WERE PRINTED VERBATIM. MISTAKES ARE THOSE OF THE CANDIDATE.

COLEMAN

MINI FESTO

Get laptops wirelessly connected to library printers Ensure lecture capture works and covers all lectures Make postgraduates, international students and students on placements feel they are properly represented and involved at King’s and KCLSU Campaign for paid internships 3rd yea Improve feedback given to students r Ana Ensure students have easy access to student support services, e.g. essay checking and writing help Dev tomy e , l Continue to campaign for exams to be held more centrally and opme nt H Keep all Wednesday afternoons lecture free for sports and volunteering as well as during religious prayer times Bio uman logy

I have been to New Zealand where I went sky diving and bungy jumping Great experiences however now I am afraid of heights

SOPHIA KOUMI

MINI FESTO

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE.

A nursing student asking for your vote to: 1. Help KCLSU understand what it is really like to be a health school student. 3rd yea 2. Make us feel more connected with the rest of the unviersity. r Nur s 3. Improve access to societies for health schools. Hea ing- M lth B enta l 4. Improve essay feedback quality. ran ch 5. Improve advertisment of available scholarships and bursaries. 6. Increase involvement in the changes that happen to the way courses are run. 7. Get better library provision. 8. Ensure core information about courses is recieved prior to starting the course i.e. timetabling, essay hand in dates, key reading.

ASHA

PARMAR

I bounce when I walk so if I m elect ed you will see me bouncing around London between our campus which will be a delight for everyone

MINI FESTO

Supporting You (students): Reform the lecture capture system. Campaign against unpaid internships. Increase number of health related internships that King’s can provide . Work with the college to create suitable exam timetables and decent exam venues. Work with the college to increase interdisciplinary teaching between schools. Increase undergraduate and post-graduate funding so student don’t feel they have to worry 3rd y ear Supporting Staff : Continue the support laid down by KCLSU on lecturer’s pay making lecturers happier and automatically putting H u m them in a better position to provide excellent teaching. Scien an ces Supporting Fun: Continue to fight to keep Guys bar as a home for GKT students

I was part of KCL Fencing club in first year and I was given the call sign, Deathstar! It leaked out and now everyone knows!

MINI FESTO

DURR-E

MAKNOON TARIQ

FOR HEALTH ISSUES, VOTE DURR-E! VOTE KING’S SLATE!

I stand for an improved education experience within all five Health Schools. I will deliver on: improved lecture capture and hand-outs; better career services; better education quality despite restructuring of Medicine, Biomed and IoP schools; working together with student forums and societies to integrate everyone such as School of Nursing and Midwifery and Dental Institute and postgraduates into greater King’s community I am part of the King’s Slate. We are four candidates delivering on these student issues: 24-hour library all year; Macadam Cup for 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams; a King’s Mental Health Awareness Week cheaper, better food across campuses

RACHEL N/A

r

yea

cie

ros

Neu

nce

WILLIAMS

2nd y ear Phar maco and M logy ole Gene cular tics

When I was 6, I wrote a 10 page essay on why the brain was like a basketball team

MINI FESTO

What do we want? First and foremost, we want improved feedback with a faster turnaround and more resources for exam preparation. The College should be more organised with regards to coursework deadlines and an earlier release of the exam timetable. We want more and support from personal tutors and access to education for all, with better academic support for BME and women students. Students on placements should be treated with respect and have more contact with their link lecturers. Students on non-vocational courses need more diverse careers advice. Vote Rachel #1 for VP Education (Health) – Get your voice heard!


February 2014

ROAR! 11

it’s rogue wot dun it


fashion Week

12 ROAR! March 2014

PRINT FASHION EDITOR: LAUREN CLARK

Ice Queen Anna Wintour

Kardashian Klone Kendall

The Moss

UNIQUE FROW... The Topshop Unique AW14 show featured one of the most interesting FROW combinations of Fashion Week.

Toppers Tycoon Philip Green

Model Sis Lottie

HOT rogue goes to...

NOT

LONDON FASHION WEEK BY CHLOE MOSS

Online Fashion editor SEASON after season of watching live streams, searching the internet for show reports, and checking Twitter religiously to get as close as I could to experiencing London Fashion Week, I was finally able to attend my first ever LFW show this February. I know. Pinch me. Rogue was invited to the David Koma runway at Somerset House to see his AW14 collection. I trotted down in my Kurt Geiger Chelsea

boots and stood among an array of fashionistas, giving it their best in some seriously fashion-forward outfits. I spotted a lot of key trends for the season, including that pink coat, lots of tartan and some statement jewels. The show exploded onto the runway with magenta, and then moved into more muted tones of black, with splashes of electric blue. This pared back colour palette allowed for the silhouettes to take centre stage, with Koma’s trademark heavy-duty structural numbers and the odd sly cut-out storming the runway. The strict shapes made for a sleek, sophisticated collection. My favourite pieces included dresses with a feminine skater skirt, off-setting the militaristic vibe.

FASHION STORM... UK weather diverted flights to Newcastle for those returning from NYFW

WHOOPS... Sibling model has a heels-meetsknitwear wardrobe malfunction

HOT DUNN WELL... Burberry’s AW14 show featured wintry hues and elegant patte

NOT


March 2014

ROAR! 13

‘THE DEVIL DOESN’T JUST WEAR PRADA’ Amid protests against unpaid internships, we hear two very different stories from King’s students who interned in the fashion world THE LILY COLE, BAD GRANNIES AND BY ANONYMOUS SWIMMING I LANDED my dream work experience with a high-end fashion label, but it was not a glamorous experience. Last year I had the opportunity to work for a luxury fashion brand, and felt humbled to know that I was chosen out of hundreds of applicants. It was a two-week unpaid placement, and even though I was not getting paid I thought the experience would be invaluable. I was promised that I would shadow an editor, photographer and stylist, but I only met them in passing when taking down their Starbucks orders.

By the end of it didn’t need a pen and paper, I knew everyone’s name and orders like the back of my hand. To undertake the placement I had to quit my part-time job, as they would not give me the time off. I struggled to pay for my travel expenses and to support myself for those two weeks. By the end of the fortnight I was an expert photo-

‘Battered with fatigue’

copier and postman. Every day I would come home battered with fatigue and sadness, as getting into my dream job would mean many more similarly unpaid work placements and being treated badly. After seeing how upset I was, my sister, a barrister, urged me to take legal action. This pushed me to open up a law-

suit against them, as they did not stick to the promises of the contract I signed. Before the case reached the court the brand sent me a written

‘£1,000 voucher’ apology, a £1,000 voucher to spend in their store and another opportunity to work with them – I rejected this offer. A word of warning to those who want to enter the fashion industry: do not be taken for a ride. Make sure that they stick to the contract you signed, and most importantly make sure you sign a contract to protect yourself from being mistreated. •

6re5 % ly on

parents during internships

KING’S BANNER PROTEST AT LFW Along with campaign group Intern Aware, Student Union Officers Anthony Shaw and Areeb Ullah dropped the ‘pay interns’ banner off Somerset House.

Unpaid internships perpetuate the rich-poor gap Roar! overheard one security guard comment on the

PROTESTER... Areeb Ullah

protest: “They’ve got massive balls”

By EMMA BISHOPP

THE GOO D

I INTERNED for three months with The North Circular, an East London-based designer knitwear company founded by supermodels Katherine Poulton and Lily Cole. Their accessories are hand-knit by “grannies, girls and a few strong men”. I worked straight after my last summer exam and was contractually bound to pay my rent so considered this a sunk cost. I continued to work weekends at Hollister for two months to pay living expenses, but I could not cope working seven days a week and willingly quit. I was only paid travel expenses so my superior would give me perks, including attending a LFW show and going swimming at Shoreditch House on lunch breaks or after work. I was assigned a variety of tasks; luxury brand research, experimenting with samples, participating in strategy meetings, talking to grannies and meeting with potential collaborators, including Innocent Smoothies. Working in an intimate team was phenomenal. Thankfully I got on well with my boss so every day was fun and she gave me an enormous amount of responsibility. The experience and contacts I made have been invaluable, and entirely make up for the lack of payment.

Additional reporting by Sophie-Marie Neal


film

14 ROAR! March 2014

FILM EDITOR: JOSH STUPPLE

The Book Thief will steal your time not your heart INTERVIEW: PAVEMENT PERSPECTIVE FILMMAKER By JOSH STUPPLE THE newly formed KCL Student Advocates International Society arranged a screening of The Pavement Perspective, a new short film that details first hand accounts of central London’s homeless population. The film has already been screened at Oxford and LSE and was premiered at the Amnesty International Human Rights Centre.It was shown at the Strand Campus on the Friday 28th February. Frances Bennett, one of the filmmakers, talked to Roar! about the film. In the film you aim to give a per-

sonal perspective for the homeless, rather than give focus to facts and figures. We were quite adverse to statistics, my general feeling is just that they don’t work and that they are easy to dismiss. So we wanted to humanise FILMMAKER: the people Frances we see on Bennett the streets. I think we are very desensitised, as a public, to these people, and this film was made as re-

minder that they are fellow humanbeings just like us. Can you tell us how you achieve that in the film? We did that by conducting indepth interviews with three individuals who have had experience living on the streets. I got to know them over a number of months, and the final interviews were done in just one take. We just had a discussion more than anything really, I just gave them a few prompts and they told us their story. •

By ANGUS WOOD JUST what the world needs, another film about Nazis. The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel Meminger, the wide-eyed and innocent daughter of a political prisoner who is sent to another town to be looked after by a childless couple. There’s not much more that can be said about the plot than that. You see, the film contains an awful lot of thieving, and not a lot of books. It’s derivative to the point where there isn’t a single original idea to be found anywhere in it. Literature is hinted at, but the film’s focus is mostly on the unconvincing dynamic between Liesel, the loveable Geoffrey Rush being especially loveable, and a haughty hausfrau played by Emily Watson. There’s also a Jewish man that the family are hiding, but he spends the majority of the film sitting in the basement, shivering and making the occasional pretentious remark about metaphors. This series of glorious non-events is accompanied by the sound of John Williams rustling through his bottom drawer for the sheet music left over from his more successful films. The only time film scores really stand out is when they’re very good or when they’re very bad: in this case, it’s unfortunately the latter. Child actors can often let an otherwise good film down. In the case of The Book Thief, their blandness isn’t bettered by a collection of interesting adult characters. Death (as in the Grim Reaper) narrates the film, and is easily the story’s most potentially interesting facet. Unfortunately, he appears only sparsely, adding a totally incongruous element of spiritualism that’s never really expanded upon. The Book Thief is teeth-grindingly, eye-wateringly boring. The only hint of filmmaking skill it exhibits is that someone somehow figured out how to sneak Apple product placement into a film set during World War II (no, really). It charges headlong down the path of least resistance, taking absolutely no risks and giving no indication that more than the absolute minimum amount or effort went of enthusiasm It’s a vacuous into making it. void of filmic purgatory that is almost enough to physical induce pain.

aaaaa aa aaa


March 2014

ROAR! 15

Controversial KingsTV couple-counselling comedy is accused of sexism, but the presenters insist it’s only a bit of fun

MO EPISORDE TO BEES RELEA SED

Lazy hackery or tongue-in-cheek? The attack

By NICK BATLEY

YOU know how agony aunts in those magazines with headlines such as “I GOT EATEN BY A SHARK, AND HE’S MY BROTHER” often turn out to be more of a hindrance than a help? Well, they’ve finally been transformed for the digital age. Heart Healers is an internet agony-aunt short with all the charm of HPV. The hosts, Chloe and the truly wonderful Vieri, read out your problems, laugh briefly at you, then proceed to offer shockingly poor advice, while having gratuitous hashtags (not unlike those featured in the video for Robin Thicke’s rape anthem “Blurred Lines”) thrown at the screen, since this content is clearly noteworthy enough to mention in your next tweet.

‘Spectacularly charmless’ Not only is their advice utterly useless (“Should you tell your girlfriend you cheated on her? OF COURSE YOU SHOULDN’T”), the show is heteronormative [heterosexuality being the only normal sexuality] in its outlook, and seems convinced that the only relations men and women can possibly have are sexual (clearly, my lifetime of being friends with, drinking with, and eating pizza with women is some sort of perversion). Also, Vieri, the spectacularly charmless male co-host, seems to have a bizarre, if unremarkably dull, problem with women. To him, women are confusing, fickle, and perpetually moody. He regularly mocks and puts down his lady co-host. He seems to have no problem with men cheating on their girlfriends. Truly, dear readers, he is a catch. I recognise that the show is meant to be largely tongue-in-cheek, but that is no excuse for this lazy hackery. If we are going to have a light-hearted CONTROVERSY.. Co-hosts Chloe show wherein your relationship problems are conMoss and Vieri fronted and solved, can we have one with some Capretta effort and heart put in please? Oh, and no lazy stereotypes. Or #bloodyhashtags. •

‘All the f o m r a h c HPV’

By CHLOE MOSS and VIERI CAPRETTA THE premise of Heart Healers was to film the day-to-day disagreements that us two find ourselves in. It is aimed at students who will have similar experiences to those we discuss on the show, and, in looking at them in a humorous light, we seek to explore relationships in a fun, light-hearted manner. We don’t promote or demote any specific type of relationship, sexuality or gender because we are simply responding to stories we have received. We do not say that any specific relationship is right or wrong, we just share our opinions in an open forum. Heart Healers is about giving help and making people take themselves less seriously. A relationship

The defence

going wrong is not the end of the world. There are ways around it and the Heart Healers have the experience to help. Two of us, a male and a female, both make fun of each other and of the other sex. The aim is to make the person mailing us feel better. And make others have a laugh, hopefully. We want people to have fun. The couples writing, the people watching

‘We’re both outspoken’ and ourselves. The content of the show is meant to be irreverent, off the cuff, and a little on the edge. We’re both outspoken people who give as good as we get in terms of mocking one another, and this makes for great television, because you have two equals discussing humorous situations, relating it to themselves, putting selves out there, and showing that these situations are common. •

‘Women, they’re all the same’


arts TWELFTH

16 ROAR! March 2014

IF YOU HAV E A STORY, EMAIL ar tstheat re.rogue@ gmail.com

ARTS AND THEATRE EDITOR: DAISY BARTLETT

Arts socs must not be ignored

NIGHT

BY DAISY BARTLETT Arts and theatre editor

I’VE come to the conclusion that KCLSU is too biased towards sports, and this is something that needs to change. Time after time, funding for arts societies is heavily restricted. As many sports teams enjoy subsidised travel to matches, KCL Symphony Orchestra (whose standard is so high it’s hard to believe that they aren’t professional) receive nothing. Whilst KCL has invested in a brand new (admittedly brilliant) club house at Honour Oak Park, there’s still no purpose built theatre space at any of the campuses – with productions forced to rely on the Greenwood Theatre, which, let’s be honest, is barely more than a glorified lecture theatre. We need a candidate in the election this year who will help us out – the vibrant cultural life at King’s is thriving, but without any financial aid many societies are struggling to get the exposure and access to facilities that most sport groups enjoy.

DING DING

WIN

NOT sure how to even begin thinking about exams? Graham Allcott is on hand to help you with his new book How to be a Productivity Ninja. With a mixture of humourous and serious tips, I can already confirm that my productivity levels have soared! To be in with a chance of winning your very own copy of this fab guide, email your name and a contact address by 31st March to artstheatre.rogue@gmail.com.

On at The Proud Archivist, N1 5ET, from the 17th-20th March

By LAUREN O’HARA I AM currently directing an allmale contemporary production of Twelfth Night for the King’s Shakespeare Company. I didn’t get involved in any theatre societies in my first year – I’d done some acting whilst at college and it was something I wanted to have a break from. In hindsight, I should have thrown myself into things with KSC from day one. I did, however, stumble into an audition for The Tempest, the KSC’s last show, at the beginning of my second year. I was lured there by the prospect of playing Caliban, a role I’d always been very fond of. Time I spent preparing for it paid off and I was cast. The couple of months that followed were – and this is no overstatement – life-changing. We created a great production and forged relationships

which formed a base for future shows. On a personal level, the process reawakened in me a passion for creating art. I learned again that Shakespeare in a book or in a lecture theatre is an entirely different beast to Shakespeare in rehearsal and on stage. To experience this from a practical perspective was affirmatory, and led to my decision in December to pitch to direct the second-semester production. Needless to say, directing a play is an intense experience. I had an overarching idea of the method as a whole, and yet I knew that my approach would be entirely different for no other reason than that directing is an intuitive and personal process. My ideas are still in a constant state of development in response to the collective and individual creative drives of my cast and crew. I decided early on that I wanted to explore gender politics within the play. Creating an all-male production has allowed us to explore

the old Shakespearean tradition from a modern perspective in a way that I hope will add depth and contemporary relevance to a play with gender roles as one of its main focuses. The parts of Olivia, Viola and Maria are being played by men – it’s extremely important to me that this is tackled sensitively. We’re all taking the production very seriously, and I think this sincerity and commitment is the source of much of its comedy. We’re doing some really exciting things with this play, and we’re having fun doing it. I sincerely hope that King’s students coming to see it will be encouraged to throw themselves into societies which interest them. One speculative audition less than six months ago has led to me writing this piece about what it’s like to be involved in a production at King’s – I’m very happy to be able to say that, in short, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. •

Picture: HANNAH ELSY



puzzles 18 ROAR! March 2014

Editorial comment >> page 2

SEE ROARNEWS.CO.UK FOR ANSWERS

26 +9 ÷5 x2 -4 2/5

BEGINNER BEGINNER

of this

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8/5 55% x7 -68 of this of this

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SUDOKU

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of this

ACROSS

3. Tallest building in the UK 4. Element, discovered first on the sun 6. Hinderance 9. Adept 11. Talkative 15. Vine growth 17. Androids 18. Sales goals 19. Countervailing force 20. Costal painting

1. 2. 5.

DOWN

Smallest bone in the body Largest ocean Introduced to the London Under ground in 1911 7. First female queen of England 8. Small lizard 10. Crack 12. Godly belief 13. Sullied 14. Sparkling 16. Polar

QUICK QUIZ 1. What value points is the brown ball in a game of snooker? 2. In the game of cricket, what does LBW stand for?

5. British actor Maurice Micklewhite is better known by what name? 6. Robert I of Scotland was known as ‘Robert the ‘what’? 7. Which US singer/musician played Leather Tuscadero in the television show ‘Happy Days’? 8. What is the national animal of Finland? 9. How many squares are on a chess board?

MEDIUM

ANAGRAM N A T

I V E L A M B HARD

3. Which battle is known as ‘Custer’s Last Stand’? 4. What is the name of a long-bodied marine fish and a person who unscrupulously exploits or swindles others?

EASY

Uni of London union referendum: 86% want it to be student-led University of London Union (ULU) has claimed that plans to abolish the union are ‘losing credibility’ following results of the union-wide referendum on the issue. The referendum had been called on plans to replace the student run union with a management run student services

centre. 86% of those who voted agreed with the statement; ‘Should ULU’s buildings, activities and campaigns continue to be democratically run by students’. 12% voted ‘No’ and 2% abstained. With two constituent colleges yet to be balloted on the question, turnout stands at 4545, around 3.7% of eligible voters. In a press release ULU stated the

results ‘sharply contradict’ the ULU management’s assertion it’s plans receive widespread support and ‘lend weight’ to the campaign against the proposals. ULU President Michael Chessum was quoted as stating that the vote confirms; ‘Proposals to abolish ULU have no legitimacy and that management are running out of credibility’.


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KING’S DOES

20 ROAR! March 2014

AMNESTY

CAMPAIGNING: Women’s officer Rachel Williams

GROWING: The group has over 600 members on Facebook

The KCL Amnesty International Society contributes to the work of Amnesty International by holding workshops to raise awareness of human rights issues around the world. Last year the members of Amnesty international at KCL took part in the Pussy Riot Campaign. Members of Pussy Riot Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were jailed in August 2012

q ROAR!

we’re hiring

by Moscow’s City Court for ‘hooligism on the grounds of religious hatred’ after playing a gig in Moscow’s main Orthodox cathedral. The punk band who go by the stage name Pussy Riot sang along to lyrics that criticised the relationship between President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Orthodox Church, and the group was jailed for two years as a result. Music artists such as Adele, Ke$ha, Sir Paul McCartney, and U2 have joined Amnesty International’s call by signing an open letter

of support to the women imprisoned. The Amnesty International community at KCL have also collected over 350 signatures through petitioning, aiming to free the members and raise awareness about the liberty of expression. Every month there are campaigns for differing causes, all of them centred on the fight for universal human rights. If you are passionate about human rights, and want to get involved in subjects that matter, join the KCL Amnesty International society. •

Tip top interview tips So after sending off about a hundred applications, you have been invited for an interview for a job or internship. Congratulations! But how can you prepare?

1

DO YOUR RESEARCH: Look into the company that’s interviewing you: most companies have a news section on their website listing their recent achievements. It’s also important to ensure that you have some knowledge of the sector in general.

PREPARE YOUR ANSWERS: Think about what sort of questions you think the interviewer would ask and how best to answer them. A lot of interviewers will work from your CV, so make sure you know it inside and out.

3

ASK FOR HELP: Ask your friends for advice, or better yet, get in touch with the Careers Service and ask them for a practice interview.

send in your cv and cover letter (previous work optional) or any questions to editor@roarnews.co.uk

PLAN YOUR JOURNEY: If you have to travel to a place you’re unfamiliar with, make sure you arrive well ahead of time. It may not be a bad idea to do a practice run a few days before the interview.

News (online) Are you a glued-to-the-news junkie? We’re looking for someone who wants to be the first to break student-related news using both social media and concise, unbiased, tightly written articles for our website. Keenness to livetweet and cover stories such as Student Council meetings is a must. We want strategy and vision.

5

Don’t feel quite ready to apply for News online? Apply instead for a news reporter position today! Arts (online) Love writing about all things arty? We’re looking for an Arts print editor that can deliver exclusive, student-focused news, reviews and stories to feed and inspire readers and artists at King’s. Sports (online) Know your goals from your touchdowns? This role requires someone dedicated to writing news on both big and small sports groups, making contacts within clubs to get exclusive scoops and a passion for King’s-related stories. Senior photographer We expect you to be able to shoot beautiful pictures on diary stories, as well as build up a bank of stock photos over time. Examples of photography must be sent with the application. film (online) Film fanatic? Know the ins and outs of film at King’s? If you’re keen to go further than straight reviews, apply for film online today.

4

TIPS FOR DIFFERENT FORMATS: For a Skype interview, make sure the room you’re in is tidy and well lit. If you’re doing a phone interview, there’s no reason you can’t prepare some notes in advance.

DRESS THE PART: It’s important to make a good first impression, so make sure you have appropriate work attire ready the night before the interview. Don’t forget the small things, like polishing your shoes. This is equally important during a Skype interview!

7

2

6

STRUCTURE YOUR ANSWERS: Before you answer a request for an example of your skills, it’s a good idea to think about how best to structure it. The standard way to answer is by using the acronym STAR (Situation, Task, Actions and Result). Start by outlining the Situation and the Task you had to accomplish. Then list your Actions and discuss what happened as a Result of what you did.

DON’T PANIC! Even if you go into the interview feeling anxious, most people find the nerves diminish or vanish once you are engaged in answering the questions. It’s important to stay calm even if you think it’s going badly. A tough interview does not necessarily mean you are doing badly or that the panel do not like you.

8


March 2014

ROAR! 21

Turnout THE STUDENT UNION’S MANDATE at King’s elections less than no ES Y one in a hundred BY ALBERTO TORRES

BY JAMES LEEMAN News editor

KING’S has the lowest student union voter turnout in the Russell Group. So why are student elections failing to whet our democratic appetite? During the October Student Council Elections most positions failed to attract more than 1% of eligible voters at King’s. Although faring slightly better, Student Officer Elections rarely see a turnout above 16%, with the current KCLSU President’s mandate coming from 3.3% of eligible voters.

‘Ideological and detached’ These figures have led some to question whether student officers can legitimately claim to represent the majority of Officer students e lection with such t u rnout a small backing. It is important to put the figures into perspective. The turnout in KCLSU student officer elections is roughly the same as the NUS average. But clearly there is a lot of room for improvement. Many students voice concerns about student politics being too ideological and detached from everyday problems. By contrast, campaigns tackling food and drinks prices, sporadic wifi quality and sports and societies in-

<1%

‘Straightforward policies’ vestment have proved popular and could be key to showing students the importance of their votes. The challenge of low-turnouts can also represent an opportunity. turing just a Caphandful voters in the upcomi n g KCLSU s ’ t n e elecPresiddate t i o n s man offers a path to victory. These voters will be best convinced by straightforward policies which offer a better university experience and value for money. Whether the upcoming Student Officer Elections can turn the apathetic tide, however, remains to be seen. •

3.3%

A UNION’S primary objective is to represent and voice the collective view of students. This is simply because we have more power collectively than we do individually. If more students are holding strong political views in an age of austerity, unions have to respond. Unions are the face of the student sentiment to the wider world. One of the most polemic and representative “non-student related” issues is the campaign to get universities to join the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. The arguments against this range from suggesting that any act of this sort would be beyond the union’s power, to arguing that there are more important things to worry about than the lives of people living a continent apart from us. However, arguing that KCLSU doesn’t have a mandate to pass “non-student related” issues leaves room for arbitrary resolutions into what constitutes “student related”.

‘We are political animals’ Where, for instance, would that leave the campaigns to raise funds to help the victims of disasters such as Hurricane Haiyyan in the Philippines or the refugees of the Syrian civil war? This sort of arbitrage could raise a very dangerous precedent across student unions. Attempting to divorce student unions from wider political life is part of an ongoing narrative that attempts to atomise us, individualise us and privatise our morality from the rest of society. What directly affects the student’s university experience and what is political is often closely related. As Aristotle said, we are political animals, and students are inherently political. Let’s not forget the impact that student unions can have. When Barclays withdrew its investment from Apartheid South Africa, it cited the NUS boycott as a contributing factor. Just as we would expect and hope for solidarity if we lived under apartheid, we should embrace the call from students to stand in solidarity with Palestine. we More generally, should recognise the role that unions play in giving students a voice. Students care about more than just their own interests – and our unions should reflect that. • EX-PRES: Thomas Clayton

Should our union bother with world issues?

BY BEN JUDGE

THERE is nothing more gutwrenching than student politicians who view their job as so important that they must spend their time talking about the ills of G4S, solving climate change and bringing about social cohesion. They simply do not have a mandate to do it. According to King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU), Student Officers: “provide political leadership to KCLSU, defining political policy through democratic means. They represent the members of the Union and work closely with staff to ensure that the operations of KCLSU cater for, and are responsive to, the needs of the members.” There are seemingly two ways non-student issues could feature on the day to day agenda of an Officer. The first is through democratically

‘Useless waste of time’

passed policy. The second is if they themselves are elected on such grounds. Neither presents a mandate for Officers at KCLSU. Firstly, by devoting time to the cause, a President or Vice President is not ‘catering for’ or being ‘responsive to’ the whole student population. Boycotting Israeli goods satisfies those passionately at the heart of the discussion but does not help the average undergraduate. Secondly, pursuing such objectives is practically useless, wastes time and achieves little. This is not to deny that such issues are important in wider world affairs. However, it is delusional to believe that a peace deal in the West Bank can be achieved by boycotting an Israeli chocolate bar. Student politics was once described by Thomas Clayton (KCLSU President 2012SUCCESSFUL: 2013) to be “the sexually Students campaign frustrated younger brother of against G4S Westminster politics”. KCLSU contract at King’s Student Officers should not try to be like Westminster MPs, or indeed any other politician. In essence, they are elected charity workers who have the sole aim of bettering our university experience in an age where university value for money is the top priority. As we approach the 2014 Officer elections, one speculates about the policies we will see. Last year, Sebastiaan Debrouwere campaigned on ‘bread and butter issues’ and won. I suspect that this year will be much the same, with candidates eschewing international affairs in favour of more day to day issues. •

ISRAELI BAR

‘Student politics is the sexually frustrated younger brother of Westminster politics’


22 ROAR! March 2014

Arrests made afrer Waterloo bike shooting

PHOTO: BEN JACKSON

By JAMES LEEMAN THREE men have been arrested over a suspected drive-by shooting on Waterloo Bridge. Shots were reported to have been fired from the back of a motorbike towards a black Ford Focus travelling Southbound along Waterloo Bridge at around 20:00GMT on Friday 21 February. One man was taken to an East London Hospital with head injuries and three other men were arrested on suspicion of firearm offences. A London Ambulance spokeswoman stated that the 22 year old man taken to hospital was “conscious and breathing”. He has since been discharged. Reports suggest the weapon involved was a shotgun. The incident is now being investigated by Scotland Yard’s Trident gang crime unit. The three men arrested are believed to have been aged 22, 23 and 24, and have since been bailed until early May. Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses. A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police stated: ‘The surrounding area, including the Southbank, would have been busy with people enjoying their Friday night and detectives are eager to speak with anyone who witnessed the shooting, or who saw the motorcycle fleeing the area.” Anyone with information can contact the Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111. •

Anime and Manga Soc KCL ANIME and Manga Society is a newly formed society that promotes Japanese style animation and also Japanese comics. The goal is to provide a common ground for newcomers and enthusiasts alike. Those not already familiar with the genre have a chance to ask questions and explore the different types of anime and manga, while more experienced fans can catch up with recent series. There are weekly anime screenings and each week a different series is voted to be watched by members. There are also conventions, socials, quizzes and inter-university anime challenges.

tell me what you want

what you

really really want Students voted last month for KCLSU to lobby the College to change the exam venue

CAMPAIGN: EXCEL CENTRE

“The exam hall thing is just quite ridiculous. And it’s not even like its zone 2, it’s zone 3, nearly zone 4. I know people who have made it to the exam with two minutes to spare because something’s been delayed. The exam hall is massive. All I could hear was planes the entire time.” . . . Emily Young, 1st year, Geography

Think tanks may sound like a niche area, but the respect they command means that their positions there are often highly coveted. We spoke to third year International Politics student Tuuli-Anna Huikuri about her work experience at Chatham House, a leading think tank focusing on foreign affairs. How did you show them you were the right person for the job? In my application and interview I showed direct interest in specific research programmes I knew they were focusing on. It was also useful that I could link my previous study, work and volunteering experience in the broader work of the think tank. Interns don’t need to have a master’s or be specialists in the research area they’re applying to – they just need to be able to convincingly illustrate their interest. I also carefully read what kinds of skills and characteristics they were looking for in an applicant, and made sure these abilities came across in the application and interview. Often the interviewers like to make sure the boxes are ticked, so this is definitely a useful thing to do. I’d personally say that standing out from the over 100 applications Chatham House receives per position is the key – a memorable or interesting fact about yourself or past experience can hardly do any harm! What is your work like as an intern? Approximately 70% of the intern work at Chatham House is concentrating on research, and around 30% on general administrative tasks. I am mainly doing work of a research assistant to the nuclear weapons research fellow: producing summaries, checking background information, and following/reporting changes in current issues. In addition, I am helping to organise events, find out potential speakers and funders, send invitations, and carry out general office tasks. What do you think you’ve got out of this experience? Chatham House is an awesome forum for networking! Interns get free access to most of the events, some of them with very high-profile guests. The staff at Chatham House are also very friendly and helpful in giving advice on my personal academic work and career planning. A reference from a world known think tank definitely does no harm for future applications either. Most importantly, I have learned a lot about the field I have been engaging with. Think tank work is quite different to academic research because it teaches you to look beyond the theory and speculation and search for practical policy implications.

library loans & opening

“It would be nice if the library could be more flexible in terms of loaning books and paying for books that are overdue.” . . . Hashviniya Sekar, 4th year, Medicine

MICE TO MEET YOU

Despite the cheesy headlines serious hygiene concerns have been raised following the sighting of a mouse in the chapters Café at the Strand Campus on Monday. A member of staff hinted that this could be part of a wider problem by claiming that this wasn’t the first time mice had been spotted at the Strand. King’s have so far played cat-and-mouse on the sighting and refused to officially comment. Have you witnessed any mice sightings at King’s? Send us in your photos to news@ roarnews.co.uk or tweet us @Roar_News.

calling all geeks GEEKSOC run events where people can meet and do geeky things with others who share their the same interests. These include role play games, board games, and things related to science fiction and fantasy. Contact kclgeeksoc@gmail.com for more info.

Experience of ... a think tank

common spaces to chill

“Apart from Chapters and Waterfront we don’t have anywhere we can study or just relax.” . . . Domenico Carofiglio, 1st year, International relations



ROAR! e l b a p p o t s n u SPORT

SPORTS EDITOR: TOBIAS BRUCE-JONES

Darts on target

UNBEATABLE.. The King’ s volleyball team

VOLLEYBALL

ON A ROLL By HANNAH WARREN

IN A MERE two weeks the King’s College London Women’s Volleyball team will come head to head with Loughborough University.

Both teams have everything to play for, with only the winner going through to the British Universities and Colleges Sport Championship in Edinburgh on 15th and 16th March. The KCL Women have had a perfect season so far, with an unprecedented 10 fixtures converted into 10 victories. In nine of these games KCL did not even drop a set. Never in the history of the volleyball club, has such an impressive standing been achieved. King’s College Women are solidly at the top of the South Eastern Division 1A League Table. The season’s matches have been played over a series of weekend tournaments and Wednesday afternoon fixtures, both

home and away. The first tournament hosted by the University of Surrey was a taste of things to come for KCL, who walked away with three 2-0 victories. They stayed on form a few weeks later at the next tournament in Tooting, where they bagged a further three 2-0 victories. One walkover match from Middlesex allowed KCL to bank another game and cemented their position at the top of the league table. This wasn’t enough to make King’s relax, however. They traveled to Canterbury to the University of Kent and turned up the pressure. An astonishing 25-2 win in the first set was followed through to become yet another 3-0 victory for King’s College Women. The final game of the pool was a home fixture against the University of Sussex, second in the league. King’s

began the game with their usual dominance, but an unfortunate injury of the team’s biggest attacker at the beginning of the second set lead to their first setback of the season, with KCL conceding the set. Some tactical changes were made, and the third set saw King’s settle back into the game although not as convincingly as before. Another wobble in the fourth, with a multitude of unforced errors cost the team another set and really shook their confidence. In the fifth deciding set, they regrouped and battled it out point for point. An incredibly tense final few moments saw KCL 12-14 down, only to come through to win 16-14. A long hard think, and some long hard training sessions have followed, and the team are looking forward to showing Loughborough what they are made of. •

ON SUNDAY the KCL Darts team finished 2nd in the South group and advanced to the Uni Darts Cup Finals in February. The team, captained by George Willis and team-mates Matt Jones, Sean Francourt, Malte Streitz, Marc Gee, Laurence Caines, Roman Roy, Johann Rajakarunanyake and Bhav Patel managed to get wins against LSE, UCL and SOAS but lost to Oxford to finish 2nd in the group. Sean Francourt played extremely well and succeeded in getting the perfect 180 in one of his matchups. Also playing at a high standard were Matt Jones, George Willis, Bhav Patel and Malte Streitz who all managed scores of 140. An honourable mention must also go to Roman Roy who won all his singles on his debut performance. Overall, it was a fantastic team effort to achieve 2nd place and they have now progressed on to the knock-out stages of the competition for only the 2nd time in the team’s history. Roar! wishes the Darts team the best of luck for their upcoming games. •

Regents hopes on next game AFTER a disappointing defeat to Kingston two weeks ago followed by a 33-0 drubbing of London City at the weekend KCL Regent’s playoff hopes rest entirely on the outcome of their game against Royal Holloway this Sunday. The Regents only need to win by a margin of 1 point to qualify for the playoffs but this will not be easy as Royal Holloway have gone from strength to strength this season and are currently on a 4 match winning streak. If the Regents win we will see them journeying to Scotland in two weeks time to kick off their first game of the BUCS Plate Trophy championships.

rifle range down the tube? GOOD news & bad news from King’s’ Rifle & Pistol club who informed Roar’s that their lease for the tube station will run out imminently. Previously it was thought that the lease wouldn’t run out for ten years but actually expires in one.

However after Roar’s feature article was published in last month’s issue, KCL is now in talks with Transport for London over renewing the lease and the word is that it’s a done deal. •


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