Source Summer 2013

Source

Summer 2013 www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

SCOTLAND’S NUMBER ONE STUDENT MAGAZINE

SCHOOL’S OUT! GET READY FOR SUMMER WITH THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE AND HEALTH TIPS

CAREERS ADVICE INFO ON FARMING, IT, ART, MOVIE PRODUCTION AND MORE

THE MUSIC ISSUE

INTERVIEWS WITH THE 1975, UNION J, LOVEABLE ROGUES AND NINA NESBITT

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Source

Hi guys!

Dig out the barbeque, grab your sunnies and pull on your shorts – summer’s nearly here! To kick off the season in style, we’ve got a jam-packed edition of Source to get you in the mood for a sizzling hot season of sun, fun and laughs!

Publisher Denise Connelly denise@dcpublishing.co.uk Assistant Editor Lindsay Cochrane lindsay.cochrane@dcpublishing.co.uk Editorial Intern Cait Thomson Editorial Contributors Jacquelyn Farr Rebecca Gillard Ally McCrae Mandy Thomson Design/Production Lisa Harland lisa@dcpublishing.co.uk Sales Director Rachel Smith rachel.smith@dcpublishing.co.uk www.sourcemagazine.org.uk DC Publishing Ltd 2nd Floor, 1 Royal Exchange Court, Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3DB Tel: 0844 2499 007 Fax: 0141 328 9068

www.facebook.com/ SourceMagazine @SourceMag

In celebration of festival season, we’ve got our bumper survival guide to help fest first-timers make the most of the experience, with some insider tips from seasoned festival-goer Ally McCrae of Radio 1 fame. Elsewhere on the summer front, recent Source intern Cait Thomson offers some guidance to help you get through the season – head over to page 39 to find out exactly why sun cream, sunglasses and cooking your sausages all the way through is so important.

With all that free time on your hands over the hols, it might be wise to start thinking to the future. This issue, we’ve got heaps of careers inspiration, from our focus on making a career out of your artistic talent to the benefits of working in the IT industry. Film producer Clark Spencer also dropped by to tell us more about his fascinating career so far working on massive movies like Wreck-It Ralph.

We’ve also got advice on what to do if your exam results don’t go entirely according to plan and some tips for those of you who are starting to apply for jobs. Heading to college or uni after the break? We’ve got the lowdown on applying for financial support to get you through your studies, plus student writer Mandy Thomson caught up with two students to find out about their accommodation situation.

If that’s not enough for you, our travel section’s brimming with information on studying abroad, and 19-year-old Samantha Caunce told us all about her amazing summer working on animal conservation projects in Africa. We’re well jel!

Of course, Source wouldn’t be Source without an abundance of celebrity goss – and this issue doesn’t disappoint! Loveable Rogues talk life after Britain’s Got Talent, Scots songstress Nina Nesbitt stopped by for a chat before her T in the Park performance, the next big thing on the indie scene The 1975 told us about their love for Disney soundtracks and boy band Union J swung by for a chat too.

Scream!

So what are you waiting for? Get stuck into the latest issue of Source while we all wait for the sun to make its first appearance of the season...

Lindsay Assistant Editor

THE HOT LIST

Three things that’ll be defining our summer...

SONG Daft Punk – Get Lucky Disco’s back and we couldn’t be more delighted. Get Lucky might have been out for weeks already, but we can’t see it getting old any time soon. Turn up the volume to this groove-tastic track from the French electro duo.

Available for download now

MOVIE Kick-Ass 2 We loved the original and we can’t wait for the second instalment of the story of this unlikely superhero, created by Scots comic book writer Mark Millar. Must see movie of the summer.

In cinemas August

EVENT T in the Park T’s back for its 20th anniversary in Balado, Kinross-shire. If you’ve been lucky enough to bag tickets, you can look forward to Mumford and Sons, Rihanna, Calvin Harris, David Guetta and a galaxy of other super famous, super talented superstars.

12-14 July, www.tinthepark.com

©DC Publishing Ltd 2013 ISSN 1758-9231. Kick-Ass 2 image courtesy of Universal Pictures. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any way without prior written permission from the publisher. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of DC Publishing Ltd. The publisher takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers within the publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that information is accurate; while dates and prices are correct at time of going to print, DC Publishing Ltd takes no responsibility for omissions and errors.

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BRITAIN’S NEXT BIG BOY BAND

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MOVIE MAGIC

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ART ATTACK

CELEBRITY GRADUATE

Free subscription to Source magazine To subscribe to Source, simply fill in your details below and send this form to: Source magazine, 2nd Floor, 1 Royal Exchange Court, Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3DB Name:

SUMMER OF A LIFETIME

Source

Summer 2013 www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

SCOTLAND’S NUMBER ONE STUDENT MAGAZINE

SCHOOL’S OUT!

Age:

GET READY FOR SUMMER WITH THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE AND HEALTH TIPS

School: CAREERS ADVICE

Address:

INFO ON FARMING, IT, ART, MOVIE PRODUCTION AND MORE

Postcode: Signed:

Date:

Source is a free publication

Summer 13

CONTENTS Summer 13.indd 4

THE MUSIC ISSUE

INTERVIEWS WITH THE 1975, UNION J, LOVEABLE ROGUES AND NINA NESBITT

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CONTENTS 3 WELCOME A quick introduction to our summer issue.

42

THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL GUIDE

6 BRITAIN’S NEXT BIG BOY BAND Ladies, control yourselves – we spoke to Union J’s Josh!

8 CELEBRITY GRADUATE Hollyoaks’ Dr Browning swung by to relive his uni days.

10 MOVIE MAGIC Wreck-It Ralph producer Clark Spencer tells us about his incredible career to date.

12 ART ATTACK Just how can you make money out of your creative side? We found out.

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NINA NESBITT

16 LAND-ING A TOP CAREER Cash in on Scotland’s land-based industries.

20 THE IT CROWD Turn your love of computers into a proper job.

23 A CAREER ONLINE Making money from the web.

24 STUCK IN A RUT? NOT A CHANCE! Your degree subject doesn’t have to define your career.

27 DON’T PANIC! All the information you need if results day doesn’t go according to plan.

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29 APPLY YOURSELF Hints and tips for job application success.

30 HOME OR AWAY? We find out the benefits of moving away and staying at home for uni.

33 THE SUMMER OF A LIFETIME Samantha Caunce relives her magical African summer.

34 STUDYING OVERSEAS You don’t have to stick to unis and colleges in Scotland...

37 FUNDING YOUR STUDIES Life after school is expensive – so how on earth do you get by on a student budget?

39 STAY HEALTHY THIS SUMMER From understanding SPF to surviving a midge attack, there’s loads to think about this season.

42 THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE Don’t miss our guide to getting through festival season in one piece!

46 NINA NESBITT We caught up with the Edinburgh-born songstress.

48 SOUND BITES WITH ALLY MCCRAE The Radio 1 presenter sorts out your soundtrack for summer.

49 LOVEABLE ROGUES Sonny and Té talk life after BGT. 50 THE 1975 They’re our new favourite band, and we know you’re going to love them too.

THE 1975

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk The fun doesn’t end here – we’ve got loads more fascinating features for you to feast your eyes on over at www.sourcemagazine.org.uk.

Our team of student journalists have been mega busy over the last few months. On the site right now, we’ve got a rundown of the best movie adaptations of books you read at school, our picks of the best albums for summer, beauty blogger Cait shares her tips for cruelty-free beauty and we’ve got a student-friendly guide to holidaying in London.

If there’s not enough careers advice to keep you ticking over here, we’ve got even more online! There’s some handy hints on keeping your Twitter page employer-friendly, advice on

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how to choose the right university course for you and details of how you can volunteer your time to a worthy cause this summer.

For you celeb fans, Rebecca Gillard hopped into the back of a van to catch up with indie stars Glasvegas – check it out to see what the band have to say about their new release.

If you’ve got something that you want to shout about – whether it’s an amazing volunteer project, advice on your first job interview or you simply want to rave about something or someone you love, get in touch! We’ve got loads of opportunities for wannabe writers, so just drop us a line using the details on page three.

So what are you waiting for? Get online and get involved!

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“IT WAS THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD WHEN WE ACTUALLY GOT A RECORD DEAL, THE WORDS STILL SEND SHIVERS DOWN MY SPINE”

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INTERVIEW 7

BRITAIN’S NEXT BIG BOY BAND...

After finishing fourth in the X Factor last year, boy band Union J have had a whirlwind of a year, signing a record deal, hitting the studio and their first single wowing fans and music critics alike. Now the foursome – made up of Jaymi Hensley, George Shelley, Josh Cuthbert and JJ Hamblett – are poised and ready for a taste of success on their own. Group hottie Josh took ten minutes out of the band’s busy schedule to talk touring, recording and what’s on the agenda for the next big thing in pop...

You’ve had a pretty exciting year! How would you sum it up?

‘Bonkers’ I think would be the word!

It’s a dream come true. I mean, when we entered the show we never thought we would get to boot camp let alone coming fourth on The X Factor. It’s an absolute privilege to be where we are today and we’re really excited for the future. Hopefully it goes to plan and we can go on and, fingers crossed, be successful.

The X Factor feels as though it finished ages ago now; does it feel like a long time ago for you?

It actually doesn’t because the tour only finished about two months ago. As soon as the X Factor live shows finish the tour starts about three weeks later. That kind of keeps you in the X Factor bubble for a while. As a band, we loved every single minute of it and we do miss it but we are really excited for the Union J bubble to start.

You guys landed a record deal a couple of weeks after the show finished. How did that feel when you got that signed and sealed?

It was a bit of a relief. Gary Barlow kept saying on the show how labels would be fighting for us but it’s easy enough to say that. Until it happens, nothing is ever guaranteed. We’re extremely honoured and even though I keep saying it – it is a dream come true. It was the best feeling in the world when we actually got a record deal, the words still send shivers down my spine. We’re very, very happy boys.

You haven’t even been together a year but it already feels like you’ve achieved so much. What’s been the highlight of your time as Union J?

We have a couple of highlights. Getting to the semi-final of X Factor was just incredible, and performing at Wembley Arena with the X Factor tour was also a huge highlight for us. I couldn’t believe there were thousands of people in the audience cheering for us. That was an incredible feeling that hopefully we’ll get again. Even if we never perform at Wembley again, we can still say we’ve done it once.

What are your fans like?

They’re incredible. Everyone that supports us and follows us is amazing.

Without them we wouldn’t be here today releasing a single. Their votes got us through on The X Factor! They mean everything to us and we can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done. Hopefully they’ll get behind the single and we’ll be able to be even more thankful in the future.

Your debut single is out now. What’s it all about?

It’s called Carry You and I suppose it’s about the journey we’ve been on. We all led such different lives before the show, we all did very, very different things. So it’s about that really, how we’ve picked each other up when we were down and when we went through hard times on The X Factor. It sounds really corny, but we carried each other. It’s about the journey really.

Have you got any plans to tour?

There are plans of a Union J tour at the end of the year, starting in December and going through to January.

Hopefully the album goes well and we can enjoy that! I love the buzz you get on stage. The fact that the audience are there having a little dance and having a sing song to your song is going to be an incredible feeling. Hopefully one day the people in the audience actually sing the words to our songs back. That’ll be so surreal.

When do we get to hear the album?

Our album will be released in October.

We’re three quarters of the way through, so when October comes around we’ll have finished it. It’s going to be a fun, feel good album with a great, happy vibe, hopefully with songs people can listen to in the car with their windows down and have a little boogie to. That’s the plan.

Who would you say are your musical influences?

I would say other successful boy bands like Blue and 911. Mainly other bands like us that have done what we’re doing and have gone on to be successful. Even One Direction have really influenced us. They’ve opened the flood gates for other boy bands coming through so hopefully we’re one of them.

What do you think you’d be doing with your life it you weren’t in Union J? I’d still be trying to do my football.

Apart from that I’d probably just be working in an office job in IT sales.

That’s what I was doing before – not as exciting as what we’re doing now!

What are your hopes for the future of Union J? I just hope that we can enjoy it and put smiles on people’s faces really.

Obviously, we want to go on and be really successful but however successful we go on to be, whatever happens, we just want to know that we’ve given it our best. We want to give it a proper shot and make people smile along the way.

Union J’s debut single Carry You is out now.

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8 INTERVIEW

CELEBRITY GRADUATE:

JOSEPH THOMPSON You might know him better as Hollyoaks’ devious Dr Browning, but Joseph Thompson’s incredible performance as the menacing medic didn’t come out of nowhere – the actor got the foundations of his craft from a drama degree at Bristol University. He stopped by to tell us more about his student experience...

How would you sum up your uni experience?

I know it’s a huge cliché, but I really did have the time of my life. Most of my closest friends now are friends that I made at university – I had an amazing time. And the course was brilliant.

Why study drama?

I kind of knew that I wanted to be an actor but I wasn’t absolutely sure. I applied to a drama school, and then I applied to university as well, and I decided that I wanted to continue my academic studies to give myself the option that, if acting didn’t work out, I had a degree behind me to follow another career in the field. I grew up a lot at university, I really needed that experience. I think it’s really healthy to mix with all kinds of people studying all kinds of things.

Where did you see your career going when you left uni?

When I went to university, I wanted to be an actor, but I was aware that it was going to be difficult. I wanted to be absolutely sure that acting was what I wanted to do. I also thought that I might want to be an editor, or work behind the camera or behind the scenes in theatre or TV. That’s why I chose my degree – the department was absolutely brilliant. After I left university, I went to Japan with the JET English teaching scheme, which, again, I wouldn’t have been able to do without my degree and it’s still one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. Then I came back from Japan and went to drama school!

Did you have any weird flatmates? [laughs] In my first year, I stayed in halls of residence and they put us in different

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corridors depending on our interests and what we were into. I think I must’ve been a bit of an odd one out because I was put in this corridor with people who they couldn’t fit in anywhere else. We were on the edge of the accommodation, it was almost like they thought they’d put all the odd balls out in the one corner! One of the guys is still my best friend, but there were a couple of interesting characters there.

What kind of impact would you say your uni experience has had on you as a person?

Huge. Enormous. The main thing is that I met most of my good friends at university, and my friends are probably the most important thing in my life. I really grew up a lot in those few years too. It gave me a breadth of life experience that, if I’d done acting or gone straight into work, I just wouldn’t have got.

FACT: Joseph is much

How do you think your degree has helped your career?

Acting is absolutely not an academic practice – there’s nothing academic about it. It’s about emotion, intelligence; it’s not about having to read academic texts. So in that sense, not at all, in any way. But, as a person, it gave me experience of lots of different things that have made me much more open-minded. It’s an integral part of who I am as a person, and therefore who I am as an actor.

If we said to you as a student that you’d end up on one of the most popular soaps on TV, what would you have said?

I would’ve been really, really excited and delighted to be told I’d be working as an actor. All I’ve ever wanted is to make a living from acting. Dr Browning is really fun to play – I love working on Hollyoaks, everyone works incredibly hard. When I first started, I couldn’t believe how difficult it is!

Do you think uni’s worth it?

Absolutely. It’s not for everyone – I think it’s really important that a degree isn’t essential to make it in the world, but I think it’s an opportunity that everyone should have. You shouldn’t feel like you have to go, but at the same time, if you want to go, you should be able to.

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“UNI GAVE ME EXPERIENCE OF LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE MADE ME MUCH MORE OPEN-MINDED. IT’S AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHO I AM AS A PERSON, AND THEREFORE WHO I AM AS AN ACTOR”

Catch Hollyoaks, weekdays at 6:30 on Channel 4.

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10 CAREERS

MOVIE MAGIC Working with Disney Animation, Clark Spencer has produced massive movie hits like Lilo and Stitch, Bolt and, most recently, Wreck-It Ralph. We caught up with the award-winning producer to find out more about his job...

As a movie producer, how would you sum up your job?

The job is a couple of things. As a producer, you’re responsible for a budget, so you set a schedule and you hold yourself to that schedule. In some ways, you’re the director’s partner. You’re the person in the room with the director making sure everyone’s communicating and understanding each other. These are big, complex projects. It’s 450 people, it’s four years of work – it’s really important that things go smoothly. There’s so many things we get involved in, and that’s what I love about it.

How did you get started in movie production?

Well, it’s interesting – I’d say to your readers that you can do it in any number of ways. When I came out of university, I worked in Wall Street, I was a finance guy. But I didn’t have passion for it. After about three years, I thought, ‘I like what I’m doing, but I don’t want to be doing this when I’m 50... I need to switch to something I love.’ And I loved movies. As a kid, my grandparents owned a movie theatre, and I always wanted to go see movies. But my background was finance, I was a financial analyst – and I got hired by Disney and my career took off. I became a chief financial officer for Disney Animation and Theatrical Productions. One day I was asked if I would move to Orlando, Florida,

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to run an animation studio down there.

Lilo and Stitch was going to get made and they needed a producer. And I was there.

They thought, ‘Here’s a guy who seems pretty smart and knows our company, so why don’t we give him a shot?’ My dream completely came true – I was in the right place at the right time.

Wreck-It Ralph has been a huge hit – what was it like to work on?

It was amazing. As a producer, you have to match up with the director to make sure you see eye to eye. When Rich Moore joined Disney Animation four years ago from the Simpsons, I thought to myself, ‘I want to work with that guy.’ Then when he said he wanted to tell this great story in the world of video games and take the audience behind the screen into this world which nobody knew existed – kind of like Toy Story – I was sold.

What would you say was the biggest challenge in making this film?

There was a couple. The movie actually has four big ‘worlds’ – there’s the world of Fix It Felix Jr., the world of Hero’s Duty, the world of Sugar Rush and the world of Game Central Station. So Fix It Felix Jr. is based on 8-bit squares, very simple. The world of Hero’s Duty is based on triangles, the CGI animation is very realistic – the best we can do today. Sugar Rush is based on circles, it’s very cartoony and whimsical.

To do that is tough, it’s like making four different movies. The other difficulty was the number of characters – we had almost 190 characters. We’d never done that many – 60 is the most we’d ever done.

Because we’d decided to use all these characters from other video games, like Sonic and Bowser, we also had to get all those video game companies to approve the animation – that was a huge part of my job. The last thing was technology. They actually had to create new technology, new lighting tools, to create the entire world of Sugar Rush.

Of all the films you’ve worked on, which has been your favourite?

That’s a hard question! They’re all so different. I will say that Wreck-It Ralph has been a really amazing experience.

I feel like it is a movie where I had this opportunity to work with Rich Moore, somebody I have so much respect for, and to create a movie that I think has, hopefully, knock on wood, the potential to continue to create more stories. That, to me, is really, really exciting.

Wreck-It Ralph is out on Disney DVD and Blu-Ray 3 June.

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. . . n o g

i B

The National Audit Office (NAO) audits how billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been spent by government. We also produce high profile Value for Money reports which look at the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government funded projects.

Opportunities We offer a School Leavers Training Scheme which leads to qualification as a Chartered Accountant through the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). It’s a fantastic opportunity to gain an internationally recognised professional accountancy qualification without incurring the debt of going to university while at the same time earning a competitive salary and getting involved in interesting and challenging work.

We’re looking for bright people who have chosen not go to university and have decided that a career in accountancy is for them. You will have, or expect to achieve, at least 300 UCAS points from A-Levels or equivalent and will have the motivation to study for a professional qualification and excel in a challenging but ultimately rewarding environment.

If you are talented and want to join a highly professional and supportive organisation – we want to hear from you!

Visit our website now to find out more and apply: www.nao.org.uk/school-leavers

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12 CAREERS

ART ATTACK If you’ve got a love for art but can’t see how your skills with a sketchpad can help you make a living, think again. There’s a huge range of career options out there in the world of art and design – here’s just a few...

FINE ART If you pursue a career in fine art, you’ll be dedicating your working life to creating artwork. Whether you’re painting, sculpting or producing performance art projects, there’s a wide variety of options that’ll let you unleash your creative side.

Fine artists are either commissioned to produce art for a client, or they create and sell pieces themselves. Some fine artists have no qualifications, others have studied at art school, and what you earn depends on your talent. This is a tough route to take and requires a lot of hard work to establish yourself – even artistic genius Vincent Van Gogh wasn’t appreciated in his lifetime. Definitely not the job for those with less than 100% dedication.

ILLUSTRATION Illustrators are the people who come up with the images used in advertising campaigns, magazines, books, birthday cards, clothing – all sorts of places.

Illustrators often work on a freelance basis, or may be employed as part of a design studio, fashion house or publisher, coming up with ideas to meet the brief specified by the client or their boss. Wellestablished illustrators can earn as much as £40,000 a year, with the potential to earn even more if your illustrations capture the public’s imagination.

GRAPHIC DESIGN Big brand logos, magazines and newspapers, books, corporate branding, advertisements, product packaging... All

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of these things have needed someone to sit down and come up with an idea for their design – namely, a graphic designer.

This job is all about coming up with great design ideas that will have a big impact visually in a range of different media, and bringing them to life on a computer.

Graphic designers need to be hugely creative, personable and flexible – you’ll often be working to meet the needs and demands of a client rather than as an outlet for your own tastes. Check out graphic design courses at college or university level.

FASHION AND JEWELLERY Every item in your wardrobe started off as a sketch by a designer. Whether you go on to be a fashion heavyweight designing gowns for A-listers like Scots designer Christopher Kane, land a job designing denim with a leading high street brand like Topman or Primark, or go indie and sell your handmade jewellery on the web through sites like Etsy, there are lots of ways to make a living in this area. You can get started by studying a course in fashion, textile or jewellery design at college or university.

PRODUCT DESIGN Imagine an idea you came up with went on to be a firm fixture in every household in the country. It’s a possibility if you go on to work in product design or industrial design. This is more than making sure the sofa, TV set, children’s toy or mobile phone looks fantastic – you have to ensure that it meets safety standards and actually does the job it’s meant to do.

Most product designers have a degree or HND in a related field, such as spatial design, 3D design or industrial design, with junior designers generally starting on £17,000 a year.

PHOTOGRAPHY Everyone’s a photographer these days with Instagram, but it can lead to a very lucrative career. Invest in a decent camera, get snapping and look into courses to hone your skills – you could opt for part-time evening classes outside of school, sign up for an HND or pursue a degree in photography. Who knows?

You might end up snapping the stars for major magazines, exhibiting photographs of people affected by war at a famous gallery or capturing the happiest day of a couple’s life as a wedding photographer.

GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS A love for art doesn’t have to mean you’re producing it. Your passion for the creative could lead you to a life as a gallery assistant or curator, organising new exhibitions and displays in the likes of Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, the National Gallery in Edinburgh or the Metropolitan Museum of New York! This area of work is open to all graduates in a range of disciplines – history of art might be the most obvious choice, but graduates in English literature, languages and science have also gone on to be curators.

To find out more about careers in art and design, head to www.creative-choices.co.uk

28/05/2013 13:32

A SHOE-IN FOR SUCCESS...

A recent graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at Dundee University, 22-year-old Sarah Coey from Dunblane is on target to have her dreams of making it big as an artist come true after winning a competition with footwear brand Boxfresh...

Tell us about this Boxfresh competition...

Boxfresh were doing a competition to design a pair of trainers in conjunction with the Teenage Cancer Trust. They wanted a design that was fresh and new that they could sell in Schuh stores, and whenever they get money in, part of it will go to the charity.

How did you feel when you found out you’d won?

I’d actually completely forgotten that I’d entered! I was like, ‘When did I enter?!’

I didn’t remember. I was absolutely delighted, I’m so excited. It’s the biggest thing ever to have happened to me.

What inspired your design?

My work is focused kind of on daydreams, and all the thoughts that go through your head – little fleeting moments. And I really like colour; I’m obsessed with colour. I do a lot of automatic drawing, so I have a response to the colours and just go from there.

There wasn’t too much of a thought process behind it.

You have a degree in fine art – how do you think that’s helped you?

With a lot of fine art courses, you do painting or drawing or sculpture,

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whereas at Dundee, you get to do a bit of everything – drawing, painting, metalwork, woodwork, sculpture, print making. I loved it; I think it gives you a real scope for creativity. It stops you pigeonholing yourself before you know what you want to do.

What made you want to study art?

I’ve always loved drawing. Ever since I could hold a pencil, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I like the idea that art can make people smile; I wanted to bring something to the art world that wasn’t too serious.

What’s next for you?

I’ve been offered a placement with the Boxfresh design team, which will hopefully happen this year at some point. I’m still in the process of setting up my online shop, it’s taking a lot longer than I’d thought! I would love to be doing my art full-time – even something creative full time. That would be the ultimate goal. But I am open to ideas, I want to explore the world and see what happens.

STUDY IT An art degree can open lots of doors and take you into a huge range of different jobs – not all fashion designers have a degree in fashion design, and a fine art degree doesn’t mean you have to pursue the life of a fine artist. If you want to study art, go for something that you’re passionate about and assess your career options from there.

Glasgow School of Art www.gsa.ac.uk 0141 353 4500 Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad 01382 388 828 Edinburgh College of Art www.ed.ac.uk/eca 0131 651 5800 Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen www.rgu.ac.uk/grays 01224 262 000

Check out Sarah’s work at www.sarahcoey.com

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16 CAREERS

LAND-ING ON YOUR FEET...

Did you know that 60% of Britain’s food is grown and made here in the UK? That means there are loads of jobs available – and there’s much more to it than farming vegetables and milking cows! We take a look at making a career in the land-based industries.

F

rom towering trees to acres of farmland, Scotland’s awe-inspiring natural environment creates jobs every year in the country’s land-based careers. There are loads of opportunities for you to get involved too, and many of them are a far cry from stereotypical farm images of tractors and scarecrows!

What do you mean by “land-based careers”?

Broadly speaking, the sector can be split into five areas: agriculture and science; animal-related; environmental conservation and rural management; fresh produce, nurseries and garden centres and garden and landscape design. Anything that comes from the land, like vegetables, plant life and trees, or relies on the land, such as livestock, is looked after by land-based industries in every stage of its production, from growing to packaging and onto selling.

What sort of jobs are available?

You could be managing a massive vegetable packing plant, conserving rare species of tree and plant life, growing flowers to go on sale in garden centres and florists, farming fish, breeding cows, designing gardens, cutting down or planting trees, working as an agricultural engineer looking at the technical side of processing agricultural produce from carrots to milk, running your own business providing vegetables to major retailers... There is such a huge range of jobs available that we can’t even begin to cover them! Technology, from combine harvesters to futuristic packing plants, has meant that many manual jobs are

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no longer needed, but there are now opportunities in engineering and IT. For those less enthused by the ‘getting your hands dirty’ side of things, there are jobs in finance, logistics, sales and marketing, administration, advertising and management too.

What qualifications do I need?

People of all skills, interests and abilities, from school leavers to graduates, can thrive in this sector. You could go straight from school into work, get an agricultural apprenticeship, study a related subject at

Is there much scope for work?

While the industry is constantly going through change as consumer tastes alter and stores want cheaper produce, there are still opportunities available here in Scotland. Land-based industries employ over 115,000 people in Scotland alone.

Opting for a career working with the land might seem a bit 1904, but this line of work is crucial – not only do jobs in this area provide products and services to the public, but it keeps Scotland’s long-established, successful agricultural, horticultural and forestry sector alive.

OPTING FOR A CAREER WORKING WITH THE LAND MIGHT SEEM A BIT 1904, BUT THIS LINE OF WORK IS CRUCIAL college or university or get qualifications in something completely different like business management and take the skills you learn into the sector – there’s a huge range of different ways of getting started!

SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) is a great starting point for people wanting to study specific land-based, agricultural, horticultural and rural courses at a range of different levels.

What skills help?

Obviously, a love of the outdoors is a big bonus. While there will be office-based roles, even these can involve going out and about to meet suppliers, growers and staff in outdoor roles. You’ve got to be a hard worker, as the hours are often long in the more manual roles, and you have to be up for some problem solving – as technology advances, and more produce is imported from overseas, the industry is becoming more challenging.

According to LANTRA, over a quarter of employees in the sector are over the age of 55, so there’s a huge demand for younger workers to join this line of work.

How do I get started?

Research the roles that are out there first, by heading to the LANTRA site at www.lantra.co.uk (the Sector Skills Council for land-based environmental industries) for more information on the myriad roles available and what you need to do to get yourself there. Then prepare yourself for lots of hard work!

This is a bustling industry with loads of opportunities and definite scope for progression. If you’re not afraid of hard work and want to be a part of the industry that keeps Scotland moving, look into your options now.

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STUDY IT!

SCOTLAND’S RURAL COLLEGE Last year, a unique opportunity cropped up in Scotland for people hoping to pursue a land-based or agricultural career.

We found out more about SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College.

Last year, four respected institutions – Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges and SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) merged to become SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College.

ON THE JOB

ALLY GRAHAM – TECHNICAL AND PROCUREMENT ASSISTANT AT ALBERT BARTLETT You don’t have to study an agriculture or rural skills-related subject to get into the industry, as Ally Graham knows all too well. He stopped by to tell us more about his job with potato giants Albert Bartlett...

What does a procurement and technical assistant do?

I am involved with everything from the potatoes being planted in the ground, growing in the field to going into storage and eventually going to our factory in Airdrie. We need to make sure everything remains of good quality right up until it goes to the factory.

How did you get started with Albert Bartlett?

I did a degree in construction and built environment in Edinburgh.

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I saw a job advertised in our local paper in Perthshire, and it was a basic potato washing job.

I thought that would be perfect and it would give me some insight into agriculture, so I took the job on. It’s just gone from strength to strength, getting more and more responsibility.

What do you like about your job?

I like getting out and about. There is a lot of office work, and I actually do a large amount of the paperwork to do with traceability of potatoes right through the supply chain and help a lot of our growers with paper work, but also, equally, I’m out meeting different growers.

What would be your advice to people wanting to get started in an agricultural career?

Don’t be scared to go for a lower tier job because there’s room for growth. I really thought there was no way that I’d be able to get a job in the agricultural sector, but I’ve quite quickly worked my way up to a higher stage.

Find out more about Albert Bartlett’s work at www.albertbartlett.co.uk

SRUC delivers comprehensive skills, education and business support for the land-based industries in Scotland and beyond, founded on world class and sectorleading research, education and consultancy. SRUC is one of the largest organisations of its kind in Europe and offers everything from entry level and access courses, through to Higher National (HNC/ HND) and degree programmes, as well as Masters and PhD level study in subject areas which include: Activity tourism, agricultural engineering, agriculture, animal and biological science, animal care, business, countryside management, environment and sustainability, horse care and forgework, forestry, gamekeeping, garden design, golf, green technology, horticulture, hospitality, poultry, sport and outdoor pursuits and veterinary nursing.

SRUC has six campuses: King’s Buildings in Edinburgh, Craibstone in Aberdeen, Riverside in Ayr, Elmwood in Cupar, Oatridge in Broxburn, and Barony in Dumfries.

They offer over 270 rural-related educational courses including training and short courses, certificates and access courses, as well as full-time and part-time courses at university level and postgraduate.

Find out more about how you can further your learning and get a head start in the world of land-based work at www.sruc.ac.uk/education.

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27/05/2013 21:41

20 CAREERS

THE IT CROWD There’s more to computers than gaming and keeping up to date with your mates on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr – the world of IT can lead to a really rewarding and lucrative career...

IT

is just for geeks, right? Er, wrong actually. While the world of computers and technology might make you think of Roy and Maurice from Channel 4’s The IT Crowd, the reality is pretty different.

In terms of employment, the IT world is booming. As we rely more and more on computers to get through life – from ordering the weekly shop to processing employee pay – the demand for people working in this area is soaring.

Technology contributes £4billion to the Scottish economy every year, and a European Commission report estimated that there will be 900,000 vacancies in IT across Europe by 2016 – good news for people making their career choices now!

Better yet, as demand for IT professionals is so high, and with just not enough people with the right skills to fill the jobs, salaries are jumping too. According to BigAmbition Scotland, 16 to 29-year-olds working in IT and telecoms are likely to earn a third more than the average for this age group.

WHAT JOB? There’s a huge range of roles available in IT. You could be a software engineer, coming up with new programmes for computer users across the world.

You could go into the world of web development, working on the coding that brings websites to life. Games

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developers, working with companies like Sony and Rockstar, are always going to be in demand for gamers! Network engineers are needed to make sure that computer networks stay up and running, information systems managers are vital in big organisations such as libraries or the NHS, cyber security officers are crucial to combat computer viruses and hackers

coming up either, as the world’s biggest tech entrepreneurs will testify. Aberdeenborn Pete Cashmore started social tech blog Mashable from his bedroom at the age of 19 – he’s now worth a massive $96 million, according to Time magazine, and, we’re not going to lie, he’s brought a certain good looking charm to the world of the web. Now 26, Pete, who launched

16 TO 29-YEAR-OLDS WORKING IN IT AND TELECOMS ARE LIKELY TO EARN A THIRD MORE THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THIS AGE GROUP trying to access government systems, app programmers are increasingly in demand as we rely more and more on our smart phones just to exist, systems analysts – the list goes on! For more insight into the jobs that are available, check out the BigAmbition Scotland site at www.bigambitionscotland.com.

You don’t necessarily have to be working in the IT industry itself to have a tech role.

Every sector, such as retail, marketing, travel and the media, has a demand for IT professionals to run websites, offer tech support and create new products to help their business. So whether you’re working on the ASOS site or producing a new programme for staff in the Scottish government, you aren’t restricted to working for tech-focused companies.

SUCCESS STORIES You don’t have to wait on the perfect job

the site straight from school without even setting foot in a university lecture hall, now has Mashable offices in New York and California, 80 employees, a hot photographer girlfriend and he splits his time between the States and Scotland.

Not bad work if you can get it!

There’s a range of ways to get started in IT and, as Pete proves, you don’t necessarily need a degree. Steve Jobs, the late founder of Apple Inc, was a uni drop out, as was Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. However, these guys were all tech obsessed, spending a lot of their spare time learning about computers on their own.

It is universally acknowledged that some sort of training in computer science is beneficial, and there are courses available from HNC to Masters level. There are other areas you could study – some engineering courses contain an IT-related element, or there are more specialised

28/05/2013 13:41

21

D

RACHEL EVATT – PRODUCT DIRECTOR, SKYSCANNER.NET Rachel took her engineering degree to work with one of Scotland’s fastestgrowing companies – travel search engine Skyscanner. We found out more about her job... courses in areas such as web design or information systems management. The important thing is to choose a course which reflects your interests, your strengths and what you see yourself doing in the future.

The most exciting thing about information technology? It’s constantly changing and developing. If you think of the massive computers we were using ten years ago and compare them with the super slim laptops we have now, you’ll see what we mean! It’s a job where you’ll always be learning, there will always be a demand for staff and the money is pretty good, even for entry level positions.

If you’re computer-obsessed, have a mind for technology and want a challenging, constantly-moving career, maybe it’s time to become a part of the IT crowd...

ON THE WEB e-Skills UK www.e-skills.com BigAmbition Scotland www.bigambitionscotland.com

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What does a product director do?

As product director, part of my role is hands-on product management – continuing to develop the Skyscanner product set by figuring out what will drive business value, what users want and what our technology can enable, and determining what our product should do to support that. I lead the Product team who are working together to figure this out and drive real change within the products. It’s a difficult but wonderfully challenging role, being at the core of the business.

What did you study to get to where you are?

I have an MEng degree in engineering science from the University of Oxford.

My degree was broad engineering, but I took modules in technology and entrepreneurship towards the end, which gave me an impetus to want to start a business and work within a high growth technology environment.

How has your education helped?

A grounding in science and engineering has been helpful for understanding the technical considerations that will nearly always form part of product management.

Developing an understanding of commercial considerations and the constant need to figure out a path to solve a problem in the face of conflicting inputs and when resources, time, money are all constrained is the most important skill I’ve developed. You get some of that

through formal education, but I’m still learning through doing.

What’s an average day like at Skyscanner?

There is no average day at Skyscanner, except to say that every day is busy and brings fresh challenges! I spend the majority of the working day in discussions with various parts of the business, figuring out and planning new product development work or working closely with technical leads and project managers on delivering new features to the website and mobile applications. In a few weeks, I’ll be off to our offices in Singapore and Beijing to find out how our product needs to better develop for those markets. It’s essentially about solving problems, which are always part technology, part commercial and almost always involve people. I am always learning, since there is always more to know, and I find this really stimulating.

What advice do you have for anyone wanting to get into IT? Get stuck into solving problems. Read around the subject and engage. Learn to code (even if at a basic level – the level of understanding this gives you will serve you well whatever route you take in a digital economy). The actual technologies and products will almost certainly have changed over the next few years, but the fundamental mechanics and skills needed to solve complex problems won’t have, so get as much practice as you can!

Find out more about working with Skyscanner at www.skyscanner.net/jobs

28/05/2013 14:21

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28/05/2013 11:18

CAREERS 23

A CAREER ONLINE It’s where we spend most of our time throughout our studies researching, learning and largely procrastinating – the internet. But is there any way to turn something we use all the time into a fullyfledged career? Through sponsorship, advertising and online shops, loads of web users are turning their hobby into a proper job. We met with some young Scots striving for success on the web.

The Online Entrepreneur

The YouTuber

The Blogger

Amy McFadyen, 21, from Glasgow, is steadily becoming a very successful online businesswoman with her jewellery store McSkully. “I started in 2011,” says Amy. “I started selling little handmade charm bracelets and skull earrings on eBay. I decided to branch out and specialise in ‘kitsch’ because everyone loves a necklace or bracelet that nobody else has!”

It’s estimated that 72 hours of footage is uploaded to YouTube every minute and 1 billion users visit the site each month.

Erin Doogan, 22, from Dumbarton has thousands of subscribers to her YouTube beauty channel – and she’s starting to turn it into a money-making exercise.

Ewan McQueen is a 21-year-old student and blogger. “My blog shares my opinions on the topical issues in the sporting world,” Ewan explains. “I started up the site last July and have written regularly since then on a variety of sports.”

Setting up an online business from scratch can be a daunting process, but Amy says that her initial success was down to support she received from loved ones.

“I’ve had help from a few friends who helped get my name out there by setting up photo shoots and fashion shows.”

You can set up your own store in a number of ways, through eBay initially like Amy, or you can use sites like Etsy for crafts, Amazon Marketplace or build your own web home.

If you’re a budding entrepreneur considering starting up your own business on the internet, Amy has some advice before you start. “Think of something unique. Don’t give up if you don’t get a thousand hits on your website immediately. Also, be aware that you won’t make a profit for a while. I would say plan exactly what you need and don’t be scared to spend a bit on advertising because in the end it will be worth it.”

Visit Amy’s online jewellery store, McSkully, at www.mcskully.com

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“I stumbled upon the beauty community on YouTube, completely by accident and was fascinated by it,” Erin explains.

“I just thought, ‘I want to do it!’”

As for making YouTube a fully-fledged career, Erin is open to that option. “I can’t see myself stopping doing it now, its way too much fun and I’ve made so many new friends. Just now, it’s a hobby because I don’t make a huge amount of money from it but that’s fine by me.”

Erin reckons the benefits of YouTubing far outweigh the negatives, like nasty feedback. “I’ve not had many people leaving me horrible messages.

Everyone has different opinions and if my channel doesn’t appeal to them then so be it. Interacting with the viewers and making friends makes up for it.”

We asked Ewan what it was about the world of blogging he found so appealing and he puts it down to the sense of community within the blogosphere. “I have always loved debating and I felt blogging was a new way to do this,” he says. “It seemed an easy way to discuss with fellow fans and hear what they thought.”

More and more bloggers are now paid to feature adverts on their blog, essentially making blogging into a bonafide career. While it’s early days for Ewan, he hopes he can achieve similar success. “Blogging is becoming more widespread and I do feel confident enough to do it full-time. It would be great fun writing and making money at the same time.”

As for the future of Erin’s channel, she has high hopes. “Hopefully my channel will grow, I’ll meet lots more amazing people and I’ll make YouTube my career.”

Ewan has some advice for other young people thinking about starting up their own blogs, and reckons the trick is to write about the things you know.

“I would say that the best blogs are the ones that develop a niche and a style early on. If you have an interest in something, write about that.”

Find Erin at www.youtube.com/ beautycreep

You can visit Ewan’s blog at ewansworldofsport.blogspot.co.uk

28/05/2013 13:37

24 CAREERS

STUCK IN A RUT? NOT A CHANCE! If you study astronomy, journalism or business are you forever committed to a career in that sector?

We met with some people who say the world is still your oyster after graduation...

Computer Animation to Tattoo Artistry

Accountancy to Yoga

Politics to Primary Teaching

Kirstin Stevenson is a 25-year-old from Holytown near Glasgow and has jumped from one career straight into another. Initially, Kirstin attended Glasgow’s prestigious School of Art but decided it maybe wasn’t the place for her. “I’ve always been an arty person and at university, I studied a Masters in Computer Animation at the School of Art,” says Kirstin. “I realised quite soon after graduating that the computer animation industry wasn’t for me. I applied for jobs I wasn’t really passionate about and unsurprisingly nothing ever came of them.”

Scott Rennie has seen and done it all and proves that you don’t necessarily need to follow the career path you initially set out on. “I did a Bachelor of Accountancy degree at Glasgow Uni,” Scott explains. “Even then I was a bit restless and got so bored by my final year that I arranged to do an exchange, so I spent that year at the University of Miami in Florida.”

After studying politics at Glasgow University for four years, 23-year-old Danielle Park decided she wanted a change and is now training to become a primary school teacher. “I chose to study politics because I really enjoyed modern studies at school,” Danielle says. “I didn’t have a solid idea about what profession I wanted to pursue. My favourite teacher at school told me to go do what I enjoyed, so I did.”

Things are very different now for Kirstin as she embarks on a completely different career path – tattoo artistry. “There are similarities between computer animation and tattooing – it’s still art. It’s still a creative field that requires patience and artistic talent but the majority of animation is completed on a computer – which is obviously very different from tattooing on skin!”

So, what advice would Kirstin give to someone who is thinking about pursuing a career that’s different to what they’ve studied in university? “If you studied what doesn’t make you happy, don’t force yourself into that career,” she says. “Find something that does make you happy and work as hard as you can to get there.”

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After working as an accountant, Scott then worked as a police officer, before moving into completely foreign territory in the form of yoga. “In 2005 I qualified as a yoga teacher and taught a weekly class at Kilmarnock College. I then began to see how my life as a cop was, in some ways, holding me back from the kind of exploration of yoga that I wanted to do. So, in 2006 I left my career with the police and started teaching full-time.”

When she left university and realised a career in politics wasn’t for her, it was her volunteer work that made Danielle realise what it was she really wanted to do. “I volunteer with kids who have autistic spectrum disorders one evening a week.

After uni, I chose to work in retail until I was sure of what I wanted to do and realised that the volunteering was what I enjoyed most.”

Now that Scott is happy to have found his niche and is a successful yoga teacher, he has some words of wisdom he’d like to pass on to anyone who feels their university course might not be for them.

“Listen to yourself, get to know what you really want, and work out what you want to do when you get up every morning.

You need to consider what in life is going to make you happy.”

Danielle now sees that your degree subject doesn’t have to define your future.

“I would tell anyone with a degree they don’t think they want to pursue to take their time to work out what they really want to do before jumping into a job for the sake of it,” she says. “Lots of people are young when they leave university so I would encourage them to try to get as much experience, I would particularly recommend volunteering as it gives you lifelong transferable skills.”

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27/05/2013 21:42

ADVICE 27

DON’T PANIC! This year’s exam results will be coming your way on 6 August. For some, it’ll be the best day of their lives, securing future plans for college, university or employment. For others, it’ll feel like the end of the world. So what can you do if things don’t go your way on results day? Rebecca Gillard offers some advice...

Y

ou crammed and swotted, you stressed and worked your hardest, but unfortunately some of us won’t get a string of As this year.

Disappointment on results day – it’s probably the worst feeling in the world.

But, as the old cliché goes, what’s done is done. With this in mind, now isn’t the time to get yourself down because it most certainly doesn’t mean the end of the road for you. There are a number of alternative ways to reach your end goal.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS One option is resits. If you need a particular qualification for uni, college or work, you can try and pass again. It’s not as simple as re-doing the paper – you will have to do the coursework again before you get anywhere near the exam next spring. There are a number of ways in which you can do this. There might be an option to resit through your school if you have a fifth or sixth year still to do, or you can attend a college if you’re beyond school age. Places fill up in colleges quickly so it’s important that you get your application form sent off. Many colleges offer night courses too, so you could even fit this around a part-time job and earn for the year.

There’s also the option of appealing the result if you did better in your prelim exams, but this might not improve your grade – you’ll have to speak to your teacher or college tutor to see if they can submit an appeal for you.

UNI OPTIONS If your grades mean you’ve missed the conditions of a uni offer, it doesn’t mean the student dream is over. The first thing to do is contact university admissions in case they aren’t oversubscribed for your course and you could still get in.

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This is no guarantee you’ll succeed, but it is worth a shot.

If this doesn’t work out, UCAS’s Clearing system can help you find an alternative course which will accept the grades you have. Clearing is a service which can help people without a university place to find suitable vacancies on other courses.

Clearing is available between July and September, but for most people, it’s used after the exam results are published in August. Find out more at www.ucas.com.

HNCs and HNDs teach you a mix of practical skills and theory. They are highly valued, reputable qualifications and a range of these courses for a variety of disciplines are offered, from engineering and science to art and foreign languages.

They also have UCAS points and can go towards reapplying for a uni course. Many colleges have links with universities too – successfully completing an HND can win you a place at uni, sometimes directly into second or third year on a related course.

Taking some time off from education is another option. Ruairi O’Shea, 22, was disappointed on results day and decided to opt for a working gap year. “I honestly believe my gap year may well have been the best thing for me. Within weeks I had come to understand just how badly I missed education, and it has completely changed the type of student I am.”

Sometimes taking a different path can turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you, as 22-year-old Gemma Brown found out. “Part of me knew when all my exams were over that I hadn’t done quite enough to get into my first choice university,” she says. “Even though you start picturing yourself at a certain university, you’re never going to know what the experience is like until you actually go and see for yourself. If you’re passionate about a subject and want to study, the location won’t matter – it will only heighten your experience.”

More information

ON COURSE

SQA www.sqa.org.uk

An alternative path is to sign up for a college course in the subject you love at Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND) level.

If exam day doesn’t go to plan, it isn’t the end of the world – you do have options.

Closer to results day, check out the SQA site at www.sqa.org.uk for details of the results helpline for further advice.

UCAS Clearing www.ucas.com/students/ nextsteps/clearing

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CAREERS 29

APPLY YOURSELF We break down the ins and outs of applying for the job of your dreams...

Summer – a time for holidays, festivals, sleeping till three in the afternoon, epic day trips with your mates... And for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to have a money tree in the back garden, it’s the season for looking into getting a job too.

Whether you’re after your first full-time post after education or some part-time summer work, now’s the time to start getting applications out there before the end of the educational year. So how do you apply for jobs, and where the heck do you find them?

LOOK OUT To get started, job sites like s1jobs.com and the Guardian’s job site (www.guardian.co.uk/jobs) are a god-send for both full-time and part-time work, as is your local newspaper. If you’re looking for a role in a certain sector, look online for jobs boards tailored to that area, such as jobs in energy or charity.

For those of you who are after seasonal summer work or a part-time job you can keep on during term-time, the best bet is to go to the employer directly – restaurants, shops, cafes, bars, kids’ clubs and call centres are all great for people who are still in education and tend to be flexible about working hours with plenty of scope for overtime when you don’t have class to worry about. Call round local companies or pop in with a copy of your CV – there’s no harm in making a speculative application like this, as many employers rely on people showing initiative.

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COVER UP Whether you have a form to fill in or your potential employer prefers that you submit a CV, chances are, you’ll be asked to provide a cover letter. A cover letter is, funnily enough, a letter which you send to employers to introduce your application – to sell yourself, basically. It should contain a bit about you and explain why you’re applying for this particular job.

While many vacancies will require that you fill in an application form, others might ask for a CV. This is slightly trickier as you have to decide what to have.

Generally speaking, your CV should have a summary of your education, qualifications, experience, interests, a personal statement and contact details, all held together in one handy typed-up document.

It’s a good idea to have a core CV stored on your computer which you can tweak to suit the different jobs you’re applying for. Remember to keep your application relevant too, and try not to go over two A4 pages – nobody wants to hear about your passion for the Twilight books (‘hobbies and interests’) or know every last detail of that amazing goal you scored in the school cup final (‘achievements to date’).

BE SENSIBLE Hey, pinksparklypony_xx, hearts_no1_fan and mrsharrystyles! It’s time to ditch that embarrassing email address and get a grown-up one. If you’re emailing in a CV or completing a form online,

they’ll definitely need your email address and you’re going to look pretty daft if you stick with an addy that’s anything less than professional. Something that includes your name instead is far more appropriate.

What’s also appropriate is telling the truth. Don’t claim to have volunteered in Cambodia when the closest you got was googling it, don’t say you’re a seasoned ski instructor when you’re more of a Wii Sports participant and never ever bump up your grades. The thing is with lies, white or otherwise, you often get caught out and the consequences can be disastrous.

Before you submit any CVs or applications, grab a parent or a pal and get them to read it over for you.

Submitting applications with spelling and grammar mistakes is a no-no – some employers will disregard you straight away.

DON’T GIVE UP When it comes to job applications, there’s one thing to remember – if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Finding a job is tough, and if your first few applications don’t bring in the interviews, don’t throw in the towel. Tweak your CV, keep looking for other posts, start sending out speculative applications and don’t lose hope. Good luck!

MORE INFO...

My World of Work www.myworldofwork.co.uk 0800 917 8000

28/05/2013 13:41

30 STUDENT LIFE

HOME OR AWAY? Applying for university is daunting, but it’s important that you make the right decision for you. There will be so many questions running through your head – will I move away? Should I stay at home? What’s the best course for me? How will I cope without my friends from school? For those of you heading to uni after the summer break, Mandy Thomson caught up with two current uni students to reassure you that, whether you move to a new city or stay at home, you will make new friends, enjoy lots of new experiences and find your independence.

MICHAEL HILL Second year Glasgow University student, studying marine biology.

Originally from Auchtermuchty, Fife, now lives in a flat in Glasgow’s West End. Where did you decide to go to uni and why?

I decided to go to Glasgow Uni. Even though I had offers from closer universities such as Stirling and St Andrews, but because I’d lived in quiet Fife all of my life, I thought it would be good to experience a busy city lifestyle.

The marine biology course at Glasgow also has a good reputation especially with the Millport facility they use.

Did you live in halls in first year?

In first year I lived in Cairncross Halls. I shared a kitchen with seven other people, which worked out well as there was two fridges and two cookers and the kitchen was really big. The bathrooms were really good as well, there seemed to be loads of them and I never had to wait on a shower in the whole of first year.

My bedroom itself was really big with a double wardrobe, sink, and sofa so it was a good choice of halls.

What do you think of student life in Glasgow?

I think Glasgow is a great place for

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students to live because transport within the city is relatively cheap and it is easy to access most of the city quickly by the subway or bus. There is plenty to do in Glasgow in terms of nightlife – plenty of clubs and restaurants cater for a cheap budget, so you never get bored.

What are your memories from first year?

The first night, there was a party in my kitchen and I was welcomed straight away. First year of uni, on the whole, was a great laugh and being in halls definitely improved it because there is such a mix of people and you become friends with people who you wouldn’t normally socialise with.

What are the benefits of moving away from home?

Learning to have to take responsibility for things such as housework, cooking, and growing up in general. In high school, I lived in a village in the countryside so obviously there were restrictions in terms of how I spent my free time because I was always relying on lifts from parents or public transport. In the city, there’s always something to do.

Did you join any societies or sports teams when you moved to Glasgow?

This year I joined Hillhead/Jordanhill RFC and have started playing rugby again.

It’s been another great way to meet a lot of new people as well as getting fit and staying healthy.

What would your advice be to anyone going to university and how to make friends?

Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself or throw yourself in at the deep end with a new sport or group of friends.

“I had offers from closer universities such as Stirling and St Andrew’s, but because I lived in quiet Fife all of my life, I thought it would be good to experience a busy city lifestyle”

What is the best part of university?

The best thing about uni is definitely meeting new people but on the whole I enjoy it all. I really enjoy progressing with my studies because I know I’m always moving forward in where I want to get in life, even if 9am lectures don’t always appeal to me!

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WORDS OF WISDOM – MAKING FRIENDS Terrified by the thought of leaving your mates from school behind? Here’s some advice to help you on the path to a whole new social circle...

Don’t be too shy to talk to people, everyone is in the same situation as you and they want to make friends.

“The best part is meeting new people and the friends you make on your course.

They will be able to help you throughout your uni degree as they actually understand the work and pressure you’re under”

Contrary to what you might think, not everyone already knows each other.

Big cities have all different types of people in them, with different interests – there is bound to be people there you’ll get on with.

Look into university societies and clubs. Find something that interests you? Join! Get involved with as much as you can.

LOUISE SCOTT

Where did you decide to go to uni?

With journalism, my first choice was Glasgow Caledonian University so I was really pleased to be accepted there.

What have you done outside of uni that you probably wouldn’t have been able to do if you had moved out?

I wouldn’t have been able to work at the Olympics in London or complete an exchange in New York if I was living away from home. Being able to save allowed me to go on these amazing experiences and my parents were also able to help me pay as this was the first uni thing that I’d needed financial help with.

Tell me about your experiences in first year of university.

The best part is meeting new people and the friends you make on your course.

They will be able to help you throughout your uni degree as they actually understand the work and pressure you’re under!

Do you think if you lived in a smaller, less student-friendly city you would have wanted to move away?

Yes, definitely! The fact I live in Glasgow influenced my decision. If I’d stayed somewhere smaller I would have wanted to move somewhere bigger to experience a student-friendly city.

What are the benefits of living at home?

The money I am saving is the main benefit of living at home. I can focus on working and saving what I earn. It also helps having home cooked meals and not worrying about that when I have a lot on at uni and during my exams.

What would your advice be to anyone going to university?

Make the most of it! Your four years will go quickly so make sure you get involved in everything you can and don’t leave yourself looking back thinking you wished you had done something else. Make the most of your summers by travelling or taking on work experience related to your future career as this is important too.

Third year Multimedia Journalism student at Glasgow Caledonian University, lives with her family 10 minutes outside Glasgow

What do you think you would miss about living at home?

The support from your family whether it be simple tasks of cooking, finances or being able to talk to them.

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While it’s nice to stay close to your school pals, it’s great to make new friends too, especially on your course, as they may end up doing the same job as you.

Your classmates will be a great support system during exam time – they will understand the stress you are under like no one else will. Make the effort to socialise with them.

Make the effort and be friendly, everyone is keen to get to know new people.

Even if you miss fresher’s, there are always parties in halls that you can go to that will make it very easy to quickly make friends with new people.

Enjoy the student life with your new friends – when you have a full time job, you would do anything to be back here...

Be yourself, relax, and have fun!

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TRAVEL 33

THE SUMMER OF A LIFETIME Samantha made some new friends...

What were you doing in South Africa?

I took part in the Moholoholo rehabilitation centre and the Zingela predator project through African Conservation Experience (ACE), each for two weeks. The rehab centre involved looking after the animals, keeping their enclosures clean and stuff like that, and the second one was about tracking the animals and watching them in their natural environment. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before! It was just amazing.

How did you find out about ACE? When I was at school, they did a gap year fair and they sent leaflets and stuff around, so I had a look at that and decided I wanted to do it. I just love animals, and at the time I wanted to do zoology, so I thought it would help me get into uni.

What was a typical working day like?

In the rehab centre, there was an aviary which some people had to work on each day, so they’d get up at six to feed the birds. If you weren’t doing that, we had to get up at half six to do our rounds, see to all the animals and feed them. When that was all done, we went to breakfast at about eight o’clock. After that, we went back to clean out all the big cages and then we had our two to three hours in the afternoon off, where we got to sit with the animals, go in their cages and sit with them for a while. After we did that, there was time in the afternoon where you had to babysit the rhino – sit with her for a bit,

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Last summer, 19-year-old Samantha Caunce set off on a massive volunteering adventure, caring for injured and abandoned lions, cheetahs, rhinos and more in South Africa. She told us more about her incredible experience.

check she was OK and not running off, charging at people. After that, we had to go and feed the animals again, same as morning, then it was dinner. We all went to bed really early because we were so tired!

Did you meet any interesting people while you were out there?

There were a lot of different nationalities there. There was a Guatemalan girl who I became quite good friends with. There were some English people, some Scottish people and some Brazilians.

What was the accommodation like?

In the rehab centre, it was like little lodge things which all had a few rooms with four beds, two beds or three beds. When we went to dinner we went into a hall – it was attached to the centre, a place for visitors to stay. At the other one, we lived in big tents with beds in them.

What sort of animals were you working with?

Loads! Cheetahs, lions, hyenas – the bush baby which was very cute, I liked that.

Was it pretty surreal getting so close to wild animals?

It was amazing. There was one cheetah there that was always in an enclosure on his own. Because he was used to people, you could put your fingers through the bars and stroke him. I’ve got a video of me scratching his belly and he was purring really loudly. It was really cool!

Moholoholo was incredible. You get to be so close to the animals, take the cheetahs for a walk, stuff like that – it was just amazing.

What advice would you give to people looking to take part in similar animal conservation projects?

Do it. Don’t worry about the money, because it’s worth it, 100%. It is a lot of money, and people will worry about that, but just do it and enjoy it. Every person that I did it with is planning on doing it again. I’d like to do another project, or go back to one of the same places.

AFRICAN CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE ACE is one of the most experienced organisations in the UK placing volunteers in African conservation projects. The organisation supports a range of conservation projects across southern Africa, with self-funding volunteers travelling from around the world to lend a hand. Participants choose from a range of projects depending on their interests, including wildlife and marine conservation, animal rehabilitation and community projects. To find out more, head to www.conservationafrica.net or call the ACE team on 01454 269 182.

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34 TRAVEL

STUDYING OVERSEAS If you’re looking at your study options, don’t think you have to stick to colleges and universities here in Britain – there’s literally a whole world of education opportunities out there! We find out more about studying abroad...

We’ve all been there. Staring out a classroom window, words about Pythagoras and the war washing over us as we dream of somewhere bigger, somewhere better – somewhere with a bit of sunshine! Who really has time for class when there’s a whole world out there to travel round?

Ditching education altogether to become a full-time global explorer might not be the best move, which is why more and more young people are choosing to take their studies overseas. According to figures released by the University of Nottingham in 2011, an estimated 22,000 British students study abroad – that’s almost two per cent of the entire student population. Universities and colleges across the globe accept international students, introducing them to a new education system, new cultures and a new way of life.

Whether you fancy your chances as a student at prestigious Harvard in Massachusetts or Beijing’s Tsinghua University, there are loads of opportunities for you to pack up your textbooks and study overseas. From university exchanges to specialist

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programmes, you’re totally spoilt for choice.

HOW TO DO IT While a year abroad is compulsory for some degrees, such as languages, there are other ways of seeing a little bit more of the world. Lots of unis here in the UK, and some colleges, have links with overseas institutions in a whole range of subjects – everywhere from Russia to New Zealand, Norway to Argentina! For European exchanges, many institutions use Erasmus, run by the British Council.

This is a programme which lets students enrolled in degree programmes in the UK study at a European institution, or work, for a semester, or even a whole year. The big benefit of Erasmus is that participants get a grant towards the cost of living and moving abroad too. Students of all subjects participate, from classics to zoology and nearly all universities, and some colleges, take part in the programme – talk to your Erasmus officer about the opportunities available.

You don’t have to go for a short-stay option. The Fulbright Commission help thousands of Brits head State-

side every year to undertake both undergraduate and postgraduate study, as well as offering some scholarships.

The Mountbatten Institute helps postgrad students do PgCerts and MBAs, also in the US, while Study Overseas helps students get enrolled in universities in the USA, Canada and Australia. Get searching online now to see what help is out there.

Applying through a programme like this is beneficial – while you will have to pay to enrol, they’ll help you with things like finding a course, figuring out how your grades translate to the system overseas, applying for a visa and, in some cases, organising accommodation.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT One of the biggest challenges people face when studying abroad is the financial aspect. You may need to pay tuition fees and you’ll have to think about accommodation and living costs.

If you’re doing a whole degree overseas, you are unlikely to be awarded a student loan from the Student Loans Company, but they may offer support for students doing a short-term course. You can find out more at www.slc.co.uk. In exchange programmes, tuition fees are often

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THE BENEFITS

1

Learn a new language – the way the natives speak it!

2

Experience education from a different system and viewpoint and learn things your mates will know nothing about.

3

Gain a new perspective of the wider world.

4

Your CV will stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs.

covered by your university fees, but if you’re going for a full degree, you’ll be responsible for paying your own way.

There are some scholarships available, however – check out the UK Council for International Student affairs site at www. ukcisa.org.uk for further info.

Another thing to think about is your eligibility to study abroad. In Europe, you’re free to study where you choose (if you get accepted!), but further afield, you will require a visa. If you’re applying through a programme, you’ll generally get assistance with the visa application process, and if you’re applying directly to the university, they will usually help you with your visa application. Again, make enquiries about this before you sign your life away and put down a deposit for a flat in Sydney!

5

Travel opportunities – explore the local area, or spread your wings a little further afield.

6 7

Increased independence.

Make new friends from all over the world – and visit them on holiday next year!

One-minute interview with Dimitar Paunov, a student of history and politics at the University of Edinburgh, who studied in the Netherlands through the Erasmus programme for nine months.

Was your Erasmus work experience a required part of your course?

No. A friend of mine recommended me going on an exchange and, after learning of the benefits to be gained, I decided to face this challenge.

In hindsight, did going abroad give you an edge over other students who perhaps got work experience at home?

It has undoubtedly made a great change to my university experience. It provides you with the opportunity to travel around and experience Europe, it has a positive impact on your self-confidence at such a vital point of your life, which will be much needed after graduating, and when you come back home for your final year of studies, you feel like a fresher and you start rediscovering your home institution all over again.

Have you used the experience in any dissertations, interviews or applications?

The Erasmus experience has boosted my interest in European affairs. Currently I am writing my dissertation on the cultural and educational policies of the EU, one of which I had the pleasure of experiencing myself.

How do you think you benefited from the experience?

For students of history and politics it is always important to consider things from different perspectives and Erasmus provides you with this opportunity. By living and studying in a fellow European country you have the chance to enhance your knowledge of our common European culture, history and politics, but at the same time getting to know the specific worldview of other Europeans.

ON THE WEB Erasmus www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus

UKCISA www.ukcisa.org.uk

Mountbatten Institute www.mountbatten.org

Study Overseas www.studyoverseasglobal.co.uk

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35

Did it alter your feelings about your future career?

The experience which I gained will be valuable for my future development. It has altered my future plans as now I am both more confident and willing to pursue further education or a career in other European countries.

There are loads of ways to take your studies to a sunnier far off land – the secret to getting there is to research thoroughly. There can be loads to arrange and think about, so start googling, ask questions and suss out your options now. As our friends overseas would say: bonne chance, buena suerte, veel geluk – or good luck!

Fulbright Commission www.fulbright.org.uk

THE ERASMUS INTERVIEW

Erasmus is the EU’s leading exchange programme for students of all subjects at university to study or work abroad as part of their degree in one of 32 other participating European countries. Find out more at www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus

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The ERASMUS programme is a life-changing experience for STUDENTS who can get a grant to study or work in another European country.

Find out more www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus

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37 MONEY

SAAS APPLICATIONS – WHAT YOU NEED To apply for funding and your student loan, you’ll need the following information to fill in the online form...

A current email address Your SAAS reference number if you’ve applied before Your National Insurance number A bank account, and your sort code and account number

FUNDING YOUR STUDIES

Your university or college and course details

Studying at college or university doesn’t come cheap – so what’s out there to help you go from fresher to grad? Here’s the lowdown...

Passport details if you have a UK passport Details of your household income

While being a student comes with bonuses like an Urban Outfitters discount and cheap club nights, there are additional expenses that you didn’t have at school. Travel, accommodation, weighty textbooks and a busier social life are just a few of the things which will drain your bank account.

Don’t start panicking about your financial situation straight away – there is help available. Your first point of call is the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

SAAS is the government agency which gets students sorted out financially each year, both in terms of paying tuition fees and organising student loans, bursaries and grants.

PAYING YOUR FEES There is one huge bonus to living in Scotland – college and uni tuition fees are funded by the Scottish Government. This doesn’t mean that you can just swan into your first lecture without thinking about it.

You’ll have to fill out a SAAS application to get your funding in place, with details of the institution and what you’ll be studying. The powers that be will process it and get the government cash over to your college or university.

Remember – you aren’t automatically entitled to this funding, depending on your residency status and whether or not you’ve studied at a Scottish college or uni before. Get in touch with SAAS to see if you qualify.

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GIE’S A LOAN! If you want to apply for a student loan (and you don’t have to), you can also do this through SAAS. Once you fill in the form, SAAS will pass your details onto the Student Loans Company.

Student loans are low interest, making it the most sensible way to borrow money to cover living costs – it’s much cheaper than relying on credit cards and overdrafts. You don’t have to pay back your loan until you’re earning a certain amount either, and the money will come straight off your wages.

The amount of money that you’re awarded depends on what your parents or guardians earn. If the total household income is under £34,000, you can apply for an income-assessed loan rather than the basic loans. People with an annual household income of less than £17,000 will be awarded the maximum loan amount, and this number decreases the closer you get to £34,000.

BURSARIES AND GRANTS SAAS also deal with certain bursaries and grants, such as Disabled Students Allowance, Lone Parents’ Grant, Vacation Grant for Care Leavers, and they deal with bursaries for nursing and midwifery students. There’s also the Young Students’ Bursary, which helps to pay for general living costs. Like the student loan, this

is income-assessed for those with a household income of £34,000 or less.

Grants and bursaries are different from loans, as you don’t have to pay these back. Check out the SAAS website to see if you meet the conditions for additional funding.

HOW TO APPLY With 150,000 students submitting applications annually, it’s important that you get your information away as soon as possible. You don’t even have to have your course confirmed to apply – if any of your details change or you don’t get onto the course, you can phone SAAS to cancel or change your application.

Fill in your forms at www.saas.gov.uk by 30 June to make sure you have your funding in place for the beginning of the academic year.

If you aren’t eligible for help from SAAS, there are other options – your university might have scholarships available and there are other grants too. Speak with the college or university you’ve applied for to see what they might be able to offer.

With the deadline fast approaching, it’s time to gather all the information you need, get online and start filling in your details. It might be a lot of work, but trust us – it pays for itself in the end!

To find out more about applying for funding, head to www.saas.gov.uk or call 0300 555 0505.

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HEALTH 39

STAY HEALTHY THIS SUMMER Source intern Cait Thomson has some top health tips to get you through the summer months in one piece...

Summer is upon us and although the sun isn’t always shining in bonnie Scotland, it’s not going to stop us from making this summer an amazing one! Before you pull out your tiniest shorts and bikinis from the back of the cupboard, here’s some advice to make sure you stay in good health over the holidays...

WHAT IS SPF ANYWAY? We’re always being told to look after our skin when the sun comes out, but do you know what the right products are to avoid painful sun burn? Allow us to shed some light on protecting your skin.

SPF stands for ‘sun protection factor’ and the whole idea behind sun cream is that it helps to reflect or absorb most of the ultra violet rays the sun gives off.

By choosing to slap on an SPF 30 sun cream before you head into the garden with an ice lolly, 97% of the sun’s rays are screened from your skin, so anything with a higher SPF only increases the protection. Doctors recommend the paler your skin is, the higher SPF you should use but even if you are a bronzed beauty this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother with sun cream. Sun damage can occur in darker skin tones as well, so an SPF 30 sun cream is better than nothing at all.

If you do forget to put sun cream on and

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find yourself feeling the burn, there are simple ways to cool sore skin. After sun products, available from chemists and pharmacies, include ingredients like aloe vera which helps to prevent peeling and reduce inflammation.

Using sun cream isn’t just important for avoiding sun burn – it’ll reduce the risk of developing skin cancer too. Look out for creams which provide UVA protection, and remember – sun cream alone will not offer 100% protection. Make sure you avoid being in the sun between 11am and 3pm – this is when the sun’s at its highest in the sky and its rays are strongest.

SUN IN YOUR EYES? If you frequently find yourself squinting in the sunlight you could actually be doing your eyes more damage than you think.

Exposing your eyes to the sun for long periods of time can increase your chance of contracting conditions like cataracts.

Although this all sounds a little horrible and dull, think of this as the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a new pair of sunglasses!

Before you rush out to the high street to grab the perfect pair of sun specs, make sure they’re the real deal. Sunglasses

with a ‘CE mark’ ensures they meet with British standards and a UV 400 label is also a must have. Some sunglasses are just a tinted plastic and don’t offer any protection against the sun, so take your time when shopping for a pair that will care for your eyes.

THE PERFECT SUMMER ESCAPADE Climbing up mountains, swimming in the sea and going on long bike rides – all perfect activities for roasting hot summer days. Unsurprisingly, such activities bring out the best in those classic summer ailments like hay fever, insect bites and dehydration. Before you jump into the sea or pull on your hiking boots, make sure you take simple precautions so you’re able to enjoy your summer days without these nightmares.

Spending a couple of quid on an insect repellent will eliminate the risks of being bothered by pesky midges and will keep your skin bite-free. In addition to this, if you suffer from hay fever in the warmer months, you can take an antihistamine before you head out in the morning to save you spending the day sneezing and feeling generally rubbish.

Before you head out on any summer day trips into the wilderness, make sure

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your phone is fully charged and you have essentials such as bottles of water and plasters. The last thing you want is to be lost without enough charge to phone for help.

Water, although the best for you, might not be the most exciting thing to drink during those scorching days but you can mix it up by adding a squeeze of lemon, lime or even a splash of cordial.

TREATING THE STINGS OF SUMMER

SUMMER SNACKING

Whether it is bees, nettles, wasps or midges, it’s bound to happen at some point when we’re making the most of the sun. Let’s put our granny’s old-fashioned remedies to the test and decide what really works to treat stings and bites.

We’ve all heard that dock leaves relieve the pain of a nettle sting, but is this true or just what our mum told us to act as a placebo and make us feel better?

Interestingly, dock leaves do contain an acid which does help to sooth nettle stings but if you’d prefer a more 21st century remedy, try using an aloe verabased product and cold water. Avoid scratching as this often makes nettle stings worse. When it comes to bee and wasp stings, remove any stinger quickly from the skin and either apply a baking soda and water mixture or an ice pack to the skin to help with the pain and swelling.

As we tuck into our third ice lolly of the day, it’s difficult not to feel a wee bit

INSTEAD OF REACHING FOR A CAN OF SOMETHING CARBONATED, TRY THROWING SOME FRUIT IN THE BLENDER guilty, and all this sugar can’t be good for our teeth. So are there healthier alternatives to our favourite summer snacks? Why not create your own fruit salad full of chunks of your favourite fruit, topped off with a splash of fresh orange juice? Frozen grapes are also a great alternative to sugary ice creams. Throw a few bunches of grapes in the freezer and leave them overnight. The next day you’re in for a treat as your tuck into your homemade frozen snack. You can also create your own alternatives to crisps and salsa dips. Swapping salty crisps with carrot sticks or slices of cucumber and using low fat cheese as a dip is a delicious healthy alternative.

THIRSTY WORK All this lounging in the sun is tiring, and when it gets warmer, it’s vital that we keep our bodies hydrated. As well as the obvious benefits in terms of avoiding dehydration, drinking plenty of water helps keep your skin clear and spot free. Because the warm weather makes us sweat more, drinking around seven or eight glasses of water a day helps to replace the fluids we’re losing. It’s recommended that you don’t drink fizzy drinks if you do begin to feel dehydrated as they don’t always quench your thirst.

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is a quintessential part of Scottish summertime. However, the two main issues faced when having a barbeque are eating uncooked meat and the spreading of bacteria between raw meat and meat that is cooked and ready to be eaten. To avoid either of these situations, ensure you have clean utensils and when it comes to checking if those sausages are ready to be eaten, make sure they’re

As well as being bad for your teeth, fizzy and sugary drinks aren’t always the most refreshing. Instead of reaching for a can of something carbonated, try throwing some fruit in the blender to create a refreshing summer smoothie.

Try blending a handful of strawberries, a banana and a cup of milk and you’ll be left with a healthy fruit drink.

piping hot in the centre, any juices run clear and they aren’t at all pink in the middle.

Midges are perhaps one of the most irritating aspects of alfresco cooking, so when you’re moving food from the kitchen to the garden, keep it covered with cling film or kitchen roll to ensure those pesky bugs don’t try and eat the food before you do!

There’s plenty to think about when it comes to looking after your body in the summer months, but if you follow our advice, you’ll be onto a summer to remember. Whether you’re staycationing here in Scotland or hitting the beach in the Costas with your mates, make sure that you have lots of good, clean, safe fun!

A GUIDE TO ALFRESCO CUISINE

MORE INFO

Dragging the barbeque out of the garage and scrubbing off the cobwebs

NHS Choices www.nhs.uk/summerhealth

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42 TIME OUT

THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE Whether you’re a T in the Park pro or a music festival first-timer, you cannot afford to miss our essential guide to surviving festival season. From knowing what to take with you to handling those infamous Portaloos, Jacquelyn Farr has got it all covered.

Don’t worry if you forget something either – the campsite will sell everything you need so you can pick up bits that you’ve forgotten.

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What NOT to pack Sorry girls, but you’re going to have to leave the straighteners at home.

Remember, you’re in the middle of a field – there’s no electricity. However, don’t fret – festivals usually have on-site shower facilities as well as hairdryers, so it’s not all bad news!

Next to think about are your valuables.

Don’t take them, because you just won’t need them. You’ll be having too much fun to play games on your DS and there’s no need for an iPod – you’ve got music on tap round about you! You’ll also be spending the majority of your time away from your tent, so leave anything at home that you wouldn’t want to lose.

Where to pitch your tent You’ve finally got your wristband and you’re in the camping area! Next, you face the task of finding the perfect place to pitch your tent. Top tip: before you arrive,

look up the layout of the camping area and work out which area you want to be in. Think about the distance to the arena gates, loos and entertainment areas. If you’ve not an ‘up-all-night’ camper, we suggest pitching your tent as far from the action as possible.

Don’t pitch your tent right next to the pathways either – you may get trampled on when it gets dark! It’s also a great idea to find an area near a landmark. Whether it’s a brightly coloured tent or a flag, it’ll help you find your way back at night.

Making friends with your festival neighbours Once you’ve found the perfect area, it’s worth saying hello to your fellow campers – you’ll be living next door to them for the next few days, so it’s good to make friends! Invite them to go explore the campsite with you or start a conversation about which bands you’re looking

Image courtesy of T in the Park

What to pack You may only be going away for a few days, but it’s important to pack for all weather conditions – that means taking your waterproofs as well as your sunglasses! Plan what you’ll be wearing, take extra socks and undies and remember that it will be freezing at night (this is Britain after all) so take plenty of warm clothes to keep you cosy. Lastly – and we cannot stress this enough – comfortable shoes! You will be on your feet pretty much all day, so make sure you’re comfy. And don’t forget the all-important sanitising gel – an absolute must! To be extra organised, use our check list on the right to tick off as you pack.

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THE FESTIVAL CHECK LIST Packing for a weekend in a field might sound straightforward, but believe us – it isn’t. Here’s a list of everything you need to take with you – cut it out and take it to the supermarket with you before you go.

Try playing Where’s Wally with this crowd...

forward to most. Remember, people go to festivals to have fun and hear great music, so you’ve got lots in common already.

Image courtesy of T in the Park

Using the Portaloos!

It’s the moment you’ve been dreading since you arrived – the toilets. These can get pretty smelly very quickly, so remember to take your own toilet tissue and sanitising gel with you when you need to visit them. If you need to use them at night remember to take a torch so you can see what you’re doing!

Note: the loos in the arena are cleaned regularly and are a lot nicer than the ones you’ll get in the campsite.

Eating at the festival In the camping and arena areas, there is a huge variety of dining options available, but be warned, they all come with a hefty price tag. You can expect to pay anything from £4 for a burger so manage your money wisely. There are cash machines available on site, but they can be very busy and often run out of money quickly so don’t rely on them. Plan out your meals before you go and know roughly how

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much you’re going to spend on food and drink – that way, you won’t run out of money.

If you’re taking food with you, go for stuff that doesn’t need to be refrigerated – cereal bars and crackers are always good choices. Remember to drink plenty of water too as you can get pretty dehydrated in the heat, especially if you’re dancing up a sweat.

Manage your time When you arrive on site, make sure you pick up a festival guide. This will tell you when and where your favourite bands are playing. Spend a moment planning your days so you don’t miss out on ace acts. It’s going to take time to switch stages and to wriggle out of crowds so take this into consideration when planning your time.

Safety first Make a plan with your friends so you know what to do if you get separated.

Agree on a meeting place so you can find each other if somebody gets lost. Signal reception can be pretty poor so you can’t always rely on your mobiles. There

Tent Mallet Sleeping bag Airbed Roll mat Duct tape Inflatable pillow Food and drink Torch and batteries Extra socks Sanitising hand gel Baby wipes Toilet roll Mobile and charger Sun cream First Aid Kit (including plasters, antihistamines and paracetamol!)

Wellies Plastic cups Hat Bin bags Camera Waterproof jacket Deodorant Sunglasses Big umbrella A few bottles of water

are loads of stewards in all areas of the festival grounds so if you get lost or stuck, they’re there to help.

Pick up a cup, earn a buck!

Great news for all you cheapskates – some festivals allow you to earn your drinks by helping keep the festival clean.

You can collect used plastic cups from the ground and return them to gain tokens.

These tokens can then be exchanged for a nice chilled beverage. Simple!

Going Home You’ve just had the most amazing weekend ever and now it’s time to pack up and return to normality. The thought of packing up the tent and trailing it back to the car can be exhausting so festival organisers now allow you to donate it to charity at the campsite. You’ll be helping people in need of shelter, and it can save you a long heavy journey out of the campsite. Remember, take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints – respect the environment when camping.

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Courtesy of The Wickerman Festival

WORK IT!

THE PICK OF FESTIVAL SEASON Nobody knows a festival quite like Radio 1’s Ally McCrae – he goes to pretty much all of them. Here’s his pick of the best Scotland has to offer...

So, it’s that time of year again, when the nation descends upon random muddy fields to sing, dance, get soaked, lose their voices and maybe bump into some of their favourite bands at the Portaloos. Here is a rundown of my favourite festivals and some handy tips from nearly a decade of hardcore festival-ing...

Belladrum – 2-3 August (www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk) Based in the heart of the Scottish Highlands in the grounds of a stately home, Belladrum feels like you are being let into a big secret party, with awesome bands. Beautifully decorated grounds and a natural amphitheatre for a main stage make it one of the cutest, cosiest festivals in Scotland. That’s not to say it doesn’t rock – headliners Twin Atlantic will make sure of that, along with all-night raves in the Mothers Ruin dance stage (in an actual ruined building).

A truly unique event.

Wickerman – 26-27 July ( www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk) Each year the Wickerman festival draws the masses to the Scottish Borders.

It’s always got a really fun vibe, and with a mixture of young and old bands and fans there is something for everyone, from headliners Primal Scream (ask your mum) to brand new buzz bands like Holy Esque (NME favourites).

There’s always time to pop down to the Bass Camp for some serious reggae fun or the Scooter tent for a mosh. Oh yeah, and they burn a MASSIVE wicker man on the Saturday night. A must.

Insider Festival – 21-23 June (www.insiderfestival.com) The thing that makes this little festival really stand out is every year they have a theme! Last year it was the Olympics, this year it’s ‘Around the World’; expect some really strong efforts on the dressing up front, almost as strong as the line up of exciting new Scottish bands that make up the majority of the line up.

Want to see all your favourite bands for free, meet loads of new people and earn some money doing so? Working at a festival could be just the thing for you. Festival season runs from around June to September so there are plenty opportunities to work and volunteer at multiple events if you’re really keen.

WHAT JOBS ARE ON OFFER? Stewarding, assisting in the campsite or working in a bar – there’s a whole host of jobs that need your help, and what’s more, you’ll have something refreshingly different to add to your CV. Some festivals also offer work experience placements which can give you an insight into organising a festival. If you make a great impression you may even be asked to return to help the following year!

PERKS OF THE JOB Although you’re there to work, you’ll also get free time to enjoy the festival. You could get to schmooze with the stars backstage, hang out in your own private camping area and be a big part of contributing to the amazing festival experience. While you’re working you’ll also get your food and drink for free – and be the envy of all your friends.

So what are you waiting for?

WHERE CAN I APPLY? You can apply for jobs at festivals from a variety of websites, and we’ve listed some below. Before you do apply however, think about the kind of festival you’d like to work at and what jobs you’d be most suited for.

Not all the jobs are glamorous, but since you’ll be spending a lot of your time there, it’s important to be comfortable and do something you enjoy. www.hotboxevents.com www.dcsiteservices.com www.workersbeer.co.uk www.festivalrepublic.com

ALLY’S TOP TIPS! Charge your mobile wherever you can. NOTHING worse than losing your mates all day…

Any of your friends have a caravan?

Bring a sledge – the best way to carry all your stuff through the campsite on day one…

Climb the hill – camping at the bottom of hills leads to flooded tents.

Gas powered hair strengtheners do not work – get a hat.

Do your homework – every year I always miss a young band that go onto greatness in future years. Do a little bit of homework and make plans so you don’t miss out!

If you are going to go on someone’s shoulders – make sure they are strong enough…

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NINA NESBITT Balerno-born singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt is taking the music scene by storm with her stunning folky vibe – and it all started recording YouTube videos in her bedroom! We caught up with the multi-talented 18-year-old to find out more about the journey so far...

How did your music career get started?

I started by uploading YouTube videos of my covers when I was about 14, and from then it just kind of grew. When I was 16, I started doing little gigs, and at 17 I got spotted by some bigger artists and they decided to take me on tour. But it’s just been through playing live, supporting other people and the internet that I’ve got to where I am now. BBC Introducing has been great as well, Radio 1 have been really supportive. It’s just been one thing after another!

What inspired you to become a musician in the first place?

It’s something that I enjoy doing. I never thought I could do this as a career, it’s always been a hobby. I’ve always been writing songs and playing, putting stuff onto YouTube. It’s a lot of hard work, but I’m so lucky to have it as my career.

You’ve been writing songs for a few years now. How would you say your style has changed?

I think I started off quite acoustic and folky, inspired by people like Eva Cassidy and Laura Marling. It was always just me – I didn’t get into the studio until about a year ago! It’s been great getting to do what I’ve always wanted to do with a band. I think my music’s got a bit more developed now. It’s all really inspired by music that I like.

You’re playing at T in the Park this summer – are you looking forward to it?

Yes! I played there last year too,

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headlining the BBC Introducing stage.

That was my favourite festival ever.

So many people turned up, I was so shocked! I’m really excited about this year, it should be really good.

What do you enjoy about playing at festivals?

Probably the atmosphere. Everyone’s really up for it – there’s no shyness or awkwardess! Everyone’s bouncing about and shouting the words, I really like that.

What can people expect if they come see you live?

Massive mosh pits. I’m joking! No, not at all. It’s different with every show. Some people will literally be jumping about and dancing. At others, people will stand about and watch really quietly. It really just depends on the night.

What’s been your best gig to date?

My favourite was when I played Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh recently – it’s a venue that I’ve always gone to. It sold out as well, which I didn’t expect at all.

You’ve toured with Ed Sheeran and Example – what was that like?

It was really cool. I was playing really small venues at the time, so to go out there and play for so many people was amazing.

Getting to see how they go out there and control the crowd was great. I used to just go on stage and play some songs and not really talk. But doing all those tour dates, and playing arenas with just a guitar was really challenging. That gave me a lot of

experience of how to work with different crowds.

How’s work on the album going?

It’s almost done! I’m very excited to get that out. Some of the songs are three years old, so I’ve been working on it for a really long time. It’ll be similar to the Stay Out EP, but a little bit more developed, a little bit different. Some will be stripped right back, just me and a guitar for the fans who’ve been there from the start.

Then there’s others which have a more rock influence, but which are kind of acoustic at the same time. Hopefully there will be something on there that everybody will like.

What’s the best part of being a musician?

Getting to travel about. It’s great to get to travel the world doing what I love and getting to meet new people – I love that about it.

See Nina live on tour this October and look out for her debut album later this year – get the lowdown at www.ninanesbittmusic.com

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48 MUSIC

SOURCE COLUMNIST

SOUND

BITES with Ally McCrae

Hey, I’m Ally I’m 25 and so, so lucky to do what I do. My life is completely absorbed by music – it’s not bad really.

I present on Radio 1, I DJ, I put on my own gigs, I run an online video channel and I even do the tannoy announcements at my beloved St Mirren FC. Here’s some new music I love that you have to check out.

All geared up for a summer of incredible music? Radio 1’s Ally McCrae’s got the lowdown on the best new music for you to check out this season...

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2.

3.

YOUR NEW FAVOURITE BAND

It’s my job to find bands and artists from all round the UK to put on my BBC Radio 1 show and reflect bands that are kicking off, hoping that important people will hear them (like Zane Lowe, Annie Mac or industry bigwigs) and therefore promoting the music I love. So here’s three tips for you to check out and fall in love with before they are megastars. (I’ve included Twitter links – tell them Ally sent you!)

1. PRIDES – YOUR ACTUAL NEW FAVOURITE BAND A brand new band from Glasogw who mix really polished, shiny, summery synth-pop music with heart-breaking, raw guitar music – the perfect combination. Think MGMT, Arcade Fire and Passion Pit and you’re there.

These guys are writing proper massive anthems that you will surely be hearing for years to come.

Be their friends before everyone else is – @Pridesband 2. THE LAFONTAINES – SCOTTISH RAP/ROCK POP STARS IN WAITING These five guys from Motherwell create chaos and a party wherever they go. They’ve played shows with Example, toured with Twin Atlantic and have even done a show at the Falkirk Wheel! With their huge guitar riffs to bounce along to and choruses to scream along with, the LaFontaines’ live show is something to behold, which 600 sweating kids did last month at their massive, sold out show at Glasgow’s Classic Grand, where they all turned up in suits. Standard.

Ask where the ‘Fonts party is – @TheLaFontaines 3. LIDH – MESMERISING VOCALS, PERFECT FOR LATE NIGHT RADIO When I played her new single a couple of weeks ago on my show the reaction on Twitter was an over-riding: “WHO IS THIS?” Which is exactly what I want! Listeners were obviously struck with the same sense of wonder that I got when I first found her music. Anster-based Lidh’s new EP shows off her fragile, endearing and dreamy vocals while being pop-y enough to appeal to fans of Lucy Rose or Nina Nesbitt.

Check her out on Twitter – @eilidhrose

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ONE-LINE REVIEWS Who wants boring, lengthy reviews? I’ve come over all Twitter-friendly with all you need to know about the coolest live acts out there...

1) Disclosure (@Disclosure) English electronic duo who I caught playing their first show in America earlier this year. Uber cool, uber catchy.

2) Indiana (@Indianathegirl) Astounding vocalist from Nottingham, destined for big things. Which is good, because the last time I saw her she wasn’t wearing any shoes.

3) Baby Godzilla (@BABY_GODZILLA) Break-neck punk rock from this four-piece with an awesome name and even better tunes.

4) Cut Ribbons (@cutribbons) Party-loving, female-fronted indie rock from Wales, they’ve just released a new single which is well worth your ears.

5) Lioness (@Lionessofficial) She is tiny in stature but this emcee has the most terrifyingly powerful and skilled bars in UK urban music right now. Watch her roar.

Catch Ally and Jen Long with the best in new UK music live on the radio every Sunday into Monday on BBC Radio 1, 12-2am, with BBC Introducing.

Check out Ally’s new music video channel at www.detour-scotland.com, and follow him on Twitter at @allymccrae.

27/05/2013 21:17

Sharon as Rae in the E4 smash “Pop music has a reputation for being quite

LOVEABLE ROGUES

generic but what we’re trying to do is something different”

They captured the hearts of the nation on last year’s Britain’s Got Talent, and now the trio from Essex are ready for pop superstardom. We caught up with two thirds of Loveable Rogues, Sonny and Té, to see what they’ve been up to in the last 12 months...

You guys have had a really busy year. How does it feel looking back at it all?

Sonny: It’s weird thinking about it. We’ve done so much, but it goes so quickly and then you try and think of all the gigs we’ve done since the show and we’ve done close to 100, maybe more. We’ve been in the studio as well in between – it’s mad how much you can fit into a year.

Simon Cowell is your boss these days.

What’s he like?

S: He’s fantastic.

Té: He’s cool.

S: Everything you’d imagine him to be.

And more.

T: Like the Seven Wonders of the World in one person! He’s really cool, he’s really good as your boss.

S: It’s quite cool to have him in your phone too!

What would happen if you drunk dialled him?

S: Eddie’s already done it.

And you still have a record contract?

S: [laughing] Just about, yeah!

You’ve been working hard on your album.

What can we expect from it?

T: It’s a lot of variety. We keep the three essentials of the ukulele, guitar and vocals, but we like to experiment. There’s a lot of different sounds to it – there’s rock,

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there’s soul, there’s pop, reggae. I like that we can dare to do that.

been pop, so put that all together and you’ve got Loveable Rogues.

When will it be out?

S: I think it’s looking towards summer, which will fit perfectly with the album because I think it’s quite summery. There’s no set date yet though.

What are your fans like?

T: They’re dedicated! Very dedicated!

We’ve got a cool mix, there’s a variety of different people. There’s a load of different types of people, it’s cool that they can all come together and have a common denominator in us.

What are your hopes for the future of the band?

T: Worldwide domination! [laughs] I don’t know. Keep going on an upwards slant I suppose. Do I mean a slant? A hill?

S: A mountain? That’s bigger.

T: Yeah. Well, just to keep going up.

As long as you’re going up, you’re not fading, are you? That’s what we’re most excited about. Going up. Going international would be fun too. To gig in other countries would be cool.

How would you describe the Loveable Rogues sound?

T: We used to say it was kind of urban pop, but I think it’s more our modern take on pop. Pop music has a reputation for being quite generic but what we’re trying to do is something different. There’s influences of reggae and rock and all sorts, but we’re trying to call it modern pop.

S: It’s a reflection of all our different influences put into one sound. Eddie’s been brought up with rock music, Té’s always been so R ‘n’ B and I’ve always

S: They’re wicked.

What’s the best thing about being in the band?

S: I just really enjoy making music. I would never have got the opportunity to do it without the band, and you don’t know you’re going to enjoy it so much until you’re actually doing it. I didn’t know I was going to enjoy it until we were in the studio.

T: It’s kind of the same thing for me. It’s amazing where we’re going with it and what we can do with it. To create a sound that has a lasting effect on people, it affects how they feel, is an amazing power to have I suppose.

S: We’ve got a great job now. I used to work behind a bar. So I’m happy that I’m doing something I love.

Loveable Rogues’ debut album is set for release this summer.

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Sharon as Rae in the E4 smash

THE 1975 After ten years of playing together, the last few months have been life-changing for one group of lads from Macclesfield, with their massive tracks racing up the charts, venues selling out across the country and legions of fans pledging their allegiance to the hottest name on the music scene right now – The 1975. Singer Matthew Healy took time out from the band’s recent trip to Amsterdam to talk us through the foursome’s incredible journey so far...

It’s been a crazy few months for you – how are you dealing with the attention you’ve earned in such a short space of time?

I’m still trying to take it all in a day at a time! We’re very humbled that people are embracing our music because we never had aspirations of mainstream success.

We’re in a really, really good place.

How did the band get started?

We met each other in the music corridor at school – we went to quite a sporty school, and then Hann, who plays the guitar, was doing this youth show in Macclesfield where we grew up. He was like, ‘Do you want to come play drums in my band?’ So I did, for like an hour, and we were rubbish, so we got George on the drums and then the line up didn’t really change from the age of 14. We never wanted to put any music out until we were ready, and we didn’t decide we were ready until August of last year.

What inspires your sound?

Soundtracks from John Hughes’ movies, the whole vibe of those 80s films, that’s had a huge influence on us. Michael Jackson, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Marvin Gaye – there’s so many people that have been so obviously inspiring for us. There’s so much in there.

Disney soundtracks as well! The tunes in Aladdin are ridiculous – you can’t beat that.

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You guys have been on the road non-stop for the last few months – what do you enjoy about touring?

We’ve been a band for ten years and we’ve never put music out, we’ve never known what our music meant to people.

The first time we toured, a proper headline gig, was in December and it sold out. We’ve never headlined before that.

It was the immediacy of emotion that you get at live shows – people are singing your words back at you. It’s the most genuine connection with people that you can have without knowing them that I’ve ever felt. That’s the best thing about being on tour.

What’s been your most memorable show?

We played in New York City on a Monday, we headlined and it sold out, then we announced a free show on the Friday. We literally had 600 people turn up to get into that show. I found myself playing this song that I wrote in my room to a room full of people in New York City who, six months ago, wouldn’t have even known I’d existed but now our music is part of their lives and part of what they’re into.

That was crazy.

You’re living your dream this summer by supporting the Rolling Stones. Who else would you like to tour with?

Mariah Carey? That would be cool. I’d parallel whatever she requested

– every security camera pointed at our dressing room, that kind of thing! No, realistically though, we’d like to tour with bands that we’re openly inspired by such as Phoenix or M83. We’re getting to play with the Rolling Stones, who are our heroes. I mean, some of the people we’ve had to turn down in the last three weeks because we’re so busy, like Arctic Monkeys and Rihanna. That would’ve been cool if we could’ve done that, but we’re already touring America and people have bought tickets. We can’t say, “Oh sorry, Rihanna rang.”

You’ve achieved so much in just a few short months – what’s the ultimate goal for The 1975?

Everything changes so much and so quickly that your aspirations change day by day. I’d be very, very cautious of saying I want to parallel anybody else’s success. I want people to feel about our record in the same way that I’ve felt about other records that I absolutely love. I want people to fall in love to it. I want people to fall out to it. That’s what I want.

The 1975’s latest EP, IV, is out now.

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