DConstructed 2022

Looking to the future Humans of DC Film Reviews Student Life

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The year 2022 marks the return to the public GCSE and A-Level examinations.

Many students rejoice to the return of the norm, while some admittedly mourn the return of studying. After 3 years of masks, hand sanitizers, and ‘technical difficulties’, we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. With the end in sight, this year’s theme for DConstructed is looking to the future.

The ethos of Dubai College has always been ‘finding the next step’. Not only do DC students change over the years, but so does our campus. With the arrival of the new C-Hub, students will be able to create and collaborate in an entirely new way.

Regardless of what DC may become in 10, 20, or even 100 years in the future, the one thing that stands immutable is our school spirit.

Abhay Nischal, Aman Doshi, Pritvic Sinahdc, Shrish Janarthanan, Chief Editors 2

By Ananya Gupta

When the pandemic first hit, some people saw it as an excuse to sit at home and relax, catch up on some TV and take a break. On the other hand, some took the lockdown as an opportunity to work on becoming the best version of themselves. In Mr. Newman’s case, this manifested as taking up a new hobby: ultramarathons.

Picture this. It’s just another average Sunday. To conquer your boredom, you decide to head out for a quick run. Just a casual 32 kilometres. I think for most of us, living here in Dubai, the thought of even driving a distance that far seems absurd. But not for Mr. Newman. As it is with most, his desire to run ultramarathons was not something that he stumbled upon overnight. In fact, when he began, he ‘hated it and it made [him] miserable’. His journey from finding 5 kilometre runs painful, to running 6 times a week - and genuinely enjoying it - was not a linear constant.

The one evident quality that was revealed was his dedication and perseverance to eventually ‘falling in love with [running]’.

To Mr. Newman, running has integrated itself into his lifestyle and routine. He has taken significant strides to make running more than an activity which ‘leaves you feeling trashed on the floor.’ Whether it be his conscious eating the night before, or carefully setting his watch tracker so he can efficiently monitor his data, the result of Mr. Newman’s diligent tenacity has resulted in him running over 2000 kilometers the past year. In 365 days alone, his running has led to him burning a total of 173,000 calories.

Mr. Newman’s partner runs professionally, so it’s only intuitive that he would eventually fall in love with the sport. But, whilst she runs on track and on the road, his preference has been towards exploring off-road trails. A notable achievement of his was running 50km in the desert at night, which he aims to complete again this year.

The story of Mr. Newman’s transformation from being someone who shied away at the prospect of running to an enthusiastic ultramarathon runner is one which exhibits dedication. His perseverance has propelled him past the starting line, but his journey has only just begun, and he has many more kilometres left to run.

Mr. Rushworth By Namya Manghnani “Where the novelists meet the lawyers” Aside from being the only answer to get my parents off my back when they ask me why I want to study history, it is the philosophy by which Mr Rushworth teaches the subject.

From an early fascination with history, literature and a penchant for a good debate, Mr Rushworth found himself drawn to these subjects. Year 10 cemented the passion as a prospect when he realised that those were the subjects that he felt “absorbed” by, it went beyond just a need to pass the exams. A few years later and he was studying at the London School of Economics under brilliant historians such as Professor David Stevenson, exploring the great historical debates. After becoming a teacher and being asked to teach topics he had not really studied, he discovered that it was a job where he was constantly going to be learning. He found that history was a place where both skills and knowledge would be able to grow, it was also an opportunity to get immersed into different cultures and gain a new perspective on the world.

Mr Rushworth also subscribes to the belief that history is not limited to today because it is always changing, innovation is paramount to the study of the subject. It is a study rooted in interpretations; it is never going to be complete.

We often worry about our futures: finding a good job being a key focus.

This worry often convinces us to forgo passion for security; but if we take that risk – we can find ourselves deeply enriched, cultured and empathetic human beings. Mr Rushworth believes that the study of history can provide opportunities to fulfil this.

By Ananya Gupta Where did you grow up?

I was born in West Bromwich but then I moved to London when I was quite young, and then I grew up in West London for my entire life after that.

What further education did you pursue?

After my A levels, I went to the University of Reading, and I did a maths degree. I then went to Brunel University to do my PGCE and teaching qualification, and then I went to UCL and did my masters.

What made you want to become a teacher, or was there another career path that you originally wanted to take?

I was in corporate banking first, and I didn’t really like it, so my girlfriend at the time said, “Why don’t you become a teacher?”, I was like there’s no way I’m going to go into teaching, it’s not for me, but she made the point that I used to love helping people out with maths at university, and maybe it was something I should look at. So, a few months went by, and I decided “You know what, I’m going to apply to become a teacher”. I missed the deadline, but found out that she actually filled in the application for me and sent it off just in case, and it turned out that I was the final applicant, so she called them up and convinced them to still take me in for an interview. I went for my interview, and ended up becoming a teacher, so it just sort of happened randomly.

Why did you pick mathematics at university?

I didn’t actually pick maths originally. I was meant to go to the University of Nottingham to do engineering, but then I realized that I wasn’t that good at physics – I was okay, but not good enough to do it at a degree level. Then I went to my second choice – to do computer science – but I soon realized I didn’t like programming, so I went on to find another place, and then ended up doing maths. Within the space of about a month, I actually changed my university and my degree twice.

What is your favourite aspect of mathematics?

I love calculus, or even all the pure maths, and mechanics, really. But calculus is my favourite.

What is your philosophy on teaching at Dubai College?

I think with teaching, it’s all about being personal – knowing all your students, your students knowing you – and them knowing the fact that you’re there to support them all the way. So, it’s not about saying “I’m the boss, you’re listening to me”, it should be an equal playing field, where there’s mutual respect and mutual understanding. In lessons, there should be a two-way conversation, it should never be me telling you what to do. Also, I think you must have a lot of empathy and understanding for all the stuff that students are going through. Students in Dubai College are ridiculously busy, so you need to sort of be empathetic towards that, but then obviously you want them to do really well, so you want to still be that pushing person, but you don’t want to be forceful. Understanding what students need and what requirements they have is one of the most important things.

By Krshna Kakar

Mustafa Syed, or Musti as he’s known across the Sixth Form, is an extremely talented photographer.

He believes that his ‘passion for photography and filmmaking is perfectly complimented by Dubai as a city. Be it phenomenal architecture, or the rolling sights and sounds of supercars – [he’s] motivated to portray Dubai and the UAE to the rest of the world.’

And this is well-reflected in his social media, having amassed over 20 thousand followers on Instagram alone (@_mustafasyed_).

But when he’s not snapping super-cars and skyscrapers, Musti is a keen and academic individual, sure to succeed in any of the varying pursuits that he has in the future.

Having been a proud member of the Dubai College swim squad all these years (boy, how time swims by ) it has made me appreciate the team culture and how it exemplifies some of the key values at DC. Through hard work, commitment, and resilience, our school has maintained a high level of success in DASSA Division 1, so captaining the swim squad two years in a row has been an honour.

I can safely conclude that the B squad has given the A squad a swim for their money, and, more importantly, the future of Dubai College swimming is in excellent hands. A warm thanks to Mr. Mosley, Mr. Newman, Ms. Hill, and Ms. Price for offering their support at galas. A big shoutout to Shrish, Jacob, Tom, Ali, and Ben from the boys and Tara and Emily from the girls for maintaining high spirits when facing tough opponents. If I had more space to write, I would thank every member; there is no swim squad without you and the enthusiasm you bring.

I’d like to end with a short joke: what stroke do sheep enjoy? The baaaaaaackstroke.

By Kian Kazranian

Whilst other schools enjoyed a restful break due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place last year, the soon to be U19 basketball boys were in the gym and on the court, preparing ourselves for a competitive season the year after. For our seniors, Mark, Kian, Tom, and I, this was the final season and so the grit and effort put in was unparalleled. Furthermore, in our preseason, we had the pleasure of playing JESS twice. Testing our team against a strong lineup like theirs helped us gauge what worked well and what didn’t.

As the season came around, we kicked off with two nail biting finishes against DESC and JESS and as a result we got into our groove for the bigger games to come. One of our best games this season was against the powerhouse team of NAS. Both their roster and record looked daunting; however, thanks to strong synergy and coaching we convincingly won by over 20 points. Our championship game this year was against DIA, with both teams one win away from the title, we knew it was going to be a thriller of a game. However, with the form the boys were in, especially Amal who had played brilliantly the game before, I had complete confidence in our group of boys. In the end, we won comfortably enjoying a perfect, championship season in our final year at DC, making it all the more special.

I would like to give a huge thanks to the boys who have played basketball alongside me for the past 7 years and, of course, Mr Riordan, whose love of the sport has always inspired everyone around him and will be something I carry forward to the courts in LA.

By Aditiya Tolani

Charity Committee 2021-22

The DC community thrives each year in each of its core principles with philanthropy being no exception. The academic year 2021-2022 has seen the fruition of various initiatives carried out by the Charity Committee for the benefit of the community and the Jaisithok School. The charity committee raised an astounding AED 86,413 through several events including themed bake sales, hamper collection campaigns, non-uniform days and the MCL concert.

Earlier this year, the committee raised awareness for breast cancer by hosting a non-uniform pink day where students fundraised for the Al-Jalilah Foundation. Funds were raised through individual donations made by students as well as the bake sales held by the Charity Committee where students and teachers purchased Pink-Day themed cookies. The Cancer subcommittee also hosted a talk where breast-cancer-survivor, Paula Nasrallah, spoke about her experience battling cancer. Through these series of events, the charity committee raised AED 15,577 for the AlJalilah Foundation - a monumental step towards helping patients battling breast cancer.

Additionally, the charity committee has made a significant stride in fundraising through holiday themed sales with COVID restrictions easing. Starting out this year with a personalised sour-punk delivery sale, the committee encouraged the spirit of generosity in the community as students bought sour-punk candy for their friends and teachers. The DC grounds also witnessed the sale of Halloween-themed cookies and sweets as well as the sale of Christmas-themed socks, candy canes and ornaments. Following this ethos, the Valentine’s Day sale included the distribution of roses with personalised messages to the recipients.

The academic year has seen commendable progress with the range of events that could be conducted. The muchanticipated MCL concert was hosted for the first time in three years with the stage welcoming 20 performers who showcased their musical talents in front of an engaged audience. MCL brought together teachers and students for a relaxing evening which raised about AED 11,500 in funds for the Jaisithok school - yet another feat for the charity committee.

Through the culmination of these successful events, the charity committee has raised more than enough funds to support the Jaisithok school until 2025 and is already working towards a new project which consists of rebuilding the Shree Jagadishwor School (SJS) in Bimal Nagar, Nepal. Currently the school has four classrooms and DC aims to rebuild the block to a two-story building with six rooms in hopes of accommodating more students with better facilities. Fundraising for this project has already started with the FDC Ball serving as one of its first few fundraiser events.

Overall, it has been a successful year for the Charity Committee and the DC community as every single student has contributed in some way to a charity event, whether it be bringing in items for the Ramadan hamper, bringing in books for the book collection campaign or even supporting the charity sales. Undoubtedly, the upcoming year will bring forth many more fundraiser events and the Charity Committee looks forward to encouraging all students to contribute.

By Zuha Khan

The United Nations was established in October 1945 to bring world peace.

Initially, there were 51 founding nations that participated in the initiation of the organization. Today, there are 193 member states in the UN. There are also many, many committees that come under the UN. These include committees like the UN Human Rights Council, UN Women, and most importantly, the General Assembly. To get students involved in crucial experiences like these, there has recently been a new form of elocution and political debate.

It's called MUN, which, unironically, stands for Model United Nations. Its essentially a simulation of these conferences, where students represent individual countries in their respective committees. Usually, they have to talk about 2 topics for around two to three days. Conferences have, on average, 10 hours of committee sessions over those days. Exceptional students are even awarded with certificates, and at times, shields. This venture has been expanded to Model Congress too, which is exactly the same as MUN, but with United States Senate committees instead of international peace organizations. Popular MUN and MC conferences in the region include AUDMUN, PSUADMUN and Harvard MC Middle East.

At Dubai College, MUN is an extremely popular extra-curricular activity. The activity is actually split into three sections, based on the Year group you are in. The Junior MUN Club is for Year 7s and Year 8s. The Intermediate MUN is for Year 9s and Year 10s, and finally, the Senior MUN is for Year 11s and Year 12s.

In Junior MUN, students are introduced to what MUN is, what makes a great MUN delegate, and the rules and protocols that the majority of MUNs entail. In Intermediate MUN, we try to get students into the habit of speaking and researching about global issues that may arise as topics for these conferences. In Senior MUN, our goal as organizers is to polish all those skills. This is done by playing small games like speed dating and the “try not to falter while speaking” game. All these exercises come together to make brilliant MUN delegates and debaters in general. Using these skills, people at DC participate in actual conferences like those mentioned above. DC even has its own MUN, with over 200 delegates from schools all over the UAE. I sincerely hope this article increased your understanding and commitment to MUN. Thank you very much!

By Omar Farooq

The talent at Dubai College is at an all-time high and we at the Mathematics Society are lucky to be able to interact with and appreciate representatives from all year groups. With a plethora of voices contributing to improving the experience students of DC have with the subject of maths we would like to announce some of the highlights for the upcoming year.

An absolute crowd-puller last year, the Dubai College Maths Olympiad is back and we hope to build on the groundwork provided by the members of last year’s math society to bring it back bigger and better, and we encourage all DC students to get involved in this fantastic opportunity.

Another opportunity to look out for all math lovers is the Applied Mathematics Club. We are looking to get the club up and running in the near future. The club will be considering the uses of mathematics in any and all fields of life whether it be economics or psychology; it will host talks and workshops that will be open for everyone to attend. We hope to partner with many other clubs wherein the applied mathematics being presented is applicable, hopefully reducing the stigma present behind mathematics and make the subject seem more approachable to non-math lovers and capturing their interests. The club invites all volunteers to run sessions so if you are interested to present an application of mathematics you are passionate about make sure to contact Pranav Sangwan and we will make sure to get back to you with further details.

Lastly, we are bringing back the Dubai College mathematics newsletter.

Students who have roles in the Mathematics Society, and students who have a general passion for a niche in this broad subject are going to write articles based on various areas of math ranging from geometry, number theory, combinatorics, topology and calculus. If you are interested in writing an article, do contact Aman, Pranav or Viha. The newsletter is going to be available for reading at the end of term 2 so make sure to watch out for it!

By Aman Burman, Pranav Sangwan, and Viha Kedia

I started this club with the aim of catering to students interested in fashion history, literature, and the performing arts. I saw it as an opportunity to fulfil these interests in an academic setting. It is quite a niche club, but really has elements that integrate extremely well with so many subjects we study; the interwovenness of fashion, politics, art, and design can never really be overstated. We meet weekly to discuss topics surrounding costumes from films and theatre, but from the lens of historical accuracy, artistic merit, and analysis of key social messaging. The club is brand new to Dubai College, and I hope it generates enough interest to make it a staple of the school’s unique offerings. In the coming months, we expect to host speakers from different year groups, along with professionals in the industry that can share their expertise or even provide us with advice on pursuing careers in the field. Members of the club are also involved with costuming local theatre productions and fashion design, which the club aims to support and encourage by giving students a platform to explore their ideas and share their passion.

By Namya Manghnani

From Year 9 and picking our GCSE’s even up to applying to universities in Year 13, we are constantly making decisions that seem to limit or confine us to a particular path or trajectory. I’m sure we’ve all been advised by friends, peers and even teachers that we ‘can’t do this without that’ or we ‘have to do this subject to do that.’

That rationale simply isn’t the case in the 21st century.If you want to delve into Philosophy but it isn’t a part of the curriculum, you can still explore it. Perhaps start small by watching a couple of YouTube videos, or do an external online course, or even start a club or podcast. No matter the outcome, taking that first step makes all the difference. It is less important to complete the course or make a popular new podcast than it is to discover and explore your passions, which will follow you through life.

Looking ahead to the future, most jobs are accessible through any degree, so don’t think that you must do a particular subject to get you to where you want to be. Instead, choose subjects and areas of study you truly and thoroughly enjoy rather than doing those you think will get you the best outcome or because someone told you to take it. So if you have an interest or something that you want to explore further - like the immortalized Nike slogan - just do it.

By Krshna Kakar

Denis Villeneuve’s monolithic epic submerges you into a world far from our own. Yet, for a film that explores the battles between fate and free will, humankind and nature, the most important war it wages is between the big and the small screen.

More than two years have passed since COVID-19’s outbreak in Wuhan, and the world seems to be moving on from the monotony of pandemic life, edging towards what many have dubbed ‘the new normal.’ However, whatever ‘brave new world’ we’re stepping into, it’s becoming ever so apparent that it chose to leave the movie-going experience behind.

Many of us are forgetting what it’s like to surrender to the force of cinematic escapism, instead opting to consume content from the comfort of our couches.

Enter Denis Villeneuve. From a generation of filmmakers that grew up on a diet of Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey, Villeneuve is determined to create a science-fiction opera for a new age of audiences, in the hopes that maybe (just maybe) cinema can strike back. In an interview with Total Film, the French Canadian said that ‘to watch Dune on a television...is to drive a speedboat in a bathtub’, affirming that ‘it’s a movie that has been made as a tribute to the big-screen experience’. Many directors share his romance for the movie theatre. David Lynch (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks, Mullholand Drive) famously declared that ‘if you’re playing a movie on a telephone, you will never in a trillion years experience the film.’ Ironically, Lynch’s version of Dune (1984) was a murky fever-dream that might as well have gone straight to VHS. In all its fame and glory, Frank Herbert’s original novel is an 800-page mythological textbook; a biblical behemoth that gained a reputation of being ‘unfilmable’. For that, Villeneuve’s bravery deserves some recognition. As one of the first post-lockdown films, Dune has (for better or worse) been labelled as 'the movie that will save cinema'. No pressure Denis. The question remains, has he followed through on that promise?

Short answer: yes. Yes, he has. Longer answer: Dune’s sheer ambition and scope is overpowering, but in more ways than one, the film collapses under its own weight.

Before the opening credits even roll, cinema speakers boom a larynx-tearing growl, a cry in an alien language that oddly echoes a human tribal chant. On the black screen before us, we read a caption. 'Dreams are messages from the deep.' Villeneuve reminds us that even though we're about to escape into a fantasy world, it roots itself in the 'deep' well of human civilisation. Throughout the film’s 156-minute runtime, the director plants strangely familiar images. Warriors slice through each other with katanas. Mediaeval ceremonies are underscored by Highland bagpipes. Humans are sacrificed in rituals of Tuvan throat singing. There are no rayguns, hyperdrives, or AI assistants; computers are banned in the world of Dune. Instead, human calculators digest mountains of information at an eyetwitching speed. Villeneuve presents a future where humanity is not dependent on machines, but rather embraces the raw potential of the human mind. It’s an interesting angle to take for a genre that seems to be inextricably tied to technology.

As a piece of filmmaking machinery, Dune never fails to impress. Its intricacy was recognised at the 94th Academy Awards, where it swept all the technical categories. Of the many names behind the camera that deserve celebration, cinematographer Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty, The Batman) is one of the first names that comes to mind. Fraser captures the colossal scale of the alien planet Arrakis, whilst also maintaining an eye for silhouettes and shadows, allowing Dune to feel as ominous as it is epic. These tangible images are enhanced by rich sound design, including composer Hans Zimmer's (The Lion King, The Dark Knight, Inception) soundscape of haunting vocals and percussive pulses.

Ultimately, it’s Villeneuve's careful direction of both the visual and the auditory elements that takes Dune’s engagement to new heights.

Still, in spite of all its spectacle, something about Dune falls short. There’s no doubt that the film is a meticulous piece of cinematic craftsmanship, but its epic scale serves as a curtain for hollow, underwritten characters to hide behind. Maybe this criticism is pedantic, especially when considering how most of Dune’s audience members expect nothing more than an entertaining blockbuster. That being said, even Hollywood’s most simple, cookiecutter adventures have a heart. In this respect, Dune fails; its inert story keeps the audience at a distance, blocking them from sympathising with the heroes of our journey.

It’s difficult to feel any intense feelings towards Dune, whether hatred or love. To adequately express the details of Herbert’s vision, Villeneuve splits the novel into two parts. Because of this, the movie ends only halfway through the narrative, far from any satisfying ending. It can only be fitting that a film released during a period of global indefiniteness ends on an equally inconclusive and unfulfilling note. Much like cinema, the future of Dune is undecided. All we can do is sit and patiently wait for the next part of the story. One thing is certain, as Zendaya’s ‘Chani’ tells our protagonist in the film’s final moments, ‘this is only the beginning.’

By Nikola Pandurovic

By Zuha Khan In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman shatters the validity of the ‘rational agent theory’ and warns against the societal implications that this understanding of human decision-making has.

He explains in lucid and provocative detail all the biases and heuristics that we are prone to; all the quirks and complexities that make the human species far different from the rational agents of economic textbooks.

The book’s premise is one that describees the basic systems that govern human decision-making: the fast, intuitive, effortless, and confident System 1, and the slow, deliberative, effortful, and indolent System 2. Daniel Kahneman pointedly dis-assembles and dismisses rational choice theory by showing the power of inconsequential factors as determinants of preference over the course of the book.

The ideas expressed transform the way one thinks about thinking.

The book gives an insight into the different hidden nuances of cognitive thinking and how it influences everyday decisions.

Thinking Fast and Slow is an intriguing read for A-level Economics students as it delves into cohesive analyses that essentially explore behavioural economics and psychology. Given that there is much interest in academic circles in devising and using measures of subjective wellbeing to inform policy, the distinction between the ‘selves’ described in the book is incredibly important. It gets at a fundamental philosophical question; what is happiness? Is it the pursuit of pleasure over pain? Or is it accomplishing one’s life-goals or some pre-conceived end? These questions link to the macroeconomics side of the A-level Economics course when it comes to viewing national well-being and happiness.

On the whole, the book is quite dense, but the content included is vehemently interesting, especially for those interested in behavioral economics. The use of puzzles and research anecdotes elevate the reader’s pleasure while clearly enunciating the points made by Daniel Kahneman. Although slightly slow paced and potentially laborious for those who do not enjoy reading, the thoughts and ideas expressed in the book are well worth giving a read.

It enacts a sense of nostalgic grace in a way very few films succeed. Set in the San Fernando Valley of the 1970s, Paul Thomas Anderson delivers one of the most enchanting films of the year. It lures you in with the promise of its suburban sprawl, bell bottoms and dreams, but keeps you constantly on edge, courtesy of its dangerous score and prickling sense of adventure.

The performances are nothing short of a revelation, starring Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman, both in their film debuts, who manage to bring wide-eyed senses of mysticism and captivating charm to their respective roles. The film is centred around Haim’s character, aptly named Alana, and her coming of age journey in a world that feels equally perilous and propitious. The best parts of the film are those centred around Alana and her relationship with Gary (Hoffman’s character) because those feel the most authentic and grapple with the ever-frustrating line between friendship and romance. There is not much in the way of a fixed plot, the film feels more like an intimate look into the life of someone just merely living, and with that comes a sense of freedom that Anderson captures masterfully.

By Namya Manghnani

Crooked Kingdom is the second in a crime-thriller duology by American author Leigh Bardugo. It is set in the city of Ketterdam, on the island nation of Kerch. The first book was called Six of Crows. Before I get on with what happened in Crooked Kingdom let me summarise what happened in the first book.

The world Bardugo builds has people with powers, called the Grisha, who can manipulate fire, blood, skin etc. The main characters are a group of awfully mixed individuals who are broken in their own rights. Kaz, the protagonist, is a master lockpick with a mysterious past. (Seems cliché, right? That's what I thought as well before I finished the series). He’s accompanied by Jesper, a sharpshooter and hopeless gambler, Inej, a soulful and silent spider, Nina, a Heartrender Grisha who controls, well, the heart, Matthias, an upright Fjerdan and military genius and finally, Wylan, a timid, dyslexic genius who proves that wealth does not always bring happiness.

The plot of “Six of Crows” is based on one major heist. Kaz, who is currently the leader of a gang called the Dregs, has to compile a crew to carry out this incredibly dangerous mission. After he does this, the crew must go all the way to the icy land of Fjerda, break into the Ice Court, capture the creator of a Grisha drug called Bo Yul Bayur and return home to redeem their reward, 30 million kruge. (The currency of Kerch) Spoiler Alert: they’re successful, but there’s a catch. Jan van Eck, the respectable Council Merchant, double-crosses Kaz, stealing Inej from the crew and not paying a shed of the 30 million promised.

“Crooked Kingdom” has, in my opinion, a much better storyline than the first novel in that there are many small plots that build up to a conclusion. Each of these plots themselves have climaxes and moments that make you either laugh or cry. I won’t spoil what happened in any of them but there are scenes about saving Inej, getting attacked by Shu Warriors, ruining Jan van Eck’s entire business and even scenes where Pekka Rollins, the undisputed boss of the Barrel (The place in Ketterdam where all the gangs are located) intervenes and tries to obliterate both Kaz’s reputation and relationships. Personally, Bardugo seems incredible with her humour and her timing, both features that are quite difficult to execute in written text. The way all the little stories intertwine and connect like a wonderful, dark thread is also wonderful to behold.

Fantasy fiction is a very saturated genre where most books produced are of the same template, but Bardugo has defied the odds and created a masterpiece. There is a catch though: at the end of the story, Bardugo adds a detail that I thought was unnecessary and that resulted in the ending being slightly underwhelming. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of fun to pass the time since it’s a genuine page turner, has excellent writing, but most importantly, captures the beauty of many different types of relations and the need for trust and love in everyone’s lives, no matter what background they come from.

Why can I not start studying at 5:24?

POV. You glance over at the time on your screen, “5:24pm” it reads, you give yourself six more minutes before starting your work. Four of which are spent worrying about starting your work, the final two are spent scrolling through your ‘for your page.’ Except, after a few videos you look up at the time, “5:33pm” it reads. Ok so now you have to start at 6.

Thus begins a vicious cycle of procrastination that appears to have no real reason beyond one concerned with aesthetics.

It doesn’t stop there, every break we take has to fall within a perfectly round 10-minute interval. Whoops it is now 6:37pm and I have done a total of 15 minutes of work – none of it was productive. In perpetuity, we slide down a slope of procrastination that only ends when sky is dark, and the moon is fading – just like our motivation. Come morning, you’ll find a frenzy of scuttering hands desperately scribbling to avoid the sheer humiliation and profound guilt that comes with not having done your homework. The work gets done, but at the cost of sleep, sanity and sustenance.

There are no implications to starting at a time that isn’t pretty. There is no reason to wait an additional minute, which will inevitably last longer.

Maybe it stems from concern over not understanding the material, which if realised, can send us into a downward spiral of worry and frustration.

Maybe it is a way for us to ignore our responsibilities until they become absolutely necessary. Maybe it is an act of rebellion against the tyrannical force of an exorbitant workload. Regardless, the problem lies with the expectations had of our work, not our own skill.

The time is not ugly, you’re just stressed. Create smaller goals, give yourself rewards, do whatever you need to do to prove that you are capable of doing your work because chances are that it is a lot easier than you’re anticipating. I put off writing this until the last minute because I was worried that I wouldn’t know what to say, but it came together so much more quickly and comfortably than I thought it would.

I started at 7:56pm.