Issue 48 - September 2015

M AG DA L E N Free Student Magazine

ISSUE 48

Sex and The City (of Dundee)

10 Things You Really Need For Uni

Who Said Romance Was

Essential Supplies to Increase

Dead? The Birds and Bees of

Your Chances of Survival at

Safe Sex

University

THE ANTI-VACCINE REDEMPTION

SEX AND THE CITY (OF DUNDEE)

STUDENT RESEARCHERS ASSEMBLE

10 THINGS YOU REALLY NEED FOR UNI

DON’T MENTION THE GAP YEAR

WHAT IS THIS SPORT MALARKEY ALL ABOUT?

RADIO TV PRINT ONLINE V I S I T W W W. D U S A M E D I A . C O M F O R E M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N H O W T O G E T I N V O LV E D

Page 1

ISSUE 48 Editors Letter

Editors

Welcome one and all, whether you be old or new, to this very special Issue of The

Editor in Chief

Magdalen Magazine, where we will be celebrating Freshers in all its glory, with stories

Andrew Stewart

and articles ranging from Sex and the City (of Dundee) to our opinionated article Deputy Editors

named Why I Hate Freshers.

Kate McAuliffe For the Freshers, who are just starting their long and arduous University journey,

Leona Reid

congratulations on choosing a great place to study, I am sure you will have many great Art & Entertainment Editors

experiences in your time here!

Patrick O’Donnell To the University Veterans, welcome back! Another great year lies ahead. For some

Francesca Reid

(like myself) this is going to be the final year, the year of all years, the one that really matters; full of sleepless nights, deadlines, exams, coffee, degree shows and

Community Editor

dissertations. But let’s try and maintain our enthusiasm for at least a few weeks and

Hannah Baird

enjoy the great opportunities that Uni can bring for one final time, shall we?

Current Affairs Editor We, here at The Magdalen, have been working tirelessly over the past few months

Euan Forbes

writing, editing, designing, editing again, designing again etc. to make the best magazine possible for you; the students. For our already avid readers, you may have

Design Editor

noticed that we have changed quite significantly over the summer. Our design has

Hazel Wyllie

been revamped, and we have welcomed several new editors, writers and designers onto the team! If you would like to get involved or for more information, visit www.

Fashion Editor

dusamedia.com/the-magdalen or email themagdalen@dusa.co.uk.

Sarah Doig

In the final Editor’s letter of last Semester, I quoted Dr. Seuss (against many of my

Lifestyle Editor

colleagues wishes) to say goodbye to our departing members and students. I am

Lauren Copeland

going to carry this on, starting a new tradition, this time to welcome and motivate our newest students, and maybe even remind our returning students of our Freshers’ days.

Opinion Editor JB Fyfe

‘So... be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way!’

Science Editor Victor Chamosa Pino

Welcome fellow students, and good luck!

Sports Editor Andrew Stewart

Alasdair Hooper

Editor in Chief

Events Manager

Published By

Printed By

Dominic Younger, VPCC

Winter & Simpson Print

DUSA, Airlie Place, Dundee, DD1 4PH

16 Dunsinane Avenue, Dundee, DD2 3QT

Social Media Manager

vpcc@dusa.co.uk

sales@wintersimpson.co.uk

Molly Barnes

Jessica Borwell

01

ISSUE 48 Creative Directors Letter

Design Team

So this is neat isn’t it? We have a brand new Magdalen, with new paper, new editors,

Creative Director

new designers and a whole new style to boot. My name is Kenny Meek and I’ll be the

Kenny Meek

Creative Director of this snazzy little publication for the next two semesters.

Asst. Creative Director There’s been a lot of work put into the Magdalen over the past decade or so and as

Andrew Simpson

a student magazine it has gone from strength to strength. From talking about sexual health openly to ripping the piss out of art students, the magazine has always been

Designers

fairly off kilter and that attitude has laid the foundations that we are trying to build

Antonia Koutrouza

upon today with our new design. Recently the visual direction of the magazine has

Freya Bigg

been the responsibility of a plucky young group of graphic designers at DJCAD. A

Gemma Smith

team of students who, without reward or recognition devote their time to creating

Hazel Mirsepasi

something DUSA, the University of Dundee and most importantly themselves can be

Jill Montgomery

proud of. I now run and operate this group and could not be happier with the content

Jodie Robb

that they regularly produce. For the work that they do, they deserve more than just a

Katie Wilkonson

space on the contributors list and thanks to our new Editor in Chief, they’ll get more.

Laura Gelston

See, this page isn’t for me to talk about the intricate details of editorial design, no, it’s

Macario De Los Rios

for the entire design team to have a space that they can point to and say ‘look, here’s

Maha Ghani

my name, I designed for this magazine’. That’s awesome and it’s only possible because

Roma McCook

of a publication like this one.

Ross Grubb Zoe Broughton

To the new students who are joining the University this semester; Welcome! You’ll have the best four years of your adult lives at this place. You’ll meet new friends, fall in love, argue over politics, eat copious amounts of pizza, and realise soon enough that Dundee is probably the best place you could ever have chosen to study at.

I sincerely hope you all enjoy this issue of The Magdalen and if you have any comments, questions or concerns, feel free to drop me an email. The address is creative.director@dusamedia.com.

Kenny Meek Creative Director

Contributors List

Alasdair Hooper, Amy Louise McCoull, Andrew Stewart, Becca McCall, Euan Forbes, Francesca Reid, Hannah Baird, Jalal Abukhater, Jamie Manuel, JB Fyfe, Kate McAuliffe, Lauren Copeland, Leona Reid, Niamh Sheridan, Dominic Marshall, Patrick O’Donnell, Sarah Doig, Zoe Cassells 02

CONTENTS Entertainment

Lifestyle

04 - 05

Art Pop: Where the hell are all the sheep

27

Procrastibaking: Peanut Butter Squares

06

Battle of the Bands

28 - 29

Sex and the City (of Dundee)

07

Just the Club for You

30 - 31

Let’s Talk Sensibly About Drugs

08 - 09

How to Kill a Childhood

Societies

10 - 11

Pass the Remote

32

Community 13 - 15

Ladies and Gentlemen

Opinion Writing Rough

Current Affairs

34

Don’t Mention the Gap Year

35

Holding a Party in Halls

16 - 17

Time for Change?

36

Why I Hate Freshers

18 - 19

Be the Change You Want to See

37

I’m Not Old But…

Design 21

Science Dundee: City of Design

Fashion

38 - 39

Got Science?

40 - 41

Student Researchers Assemble!

The Anti-Vaccine Redemption

22

Get Backpacking

42

23

Rainy Days

Sport

24 - 25

10 Things You Really Need for Uni

44 - 47

Sports Union: Welcome + Dates

26

Beauty Essentials

48 - 49

What’s this Sport Malarkey All About?

Join Us!

Email themagdalen@dusa.co.uk or go to www.themagdalen.co.uk

03

Entertainment

ART POP: We are fast becoming a society of Little Monsters, or more

search for. Social media allows youngsters to share their

accurately, Little Gagas.

writing (or what I sometimes refer to as Hyperbolic HipsterHeartache) with the guarantee of an audience. I too am

Having recently released an album with Tony Bennett and

guilty of this. For parents, anything that pulls their child away

performed a musical number at The Oscars, Lady Gaga is well

from Netflix is enough. But that’s just the issue. We continue

on her way to conquering all. It seems her creative capabilities

to wilfully glue ourselves to these things while carefully

are limitless. She puts the ‘art’ in pop (pun intended) and

maintaining a shroud of Artistry.

she’s not the only one. With vlogging, blogging, busking and more, everybody has a creative outlet. I celebrate this – and

Let’s look at our predecessors. By this, I mean the

loathe it. How often have you walked the streets of Glasgow

stereotyped creatures of drug-taking and mould-breaking;

and witnessed Mumford and Sons imitators or 10 year olds

the poets with outrageous manuscripts; the law disruptors

sporting hair gel and guitars? Too many times. So what does it

and obscenities; the distressed souls. Think of Marcel

mean to be creative in a culture of mainstream creativity?

Duchamp’s Fountain or Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl.’ Think of The Velvet Underground. There is a kind of unaffected sincerity to their craft. A sense of rawness. The hippie movement of

The counterculture was no longer counter

the sixties for instance, emerged from a bunch of young people living in San Francisco. Art students, dropouts and musicians reading Kerouac, reaching out for something different. Sadly the result of this defaced its whole origin:

Of course, this can be considered positive. We are close to

fashion. It became a trend. The counterculture was no longer

a future where young people can fully accept themselves,

counter. I ask, is there not a pattern emerging? Our alternative

and Gaga-culture is largely responsible. While still a huge

kids strut around wearing their ‘I’m so different and nobody

problem, 2014 UK statistics suggest feelings of low self-

understands’ motto like a badge, unaware their pals have

esteem amongst teens are on the decline. Expressiveness is

the same beaten up black coat. It’s mass-produced self-

considered a great tool in the battle against mental illness.

expression. Yes, just as it was and may always be…originality

The ability to think imaginatively is a trait many employers

swallowed up by commercialism. Rather than avoiding

0402

Entertainment

uniqueness we pay for it. Remember when you were told not to follow the crowd like sheep? I ask, where the hell are all the sheep? So many of our generation lay claim to an individual quality. Whether it’s a septum piercing or a YouTube channel, we are all seeking ways to disunite.

How often have you walked the streets of Glasgow and witnessed Mumford and Sons imitators or 10 year olds sporting hair gel and guitars?

Yet perhaps we haven’t strayed as far from the pasture as we’d like others to believe. No person – even Gaga – is entirely a trend-setter. Gaga takes lots of inspiration from the likes of Madonna and David Bowie. What does it mean to be creative in a society of mainstream creativity? It means to create as people have always created: against convention. Our modern age has simply blurred this; it has opened the floodgates and let loose the hipster sheep. Their reincarnated tattoos are everywhere. You may be proud to consider yourself part of their flock. You may despise them. But you are what you make others see. So be your own person, but don’t think of it as a competition. Above all hold your creations dear. Show off your vintage legwarmers or blog about your clay sculpture, love them… just expect copies.

Zoe Cassells

0305

Entertainment

BATTLE OF THE BANDS DUNDEE MUSIC VENUES BUSKERS A popular host of the battle of the bands, Buskers features different variations and subgenres of rock, complete with the gothic façade of a 19th century, gothic church. Tickets range in price, usually from £4 with some bigger events costing up to £15. But if rock isn’t really your thing then try Sub Zero Thursday's, which feature classic house, dance and chart, accompanied by student friendly entrance and drinks prices.

CLARKS ‘Contemporary bar with traditional values for live music and late nights till 2:30am every Friday and Saturday.’ An eclectic mixture of rock, acoustic, folk, indie, American Soul, and tribute acts among a laid-back, candle-lit atmosphere and yummy pub-grub.

HM FRIGATE UNICORN If you’re interested in a classy shindig then hop aboard the HM Frigate Unicorn.

One of the world’s oldest preserved ships still afloat, the venue is unique in Dundee, located in the City Quay and soon to become a centrepiece for the Waterfront redevelopment project. Jazz and blues nights are on Fridays and, while a little pricier than other event venues, sitting on the original upper deck surrounded by fairy lights is chilled and romantic. Doors and bar open at 7:15 pm and music startsat 8:15 pm.

DUKE’S CORNER A similar style and venue to Clarks, with the added bonus of being a two minute walk away from Dalhousie. Duke’s is owned by the same crew behind Edinburgh’s Red Squirrel and Holyrood 9A and delivers the same standard and variety of food and drinks to accompany the live performances, who are often locally based.

ART BAR For all you arty types who don’t want to travel far, Art Bar is located directly opposite Duncan of Jordanstone, so if it’s been a hard day at the studio you need not look too far for a lively place to wet your whistle and sample the tunes with a mix of resident DJs and a host of open mics and regular live music.

06

KateKate McAuliffe McAuliffe

Entertainment

Willing to walk or calling a cab?

Taxi

Walk

Cheesy Pop and Classic Rock or House Music?

Pop

House

Saving the pennies?

Saving the pennies?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Smaller venue or room to party?

Bit of a

Close by,

Like Flashback,

Open four

Close by

A multi-award

hike from the

cheap and

but bigger and

days a week

and compact, with

winning nightclub,

city centre, but a

cheerful, if you like

pricier, rocking 2

during the

gimmicky décor.

with Sin-City

forefront of the

disco classics and

floors where it’s all

semester and the

Make sure you’re

on Fridays and

underground club

number ones from

about the ‘90’s.

cheapest night

on the guest list.

scene in Scotland

the last couple

club in Dundee,

since 2002!

Platinum on Saturdays partying

of decades then

and voted local

on till 3am

head to Floor 5 on

favourite by

throughout the

Saturdays.

the University’s

year.

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Entertainment

HOW TO KILL A CHILDHOOD Post-mortem of a literary classic

*Spoilers for the novels To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman Either through our education or cultural curiosity, many of us have come into contact with Harper Lee’s seminal work (and for a long time only work) To Kill a Mockingbird in our childhood. Lee’s novel preached the ye olde morale of never judging a book by its cover in the form of a Southern parable; touching on racism, moral ambiguity and the failings of the justice system as cornerstones to ground her vision. Having sold 40 million copies worldwide in the last 50 years and being a classroom perennial, it’s profound, positive resonance with audiences has never been up for debate… until now.

With the release of Go Set a Watchman, Mockingbird’s publicised sequel, but in reality first draft, opinion has been divisive to say the least. Critiques of poor writing, incoherent characterisation and sluggish dialogue have plagued the headlines of reviews after the novel’s release. Yet, what seems to have provoked an even stronger reaction from Lee’s audience is the reveal that Atticus Finch, honourable, intelligent, tolerant, man of justice, Atticus Finch is in fact: racist. The ethical debate of portraying a once thought supporter of civil rights in literature as a bigot can be knocked back and forth, but does Go Set a Watchman affect our warm love for its predecessor?

The publication of this book foreshadowed signs of concern.

With Lee’s ailing health and the death of her sister and caregiver, Alice Finch Lee, two months before the book’s 0808

Entertainment

announcement, many critics questioned whether Lee was

of a Pulitzer Prize winner would have been preferred. The

being taken advantage of by her team. Considering Lee

town of Maycomb is filled with rich characters, however the

never actively brought forward the original manuscript

absence of Mockingbird standouts, i.e. Jem, Boo Radley,

to be published without outside interference is also quite

Dill, are sorely missed with their narrative substitutes never

suggestive. Criticism towards the editing of the novel came

reaching nuance of the OG Mockingbird squad. Now, is

from all sides, with many critics coming to the conclusion that

the reveal of a racist Atticus any good? Meh is again the

this was a first draft, exacerbating the theory that there was

answer. Whilst he is the antithesis of what two generations

a rush to publish. Whilst accusations of Lee being bullied into

of literature criticism has taught us, we are reminded that

giving up her manuscript may never be proven, it would be

Mockingbird was narrated from lovable rouge Jean-Louise

unwise to completely write it off.

‘Scout’ Finch’s child-like perspective, whilst Watchman adopts third person narrative to provide subjectivity. Similar

Both books were ‘coincidentally’ released in times of

to Jean-Louise in her youth, we could only see what we were

tumultuous race relations, Mockingbird predating the

allowed to see in Mockingbird. Atticus’ racism, whilst a shock

prominence of the Civil Rights Movement whilst Watchman was published after public interest and debate into the high profile cases of African-American men being shot and killed by police officers (among others), i.e. Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, were at an all-time high. Mockingbird contributed and progressed the social conversation in the American consciousness regarding race, while Watchman seems to have

Critiques of poor writing, incoherent characterisation and sluggish dialogue have plagued the headlines of reviews after the novel’s release.

been released at this particular time in order to be taken in by the full force of the rising tide of the cultural zeitgeist. Race

and detrimental to his character in the eyes of the reader, is

in Mockingbird is utilised as an active, personal narrative tool

not completely unfathomable. He is still a proud man of the

which enriches the character growth within the story. Race in

south; elderly and approaching the eve of a changing time in

Watchman is not nearly as well realised, which leads to theW

America. Holistically, the memory of Mockingbird is slightly

shocking reveal of Atticus’s beliefs to truly ring false with the

tarnished with the arrival of Watchman. A direct sequel to

reader, even if it is trying to make a half-baked statement on

the established narrative invites itself to comparison, and

political correctness and the value of opinion. Where the 1960

unfortunately it simply does not hold a candle to the original

novel contextualises racism, the 2015 novel appropriates it.

published novel. The fact that Atticus has converted from hero to bigot is also cause for upset and mourning, when

On to whether the book is good or not….. it’s meh! As a

reflecting on the original work. This version of Atticus does

piece of work, it is not nearly as dire as many reviewers

not expect to be liked for what he has to say. And somehow I

are suggesting it is. The plot meanders but does provide

don’t believe this book expects to be either.

decent world building. The writing is adequate, a bit plain Jane, a bit more literary wit and resonance from the mind

Patrick O’Donnell 0909

Entertainment

PA S S T H E R E M O T E An ode to shiTV Have you ever sat at home and found yourself staring blankly into your television screen for some time; until you have an epiphany: what you are watching is absolute garbage. After this you begin to feel deeply unsettled…What am I doing with my life? What is wrong with me? Was I even conscious during the last half hour that has just passed? If so, fear not… you are not alone.

Programming centered on obese people being demented by gym trainers’

BBC 2’s The Crane Gang (a show that LITERALLY follows a British crane hire company moving heavy things from one spot to another…) reeled in a ridiculous 1.24 million

In this “Golden Age” of television, now more than ever, there

viewers on the showing of the pilot episode. Not only am I

seems to be a television program for just about everything

perplexed as to why so many people tuned in to see it, but

and anything. There are shows following haulage companies

more fundamentally, I cannot even imagine a way of pitching

on dangerous journeys in extreme weather; programming

this idea to the BBC in an appealing and exciting way.

centered on obese people being demented by gym trainers;

Then you have shows such as Car Booty, a show thats title,

and even series’ known simply as The Dog Whisperer.

disappointingly, holds far more interesting connotations than

However, as distinct and different as these programmes are,

the programme itself. It has had an outrageous 11 series to

they still hold a certain obvious and blatant entertainment

date, which astonishes me, for a show whose actual summary

value. However, the series’ I am speaking of are in a category

is “People sell unwanted household goods at a car boot

of their own.

sale.” Need I say more? “How can people even watch these God-awful things?!”I hear you cry. Well, the answer is actually simple.

As I sat down to carry out my “research”, viewing these awful shows and daytime fillers before writing what was going to be an article condemning them, after a while a strange and unwelcome thing began to occur - I was enjoying it. It happened in the same way that you find yourself suddenly being an expert on speed-walking or curling every four years when the Olympics come around. I sat on the edge of my seat wondering if “Big Davey” would manage to find out what was wrong with his crane in time for to get it fixed and complete his weekly quota, and I found myself cheering on Brenda for getting that charming British-made cat figurine

10

Entertainment

for a fiver cheaper. You sure have a tastefor the finer things in life, Brenda. I became bolder, and moved on to series such as French Collection, a programme whose initial attraction lay in the fact that it reminded me of a pretty dress I used to have.

This particular show films people going into antique shops in French markets and asking for discounts on purchases, something that I can alternatively see first hand while on holiday with my mother.

Although these are certainly not examples of “TV gold”, and do not even compare with likes of television royalty such as Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad, some credit is due to the collaborators and film crews behind these humble programmes. Many have managed to take the most mundane

Whatever they have done, it’s bloody brilliant. Brilliant…and

and commonplace things and create addictive viewing.

perhaps slightly worrying. Are we that easy to manipulate and

Maybe it’s the climactic music or maybe it’s the fact that

entertain or that desperate to procrastinate from reality that

each programme is based on a specific formula and simple

we are so easily drawn in?

components, maybe it’s the endless possibilities and everchanging scenarios making it easy to follow and therefore

At the end of the metaphorical day, we typically have

addictive after a while.

no choice in what entertains us, and what does not, but personally I would rather it was not something that would

Many have managed to take the most mundane and commonplace things and create addictive viewing

make me hang my head in shame if I watched it with the sound off. However, if any of you reading are bright-eyed, (bushy tailed?) freshers seeking a reason to put off doing that project for next week, then I would highly recommend any of the aforementioned programmes after you have zoomed through all Netflix has to offer. Now if you will excuse me,

Francesca Reid 11

14th - 18th September Coming to you!

Dundee University Students' Association (DUSA)Registered Scottish Charity Number SC016047

Community

WRITING

[It’s] easier to get than a cup of coffee, I could get heroin to us in 10 minutes if I tried.

ROUGH When I sat down on a step outside

On a good day, he might earn about

laughed and he left. And he forgot.

the Bonar Hall to drink a coffee and

£40. Some may think it is a decent

I’ve been stood up many times. Most

call a friend I met a man who got

wage for doing sod all, yet his income

times, actually. Homeless people are

me thinking. His name? I can’t recall,

is futile as, with no permanent address,

fairly busy making sure they are on the

terrible I know, yet the significance of

a job is impossible to come by. Keeping

street at peak times and running errands

meeting him remains. He was a skinny

himself to himself, Gentleman A doesn’t

and such so instead of a rendezvous,

middle-aged shadow with a gruff yet

feel too unsafe but of course, he says,

it’s easiest just to chat when you can.

gentle Dundonian accent and a friendly

you need to be careful. We chat at

Gentleman B, otherwise known as

demeanour. He approached me asking

length and his sparky personality makes

James, found himself interviewed for

for spare change, most politely, and my

me want to help. I suggest perhaps the

this article simply because his friend

questions began. There is a mystery

University magazine could provide a

approached me wanting a bus fare

attached to those that we see begging –

platform for a project. We discussed

and I said okay but I wanted to talk to

are they really totally, utterly homeless?

this idea and he arranged to meet

a homeless person, which he wasn’t,

If so, where do they sleep? How much

me the following Monday, once I had

so he went away then reappeared

do they earn begging? How unsafe do

approached the editor with my plans.

offering up James for a chat.

they feel? Gentleman A, I will have to

‘Monday, Monday at 12, remember to

call him, sleeps in a multi-storey car

meet me on Monday. Don’t f**king

park where, tortuously, he used to work.

forget! Monday!’ I joked, and we

13

Community

James isn’t homeless either. Most homeless people have an unstable, temporary place to stay such as a bed in a hostel or B&B. Evidently it is true that not everyone begging on the street only has the sky for a roof, yet these people all live on the fringes of society and face a multitude of problems. The biggest in Dundee is heroin. ‘[It’s] easier to get than a cup of coffee, I could get heroin to us in 10 minutes if I tried. How there’s that much heroin in Dundee I have no idea’ James explains, ‘90% of the world’s heroin is from Afghanistan and it would cost £100million to buy up the whole poppy crop but in Edinburgh alone the fallout from drugs costs £200million’. James is right to say that the war on drugs is ineffective without reform. A recent report by the Guardian states ‘since the “war” was declared by President Nixon in 1971 we have spent over £1tn trying to eradicate drugs from our societies’, evidently without success.

An NHS report from 2014 found that ‘the average heroin addict spends around £1,400 a month on drugs (2.5 times the average mortgage)’.

This figure alone clarifies that heroin addiction can manifest itself into the homelessness and begging we see on the streets of Dundee. James told me that ‘Dundee is one of the best cities in Scotland for [helping] people on the fringes, you get lots of help here if you ask for it – drugs, gambling, whatever.

It is probably one of the best cities for it in the UK but not all people want help or want to change’. To assist these organisations and promote change, money and support needs to be raised.

For those that don’t want help, I asked James what he thought best to do. ‘Are you trying to save the world?’ he said ‘just be open and generous and give

14

Community

what you can - it doesn’t matter what

in receipt of a benefit entitling them to

their lifestyle is, they need it.’

receive housing benefit. If you cannot

James is struggling having been hit with

claim benefits, no hostel will take you in,

rent; he had been on the phone that

so the only alternative is to sofa surf or

day trying to sort out his Employment

sleep rough’. We have started collecting

Support Allowance for three hours.

clothing and appeal to anyone in the

He needs to complete a medical to

University to contact the Community

receive his money, yet never received

section of the Magdalen, or the Night

his appointment or any correspondence

Ministry itself, to donate.

since he was awarded ESA money in January. The struggle to actually

To promote a happier, safer Dundee

receive benefits is widespread, with

it is important to care about both the

many begging for that reason. Recent

Gentleman As and the Gentleman

changes in Job Centre administration

Bs. Homelessness makes people feel

have made people with problems like

helpless, regardless. Watch this space to

James unable to go into the job centre

keep up to date with Writing Rough and

to resolve the situation. Instead waiting

please support the project by getting

on the end of the phone is the only

involved.

option.

CLUBNIGHT Certainly this project is not about ‘saving the world’ but rather about

A new monthly residency, Dundee

raising awareness and money for good

Housing Authority, launches in Drouthy’s

causes whilst building bridges between

basement on the 24th September

the University community and the

to raise money for a variety of local

Dundee community in a positive way. A

homelessness charities in Dundee.

crucial part of Dundee’s support system

Doors open at 10pm, entry is £5 all

for those on the streets is The Night

night with all proceeds going to charity,

Ministry, founded and coordinated by

donations welcome too. First up,

Gareth Norman in 2013. The charity

flown in from the land of hot girls and

describes homelessness as ‘more than

spaghetti westerns, The Italo Brothers.

just sleeping rough, in its broadest

100% heat! Exciting guests lined up for

sense homelessness is the problem

future dates.

faced by people who lack a place to live that is supportive, affordable, decent and secure.’ Gareth and volunteers patrol Dundee throughout the night in a care van providing hot drinks,

Hannah Baird

clothing, sleeping bags and support.

However, funds, and therefore services, are restricted. Additionally, Gareth told me ‘the days of a person just turning up at a night shelter and being given an emergency bed for the night have long gone due to changes in housing legislation. In order to receive assistance in a homeless shelter, people must be

15

Current Affairs

TIME FOR CHANGE? Mhairi Black sent shockwaves through British politics in May when she became the youngest MP in over a decade to be elected to Westminster. While initially keeping quiet, the junior MP soon found her voice with a maiden speech which was viewed over 10 million times online. Since that speech Black has had much to say including on the political institution of Westminster, which she described in a newspaper interview, amongst other things, as having outdated traditions.

Love or loathe her politics, few will struggle to disagree with Black and her party’s views on Westminster and the need for change. As Black pointed out, it beggars belief in the digital age that votes still involve shuffling into separate rooms. Moreover, the SNP did not hold back in being critical of working hours at Westminster where votes and debates can take place very late at night. While this may look like a slap in the face to voters who voted for the SNP only months before, their highlighting of this issue raises some valid points.

16 02

Current Affairs

MPs are humans like the electorate, many with families and they deserve to have some sort of work life balance, however small it may be. Such a move would also surely widen access to potential parliamentary candidates, many of whom have

MEMBERSHIP OF THE HOSUE OF LORDS

the ability to do the role but are reluctant because of family commitments.

HM GOVERNMENT But these issues are small in comparison to the major criticism made against Westminster by nationalists and others alike

C O N S E R VAT I V E P A R T Y

226

which is the need for House of Lords reform. Currently there are 783 unelected peers in the House, of which 670 are life peers. Once appointed, that is their seat until they die or

HM OPPOSITION

resign, like Lord Sewell and others have been forced to do in recent times after some very un-Lord like behaviour was

L A B O U R PA R T Y

212

uncovered. Peers are paid the ridiculously exuberant sum of £300 per day for attending Westminster. Despite the criticism the Conservatives do not have House of Lords Reform on their agenda any time soon. Surprising, perhaps, given that Conservative peers are outnumbered in the chamber and as a result have seen problems in the course of two Bills in the new parliamentary session so far. Surely for the Government, with Labour and the Lib Dems in their current states, an elected

OTHER CROSSBENCHERS

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L I B E R A L D E M O C R AT S

101

D E M O C R AT I C U N I O N I S T PA R T Y

4

last election.

U K I N D E P E N D E N C E PA R T Y

3

Of course while the nationalists may be the ones banging the

PLAID CYMRU

2

U L S T E R U N I O N I S T PA R T Y

2

G R E E N PA R T Y

1

second chamber would have worked out well for them at the

drum about it at the moment, it is not a new concept - there has been much debate on it in the past. Possible methods of reform mooted in the past include the abolition of the Lords; however it is unlikely that an institution such as it would be completely abolished. One popular idea however, is an elected Senate, no doubt reduced drastically in size from the current Lords chamber. Such reform could also be based somewhat

N O N - A F F I L I AT E D

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LORDS SPIRITUAL

26

on an American electoral system where there are mid-term elections halfway through Parliament for the Lords, thus allowing the electorate an early opportunity to show what they think of the Government’s actions so far. Reform of this nature could engage the electorate far more.

However, the benefits of it do not just stop at the electorate, no doubt there would be less of a weight on the public purse if the number of members was dramatically reduced and MP’s could see a reduced workload as members of the reformed Lords could also take on casework from MP’s. However, with Government opposition to reform showing no sign of

Euan Forbes

03 17

Current Affairs

BE THE CHANGE YO U WA N T T O S E E Student politics is a vital part of the structure within the University allowing students to take ownership of the student leadership positions. University elections are special in that students have the opportunity to nominate themselves and all can vote for whom they want as a representative. In Dundee we have two main elections; the deciding vote for members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) occurs in September while the Executive, School Presidents and Independent Member of Court elections take place in March.

This year is different from any other because, in addition to the annual elections, the Rector elections will take place in February, giving you and your friends the opportunity to elect an international representative that lobbies for your needs. The candidates are not only nominated by the students but also elected by the students, so you have complete control over deciding who will become the next Dundee University Rector.

The SRC consists of a group of normal students just like you who are determined to make a difference on campus.

They meet every three weeks to discuss issues that are facing students and work for their best interests. In the past, topics that have been voted on include the banning of legal highs in the union, lobbying against staff cuts and ensuring equal opportunities for all during exam conditions. Within the SRC there are 16 positions available for students to nominate themselves. These range from Environmental and Sustainability Representatives, First Year Representatives to General Representatives without any portfolio. Any matriculated student is encouraged to look at all positions and decide what they can offer by being elected.

18

Current Affairs

Don’t know what to do when you graduate or want to take a gap year between your studies? Why not nominate yourself for a sabbatical position on the DUSA Executive.

Positions include the DUSA President, Deputy President, Vice Presidents in Communications and Campaigns, Student Activities or Representation. There are also non-sabbatical positions that you can take on while you study; Vice Presidents in Student Welfare and Engagement. Each School in the University also has a student leader, called School Presidents, who help support the Class Representatives and are dedicated to making an impact in their department.

The final position that is open to students is the chance to sit on the highest University body as an Independent Member of Court. In this role you voice student concerns and opinions at one of the most influential bodies on campus.

The elections are widely publicised throughout campus with information on how to nominate yourself, vote and of course, the election results party!

It’s so easy to get involved. The elections are widely publicised throughout campus with information on how to nominate yourself, vote and of course, the election results party! If you want to find out anymore, please contact the Vice President of Representation, Becca McCall at vpr@dusa. co.uk or tweet her at @DUSA_VPR.

Becca McCall

19

NOMINATE YOURSELF FOR THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (SRC) Nominate at dusa.co.uk/src from the 31st of August Nominations close on the 18th of September.

dusa.co.uk/src

#raiseyourvoice

Design

DUNDEE: CITY OF DESIGN For nearly a year now Dundee has been awarded the title of a UNESCO City of Design. Certainly not unlucky, Dundee in competition with 50 other global cities was the thirteenth city to be awarded this status, sharing the title with the cities of Beijing, Berlin and Montreal, among others. Fore

Albert Watson, fashion designer Hayley Scanlan, film director

fronting this decision is Dundee’s contribution to biomedical

David Mackenzie, and video games pioneer Aaron Garbut.

research, D.C. Thompson’s world recognised comics

Now, grounding the City’s position as a UNESCO site is the

The Dandy and The Beano, as well as video games from

waterfront redevelopment project. Costing an estimated

renowned companies like DMA (now Rockstar North), the makers of Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto.

Commenting on Dundee’s new status, Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish government’s culture, Europe and external affairs secretary, said that ‘[t]his accolade further strengthens the city’s growing reputation as a hub of cultural and

Dundee in competition with 50 other global cities was the thirteenth city to be awarded this status

creative excellence and an international centre for the creative industries.’ While Dundee City Council leader Ken

£1 billion, the city’s regenerated waterfront is to include a

Guild commented that the award was ‘truly international

new Railway Station and Hotel, central open green spaces,

recognition for Dundee’s innovative design sector.’

the newly constructed Seabraes Bridge across the railway lines, Riverside Apartments, and, as a central piece, the V&A

Dundee’s own DJCAD, credited as ‘The creative hub at the

museum. An international centre for design, the V&A is the

heart of the University of Dundee’, has been ranked in the

UK’s first design museum outside London, and already has

World’s Top 1 percent by QS World University Rankings,

teams of workers selecting items to display from the Victoria

further contributing to the Design status of the city. DJCAD

and Albert Museum in London’s collections, the majority of

has thus produced several globally recognised alumni, such

which will relate to Scotland’s design history.

as Turner Prize winner Susan Philipsz and nominees David Mach, Louise Wilson and Luke Fowler, as well as photographer

Kate McAuliffe 21

Fashion

GET BACKPACKING As well as being a lot more practical then carrying around an everyday bag, backpacks are set to be huge for autumn and winter for both men and women. From Marc Jacobs to Burberry, almost every designer jumped on the backpack bandwagon for their Autumn/Winter collections. Lady of the moment Cara Delevingne has her own collection of backpacks with Mulberry, showing, even at the top end of the market, backpacks are a must have accessory. Here’s a selection of backpacks available on the high street that will keep you looking on trend, whilst making all your uni essentials easy to carry.

If you’re looking for something really practical and long lasting, this Rains backpack is both sturdy and water resistant, but still stylish. The zip and clip black leather backpack from Urban Outfitters is also very functional, with an easy fastening and comfortable leather straps.

1.

For guys, the ASOS canvas black backpack is ideal and will

2.

go with every outfit. For something a bit different there’s the Farah navy bag. The bright blue zip detailing and practical shape make it an invaluable purchase.

Even at the top end of the market, backpacks are a must have accessory.

3.

4.

New Look have a range of leather look backpacks that are perfect dupes for Cara’s Mulberry range. Starting at £19.99, they’re a fraction of the price… a great excuse to have one in every colour.

For a sportier look, you don’t get much better than Adidas in terms of quality and style. The retro style guy’s rucksack has 5.

a colour scheme that’s very much on trend this season. It’s

6.

also a little bit bigger than some of the others available on the high street which gives it the edge for those looking for a 1: Rains @ Urban Outfitters, £60, urbanoutfitters.com 2: Urban Outfitters, £49, urbanoutfitters.com 3: ASOS, £28, asos.com 4: Farah @ M and M direct, £30, mandmdirect.co.uk 5: New Look, £19.99, newlook. com

7.

22

6: Adidas @ Urban Outfitters, £30,

more functional rucksack.

The girl’s alternative is from one of Adidas’ collaboration ranges. The brightly coloured bag will brighten up any outfit, and hold everything you could possibly need.

Now is the time to invest in a backpack as a practical alternative to carry your essentials, and keep yourself on

Sarah Doig

Fashion

RAINY DAYS After what can only be described as a summer of disappointing weather, the least we can do is be prepared for the rain that’s sure to continue. With Dundee experiencing double the highest previously recorded rainfall for July, you can never be too prepared in the “sunshine city”. Here are some on trend essentials to keep you dry on rainy days.

The perfect update for your plain black umbrella is this New Look one. The stylish animal print changes colour when it’s wet making it fab for adding a splash of colour when the skies

A good raincoat is a must for throwing over your outfit and heading out to battle the elements.

are grey.

A good raincoat is a must for throwing over your outfit and heading out to battle the elements. If a boring pack-a-mac is not for you then one of the many alternatives might suit you better. Topshop have a variety of good quality rain macs and jackets which, although a little bit pricey, will last you years and at least see you through your time at uni. This retrostyle mac comes with a hood and is sure to keep you dry.

The colour will brighten up any dull day and, if you have any doubts, even Céline had an eye-catching yellow raincoat on 1.

their Autumn/Winter catwalk.

Nothing says rainy day like a pair of welly boots, and Office have a lovely selection that are just a little bit different. This black pair is patterned with 70’s inspired lace-up detail which will keep you on trend whilst also keeping your feet dry.

Sarah Doig

1: Umbrella, £12.99, New Look, newlook.com 2: Rain Mac, £55, Topshop, topshop.com 3: Wellies, £45, Office, office.co.uk

2.

3.

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Fashion

10 Things You Really Need for Uni (That No-one Tells You About) Sarah Doig 1. A comfy pair of trainers

2. A backpack

3. house coat

4. Fleecy blanket

If you don’t have a pair

This might sound obvious

Maybe not so much in the

If you’re not partial to a nap

already, invest in a comfy pair

to some, but it’s easy to get

tropical climate of halls, but

already, I can guarantee

of trainers even if you’re not

into the habit of just using

in any other student flat

you that after day one of

a “trainer person”, because

your usual day-to-day bag

the struggle of paying for

Freshers’ you won’t be able

when you’ve got five minutes

to carry your things around.

heating or dying of frostbite

to get through a day without

to get up and get to your

But by the time you’ve got

is only too real. A dressing

it. There’s nothing better

lecture they will become your

four library books, two

gown is a game changer for

than a fleecy blanket for

best friend. And girls, once

folders and a textbook you’ll

cold mornings and makes

those essential disco naps.

you swap heels for trainers for

be regretting it to say the

the thought of getting out

a night out you will never

least. So invest in a good

of your cosy bed a little less

look back.

backpack. I’m not saying

soul destroying. They’re

it has to be a traditional,

also good for wearing over

boring one though! (Have a

clothes or pyjamas at any

read of “Get Backpacking”

time of day or night to add

for some inspiration).

an extra layer of warmth.

6. A permanent marker

7. Coloured glasses

8. Spare sheets

9. Hoodie(s)

I admit I laughed when I first

As tempting as it is to buy the

It’s always good to have a

When you don’t even have

saw someone write their

cheapest Tesco value glasses

spare, and they also double

time to think of what to wear,

name on every item in their

you can find, don’t! Everyone

up nicely as a makeshift

make sure you have a hoodie

fridge, but it’s really quite a

else in your flat will have the

toga. It pays to be organised,

ready to throw on. Also

sensible idea. I’m not saying

same idea and by day three

as last year Primark sold out

perfect for hungover days.

scribble your name on every

yours will have mysteriously

of white sheets when it came

single thing you buy, but it

vanished. So, be original

to Toga Party week.

will come in very handy for

and invest in glasses you’ll

distinguishing which carton

be able to recognise even

of milk is yours. Also very

if it means spending a few

handy for vodka bottles.

extra pennies. There’s a huge selection of brightly coloured and patterned glasses in supermarkets.

2402

Fashion

2

5. Photos / photo frame Stick them on your wall, (pin them on your pin board to avoid extra charges for Blu Tac stains) or stick them in a frame and make use of your desk as a shrine to your 1 friends, family and pets. Or wait until after Freshers’ Week and make a point of printing out all your pictures of new friends and flatmates, this is very easy and pretty cheap to do on websites like Snapfish.

10. Fancy dress outfit Whether it’s Halloween or an initiation night, it’s guaranteed that you’ll need a fancy dress outfit at one point during your first year… so make sure you have something that you can throw together.

1 – Converse, £45, Office office.co.uk 2- Photo Frame, £5 Asda asdadirect.com 3- Hoodie, £25, Topshop topshop.com

3

03 25

Fashion

BEAUTY ESSENTIALS Lack of sleep is inevitable in Freshers’ Week, so a good under-eye concealer will go a long way to helping you look a little less zombie-like Freshers’ Week is a test of endurance, as you first years

oily complexion, however, may not like the feel of this and so

may have figured out already. All the alcohol, late nights

might be better with something different. A good alternative

and junk food (fun as it is) is known to take quite a toll on

for oily/combination skin is the Seaweed Purifying Facial

our complexions, so here are a couple of bits and bobs we

Cleanser (£9.50), or the facial wash from the same range.

think will help your skin survive the week a little easier!

Lack of sleep is inevitable in Freshers’ Week, so a good First up, you’re going to need a good cleanser to see you

under-eye concealer will go a long way to helping you

through. This may seem obvious, but I didn’t actually have

look a little less zombie-like. My absolute all-time favourite

a good skincare routine when I first started uni. It’s an easy

is the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (£5.99) which comes

enough thing to ditch and forget about when you’re facing

in six shades; this product is so wonderfully creamy and

the prospect of having to do your own food shopping.

so is especially great for drier skin! It’s so fabulous that

However, in order to relieve your skin of the effects of last

beauty YouTuber Kathleen Lights has compared it to Nars

night’s antics, something to clean it with is essential. My

Radiant Creamy Concealer (£22), saying it is just as good,

all-time favourite skincare brand is the Body Shop and they

if not better! It’s very easy to blend out with a small setting

have an amazing range of cleansers for all skin types with

brush and doesn’t look at all cakey, yet the coverage is very

my personal favourite being the Camomile Silky Cleansing

decent, and for someone with persistent dark circles that’s

Oil (£11). This is so good at removing makeup and leaving

a major statement! Make sure to always set your under-eye

the skin feeling soft and clean and although it is an oil, it’s

concealer with a bit of powder and you’re good to go - no

described as a product for all skin types. Some people with an

one will ever know you didn’t get home until 5am last night…

Leona Reid

2602

Lifestyle

Procrastibaking:

Peanut Butter Squares Method

If you are struggling to bond with your new flatmates over

1

Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper- leaving some over the edges so this can be lifted out.

fresher’s week, you can exchange the normal social conventions of conversation for the power of food and bake your way into their hearts (providing, of course they don’t suffer

2

Melt the butter over a low heat (arguably difficult to achieve on the hobs in halls which often have

from a nut allergy in which case these may be a bad move...)

two settings: uncooked or burnt- but do your best!)

Exchange the normal social conventions of conversation for the power of food.

3

Break the chocolate into a large bowl and melt in the microwave in blasts of around 30 seconds stirring in between.

4

If you have a food processor/blender, add the

These cakes appeal to most people and even in the unlikely

digestives and brown sugar in batches until they

event that all your flatmates are ‘eating clean and on this new

have a fine consistency. If you don’t have any of the

green diet where I only eat grass’...all is not lost and you can

aforementioned gadgets, you can go for the simple

always retreat to your room, cry and fill your hollow life

method of placing them in plastic bag and bashing

with deliciousness.

them against something as hard as you can.

5

Ingredients:

In the pan with your melted butter, add the digestive/sugar mix with the peanut butter and mix well until combined.

2 x large bars of chocolate (one dark and one milk) 6 1 small packet of digestives

300g brown sugar

Scoop this into your baking tin and press it down firmly so it’s really compact in the tin.

7

Pour over your melted chocolate making sure it is evenly covered and put the tin in the freezer for 30

250g of unsalted butter or margarine

1 tub of crunchy peanut butter

minutes.

8

At this point, the mixture should be firm- lift it out using the edges of the baking paper and cut it in to as few or as many squares as you want.

Lauren Copeland 27

Lifestyle

) e e d n u D (of Freshers’ week. Lust may first blossom as your eyes meet across the The Liar Bar and you wipe the remnants of the previous Jager Bomb from your clothing whilst your prospective partner takes a moment to recover from the tequila (which is only ever a good idea at the time) now coursing through his/her bloodstream. With a newfound confidence that only alcohol can so efficiently foster, you may actually approach each other and share the same inane chat that is a rite of passage during fresher’s week: “my name is x, I am originally from y, I am studying z’. Who said romance was dead?

A familiar scene for those of you who divested yourself of

Perhaps Rihanna was right and you might find love in a

a few hundred pounds, left en masse for sunnier climes on

hopeless place such as the sticky Mono dance floor regardless

your sixth year holiday and left your discretion at security,

of the stellar sexual education you are likely to have received

returning with a handful of memories and a large helping of

at school and/or from your respective parents, such

liver damage.

advice may slip your mind. Whilst your amorous encounter was consenting and you may have defied the odds and

Seduction is no longer exclusively confined to arranged dates

remembered the name of your new friend, the morning after

where you might tentatively share popcorn or agonise at the

the night before may surprise you with more than a headache.

decision to go bowling where your shoes will be hopelessly,

This is especially important given that, for example, Chlamydia

unavoidably ugly. ‘Reverse relationships’ may blossom where

(the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the

individuals first meet on a night out, proceed straight to “pass

UK) is for the majority of individuals, symptomless and many

go” on the proverbial Monopoly board of life and then may or

a bird or a bee is unwittingly infected.

may not later go on to conform to traditional societal norms of first dates etc.

"Whilst your amorous encounter was consenting and you may have defied the odds and remembered the name of your new friend, the morning after the night before may surprise you with more than a headache"

2802

Lifestyle

We spoke to Graeme Cockburn (Health Promotion Officer,

• The Corner: 13 Shore Terrace, Dundee provides advice,

Sexual Health & Blood Borne Virus Team) for some advice for

information and support including STI screening, condoms,

students new to Dundee or otherwise.

pregnancy testing and a range of contraception/emergency contraception. Services are informal, free and confidential,

• Firstly, prevention is better than cure and condoms can

for 11-19 yrs old (if aged 20-25 please visit the website www.

be obtained for free from the Dundee University Students

thecorner.co.uk or call 01382 206060 for more information)

Association (DUSA) on Level 4 across from reception.

• If you have had unprotected sex or you think your • Students can now get tested for the two most common

contraception has failed, emergency contraception pills

STIs, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, at the University Health

can be taken up to five days after sex and are available

Service, Cross Row. Testing is quick, straight forward and free

confidentially and free of charge. The sooner they are taken,

of charge (Mon—Fri, 9:30 am-11:30 am). All that is required is

the better they work. In addition to being available at The

a urine sample from males and a self-taken vaginal swab from

Corner, emergency contraception is available at the sexual

females.

and reproductive health clinics outlined above at Ninewells, from community pharmacies such as Boots or Superdrug

• If you have any symptoms such as pain and/or discharge, it

within the Overgate Centre, Tower Pharmacy near the

may be better to make an appointment at the specific sexual

university or quite simply from your GP (register with one as

health clinic: Tayside Sexual & Reproductive Health Service

soon as possible).

Dundee—Level 7, South Block, Ninewells Hospital. The clinic in Ninewells operates a walk in system which means you do not

• Finally, for those with an apple or android device, ‘Need Tay

need to make an appointment to be seen. You can go to the

Know’ is an app with more detailed information on sexual

clinic at any of the following times:

health services, with maps and GPS technology making this simple. A reliable passcode might be helpful, however,

Monday 9am – 3pm

in avoiding inopportune questions from inquisitive (nosy)

Tuesday 9am - 4pm

parents or younger siblings wanting to play Candy Crush who

Wednesday 9am - 4pm

don’t necessarily ‘need tay know’ anything.

Thursday 9am - 3pm Friday 9am - 4pm

Lauren Copeland

0329

Lifestyle

Let’s Talk Sensibly

About Drugs ?

Being grown up students at university, we're expected

For the sake of reforming the way society stigmatises drug

to show a certain level of maturity, understanding and

use, how about we take a different approach? First of all, we

responsibility. Therefore let us talk sensibly about drugs, the

can steer clear of the "all drugs are evil" or "taking drugs is

'illegal' ones. But how do we start this conversation? We can

totally fine" clichĂŠs.

start by getting over the unconstructive discourse imposed by society where drugs are solely associated with being illegal, harmful, and addictive. Today's culture of prohibition is not solving the problem of irresponsible drug use. We need to reform the way our society perceives drugs. The best way we can protect ourselves from drugs is by ensuring we're well-informed about the associated risks; a clear mind

The unconstructive discourse and the prohibitive policies are not the right way to keep us safe from drug misuse.

is the best mind.

We can start by making informative material available to Last year, unique street signs warning of an 'extremely

those determined to use drugs. The unconstructive discourse

dangerous cocaine being sold' were seen in Amsterdam,

and the prohibitive policies are not the right way to keep

advising tourists to call for assistance in case of any health

us safe from drug misuse. We are kidding ourselves if we

deterioration. The signs also clearly advised that 'You will not

sought to believe that a significant percentage of students

be arrested for using drugs in Amsterdam.' What is unique

just arriving at university won't be experimenting with drugs,

about the Dutch policy in comparison to the UK? Drug users

many for the first time. As this is the most likely case, the final

aren't thought of as criminals, and drug use isn't a stigma.

section of this article will discuss safety tips if you or a friend

Drug users are seen as perfectly normal people, who might

happen to be determined to use Cannabis, MDMA/Ecstasy, or

engage in unhealthy behaviour. This means medical advice

Cocaine.

and informative pamphlets are made available accordingly.

It is important to note that in the UK, possessing or supplying It is unacceptable to think that any one of us students here,

Class A or Class B drugs could carry high prison penalties.

when faced with a situation of being at risk due to a certain

Risks also include being suspended from university or having

drug intake, will not immediately react by seeking medical

a criminal record. However, the aforementioned won't stop

assistance. Instead, we will think twice, worry about the

everyone from consuming drugs. If you insist, then you had

consequence of being caught, and subsequently worry about

better be well informed. It's your life and wellbeing that

our future at university. It is absurd that anyone would have to

matters the most.

go through this daunting thought process instead of simply asking for help.

30

Jalal Abukhater

Lifestyle

The following is what medical experts would suggest in the hope of reducing harm:Cannabis If inhaling, take short puffs, avoid holding the smoke in as it doesn’t increase the effect but causes damage to your lungs; use low strength tobacco and unprinted roaches when smoking.

If eating, wait at least one hour before re-dosing as effects take longer to come on.

MDMA/Ecstasy Various pills may contain other drugs which might have stronger and more dangerous effects, therefore it is wise to research online (pillreports.net) or invest in a testing kit. Always start with half a pill and wait at least two hours before re-dosing; keep in mind that too much water can be as dangerous as too little, therefore stay regularly hydrated, but no more than one pint of water an hour, and make sure to take regular breaks to chill out too.

Cocaine Avoid sharing rolled-up bank notes or straws to reduce risk of HIV or Hep C; wash your nose out after & use Vitamin E cream to reduce damage; eat/sleep well before and after, and finally, avoid mixing the drug with alcohol as this creates a new chemical which increases risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Overall It is always smart to avoid mixing alcohol or other drugs simultaneously; don’t inject, don’t use solvents, and always try to keep a trusted friend informed of any potential substances you have taken and how much. Most importantly, ALWAYS communicate if you are not feeling well or if you’re in need of a break. If you are ever feeling unwell physically or psychologically, don’t bottle it up, always seek out someone to speak to.

Comments? Contact J.Abukhater@Dundee.ac.uk or @JalalAK_Jojo on twitter

31

Societies

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

This is your Quarter Hour Call...

In fifteen minutes the doors will open and people will take

by the awaiting ensemble. A blood-pack would be burst, and

their seats to see our show. Right now, the members of the

she would be carried off, leaving a trail of blood.

company are struggling to form a circle so that Calum, the

In her head, Amy told herself to trust her fellow cast members.

writer and director, can deliver a final stirring speech before

They know what they’re doing and they’re going to catch you.

curtain up.

Out loud she said, ‘don’t drop me,’ before fearlessly throwing herself into their arms.

‘We’ve never got this right,’ sighs Calum. ‘A circle, guys! You’re currently in some sort of weird triangle…’

They caught her. There was a sigh of relief, and a round of applause. Knowing that the big stunt was going to work

We Were Heroes was LIP Theatre Company’s main show

had cemented something. Everyone knew the play would

last year. Written by our own Calum Hodgson, it was an

be a success.

unorthodox exploration into the mind of a soldier, with a full chorus of troops, politicians, and protestors in tow. For three

Now… if only we could form a circle.

nights and one afternoon our venue became cabinet rooms, the streets of London, army camps, and even Iraq. It was our

LIP Theatre Company give students the chance to be involved

most successful show in recent years, with over 200 people

in all areas of theatre: from writing and acting to costume and

coming to see it.

set-design, regardless of your past experience. We meet every Monday at 7pm in Mono, DUSA – join us!

A circle, guys! You’re currently in some sort of weird triangle.

Earlier that day, we had practised the play’s big stunt for the first time in situ. Amy (who was playing our lead soldier, Chris) had to fall face first off the edge of the stage, and be caught

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Niamh Sheridan

03 33

Opinions

T ’ N DO Mention the Gap Year

Within the first few words with freshers, you’ll come across

Bah, rain upon me with your selfies aside a sedated tiger

the gap year chat. This nepalling topic is spainful and african’t

or macchu pictures, I can usually cope. On one occasion

take it anymore. If a person israelly going to start this

talking to a post-oz pal, regretfully iran out of patience

conversation, I must suggest you pretend to listen.

quickly. There armenia person who would have managed to pull through the mumford-backed powerpoint, but there

Once they mention their wonderful and life-changing

was norway I could cope. The agony of image after image,

adventure, it is clear this mali-cious conversation is syriasly

cliché after cliché and knowing there was samoa on the

unstoppable. Honestly, it becomes eritreavable and china

way: I was oslo as I could be. However, if you persevere and

change topic is not ghana work. As the babbling congo on

don’t taiwan down, you might just make a friend. Sofial some

and on, one may feign interest; ukraine your neck and czech

sympathy for the tanned, privilege-guilted explorers who

out something over their shoulder. This may sound like a

have been shaken to their maltan core. Kenya put up with

cold, chile thing to do but it does open andorra to something

their antarctantics for a chance of friendship?

remotely stimulating. If the assailant is not guinea stop, it is impossible to not start haiting them, but denmark them

Don’t go russian out the door, even if they tokyo ear off.

down for this: were you in their position, it would be hard not togo on about your hair-braiding, henna-earning experience

As a note to my readers, I’m sorry. If you were innocently

meeting people at the bhutan of the pile and sudanly realising

perusing this magazine and read this, Oman am I sorry.

your place in the world. And so, their lecture moscow on.

#PunRun 3402

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JB Fyfe

Opinions

HOLDING P AAPARTY IN HALLS RTY Invite everyone round? It might seem like the best

8

Someone will drink too much. Get them a glass of

idea at the time but before you go shouting from the

water and put them to bed. Might be worth checking

rooftops that there’s a party in your flat, there are a

on them later.

few things you should know. You can’t say we didn’t warn you.

9

If people are sick, it’s going to be in your bathroom/ bedroom/kitchen/through your letterbox.

1

Someone’s bathroom door will be stolen. Yes, it is possible to steal a door and no, it isn’t encouraged but fear not, once reclaimed, the door can just pop back on the hinges.

10

You’re hosting, you’re responsible for cleaning up and lets be real, ain’t nobody got time for that.

So before hosting, remember, it’ll be your flat that is turned

2

3

The same thing will happen to the phone in the hallway:

upside down, covered in vomit, with empty food cupboards

try looking in the ceiling tiles for this; it was always my

while you can’t even have a shower because someone has

favourite hiding spot.

stolen your bathroom door. Take care and be safe freshers.

Strangers will invade your room and touch everything and

Amy Louise McCoull

I mean everything. I once had a guy inspect my retainer after he sadly mistook my spit for glitter.

4

Once the strangers are bored of looking at all of your things, they’ll think of a creative way to ‘redecorate’ your room, so unless you’re a fan of cling film and everything being turned upside down, I suggest you lock the door.

5

The contents of an open kitchen cupboard are fair game.

6

Someone may think it is a good idea to set the fire alarm off for a laugh. Please do not be this idiot - it’s not only annoying but also means the fire brigade are tied up dealing with your ‘banter’ when they could be needed elsewhere.

7

Vicious debates over who is in charge of music will break out...

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Opinions

W H Y I H AT E F R E S H E R S There’s nothing worse than fresh young things, so

We have built our world in the limbo of our dreams and soon

impressionable and full of hope. Their spirits have not yet

it collapses, our sudden onset adulthood is terminal: your

been beaten by deadlines, sapped by the dreadful tags of

kidulthood is enviable.

Mono’s photographers, decimated by group projects or truly bestrewn by the monsters of energy drink fuelling all-

For the first years who have miraculously picked up this

nighters. Little do they know the stark truth that lies ahead;

article, know this: I was not unlike you once. I too harboured

Winter is coming.

your passionate, all-consuming ambition. I too constructed a most comprehensive study, exercise and social plan within

In first year of university you learn more about yourself than your course.

the first months. I too attended more nights out than I had hot meals (excluding the food on the way home). I too filled my pockets with freebies and memberships to nearly every society going. I too jaunted about campus like the proverbial testicles of a canine. I too randomly selected a washer cycle

An inspiring man once told me that in first year of university

hoping my favourite jumper wouldn’t be destroyed by my

you learn more about yourself than your course. If anything,

ignorance. I too secretly missed home.

this only proves that you were useless in September when you drunkenly insulted this aged re-re-re-re-fresher, out to try and

It’s now the eve of your first true adulthood journey. Consider

reclaim what was once felt: your innocence and unfathomable

Freshers not just as a party on arrival at university, but a

naivety. The wonders of a Union that will actually serve

funeral pyre for the ability to do next-to-nothing and get by.

you, not sneaking a blue wkd in the local park; the bliss of

You’ve got four years to become an adult.

choosing your meals, albeit Dominos en masse; the ecstasy of an indiscriminate napping schedule. For those of us longer in

You have arrived at the most exciting transition in your lives.

the tooth, this was the nirvana that we have slowly grown so

Don’t be a dick about it.

dumb to: we dread it.

#Rant 3602

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JB Fyfe

Opinions

I’M NOT OLD, BUT...

With some of us now seeing a fifth freshers line-up, our desperation to hold on to our youth is clear. I’m not old but…

I remember when Sin City was all fields.

Floor 5 sounds like a lot of stairs.

I remember when it was S Club, not their comeback tour.

We would put up with an ugly date, not swipe left.

There wasn’t wifi in halls when I was there, we just made do with a 75cm cable.

Freddos.

We wouldn’t clamour for a phone charger with the eyes of an opiate addict.

Flashback? I first heard this in the union.

We used to complain on toilet cubicles, not Yik Yak.

In my day, freshers’ flu killed most of Western Europe and ended the war.

Netflix has nothing on my VHS collection.

In my day, if you studied art, you had an STI. Now everyone does.

I could play recorder before you were born (I checked).

#DundeeNotSoFresh

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JB Fyfe 37

Science

GOT SCIENCE? This Month’s Sci-Tech Groundbreakers

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Science

Want to go to New York for Lunch?

It has recently been announced that Airbus has filed a patent for a new supersonic passenger plane, aptly labelled the ‘son of Concorde’. Reaching a speed greater than four times the speed of sound (2500mph to be precise), the possibility of daily transatlantic commutes has suddenly become a possibility, perhaps an expensive one, but still!!! Compared to the original Concorde, the maximum passenger capacity has drastically reduced from the original 120, to just 20. However, the new Concorde can reach maximum speeds of more than double the original 1350mph and also has a greater maximum range. Now, if I weren’t terrified of the near vertical take off, not to mention breaking the sound barrier, I would maybe give this a shot…

Paper-Thin TV’s: No Wallpaper Paste Required LG has unveiled its latest bendable paper-thin TV panels, opening up a new set of possibilities for the future of various forms of technology, from TV’s to smartphones.

Their displays are bendable enough to curve around walls, and are also virtually indestructible (they can also be rolled up like a newspaper). While the concept is great, it could be another 5 to 10 years before we see anything like it on the market, and even then we could be looking at a price tag within the tens of thousands.

Don’t hold your breath, but someday we might be able to wallpaper our houses with TV’s… #dreamcometrue

Charge Your Car While Waiting in the Inevitable Roadworks OK, so this one is really cool. The UK Government has announced plans to trial wireless induction charging for electric vehicles in England allowing for the charging of vehicles while they drive, taking away they necessary task of stopping to charge. The trials will begin (hopefully) later this year, off-road for 18 months, and if successful moving to on road trials afterwards. The plan is to install equipment underneath the roads and on the cars themselves. Now I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but can you imagine the roadworks?

Andrew Stewart

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Science

STUDENT RESEARCHERS ASSEMBLE! WINNING PROJECTS FROM LAST YEAR’S STUDENT-LED RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM The Dundee University Young Researchers Association (DUYRA) was founded last year and aims to satisfy all inquisitive students by giving them the opportunity to work in groups on projects of their choice. It allows undergrads to have the much-needed insight into what academic research is like. The society encourages interdisciplinary, so it’s also a potential way of learning about that weird topic you were always secretly interested in. At the end of the academic year, once their projects have been finished (or not), the groups present their progress and findings in the annual symposium, during which visitors vote for the best project.

This year’s symposium, the first one ever, witnessed three projects, of which two tied. Here’s what they were about:

The Effects of Race on the Development of Long Bones

Group: Daniela Alferes de Lima, Rebecca MacDonald, Aimée Perera, Eilidh Phillips It has been evidenced that the development of long bones differs between the races. Exploring this statistical data and the current literature on the topic makes it possible to calculate the average differences on long bone lengths for the different races. Doing this could prove helpful in expanding our knowledge on the development of long bones in different races, which could help to detect genetic disorders that affect long bone lengths in fetuses (such as Down’s Syndrome) more accurately. To achieve this goal, measurements of long bone lengths for different races in specific age groups will be compared. We will also look for different genetic markers between the races that could possibly affect growth rates. Thus far, we have researched the differences in long-bone length between races thoroughly through comparison of data from multiple sources and drawn several conclusions.

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Science

Some of those conclusions are listed below: 1- The Negroid race tends to have larger long bones than the Caucasian race.

2- The Caucasian race tends to have larger long bones than the Mongoloid race.

3- These differences are seen throughout all age ranges including fetuses.

4- Male and female have differences in bone length however they still tend to follow the trend of their specific races.

5- During adulthood environmental factors are more likely to cause deviation from expected values.

6- Although there are larger differences between the races than within them, it has to be taken into consideration that there are still differences when comparing ethnicities such as between the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia.

As we continue our project we plan on performing a literary review of the papers we have summarised so far, as well as furthering our research and extending into the field of fetal genetic disorders and their diagnosis through non-invasive procedures such as ultrasound.

Guinness, Glasses, and Geometry Group: Henry Axt and Daniel Carron

Guinness displays a very intuitive phenomena - its bubbles fall at the edges despite the fact that they are buoyant. Why is this? The reason is the aptly named Boycott Effect, which establishes a connection between the shape of the outer surface and the direction the bubbles flow in. If the surface faces outward, the bubbles flow downwards, if it faces inward, they flow upwards. Taking this one step further allowed us to work out how long it would take the bubbles to stop settling.

We simulated a lot of randomly shaped glasses and tried to find out the influence the shape of the glass has on this settling time. Our challenge was to find the minimum. Why? Well, if we made a “minimum-time” glass, wouldn’t we be able to enjoy our stout a lot quicker? How? Well, we employed a method that has been used in a completely different context already.

Organisms tend to use as little energy as possible to fulfil their processes, most of which are essential. We used a numerical version of this ‘evolution to a minimum’, called genetic algorithms. However, as much fun as holding an odd-shaped pint glass filled with a fully settled stout may sound, don’t rush to the pub just yet. The project has large-scale applications. Underwater boundaries could be devised using our methods, which could potentially drive harmful CO2 bubbles away from coral reefs, to which they are extremely detrimental.

Our research so far has been completely computational and more of an intellectual exercise. In the long run we would like to 3D-print one of our glasses to test our calculations with an actual pint of Guinness.

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Science

THE ANTI-VACCINE

REDEMPTION Despite the increasing scientific studies that prove that vaccines are safe and that neither they nor their mercury-based preservative content cause autism, an obstinate minority of fearmongers claim otherwise, threatening the potency of this public health program.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a list of numerous studies that debunk the Autism-MMR vaccine link published by Andrew Wakefield in 1998 in the medical journal, The Lancet. This study was eventually retracted due to falsified data and the researcher was stripped of his medical license. However, the damage was done and brought about arguments against vaccines, such as claiming vaccines overwhelm a person’s immune system and that natural immunity is better than immunity from vaccines, resulting in the creation of anti-vaccine crusades.

During the 2010 California pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak which saw more than 9000 reported cases, it was found that people living in places with high rates of vaccine refusal due to personal belief were 2.5 times more likely to live in areas with many cases of pertussis. Although race and ethnicity played a significant role in the outbreak, the cases were heavily linked to vaccine refusal as well as being under vaccinated. Because bacterial or viral strains will evolve resistance, one shot of vaccine won’t protect a person for life, which is why follow-ups are needed.

The same reason was blamed for in the measles outbreak in the US that started in Disneyland, California in December 2014. Among the 110 California patients, 45% were unvaccinated, 5% had one dose of vaccine, 6% had two doses, 1% had three doses, and 43% had unknown or undocumented vaccination status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the spread of measles could have been prevented with the MMR, as one shot is around 93% effective and the second shot would increase it to 97%.

The pernicious influences of the anti-vaccine movement based on misinformation and denial of robust scientific evidence that vaccines are widely safe and effective, not only cause fear and doubt, but they lead to outbreaks, thus, reducing the potency of the vaccines for everyone.

Jamie Manuel 4235

36

Sport

SPORTS UNION WELCOME Hello! On behalf of the Sports’ Union I would like to welcome you to the University of Dundee.

The Sports’ Union has over 40 different sports clubs, from Athletics and Archery, right through to Ultimate Frisbee and Volleyball. Not only providing an exciting social dimension, our clubs also work hard to cater for those of you who just want to keep fit and take a break from studying, right through to those who harbour Olympic ambitions!

We have a strong partnership with the Institute of Sport and Exercise who run a broad range of fantastic facilities including the gym, pool, riverside playing fields, tennis courts and many more. If you are interested in finding out more about the sports clubs we have on offer and the events we run throughout the year pick up a copy of our Sports’ Union handbook which can be found in the enquiries centre, DUSA and the ISE.

If you are still unsure why not come down to our Sports’ Fayre at the campus green on Friday the 11th of September where people from all of our clubs will come and showcase what they have to offer and answer any questions you have! If that still doesn’t help you decide then from the 14th to the 20th of September we will have our ‘Give it a Go’ week where you can try any of our sports for FREE. You can also check us out on Facebook, Twitter and on our website.

With so much to offer at the Sports’ Union and so many ways to get involved, joining a sports club or participating in our campus events adds to your university experience and I thoroughly encourage you to get involved. You won’t regret it!

Dominic Marshall President of the Sports’ Union 01382 386048 sportsunion@dundee.ac.uk www.sportsunion.dundee.ac.uk

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Sport

D AT E S F O R T H E D I A R Y SPORTS FAYRE…

GIVE IT A GO…

FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 2015 12-5pm

WEEK BEGINNING 14TH SEPTEMBER 2015

The Sports’ Fayre takes place during welcome week every

This is your opportunity to try any of our sports for FREE.

year. All 43 of our clubs converge on the campus green to

With club training taking place across the week you will be

exhibit what they have on offer. Members from every club will

able to try as much as you want, hey why not try them all?!

be there to answer any questions you have and will also lure

All our clubs are extremely welcoming and provide you will

you in with free sweets so it is definitely worth going! If you

everything you need. Just bring yourself!

have read our handbook and are still unsure about what to get involved in, this is definitely the best way to see what it’s all

CHARITY RELAY…

SPORTS’ UNION DINNER… FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER

The 8th annual charity relay will take place down at the

The first big social event of the year and it’s perfectly timed as

riverside playing fields. Men’s, women’s and mixed teams can

an epic night out before the dreaded Christmas exams. It is a

all enter. Fancy dress is encouraged and there is a prize for the

night for all members of the Sports Union and a great chance

best-dressed team. Grab some friends from your halls, course,

to get the glad rags on, eat good food and dance the night

sports club, or just some willing randoms. make a team of four

away. Keep an eye on the Sports Union Facebook and Twitter

and we will see you there!

pages for details of ticket sales.

VARSITY…

BLUES AND COLOURS AWARDS AND BALL

23RD MARCH 2016

MARCH/APRIL DATE TBC.

The momentous day when the University of Dundee takes on

These events are undoubtedly the biggest and best nights of

Abertay across a variety of sports. Whether you’re at the ISE,

the year! Our sportsmen and sportswomen will celebrate their

Riverside, Tennis courts or the pool, the atmosphere will be

successes at the prestigious blues and colours awards, which

buzzing! With the University of Dundee undefeated since its

will be followed by the ever-glamorous Blues and Colours Ball!

inception will this be the year Abertay break through? Or will Dundee triumph once more?

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Sport

SPORTS F AY R E Over 40 Clubs 12-5pm Campus Green Friday 11th September 2015 The Sports’ Fayre takes place during welcome week every year. All 43 of our clubs converge on the campus green to exhibit what they have on offer. Members from every club will be there to answer any questions you have and will also lure you in with free sweets so it is definitely worth going! If you have read our handbook and are still unsure about what to get involved in, this is definitely the best way to see what it’s all about!

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Sport

GIVE IT A GO! Try Your Favourite Sports All Week Completely Free ISE/Riverside Week Commencing 14th September, 2015 This is your opportunity to try any of our sports for FREE. With club trainings taking place across the week you will be able to try as much as you want, hey why not try them all?! All our clubs are extremely welcoming and provide you will everything you need. Just bring yourself!

47 03

Sport

W H AT ’ S T H I S S P O R T MALARKEY ALL ABOUT? Getting up at 5 o’clock in the morning is a deeply

swords or rugby tackling them in the middle of the field. It

unpleasant feeling, particularly for students. It’s made

can keep you in shape and also provide you entertainment,

even more insufferable when your alarm clock is someone

even if you don’t participate yourself. London 2012, Glasgow

shouting expletives, in his sleep, in the hostel bunk next

2014 - we all wanted to be a part of it and then try it.

to you. When you roll out of bed, unsuccessfully packing up your bags as silently as you can, you wonder what on earth possessed you to do this. Questions continue to roll around your brain: Why am I in Edinburgh when I could be on a beach with the family? Why am I on my way to the airport to experience Ryanair’s vomit-

London 2012, Glasgow 2014 - we all wanted to be a part of it and then try it.

inducing interior colour scheme? Why am I lugging a giant heavy bag around that is doing considerable damage

I am a sports fanatic (something that I would imagine

to my back?

seems pretty evident with this spiel so far) but it really is a unique thing. So it seems fitting that in order to

The answer to all this is sport. On the 19th June, four Dundee

kick off this magazine’s brand new sports section,

University fencers travelled to Dublin to take part in the

the influence that it has should be highlighted.

student five nations competition after being selected to be part of the Scotland side. Ben Stubbs, Antony Shek,

So whether you are looking to find that new hobby, beat

Jessica Blackburn and yours truly braved that 5am wake

others to a pulp (figuratively speaking), score a goal to

up call to compete in the event held at Trinity College

rival Lionel Messi, or just simply want to make friends

on the 20th. Along with several other students from

and have fun there will be a club for you at Dundee

Scotland the team finished in 2nd position, behind England.

University. Regardless of skill level there is always a

Despite some challenging bouts, and several trips to the

place for sport in someone’s life should they want it.

physio, we can all agree on one thing. It was worth it.

So my message at the start of the year to freshers Sport is a remarkable thing as it serves so many purposes.

and existing students would be to go out and

It’s something everyone loves to experience in one way or

get physical. Get joining, get supporting and just

another. It can provide a competitive platform for those that

have a right good laugh as you go about it.

are in it to win it but it can also provide that camaraderie that is hard to match elsewhere. The people in your clubs

Here’s to another fantastic year of sport at Dundee!

become your family, even if you’re thumping them with

ALASDAIR HOOPER

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Sport

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IN AID OF THIS YEAR'S RAISING AND GIVING CHARITY

55

RADIO

MARATHON RADIO SHOW

BROADCASTING LIVE

16:59PM FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER – 23:59PM SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER HTTPS://DUSAMEDIA.COM/LISTEN/ Dundee University Students Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity No. SC016047 02