Abbey Times Newsletter May 2021 Edition 4 - Public Version

ISSUE 4| MAY 2021

Abbey Times

In this issue: STUDENT

ABBEY TIMES

LIFE Music festival at Abbey Interviews from graduating students Abbey during Easter holdiays SCHOOL MAGAZINE

TIPS AND ENTERTAINMENT How to stargaze in the UK How to meditate Quiz - guess the teacher!

...AND SO MUCH MORE Skincare Psychology tricks for every day A dive into Japanese society Current affairs

W

e!

o m c l e

Welcome to the 4th edition of Abbey Times!

First of all, congratulations everyone on surviving this tough academic year and for all of the hard work you have put into this year of study!

We have reached a major milestone - one year of Abbey Times! We are extremely proud of the perseverance that the team has shown across the globe to keep you all updated and entertained.

Good luck everyone!

Robin (Editor-in Chief)

ISSUE 4. APRIL

We are mindful that exams are upon us and for this edition we have included relevant “how-to” articles, Abbey-related topics and mental health tips to keep you calm and relaxed in the lead up to and during exams. And don’t forget to check out our new quiz based on some strange mash-up photos of our Abbey teachers!

Contents CURRENT AFFAIRS 04

SPACE X Recent Missions

FOCUS ON ABBEY 06

04

Abbey College Cambridge House Music Competition 2021

08

Farewell Year 13

11

Abbey Easter

SPECIAL FEATURE 13

Skincare

15

Psychology Tricks for Everyday Life

HOW TO...

16

Stargaze in the UK

18

Meditate

19

GLOBAL FOCUS 19

Festivals: Ramadan

FOCUS ON CAMBRIDGE 20

Say No to Costa!

MUSIC 22

Kuroi Hitsuji: A Dive into Japanese Society

ENTERTAINMENT 24

Quiz Faces

06

CURRENT AFFAIRS

PAGE 4

ZHAMILA

SPACE X RECENT MISSIONS NASA’S SPACEX CREW-2 ASTRONAUTS HEADED TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

You may have heard about Space X on

Space X made history in 2020 when,

the news board about its achievements,

along with Nasa, it sent two astronauts

which include the first privately funded

to the International Space Station and

liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit,

back again. This was the first time a

and their recent launch of 60 Starlink

private company had done this. And on

satellites. So what is Space X really all

23rd April this year, Space X launched 4

about? It is an American aerospace

astronauts to ISS on a recycled rocket

manufacturer and space transportation

and capsule.

services company. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of

This will be the second flight of the

reducing space transportation costs to

Dragon to the ISS with the aim of

enable the colonisation of Mars.

changing the crew. The astronauts will spend six months at the station and will work on the 65th and 66th long-term missions to the ISS together with Mark Vande Hey, the Russians Peter Dubov and Oleg Novitsky, and four other astronauts brought to the station by another Dragon in November.

PAGE 5

During their stay at the “This launch is the next step towards expanding the presence station, the astronauts of humans in space and Americans aboard the ISS," will be busy with - Kirk Shireman, NASA Program Manager on the ISS. scientific experiments. In particular, they plan to test drugs on so-called tissue chips, which are something like miniature organs. For the first time, two “Dragons” will be docked to the ISS Another Space X project will offer internet access from at once. Another one, virtually anywhere on the planet when it becomes fully Crew Dragon Resilience, operational. It is called Starlink, a satellite internet launched on November constellation that will consist of thousands of mass16th last year, taking produced small satellites. This network development began three NASA astronauts in 2015, with the first prototype satellites launched into orbit and Japanese Soichi in 2018. In January, for its first Starlink mission, SpaceX Noguchi to the station. launched 60 satellites into orbit from the Kennedy Space This new launch is part Center using the Falcon 9 orbital rocket. Starlink aims to sell of NASA's commercial internet access to people in rural areas and other parts of the flight program, under world that don’t already have internet access. According to which the agency has SpaceX, Starlink’s internet system is “exceeding” 100 partnered with several megabits per second download speeds and 20 megabits per US corporations to second upload speeds. Recently, on May 15th at 6:56pm EDT, develop ships and SpaceX launched 52 Starlink satellites. Watch this 'space'!! launch vehicles.

PAGE 6

FOCUS ON ABBEY

JOHN MORGAN, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

ABBEY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE HOUSE MUSIC COMPETITION 2021 Each year at Abbey, we hold the House Music and Creative Arts Competition, when students show off their musical skills and compete for the House music trophy. As we cannot hold concerts this year, we decided to record videos instead. A professional audio engineer, a videographer and a lighting specialist came to the hall, and 13 different acts performed their music. We had an amazing variety of performances – pop songs, poetry, classical music and even a Chinese flute.

Our judges are voting on a ‘Top 3.’ This year we are delighted to have Valerie (Reception) judging again, and new judges Simon (Catering Manager) and Mike (Operations Director). One they have made their decision, we will ask students to watch the ‘Top 3’ in assemblies and vote for the winner. All the other performances will be available on Teams and YouTube for you to enjoy. I think you will agree with me that every video is of an astonishingly high quality and that all the participants are incredibly talented.

PAGE 7

FOCUS ON ABBEY

PAGE 8

JENNIFER

FAREWELL YEAR 13 As we are coming to the middle of May, the journey of this school year is approaching the end. We are delighted to invite some of the leaving students and teachers to take part in an interview to share their experiences at Abbey. We asked them what they will miss the most about Abbey. Here are their lovely responses!

Farbod Farbod has been at Abbey for 3 years. He thinks Abbey has helped him grow a lot. In other words, Abbey is his second home, and Cambridge is his second hometown. So it is no surprise that he will miss the lovely Abbey community as a whole — it makes him feel supported and connected. He said “Abbey is like a family - other students, staff and teachers are all parts of it. They've provided me with a lot of opportunities and supported me whenever I needed it.”

Farbod has a place to study medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland.

Trevor Trevor said he will miss his friends and teachers the most.

He emphasised that “People here are passionate and positive, and many of them have inspired me during the past 2 years. I am very thankful for this joyful studying environment they have created.

Trevor has a place to study Computer Science at the University of Cambridge.

PAGE 9

Jerry Jerry

said

he

will

miss

the

environment

of

the

accommodation. Especially in this pandemic year, there were three lockdown periods that forced students to stay inside. During these periods, Jerry “always looked outside of the window to relax” and took part in the boarding activities. He said “I will miss the activities of the common room and all the friends I met in Abbey. We did some indoor sports and spent the best times together, such as playing table tennis, sharing Christmas lunch and talking about our future. I will also miss all the teachers who really cared about us and I feel grateful for everything they did.”

Jerry is going on to study Business Management.

Larissa Larissa said she will miss the “Abbey Inspires” the most, which provided her with a lot of help for her academic achievement.

Especially during the exam period, there were usually many revision sessions provided. Also, she thinks the teachers in Abbey are very patient and approachable as “they are always willing to help us solve problems.”

Larissa has a place to study Accounting and Finance at the University of Manchester.

Igor Igor said “I will miss our lessons with good teachers who always try to interact with us and encourage us to learn new topics.”

Igor has a place to study Business and Marketing at London City University.

PAGE 1O

Banga Banga said “It is hard to decide what is the one ‘little’ thing that I’m going to miss the most. If I had to choose, it would be my teachers.”

She expressed that as a person who has struggled a lot to handle the pressure of studying A-levels, she doesn’t not know where she would be if she had not had support from them. “Not everyone would spend their free time helping a student to figure out what she wants to do in the future, like they do here. Personally, I panicked every little step I took, so just knowing that your teacher always supports and believes in you makes you a little bit more confident.

That's enough to push you forward to the long-awaited finish line.”

That is why she believes she will miss the teachers the most.

Banga is going on to study neuroscience at university.

Ian Ian said he will miss the people he has met in Abbey the most: “The friends I have made, as well as my teachers and house parents who have always looked after me and helped me. I will also sorely miss playing Dungeons and Dragons, and attending Running Club.”

Ian has a place to study Computing at Imperial College, London

Ali Talbot Ali has been the Head of Sixth Form EAL for the last 1.5 years. Ali said she will miss working in such an international environment. After living overseas for 19 years, Ali misses living among different cultures.

So working with Abbey international students has given her a sense of coming ‘home.’ In addition, Ali said she will also miss the lovely students at Abbey. She has worked as a teacher for 23 years and she said the students she has met at Abbey were the best students! Ali particularly pointed out her tutor group who she describes as “the best of the best.”

Ali is going to be Assistant Principal at Hills Road Sixth Form College.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THESE LOVELY AND MOVING RESPONSES. WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!

FOCUS ON ABBEY

PAGE 11

FRANCISCO

ABBEY EASTER Many events occurred during the Easter Holidays with a range of clubs and activities organised by both students and House Parents, including a retro game club, quiz night, murder mystery, smoothies and fitness activities, such as football matches, dance sessions and circuits. Decorations were put up and there was a treasure hunt around the Abbey building, which was a lot of fun.

There was also an event with the running club to mark Jed’s farewell.

However, the purpose of Easter is not just about Easter eggs and bunnies; it contains a much deeper meaning: it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after the crucifixion. This may seem strange that there is more than one celebration for Easter. This is due to the fact that the Julian calendar is used instead of the Gregorian. However, the date used for Easter was determined in Nicaea in 325 A.D as the Sunday following the paschal moon or the full moon after the spring equinox, which was then given more importance with his resurrection. Important services begin from Good Friday with bells ringing and crackers going off in some countries to mark the resurrection.

Key preparations begin long before Easter with 40 days of strict fasting prior to Easter day (‘Lent’). This is because death

Christians

as

a

classify

sacrifice.

his

Different

orthodox religions celebrate this with roasted lamb, smoked meats, eggs, wine and Pashka cake or Tsoureki bread in Eastern Europe.

Another tradition involves baskets filled

with

sometimes

eggs painted

which

are

red

to

symbolise the blood of new life.

SPECIAL FEATURE

PAGE 13

MARIA

SKIN CARE Skin is one of the largest organs in our body. The skin contains three main layers: the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous layer. The first layer - epidermis - is an elastic layer on the outside that is continually being regenerated and mostly affected by the external stimuli layer of skin.

So how should we take care of our skin?

Firstly, you need to identify what type of skin you have, as each type of care is specific to each skin type. Oily skin, dry skin, combination, and sensitive skin are some of the most common skin types, but for all types of skin, it is essential to have a morning and night-time skin care routine.

PAGE 14

PAGE 15

SPECIAL FEATURE

RAKHAT

PSYCHOLOGY TRICKS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE Psychology is an important aspect of a person’s life. This is because our life is full of stresses and experiences that affect our nervous system. Have you ever wondered how psychology can make your life easier? If not, below are clever little psychological tricks that can be used in everyday life and help with your communication.

1. If you are feeling stressed and

3. To make a good

anxious, grab a piece of paper

impression on someone, try

or make a journal and write

to remember their name

down everything that is on

immediately after meeting

your mind. This can be of

them, and use it in your

great help to relieve stress,

conversations. This way, you

reflect on your actions later

will appear to be more

and can help you to

polite and charming.

understand what caused the

4. If someone raises their

situation that made you feel

voice at you, try to remain

anxious or panicky.

calm as this will make the

2. If you would really like to get a positive answer from someone, imperceptibly* nod while addressing the question. This can make the person you are asking more likely to say yes or agree to your statement. (*To do something in such a small way that it cannot really be seen.)

person you are talking to feel guilty. And usually, that person will be the first to ask for forgiveness.

5. If you want someone to do you a favour, try asking them when they are tired, as they would not have the strength to question your request and say no!

HOW TO..

PAGE 16

ZHAMILA

A GUIDE TO STARGAZING IN THE UK Where can you observe celestial objects? What can be seen with the naked eye? What about through binoculars and a telescope? And can you experience the beauty of our natural world through looking at the night sky? All of these questions and more will be answered in this article!

Even the brightest stars cannot always be seen in the skies over big cities, especially in the middle of them. Gas pollution and light pollution are the biggest culprits - bright electric light from many lanterns, neon signs, searchlights. That is why most of the astronomical observatories are located outside the city limits. Those who live far from the center or in small towns are a little more fortunate. We are lucky as well, as Cambridge Observatory is located on the campus of Cambridge University and it boasts a number of large aperture telescopes.

Here are some stargazing tips to get you started!

1. Stargazing is best done before the moon is full, so check the phase of the moon before you start.

2. There a several items that you might like to take: binoculars/tele

3. Technology helps us adapt to challenging times and there are

scope,

some apps that you should download before stargazing. One of the

compass and

apps is Star Walk 2, which allows you to see the exact location of

phone with

celestial bodies in real time. Just point your smartphone or tablet

apps (to help

with a digital compass to the sky. But also print out a star map as

navigate the

using a printout could give you more experience and a rest from

night sky)

technology! For instance, you can just Google “UK star map.”

PAGE 17

4. First, you should define north and south, and the period of time you will be stargazing. In the UK, looking north between April - June, you can look for Cassiopeia (W-shaped) and Vega, a star in the constellation Lyra (the Harp). It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. You can also look for the constellation of Draco the Dragon, which is located around the Ursa Minor (mostly known as Little Bear). The head of the Dragon is marked by four stars and this pattern is known as The Lozenge.

5. Looking south, you should

look

for

a

group of stars in the shape of a reverse question mark. This is the lion’s head of the constellation Leo. You

can

also

Arcturus,

see the

brightest star in the northern half of the

DRACO THE DRAGON

sky. To do so, you can first

look

for

The

Plough (or The Big Dipper) the

and,

curve

of

using the

handle, you should imagine a curved line drawn from the end of the dipper down to

the

Arcturus,

which is the part of the

constellation

Bootes.

It might seem difficult at first, but just remember to follow basic tips, such as avoiding street lights and overall trying to be away from the light sources, and get to know the stars you are gazing at. The next thing you should do is just look up and notice bright objects in the sky, notice patterns among the stars and just enjoy!

PAGE 18

HOW TO..

ROBIN

ABBEY MIND: MEDITATION 101

In today’s hectic world, many students are struggling with the demands of school and personal life. Often, they end up feeling overwhelmed. External factors, such as social media, peer pressure, and family problems, only make things worse. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, meditation helps reduce depression and anxiety.

Moreover, scientific studies show that 90% of happiness does NOT depend on external circumstances, but on the way our brain processes whatever is going on in our life at any moment. In the long run, meditation improves mental focus and brain function. This makes it particularly beneficial for young people.

Meditation is simpler (and harder) than most people think. Read these steps, make sure you’re somewhere where you can relax into this process, set a timer, and give it a shot!!

PAGE 19

GLOBAL FOCUS

RAKHAT

RAMADAN What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from dawn to sunset. It is considered the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture. Muslims all around the worlds observe the month of Ramadan to mark that Allah gave the first chapters of the Quran (Holy Book for muslims) to Prophet Muhammad in 610. During Ramadan, as well as fasting, Muslims try to become better by getting rid of bad habits, donating to the poor and praying to become closer to Allah.

Ramadan changes slightly every year as the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar which is based on the cycles of the moon. The names of the months in the Islamic calendar are: Muharram; Safar; Rabi' al-awwal; Rabi' al-thani; Jumada al-awwal; Jumada al-thani; Rajab; Sha'aban; Ramadan; Shawwal; Dhu al-Qi'dah; Dhu al-Hijjah. Four of these are sacred months which are Dhu al-Qi’dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. Fighting is forbidden during these months except in response to aggression. After breaking your fast, the meal after the sunset is called Iftar and the meal before sunrise is called Suhoor or Sehri.

Below are a few examples of good deeds you can do this Ramadan: 1. Go one day without complaining 2. Recite the Quran 3. Donate to a charity of your choice 4. Feed a fasting person (when they break fast!)

5. Spend your day solely in remembrance of Allah 6. Forgive others and, most importantly, yourself 7. Compliment others with sincerity!

8. Invite a friend over for a prayer 9. Help your friends or family with chores around the house 10. Recite dhikr (holy prayers / phrases)

PAGE 20

FOCUS ON CAMRBIDGE

BANGA

SAY NO TO COSTA - TRY SOMETHING NEW! Studying, studying, studying… That is what everyone is up to as we proceed to the end of the year and exam period. As great as reading textbooks is, overheating the brain could be quite fatal! And that is where I come in and tell you about places which are worth running away from school to with all your books and notes. I bet everyone knows that Cambridge is famous for its restaurants with deep history like The Anchor and Pink Floyd, but do you know where to find the best coffee and fudge brownies? And trust me, I am not talking about Costa!! As lockdown is easing, cafes and restaurants are opening their doors to us, their loyal customers, once again. So today, as one of those faithful customers and coffee fanatics, I will share two pearls of Cambridge that I just adore.

Bridges Bridges' story goes back 25 years when the current owners Meggy and Chan Yip moved to Cambridge after working in various hotels in Hong Kong and across Asia. Bridges Patisserie opened their doors in 1997 and, as the owners remember, the first drink they sold was a cup of tea (how unexpected…). It was a simple cafe that sold tea and cake, which later evolved and after a while included juicing, salad and a modernised serving of stir-fry dishes. Rebranding and reduction of sugar in sweet treats followed.

Now Bridges is 24 years old! They focus on healthy lifestyle and nutrition. Their menu varies from juice smoothies (which include immune boosting ginger, cucumber and apple, and coldbusting onion, garlic and celery) to a variety of homemade cakes (like seasalt fudge brownie - this one is just fantastic from my own experience, Italian cannoli, gluten-free lemon drizzle cake, and apple and cinnamon vegan slices) They also provide seasonal soups, salads and toasted sandwiches with original fillings such as chickpea curry and mango chutney.

PAGE 21

The cafe is located on the corner of Bridge Street and Portugal Place and it is just magical with panoramic window seats and tables handmade by Chan himself. You should not miss this blue paradise!

Recommendation: Latte with homemade sea salt or hazelnut fudge brownie

Bould Brothers One of Vogue magazine’s hot spots as well Lux Coffee Shop of the Year is located just around the corner at 16 Round Church St. It was opened by the Bould brothers - Max and Alex - in January 2017.

Their main goal is to serve the best coffee to every coffee lover they can find!

Their coffee is quite different from those big brands everyone is familiar with. The coffee cups are smaller than typical high street ones, but, as the brothers say: ‘we pack a serious amount of coffee, top quality milk and skill into our little packages.’

They really concentrate on the preparation of the components, for example they combine heating, spinning and adding air to the milk to make the foam.

Recently, they opened a new store at 88 Regent St., near Cambridge Central Railway Station. The interior of the cafe is charming and the cafe spreads its characterful vibes among both its usual customers and newcomers. The only minus is the long coffee queues, especially before students’ dreaded 9am lectures!

Recommendation: Cappuccino with homemade carrot cake

PAGE 22

MUSIC

HENRY

KUROI HITSUJI: A DIVE INTO JAPANESE SOCIETY Studying, studying, studying… That is what everyone is up to as we proceed to the end of the year and exam period. As great as reading textbooks is, overheating the brain could be quite fatal! And that is where I come in and tell you about places which are worth running away from school to with all your books and notes. I bet everyone knows that Cambridge is famous for its restaurants with deep history like The Anchor and Pink Floyd, but do you know where to find the best coffee and fudge brownies? And trust me, I am not talking about Costa!! As lockdown is easing, cafes and restaurants are opening their doors to us, their loyal customers, once again. So today, as one of those faithful customers and coffee fanatics, I will share two pearls of Cambridge that I just adore.

The music video and song itself helps convey the hardships of society, interacting with various examples of black sheep within Japanese society, showing the viewer, who may not even have any background knowledge of Japanese society, what the social issues are. It helps inform the viewer on some of these issues without explicitly addressing them, instead just highlighting them, which I feel it does a great job of, which helps the black sheep communicate their feelings and emotions to the rest of society. .

PAGE 23

A major part of the music video is also concerned with finding one’s individuality. For the youth, this is extremely important, as identity and knowing who you are as an individual is something they struggle with for most of their adolescent life, and possibly even into their early adult life. Within the music video, the protagonist can be seen interacting with various sorts of people from all walks of life who have internal struggles with themselves over who they are as a person and their life. As it progresses, the various characters can be seen coming to accept themselves, apparent with the choreography, with the protagonist coming to accept who they are at the end of the music video. It sends a strong message of how no matter how long it takes, you must come to terms with who you are as a person and find your own individuality within the vast world we live in.

You can watch the music video by searching “Keyakizaka46 Kuroi Hitsuji” on YouTube. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the different ways that art can be used effectively to express social issues, the emotions of the adolescence of this current generation, art from Asia, and anyone who loves good music videos. It is certainly not for everyone, but I feel that it’s worthwhile to step outside what you’re used to in order to explore different aspects of the world.

PAGE 24

ENTERTAINMENT

FRANCISCO & BANGA

QUIZ: GUESS THE TEACHER! So for the last Abbey Times quiz this year, we’ve merged some teacher faces! Can you guess which teachers are behind the weird photos? Win 1 Achievement Point for every correct answer Ali Talbot receives by half term! The first person who tells Ali the correct answer wins 2 Achievement Points!

ABBEY TIMES

OUR TEAM

SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Editor-in-Chief: Robin

Journalist team: Henry Francisco Rakhat Banga Zhamila Maria Jennifer

Design Team: Zhamila Anastasiia

Special thanks to: Ali Talbot John Morgan Victoria Robeson

Look out for the next issue of Abbey Times next academic year.....