Aquinas Magazine Winter 2010

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:26 PM Page 1

Issue 24 Winter 2010

COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Interviews with fashion models, new tutors and a good samaritan

Is Rugby harder than Dance?

Our Aquinas teams try their hand...or feet

How to do Christmas on the cheap BALLET RAMBERT

Our idiots’ guide to part time jobs and applying to Uni WELCOME TO THE NEW BUILDING

TOYS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:26 PM Page 2

CREDITS

Editors for ward Welcome to the 24th edition of the Aquinas college magazine... as we are in the midst of another bitterly cold winter, we thought a respite was in order. No, the hot chocolates aren’t on us.

Instead, find yourself a cosy place and delight yourself with an article or few. Without any running theme in the magazine, we thought a broader range of articles was more appropriate given the fact we had so many areas to cover; the new college, getting a part time job, recession busting ideas, university applications, Christmas, and the list goes on dear reader!

So don’t throw us onto the pile of disregarded and battered editions of heat magazine, the beano or whatever teenagers read these days. Take a few minutes out of your day to read the magazine, we guarantee there’s something for everybody’s tastes...

The final few days before Christmas can be stressful for the less prepared among us, especially when we are in the constant shadow of our looming exams. Have some time for yourself, go for that extra mince pie you know your ever growing waist line could do without, but most of all have a great Christmas.

Darcie Walsh Jess Hayes Vinny McDonald

Articles Rebecca Parker Aislinn Walsh Roisin Reidy Emma Hayes Connie Wakefield Luke Matthews Emily Collins Thomas Sokolyk Olivia Greenhall Rebecca Armstrong Thomas Barratt Amy Bowden Antonia Whitehead Elizabeth Gould Darcie Walsh Jess Hayes Vinny McDonald Tim Moss Polly Crimmins-Impey Shadia Mokdad Jodhi Taylor Lucy Henderson Ryan Clayton Phil Coffey Clare Livesey Emma Summerfield Photography and Cover Kane Longden Katie Lionheart Production Mrs DeVere Editorial Team Vinny McDonald Darcie Walsh Jess Hayes Staff Simon Cheadle Bill Sterling Angela Gill Special thanks to • Frankie and Benny’s • The Rambert Dance Company • Aquinas Football and Rugby team

2

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:26 PM Page 3

Contents page 2. page 3. page 4. page 5. page 6. page 7. page 8. page 9. page 10. page 11. page 12. page 13. page 14. page 16. page 17. page 18. page 19. page 20. page 21. page 22. page 23. page 24.

Editors Foreword and credits Contents and Christmas crackers Welcome to Aquinas r wallet Christmas is coming.

Toys of Christmas past and Watch you Dark side to Modeling I phone Vs Blackberry or 15 minutes with a law admissions tut istmas 10 things you didn't know about Chr by?

Is dance harder than football or rug s Getting a part time job for dummie we be in 2020 Grumpy Christmas and Where will Interview with teachers y came to Aquinas When The Rambert Dance Compan 2 minutes with Simon Cheadle Not your average workout Fifa vs. PES your thinking Journalism?

Talking to a Good Samaritan and So I’d rather go naked ?

X factor winners, where are they now g fears January transfer window and Drivin Benny's voucher Student discounts and Frankie and Goodbye old building!

CHRISTMAS CRACKERS Why was Santa’s little helper feeling depressed?

He had low elf-esteem.

Which of Santa’s reindeer has bad manners?

Rude-olph!

What do snowmen eat for breakfast?

Snowflakes!

What do you call a penguin in the Sahara desert?

Lost.

What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?

Crisp Cringle!

What do you call a short sighted dinosaur?

A do-you-think-he-saw-us!

What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?

A Christmas Quacker!

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

Frostbite!

What is the best Christmas present in the world?

A broken drum, you just can’t beat it!

What do you get if you cross a bell with a skunk?

Jingle Smells!

Did you know that Santa’s not allowed to go down chimneys this year?

It was declared unsafe by the Elf and Safety Commission.

Where do snowmen go to dance?

Snowballs!

Why is Christmas just like a day at the office?

You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit.

What do you call an old snowman?

Water!

What do you have in December that’s not in any other month?

The letter D! One elf said to another elf, “We had Grandma for Christmas dinner”.

And the other elf said, “Really? We had turkey!”

Jessica Hayes.

3

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:26 PM Page 4

The new home of Aquinas College; sailing majestically along Nangreave Road with the wind in its contemporary curving walls. The vastness of the building alone creates an eclipse-like effect for pedestrians, who blink their eyes back into focus as they pass by. The automatic doors hum lazily to and fro to let the students in and out, mobile phones held above their heads in desperate search of a signal.

Making your way into the tranquil foyer and striding along the wide main ‘street’, you could feel an unprecedented sensation of well-being spread through you. Looking around for the source of this, your eyes alight on a wall to your right, where large letters are assuring you that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well, which is a comforting sentiment if a little repetitively expressed.

You may well take a deep breath here, and look around in wonder. Here is a place for thoughts to be thought and thinkers to think, and who’d have thought that it would ever really be here to contain all that energetic thinking when it was just a set of ambitious blue prints?

The calm is disturbed by the deluge of students which hurtles towards you as you approach the canteen. A wall of glass windows illustrates the greenhouse effect with great efficiency, and coats are discarded on all sides as you shuffle around the coffee-shop sofas, which are always already taken when you arrive. You catch snippets of conversation as you squeeze through; someone is complaining that certain classrooms are chilly while others are sub-tropical, another is looking enlightened as they have the reason for the letters before the room numbers explained to them. The room is a writhing ocean of adolescents, and it is difficult to locate the ones you know. A flare gun is out of the question, a bird call would be confusing if it were even discerned above the noise. There is no option other than to continue wriggling and squirming through, murmuring sorrys through teeth clenched in concentration. A friendly face appears. You grab hold and they tell you that the soup of the day is carrot and coriander. Exaltations commence.

You are currently suffering from an existence problem.

According to the thumb-scanner, your thumbprint has not

been recognised. Is it just a glitch, or is the automated system trying to tell you something? Do you not count as an individual? Are you just a series of ones and zeroes, not even recognisable by the exact measurements of your thumb? Your self-esteem begins to plummet and you give it another go before you tumble into a pit of despair at the thought of your own insignificance. This time your name appears on the screen with a bleep and you are relieved to see that you are, in fact, who you say you are.

The corridors may narrow at one end in a faintly Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory-esque way, and the small coloured stools resembling dumpy mushrooms may litter the corridors, but there is nothing childish or playful about the scale and cost of this enormous building; the expense is evident from every sleek design feature and finish.

Taking a quick glance over one of the barriers which prevent students from falling through large holes in the floor, it is possible to be hit with the urge to drop things onto passers-by – soft fruit, damp cloths, objects which would generally make a satisfying squelching sound on impact. In the case of this happening, you must take a deep breath and count to three while you wait for the feeling to pass, because that kind of behaviour just isn’t appropriate and could well do someone a damage, not to mention the horror that is endless white walls plus high-spatter substances.

You continue into the library – or the Learning Centre as it is enigmatically named –stroll past the books and lounging students and then down to the ground floor, past the uncomfortable but very attractive stools and then back out into the main street. You could stop again here and once again feel reassured that all manner of things are still well, before you carry on your merry way, past the canteen and its effervescent masses and onwards. Reaching the doors which are so heavy that art students will soon be recognisable by their arms like Madonna’s, you wrestle with them until you arrive on the other side – breathless, exhausted and wondering who on earth requested doors made of dark matter – and then you leave via normal doors, and back out onto the shady street. You check your phone.

Eight missed calls and eleven unread messages.

Rebecca Parker

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:26 PM Page 5

TOYS OF CHRISTMAS PAST Long gone are the days when you could wake up on Christmas morning to a unwrap that pile of much awaited toys and be enthralled all morning. You wrote your Santa list early October, making sure you had trawled all the toy pages of the Argos catalogue and nothing could compare to the feeling of opening your present to find that Barbie car you really really wanted.

Nowadays our much loved action men and furbies are relegated to the bin bag in the attic only to be brought down every once in a while to a resounding ‘Do you remember this?’. So please spare a moments thought this Christmas for the toys of your childhood and their new lives in a box marked ‘stuff’.

TOYS OF THE YEAR 1996 - Barbie/Action man Dear Barbie thank you for allowing us to cut your hair with our child safe scissors. Never being able to find your tiny shoes was your only flaw. As for action man, he spent most of his time at the bottom of the stairs after being thrown from the top with his trusty orange parachute.

1997 - Tamagotchi You would wake up in the middle of the night to feed your demanding Tamagotchi, only to wake up in the morning to find it was dead.

1998 - Furbie Trying to understand the language of your Furbie was only half the battle. Getting it to stop talking was another issue entirely.

1999 - Alien eggs If you didn’t own one of these sticky nightmares, yourobably at least heard the rumours that they would come alive or multiply on the millennium.

2000 - Teksta electronic pets This was bought for me by my desperate parents as a substitute for the much begged for puppy. At least it didn’t matter if you forgot to feed this one.

2001 - Candy floss maker You would only use it once or twice until your mum realised the special sugar caused strange additive fuelled behaviour . It was then sentenced to a lifetime of gathering dust in the cupboard with last years popcorn maker.

2002 - Beyblades These glorified spinning tops were probably banned from most schools along with the much loved Pokemon card, with the exception that your Pikachu shiny probably couldn’t take your eye out.

2003 - Bop It extreme At this point you were probably heading towards the age of ten and no other toy was more frustrating than the bop it extreme. If you weren’t pulling, twisting or bopping it you were most likely throwing it against a wall.

Aislinn Walsh

watch your wallet christmas is coming Christmas is thirteen weeks away, then six, then one…The pressure is rising as soon as the January sales hit , the pressure to spend, spend, spend!

Don’t let there be a fear of debts and expense, organise yourself!

It’s not exactly a secret that the holiday season is one of the most expensive periods of the year. A tree, decorations, lights and more than your family’s weight in food and drink. Just these expenses will already run up a considerable bill and that’s not even including the biggest cost of them all, Christmas presents.

There are many ways to keep the cost of your Christmas shopping down. The best trick of them all is to start buying your gifts earlier in the year. Don’t wait for the Christmas crush to start, when prices go up along with your stress levels. Plus, you’re bound to buy more original gifts when you actually have

time to think about the person you’re buying it.

Rather then resorting to the usual culprits whilst you make your way through that seemingly never ending list. Face it, when your buying twenty gifts in one day, someone’s going to end up with socks.

Or you could go all sensible and create a Christmas savings account. Think to yourself how much you want to spend and by using that, you won’t be tempted to spend it on anything else! Or if opening an account is too much effort, the old fashioned jar works just as well. If not a little easier to give in and smash.

So by planning what you’re going to buy, you don’t end up wasting your money on things you don’t really need. Get writing your lists because disorganization can cost you cash!

Roisin Reidy 5

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:26 PM Page 6

A Dark side to Modelling India Gort was a model for premier modelling agency until recently she decided that the modelling life was no longer for her and the money wasn’t worth the pain and anguish. This interview allows you to see what modelling is really like behind the glamorous photos How old were you when you first got scouted? And where was it?

I was twelve years old when I first got scouted and it was in the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester. A man approached me and said ‘Are you interested in doing any modelling, because to me it looks like you caould have really great potential.’ At first I said no because I was a bit of a Tom boy (laughs) but after some thinking, the next day I went onto the modelling website and changed my mind.

So how did you get involved?

I went down to the agency in London with my mum, and met the team and some clients who were interested in me. After that, I went down once a month and went to castings, meetings and photo-shoots to build up a portfolio. I was still very young, so I wasn’t legally allowed to do any big work, but I booked a couple of test shoots which were sent out to clients, for future references.

When did it really take off?

The agency were always telling me that I had the potential to be the next Naomi Campbell, and I guess that all the attention and flattering comments made me want to go ahead with what they offered. When I started booking bigger jobs, such as Calvin Klein and offered a Burberry campaign, I just immediately thought MONEY! After some thinking and experience of life in New York, I realized that this wasn’t for me.

This article is named ‘The dark side of modelling’ – when did it first start to change for you?

They were always really supportive at Premier Models, down in London, and the first time I went over to New York it was great, but I was with my Mum so I guess I had some kind of support. When I went over in late August however, it was a completely different matter. The first day I was in the agency, they asked me to immediately lose weight. To begin with I only weighed 7 and a half stone, which is significantly under weight

for my 5ft 11 frame. They said I had 34inch hips, and a 22inch waist and I should lose at least a couple of inches off both.

Life in New York is every persons dream, but was it all it’s cracked up to be?

No, not at all! Don’t be fooled by the big lights and city dreams. People make it out to be some kind of wonderful haven, but it’s completely the opposite. Yes, it’s a lovely city, but I went there with the expectations of having people around me to communicate with and make sure I’m okay. In reality though, I was completely alone and left to find destinations even as far as Long Island.

What was the work load like? Surely you had some time to shop and enjoy the city?

I had no time at all to explore the sights. The work load was ridiculous, and unbearable. They expected all the girls to do exactly what they said, at the click of their fingers, almost like robots.

Typically, during fashion weeks, models can expect to start work at 5AM, and not finish until the following morning, around the time of 1AM/2AM which left us with 2-3 hours sleep per night!

All this work and running around must have left you hungry – what food was available or recommended for you to eat?

I found myself in an apartment of stick thin girls obsessing over their weight and image. Some girls who looked skeletal were advised to eat a diet of fruit, vegetables and nuts! However, not to have too many nuts, because of course, nuts contain FAT! One girl in particular, ate a small cookie and obsessed and cried all day about it, and refused to eat any lunch or evening meal due to the fact that her calories had already been used up by ONE small cookie. To be honest, I was the only girl who ate sensibly. The reason I ate what I wanted to eat was because the first time I was over there, I came back and the pressure was so immense, after every meal or snack, I would thoroughly examine my body, to make sure I’d not gained any weight.

Now, I can see that it was ludicrous!

We see in the press, the media advertising diets and healthy eating- what is the perfect size for a model now?

The smaller the better! A typical size for a high end fashion model, for things such as couture, are generally a size English four, and American zero, which is around 7.5 stone for a woman of 5ft 11. These days, a plus size model is classed as a UK 10 and American 6,

6

which is still very slim in society’s eyes. This is an unbelievable fact for me to face, as some of my closest friends are a size 10 and still seen as very slim to the people around us – however the model world sees differently.

What ultimately made you come home? And how did everyone react?

All hell broke loose! I decided to come home because I couldn’t take the pressure anymore. I felt like I had no privacy or time to myself, and one day looking in the mirror, I noticed how unattractive skin and bones is.

The fact that the agency was trying to make me lose weight, despite doctor’s warnings, made me flip! Before I announced I was leaving, I was on the phone to my friend Emma Hayes, who is actually interviewing me now (laughs), almost crying due to nerves.

However, I knew I had to leave for my own health and happiness.

The agencies were crying on the phone, and to my face, begging me to stay, almost bribing me with hotels and luxurious cars to be chauffeured around in – this made me want to leave even more. I could not be bought.

How’s life now that you’re back home?

Great! I’ve made a lot of new friends, who are really supportive of my decision and mean the world to me. I’ve had a few sly comments from people I know, about how I shouldn’t have thrown it all away. At the end of the day, it could have resulted in life or death if my weight had plummeted, and no amount of money is worth that. On top of my new friends, I have also met my current boyfriend, who I never would have been with if I had have stayed in America.

Would you ever regret the decision you made and go back into modelling?

I’ve had many offers since my return, but I can honestly say, even though it’s made out to be an amazing opportunity, I am a down to earth person, with a passion for living life to the full. Money doesn’t appeal to me at all.

My mum lives in the Penthouse of the Hilton Hotel in Manchester, and my dad lives in a small house in Marple. I much prefer Marple, and I think my story goes to show that money doesn’t make you happy.

Emma Hayes and Connie Wakefield.

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 7

The Big Debate: iPhone vs Blackberry With Christmas fast approaching it’s time to decide what exactly you want from the big man in red. Aside from the newest clothes or some cash, the big gift is a new phone, and from what I can see there are two main contenders: an iPhone or a Blackberry. So which is better? Both have their individual ‘perks’ but I’m still undecided as to which one truly deserves the title of the ‘best phone’. So let’s have a closer look at what these two titans of mobile technology have to offer us.

In the last few years, Apple has emerged as one of the heavyweights concerning mobile phones, due to the innovative iPhone.

With the latest release of the ‘iPhone 4’, Apple has supposedly set new boundaries and they are light years ahead of their competition. So let’s see what they claim is the ‘next generation’ of mobile technology. The iPhone 4 has everything the previous models had, that is voice control to call someone or play a song, the Safari web browser, a built in iPod and obviously the ability to text and call. This is of course not forgetting the ‘wondrous’ applications you can purchase via the iTunes store directly from your phone.

Now I’ve always been slightly sceptical of these applications- it’s true some are useful, such as an application that acts as GPS, but these applications are usually a lot more expensive (around £20). The majority of applications are either games or ‘amusing’ quirks, such as twenty questions or a selection of animal noises. Which is great if this is your humour or you need long-term entertainment, but I don’t see how this benefits users trying to use it for what it is: a phone. In reference to the latest features, the iPhone 4 can now boast two cameras, one being a five megapixel capable of taking crystal clear photos; this stops you having to cart a digital camera around. On top of this, you can edit videos and photos on the iPhone, ideal for a media student. The final party piece the iPhone 4 has to offer is Facetime. Due to the two camera system, video calling has now become an easier reality, just use the relevant application and you can chat face to face with your nearest and dearest. My only problem is you can only use this if they also have an iPhone 4 or the newest iPod touch. The biggest general gripe with the iPhone

is the touch screen which many users find gimmicky and tricky to handle.

And now, to the Blackberry; Again, it is only recently that these phones have become popular, but not because they’re a new innovation. Blackberries were once a tool of the office, perfect for high powered business man or woman who needed to be connected to their job at all times. But now they’re the tool of teenagers, perfect for hopping on to Facebook. I’ll take the Blackberry Curve series as an example this time. Again, this phone offers a camera, easy access to the internet and music as well as the mandatory ability to text and call.

However Blackberry prides itself on easy organisation of your different messages be it a text message, email or even a Facebook message. The Blackberry also has access to the Android application market, so as with the iPhone you can have any application you desire, although Apple are renowned for having a wider range of “Apps”. Now, for Blackberry specifics: This Blackberry has integrated GPS and maps, to help you avoid getting lost, and of course the unique Blackberry messenger system.

BBM works like a social networking service between Blackberry users, by using individual pins, allowing you to keep in touch all the time. But again, as with Facetime, this is only with Blackberry users. Blackberry also offers touch screen technology, but the majority have QWERTY keyboards which can present a challenge for those with chubby fingers!

Now for me, it seems if you want the more technological option, the iPhone will suit all your needs, Apple bases itself around being innovative and ‘next-gen’. And if you’re more the socialite, a Blackberry would be perfect for you, the easy connection to social networks allows you to keep in contact with everyone all the time. But what do you think? Are you the whiz-kid or the socialite? Maybe democracy is the only true way to settle this. The decision is yours...

Luke Mathews 7

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 8

15 minutes with...

A University Admissions Tutor Wednesday; 2:04pm: I rush into Manchester Metropolitan University drenched and dripping from the rain to interview Admissions Tutor and Lecturer in law Paul Kerrigan on place statistics, top tips for applying and to find out just what UCAS do with your form…

I start by asking about the route a UCAS form takes from being submitted to receiving an offer, ‘When a UCAS form arrives at the office, there are three paths it can take,’ Paul explains, ‘The possible decisions on any application are: to make an unconditional offer, though this is only for mature applicants and people who have already completed their A-Levels or equivalent qualifications; to make a conditional offer (based upon grades) or to decline the application’. He pauses, and then adds, ‘Any rejections are doublechecked by both admissions tutors.’

It is clear that the admissions team at MMU are rigorous in processing the applications to ensure that they make the right decision. So, what about place allocation? ‘The law department at MMU receives about 2000 applications for a course with 240 places, and about 800-900 conditional offers will be made across the 2000 applications.’ This is a short summary of the statistics I asked for, but I’m confused, 900 offers for 240 places?

Paul explains. ‘ I know 900 sounds high, but as people rank their preference of university places and offers, we actually don’t end up with anywhere near this number and so only about 20% of those will actually come to us to study.

The remainder will have either chosen another university as first preference or may instead have failed to meet the conditions of our offer’.

Many students make journeys across the length and breadth of the country to visit universities, but why come to a visit day? – ‘A visit day is the ideal opportunity to come along and get a feel for the University and the facilities it has to offer. More importantly though, it is an opportunity to meet the staff who will be teaching on the programme and find 8

out much more about how the course will be delivered.’

The fight for places is getting harder; it really is a case of dog eats dog. So how do you ensure that you are one of the nine hundred? My next question; ‘Is there anything you can do to make your application stand out from the crowd?’

‘Well, the personal statement is the perfect opportunity for applicants to get noticed. Firstly, it gives us an example of their communication skills and written English. More importantly though, it tells us something about the person, their likes, their interests and what motivates them. It helps us to get a more rounded picture of the individuals as ‘people’, rather than just ‘applicants’.

‘Law is an extremely popular A-level choice at Aquinas, and a popular degree course to apply for, any suggestions for students interested in Law?’ ‘Well, we definitely like to see extra- curricular activities and work experience, as it shows that the student is aware of what they want to do and already committed even before they start the course’.

According to Paul, a law degree can open many doors.

He rattles off a whole list of careers that their law graduates have found success in. ‘Civil service; Local Government; Banking and Finance; Human Resources; Retail and General Management; Commerce; Health Services; and Education’. Phew.

Well there you are.

Despite the fact that Paul is the admissions tutor for Law, his tips are relevant to every university application. Take care over your personal statement, do plenty of work experience in the field in which you are interested, and participate in lots of extracurricular activities. Time to take advantage of the College enrichment programme!

Elizabeth Gould If you are interested in studying law at MMU email Paul at: p.kerrigan@mmu .ac.uk or visit law.mmu.ac.uk for details of open days.

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 9

10 things you didn’t know about Christmas…

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The Bible doesn’t actually mention a specific date for Jesus’ birth, however, it was decided to be celebrated on the 25th December by Pope Julius I some time during the 4th century. Most historians believe that Jesus was born during the spring, hence the Bible’s description of shepherds herding sheep.

During the Second World War on Christmas Day, German soldiers emerged from their trenches and began to approach the British troops singing ‘Merry Christmas’. Thankfully it wasn’t a trick as many British soldiers came out to greet them, shaking hands and some even exchanging cigarettes as gifts.

The definition of a White Christmas is for a single snowflake to be observed falling onto the roof of the London Weather Centre in the 24 hours of the 25th December and England has only known 7 during the whole of the 20th century.

Even before the arrival of Christianity the Germans decorated evergreen trees to brighten the dark days of the winter solstice. The tradition was brought to England when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840.

Our Festive Red Robins came from Victorian England as postmen were commonly referred to as ‘robins’ due to the red uniform they wore. Victorian Christmas cards often showed pictures of robins delivering Christmas mail.

26th December was traditionally known as St. Steven’s Day. It became known as ‘Boxing Day’ because money used to be collected in alms-boxes placed in churches during the festive season. The money was then given to the poor after Christmas.

The traditional colours in Santa Claus’ suit, red and white, were the creation of artist Haddon Sundblom who was commissioned by the Coca-Cola Company in 1931 to try and increase profits. Prior to this Santa was commonly depicted wearing green, not red.

English Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas between 1647 and 1660 because he believed such celebrations were immoral for the holiest day of the year.

Anybody caught celebrating in any other way than attending a mass was arrested.

Mince pies got their name as the mincemeat filling used to contain strips of meat mixed in with the dried fruit. It was the Victorians who, thankfully, decided to remove the meat.

Rudolph the red nose reindeer got his claim to fame in 1930 as an advertising gimmick created to lure shoppers into the Montgomery Ward department store.

Frosty the Snowman couldn’t escape the grasps of the advertising industry either and was created in 1890. However he was used to create a different type of holiday cheer – once Prohibition was lifted in America he became the go-to guy for alcohol ad’s for many brands, including Jack Daniels.

Rebecca Armstrong 9

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 10

Is Dance harder than Football or Rugby?

Chances are, if you ask a British man to define the offside rule to you, 90% of them will grab the nearest Heinz bottle or a selection from the fruit bowl and make you even more confused than before. Despite this if you ask them what a Plié or a Fouetté rond de jambe en tournant is, they’re likely to ask you if that’s what’s for tea.

Ballet has been around since the 16th century, when it was performed in the courts of kings. One of the first recorded team games, which was almost a mix of rugby and football, was called ‘Mob Ball’. Should I just stop writing?

A friend of mine told me that universities think that dance is a ‘soft option’, but they highly value P.E and the ‘life skills’ that it encourages. So, this raises a poignant question. Is dance a sport? What makes an A level in dance so different to an A Level in P.E? I decide to ask some of the Rugby and Football teams a few questions to gain a balanced argument on the topic. The answers were somewhat surprising. Tom Sims, captain of the Rugby teams agrees that ballet is definitely a sport and that it’s harder than rugby. Al Sutherland, who coaches the rugby team, agrees that if ballroom is an Olympic sport, then dance must be a sport in itself. However, some of them gave the more predicted response. Rob Trollope simply answered, not a chance, and decided that the worst injury a ballerina can sustain is a “bruised toe”.

But what makes a sport?

Ben Reid says it’s something that raises your heart rate and makes you sweat… or if you’re Rob Trollope an excuse to “beat” people! Sophie Lowe is a ballerina and she agrees that you need to be competitive, talented and skilled to take part in any sport; ballet included. Jason Hudson has studied both football and ballet. He says that ballet is not a sport, it’s a discipline. Of course, why would universities want to take on people who are disciplined and competitive?

Between our football and rugby players we’ve had broken teeth, broken knees, dead legs and shattered collar bones.

But I’m willing to bet that if they suffered recurring shin splints, or ligament damage to their knees at age 15, they might rethink the idea that ballerina’s are twinkly little fairies.

So football is the most popular sport in England, and Rugby is close behind, if not on par. These athletes are at the peak of their physical fitness, so a quick little ballet lesson should be so easy for these guys! Right?

After chatting to their coaches and getting them to perhaps 10

hint that they may be slightly put on the bench if they refused to come, I managed to round up four football boys and four rugby lads for me to put through their paces.

The effort was admirable.

We began by learning the basic positions of ballet. I think all involve will agree that getting ‘turnout’ was tricky and plies were a challenge. The idea of bending your knees over your turned out toes was somewhat baffling to boys who called it a ‘squat’. The most difficult thing was correcting posture.

Everything about ballet is unnatural; it was designed to make dancers look ‘otherworldly’. After 25 minutes, the lads were slumped in chairs, asking questions about the sport which they hadn’t even classified before their lesson.

Both football and rugby had an excellent attempt at dancing, and while I doubt we have any budding Billy Elliot’s, there was a unanimous agreement that ballet is harder than football and rugby.

So what did we prove? Well ballet hurts, but that was a given, perhaps it’s time for universities to think about what qualities a dancer has, and give the performing arts a chance. I defy anyone to say that music, drama or dance are ‘soft options’ when it comes to college subjects, and for anyone who wants to try their luck, just come down to the studio and see if you can hack it better than the toughest lads in the whole college.

Antonia Whitehead

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 11

getting a part time job for dummies As you all know, Christmas is fast approaching. So in between agonising over whether to give Uncle Harry the unwanted, bright green scarf from last year, courtesy of an obviously colour blind Father Christmas, or whether to splash out on a toblerone, another thought may have crossed your mind. “How the heck am I going to afford to buy presents this year?” After all, there is only so much rubbish you got last year you could attempt to pass off as a decent present this time round.

So, as that idea may not seem so appealing, and unfortunately the bank of mum, dad or guardian has run dry, there seems to be only one plausible solution left. Yes. I’m afraid, it’s the J word, job!

So, in deciding to get a job and “live off the fat of the pound coin” there’s one more thing that needs to be done before entering the working world, every wannabe employee needs a c.v. If the thought of writing a c.v. seems more daunting then even having to work then not to worry, as there’s a simple (and fool proof) way to do so; My version of c.v. Writing for Dummies... nobody can go wrong, but results may vary!

1)

2)

3)

Prior Experience. In this section of your c.v. all you have to do is write about what jobs or work experience you have had. However, feel free to exaggerate your experience. For example, if you spent your High School work experience at a pet shop cleaning out rabbit hutches, you now have “prior experience handling both customers and retail, including products of an animal nature.”

Well you never know what surprises you might discover working part time in a restaurant, do you?

References. In your c.v. you will need to include preferably two references. In doing so, it will inform your potential future employer whether you are reliable, or have any other job appropriate qualities.

If you do not possess such qualities, or do not have any references fear not, as you can easily plead to (or bribe) a kind college tutor to rustle up some impressive and job bagging qualities.

Hobbies. This section of your c.v. is probably the most simple. All you have to do is list what hobbies and interests you have. However, I would highly recommend leaving out weekend antics, though many believe them to be a valid hobby.

So, as the c.v. is taken care of, all you need now is a part time job. The best place to look for new job vacancies are company websites which more often than not have a page dedicated to careers and job opportunities. Another way to find out what jobs are available is to ask friends who already have jobs, that way your c.v. will be put at the top of the pile at their work place. Also, just asking at a shop in your free time may also bag you that job.

For those of you who are still not convinced that a part time job is the way to go, remember, not only does having a part time job give you the opportunity to learn a new skill and make some new friends, having a part time job is useful to put on a personal statement for your university application, which, in this social climate, where more students are applying to university than ever before, could be the difference between getting a place at your chosen University, or not.

If those reasons are still not sufficient in persuading you to drag yourself out of bed early on a Saturday morning, or miss out on a weekend of careless banter, what might is the reason anyone would endure what many would call “the part time annoyance that is the part time job, “money. After all students already have to endure so much; spots, annoying parents and exams. Yet having a part time job will make sure you have the money to do what you want to do.

This is because the national minimum wage per hour for students aged 16 to 17 is £3.64 and for 18 to 20 year olds the rate is £4.92.

So, as we edge closer to Christmas, there’s no need to worry about how you are going to afford presents this year. The bright green scarf will unfortunately stay at the back of your closet. The presents you received last year that weren’t quite up to scratch will be shipped off to Oxfam, instead of having to convince your auntie May that her Christmas present is actually from Top shop. The bank of mum, dad or guardian will remain untouched, meaning more presents for you. Finally, the birthday money from this year will remain being spent on Friday nights out.

If you succeed in bagging a job, congratulations from me...you have now become a wage slave, but hey, the toblerones are on you!

Jodhi Taylor 11

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 12

Where Will We Be In 2020?

Technology has advanced so much in the last 10 years, its hard to imagine life without internet on our phones or being able to pause live TV. By 2020 who knows what else will be a must have in our lives. So let’s look at the predictions for the next ten years.

Computers Apple is currently taking us further down the road to touch screen computers, first the iPod Touch, then the iPhone, and now the iPad. But just wait and we’ll have computers with touch screen capability sitting on our desktops at home. There’ll be no more need for a mouse when you have your fingers. And just to top it off, these computers will have limited voice command capability.

In other words, you say it, the computer will do it.

Virtual Reality Imagine a time when rather than watching a story play out on a television screen you will be able to fully immerse yourself into the experience, or even take part in the adventure yourself. With technology, on a rudimentary level, being used by the military and other organisations, it is only a matter of time before this amazing technology becomes available to the general public.

Journey into Space As you may already know, members of the public do in fact have the chance to go into space. However, it costs millions of pounds to do so, and the chances of you actually getting a place on one of these shuttles are very, very slim. In ten years time, this cost will have decreased as the resources to take more and more people into space

will increase with time. Therefore, by 2020 you could be trading your annual trip to Anglesey for space.

Self-Driving Cars Wouldn’t life be much easier if cars could drive themselves? Believe it or not, this could be the future.

Even today a prototype car can follow a series of beacons embedded into a surface. Within ten years, scientists believe they can refine the technology to enable them do to it all over the world!

Faster Airline Travel We all know how annoying it is, having to sit on a plane for eight hours to get to the USA from the UK. You can’t wait to land and get off, can you? Well, in ten years time, it’ll take half an hour to do that journey! Planes will have the engine capability to make a quick space-jump. Put simply, they will gain altitude continuously until they are flying in space, then re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere close to the destination. Cuts out a hell of a lot of the journey.

MAN ON THE MOON Now, you’re probably reading this title and thinking, “Hang on a minute, haven’t we already sent a man to the Moon?” Well you’re right, we have! But that was more than forty years ago. Isn’t about time we did it again? With the technology of 2020, we’ll be able to make a much more adventurous, much more dramatic moon landing, something everyone will be interested in.

James Killeen and Daniel Clark

A GRUMPY CHRISTMAS It’s that time of year, when you’re morally obliged to spend your month’s wages on your nearest and dearest to prove you love them. Merry recession busting Christmas! It’s a grim time to be idly browsing the family DVD section of my local HMV, a place where first signs of Christmas can truly be spotted. By late September every Disney DVD cover will no doubt needlessly have snow airbrushed over there latest Pixar venture to capitalise on the holiday season.

It’s hard to tell whether it really was better when certain family members could afford to buy you things you didn’t really want, or just that nostalgia lies. I’d like to think it was the latter, and I suppose that the hyperactive Power-Rangers-hungry kids running around my house come Christmas will prove this. My 12

main grievance is that while college gives you two weeks holiday to supposedly recover from any educational woes, by the time you’ve paid all dues with family members, and gone over the disproportionately sized “revision activities” you only really have a few days to get down to any real merry making.

Though, the worst part of this whole façade has to be people who seem at pains to remind you of the true meaning of Christmas, ironic when you consider their lack of interest in all things religious once Christmas has passed. While this is irritating, last year I too found myself staring blankly at a pointlessly novelty t-shirt (with the caption “for cods sake eat haddock”), and wondering whether the true meaning of Christmas is lost on most after all.

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 13

INTERVIEW with teachers As this is our first edition of the magazine from the brand new Aquinas building we’ve spent some time finding out about all things new at Aquinas this year: We interviewed new maths teacher Bill Skelding: Why are you a teacher?

Because it seemed like a good idea when I got my degree in math.

What did you do before you worked here?

I was a headteacher at a school in Levenshulme.

What was youar favourite subject at school?

Italian & history but I pursued mathamatics as I’m better at it.

What’s your favourite number?

79, because nobody talks about it, everyone is mentioning things like Heinz 57 varieties so 79 gets a bad press. At least somebody’s batting for it!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to play tennis, go walking and go running, slowly.

What’s your favourite food?

All Italian food, I like to go on holiday there.

Do you think that you have any interesting qualities?

Well I’d say I was patient and kind.

..and ethics teacher Angela ethics who returned to Aquinas this year: Do you think that ethics is an important part of college life?

Yes. The opportunity doesn’t come around often and it gives students the chance to share their views on big issues and how they feel. I believe that it helps deal with confusion and strong feeling and answers questions.

Do you think students enjoy it?

Some groups do, some groups don’t. Some can be prejudiced against it, but if you put something in you will get something out of it.

Do you ‘practice what you preach?’

In principle I believe that we all try to, but in practice we don’t.

I always try to, but there are times that I don’t. I want to teach myself through what I’m teaching.

Have you always taught ethics?

I teach ethics, and have done GCSE English and RE A level.

What’s your favourite food?

Italian!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to read, walk and cycle. I like watching films as well; my favourites are ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ and ‘Blood Diamond’.

Do you think that you have any interesting qualities?

I’m a registrar. I have a wedding in December which is one of my ex-students I taught a while ago!

Do you think having a better LRC encourages more people to use it?

We want it to. It’s very modern and we hope the bright colours and space will encourage people to come and use the facilities here.

Then we interviewed two members of staff from the Learning Centre about their space in the new building: Is the new LRC better than the old one?

Yes, there is much more space for students to study in and more teaching rooms. It also has a lot more IT facilities and an overall better layout which makes it very user friendly.

In your opinion, does having a good LRC benefit the students?

Yes, it is fundamental to learning. A well stocked library means that students are able to do some independent learning which will enable them to gain the skills needed for higher education.

What are your favourite books?

Mine is Wuthering Heights but as a child it was Milly Molly Mandy.

Shadia Mokdad and Polly Crimmins-Impey 13

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 14

The Rambert Dance Co come to Aquinas...

Hussssh!

Read closely, the secret has been told.

One of the biggest contemporary dance companies in the world took the time out of their busy schedules to grace Aquinas College with their vibrant talent!

RAMBERT DANCE COMPANY. Friday 24th September was the date of exposure. After viewing Rambert Dance Company’s ‘Awakenings Tour’ at the Lowry Centre, students from GCSE to A2 Dance watched in excitement and gloating pleasure, knowing the Dance Company would be teaching our very own creative students in Dance the following day. The secret was to be

shared of Rambert’s astounding talent during a workshop exclusively for Dance students.

The workshop itself was based upon one of the dance pieces actually performed

by Rambert on the night of the ‘Awakenings’ show, which was named hush; which appreciatively was the vote for the favourite performance of the night. High appraisal of the work came from Kelly Higham (Awesome Dance Teacher) who reportedly made the comment ‘That was definitely my favourite work; we love a bit of Brucey!’

All shall be explained to this possibly bizarre remark to all you dance history virgins. ‘Hush’ is a piece choreographed

by Christopher Bruce: a famous choreographer and pioneer of contemporary dance who has a story at the heart of every work he does. His dances are theme based, not to make a

The Ballet Rambert Review On Thursday the 23rd of September, students studying A, AS and GCSE level dance all piled into a mini bus and went to see the Rambert Dance Company perform at the Lowry Theatre. Rambert Dance was founded in 1919 by Marie Rambert - it is now a leading British dance company, renowned throughout the whole world for its excellence in contemporary dance. Rambert were on tour showcasing their brand new work Awakenings by Aletta Collins along with two other pieces

by Christopher Bruce and Merce Cunningham - two legendary choreographers in the contemporary dance world.

We all took our seats and waited in anticipation for the first piece Hush by Christopher Bruce - ready with enough chocolate treats to last us a life time. The lights dimmed and the curtain finally lifted to reveal a backdrop of dozens of white lights darted about like stars and six dancers dressed in 1920’s clothing with clown-like finishing touches such as red pom poms and white faces. The music began; an upbeat hoedown with an irresistible beat, I was tempted to get up and start dancing but restrained myself and settled for enthusiastic foot tapping and head bobbing. Thank goodness it was dark. The piece was about a family with each dancer portraying either the Mum, Dad, brother or sister. It was truly a heart warming experience watching the relationship of each family member grow and become stronger. We all watched in awe as the dancers kicked, flipped and leaped - throwing one another over each other’s shoulders to continue straight into a complicated series of steps.

The next dance was Rainforest choreographed in 1968 by Merce Cunningham. I thought this dance was very minimal, experimental and abstract - one might say in true Cunningham style. Merce had seen Andy Warhol’s installation piece ‘Silver Clouds’ and liking it he asked Warhol if he could use it as a set for a dance. Interestingly Warhol wanted the dancers to be nude but Merce suggested that flesh coloured leotards and tights may be more appropriate! The moment when the curtain lifted and the ‘silver clouds’ were seen hovering mid-air over the stage was beautiful. As the dancers moved the surrounding balloons were hit and went flying in different directions - a real spectacle!

The last piece Awakenings is the main work of the tour. This focused on portraying a true story of mental patients who suffered from a petrifying condition in the late 60’s. They were given a drug that first helped them to maintain a positive steady pace and experience life for once. But after several months some began to become manic and frenzied and the others slipped back into an immobile, frozen state. This story has been adapted artistically many times and to see Rambert perform a dance based on it was incredible. The story is intriguing and the movement was intricate and beautiful as dancers weaved in and out being awakened and then turned to stone.

The trip to the Lowry was fantastic for all the aspiring dancers at Aquinas to see how talented and dedicated professional contemporary dancers are - especially Ballet Rambert dancers. We were all inspired and excited to get back in the studio as we knew that if we were to be as good as them someday then we would need all the practice we could get! Bravo Rambert, I definitely cannot wait for them to visit Manchester again!

Thomas Baratt 14

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 15

all the more quirky and brilliant! I was impressed to notice fellow dancers break out of their boundaries and take the movements taught to them and develop these in their own styles. After all, that is what dance is about; being imperfect.

It is an arrangement of mistakes homegrown from inspiration to be evolved into your own style.

After a hard worked 150 minutes of dance I had the privilege of interviewing the dancer/choreographer who came from the Ballet Rambert Company to teach us; Kathy Codogno. It went a little something like this... statement but to create inspirational work shaped by truth.

Ok, I know you’re on the edge of your seat screaming ‘tell me what happened in the workshop!’ So here it is. If I could give you a before and after shot of what I looked like at the start of the workshop and afterwards I would look energetic and prepared, with my hair neatly tied back at the ready. As opposed to the ‘after’ look where I pretty much looked like I had been dropped into a puddle from a great height then dragged through a hedge to dry off. Guys, I’m joking. But it was vigorously energetic and fast paced! Two and a half hours of pure movement and technique, which was only enough time to get through TWO short sections of the entire 20 minute piece. As students learning dance we were able to appreciate the amount of time it would have taken the company to learn and perfect the piece as a whole. The performance the night before looked effortless; second nature to such skilled individuals. However, after actually undertaking the challenge ourselves we came to appreciate Contemporary/Ballet Dance on a whole new scale!

Hush is originally performed by six dancers labelled as Mother, Elder Brother, Elder sister, Younger Brother and Younger Sister as Circus Folks. We took upon ourselves these roles gender separately; being the male bunch first.

We were taught to dance in boyish and playful movements (perhaps highlighting the immaturity of males? Slight dig!) A favourite movement was the ‘’chicken’’ which I’m sure some of you out there who aren’t even dancers as such will have done this move at least once in your lifetime. Then we acquired the female roles where the movements became more lady like and elegant yet

What is your name and where are you from? ‘’I’m Kathy Codogno and I’m from Rambert Dance Company’’ What made you become or aspire to become a dancer? ‘’Years ago really, I was about 14 training professionally; I joined Lillian Baylis youth company in London which is the theatre company next door to Saddlers Wells. Once joining the company I just really fell in love with dancing and discovered that it was something that I have always wanted to do’’ Many students have excellent talents but how did you get to where you are now? ‘’Just persistence really! Continuous commitment with what I want to do, it does get very competitive. Especially within Rambert as an animateur, this is a performer, coacher and teacher. The auditions are very difficult and increasingly so today. It is more challenging to get into companies than it

was a few years ago because nowadays everyone wants to be a dancer!’’

You’re a contemporary/ballet style dancer, but many students don’t actually know what that style consists of. What is contemporary dance in your own words? ‘’It’s hard to define, contemporary dance is a mixture of lots of things and each contemporary company has got their own style. Ramberts style is very much a cross between classical dance and the more modern contemporary. It is a fusion of all sorts of different styles. You have things like jazz, ballet martial arts, very low ground based movements (cartwheels) derived from this Brazilian martial arts form. There is also a lot of couple dancing which can be taken from the tango, salsa or ballroom. I think the difference of contemporary dance is that it softens any sort of style with the use of the back and torso also the floor and jumps.’’

Who is your inspiration as a dancer? ‘’Oooh that’s a difficult one! It was Rambert, definitely one of them. I remember back when I was 14 and I went to see Rambert and I love a lot of Christopher Bruce’s work. I was very inspired. Also Phoenix Dance Company.

It was just movement in general, there wasn’t just one moment in my life where I decided this was what I wanted to do, and it was ongoing aspiration and determination from the influence of other companies. Like I say at 14, it was something I was naturally drawn to.

What music inspires you to dance? ‘’All sorts! I’m a bit of a percussion feign, I love African, Brazilian and Latin sounds,

15

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 16

rhythmic sounds generally. I quite like abstract and electronic music. If you were to look at my ipod it goes from one extreme to the next. I love every genre, I have some country and western, trance and I have some Miles David and The Beatles.’’.

Some of the more academic Uni’s consider dance as a ‘soft-option’. What is your view on this ‘’It’s definitely not a soft option! You need an awful lot of commitment and stamina to keep going with dance.

Obviously it depends on what university you go to either academic or a pure dance school, for example NSCD (the Northern School of Contemporary Dance) they are much more practical based the emphasis is much more practically based. But if you were to go somewhere such as Surrey University you will get a balance between the practical and physical. They are both very

challenging! I mean as a dancer, you are training every day and then on top of that you have the reading and the resource’s as you still have to do your dissertation. There is a lot of research involved with the history of dance.

Have you always wanted to pursue a career in dance? ‘’I’m also an aerialist and I am a circus performer as well. I’m beginning to combine Aerial work with dance. I so silks and hoop, for example there’s a metal hoop which is hung from single point and you spin from it and the idea is that you move in and around it. It is physically extremely hard work but it is a really fun dimension to have if you’re a dancer. Dancing in the air!

What do you think of Aquinas and our wonderful students!? ‘’Fantastic! I thought you were all really good; you’re all of a very high standard.

You picked up the material really quickly

and I went at quite a fast paced so you all did great!’’

Silly Questions Time! Dancers are supposed to be healthy; do you ever cheat this requirement? ‘’err, yeah! Unfortunately. I don’t ever do McDonalds though! Once a week I do indulge in fish and chips or a pizza. I do generally eat healthy but I’m not obsessed with it. I would encourage people to eat healthy, when you eat right you can feel it in yourself.’’

So there you have it, the secrets out. My message to you is: if you’re really passionate about something then make it happen. Work hard and achieve your personal goals! Whether its dance or something more interesting to you, develop your dreams into reality and break out of your boundaries. Do something different, try new things and most importantly be happy!

Amy Bowden

I Think I’d Rather Go Naked!

How would you feel to be skinned alive? To have your skin paraded around the world on a daily basis so that a sick fashion can prosper in a so called humane society that people have created. This is an unfortunate reality for many animals in the world, even animals that we would consider domestic pets and companions. So much for man’s best friend.

China, Korea and India, some supposedly up and coming nations that are acclimatising to the western world, have some serious questions that need to be answered. First and for most, why has the government not stepped in to control these atrocities? Chinese fur farms have no government regulations and are the front runners of the tyrannical fur industry, skinning live animals so they writhe in pain, kick and squeal without one ounce of remorse. Bloody bodies are thrown to the side, no longer useful, and left to take their last slow ragged breath until death comes as a sweet release for these poor animals. China supplies over half of the fur purchased in the United States, and it is likely that even if the label says made in the EU, the animals have been skinned and slaughtered elsewhere. Funding on this scale fuels this barbaric industry making it crucial that Furs place in retail lasts no longer.

Shockingly, even our pets are used for fur. Cats, dogs, rabbits you name it the Chinese fur industry have a choke hold them, stealing them from their owners. The cages in which animals are kept are so confined that animals 16

develop anxiety-induced psychosis leading to them chewing off their own limbs , mothers often kill their litters because there is no room for them and disease is rife.

These conditions are barely even imaginable, no person should be able to comprehend these horrors never mind enforce them. 20 cats are crammed into a cage, their bones crushed and their lives slowly seeping out of them breath by breath.

Fur is a major issue (and that’s an understatement) and so is all form of animal cruelty. India allows cruelty to animals be displayed as an enjoyable activity. Bears are subjected to cruelty as a pass time being forced to dance for visitors at bear shows hosted by Kalandars. Although numbers have decreased significantly from 400 to 150, there is still a long way to go.

PeTA have enabled us to see and be enlightened to the true ferocity of the fur industry and the harsh conditions that can only be described as torture. The inhumanity is repulsive, and truly sickening. Although animal welfare has attempted to enforce legal action the source of the problem is our demand for fur. The fur market needs to be shut down and it is crucial that people realise that our rejection of an outrageous industry can prevent such sadistic behaviour. America can reject it, people can reject it and we can reject it. Fur isn’t fashion and to be honest I think I’d rather go naked.

Emma Summerfield

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 17

2 minutes with...

Simon Cheadle, Catering Manager Simon Cheadle is the new catering manager at Aquinas College. He has come from the University of Derby and has lots of ideas about how to give the students an enjoyable eating experience.

What changes have you made since you came to Aquinas?

Quite a lot has changed over the summer. There’s now more fresh food, freshly made sandwiches, better facilities in the new building and changes in procedures. We now have set menus which we think the students will enjoy.

Did you find it easy to develop the menu?

I have a lot of experience in catering for further education students. I came from the University of Derby, so I’ve enjoyed developing the menu for the students of Aquinas!

What dishes are your favourite in the canteen?

I love pasta based dishes, so I’d say they were my favourite. Anything from Lasagne to Spaghetti with Garlic Bread, ideally with a glass of wine – but not in College!

What are your aims for the catering at Aquinas?

Well, my main aim is to always break even with costs and to keep the catering moving forward. Also, I’d love to get more students eating inside the canteen instead of outside of College. I’m looking forward to expanding the seating areas and offering catering outside, allowing more students to sit down

and eat! In the summer, I’d like to offer Ice Cream too!

Does your job put you off food?

Definitely not! I love to cook! I cook all day at work and go home and cook again, I don’t get sick of it at all. To be a good chef, you need to enjoy cooking, and I love cooking!

When is the Coffee Shop on the First Floor going to open?

At the moment, the coffee shop is likely to open in November or December. The coffee shop will be an upmarket place, selling high quality coffee and drinks, a wider selection of snacks and sandwiches – at better prices than other coffee shops!

How is Aquinas trying to promote healthy eating?

The deli located in the canteen sells healthy, fresh food. We do try to make the food we cook as healthy as possible but ultimately, it’s down to what the students want.

Does the canteen have any themed food days?

Over the next few months, the canteen will be holding quite a few themed food days, at least once every half term. Some ideas we have so far are; Italian, Indian and Chip shop day.

How can the students help to improve the catering?

The students of Aquinas can improve the catering by letting us know if they have any suggestions or complaints. These will be much appreciated, just ask for Simon at the food bar!

17

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 18

Not your average workout It’s December. There’s a winter chill in the air and all you can think about now are the Christmas holidays, holidays you’ll spend wrapped up tight in your duvet with a hot chocolate and old episodes of ‘The Inbetweeners’ playing on your laptop. The exams are looming closer but you can only put off that agonising moment you have to reopen those revision folders you have stacked on your bedroom floor that little bit longer. And on top of all of this you have the weather, bleak as usual, forcing you to shove all your summer clothes to the back of your wardrobe and bring out the hoodies and coats. Another thing I’m pretty sure many of you will be getting rid of, are any ideas you had at the start of term of starting something new, a new sport, something to boost that CV and keep you fit when up against the many calorie-packed meals wrapped up in that lovely gift that is Christmas. Well, perhaps I could help bring those ideas back out into the open again.

I myself am on a constant hunt for a new sport to really get involved in. Yes, there are the traditional team sports such as netball, rugby, hockey, football, lacrosse, and God knows what else. But if you’re like me, and just aren’t up to speed with that kind of thing, or just hate the thought of getting hit in the face with a ball in rounders or tennis, then how about something completely different? In today’s world it’s all about standing out from the crowd, and there are a million sports which can help you do this both in person, and on your oh-so-important cv.

So what are the millions of sports I’m on about then? Well, at the end of last summer, I took up dirt-surfing, an act which involves racing down the hill on a board build with two BMX wheels (or at least I say ‘racing’ but with my confidence, it’s more snail speed). It’s awfully fun, though the looks you get off the tourists up Solomon’s Temple in Buxton are rather off-putting. I then went on to try mountain boarding, from which I suffered a slight incident in which it dragged me along the forest floor and almost knocked me out. So a word of warning if you ever want to try racing down a hill on four wheels; make sure you learn how to jump off before taking it a step too far.

Okay, so they were just two examples, but what about everything else? There’s slack lining -more of a circus act involving tying a loose tightrope between the base of two trees and doing tricks on it, then mountain biking, something you’d truly be capable of in the not-so-far-away Derbyshire hills. How about kayaking or canoeing? Yes, so perhaps many of you live in the centre of Stockport but there are plenty of water sports clubs out there, and even those wanting to stay closer to the streets of home could try a little skating (as in Ged Fitzgerald’s roller-skating at the local skate park) or cross country. If you fancy something on the pricy side, you could always try horse riding or, as is my dream, paragliding, though with college and all, that could be a hard hobby to keep up. There are always the cheaper options though; there’re many dance classes out there or how about nipping down to the local bowling alley and getting into some serious competitions?

This leads us onto our next issue; how do you get into a new sport? It’s all very well joining clubs and teams within college but taking that extra step to go and seek out your sport of choice can be harder than it looks. Josie Muncaster, a lower sixth at Aquinas, was especially eager to try the climbing that our college supposedly offered, but upon finding that the club was cancelled, decided to start a new one off on a Tuesday. Okay, so perhaps you don’t have to go as far as that, but perhaps if you wanted to try something new, it wouldn’t hurt to get a few others –preferably beginners so they don’t make you look like a complete fool- to help kick-start your new sport. Take some friends to the gym for a badminton match, onto the court for a game of squash, or even round the park for an evening run. Remember, not all exercise requires you to freeze your ass off outside though; join a table tennis club or water aerobics and they’ll happily keep you both warm and energized.

So good luck fellow college mates, don’t be scared to get out there and try something out of the ordinary. Think you’ll be rubbish at it? Well you’ll never know until you’ve tried.

Just make sure of this; enjoy Christmas, don’t waste the holidays, and please, try not to let the re-run of THAT film you’ve seen twice already deter you from pulling on your training gear.

Emily Collins

18

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 19

FIFA vs PEs

With the gaming giants unleashing the latest installments of football computer games, the two games which go head-to-head in an attempt to be deemed ‘the ultimate football experience’ but which is top of the pile? Ryan Clayton and Vinny McDonald investigate…

FIFA

Writing in an attempt to prove to you how much greater Fifa11 is than Pro Evolution Soccer, it may seem unusual that I have decided to focus on the negative aspects of the game. But I don’t want to deceive you; I won’t say the game is always a fairytale, Darren Fletcher has the occasional nightmare match in career mode, sometimes my England team just won’t perform in an important tie (which I suppose further proves Fifa have hit the nail on the head in terms of being realistic) and Owen Hargreaves STILL isn’t fit, despite rumours of his return three months ago.

But that’s the beauty of Fifa’s latest advance in gaming, it’s real to life. Contrary to what any PES fan may tell you, Fifa have focused this years game on moving towards making its game more life like. Gone are the days of PES-esque tap ins. Many button -bashing youths may cry out, arguing the more realistic format takes the entertainment edge away from the game but on the contrary I’d say it adds more excitement! These people clearly aren’t true enthusiasts of football gaming, but mere cheap thrill seekers. Consider how much more exhilerating that

win away at stoke on a chilly Tuesday evening in February would be, having earnt it.

My next point has to be about licensing. Claiming that team names such as ‘Man Red’ and ‘Lancashire Blue’ adds passion and pride is absolute poppycock. PES, unlike Fifa, don’t have the right to use official team names, so rather annoyingly Konami have opted to use nonsensical names such as Booktale (Blackpool) and London FC (Chelsea). I’d definitely rather win the ECC with Arsenal on Fifa, than win the Champions league with North London on PES! Admittedly, this years PES has improved in leaps and bounds.

Last year this article would’ve written itself Fifa was so far advanced. So I suppose it’s a testimony to Konami that their progress has been on such a large scale.Despite this, there’s definitely something missing still. In my humble opinion, when looking for a new football game you can’t look past Fifa11.

Better gameplay, accurate names and a more realistic representation of football culminates to create, quite simply, a far greater game. If you’re limited to buying one football game this year, don’t mug yourself, buy Fifa 11.

Vinny McDonald

P.E.S

boundaries to produce the unthinkable, in the 94th minute, with defeat looking iminant, the on-loan Mame Biram Diouf manages to find himself on the end of a corner and scores from 2 yards out. You sit and watch the scenes of pandamonium unfold on the screen as you can’t bring yourself to skip the replay, you find your thumb getting ever closer to pressing ‘save video’. Compare this to Fifa and the boredom of having to watch the last 5 minutes of the game tick away with the ball being knocked between your oppositions back four.......riveting I’m sure you’ll agree.

Pro Evolution is like a girlfriend. Get your tactics right, keep it consistent and you’ll definitely score. Unlike a girlfriend, PES will be there for you through the highs and the lows, and still won’t leave you for the milkman, even if you thought it was perfectly acceptable to play Emile Heskey as a lone striker on the last day of the season to avoid relegation. Fifa brings no enjoyment to the art of scoring, as it is far too easy to hit the back of the. Yes, you can argue that its more precise, and there’s certainly no denying that everyone loves a 7 – 6 scoreline but there’s no greater feeling than stealing a 1-0 win in the dying seconds, scoring a half volley with ji-sung park from 30 yards.

The final point which, if it hasn’t already, should sway your decision toward PES is the commentary; I know you FIFA fanatics love having Martin Tyler and Andy Gray commenting about how Andy left his umbrella at home. If I wanted a weather report I would have asked! I’d much prefer Jim Beglin to state the obvious with a“he should have scored that” or “there are goals and there are goals and that jon was a goal” Unlike Martin and Andy the commentary on PES is witty, for example “That was closer to the corner flag” whereas Martin and Andy will bore you till you fall asleep, that’s providing playing the game hasn’t already done that.

Unlike Fifa, PES has an unpredictability about it, you could be in the middle of your master league season with Lancashire Blue, in the second round of the English Cup playing Manchester United, who are sitting top of the league, surely there is only one outcome? But PES finds it within its

So if you havn’t purchased yourself the latest football game, perhaps a perfect stocking filler this year could be PES 11? If, however, Fifa has caught your eye, consider this article and think to yourself… Is it time to join Messi and Co. In the game for real men?

Ryan Clayton

Pro Evolution Soccer is a multi-layered onslaught which will leave you exhausted, exhilarated and possibly in need of a new brain. Fifa have the kits and badges but I would rather play with the mighty Man Red (Manchester United for the less informed reader) or The Potteries (Stoke City), than real names because they evoke the feeling of pride and passion playing with the unknown, trying to succeed, and when you score a 35 yard screamer, a little bit of wee comes out.

19

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 20

Talking to a good Samaritan The Samaritans are a confidential emotional support service available to anyone 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. Its main aim is to reach out to high risk groups and communities to reduce the risk of suicide. There are a number of ways you can help such as volunteering, donating, and campaigning. I asked a Samaritan volunteer a few questions to find out how she got involved and what it is really like to be a Samaritan.

How did you hear about the Samaritans?

I was given a leaflet by someone in Manchester and I looked it up online to find out more.

What made you become involved with the Samaritans?

The main aim was to get involved with something I cared about that helped

Journalism So you’re thinking Journalism...?

20

Around mid september I was entrusted with the job of looking after all of the application forms from people willing to write for this edition of the college magazine. Not long after that I remembered I would inevitably have to think of something to write about myself.

With a few rejected ideas and the pile of contact forms beside me, the idea was literally staring me in the face, all 42 sheets of it. Ever fancied journalism? Well 2,675 applicants were accepted onto journalism courses last year, so you wouldn’t be alone especially with a 49% increase in applicants in the last 3 years. It’s not really too hard to see why so many people seem to be making this their UCAS choice either. If we listened to the media, our sponge like teenage minds have probably been influenced by TV somewhere along the lines. Commence eye rolling, but there might just be some truth in it. With the obvious of

people. I’ve always been quiet and a good listener so it seemed a good idea.

Although my empty cv had a little something to do with it!

How do you become a Samaritan?

I applied online and received information on a six week training course of one session a week in my local area. The training can be tough but it’s really necessary because you are helping very vulnerable people.

It’s helpful to know the right thing to say.

Who do you get most calls off?

We get most calls of old, lonely people who have often lost partners and don’t have a lot of family around them. They’re often the saddest calls.

What is the worst call you’ve ever had?

The worst call I ever had was an active suicide. They swallowed pills whilst on

the phone to me, it was so scary. I couldn’t even tell him not to, its a policy of the Samaritans that we talk over their problems in order to come to a conclusion what the best decision for them is. When I got home all I could do was cry.

That’s awful. Does it have its good moments?

Yeah, when someone thanks you, it’s an amazing feeling and although I don’t get paid it’s worthwhile.

Lucy Henderson

journalist is as low as £12,000 and that wouldn’t even get you a shed in New York. Unsuprisingly, competition for placements and internships after university is high and a lot of the work is freelance but no two days would be the same and you’d have a blackberry full of interesting people. So what ’s on the universities wishlist for applicants?

The university of Reading looks for strong communication and social skills, a keen interest in foreign affairs, a good grasp of English, the ability to work to tight deadlines and determination. Work experience is also a must have and it’s probably one of the easier to get. Since that miraculous invention we call the internet, many journalist have fled to the web to write. Follow in their footsteps or you could even be that among the pile of next years So what are we left with when rs application for the college caree A dream image is gone? ed want i If newspaper. that me told advisor once alot d spen d woul I alist journ a to be All things considered its not hard to of time standing in the rain. A little see why so many people seem to be an buy bit dramatic maybe, I’ll just going for courses in journalism umbrella. That aside it would be so what if the reality may naive to think it is not extremley hard studies and port times than new stock more be work. Its deadlines, fierce least you’d never be At . times york hours competition, long unsociable short of stories to tell at dinner and wait, more deadlines. The parties. starting salary for a trainee

glamorous careers aside, journalism creeps in there with its sex and the city collumists and sucess hungry writers. The sophisticated writer making their way in the big city is a popular theme for film and TV and as much as its all about the passion for writing, I doubt theres anyone who doesn’t want a bit of that New York success story we know off by heart. It’s already ticked so many boxes when it comes to that illusive perfect career, variety, excitement and your name in print. Or maybe were not all that shallow and it is the prospect of writing something that makes a statement or a smile.

Even just playing a part in that big connection that keeps people in touch with whats going on in the world.

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 21

X

Factor winners

where are they now?

The X Factor has returned to our screens for a seventh series to plight our social lives, provide more frustrating sob stories and of course allow more talentless singers to forge careers in the entertainment industry. That being said, the search for a star develops. Take a look back at what winning the show meant for previous contestants careers…

Remember Steve Brookstein? His name means little to me and many others now, but he was the first ever X Factor winner, achieving six million votes in the debut series. His first single went straight to number one, but after that he failed to produce anything else so was dropped by his record label. By 2007, Steve was performing on P&O cruise ferries.

Shayne Ward won the 2005 series with mentor Lewis Walsh, his first single reached the obligatory Christmas number one spot for an X Factor winner, and after this he released several others which entered the UK charts. He was treated for vocal cord nodules in 2006 which temporarily delayed him from furthering his career. His third album was released in November this year.

The third series of the X Factor produced global star Leona Lewis. Her single ‘Bleeding Love’ won record of the year and she also won ‘Newcomer of the year’ both in 2007. She signed a lucrative contract with American record label J Records after winning the show. Leona has released two successful albums in the UK. In 2007, Leon Jackson won the X Factor title, mentored by new judge Dannii Minogue. With an album and a UK tour behind him, Leon has had more success than the likes of Steve Brookstein, however considering he was also dropped from his record label in 2009, he hasn’t been as successful as winners such as Leona Lewis.

Alexandra Burke became the fifth artist to kick start her career by winning the X Factor. With her first single, a cover of ‘Hallelujah’, she broke the record previously held by Leona by selling 105,000 copies in one day. Her second single was nominated for a Brit and her first album went to number one. Like Leona, Alexandra has also signed a contract with an American Record label and is due to begin a UK tour in 2011.

The most recent winner, Joe McElderry was the first of the X Factor winners to not reach the Christmas number one spot after a controversial Facebook campaign to get Rage against the Machine to number one, or more appropriately to end the X Factors monopoly of the coveted spot, although Joe did manage to secure Christmas number one in the Irish charts. His second single and debut album were released in October this year.

Overall, the X Factor winners have had much success, some more than others. Other participants in the show such as JLS and Diana Vickers have begun musical careers despite not winning. The show clearly has a massive impact on the music industry and discovers talents which may not have surfaced, had they not appeared on the X Factor. However the extent to which the show influences careers could be considered an unfair advantage. Nevertheless, a seventh winner of the show will be announced imminently and we have yet to see how their career will compare with the success of others.

Olivia Greenhall 21

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 22

January Transfer Window Yes, it’s that time again! The time when football fanatics across the country question: which club will move for that multi-million pound signing? Can my club hang onto our highly sought after star player? And of course, how many more good footballers do Manchester City need to sign to finally buy, I mean win themselves a trophy?

“Transfer window” is the unofficial term commonly used to describe a “registration period” as stated in the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Player. Put simply, it’s when teams buy and sell players, and it lasts, as its name suggests, throughout the month of January opening on the first of the month at 12:00am and closing on the 2nd February.

Since its introduction in 2003, the transfer period has seen over £620 million pounds spent by premier league clubs alone.

However, during the previous window, presumably due to the turbulent economic climate, the amount of money spent was considerably less than in prior years.

But is it ethically correct for clubs to splash the cash when the

country is financially on its knees? With the government scraping the national barrel, should a spending cap be imposed on football clubs? The rational side of me says yes, it’s only fair. But of course this rational side is overshadowed by my football loving side, a side which longs to see the best that world football has to offer every week, it longs to see footballing legends made in the Premier League, it says no to a spending cap. With clubs currently being taken over by an influx of foreign investors, maybe bids such as last year by Manchester City (£100million for Kaka) will become increasingly the norm.

All year round speculation is rife about who will stay, who will go and for how much, but most rumours tend not to materialise, so don’t always believe what you read in the newspapers! We all know that when the transfer window opens, the transfer sagas begin with the top teams in the world bidding to bring some of the world’s best players to their club. But who do you want your club to sign come new years day?

Phil Coffeey

Driving Fears I don’t think I will ever forget my first driving lesson. Months of waiting and anticipation were finally about to reach their peak, but what was I getting myself into? I was putting all my faith into someone I’d never met before to teach me something I was completely new to. In hindsight it was quite a scary prospect, but one I don’t regret undertaking.

My instructor, Les, told me I had one of the worst cases of white knuckle syndrome that he’d ever seen – it took me weeks to realise that I could let go of the steering wheel without flying off into the distance.

more than capable of tackling them head on. Every part of driving has its own system and was broken down into bite sized chunks so no task seemed too daunting. Over time all these routines fell into place, so that in the end I didn’t even realise that I was doing them! As this experience grew so did my confidence.

L

At the start of every lesson, I was told what our aim was for the day and was then asked whether I was comfortable with it. I was never forced into anything I didn’t want to do, but at the same time was encouraged to make constant progress. I soon realised that there was no point in dodging difficult conditions, or I’d never get anywhere.

Driving late at night, in snow and ice were admittedly not my favourite lessons but I have that experience under my belt. Now I know that when I meet these conditions again, I am 22

The week before my test I did a mock test with my instructor to see which areas needed a final tweak.

Within seconds, the nerves hit in and I performed far below my capabilities. However it gave me a chance to rid myself of any silly mistakes, instead of making them in the real thing. When the day of my actual test came about, I was not as nervous as I thought that I would be.

when the examiner told me I had passed with only seven minors.

The first time I went out driving by myself was a scary experience, with no one to stop the car but me if anything went wrong, and no ‘L’ plate, so other drivers expected me to be a competent driver. With the routines etched into my brain, I got through my first lone drive unscathed. There are still situations you come up against that scare you slightly, but anything can be dealt with, if you keep a cool head and go through the necessary steps to solve the problem.

The sense of pride after each lesson was great, and even the small successes boosted my confidence so much. Naturally, passing my test was the ultimate success, but this was made up of many different accomplishments.

From learning how to reverse, to challenging the dreaded emergency stops.

P

I knew that if I drove how I usually did, I would pass, and despite not believing anyone else who told me this, the nerves really did fly away as soon as I got in the car. My test didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked it, with a ginger cat running into the road as soon as I set off, so I was delighted

Looking back at how far I’ve come in the last seven months, from barely breathing at all in a moving car, to confidently driving on motorways and even completing my Pass Plus. I expected driving to be a chore, but I love the freedom it now provides me with, and would recommend anyone to take up the challenge.

Clare Livesey

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 23

Student Discount You’re out in Stockport and for everyone else that top is £10 but one flash of your card at the till and you’re leaving with change for your tenner.

Local Celebrity? Not a chance. We’re students and we are big business.

There are more places than you might think that are more than willing to knock a few quid off just for being at Aquinas. It’s a win win situation all round. The majority of places do need an NUS extra card but for just £11 you won’t pay full price for anything all year and you can use it online for when the bus to Stockport is just too much effort. They want our business and we won’t get out of bed for less than 10%. So here’s a list of the best places that have taken pity on our empty bank balances and given us our own price tag.

Fashion It’s possibly where we spend most of our cash and those high street giants love students; Topshop, Topman, New Look, Warehouse, Miss Selfridge, Oasis, ASOS, Bench, Gio-Gio, Republic, JJB Coast, Office, Ben Sherman, Joe Browns.

Health and Beauty For a little bit off those everyday essentials there is 10% off with an NUS card for both Superdrug and The body shop. Nicky Clarke salons also give you 40% off your cuts, so there’s no excuse not to have your hair done more often.

Food At McDonalds get a free medium fries with the purchase of a Big Mac® or Chicken® Sandwich or a free Mcflurry® with an extra value meal. Or next time you fancy pizza, Pizza Hut and Pizza Express (between Sunday and Thursday) both offer 20% off the menu. Plus Dominoes regularly offer students more food for their money so you’ll have a bit left over and will never have to share a dessert again!

Going out For when you want to see a movie and it’s not an Wednesday, if you’re near an Odeon, with an NUS card you’ll get 25% off adult tickets as well as being able to buy the student ticket at Cineworld’s throughout the week.

Books and Stationery As much as we resent spending our money on notebooks at least at Ryman’s and Staples you get a 10% discount to make you feel a little better.

Even Amazon.co.uk gives students 5% OFF books, DVDs and music!

Getting around The AA is offering a half price lesson for every two you book with an NUS card as well or receive £2 off every lesson with BSM. Or if you ever get a Megabus They offer your 10% off your tickets with an NUS too!

And just a few of the random ones!

Happy snaps offer 10% off photo developing for students. There is 30% off travel guide books at www.Lonely Planet.com if you’re starting to plan that gap year or 10% off fancy dress costumes over at fantasy costume.

Another 5% off at PLAY.com and if your planning on splashing out on a laptop Comet are giving 5% off to card holders for laptops of £499.

Some places don’t even advertise their student discounts so next time you’re about to fork out just ask at the till and you might be pleasantly surprised.

To see the other discounts I couldn’t fit on the page take a look at www.nus.org.uk to see where you could save money and to apply for your extra card. All discounts correct as of 18/10/10- obtained from NUS extra card website

23

Aquinas Xmas_Layout 1 11/28/10 7:27 PM Page 24

GOODBYE OLD BUILDING . . .

Aquinas College, Nangreave Road, Stockport SK2 8TJ T: 0161 483 3237 E: enquiries@aquinas.ac.uk W: www.aquainas.ac.uk