The Print - Issue 28 by The Print

THE T H E P R I N T N E W S. C O. U K

Peril for poorest students as tuition fees cut

T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S PA P E R O F Q U E E N M A RY S T U D E N T S ’ U N I O N ‘STUDENT MEDIA OUTLET OF THE YEAR’ 2018

W E D N E S DAY 2 0 t h M A RC H 2 0 1 9 - I S S U E 2 8 - F R E E

13% of student

Elite Without the Elitism? page 4

body vote in election A Year in Review

page 10-11

Liam Pape

Editor-at-Large, Liam Pape, reports on possible tuition fee cuts.

Careers Page page 13

heresa May recently launched a review of university funding which recommended tuition fees are cut from £9,250 to £6,500 per year. However, the Russell Group has stated that a reduction in tuition fees would mean a ‘de facto cap on student numbers.’ It is expected that poorest students would be worst hit by changes to tuition as universities would have less money to spend on widening participation. In an interview with The Print last year, President and Principal of Queen Mary Colin Bailey said that in order to charge tuition fees above £6000, Queen Mary has to put together a government mandated access agreement. Currently, £1,000 of every student’s £9,000 annual tuition fees goes into the access offer. This money is then spent on providing bursaries to less well-off students; ensuring retention of students; and creating sound support structures for all students within the university. If tuition fees were to be lowered, the funding for this would be drastically cut not just at Queen Mary, but most universities across the United Kingdom. [continued on page 3]

Liam discusses the recent shocking election results after Liam Pape the lowest voting turnout in five years.

measly 13% of all Queen Mary students turned out to vote in the recent Students’ Union elections, the lowest percentage in at least five years. Only 3,305 students cast their votes online compared to 5,475 last year. Despite the Students’ Union’s efforts to boost engagement, with a newstyle Question Time in Mile End and a Speaker’s Corner in Library Square, overall engagement in this year’s elections was below previous years, with half of the paid executive officer positions being uncontested by the time election week came. At the start of the campaign, there were 13 candidates running for executive officer positions however three later dropped out.

Overall dropout rates dwarfed previously years, which peaked 2016 when almost a third of candidates running dropped out over the course of the campaign. It is estimated that just over ten candidates officially dropped out this year. However, this figure does not accurately take into account the number of candidates who unofficially drop out; those who stop campaigning without informing the Students’ Union that they wish to be removed from the ballot paper. Out of the part-time positions, five roles all based at Barts had nobody nominated as a candidate and there were a higher number of roles that had only one person running for them compared to last year.

Unlike previous years, the role of BLSA President was closely contested by three women. After the third stage of eliminations, it was fourth year medical student Megan Annetts who won the position on her platform of ensuring the new ‘Report and Support’ system for tackling hate on campus is well signposted and lobbying the university to provide advice and counselling services on the Whitechapel campus. Talhah Atcha was named QMSU President 2019-20 as he was left the last man standing after the other two candidates dropped out. He received three quarters of the votes cast, as one quarter of voters said they would rather re-open nominations than vote Atcha. [continued on page 4]

The Baby Boomer Smartphone Hatred

page 17

Female Football Fans? Really?

page 19

@ThePrintNews @ThePrintQM @ThePrintstagram

NEWS INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS Report and Support page 4

A YEAR IN REVIEW page 10-11

“Fortune favours the bold” ~Turnus Facebook: ThePrintNews Twitter: @ThePrintQM IG: @ThePrintstagram www.theprintnews.co.uk

The Print is printed at Mortons of Horncastle Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6JR. Tel 01507 523 456. Established in 2014, The Print is the free official student newspaper of Queen Mary Students’ Union. The Print is created by students and the publication retains all copyright of design, text, photographs and graphics, along with the individual contributor. The Print’s layout was designed by Molly Lattin. Any views expressed in The Print are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper, the editorial team, Queen Mary Students’ Union or Queen Mary, University of London.

F E AT U R E S Study Drugs

page 6

CAREERS

page 13

Editorial Team Editors-in-Chief Millie Pritchard Kerry Maxwell Editor-at-Large Liam Pape Online Editor Ibrahim Patel Design Editor Maria Tarnacka Copy Editors Louise Fligman Zara Ali Samuel Clarke News Shaun Fishenden Saywah Mahmood Mar Hernandez Gevitha Anbarasu Features Anna McKibbin Becca Billis Maria Benlaiter Opinion Emma Louise Leong Madeleine Goode Madina Taraki Columnists Gabrielle Agyei Anna-Alexia Kotsakis Daniele Accurso Katie Bevan Emily Kelly Science and Technology Alexander Richardson Satire Sihem Jouimi Cartoonist Celia Colomina Basanta

When you’re done reading this, recycle it.

Sports Rachael Griffiths

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS

[continued from page 1]

ello and welcome to the fourth and final edition of the Print newspaper for the 2018/19 academic year. We have a great issue packed with articles to keep you up-to-date with the goings on at Queen Mary and the wider-sphere. Editor-at-Large, Liam, writes on the Student Union’s new investment in a ‘Report and Support’ system - revolutionary for QM students as a means of safely and securely logging allegations of abuse and harrasment. The new system is to secure itself in the wider conversation of abuse and harrasment scandals at universities nationwide. This includes the Warwick University group chat messages, as reported on by Shaun. In our Features section, you will find Charlotte’s Portrait of a Third Year. Charlotte interviewed Geography student, Joana, talking about her time at Queen Mary. Joana recalled her experiences at the university, what she is looking forward to upon graduating, and of course, the question on everybody’s lips: Monday’s Calling or Hail Mary? For the final time this year, our Science and Tech Editor, Alex, contributes to the Print with his exploration of the changing definition of the kilogram. Furthermore, we both really wanted to implement a Careers Page in the printed editions, something which we outlined in our manifesto when we were first elected. Finally, we felt as though it was the right time in our final issue; many students are thinking about graduate schemes and internships. We have taken jobs from sectors such as Media PR to Finance and Law, so we hope that we have provided enough variety for you all. We have absolutely had a blast being the Editor(s)-in-Chief this year. We have even taken a trip down memory lane in this issue with the ‘A Year in Review’ section, in which we breakdown all the events that have got the students at QM talking over the past seven months. This includes the breaking of the library doors and the £17k rumour, as well as Bill gates visit back in January - make sure to take a look right in the centre of this paper.

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The Times’ report on the review has suggested students who get fewer than three Ds at A level should be banned from applying for student loans; which prevents them from going to university. Data analysed by The Guardian reckoned that this could mean that 16 universities could lose up to 36 per cent of their fulltime degree students. The universities worst affected if this was implemented include London Metropolitan University, Bolton University, and the University of Bedfordshire. Since 2010, limits on student numbers at universities started to be removed. The Russell Group claims that this has meant the number of the most disadvantaged students going to universities increased by almost a third since tuition fees tripled to £9,000 a year.In a recent interview, Colin Bailey said: “Back when there was a cap on student numbers, so many people from less-privileged

backgrounds missed out. Since the cap was lifted, more progress has been made. We must make sure that any future changes in the way universities are funded do not reverse this positive trend.” A cut in tuition fees may appeal to voters, however it is estimated that the Treasury would need to cough up around £3 billion a year to plug the funding gap that would be created. Universities are already under financial pressure. The Independent devoted their front page on 17 February to the ‘black hole’ in university funding. There is a huge funding crisis in UK universities, institutions are to be £222 million worse off because of rising pension costs, yet the Department of Education have warned that they will not be offering additional support. Shadow Secretary of State for Education Angela Rayner commented “This cannot continue. It is causing great harm and instability, but the Tories continue as though everything is fine.”

A protest on student fees rising

Warwick Rape Chat Shaun Fishenden

n January, the public were horrified to read of the Warwick University group-chats that spoke about the rape and abuse of women alongside racist and anti-semitic messages. This was first discovered in May 2018. Initially, the University itself responded by banning the men involved from attending for a period of ten years, though some argued for a permanent ban. However, at the beginning of the year the pair successfully appealed the decision and it was reduced to 12 months. Students spoke out, and criticised the University’s decision to reduce the ban and the failings of the reporting system in place, with one student describing it to the BBC as being ‘tiring and frustrating’. After protests from students and criticism from the national media, executives at Warwick met with the two students. It was

soon confirmed that they would not be returning to the University. So far at Queen Mary we’ve not had to face anything like this, with the Students’ Union indeed taking steps to prevent it from ever happening. In a recent interview for Queen Mary Questions; VP Welfare Ella Harvey said of the rape chat incident that she did not think Queen Mary’s response would have been any better than Warwick’s. However, we know that thanks to Ella herself there have been efforts to better reporting of such incidents. Report and Support, improvements to the Advice

& Counselling service, and the recruitment of a Sexual Violence, Harassment & Hate Crime Project Manager will all help to ensure there is adequate support in place for such incidents. And with the right sanctions for those committing incidents of this nature it will reinforce the message to any offenders that there will be consequences for the actions. They have no right to make others feel unsafe. To hear more about the SU’s work on sexual violence/harassment, watch Ella’s interview with The Print at on our website. theprintnews.co.uk

Local Community Shaun Fishenden

niversities are renowned for involving themselves within their local communities, and are known for becoming key stakeholders for leading innovation, generating employment and facilitating social cohesion using the talents of its staff and students. So much so, that in February 2019, 30 universities signed a pledge called the Civic University Agreement that aims to put issues such as quality of life in the local community and economy as priorities for all universities involved. Queen Mary was a signatory of this pledge. The Civic University Agreement was created out of a partnership between local government and major institutions, also emerging from a report published by the Civic University Commission chaired by Lord Kerslake. Queen Mary has always been committed to the local community of Tower Ham-

lets, for example through organising the ‘Festival of Communities’ designed to encourage people to explore living and learning within the borough. The festival aims to showcase the best research and projects carried out at QM as well as offering local residents the opportunity to connect with 40 local partner organisations. At the time of signing the pledge; Principal Colin Bailey said ‘We look forward to continuing to work with our local community and building upon these firm foundations with the Civic University Agreement.’ Queen Mary Students’ Union can also help, for example through the events put on during Black History Month, which could be opened up to the local community. Tower Hamlets has always been welcoming to QM so it’s our turn to welcome the local community into the world of Queen Mary and offer opportunities to learn and explore.

NEWS INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS Report and Support page 4

A YEAR IN REVIEW page 10-11

“Fortune favours the bold” ~Turnus Facebook: ThePrintNews Twitter: @ThePrintQM IG: @ThePrintstagram www.theprintnews.co.uk

F E AT U R E S Study Drugs

page 6

CAREERS

page 13

When you’re done reading this, recycle it.

Sports Rachael Griffiths

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS

[continued from page 1]

ADVERT

A protest on student fees rising

Warwick Rape Chat Shaun Fishenden

Local Community Shaun Fishenden

NEWS [continued from page 1] VP Education was won by Annika Ramos who, despite not being the only candidate running for the role, was the only candidate who created a manifesto, sent details to the Students’ Union and actively cam-

F E AT U R E S paigned. In her term as VP Education Ramos plans to regularly update QReview in every course and review the rules around extenuating circumstances, making it easy for those with caring responsibilities and longterm conditions to apply

Marie Colvin’s Private War Saywah Mahmood

Private War (released 01.02.19 in the UK), directed by Matthew Heineman, has put light onto the life and work of Marie Colvin (played by Rosamund Pike). Colvin was the foreign affairs correspondent for The Sunday Times and died whilst covering the siege of Homs in Syria. ‘Why is the world not here?’ was Colvin’s repeated question as she ventured into the most deadly, disregarded areas of conflict. The answer from the film seems to be that Colvin was, unlike most, willing to put her life and mental wellbeing on the line to fulfil her ‘mission […] to speak the truth to power’. Through the film we see her battle mental and physical ‘private wars’ in the conflicts she was encircled in. We see her in Sri Lanka, where she lost an eye in a grenade attack. Colvin, from then on, adopted her iconic black eye patch. Teaming up with soldier-turned-photographer Paul Conroy she travelled to Fallujah in Iraq, uncovering humanitarian crimes. She became consumed by PTSD, which she subdued with alcohol and regime of chain smoking. But Colvin continued to gravitate to more danger zones: Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. For her ‘fear came later’. A Private War displays what Colvin did best: giving a powerful voice to the plight of the innocent victims of conflict. She was fearless and refused to become the subject of the stories she was reporting.

This is perhaps the irony of the film that places her at centre stage. However, in a time where the news and journalism are under fire, with journalists, across the spectrum, being degraded and condemned by populists fixed on annihilating the very concept of truth, Colvin’s story and clear value of truth seem to be more relevant than ever. With editorial roles in The Print becoming available in short time, consider the importance you could have. You may wonder: Student journalism? If we can’t deliver such mass scale stories, why do we bother? While you might not be writing from war zones, A Private War shows the pivotal role of any level of journalist: to deliver information, opinions and truth to the wider public. Student publications allow you to intensively write on things that matter to both you and the wider student community. They allow important dialogues to be set up. Also, it is a safe place to make mistakes. Mistakes in tone. Mistakes in reporting. Mistakes in writing. Making mistakes are considerably important to getting better; not just at journalism but also in your general communication of ideas. Student journalism encourages students to engage with what’s going on around them. Whether it’s through reading or writing, it is most definitely pivotal in creating a generation who can applaud individuals, groups etc. but also holds them to account.

for. The new style of Question Time at Mile End held at the beginning of voting week was poorly attended as only cross-campus and executive officer candidates were invited to answer questions rather than anyone running for a Mile End position. This was done to speed up the hustings as they had previously been criticised for lasting over three hours in previous years. Khizar Azam was elected Student Council chair in the second stage. He was recently asked whether he felt he knew enough about Student Council to do the role as he has not previously sat on it before. He replied, “I don’t have the experience but I have a very good connection with the Students’ Union. This is not

just about knowing Student Council, it’s about knowing students and I have a strong network of friends in different societies and of different backgrounds so I believe I can be a good representative.” On Twitter, Queen Mary students have speculated why there was less engagement this year. Some think this speaks to a wider trend of democratic fatigue as there have been seemingly endless elections and referendums in recent years. Others reckon students would have been more enthusiastic about the SU elections if there were more candidates running for the major roles. The poor engagement will inevitably play a part in the democracy review currently being undertaken

by Queen Mary Students’ Union which will eventually see a reformation of Student Council and possibly a student board being created in Mile End to parallel that of BLSA board. Find full coverage on our elections blog: theprintnews.co.uk/category/elections

Listen to our verdict on the front-runners, the themes in this year’s elections and the state of the competition in the latest episode of our podcast. Search ‘The Print Podcast’ on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Report and Support Liam Pape

ueen Mary is investing over £50,000 into a platform that will be used by students to report hate crime and direct them to services that will offer sufficient support. Report and Support, the online reporting tool praised by many anti-hate crime activists, is already being used by other universities, including The University of Manchester, Goldsmiths and Brunel. Queen Mary students will be able to anonymously report hate and abuse, ranging from bullying and discrimination to sexual harassment and domestic violence. The platform, which will be integrated into Queen Mary’s website, will then also be able to suggest appropriate support services. In a statement, QMSU’s VP Welfare and champion of the ‘Report and Support’ platform, Ella Harvey wrote: “This is a HUGE win and I am absolutely thrilled – this is a huge step in the University committing to taking sexual violence seriously and means that students are able to report

VP Welfare ‘absolutely thrilled’ university is buying abuse reporting platform stalking, harassment, rape, assault and cyber abuse … which is what we have been asking for for years!”. When reporting an incident, the system asks the user a number of questions, including if they are reporting for themselves or on someone else’s behalf, the accused’s relationship to the University, and what faculty they are a part of. The user is then directed to an appropriate support service’s website and the incident is logged so it can be investigated further. When reporting, Report and Support also asks some optional questions regarding ‘equality groups’ to inform their future work. Report and Support say on their website: ‘For example, we might want to know how many female students have made a report in the last six months’. Currently, if students want to report hate or seek support, Queen Mary’s website offers links to external services and support lines. However, there are so many of these listed that it

is unclear to students which one will be most suitable. Some reporting tools the university currently recommends (including Queen Mary’s own Appeals, Complaints and Conduct office), are just email addresses or basic submission forms which are often dubbed ‘ineffective’; they fail to immediately support vulnerable people who may be reporting crime as they are not anonymous. In a recent interview with The Print, Ella Harvey said: “Currently the complaints process is the same for everything, whether you steal something from the Queens’ Building or rape another student. It’s the same process”. The newly recruited Project Manager tackling Sexual Violence, Harassment and Hate Crime at Queen Mary University of London will oversee the implementation of the reporting platform. Report and Support is due to be up and running at Queen Mary sometime in the second half of 2019 in the next academic year.

Elite without the Elitism Anon

he claim that Queen Mary is ‘fake Russell Group’ is one hurled brashly and without consideration. Indeed, QMUL is a relatively recent addition, having joined the esteemed conglomerate of leading research universities in 2012. However, the university joined alongside new members Durham, Exeter and York, who do not seem to face the same level of disparagement as the East London-based institution. Perhaps one could argue that the considerably less veneration received by Queen Mary, mostly in popular culture, among students of a university age, as well as their parents, is the result of the university being relatively new - at least in comparison to Oxbridge, or Kings College and UCL. However, QMUL is older than Warwick, Leeds, Birmingham, Imperial College and the London School of Economics. So this can’t be it. The thing that distinguishes Queen Mary from it’s equally academically distinguished counterparts is, first, it’s location, and second, its demographic. That these differences would lead to the university to be shown less respect suggests a classist and potentially racist sentiment amongst young people, who may be excluding students that don’t fit a particular mould from their conception of ‘elite’. Queen Mary is a leading research-intensive university, ranked 5th in the UK and 42nd globally for the quality of research outputs (i.e. at 3* and 4* level) in the REF2014 exercise. The sixth edition (2016) of QS World University Rankings by Subject placed English, History, and Law among the top 50. While Geography, Linguistics, Medicine, and Drama are ranked among the world’s elite in the top 100. Evidently, Queen Mary has a highly accomplished record in research which is reflected in

A C o n t r i b u t o r d i s c u s s e s Q M U L’ s R u s s e l l G r o u p s t a t u s . . . its spinout portfolio is approaching £300M. The university also has more than 3,000 students studying joint programmes overseas, mostly in Nanchang and Beijing (China), but also in Piraeus (Greece) and Paris. Thus the argument levelled by some, apparently misinformed critics, that QM lacks in research capabilities, or does not have an international reach, is baseless, indicating once again that the inadequate recognition it receives is linked to its distinguishing features - being in East London and boasting one of the most diverse student populations in London. There seems, among students, to be a sort of internalised elitism and subsequent inferiority complex, upon noting the diversity of the student body. Many a time I have heard the volume of international as well as white students being used as a reference point and measure for the status of the university. Among BAME students, being a majority BAME student population (59%, while the Russell group is at 18% and the sector average is 21%) seemed to decrease the value of the university since its proximity to whiteness is further removed. There seems to be an internalised elitist attitude that looks down upon the fact that most of the student body is state school-educated, the majority is from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and a significant proportion attended

local East London schools. Another factor that seems to make Queen Mary the butt of consistent jokes is its location. Historically, East London is not considered to be an affluent region, rather its popularly renowned for its crime and its immigrant communities. Comparative to, say, West London, the East End has traditionally been seen as being rough around the edges, more recently being the target for crushed avocado toast-eating gentrifiers and consistently

toxic elitist attitude amongst its critics. Rather than look down on the institution, perhaps more students - including those at QM - should recognise the University’s long history of catering to more disadvantaged groups in the city and being an advocate of equal opportunities. Queen Mary’s history goes as far back as 1785, with the founding of England’s first medical school at the Royal London Hospital. Its roots can also be traced to the establishment of the

the local community and as an anchor institution, it is working to address some of the significant and long-standing challenges found in the region, as well as helping to realise the many opportunities. Queen Mary has thus consistently excelled as an institution on various fronts. From it’s research, to teaching quality, to student satisfaction in university experience, to even community engagement, it has proved itself to be top tier. Sure, the University might

described as having ‘character’ and being ‘up and coming’. Tower hamlets in particular has some recognised socioeconomic challenges. The life expectancy of residents is the second lowest in London and the borough has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country. But the disadvantages faced in the local area should not factor into a judgement of the University. In fact, this is precisely what reveals a

People’s Palace in Mile End in 1887, which was designed to bring educational through technical schools, and cultural opportunities, to the East End. As Queen Mary brought opportunities to the local community in the nineteenth-century, it continues to do so. The University is the first to receive the Gold Watermark from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement. It is highly engaged with

not be in the nicest part of London but the point of receiving a reputable university degree isn’t to look down on people less fortunate than ourselves, having been granted the opportunity of education. Lastly, if you look at Queen Mary’s diverse student population and value it less as a result you need to seriously reflect on your biases and challenge the unbelievably racist attitudes.

Marie Colvin’s Private War Saywah Mahmood

Report and Support Liam Pape

Elite without the Elitism Anon

F E AT U R E S

Study Drugs Becca Billis

t’s not unusual to hear about experimentation of drugs in student culture; However, if I asked you to imagine a scenario in which these two elements merged, your mind would probably lean towards imagery of bustling night clubs, party pills and copious amounts of alcohol. Surprisingly, recent studies have discovered that 4am library sessions and last minute exam cramming are closer to the truth. Nootropics (aka, study drugs) are commonly used by young people. Medications such as Modafinil, Ritalin and Noopept, which are normally prescribed to treat a range of medical conditions from ADHD to Narcolepsy, are reported to be casually consumed in libraries. The effects vary

with each strain of Nootropic, heightened senses and heart palpitations are common. Many people have compared the effects to the Bradley Cooper film ‘Limitless’ in which the main character (Eddie Morra) is able to unlock the full potential of his own brain. The student run news group The Tab orchestrated an online study to collect data on general drug usage across the UK, they discovered 29% of all undergraduates have used some form of cognitive enhancer. Although this may not seem incredibly high, it can be understood that roughly 1 in 3 students have tried a study drug at least once. With ever increasing expectations held over young people to maintain high grades, prepare for a career and max-

imise the short period of time they are at university, it isn’t surprising they are looking for more than your average coffee hit to make it through the day. These pills don’t necessarily make you a smarter person or magically increase your IQ, however they do synthetically increase your concentration levels, instilling the user with the ability to fixate on singular tasks. This concentration can be as counterproductive as it can beneficial. Many students have reported having wasted hours upon hours after becoming intensely distracted by social media, irrelevant readings and endlessly counting tiles on the ceiling of the library. The University of Oxford student newspaper

also found that 15.6% of 662 responses had chosen to take Modafinil without prescription. Without more controlled studies being conducted on the effects of prolonged use of illegitimate drug use, a significant group of young people are vulnerable to unknowable physiological and psychological side effects. Comments over fairness in academia and the danger of these substances dominate popular discussion. It has been argued that using these drugs should be considered cheating the academic system. Although this argument would be applicable if students were guaranteed to achieve high grades whilst on the substances, many students’ performance remains the same. After speaking to some third year students at Queen Mary, people typically report using study drugs as an extra boost, keeping them up all night in order to cram revision or finish an essay in time. Yet fundamentally, this behav-

iour occurs with or without Nootropics, through drinking high quantities of energy drinks or coffee, making study drugs no more of a cheating method than caffeine is. However issues do arise, primarily when students finally try to switch their brains off and out of overdrive after a late night study marathon. Adderall is a controlled substance, it is highly beneficial and necessary for those with ADHD; however when it has been misused by people with neurotypical brains, it has been found to trigger a dependence on the drug and irregulate healthier sleeping patterns. With this in mind, it is still unclear how the use of study drugs will alter the student experience, however it is important for students to be fully informed on what they are taking and at what dose. Universities need to ensure that students have access to information and support, as they would do with any other substance.

Repercussions of a Shopaholic Lara Mills

ow many times have you stared into the pits of a full wardrobe, declared ‘I have nothing to wear’, and then swiftly jumped onto ASOS to buy seven potential outfits, six of which you’ll return and one which you’ll wear only once? By definition, fashion is relentless. With each year bringing new seasons, designers, trends, aesthetic expectations, socio-political changes and the impending sense that you look ‘soooo last year’ - fashion does, and continues to, feed consumerism at an indigestion inducing pace. As a result of increased globalisation, fashion items are now produced, sold and worn at exceptionally low prices after a few simple clicks on the computer. With this, fashion’s advanced online presence has enabled giant retailers to assess worldwide trend distributions, coordinate

transnational trade deals and address changes to purchasable pieces. It’s also landed the fashion industry in the position of being the world’s second largest cause of global pollution. Set against the current climate of sustainable consciousness, how is the fashion industry tackling the consequences of its own considerable success? The answer: sustainable fashion. Known as a growing design philosophy which encompasses social responsibility and human, environmental awareness, sustainable fashion presents itself as the viable alternative to fast fashion, overconsumption and overproduction. With a goal to increase the value of local production and the lifespan of timeless products, prolonging the cycle of materials whilst also reducing the amount of waste, sustainable fashion aims to minimise harm to the environment. In addition to using high quality, eco-friendly materials, sus-

tainable fashion is also addressing overproduction by creating a slow, more durable, manufacturing process which can meet demand without overproduction. We may think of sustainable fashion as a relatively new phenomenon which aligns with recent sale surges in Chillies metal water bottles, KeepCup reusable coffee cups and metal straws, yet sustainable fashion incentives can be traced as far back as the Second World War. During the 1940s, government rationing of resources met a newfound interest in utility and durability. As a result, the fashion industry adopted a new method of manufacturing centred around minimal fabric use that cut material waste. From this, cinched waist garments, short skirts and box cut patterns became all the rage in amongst wartime austerity. Since then, sustainable fashion has been slowly bubbling up into an eruption

which is about to burst. As Meghan Markle declared at the British Fashion Awards, 2019 is the year where “it’s cool to be kind”. From the fashion week runways of Stella McCartney and the handbag boutique of Paradise Row to the online ASOS Eco platform, ethical fashion is being pushed firmly to the top of the agenda. Take Levis, who have spent the best part of a decade perfecting manufacturing techniques which reduce the quantity of water used to produce their trademark jeans, or Vivienne Westwood who continues to use her fashion runways as a platform upon which to address a protest in the name of climate change global brands continue to consciously educate their dedicated base of consumers in an effort to protect our planet. In addition, local brands are tackling global matters: Paradise Row, based in East London, support the area’s declining leather industry by

hand-crafting bespoke bags using vegetable-tanned leather which are as sustainable as they are stylish. Whilst these sustainable products may come at a prestige price which may not match the scope of a student loan, simple dayto-day measures can let you join the fight to safeguard our natural surroundings on a budget. Whether you decide to jump onboard the vintage bandwagon, raid the rails of local charity shops or redesign some of the items which have made it to the bottom of your wardrobe, re-owning and redesigning clothing are the most basic ways to execute the ethos of more sustainable fashion. Before you throw out last season’s garments, think ‘how would that look with some new haberdashery detailing?’ or ‘I wonder if someone else may be able to get some use out of this’ - stay stylish, whilst always keeping in mind to support sustainable fashion.

Portrait of a Third Year Charlotte Rubin

t’s our final year, dissertations are due soon (save for Geography students – we get it, you’re done), and exams are around the corner. Before it’s too late, we selected the crème de la crème of QM’s graduating class, ranging from international students hailing from Dubai to a local East Ender with the accent to match. In this series of interviews, we give you exclusive insight into the chaotic minds of stressed out 20-somethings who have been shaped by their experience at university and beyond. . Because we all know, no matter how far we go, or how many people we try to convince that QM is indeed a Russell Group university, we wouldn’t trade in Dixie’s for the world. This is our love letter to you, QM. Joana’s lived quite the life – born into a Portuguese family in Chile, she moved all around the world until finally, she came to the UK to study at Southampton University. As a fresher, she realized Southampton wasn’t for her, and now here she is, a fully integrated third-year Environmental Science student at QM, and the first person the Print interviewed for the Portrait of a Third Year series. Hi Joana, so tell me, how did you end up at QM? I actually got here through my sister. When I was a first-year at Southampton, she was finishing up her third year here. As I started to look into transferring, I saw that they had a really good Geography department at Queen Mary, which I never looked at when I was applying for universities because I didn’t want to live in London. You didn’t want to live in London? No, and look what a mistake that turned out to be! I had this idea of big cities being really busy and polluted, and I didn’t want to be a part of that. I’ve always lived in the suburbs

of big cities, but never in the centre. When I was living in South Africa, which is when I was applying to university, I had a lot of space outdoors, and I was always outside. Especially when studying a topic like Environmental Science, I found that really important. I didn’t think I would have that being in London, and that’s why I initially applied to Southampton. But once I moved there, I quickly realized that, well, the weather is a bit shitty for me in this country (laughs). I mean, compared to some of the places where I have lived. So, it was really hard to have that type of experience I wanted outdoors because I literally just couldn’t handle being outside. And then in Southampton, the issue was that if I couldn’t spend that much time outside there was nothing more to do, whereas obviously in London you have so many different activities other than ‘just’ being outside. Do you think, when looking back, that you picked the right course? (pauses) I think so. I don’t think there’s one specific course that would have been perfect for me, but from what was available, I’m pretty sure it was the best option. My interests span across various disciplines, so it was very complicated for me to even choose a degree in the first place. I ended up in Environmental Science because it allowed me to stick with the sciences which I enjoyed during secondary school, but also includes other subjects like economics and law. So basically, I wanted to have a large scope, and I think I did that well. If you could go back in time and give your first-year self one piece of advice, what would it be? In my case I’d have to go back to Southampton, which really wasn’t the best time. I’d probably tell myself not to worry too much about the transfer, I remember stressing out about that a lot. I’d also advise myself to be more outgoing.

I wasn’t really that sociable in my first year, and that definitely affected my experience in Southampton. So, when I came to QM, I really tried to be more outgoing with people and experiences and just in general, to go more with the flow of things. I think that really does make a difference. Although it might seem hard and sometimes it really sucks, just really putting yourself out there enables you to appreciate and really experience the scope of what university has to offer. What do you think makes Queen Mary unique or special compared to other universities elsewhere? Probably the fact that it’s a relatively small place. A lot of us know each other in our year, so to me it feels more like a family compared to what my friends at other universities say. The way they talk about their experiences, they don’t even know half the people in their year… I’m pretty sure I don’t actually do either but at least I feel like I do, and that really makes a difference. Here, you bump into people all the time, there are so many socials and people really want to spend time with [others]. Compared to Southampton, it’s really different. The campus there was way too big, and so it was hard to see people. I would never bump into anyone by chance, which especially in first and second year is really how you start a lot of friendships. You have to have human contact with people, just sitting next to them in lectures isn’t enough. I’m lucky now because there’s only like 7 of us in Environmental Science, so I’m friends with everyone. And even then, genuine friendships, I’ve mostly made outside of my course. How so? Some [friends] through other modules that I took, some through volleyball and then the rest went from there. I feel like everyone bonds over the fact that they are athletes, and it’s easy to have a fun time with people

who share similar interests to you. Especially thanks to Volleyball’s Social secretary, I ended up knowing so many people in sports. So, the jocks hang together. Okay, let’s get serious – where have you cried the most on campus, if anywhere? I’ve never cried on campus, I don’t think… Quite impressive right? (laughs) Although I cry at home, like, every other day. Every other day? Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but at least every month. And I think it’s a good thing, honestly. It’s not even because I’m having a hard time, it’s just sometimes I go through periods of stress, for example when I was working on my dissertation. It’s such a great way of letting all those emotions out. But never on campus, no, I don’t like people seeing me cry. Who or what has been your support system throughout university? When my parents still lived in South Africa, just going back home made a big difference. It was so relaxing. The environment really enabled me to reflect on the experiences I was having, it was really my zen place. Since I no longer have that now, because my family moved, I think I rely more on my parents. They hel-

ped me a lot during my first year, especially when I was thinking about transferring. I also rely heavily on the friends that I’ve made during my time here, because at the end of the day we’re all going through a similar experience, especially international students, because our families are so far away. Do you think being an international student changed your experience at this university? I do. I feel like international students experience it differently. We have to grow up a bit quicker than UK students, because we can’t go home every weekend or whenever we want to. It puts certain things into perspective. We also need to think a bit more seriously about the future. Because you can’t just move back home. Exactly. I don’t mean necessarily visas or anything like that because that doesn’t really concern me, although I’m sure for some people it’s a real issue and they do have to think about it. But for me, it’s more about Masters programmes and how I’m going to pay for that, where I’m going to be living, that type of thing. Okay, last one: Hail Mary or Monday’s Calling? Hail Mary, beyond the shadow of a doubt.

F E AT U R E S

Study Drugs Becca Billis

Repercussions of a Shopaholic Lara Mills

Portrait of a Third Year Charlotte Rubin

F E AT U R E S

Can Bill Gates be a moral billionaire? Anna McKibbin

everal weeks ago Queen Mary hosted a talk with Bill Gates. The talk sold out within a matter of minutes and was widely publicised on social media. I didn’t manage to grab a ticket but in the last issue Millie Pritchard outlined the energy and excitement surrounding the event. There were lengthy queues gradually extending for hours leading up to the event itself and Gates apparently entered to rapturous applause. From the descriptions I have read about and heard from friends, the whole event had a rock concert-esque quality. People seemed (understandably) taken aback by the fact that Bill Gates contacted Queen Mary for its diverse makeup. I am also encouraged and shocked that our university is being recognised by such a high-profile figure. But it is worth examining the root of Gates’ power and how ethical that is. Is there such a thing as an ethical, well-meaning, truly charitable billionaire?

Editor, Anna, offers insight into the moral millionaires debate... Just to clarify, Bill Gates is worth 97.2 billion dollars and is currently the second richest man in the world. Researching the Gates family’s wealth and income is baffling, the numbers being jostled around are so large it is difficult to comprehend. Bill and Melinda Gates recently sat down on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ to discuss the oxymoronic title of ‘ethical billionaires’ which has plagued their career in the public sphere. Stephen Colbert, renowned for being more willing than many talk show hosts to grapple with difficult questions, addresses Gates’ ranking as the second richest man in the world. After Colbert asks him if it is correct that he is the second richest man in the world Bill Gates cheerily responds ‘Well, we’re trying to give it away faster.’ Colbert picks up on this thread and directly questions the couple about whether billionaires should exist in a capitalist system which disadvantages people from low income backgrounds.

In response Gates claims that ‘I think that you can make the tax system take a much higher portion from people with great wealth…’ (This is an idea Bill Gates had brought up in his interview at Queen Mary as well.) Colbert expertly pressed him on this by boldly countering ‘70%?’ This is a crucial moment in the otherwise uneventful interview where Gates’ lamely answers with ‘Well…’ Later in the interview Melinda Gates seems to defend the unseemly amount of money the Gates’ have accrued by pointing to governments which do tax the rich more aggressively. Melinda Gates recounted that ‘There have been many times when you’re in France and they’ll say “Gosh, we wish we could have a Bill Gates, we wish we could have such a vibrant tech sector.”’ I am not an economist, I am sure there is value in what Melinda and Bill are arguing in this interview, maybe we do need billionaires to create jobs and incentivise new ideas.

But in this interview I know that Bill and Melinda Gates’ arguments come across as two rich people trying to defend their massive accumulation of wealth. Their claims that implementing high taxation is complicated sounds like the argument billionaires have used to defend their wealth and maintain their position of power for decades now. With hindsight I think we can re-examine the Bill Gates interview Queen Mary hosted. I am not suggesting it should have been cancelled, Bill Gates is an intelligent man who has undoubtedly worked hard for his status. That being said, I do think there could have been more robust questioning on the morality of his wealth. There could have been an attempt to specify how much of his wealth

here is one question that keeps coming up: What are you going to do when you graduate? It fills many of us with existential dread and nervous laughter. But for some, recruitment is the answer. Recruitment is an industry worth £20 billion a year, which comes with glamorous benefits. Many recruitment companies offer holiday incentives, uncapped commission, and fast career progression. It’s no wonder so many graduates are joining the recruitment ranks when you can earn loads of money and a trip to New York for hitting company targets. If you don’t know what recruitment is, it’s what it

says on the tin: recruiting. Every company requires new staff, and a recruiter facilitates that by sourcing those people. There’s more to it than just making a deal and getting a paycheck, t h o u g h . By placing someone in a job and helping them make the next step in their lives, recruiters have the ability to change someone’s life. It would be a great feeling to place an excellent candidate in a role they are well suited for. Since every industry needs recruiters, you could be dealing with tech, educa-

tion, health, science, literally anything you can think of. This is another draw for young people, since you could be a recruiter in an area of personal interest, or engage with something

quired determination. It’s also a notoriously work hard, play hard career. Many recruitment companies reward their team with after work drinks and dinners to keep morale high, and if three years at university teaches you a n y thing, taking a free p i n t and meal if you’re offered it is certainly one of them. It isn’t necessary to have any prior experience, particular degree or grade to succeed. Sam Crisp, the Co-Founder of recruitment company Orama Solutions,

There’s more to it than just making a deal and getting a paycheck completely new. Recruitment has a reputation for intensity. Hitting targets isn’t easy, so it requires a good work ethic. Graduates who’ve trudged through years of intensive study often possess the re-

Jasmine Gray

Bill Gates is he willing to part with to ensure the betterment of government funded programs? Maybe this could have been achieved if the questions weren’t submitted and selected in advance, if instead there had been space for a more open and a helpful debate. Is it worth exploring the part Queen Mary played in helping or hindering the debate surrounding the supposedly ethical billionaire that is Bill Gates?

Why are so many grads going into recruitment? Becca Billis

Another Article on Brexit...

states that: ‘It is accessible [as an industry] for graduates; it doesn’t require certain qualifications to be successful. If you have the right mind-set, you can be a successful recruiter, regardless of academic excellence.’ There’s high demand for graduate recruiters at the moment, with many recruitment companies seeking them specifically. This includes Sam’s company, as he describes graduates as ‘fearless and able to exceed all expectations.’ It makes sense that recruitment is lots of students’ post-university plan. There is high demand for eager young professionals, willing to put in the hours to get their foot in the door in the recruitment sector.

s March 29th looms closer, the British exit from the European Union continues to dominate the political agenda. After almost two years of negotiations, tribulations and resignations, our membership to the supranational body draws to a close. So is it futile to question how we got here? The consequences of the Brexit vote and its Leave campaign are ongoing and largely unrealised. The continuing narrative put forward by the Leave campaign and its advocates that the Brexit vote was not simply a vote on immigration, the racialized nature of the political phenomenon cannot be denied. It has been beneficial for politicians to point to economic justifications and turn away from the generalisations made by the Leave campaign to further marginalize minorities in the UK. When approaching the result of the 2016 referendum through a historical lens, it

Contributor, Jasmine, gives us the lowdown on Brexit...

quickly becomes clear that the legacy of empire, anti-immigration sentiment and the creation of the white working class led to a result that reflects a deep rooted racialisation of nationality and what it means to be a British citizen. Careless disregard for the socio-historical context of British Empire and the Commonwealth has perpetuated an environment of hostility and intolerance in Britain that brings identity politics to the fore. This environment, recognized by UN rapporteur Tendayi Achiume as demonstrating deep seated institutional harms, creates a political environment in which Britain is seen to be falling behind the rest of the world. Politics of the right have been increasingly dominated by ideas of reclaiming rights, underpinning the rhetoric of ‘unfairness’ put forward by those blaming European Union free movement policies for the loss

of jobs and state benefits at the hands of immigrants. Close links were created by the right between immigration and sovereignty, tying two somewhat separate but important issues together to polarize voters. The notion of ‘taking our country back’ was not simply about regaining legislative powers, but about removing the claims of the ‘other’ in British society. The media acted as a catalyst in linking these concepts and bringing into question the legitimacy of certain social groups in British society. The wider political landscape and the election of Trump in 2016 has arguably evoked longing for a more isolationist approach to international policy, increasing Euro-scepticism further. Pro-leave politicians appealed to the white working class - a group created following from the entrance of ‘non-Europeans’ (which carried with it connotations of ‘non-whites’) into

Britain that elevated this sub-group from their former marginalisation. Though the Empire was seen globally as ‘white’, within Britain itself, the white working class had suffered at the hands of those above them in the class/caste hierarchy. Their move into a position of security marked an important point in the creation of the ‘us’ and ‘them’ narrative that is within British nationalism. Nigel Farage referred to this group as ‘the little people’, perpetuating the view that those belonging to this group are the most disadvantaged in Britain, grossly undermining the intersectional experiences of BME residents in particular. A lack of consideration for the discrimination faced by the ‘other’ on dual platforms with regards to factors beyond class status furthered hostility and increased anti-immigration sentiment in the run up to the referendum. There-

sa May’s promise to ‘deliver what the people want’ is lacking consideration of the disproportionate disadvantages that are to be continually faced by non-white citizens, who voted in overwhelming majority to remain in the EU. The result of the 2016 referendum cannot be separated from the ongoing racial discourse of colonial Britain and the branding of the United Kingdom as belonging to the white working class. ‘Our’ country now boasts an environment of unprecedented hostility, with increasing rates of violence and discrimination that may only get worse following full withdrawal from the European Union. The future of this nation hangs in the balance, but without acknowledgement of the historical context in which this event has transpired, we are at risk of promoting difference and separation within Britain and with the EU for the foreseeable future.

My Voice: Regional Representation within the Media Sylvie Wilkinson

he lack of regional accents on TV and radio feeds a narrative of who we can trust. Representation in the media is a huge issue which has been under intense inspection over the past few years. There are constant calls from the public for media outlets to acknowledge the importance of representation and diversity as a way of reflecting an accurate picture of the society in which we live and supporting minorities. Whether intentional or not, both news and entertainment media have the power to influence and educate the general public, and can determine and shape our attitudes towards each other. With this in mind, the kinds of voices we hear on national TV and radio reflect very specific ideas about what it

Contributor, Sylvie, discusses how the Media reinforces the North/South divide... means to be British and in turn, what brand of Britishness is the norm. It must be said that although entertainment media is still largely dominated by southern accents, there has been some effort to include

nal news i.e. news relating to the whole of the country, surely it would make most sense for the individuals telling these stories to reflect the country as a whole and the entire population who do not all sound

28% of the UK population feel that they have been discriminated against due to their regional accent northern and other regional accents in recent years. However, when it comes to news reporting, or any kind of political broadcast journalism, to hear an accent that isn’t southern is a rarity. When it comes to natio-

the same. Creating a media atmosphere which is more honest and representative would perhaps even debunk the view that certain accents can be understood more easily than others. If the purpose of news

presenters is to be a public voice, then it seems to reflect a bias that these public voices are only palatable if they are posh and southern. Through this, we are being told that these are the kinds of voices to be trusted to deliver the facts. The damage this causes is deep, as a country is created in which regional accents are seen as a humorous novelty and members of our society are continuously patronised as a result of their voices. Research conducted by ITV shows that 28% of the UK population feel that they have been discriminated against due to their regional accent, while 80% of employers admit to this discrimination (2017). This kind of discrimination is a serious issue, and contributes towards a country

in which elitism is commonplace and our workplaces are dominated by people from more privileged socio-economic backgrounds. The problem is particularly relevant to politics, where many working-class people feel alienated not only from political media, but politics itself. In a country in which we rarely hear regional accents discussing or reporting on political events, it is easy to see why this would be the case. I hope one day the national media will include and represent everyone. Any small changes regarding accent representation should be welcomed if we are serious about addressing the power imbalance not only between the North and South, but between London and the rest of the country.

F E AT U R E S

Can Bill Gates be a moral billionaire? Anna McKibbin

tion, health, science, literally anything you can think of. This is another draw for young people, since you could be a recruiter in an area of personal interest, or engage with something

Jasmine Gray

Why are so many grads going into recruitment? Becca Billis

Another Article on Brexit...

Contributor, Jasmine, gives us the lowdown on Brexit...

My Voice: Regional Representation within the Media Sylvie Wilkinson

the same. Creating a media atmosphere which is more honest and representative would perhaps even debunk the view that certain accents can be understood more easily than others. If the purpose of news

A YEAR IN REVIEW

A YEAR IN REVIEW M A R C H - - - - - - - - - - -

O C T O B E R - - - - - - - - - - -

QMUL VS BARTS: A SERIES

AFGHAN SOCIETY GROUP CHAT

The battle continues... Senior management at Queen Mary University of London introduced a new logo for the Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Rebrand or rejection?

A late night intruder in the Afghan society’s Whatsapp group left a trail of racism and rape jokes. The society expressed their shock at the “blatantly offensive and disgusting” messages in a statement over Twitter.

O C T O B E R - - - - - - - - - - -

ZERO TOLERANCE CAMPAIGN Students’ Union venue staff recieve training to challenge harmful behaviour. Introduction of a sexual harassment project manager to the university. Drapers and The Griff Inn introduce lifetime ban for sexual harassers. “Everyone has a different understanding of what consent is...this is a really important safeguarding issue.” - ELLA HARVEY

S E P T E M B E R - - - - - - - - - -

A FRESH START...

Students returned to Queen Mary University of London earlier this academic year, brighteyed and optimistic. What would this year hold in store? A refurbished students’ union? More strikes? The questions are endless...

N O V E M B E R - - - - - - - - - - QUEEN MARY FRIENDS OF PALESTINE SOCIETY CONTROVERSY

The society recieved an email titled “why Palestine doesn’t exist,” signed off as from the Jewish and Israel society. However, this was denied by the Jewish and Israel statement who, in a Twitter statement, said they never sent the email and “condemned the situation.”

R Y - - - J- A- N- U - A - -

BILL GATES COMES TO QMUL

It is not every day you get an email from a billionaire philanthropist wanting to come and give a talk to Queen Mary students! Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, consciously chose Queen Mary due to its diverse student body and engagement with the local community. He reminded attendants that “we live in a world of shortage” and “...education is our great failure, and yet, we are not giving up.”

F E B R U A R Y - - - - - - - - - - -

BROKEN LIBRARY DOOR SENDS STUDENTS IN A SPIN The revolving door at Mile End campus library remains broken after students are informed that it will cost £17,000 to repair. In response to being asked if this was a wasteful amount of money, VP EDUCATION Redwan Shahid said that he had “not been involved in any logistical conversation about how they would go about fixing [the issue.]”

M A R C H - - - - - - - - - - STUDENT UNION ELECTIONS: LOWEST TURNOUT IN FIVE YEARS

Fresh elections were held for new executive officer positions at Queen Mary Students’ Union. Despite 45744 votes cast, attendance hit a five-year low - a total of 13.15% The School of Medicine and Dentristy led electoral statistics by over 500 votes (808) whilst the likes of the English department cast 87 votes, and Drama only 10.

O C T O B E R - - - - - - - - - - BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTROVERSY Representatives from the African and Caribbean and Pan-African societies criticsed Queen MarY Students’ Union over a lack of support and funcing for Black History Month. “It’s all fine to say we’re going to facilitate BHM, but we need support!” - COUNCIL MEMBER. “There has been a huge breakdown in communication. This shows we are not where we need to be.” - SU President Ahmed Mahbub

A YEAR IN REVIEW

A YEAR IN REVIEW M A R C H - - - - - - - - - - -

O C T O B E R - - - - - - - - - - -

QMUL VS BARTS: A SERIES

AFGHAN SOCIETY GROUP CHAT

The battle continues... Senior management at Queen Mary University of London introduced a new logo for the Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Rebrand or rejection?

O C T O B E R - - - - - - - - - - -

S E P T E M B E R - - - - - - - - - -

A FRESH START...

N O V E M B E R - - - - - - - - - - QUEEN MARY FRIENDS OF PALESTINE SOCIETY CONTROVERSY

R Y - - - J- A- N- U - A - -

BILL GATES COMES TO QMUL

F E B R U A R Y - - - - - - - - - - -

M A R C H - - - - - - - - - - STUDENT UNION ELECTIONS: LOWEST TURNOUT IN FIVE YEARS

CAREERS

GRADUATE SCHEMES LEGAL GRADUATE SCHEMES Welcome to FINANCE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Print’s Legal Recruitment Consultant Finanacial Recruitment Consultant SuperGrad Closes: Ongoing brand new ca- Twelve Recruitment Closes: Ongoing reers page. Legal Recruitment Consultant Trainee Analyst - Investment and We’ve includ- Graduate RedTusk Closes: Ongoing Development ed a range of Greystar Europe Holdings Closes: Ongoing Legal Product Expert newly-postLuminance Closes: Ongoing Search Researcher ed graduate Executive Timberseed Closes: Ongoing schemes for Legal & Compliance Recruitment Consultant Timberseed Closes: Ongoing you to take Trainee recruitment Consultant Closes: Ongoing a look at, in Ruella James Entry Level Legal Recruitment Twelve Recruitment Closes: Ongoing a variety of Associate - Growth Closes: Ongoing fields which thenewguys I T G R ADUATE S CH EMES reflect all of --------------------------------------------MEDIA GRADUATE SCHEMES Transformation Analyst our readers --------------------------------------------- IT Aviva plc Closes: Ongoing Communication Trainees and their in- BBC Closes: 26th Apr IT Recruitment Resourcer terests. NST Recruitment Closes: Ongoing Queen Mary’s Paid Editorial/Operations Closes: Ongoing Careers Ser- Curio (London) Analyst (Trainee Data Scientist) Civil Service Human Resources Closes: TBC vice can be Social Media Graduate Closes: Ongoing found in The Marketing VF Technology Graduate People’s PalOddschecker Closes: Ongoing Media Analyst ace on cam- Marketing VF Closes: Ongoing Business Intelligence & Project Implementation pus if you have Coordinator Digital, Creative & Design Durbin PLC Closes: Ongoing any questions. SuperGrad Closes: Ongoing

‘Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life’ - Confucius 12

All of the schemes featured can be found on the Milkround website.

ENGINEERING GRADUATE SCHEMES ---------------------------------------------

Electronics Production Engineer Garrison Technology Closes: Ongoing Building Services Engineer L&Q Group

Closes: 18th Jul

Data Analytics & Big Data Engineering Kubrick Group Closes: Ongoing IT, Engineering Recruitment Consultant Timberseed Closes: Ongoing Graduate Compliance Engineer - Construction Ardmore Closes: Ongoing

CAREERS

‘Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life’ - Confucius 12

All of the schemes featured can be found on the Milkround website.

ENGINEERING GRADUATE SCHEMES ---------------------------------------------

Electronics Production Engineer Garrison Technology Closes: Ongoing Building Services Engineer L&Q Group

Closes: 18th Jul

OPINIONS: THE COLUMNS

WHAT THE BOOK

ADVERT

EMILY KELLY

like to think I’m pretty eco-conscious. You won’t catch me dead without my reusable water bottle, coffee cup or one of my many bags-for-life.

But recently, I’ve been noticing just how quickly the bins in my house fill up. How can four sensible (environmentally wise, at least!) students be generating so much rubbish? Because, says Lucy Siegle, we live in the age of plastic. It’s inescapable; nearly everything we buy and consume is covered in a layer of the stuff. Three hundred million tonnes of plastic is produced globally each year, eight million of which will end up in the sea. It is estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. With statistics like these, you might expect Turning The Tide on Plastic to be a depressing read. However, Siegle manages to spin the nightmarish situation that is plastic pollution into an opportunity for change. An environmental journalist and reporter from The One Show, Siegle is more than qualified for the task she undertakes. She begins by chronicling the rise of plastic, from its creation to the beginning of the ‘pandemic’ in the fifties, right through till now - 51 trillion tiny pieces of plastic in the ocean and counting. She discusses the different ways plastic manifests itself and the ways in which it is created, without ever resorting to impenetrable scientific jargon. The fact she does this without boring her reader to tears is impressive, to say the least. Siegle goes on to offer practical tips and tricks for regaining control over your personal plastic footprint. Keeping a daily ‘plastic diary’ may sound tedious, but try it for just a few days and I guarantee you’ll be shocked by just how much unnecessary waste finds its way into your bin. I certainly was. The only way to tackle the plastic problem is to tackle it head on, and awareness of our own habits is key to this. The plastic problem, Siegle stresses, is not the fault of the individual, but the individual is the only one left with the power to solve it. Turning The Tide on Plastic is just the right blend of terrifying and inspiring. Siegle writes with passion and humour, whilst never compromising on the seriousness of her message: now is the time to do something about our plastic problem. A must-read.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES:

CAPTURING

KOTSAK-IS TALKING

CULTURE

ANNA-ALEXIA KOTSAKIS

s the familiar drum of presidential campaign is already beating, (well, a year in advance), the Democratic Party boasts at least four female hopefuls. Senators Harris, Gillibrand, Warren and Klobuchar, to name a few, are the most recognisable names. Among them, Elizabeth Warren was the first to declare her candidacy, and like clockwork the first pieces about her campaign were posing the all-important question: is she likeable enough? These headlines are sexism vainly covered. Of course, this obsession with female likability is nothing new. Hillary Clinton faced it in both Presidential elections she ran, in 2008 and 2016, and in both her likability was a point of contention, especially when she secured the Democratic nomination in 2016. After their own announcements, Harris and Gillibrand were also put into the centre of the likability arena, each deconstructed and observed. Do they look relaxed enough? Are they too aggressive? These women are making history and yet the media is too busy considering whether they’re too “nice” to take on President Trump in the 2020 election, as it was the case for Senator Gillibrand. Likability is a determining factor for a lot of people. Naturally, you tend to vote for the candidate you like the most and whose values you identify with the most. What is confusing, however, is why male candidates never have to deal with that question. The difference is jarring. Male candidates are more likely to be asked about foreign policy and how they intend to operate in the Oval, while female candidates are reduced to a cliché of emotionality. The only way to avoid common pitfalls is for the media to stop obsessing on how likeable a female candidate is and how much she prescribes to the archetype of “an American woman”; focus on what her policies are. The media needs to stop posing the condescending question of “is she likeable enough?” as a shorthand for “are US voters too misogynistic to vote for a female candidate?”. The more they ask it, the more they connect every female candidate to a test they will inevitably face and, most likely, fail. Trump certainly wasn’t likeable enough and he still got elected. It doesn’t matter what kind of clothes Warren wears, it matters what her stance is on abortion. It doesn’t matter how many men Harris has dated in her past, it matters what her foreign policy looks like. It doesn’t matter if Gillibrand seems too sweet to take on Trump, what matters is her position on refugees and human rights. It’s that simple. If we can ignore likability in men, then surely we can extend the same courtesy to women.

GABRIELLE AGYEI

t’s that time of year again: slowly creeping towards exam season with deadlines becoming an ominous looming presence. I’m currently surrounded by books, worksheets and notepads as the sun shines through my window to tease what could have been a day of frivolity and freedom. It can be stressful, it can be draining, but we’ve somehow got to pull ourselves through the mud until we reach the finishing line. If you are currently going through this dreaded experience, or may be in the not-so-distant future, here are a few ideas to help cope with the workload and stay relaxed. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. Pulling a bunch of all-nighters and depriving yourself of the rest you need will eventually begin to take its toll. This combined with the poor diet and lack of exercise that can result from endless days spent shut indoors cramming for tests and ever-nearing deadlines isn’t great either. Our bodies need between eight and nine hours of sleep to fully function so try to get as much as you can. Ultimately, forcing yourself to work whilst completely exhausted isn’t productive. Put down your book and allow your body and brain to rest; there is always tomorrow. Strength comes in numbers. By this I mean that group study can be just as effective as working alone. Sometimes it’s nice to have a fellow comrade in battle; just the presence of a friend working next to you is enough to take off a little bit of pressure. If you know you get distracted easily sitting near each other in the silent area of a library, allocating set times for pure work can help to get the job done. When working through a heavy workload, having the support of your peers can be just what you need to lift your spirits. Try to remain calm. Panicking never helps, I say this from experience. All that time spent working yourself up worrying about whether you’ll get it all done in time is not only wasteful, but physically and emotionally draining. Set yourself small goals, remember to breathe and just work through it. Make sure to take breaks. Calling a friend if need be or watching an episode of something lighthearted on Netflix in between focused sessions of work can help to keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Remember to be strict with yourself when doing this though, you don’t want to get distracted for too long!

KATIE BEVAN

NEW YORK, NEW ME

ell, here we are. We have reached the time for the classic summary post about my experience abroad as my time studying in New York comes to a close, explaining the highs and the lows, and of course, what I learned. To be honest, it’s just like those survey forms that we have to fill out in seminars towards the end of a module.. except this one might (no guarantee) actually be interesting to read. The highs: Pretty much everything. It’s cliché, but this really has been the time of my life. I am totally ready to proudly become the ‘when I was studying abroad’ meme alongside my ‘gap yaaaaah’ friends. Having spent nine months living a few thousand miles away from home, in a city that you’ve fantasised about for years, it becomes hard not to pinch yourself. I’ve not only been provided with the opportunity to make a ‘home away from home’ across the Atlantic, but also the chance to travel independently to countries like Mexico and Canada, making my scratch map much more aesthetically pleasing. The chance to study on a pass/fail basis with the grades not counting towards my final degree also hasn’t been the end of the world. I will be returning home with a new-found appreciation for Queen Mary (the university, not the monarch), and general student life in the UK. I’ll be thankful to have lecture recordings back in my life (never leave me, Q-Review), and for attendance no longer counting towards my grade. Seventeen-week long terms without a break have confirmed reading week as the love of my life, while my Nando’s card has never been more ready to earn another chilli; I never knew it’d be possible to miss that picturesque view of Co-op on Mile End Road when enjoying my halloumi. What I learned: Americans don’t eat courgettes.. they eat zucchinis. Also, it is possible to order a drink on the Wetherspoons app when you are approximately 3,469 from your chosen table in The Half Moon - I take ‘have a drink on me’ very seriously. Cheers, New York.

Don’t doubt yourself. This most likely isn’t you first rodeo. Whether you’re in first year or you’re a third year veteran, like myself, and approaching deadlines are an old friend, remember that you can do it. You’ve done it before and you will do it again. What you’re going through is only temporary, it’ll be over and life will continue. You made it here for a reason so try not to get too wrapped up in everything. To wrap this up, I hope you’ve found some useful strategies to approaching your workload this semester. As my final printed article of the year (and at Queen Mary), I’d like to thank anyone who’s ever read something I’ve written. I wish you all the best!

OPINIONS: THE COLUMNS

WHAT THE BOOK

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EMILY KELLY

like to think I’m pretty eco-conscious. You won’t catch me dead without my reusable water bottle, coffee cup or one of my many bags-for-life.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES:

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ANNA-ALEXIA KOTSAKIS

GABRIELLE AGYEI

KATIE BEVAN

NEW YORK, NEW ME

S AT I R E

The Journey into (Un)employment Madina Taraki

World News with your Foreign Correspondent Welcome to Queen Mary World News, your monthly update on current affairs. In other news: During Fashion Week, Burberry was at the centre of the scandal when one of their hoodies stole the show – a luxury hoodie with strings as a noose knot. The theme was “nautical” and targeted at a younger audience. Perfect illustration of how a fashion house tries to inspire younger generations and fails miserably. Beyonce and Jay Z were the recipients of the Best International Group award at the Brit Awards 2019. However, their acceptance video is now famous for the portrait of the Duchess of Sussex in the background. We are now all hoping that they become citizens of Her Majesty and save us from Brexit. Only Jay Z and Be-

yonce can do it. MPs are deserting their parties. They are asking for there to be no panic as there is already no hope. A memo was leaked explaining how, after all, the Titanic started its route from England. Not at all promising. A woman died after eating at a Michelin star restaurant, where 29 people were victims of an outbreak yet to be determined. Considering the “tasting” menu starts at €135 and wine to go with it at €60, you might regret not going to McDonald’s instead. A wave of candidates for the Democratic Party just crashed on the shores of Washington DC. Will they fight to the death? Will they gather around to ultimately outtrump the Trump?

Laboured Lionheart Is it any wonder they left? Anti-Semitism, as it should, remains a major source of tension for the Labour Party, yet their 860 year-old leader prefers to proclaim ignorance. You’d imagine he’d be on a crusade about it. Instead, he’s hobbling off to Spain. For the record, he’s doing pretty well. Managing this as well as the Grandmother did the Big Bad Wolf – and that’s meant sincerely as she didn’t last half as long. Those seven little noble defects have started a trend in government, to split the ground upon which the British Constitution is based and see the Devil rise up to incur his

OPINIONS

Writer: Sihem Jouini

wrath upon us all! Corbyn might just be a walking farce – just like Jack and Jill, but those guys came to a neat end. Corbyn may not be so lucky as he’s kept up appearances for now but the time is coming. Either he’s dead or he’s deaf, and if he’s not the former now, it’s guaranteed he’ll wish he was.

And the Award goes to... Welcome to the 91st annual Academy Awards. Tonight, we celebrate movie excellence as well as extraordinary performances. The Oscars are how movies are celebrated and rewarded in an entirely fair process: tell me who has big pockets, I will tell you who the winner is. Obviously hard work, sacrifice and dedication are at the core of every successful movie, but only one exceptional being will be awarded the ultimate prize – the little golden statue, reminding all nominees they have failed and are nothing in this industry. Why judge movies on the basis of equal performances when you can give the golden ticket to the studio who writes you the

biggest cheque? Not everyone can be amazing, but studio companies can make sure you are. From the red carpet, where everyone wears their best high fashion clothes (and all women reminding themselves those six weeks of starvation were totally worth it), to the press conducting the most focused interviews (we all need to know what we can’t afford to wear). But it's all worth it, the sacrifice and hard work. Even if it's to be part of “diversity”. It does help if you are a white male with a penis (triple threat for the statue here!). The Oscars are also a platform for the activist deep within who wants to take a stand

(mostly to feel less (white) guilt), and remind everyone else that they are superior, but also can now be even more condescending on the name of equal rights. Finally, it helps to grow an industry that is sometimes too narrow-minded. Now there are small start-ups like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and soon Snapchat (for real: Snapchat has been developing Snap Originals, a platform for everyone to use to become the next Hollywood superstar). Forget old traditional movie studio monopoly, they cannot get the awards anymore. It's a revolution, a digital revolution. Listen to me – if you want to get an Oscar, make sure to get on Snapchat.

Welcome to the Satire Games What is the goal? Report current issues with an emphasis on the ridicule of a situation to highlight the main message and denounce a certain behaviour. What is the risk? In western countries when badly handled, satire can lead to defamation. In eastern countries, prison or death. Same game, different outcomes. Be aware: tackling the powerful is a struggle. In the name of freedom of expression, every means are to be used and everyone has a different tactic. Recently, the Court of Appeal in Turkey confirmed the jail sentences for several journalists from the satirical newspaper Cumhuriyet. Being one of the last media platforms standing and being critical of President Erdogan, Cumhuriyet has suffered from various law suits and arrests. President Erdogan plays rough in the

Satire Games and the Cumhuriyet has been his choice of target, but the newspaper is adamant in its pursuit of the Turkish President. The Patriot Act by Hasan Minhaj has been at the centre of attention regarding an episode on Saudi Arabia and more particularly about MBS – Mohamed bin Salman. Yes, Go Big or Go Home Baby! Netflix pulled the episode from the Middle East listing after Saudi Arabia demanded it (losers) and it was reported it

did not comply with the anti-cybercrime law (they need a crash course in cybercrime asap). What happened then? The said episode became viral on digital platforms and available for everyone to see it on YouTube. What did Hasan Minhaj do? He made all episodes available on YouTube and made a new episode about what happened. Here it is, the ultimate challenge: how you like me now?

s the end of the academic year fast approaches, with the days getting longer and the time to exams getting shorter, the lucky ones will be spending a solid amount of time booking holidays and planning the absolutely essential summer Instagram shots (praying for that good American lighting). Meanwhile, for the rest of us, it is a descent into hell, or more commonly known as the impending post-graduation slump. This is our journey into (un) employment. Say you do a degree. You’re graduating from that degree. You’re applying for jobs with that degree. You get the job you have always wanted. You become happy, fulfilled and live happily ever after. And then you woke up. With the job market becoming more and more competitive and students becoming absolutely ruthless in their quest to capture the hottest graduate scheme on the scene, it seems to be becoming an absolute mission to secure career options following graduation. Every employer is inundated with hundreds and hundreds of applications for paid and voluntary work advertised for a singular person, and the process of applications are becoming longer. Video interviews, situational and behavioural tests and assessment centres are be-

Opinions Editor, Madina, discusses moving into the working world coming the norm. Seems like it’s easier to become a YouTuber than it is to secure a graduate scheme. Many are either being left unemployed or working in fields not at all relevant to their skills and knowledge. The UCU published data, a few years ago, which indicated that 36% of 16-24-year-olds felt as though they had no chance of getting a job, while 54% said they had not been in education for a year. This is no doubt a huge burden that recent graduates face, particularly as the timing of many job applications coincides with the stress of final year. Striking the balance between academia, job applications, extra-curriculars, a social life and a decent sleeping pattern is fast becoming impossible (whoever said millennials were lazy?). Graduate schemes, though tailored to students, are clearly not tailored to their schedules. Employers should take note to assess when students would likely be able to apply in order to reduce the level of stress of multiple deadlines. I may be a millennial that likes to complain, but this is quickly becoming a major problem for many leaving university at the moment. Let’s do something about it

Ending the Baby Boomer Smartphone Hatred Madeleine Goode

n the tram home in Manchester the other day, I overheard the most delightful conversation. A lovely, liberal looking lady in, in a linen shirt, in her late forties was chatting to a similarly bland looking friend, discussing her children and their smartphones. “I mean, every time I see them they’re on their phones. They have friends round, and they all stare at their phones, tapping away. Honestly — do they ever even HAVE conversations with one another? It’s so sad. When we were kids, we’d chatter away and talk about things, real things.” Ugh. Sigh. We’ve all heard this before, haven’t we? Kids these days, glued to their phones, Snapchat, Instagram, how awful, the social media, the cyber bullying, the narcissism of selfie culture. There is, of course, something to be said for the damaging effects of social media. I won’t deny the worrying body image culture surrounding FaceTune, and the ways our lives are performed for a constant audience. Worrying, sure. An epidemic that will end all civilisation, eye contact, social interaction and the nuance of conversation — not so much. Total contempt for smartphones and social media is pointless at this stage. It is, despite its relative newness in the chronology of hu-

Opinions Editor, Maddie, explores the hatred of technology from Baby Boomers man history, utterly woven into the modes in which we communicate. Disgust at the millennial or “Gen Z” generations, whose possibilities for property ownership, stable financial lives, peaceful living situations or social equality are threadbare if that, is frankly ignorant. The baby boomer generation, who paid next to nothing for a university degree and were fortunate enough to have job prospects that complimented such degrees, wielding such disdain for younger people and their ways of living and communicating is pretty vile. Young people in the UK of today are facing a Brexit they didn’t vote for, paying £9,000 per year for a university degree, rife Islamophobia, lifelong debt crises and the fact that Donald Trump is the leader of the free world. Yet they’re becoming more socially aware than any generation before them, pioneering opportunities for the voices of the marginalised to come forward and speak, trying, trying, trying to make it all better. The likes of Twitter and Instagram, for all their faults, allow those stuck in tiny towns all over the world, without much to give them hope, to find communities of their own, thousands of miles away. The long limbs of social media

find everyone, and allow everyone friends. It allows hope. That’s what I would have said in conversation with this baby boomer lady in a forty quid linen shirt with her perfectly highlighted caramel hair that she probably got done by a stylist who charges £100 an hour. I wanted to say that your kids, your kids who you clearly think are stupid and boring which is insult in itself, given the fact you raised them, are probably more in tune with the world than you. You might read The Telegraph and talk about how Jeremy Corbyn wouldn’t be a good Prime Minister with your friends over a latte, but your kids on all those evil social medias are reading what the future has to say. David Bowie, my hero of all time, said, when questioned about the efficacy of the internet in 1999, ‘I think we’re actually on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying […] it’s going to crush our ideas of what mediums are all about.’ He was right, as always, and this lady, this stupid, ignorant lady on the tram, was wrong. I wanted to give her a piece of my mind. Instead, I gave her a hard stare, I’m writing an article that she will definitely never read. Burn.

S AT I R E

The Journey into (Un)employment Madina Taraki

OPINIONS

Writer: Sihem Jouini

Ending the Baby Boomer Smartphone Hatred Madeleine Goode

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

A New Kilogram Alex Richardson

n the 20th of May 2019, the definition of the kilogram will change. Since 1800, the kilogram has been defined as the mass of a particular object, the latest of these being the International Prototype Kilogram (also known as ‘Le Grand K’), which was manufactured in 1889. This lump of platinum-iridium alloy (Pt-10Ir) resides in a sealed, environmentally-controlled chamber alongside six sister copies, which are basements in the outskirts of Paris. Approximately every 40 years, these masses are compared to one another which reveals that the mass of Le Grand K is shrinking over time. There are many factors contributing to this change, but the entire process behind it is not fully understood. There is also a bigger change in mass between Le Grand K and the numerous other prototypes that have been distributed to governments around the world. This is believed to be largely due to the proto-

types leaving a few atoms behind every time they are placed on the scales. The fact that Le Grand K was shrinking, therefore, meant that the entire definition of a kilogram was changing as well – the mass of Le Grand K is that definition after all. This was enough of a problem that the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, the organisation in charge of the International System of Units (SI, from French), decided that we needed a different solution. As of May 2019, the kilogram will instead be defined from three invariant constants of nature: the speed of light in a vacuum, the natural microwave radiation emitted by a caesium atom, and Planck’s constant, a value that relates the frequency of a photon to the energy it carries. By defining the kilogram with respect to these values, our definition will only become more accurate alongside these measurements. These constants weren’t just picked out of a hat. The inverse of the speed of light

in a vacuum (1/299,792,458 m/s) is used as the SI definition of a metre, a definition implemented in 1983, whilst the natural microwave radiation emitted by a caesium-133 atom has been used to define the second since 1967. Planck’s constant is defined as 6.62607015 x10^-34 kg m2 s-2 which means that given the definition of the metre and the second, we can easily obtain the definition of a kilogram from this particular measurement. Three other SI units are also being redefined alongside the kilogram: the Ampere with relation to the elementary charge (the charge of an electron); the Kelvin with respect to Boltzmann’s constant (a value which relates the temperature of a gas with the average kinetic energy of its particles), and the Mole with respect to the Avogadro constant (the amount of a substance of exactly 6.02214076x1023 entities, usually atoms or molecules). These definitions were agreed upon on the 16th of November 2018, but for legal reasons are

Science and Technology Editor, Alex, explores the changes that are to happen to the definition of the kilogram...

only being adopted in May of 2019. These four definitions, alongside the definitions of the second, the metre and the candela ( a measurement of relative intensity defined using the luminous efficacy constant), make up the seven SI base units which are used to describe measurements in all areas of science today. By redefining these units, scientists hope to devel-

op new technologies that utilise these definitions to make more accurate measurements, as well as to reduce the cost of calibrating previous equipment. What does this mean for Le Grand K? Since scientists are still unsure as to exactly why Le Grand K is shrinking, they plan on continuing to measure them to see how they fare against the very long test of time.

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Swapping Social Media for Sport Rachael Griffiths

f there is one thing that saddens me most about the modern world, it is the bitter irony of mobile phones, the very devices created to improve communication are driving us further apart from each other. I spend a lot of time in Ground Cafe and when I wait for my coffee, I cannot help but notice everyone around me looking down at their phones: fellow students, and even staff. They are not sending e-mails or text messages, but aimlessly scrolling through social media, consuming harmful, often inaccurate material. Now, call me a dinosaur (my friends often do), but I thought phones were supposed to be used for better communication e.g. phone calls, sending texts, images etc. But in recent years, social media has skyrocketed to such an extent that it is now people’s main source of news, entertainment

Sports Editor, Rachael, encourages you to ditch your phone in favour of heading outside...

and socialising. Media outlets have become a means of communication and a harmful addiction. The intention of this article is not for me to berate you about how much time you spend on social media (I have been known to send a few snapchat selfies with dog ears myself), but rather to ask yourself: what am I actually going on social media for? You don’t have to radically delete your Facebook or Instagram. But if your phone is the first thing you go on in the morning and the last thing you look at before bed, I softly encourage you to do something else during this vital time. It has been scientifically proven that looking at screens before bed impede us from getting a good night’s sleep. Try reading a book. Make a warm tea. Have a bath. Do some meditation. Have a chat with your flatmate. When you

wake up, take time to stretch. Before you get up, take ten deep breaths. Drink a glass of water to both kickstart your metabolism and feel refreshed. Open the window and look outside. Make a coffee. Write a list of things to do that day. Take a bit of time for YOU before the day starts. Perhaps have a bedroom rule: try not to bring your phone into your bedroom, leave it in another room. The main issue with mobile phones is that they have extended to every other aspect of our lives; we use it for e-mail, photography, maps, contacts. Everything. In this sense it is healthy to take some time away from such an addic-

tive and time-consuming device. Walk outside with a friend, Spring is nearly here! The next time you wait in line and take out your

phone, think: do I need my phone? Try to follow your thoughts as you use social media. Do you feel disheartened by what you see? If so, switch off.

The Fascination with Female Football Fans Claire Percival

recently had a conversation with a colleague who, upon finding out I liked football, responded by asking me to list the players of the team I support. I would have been shocked by this, if it had not been the first time this has happened. Over the past few months, I have been constantly asked (by men) to prove my knowledge and love for the sport by being asked to name players or explain the basic rules of the game. This colleague was evidently impressed, albeit a little confused when I managed to fulfil his request. “You did well, for a girl.” When I started to talk about my love of football I was met with a wide range of reactions. Shock, confusion, amusement, and dismissal. In conversation, there was an inability to comprehend my interest in such a historically male sport. This was certainly the case with my male

Contributor, Claire Percival, shares her experience of being a football fan, and a woman... colleague, who showed all these emotions. I’m not alone in my experiences, far from it. In fact, according to the Football Supporter’s Association, 35.5% of women have been told that they “know a lot

sequently, when a woman tells someone she enjoys football, she’s met with confusion. But luckily this attitude does not stop women attending matches. Since the creation of the Premier League in the 1990s, female

“In conversation, there was an inability to comprehend my passionate interest in such a historically male sport.” for a girl,” and 21% that they are “only there because you fancy the players.” There seems to be a preconceived idea that women innately either don’t understand the game or simply don’t enjoy it. It is often assumed that women haven’t been brought up in the ‘football culture’, or that young girls aren’t given the same exposure to it as young boys (though this is often not the case). Con-

attendee numbers have consistently continued to rise, and in the 2014/15 season, 25% of all Premier League match attendees were women (FSF). When asked why they would not go to a game, many women said it would be because of high ticket prices and travel costs rather than sexism or a largely male environment. These women are not letting others’ opinions put them off enjoying football.

They may feel unwanted at a football ground, but in order to keep enjoying themselves, they have had to get used to it. As one Aston Villa fan wrote: “I have grown up with sexist remarks, not just at a game, but at school and at home. I wasn’t even allowed to play football at my first and middle schools – so I just got used to it.” But as someone who hasn’t grown up going to matches, the first game I went to was intimidating. It was an Arsenal v Tottenham match last year, and my immediate impression consisted of two things... 1) How few women I saw also watching the match 2) The aggressive behaviour of the male fans that was all around me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the match, but I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous and unwelcome throughout. While many women have got used to this behaviour, for a new fan, this was difficult.

While women are learning not to listen to and brush off the sexist remarks, nothing is happening to change others’ opinions of women enjoying football. Despite the massive encouragement of seeing so many women attending matches, it does not seem to have contributed to lessening the sexist attitudes. The constant brushing off means that these reactions are becoming more and more normal, meaning that ultimately, nothing looks like it is going to change unless we find a way to effectively challenge this behaviour. Two key ways of doing this could be education and big clubs acting as role models. A Nottingham Forest fan put this really well: “It’s really about education. Education and a clear message from the clubs will eventually change attitudes”. * All statistics and quotes have been taken from the FSF’s article and survey on match sexism.

SPORT

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

A New Kilogram Alex Richardson

Science and Technology Editor, Alex, explores the changes that are to happen to the definition of the kilogram...

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Swapping Social Media for Sport Rachael Griffiths

Sports Editor, Rachael, encourages you to ditch your phone in favour of heading outside...

tive and time-consuming device. Walk outside with a friend, Spring is nearly here! The next time you wait in line and take out your

phone, think: do I need my phone? Try to follow your thoughts as you use social media. Do you feel disheartened by what you see? If so, switch off.

The Fascination with Female Football Fans Claire Percival

SPORT

WHAT TO DO ON A SATURDAY Daniele Accurso

y column ‘What To Do On A Saturday’ aims to provide you with information of where to go to see some football, so planning a day out is one less worry for you. So, sit back and relax – hopefully your monthly footballing fix will be sorted with my help. In the previous issue of The Print I recommended visiting relegation battling, London rivals Fulham FC. This time around, it’s fellow Premier League side West Ham United. You know that massive stadium you see at Stratford? Yeah, West Ham play there. It’s also quite a nice place to watch football. I have previously heard fans moaning that with the running track still in place

Columnist Daniele provides you with information of how to best spend your Saturday when going to see a game at West Ham United’s ground...

at the Olympic Stadium, in between the pitch and fans, you weren’t able to see the action properly. Honestly, it’s a load of rubbish. I sat in the highest tier of the stadium and the view was spectacular and the pitch immaculate. The whole stadium’s very infrastructure is top quality. On the field, The Hammers haven’t been too shabby either. Starting the season poorly saw ex-player Slaven Bilic given the boot from the manager’s position. Starting the new season with Premier League winning manager Manuel Pellegrini at the helm, the East London outfit faced a tough start to their campaign with four straight

losses. However the side have battled hard since then and now sit comfortably in 9th position. Boasting a capacity of 66,000 there are always going to be tickets on general sale- as long as the fixture isn’t against Premier League giants or a London rival you will always be able to attend a match. Thus, having checked myself this morning (21st February 2019), the following games are currently on general sale or will most likely be on general sale meaning anyone can buy them. Upcoming Fixtures Saturday 30th MarchWest Ham vs Everton (Expected General Sale) Saturday 20th April- West

Ham vs Leicester (Expected General Sale) Seats and Pricing As under-21s, you’ll be able to purchase a concession ticket which enables you to have a fairly cheap ticket for the football on display. The tickets are around £18-45 depending on where you sit. Directions The journey is fairly simple from campus. Catch the tube to Stratford which takes less than 5 minutes. From there, walk through Westfield Shopping Centre and you’ll be a brief walk from the stadium. The walk in total is roughly 10 minutes from the stadium. I went and saw West Ham versus the then current

Premier League Champions Leicester City two seasons ago and this year went to see the team play against Wolverhampton Wanderers. With the famous East London atmosphere still in tact, and that famous song “I’m forever blowing bubbles” still sang loud and proud pre-kick-off, you’d be mad to not get yourself down to the Olympic Park. Hope you all enjoy the game if you go!

Sport to Fall in Love with in 2019 Rachael Griffiths

f you’re feeling gloomy about the state of the world and looking for a welcome distraction, I have an idea for you. Whilst Netflix offers outstanding dramas such as Narcos and Stranger Things, there is another equally entertaining and gripping thing to watch: sporting events. As we go to print, we are at the end of the throes of the Six Nations rugby. Whilst England’s recent defeat against France was not exactly spectacular, watching rugby on a Saturday afternoon can still be an ideal way to spend your weekend. Even if rugby is not your

Sports Editor, Rachael, gives you the low-down on Sport to look forward t0 in the next year...

thing, it can still be nice to head to the pub with friends and have it on in the background. England are to play Wales (beer is surely to be thrown), France are to play Scotland (mais ouis), and the Women’s Six Nations takes us to the end of March. Turning to another field, who could forget the spectacular summer of football last year? The balmy heat, barbeques, chanting (and drinking) looks set to return for rugby this September at the Rugby World Cup, which will take place in Japan. This will be the first time the event will be held in Asia. The city of Tokyo is under-

going major construction for the upcoming tournament as well as for the 2020 Olympics next summer. As a former netball player, nothing was more thrilling than watching England beat Australia in the last few seconds of the final of the Commonwealth Games (YouTube it, it’ll give you chills). The Vitality Netball World Cup, to be held in Liverpool this July, is set to be an incredible event, with tickets in high demand. Will England repeat their spectacular success at the Gold Coast last year? For the athletes amongst you, the World Champi-

onships will take place in Doha, Qatar, this September. The showcase event of the year offers the top platform for the sport’s biggest and best athletes to fight for glory, and us, the spectators, the chance to fall in love with an army of different sports. Dina Asher-Smith, Christian Coleman and Katya Johnson-Thompson are three of many aiming for gold in the fiercely hot climate, with temperatures set to reach 35 degree Celsius. There will be plenty of stars to follow as the competition unfolds across ten days. An upcoming sport event

is the London Marathon taking place on 28th April. It is set to be one of the biggest showdowns of the year: Mo Farah vs Eliud Kipchoge. The latter sprinted to victory in a world record time of 2hr 1 min 39 seconds in the Berlin marathon. Farah claimed his first marathon title in Chicago, setting a new European record with a (comparatively slower) time of 2hr 5 min 11 seconds. People watch sport events as a way of getting involved. It’s aesthetically pleasing and is a venue for emotional expression. Crucially, we must remember sport events are for everyone.