Epigram issue 373

EPIGRAM

01.10.23 Issue no. 373 Est. 1989

The University of Bristol's Award Winning Page Independent Student Newspaper 5

BETWEEN THE SHEETS NEWS

FILM & TV 'Queer Wrongs': Passages is a vitally fresh take on desperate intimacy p.17

SPORT Moving beyond the court: Futsal, UoB Futsal and Futsoul 360 p.23

Roya Shahidi and Milan Perera Co-Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor

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he University of Bristol and the local branch of the University and College Union (Bristol UCU) have reached an agreement confirming no further locally-called industrial action, 'so that discussions can continue openly and constructively.'

In a joint statement issued today (September 21) about the ongoing negotiations, both parties reiterated their commitment to finding common ground in national negotiations between the Universities and Colleges Employer Association (UCEA) and UCU. The joint statement indicated that: 'The University of Bristol and local branch of the University and College Union (Bristol UCU) have been meeting to discuss the national dispute and opportunities to improve relations at a local level to benefit the whole university community.'

Both parties acknowledged that the ongoing nature of the national dispute is a cause of great concern to the University and all its staff and students.

The UCU and the University of Bristol welcomed the recent agreement

Editorial News Opinion Features Wit & Wisdom Arts Film & TV Music Sci-Tech Sport

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by both sides to carry out a financial review of the sector, which will enable a joint dialogue with the government over the future of the sector.

Among the points agreed between UCU Bristol and the University of Bristol include: No further locally-called industrial action so that discussions can continue openly and constructively.

The need to find a longer-term

resolution and ask both UCEA and UCU to agree to the negotiation of multi-year pay deals that are acceptable to all parties concerned.

To provide a framework that avoids uncertainty and enables good relations between universities and their trade unions.

• This article is continued on page 2.

Sex Education's newest character: UoB Lauren Durose Film & TV Co-Deputy Editor

CONTENTS

Image courtesy of Roya Shahidi

University of Bristol to host UK's most powerful supercomputer p.6

Autumn strike action cancelled at Bristol

s the fourth and final season of Sex Education (2019) airs, Bristol students may find themselves recognising certain locations as they watch the show.

Whilst a lot of the show is filmed in Wales, multiple University of Bristol buildings can also be spotted, including the Wills Memorial Building and the School of Chemistry.

The fourth season of the Netflix comedy drama follows on from Maeve’s shock departure to study in the US, as well as the merging of Moordale High with Cavendish Sixth Form College. The library in Wills is the setting for Wallace University, where Maeve has trans-

ferred to study for a few months.

Meanwhile the Chemistry Building has morphed into the new stomping ground for Otis and his sex clinic.

A more colourful and heavily featured Bristol spot, the Palm Temple art installation (created by Luke Jerram) helps to provide the high-tech atmosphere and ‘ultra-modern’ perception that the new Sixth Form strives for.

The Senior Events Coordinator at Bristol, Corey Moore, expressed how 'It is always exciting working on large-scale filming productions across the University estate, but as a fan of Netflix’s Sex Education and knowing how popular it is globally, I was particularly proud to see parts of the University form key filming locations.'

Moore continues, 'with long hours and complex operations, this was

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a real team effort with members of Venues and Events working closely with colleagues across the University to be able to facilitate such a high-profile production.'

This article is continued on page 2.

Image courtesy of the University of Bristol / Netflix

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Editorial

Amelia Jacob and Roya Shahidi Co-Editors-in-Chief

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i, and welcome to the second issue of Epigram! It has been a very busy start of term for us, preparing for the Welcome Fair and printing two new issues of Epigram. There have been lots of early-morn(cont. from front page) Sharing a strong commitment to the principles of national pay bargaining and the benefits of commonality.

To help support staff during the cost-of-living crisis and minimise the impact of further industrial action on students.

The joint statement indicated that: 'The real-terms decline in staff pay at Bristol and across the sector is a cause of real concern, particularly in the face of the current inflationary pressures. We also know that government funding for universities continues to decrease, and that there is an uneven distribution of that funding across the sector.'

The statement further acknowledged that: 'The University of Bristol is leading the sector in several key areas such as the greater use of open-ended contracts and its work to eliminate the gender pay gap.'

According to the statement, the University of Bristol will enter into negotiations, scheduled to conclude in December 2023, with its recognised trade unions on the structure of salaries and grading at Bristol within the specific limits set by the national framework.

Bristol UCU is set to fully support the negotiations and participate in them fully.

ing wake ups and days spent in the Media suite at the SU, but seeing the paper come together has definitely made all the hard work worth it.

The editorial and business teams have pulled together and we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead.

Thank you to everyone who came to our stall at the Welcome Fair and grabbed a copy of the paper and The Croft.

It was so lovely to meet all of you and we hope you like the tote bags! We were very pleased just how many of you were interested in writing for the paper. Remember to join our Writers’ groups to pick up a monthly commission, or pitch to the relevant section editor. We are also currently looking for photographers so if you are a budding photographer, check out page 20 to see how to apply!

If you didn’t get a chance to come and say hello, we will be running fortnightly socials this year. These will be open to not just the editorial team, but all contributors and anyone interested in Epi-

gram. Come along if you want to discuss your article ideas with our team, or just want to have a chat and unwind. We can’t wait to get to know more of you and read your writing.

This month is Black History Month and we have a few articles in this issue that address related themes. Following on from our reporting in the previous issue about the Bristol Bus Boycott, we have two thought-provoking articles in Opinion about the renaming of University buildings and the symbolism of Notting Hill Carnival. We also have written about the key updates on the UCU strike, as well as a wide range of feature articles on everything from technology to culture.

Again, we post all details of socials, events and editorial vacancies on our Instagram, @epigrampaper_, so make sure to follow us to stay updated. If you have any questions, simply pop us a DM on Instagram or send us an email at editor.epigram@gmail.com.

Editorial Team 2023/24 Co-Editors-in-Chief: Amelia Jacob and Roya Shahidi Deputy Editors: Milan Perera and Ella Woszczyk

News Editor: Will Standring Deputy Editor: Amelia Shaw Digital Editor: Maud Humphries Investigations Editor: Ellyssa Ashley Rozahan News Reporter: Lottie Leigh Opinion Editor: Amaan Ali Co-Deputy Editors: George Jones and India Noon Digital Editor: Georgia Rowe Subeditor: Megan Ioannides Features Editor: Aidan Szabo-Hall Co-Deputy Editors: Dan Hutton and Nel Roden Digital Editor: Annie McNamee Subeditor: Ellicia Metcalfe Arts Editor: Rachel Bronnert Co-Deputy Editors: Ella Carroll and Isabel Williams Digital Editor: Phoebe Caine Film & TV Editor: Arron Kennon Co-Deputy Editors: Lauren Durose and Sofia Webster Digital Editor: Sienna Thompson Subeditor: Victor Bennett Music Editor: Jake Paterson Co-Deputy Editors: Benji Chapman and Dylan McNally Digital Editor: Cara Hene Subeditor: Susie Long Sci-Tech Editor: Dhristi Agarwal Deputy Editor: Lucas Mockeridge Social Media Managers Anouk Griffiths Phoebe Livingstone Chief Proofreader Zoë Blake-James

Epigram at the Welcome Fair. Image courtesy of Amelia Jacob

(cont. from front page) Sex Education became a quick hit and huge success, the first series reaching more than 40 million streams and only growing from there. The show has won awards, most notable the third season’s International Emmy for Comedy. The cast has become more decorated too, many of the protagonists having had their careers launched further whether that’s appearing in the Barbie movie (2023), SAS Rogue Heroes (2022) and of course, Ncuti Gatwa’s new title as the Doctor.

As the last series of the show is released today, and the stories we’ve been watching for the last four years are being finalised, UoB students may get to feel more represented than usual as they spy their own study spots on the big screen.

Want to write for us? epigram.org.uk/get-involved/ Follow us on: Instagram: @epigrampaper_ Twitter: @epigrampaper TikTok: epigrampaper

Want to write for us?

Go to www.epigram.org.uk and click the "Get Involved" icon on the top right-hand side of the page.

From there, you can access all our writer's groups, including those for our lifestyle magazine, The Croft. Each group posts commissions on the first of every month, for the print and online.

We welcome all writers regardless of academic background, and we'd love to hear from you.

Join our Facebook writer's groups!

News

Editor Will Standring Deputy Editor Amelia Shaw Digital Editor Maud Humphries News Investigations Editor Ellyssa Ashley Rozahan News Reporter Lottie Leigh

Summer of highs and lows for Bristol's leading Labour politicians Will the in

Standring recent Bristol

analyses updates politics

in November that he would be whose Bristol West constitu‘putting [his] hat in the ring’, ency features university areas Rees racked up endorsements such as Clifton, Cotham and from unions Unite, UNISON Cabot, was previously Shadow Will Standring and GMB as well as current Leader of the House where she News Editor Bristol East MP Kerry McCar- would have been tasked with thy and the Bristol University scheduling debate and overt was a summer to reLabour Party. Irish-born but seeing parliamentary procemember, though not alKingswood-raised Egan is be- dure. Her appointment to the ways fondly, for three of lieved to have won the election new role came under scrutiny Bristol’s leading Labour Parwith 63 per cent of first pref- when she admitted that she ty Politicians. Labour Mayor erence votes from the elector- had never attended a rugby of Bristol, Marvin Rees’, sufate of just under 700 Labour or football game, which critics fered a major setback in his Party members. The new con- suggested made her unsuitaim of entering the House stituency, established in the able for a role in which sport of Commons when he lost 2023 Boundary Review, is ex- is such a large factor. Howevthe Labour selecpected to be er, her proponents point to her tion battle for the Labour Mayor of Bris-a safe Labour stint as a professional cellist new Bristol Northtol, Marvin Rees’, suf-seat having in the Royal Liverpool PhilharEast constituency. been formed monic Orchestra which, they Meanwhile, Bris-fered a major setbackfrom Labour suggest, leaves her more than tol North West’sin his aim of enterings t r o n g h o l d s suitable for the culture role.

Darren Jones andthe House of Commonsin the city Darren Jones has the most to Bristol West’s such as East- celebrate of the three as he Thangam Debboville and Fishponds as well as was appointed to Keir Starmnaire were both moved to key left-leaning wards in the old er’s shadow cabinet for the positions in Keir Starmer’s Kingswood seat like Staple first time. MP for Bristol North shadow cabinet.Rees, mayorHill. With the role of Mayor be- West, which includes Stoke of-seven-years and supposed ing scrapped from Bishop, since favourite for the candidacy, 2024, Rees’ fail- Thangam Debbonaire 2017, Jones was beaten by incumbent ure in the selection [...] was appointed was chair of Mayor of Lewisham, Damibattle leaves him Business, Shadow Secretary the en Egan, in a Bristol North with no clear future Energy and InEast party members vote in as a Bristol repre- of State for Culture, dustrial Stratlate July. He was aiming to sentative.Thangam (BEIS) Media & Sport in egy win selection as the Labour Debbonaire fared select commitearly September. tee for three candidate for the new Bristol better than Rees as North East seat, which would she was appointed years.

This have provided him with a Shadow Secretary of State role gave him a public platform clear pathway to Westminfor Culture, Media & Sport in from which he grew his profile ster. Since his announcement early September. Debbonaire, through headline-making in-

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Image courtesy of Milan Perera terrogations of business leaders and Prime Ministers.His new role is Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, which would place him in charge of public spending if Labour were to enter government. As no.2 to the Chancellor, he will have an increased media presence and you will probably see him on the airways explaining why Labour are unable to com-

mit to one spending package or another.Whether this is the role Jones wanted in the Shadow Cabinet is another matter. He was initially tipped to take the new Science, Innovation and Technology department due to his career as a technology lawyer, degree in bioscience and experience on the BEIS committee.

SU Welcome Fair in pictures

Image courtesy of Milan Perera and Ella Woszczyk

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epigram 01.10.23

Bristol Students occupy council offices demanding bus reform Milan Perera reports on the recent transport protests in Bristol by students.

Milan Perera Deputy Editor

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group of Bristol students occupied the offices of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) in Bristol, ahead of their September 9th rally on College Green demanding radical changes to the bus service in Bristol. The protesters, consisting of five Bristol-based students, entered the office complex at 70 Redcliffe Street, the headquarters of WECA, around midday on Friday, September 8.The climate activists were demanding far-reaching solutions to, what they perceive as, ‘Bristol and the West’s broken bus system.'The protesters were refusing to leave the premises until the Metro Mayor agrees to bring a vote on franchising to the next WECA meeting.Of the five activists, three of them are University of Bristol students. One protester who wished to remain anonymous said: ‘We’ve occupied WECA’s offices because we need urgent action to fix our broken bus system.'

‘Since the start of our campaign last June, we have seen lots of talk but little action from politicians, while the situation has gotten worse, with dozens of routes cut. Real people

across the West of England are being affected by these unreliable services and cuts, leaving many unable to access key services, get to work or school, or see family and friends.' 'WECA needs to be bold and take public control of our local buses to end the madness that entirely private control under companies including First Bus has caused.'

‘It’s time for Metro Mayor Dan Norris to get on with the job, and we’re not going to stop sticking up for our communities until he does.’ The occupation comes a day prior to the proposed march on College Green, led by youth groups such as Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate (BYS4C) and Extinction Rebellion Youth Bristol (XRYB). The protesters assembled at 1pm on College Green, before proceeding to WECA in Redcliffe. Supporters of the Saturday march also include Bristol Green Party, Reclaim Our Buses, Right to Roam, Winterbourne & Frome Valley Environmental Group, Nailsea Climate Emergency Group, and Bristol Students for Transport. Among the speakers who addressed the rally is Councillor Carla Denyer, Green Party co-leader.

The demands of the protesters include free travel within the West of England (including North Somerset) for those who are under the age of 25 (all students, and all appren-

tices), reversing the cuts to bus routes and improving working conditions for drivers. The campaigners say that there is a necessity to establish public control of local buses through ‘franchising.’ They claimed that in ‘a franchised bus network, local governments would decide routes, timetables, and fares.' 'Bus companies would compete to operate routes but must meet the criteria set out by the local/combined authority.’ They further stated that franchising is already successfully used in cities such as Greater London, and is set to come into effect in Greater Manchester later this month. The ‘Reclaim Our Buses’ coalition has gathered over 2,000 signatures so far in support of public control. Dan Norris, West of England Metro Mayer commented: ‘The only way to have a thriving, fairer bus network is to increase the number of passengers on the buses to create that virtuous cycle of more fare income in which to reinvest in better services for everyone.' ‘That’s why I’m proud to have brought in new and innovative schemes and offers, such as ‘Birthday Buses’ giving every resident in the West free travel throughout the month of their birthday.'

'Because I want more and more people to try out buses and hopefully go on to continue to use them long term.

Image courtesy of Milan Perera

Open wide for Bristol's new dental school The University of Bristol opened the doors of the new Dental School on the 8th September

Ellyssa Ashley Rozahan News Investigations Editor Bristol University's new Dental School will allow for more student placements, free dental treatments for the local community, and contribute to the local dental workforce.

Decorated by the hands of local artists, and overlooking the River Avon, the new School hosts a calming environment for patients and car-

egivers alike. Located at 1 Trinity Quay, Avon Street, and spanning 7,300 square meters, the Dental School can be easily recognised through its art featuring Bristol-based artists.Five sculptures, to be known as 'The Denticles', were brought to life by Aardman’s director and designer Gav Strange. Additionally, two murals by local artist Bex Glover can be found in the main reception area and in the children’s waiting area.

The Dental School’s expansion will allow the University to increase student placements by 25 percent. This goes hand in hand with the NHS Long Term

Plan, which was aimed at increasing dental and hygiene training.Dental students coming from Bristol are then expected to contribute more significantly to the dental workforce on both a local and national level.Currently, Bristol dental students cater to the needs of 60,000 adult and children patients annually.

• For the rest of this article, please go to www.epigram.org.uk

Image courtesy of the University of Bristol

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epigram 01.10.23

University of Bristol to host UK’s most powerful supercomputer Lucas Mockeridge reports on the latest science developments at Bristol.

Lucas Mockeridge SciTech Deputy Editor

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he University of Bristol has been chosen to host a new supercomputer that is expected to be the most powerful in the UK and one of the most powerful in Europe.

The AI Research Resource will be built at the university and serve as a national supercomputer research facility focussed on artificial intelligence (AI).

The supercomputer will be powered by thousands

of GPUs, which will facilitate research into large language models, the backbone of AI chatbots like ChatGPT. It will be named Isambard-AI after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the 19th-century engineer famous for his work on the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Great Western Railway and the SS Great Britain.

‘AI is expected to be as important as the steam age, with ramifications across almost every area of academia and industry. Bristol’s proud to be at the forefront of this revolution,’ said Professor Phil Taylor, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the University of Bristol.

Isambard-AI will open at the National Composites

Centre next year, as part of a collaboration between the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.

It will join the Isambard 3 supercomputer, which is due to be installed this year

also to support AI research.

The Isambard-AI project will be led by Simon McIntosh-Smith, Professor of High Performance Computing at the University of Bristol, who said:

‘We're delighted to be chosen as the site to host the UK's first ever Artificial Intelligence Research Resource.

‘Isambard-AI will be one of the world's first, large-scale, open AI supercomputers, and builds on our expertise designing and operating cutting-edge computational facilities, such as the incoming Isambard 3’.

The AI Research Resource is backed by a £900m investment, which the Chancellor pledged in the Spring Budget alongside a £2.5bn plan to support quantum technology.

The government aims to make the UK a science and technology superpower by 2030.

Image courtesy of University of Bristol

Bristol's hottest open day Speaking to Professor Tim Osborne of Sociology as to why one should choose Bristol as a place to study, he answered that aside from his love for the South West, Bristol is a lively and Lottie Leigh welcoming city that really News Reporter gets to know its students.

The hectic day featured various student groups On Saturday the 9th of scattered around the camSeptember, Bristol Universipus giving prospective stuty welcomed approximately dents a taste of the social 20,000 prospective students side of Bristol University. to its wonderful campus However, these various spread out across the heart student groups are open to of the city. Although the last everyone and not just fuopen day to be held until term ture students! starts, it certainly was not 'Bristol is a livelyThere are apone to forgetand welcoming cityproximately 350 and that is notthat really gets tosports groups just because ofknow its students.'and societies in total at the unithe scorching versity. Some of temperature! these groups at the open The occasion was even noday included the University ticeable to the general public of Bristol’s Swimming and with Tyndall Avenue, WoodWater Polo Club (UBSWPC) land Road and Priory Road at the Royal Fort Gardens closed off. With tour guides which offers swimming at in every direction you look, both competitive and fitthere was certainly no chance ness levels as well as Waof getting lost throughout the ter polo. Committee memday with plenty of maps probers Niamh, Charlie and vided to guide you throughLucy said the best part of out the campus! Spread over this society is its inclusivity the campus were an array of and how it allows students stands showing what Bristol within this society to spend has to offer academically intime together and unwind cluding its variety of courses.

Lottie Leigh reports on the 20,000 prospective students welcome by UoB for a day of high temperatures and university taster sessions.

from studies including going on nights out around the triangle away from the pool! If you are a wethead, this is definitely something to consider; the society is open to all students studying at Bristol. Opportunities to sign up for this society include the freshers fair held on the Downs on the 22nd of September. Another society present was Bristol University’s Music Society (BUMS) which offers over 35 different music groups made up of different ensembles. There is something for everyone no matter your standard. President of the society Matt and Chamber Music coordinator Anna said the best bits of this society include the famous scavenger hunts and various external concert trips. As well as the social and academic side, there were plenty of places to eat including a variety of popup food stalls serving a wide range of foods including Middle Eastern food, vegan food and burgers. Tansy Jessop, the Pro-vice chancellor for Education at the university, said ‘Welcoming excited prospective students and their loved ones to the University is one of

the highlights of the year for us’. Indeed, this open day certainly showed what being a student is all about

in Bristol and all the university has to offer to future students as well as current students.

Image courtesy of Lottie Leigh

Opinion

Editor Amaan Ali Co-Deputy Editor George Jones Co-Deputy Editor India Noon Digital Editor Georgia Rowe Subeditor Megan Ioannides

Opinion | The Notting Hill Carnival is a symbol of resilience and unity Media bias prepetuates a distorted image of the iconic carnival.

Sarah Fakhri Second Year, Law

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cannot help but think that the word 'carnival' in this context is slightly inadequate. True, the Notting Hill Carnival (NHC) is a vibrant celebration filled with colourful costumes, music and dancing.

However, it goes much beyond simply being a festive event.

It serves as a powerful symbol of resilience and unity for the community it represents.

The Carnival was born out of adversity, in response to racial tensions in the 1950s and 1960s when Notting Hill was marred by discrimination and hostility towards communities of Caribbean descent. It began as an indoor Caribbean Carnival organised by Trinidadian-born Claudia Jones and Jamaican co-founder Sam King after the 1958 Notting Hill Race riots. Since then, it has become an annual tradition that takes place every August in London to bring together people from diverse backgrounds, promoting inclusivity, cultural exchange and freedom of expression for marginalised groups.

The NHC has witnessed a transformation over the years - similar to the ways in which the indoor Caribbean Carnival had to evolve - to reach where it is today. Nonetheless, when delving into its rich history and evolution, the following question arises: is whitewashing occurring over time at the Carnival and is its essence being diluted in the process?

At its core, the Carnival is an outdoor celebration of Caribbean culture fuelled by reggae and soca music. It is decorated with the colours of the Caribbean flag and the smells of authentic Caribbean cuisine fills the air, with vendors selling traditional dishes like jerk chicken, roti and pepper pot. Its infectious spirit of festivity is a platform for Afro-Caribbean communities to proudly showcase their her-

itage and celebrate their culture, inviting people from all backgrounds to join the festivities. However, as the Carnival becomes more mainstream and commercialised, there is a growing concern that certain elements may get lost or overshadowed as a result. Over the years, the NHC has grown in scale and popularity, ultimately becoming the largest street festival in the United Kingdom.

This growth has led to more diverse attention and participation, sparking concerns towards the NHC's authenticity.

In 2017, discussions arose about whether the Carnival should be a ticketed event in response to an article by LBC's Clare Foges, who argued that ticketing could help control crowd sizes and ensure safety.

Although this may sound like a reasonable solution, it is, in reality, a form of whitewashing black culture. Carnival is being erased. This is because it would fundamentally change the nature of the event, turning it from a carnival into a festival. The Carnival has al-

Image courtesy of Unsplash ways celebrated Caribbean culture and symbolises inclusivity by being open to everyone regardless of their background or financial means.

Introducing tickets could ostracise those who cannot afford them, leading to a loss of the Carnival's diverse and vibrant atmosphere. Ultimately, the decision to keep the NHC free was made. However, the fact that Foges made this suggestion in the first place generates a fear that the authentic traditions and narratives of the Carnival are being erased.

Similarly, there has been debate about NHC's supposed 'evolution', with some arguing that it has only resulted in the whitewashing of the music featured. Mainstream music genres have now been incorporated into the Carnival's soundtrack, which some Caribbean attendees feel has diluted the event's authenticity. Surprisingly, other attendees have complained that they do not wish to listen to Caribbean music at the NHC, even though it is a Caribbean

festival that celebrates Caribbean culture. This truly exemplifies how people are slowly forgetting the cultural nuances and history behind the event.

When searching 'Notting Hill Carnival', the first results that appear are often related to crimes and stabbings. The media tends to sensationalise negative incidents and associate them with the Carnival and its attendees. A media bias ultimately polarises such figures and statistics and, as saddening as it is, such crimes happen in all cultures and parts of society.

Take football events, for example; although they are ticketed, there continue to be incidents of violence and crime. However, it is essential to note that these incidents do not define the entire football community or culture.

Similarly, it is unfair to generalise and stigmatise the Carnival as a whole based on isolated incidents of violence. This immediate association of the Carnival with negative instances, perpetuates a biased narrative that overshadows the positive experiences and diverse com-

munities that come together during such events. Kingsley, a regular carnival attendee, has accused the media coverage of racism, arguing that although similar incidents happen in other festivals, it is 'just not promoted as much in the media as it is when it's a black event'. This truly foregrounds how media bias perpetuates a distorted image of the Carnival, overshadowing its true essence and purpose. It is essential to recognise that most Carnival attendees are there to enjoy the festivities and embrace the vibrant atmosphere rather than engage in violence.

By focusing solely on isolated incidents, we risk perpetuating stereotypes and overlooking the overall positive impact of these events on communities.

The evolution of cultural celebrations is an inevitable process, because as communities grow and change, so does the way they celebrate their traditions.

Adapting and evolving the Carnival ensures its continued relevance and inclusivity .

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epigram 01.10.23

Opinion | Bristol University must change its building names — now! tion of enslaved persons. Even after abolition in 1833, WD and HO Wills continued to import slave cultivated Elinor Cole tobacco for their Third Year, History products. Other less obvious exince the fall of the amples can be statue of prolific slave found. Accordtrader Edward Colston ing to the Uniin the midst of the Black Lives versity of BrisMatter protests in 2020, detol’s website, bates have continued nationThomas Goldwide as to whether buildings ney II (of which named after controversial hisstudent resitorical figures should remain dence Goldney to 'preserve' history, or be reHall is named named to prevent the glorifiafter) funded cation of their past offences. and benefitted Whilst Bristol’s official infrom a number volvement in the Transatlantic of sea voyagSlave Trade began in 1698, es relating to the late 1730s saw the city the trade of enbecome Britain’s main slavery slaved Africans. port. In fact, according to the A d d i t i o n a l l y, Bristol Museums Collections, the Fry Building the year 1750 saw Bristolian on Woodland ships transporting '8,000 of were then held and attended Road (named due to the dothe 20,000 enslaved Africans' by staff, students, alumni and nations of the who were sent Whilst Bristol’s official Fry Family to members of the public. A furto the Carinvolvement in the the university) ther public event at the Rose ibbean and Transatlantic Slave Tradeutilised slave- Green Centre was also held to North Amerihear from underrepresented cocoa ca. Although began in 1698, the lategrown groups in Bristol. According to beans from the Bristol was 1730s saw the city become the university, the data collectCaribbean for e v e n t u a l l y Britain’s main slavery port. ed from the survey and events their chocolate overtaken by is being summarised into a business empire. Much like Liverpool in its position as report, where further 'consulWD and HO Wills, Fry’s ChocBritain’s leading slavery port, tations and meetings will be olate continued sourcing its it was still the key form of made’. From this, the Univeringredients from enslaved latrade in the city. sity Executive Board will make bour post-abolition, utilising The relation that these figand implement a decision. the plantations of Sao Tome: ures bear to the university can Promisingly, the unia Portuguese island where be found simply by walking versity has made some atslavery existed until 1875. around its campus and stutempt to celebrate figures Even the university’s logo, dent accommodations. Dewithout connections to past of which we have all become spite being established as a human rights abuses. Many so accustomed to seeing, to university in 1876 - nearly 43 of us will be some extent celyears after the 1833 Abolition ebrates these What is less well known familiar with Act - those that founded it unof the Wills family, Beckford figures: featurdoubtedly benefitted from the however, is that their Bar in Sening a sun to repTransatlantic Slave Trade.We House resent the Wills are all aware of the 65 ft Wills success relied heavily ate for example, family, a dolMemorial Building residing at on the exploitation of named after phin for the Colthe top of Park Street, or the enslaved persons. civil rights ston family and grand architecture of Wills campaigner and founding a horse for the Fry family.

Hall, a student hall of resimember of the St Pauls CarAfter publishing the ‘Legacies dence located in Stoke Bishop. nival, Carmen Beckford MBE. of Slavery’ report and forming As well as having university Beckford does indeed reflect the ‘building renaming consulbuildings named after them, modern values of inclusivitation’ in November of 2022, the Wills family ran the tobacty, yet the campus offers far the university’s response to co company WD and HO Wills, grander reminders of Goldthis issue has been painfully with Henry Overton Wills III ney, Wills, Fry and Colston. slow. After releasing a survey becoming the University’s first After all, what is one student in January 2023 (results from ever Chancellor. What is less bar compared to a 65 ft Gothwhich two teams of data anwell known of the Wills family ic tower? To some extent, it is alysts have scrutinised), two however, is that their success commendable that the univer‘hybrid consultation events’ relied heavily on the exploita-

The University must decide whether it will take steps to minimise the presevation of Bristol's history with the slave trade.

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Image courtesy of Unsplash sity has sought a wide variety statues, some become nervof opinions on this matter. That ous that it represents a form being said, for a university of erasing history. Even before that claims its values include the fall of Colston in 2017, pebeing 'caring and inclusive', titions called for the renaming the extensive bureaucracy of of the Wills Memorial Building the decision making process were brushed on this issue A large majority of off. The univeris especially students agreed that sity itself stated puzzling givit was 'unquestionably that they were en the simplicity of the wrong' for buildings to unable to enact answer to be named after these change as it was ‘highly unlikely’ many stuhistorical figures. that the univerdents, staff sity would have 'flourished' and members of the public alike. without these individuals’ conIn an article published by the tributions. After speaking to Bristol Tab, a large majoriUniversity of Bristol students ty of students agreed that it about the 2017 decision, I was 'unquestionably wrong' found many to be appalled at for buildings to be named afthe university’s response, with ter these historical figures. one second-year Economics University statistics also show student expressing that, ‘we that 20.8 per cent of undercan still learn about the hisgraduate students were from tory of the university withBlack, Asian or Minority Ethnic out glorifying it. Having their backgrounds in 2022 (a rise names on buildings glorifies it’. of 14.5 per cent since 2016).

Whilst we anxiously await This does not include interthe university’s final decinational students who make sion, we must remain posiup a substantial 25 per cent tive about the conversations of the overall student body. that this issue has spurred With the university popuin relation to race and social lation becoming more and justice. Great change is on more diverse, it must surethe horizon and without the ly be even more imperative constant reminder of Colston, that our buildings reflect this.

Wills, Fry and Goldney, the When it comes to renaming future is exceptionally bright. buildings or bringing down

epigram 01.10.23

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Opinion | The Newport Student Village highlights everything wrong with the University of Bristol’s attempts to tackle the housing crisis As the University increases intake of students each year in a bid to increase profits, can the housing

nouncement that halls will be available in Newport, Wales.

There’s a history behind this.

Students have been housed there to cope with overspill since 2019 – a flatmate of Adam Johnson mine in first year had taken Fourth Year, French and an emergency gap year, deItalian ferring his place to avoid the inconvenience of his offered his year sees the inaccommodation in Newport. troduction of Newport This was supposed to be Student Village as an temporary, an emergency official accommodation option, measure. The fact that the upholding what was always University is now offering supposed to be a temporary this as a choice is insane. fix and demonstrating the Whilst it does provide a greed in the University’s decheaper alcision to accept ternative more and more those students. Their Universities all over the for country are hoping to u n w i l l i n g sub-standard solutions to cash in on the ongoing to fork out Bristol’s sturise in undergraduate for swanky city-cendent housing applications. of students say is important’. I tre halls, it shortage have wonder what the results may just throws up done little to be of a survey asking students more questions. Why should alleviate the problems and about the importance of livstudents on lower budgets be have had far-reaching effects. ing on the right side of a naexpected to put up with the From the first-year students tional border. Were I a betting multitude of downsides that who are overcharged for chic man, I’d put my come with livnew halls, to the second and How many times have you money on it being in a difthird years vying for a reheard a proper Bristolian ing significantly ferent country duced housing stock and the accent in Clifton? It is higher than the to their unilocals they are pushing out, worth noting that housing s p o k e s m a n ’ s versity? How the University’s greed is inis also not an issue figure. As the many lectures discriminate in its impact. exclusive to the University amount of first will be missed With universities all over the of Bristol. year students from the onecountry hoping to cash in on rise, and the means to achour commute? What happens the ongoing rise in undergradcommodate them - and thus to students stuck in Bristol if uate applications - projected charge them - is made posthey miss the last bus home? to reach just shy of 1 million sible through the University’s All of this is not to mention by 2030 - the University of new developments (in Bristol the quality of the accommodaBristol’s recent attempts to or otherwise), very little contion in the first place – brand accommodate growing cohorts sideration goes into what opspanking new it may be, but of first year students have tions are on offer for students its three nearest sites of interbecome comically woeful. leaving halls in second year. est are an industrial estate, the The most successful has Without a similarly expandB4237 flyover and a bingo hall. been the development of exing housing stock, the already These inadequacies bring us pensive city-centre accomdensely packed neighbourto the most pathetic element modation. Since my arrival hoods of Redof the Uniin 2020, five new halls have land, Cotham versity’s acbeen built in the so-called The already densely and St Pauls commodation East Village. Although welpacked neighbourhoods have become solution: their come in reducing demand, of Redland, Cotham and more and more attempts to the modern decor is tacky, the St Pauls have become in demand, mask their hallways clinically bright and more and more in sub-par offer- demand, with prices rising with prices risprices are as high as the towing extortionings as reflecer blocks themselves. Some extortionately. ately.

Finding tive of stulucky undergrads are coughhousing has always been a dents’ desires. A spokesman ing up £900 a month for a stressful task but the Unifor the University highlighted room in Campbell House this versity’s continued policy of the attractiveness of Newport year. This initial attempt at a accepting oversubscription Student Village’s ‘larger, modsticking-plaster solution has, has exacerbated this stress, ern rooms with their own bathhowever, quickly descended flushing the market with desrooms’ – an aspect which ‘63% into farce with the recent an-

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refuge in Bristol. Regardless, perate second years who have the impact of students in this already had to pay an arm population turnover is not to and a leg in their first year. be underestimated: how many Just as the University proftimes have you heard a proper its from their outrageous acBristolian accent in Clifton? It commodation options, in turn, is worth noting that housing is landlords and letting agenalso not an issue exclusive to cies squeeze students for all the University of Bristol – first they’re worth. I should know: year students at the UniverI worked for Digs as a propsity of the erty viewer in Student housing is at an West of Engmy second year. impasse on a national land Bristol Stories abound scale; the greed of will this year of viewings with universities in chasing be offered 10 other potenhigher admissions and accommotial tenants or the revenue they bring is dation in deposits even largely to blame.

Cheltenbeing paid beham, even further from the fore said viewings. My second city than Newport is, whilst year letting agency (not Digs University of Glasgow stu- I may have worked for the dents, whose home is within devil but I certainly wasn’t one hour of campus, may not going to rent a flat from him) be offered any accommodatold me and my flatmates at tion at all. Student housing is the end of our contract in 2022 at an impasse on a national that the landlord was upping scale, and the greed of unithe rent and wanted to know versities in chasing higher whether we’d be staying, withadmissions and the revenue out telling us the increase. they bring is largely to blame.

Landlords getting away But not to worry, at least with murder is not solely a Unite have provided a kastudent experience. The more raoke room in Campbell flats we take up, the more loHouse for first years to shriek cals get priced out of their own ABBA songs into the microneighbourhoods. Of course, phone whilst they haemorthe housing crisis is a nationrhage cash straight into the al issue and much of Bristol’s Universities deep pockets. shortage is also caused by It’s a rich man’s world indeed.

Londoners and those from the South East being priced out Image courtesy of Unsplash in turn, thus finding relative

Features

Editor Aidan Szabo-Hall Co-Deputy Editor Dan Hutton Co-Deputy Editor Nel Roden Digital Editor Annie McNamee Subeditor Ellicia Metcalfe

Making connections: A guide to meeting n e w p e o p l e i n t h e f i r s t w e e k s o f u n i v e r s i ty finding common ground and arranging to attend events together will give you the opportunity and confidence to meet other students.

Olivia Loughran By attending events such as Second Year, Politics boardgames and pizza at the or many, the pros- Richmond Building as a flat, pect of meeting fresh you each might meet peofaces is the main ple there who you are similar draw to university. But whilst to. Asking questions about lectures guide you through people’s interests and coursyour degree, there is no es will also make interactions clear-cut curriculum for nav- more memorable and positive.

The sizes of flats in halls of igating your new social life.

We have all heard the classic residence vary and if placed advice of packing a doorstop in a small flat, don’t be afraid to encourage flatmates into to approach other flats in introyour room but while this may the building and break the ice on the first day, duce yourself.

For the students respondwhat’s next? Fortunately, there are plenty of active ways to ing to Epigrams poll, joining put yourself out there during a society or student group is your first few weeks at Bristol. the next best way to meet new people. For Social media can be a 'While university can be those who comhelpful way an overwhelming time, mute to university, attending for connectit offers boundless events such as ing with felopportunities to try the SU non-halls low freshers something different and mingle is a great during your to meet new people.' way to build first few of a community. weeks of uniWhen deciding which student versity. For those living in halls of residence, the university group to join, Bristol SU’s welwill email the names of your come fair is a must. The annunew flatmates a week before al event held on the downs will you move in. By connecting take place on Friday 22nd of on Instagram and creating September, and you’re guarana group chat, the first day teed to leave with free goodies.

From music, sports, refeels less like you’re moving in with complete strangers. ligious groups and volunOn Facebook, join UOB teering, the landmark event freshers groups and look showcases over 300 stuthrough posts to see if anyone dent groups at the universihas commented that they’re ty. Don’t be afraid to attend your course. If so, ask to be the event alone as committee added to a student-made members on each stall will course group chat where you be happy to chat and answer can ask questions or offer to questions about their group.

Note down societies that attend welcome talks together.

Make an effort to get to know interest you, then after the your flatmates, but remember event select a few to attend they aren’t the only people taster or Give it A Go sessions.

The GIAG event programme out there. A poll conducted by Epigram revealed that 63 per demonstrates what each stucent of responding students dent group has to offer. Taifelt that flatmates and mutual lored towards new memfriends were the best way to bers and those joining alone, meet new people. For some places can be booked ahead lucky students, those placed of time on the SU website.

Third-year Economics sturandomly in their flats will become lifelong friends, but this dent, Reese, joined the Bristol is commonly not the case. Jets Cheer group in her first Even if you do not instant- year. Speaking to Epigram, ly click with your flatmates, she said : ‘I met a great group

Olivia Loughran walks you through the best ways to socialise during your first few weeks at university.

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of people outside of my halls with new friends first to with the same interests as me. avoid homesickness and The training sessions and fun isolation in the long term. A weekly socials have helped few weeks in, meet up as a me make friendships for life.’ group and you can all meet With Bristol welcoming over each other’s new friends.

5,000 students per Dedicating year, it is no surprise 'Spend as much time time to your that others from on campus as possible: course and your hometown exploring study spaces social life might be making are not two will increase your the move with you. likelihood of meeting s e p a r a t e It is important to e f f o r t s . new people.' not rely exclusively Attending on friends from home in the contact hours will first few weeks if your aim familiarise you with your is to build new social circles. all-important coursemates.

While it might be useful to After one too many the check in occasionally with each night before, rushing late into other for support, try to make the lecture and hiding yourself an effort to connect with new and your hangover in the friends first to avoid homesickback won’t give you the best ness and isolation in the long opportunity for making friends. term. A few weeks in, meet Try to turn up to your up as a group and you can all lectures and seminars a few meet each other’s new friends. minutes early so you can Become engaged strike up a conversation with your course before they begin.

Dedicating time to your Surprisingly, the poll course and social life are revealed that no responding not two separate efforts. Atstudents felt that Freshers club tending contact hours will events were the best venues familiarise you with your for putting yourself out there. all-important coursemates.

Although Bristol is renowned After one too many the night for its incredible bars and before, rushing late into the clubs, try not to sacrifice lecture and hiding yourself the daytime for nights out. and your hangover in the back Try reserving some charge won’t give you the best opin your social battery for

inviting someone you meet in a seminar for a coffee or a study session, as support from coursemates is beneficial.

For non-drinkers, many of the SU Welcome events are alcohol-free, so while the drinking culture at university often gets the most attention, there is still plenty out there for everyone.

Spend as much time on campus as possible: exploring study spaces will increase your likelihood of meeting new people. The Global Lounge, on the first floor of Senate House, serves as a social, study and multicultural hub.

During freshers week, The Global Lounge is holding events to welcome international students with their Make Friends From Around the World Coaster Design event, and Bristol Orientation Tours.

The beauty of university is that throughout your time here, you will be continuously meeting new people. Try to not put too much pressure on yourself, and in no time the friendly faces will turn into friends.o enjoying the very best that Bristol has to offer.

Image courtesy of Unsplash

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epigram 01.10.23

How to navigate long distance relationships at university Dan Hutton outlines the best methods to maintain a long distance relationship while at university

Image courtesy of Unsplash

Dan Hutton Features Co-Deputy Editor

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eciding whether or not to commit to a long-distance relationship during university is a big decision to make. Many couples deliberately break up before university in order to save the pain of being apart for so long, or because they are not sure whether they - or their partner - is ready to commit.

Epigram talked to students in long distance relationships at The University of Bristol to discover how they navigated the complicated parts of their relationships.

Isaac, a third-year student, commented on the difficulty of commiting to a relationship despite the distance, describing how they would both ‘Dance around the topic, worried the other wasn't looking for something that serious.’

Whilst all of the respondents acknowledged the challenges of going long distance at university, they also highlighted how their relationships enhanced their university experience.

Sam, another third-year student, noted that having his partner grounded him and gave him a sense of stability and security, saying ‘Knowing I can confide in her with anything was helpful when everything else is undergoing a pretty massive change.’

One respondent, who wished to remain anonymous, noted that ‘From April onwards, I would have very slow replies during the day when I'm at the library. She always understood, but it doesn’t change the fact the conversation barely flows.’

Relationships can get hard when life is busy; managing your university workload and social life can be overwhelming, and sometimes you’ll have fewer opportunities to speak to your partner. This can lead to communication breaking down and partners feeling as though they are drifting away from one another.

To combat this, frequent and open communication is key.

Sam pointed out that checking in and talking to your partner every day was a good idea,

however he emphasised that it was ‘Not in a way that we were tracking what the other was doing, just seeing how we’re both feeling.’ He went on to say that ‘You don’t have any physical interactions to give you signals as to how the other’s doing, so by establishing checking in as just a regular thing it gives the chance for each of us to say when we’re not doing so well and get support.’

When the opportunities to communicate become less frequent, planning ahead can make things easier. For example, during Isaac’s second year, he made sure to revise when he knew that his partner had work to do, or was seeing her friends, so he could align his free time with hers.

During this time, Isaac also emphasised the need for ‘Long, (pre)arranged phone calls’ , instead of shorter ones. Watching TV together, making meals or just staying up chatting can make the distance between two people feel so much smaller.

During term time, one respondent recommended planning online date nights where you can do activities together over a video call. They went on to say how things like virtual escape rooms and quizzes made the periods in which they were away from each other easier.

Another benefit of facetiming each other regularly is that it counteracts the negative aspects of relying on text as the

sole form of communication.

Non-verbal cues are extremely important in any form of communication : things like the tone of your voice and your facial expressions make up much of how we perceive and respond to what someone is saying. Unfortunately, none of this can be conveyed through text messages.

This can lead to you or your partner misinterpreting messages, which can cause friction over something trivial something that wouldn’t have happened if you were with - or even calling - each other.

One student described how even small things, like thinking your partner is annoyed at you, can spiral without proper communication. ‘I thought she was annoyed at me or taking something out on me and then later I learned she was actually going through something tough. Had she not communicated with me afterwards I might’ve said something or had an attitude that would’ve turned us against each other and escalated the situation, rather than making it something we got through together which made us closer as a couple.’

Whilst facetiming is definitely better than text, nothing can beat seeing your loved one in person. Many of the respondents recommended travelling to each other during term time if it’s possible. If your partner

is also at university, exploring a new city with them and planning days out in advance can get you both even more excited about the time you’re going to spend with each other. However, with the government overseeing the biggest increase to rail prices in over a decade this year on top of a transport network that is already 30% more expensive for customers in comparison to railways in Europe, it’s safe to say that the train might not be an option for many students.

Despite coming with longer travel times, travelling by coach can be a more cost-effective option than getting the train. Unidays offer 15% off National Express coaches which can help to save that extra bit of cash.

Whilst there is a unique set of challenges that come with being a couple during University, It shouldn’t be the only reason to break up. All relationships require work, regardless of distance, and learning what it takes to love someone deeply at a young age will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Research has indicated that having high levels of emotional intelligence can increase relationship satisfaction. This type of intelligence (like most) is developed through experience. Going through the hard parts of being long distance with your partner will allow you to improve the way you

communicate, empathise and resolve conflicts – all central parts of emotional intelligence.

For example, Sam described how he navigated the difficult times during his relationship by recognising the importance of setting boundaries.

He also drew attention to the importance of discussing ‘Why something matters to your partner so it doesn’t just feel like an arbitrary rule that’s been set.’ He went on to say that he’s had to ‘Learn that someone’s feelings might have a strange cause but they’re always legitimate and should be respected in that way.’

Developing emotional intelligence can also help with the very real problems that can be caused by anxiety over cheating, especially in the context of the hook-up culture which university promotes. For Isaac, ‘Communication plays a massive part in it, especially at university, if you don’t communicate with your partner they could get paranoid and make bad decisions out of pride or just being impulsive in general.’

If you’re thinking about ending a relationship because of the distance that university creates, know that there are ways to make it easier and that there may be a real value in continuing, if you don’t feel ready to break-up.

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epigram 01.10.23

How to battle homesickness in a new environment Emily Robson offers advice on how to with feelings of homesickness during the first months of university

Emily Robson Second Year, Politics

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very September, students from across the world - often followed by gaggles of parents, guardians or siblings - drag suitcases through airports, lift potted plants out of cars and carry saucepans and spatulas through Bristol’s many hills and streets.

Starting life at the University of Bristol marks the beginning of a momentous change. The steady certainty of school, old friends and childhood bedrooms are suddenly replaced with seminars, lectures, new buildings, new places and new people.

Family is no longer in the room next door but suddenly many miles away. It is, therefore, only natural that students often experience homesickness in their first

weeks and months of university. In fact, one study suggests that 94% of students reported homesickness during the first 10 weeks of university.

Homesickness can affect people in many different ways, ranging from poor sleep to nausea, headaches and feelings of panic.

In some rare cases, homesickness can lead to depression. In this eventuality, Student Counselling and Nightline are there to support you and your mental health. Bristol university’s Wellbeing Network also operates a buddy system which has an online form for those who are looking for someone to talk to.

Many mental health researchers suggest that socialising can be an incredibly effective way to combat homesickness at university. Joining clubs and societies can be an easy way to meet like-minded people, make friends and curb a sense of loneliness with the added bonus of adding a new skill to your CV. Bristol University is home to over 350 sports clubs and so-

cieties which cater to almost every possible interest and hobby. There are also plenty of volunteering opportunities and sustainability networks that can be accessed through the Bristol Hub - all providing an important panacea to homesickness and isolation.

However, the stresses of meeting many new people at once can actually be a trigger for homesickness in itself. Maja Bury, a second-year modern languages student, told Epigram that her first-year homesickness was triggered by anxiety surrounding the pressure to socialise, coupled with missing old school friends.

‘It was mainly because I had to speak to so many new people rather than because I was away from my family,’ Maja said. She also mentioned that being able to FaceTime parents and relatives at any time did greatly help her to reduce feelings of isolation, joking that, 'I did miss my dog a lot since I couldn’t call her!’

When asked about her tactics to alleviate feelings of home-

sickness, she said that she liked to put on comfort films in her downtime to take her mind off the new stresses attached to student life: ‘Honestly, I just watched films and shows I’d seen a million times before because they felt like home.’

International students similarly suffer from homesickness, although this can be more acute due to factors like culture shock and the huge distance from home.

One second-year student from Brazil, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to Epigram about the difficulties she faced during first year: ‘I used to see a lot of home students going to their parents’ house on the weekends and holidays but I couldn't because of the distance.’

However, keeping in frequent contact with home as well as making an effort to avoid spending too much time in the flat helped her to alleviate her sense of homesickness.

‘I used to video call my friends and family very frequently. Even when I went to

the library, I had study sessions (with my old friends) and I'd call my mom when I was cooking. I also made an effort to not spend too much time in my flat which allowed me to enjoy the university experience with other people and visit new places.’

Exploring Bristol and its surrounding areas, exercising, going for a walk or even just getting out of your room are repeatedly recommended to help homesick students improve their outlook on university.

Whilst university can certainly be an overwhelming time, where one feels a lack of connection with others and pines for home and familiarity, it offers boundless opportunities to explore, to volunteer, to try something different and to meet people from all over the world.

While it may take time to forge a new home at university, acknowledging feelings of homesickness and deciding to actively search for solutions that work for you will place you on the right path to getting the most out of student life.

Study smarter, not harder : Effective study strategies to adopt into your academic routine In preparation for the new academic year, Georgia Rowe outlines a range of effective study skills.

Georgia Rowe Opinion Digital Editor

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tudying at university is an entirely different ballgame from studying at school. Suddenly, you're immersed in an environment full of distractions, largely left to your own devices and learning a subject of an ostensibly boundless nature.

As such, you might be putting in eight-hour days at the library, reading all of your mandatory material, attending every lecture and still feeling like you're not on top of things. What you learn early on at university is that you can’t explore every avenue – it’s not feasible and, truthfully, your course isn't designed for that to be the case. Throughout the academic year, thousands of students fall victim to burnout and stress. A

2017 survey reported that the main area of concern for firstyear students was the stress of studying, with almost 60 per cent reporting difficulty coping with their workload.

To curb this overwhelm, students should aim to increase their productivity levels - not the amount of hours they spend working. In other words; work smarter, not harder. By building solid academic practices early on, you'll be able to better enjoy your subject and afford yourself more leisure time outside of study hours.

By keeping a record of essay deadlines and their respective due dates, you'll ensure that when it's time to study you're less distracted by other formalities like, ‘Now where exactly is my copy of The Canterbury Tales?’ Epigram spoke to Third Year Politics and International Relations student, Edie Kenningham Smith, to gain insight into her study practices.

She agreed that planning ahead of time and removing unnecessary distractions

is crucial for productivity levels, stating: ‘When studying, make sure you are in a headspace where you can not just understand things, but form a critical opinion of ‘do I agree with this?’ She emphasised that while undertaking a Humanities degree, it is important to ‘Always read with a critical, personal voice. Don’t just read things passively because you’ll get nowhere.’

She spoke on the importance of building your routine at university and finding a space where you feel you work best.

As we continued our conversation, Edie shared her mantra: ‘Doing less well, rather than always working badly.’ She went on to describe how she is able to follow this mantra by developing a personalised routineroworking routine: ‘Personally I find it quite easy to follow a sort of school schedule.

‘Coming off the back of A-Levels, I think it’s quite nice to keep that same structure.

For me, that means creating a solid routine. My brain starts to work around 9 am,

so that means I’m in university around that time, either in a lecture or at the library.’

She added that getting into a routine with others, perhaps housemates or course friends, makes this easier: ‘What’s good about my house is that we all go into university to work, none of us really find that working at home yields much productivity.

‘We migrate “en masse” to various study centres across campus and then all journey back home at a similar time to relax together. This really helped me in my Second Year.

If I could give any advice to freshers, it would be to go out to do your work and then come home to relax - you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished more.’

Something as simple as having others hold you accountable, or forming a routine with friends, can be very useful.

However, Edie prefaced that in order to avoid academic burnout, she doesn’t always stick to this routine, favouring it more around exam periods. She stressed the im-

portance of allowing herself to spend time doing other things away from her degree.

From speaking to Edie, it is clear that the importance of maintaining a distinction between work and leisure at university is crucial. By separating study and relaxation environments, or choosing not to work on certain days or past certain hours, you can maintain that important separation and prevent burnout.

Although, while separating work and leisure is important, combining your recreational interests with your field of study can also be a great way to engage more with your degree. Unlike in school, many degree subjects offer a broader spectrum of topics to explore. As such, focusing your research on ideas or themes that captivate your interest can be a great way to make studying more approachable.

• Please find the rest of this article at www.epigram.org.uk

Artwork by Miranda Mercer, Third Year, Veterinary Medicine

Wit & Wisdom

Graduate Corner

Filiz Emily Gurer, Epigram's former Co-Editor-inChief, graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022.

In Epigram's alumni feature, she describes her fascinating career journey from the BBC to the House of Commons alongisde the career benefits of student journalism.

Filiz Emily Gurer @FilizEmilyGurer

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eflecting on my time at Epigram, it’s hard to know where to start.

My involvement in student journalism while at Bristol, first as News Editor and then as Co-Editor-in-Chief, shaped my uni experience in more ways than I could have imagined. I remember first ap-

plying for a role on the paper’s editorial team around April 2021. I looked through all the roles and applied to be the paper’s Deputy News Editor. After being interviewed by the senior editorial team and getting the happy news back that I would be offered the role of News Editor, I was thrilled and slightly daunted, but most of all raring to get started. Back in Bristol the following September, I got started in my role under the then-Co-Editors Robin and Teddy and alongside a talented news team, with whom I covered everything from Bristol’s student accommodation situation to strikes by the UCU. What stands out were the protests which took hold of the city over the summer of 2022 over the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (now Act). I believe Epigram’s coverage of these protests truly demonstrates the scope of being involved in student journalism. The protests captured international attention and after covering them for Epigram, I was asked to cover them for the Bristol Cable; this led to the excitement of having some of my footage and photos picked up by national and even international media.

Covering these news events in the city for the Bristol Cable that summer, led to more

freelance work with the Cable, further allowing me to build up my journalism portfolio. By this time, I was sure I wanted to continue being involved in the paper in my final year at Bristol and take on a leadership role in Epigram’s senior team. Indeed, I was thrilled to be appointed Co-Editor-in-Chief with Co-Editor Holly alongside a fantastic senior team. Together we appointed a wider editorial team of over 70 students, who worked tirelessly to maintain an up-to-date news site and produce a regular physical newspaper. Being involved in Epigram was a passion project, but it afforded me the opportunity to develop skills which I otherwise would not have acquired.

My involvement in Epigram and freelance journalism in Bristol motivated me to pursue journalism work after uni. While I was Co-Editorin-Chief in my final year, I had been inspired to apply to a short journalism trainee scheme run by the BBC called ‘BBC Future Voices’. When I applied for the scheme, I had very little expectation of being successful, so was over the moon when I received a call two months into my final year at Bristol in November to say I was being offered a place on the scheme starting in January. The period from January to March was certainly hard work, where I balanced working full time on

the scheme while splitting my remaining time between Epigram and my degree. During the scheme, I spent some time working in the BBC’s Politics team at Westminster and was able to stay on working in the Politics team when the scheme ended. Working at the BBC alongside journalists I had long admired was definitely surreal! Over the 18 months that I worked there, I developed a breadth of experience: working as a Journalist writing news bulletins on Radio 4, to being

THE EPIGRAFT Do YOU want to take part in Epigram's blind date series?

Please send us an email at editor.epigram@gmail.com for more information.

a Producer on Politics Live, to working on the political news desk and reading news bulletin round ups for the World Service youth bulletin BBC Minute. Throughout my time at the BBC, I had some amazing experiences and developed a broad range of skills, but ultimately came to the decision to use these to follow a different route in moving into politics. At the end of August, I left my role at the BBC and started in the Civil Service as a Senior Media Officer working for select committees in Parliament: a role which allows me to combine my particular interest in politics with my interest in the news and experience of working in media. Without a doubt, I could not have ended up at this point without my involvement in student journalism at Epigram. Looking back to April 2021, when I was considering whether to apply to Epigram’s editorial team, I wonder how differently everything might have turned out had I not applied. So, if you’re even slightly considering getting involved with student journalism, I would really recom-

Images courtesy of Filiz Emily Gurer

Arts

Editor Rachel Bronnert Co-Deputy Editor Ella Carroll Co-Deputy Editor Isabel Williams Digital Editor Phoebe Caine

Arts and humanities students hit hardest by the Marking and Assessment Boycott The marking strikes that have taken place in Bristol have affected students of all disciplines, but Alex Hill explores how arts students have been affected particularly.

Alex Hill Third Year, English and French

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tudents lacking marks and feedback face further industrial action as the University and College Union’s (UCU) Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) pushes its way into another academic year. Introduced on 20 April 2023, the MAB affects 145 universities across the UK where members of the UCU are refusing to mark exams and assessments until demands on pay, pensions, and working conditions are satisfied.

At the University of Bristol, what does this mean for Arts students, undergoing more coursework-based assessments than students in other faculties? Paired with the UCU’s industrial action earlier this year cutting contact

hours, has the sentiment shifted from sympathy to apathy, and is there an end in sight?

According to a BBC article published in July, 40 students at the University of Bristol have been unable to graduate this year due to the MAB. Two of these students interviewed are Violet Allmark and Alice Padgett, both studying Theatre and English. Despite supporting the staff members involved, both reveal they are “sad” and “angry”, having been told they haven’t got the marks needed for a classification.

A spokesperson at the University says they “are offering a goodwill payment of up to £500 to those students most affected”. Many students, including Alice, believe that they should receive a larger refund.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has said that less than 3% of students will be affected by the MAB. This represents only a small proportion of a widespread problem throughout the entire student body. Although choosing to participate in the MAB is at the discretion of the staff member, almost all students affected have one or more marks withheld, with

many being told that their summative work will not be marked altogether. Third year English and French student Isabella Thathapudi tells us that she is still missing two of her marks for English modules she studied in her second year.

'The boycott hasn’t put me in good stead for writing my English essays as I am not sure where I stand with my progress. Lacking a mark means I don’t have anything to work off.'

She says she remains 'sympathetic with the teachers' but says that 'there is a certain extent to which the boycott can affect students.'

She finds that Arts students have been disproportionally affected by the MAB than those studying in other departments. Each student pays £9,250 for a year’s tuition, regardless of faculty.

Frustration also arises from the expectation for students to perform in a wide range of disciplines across the Arts and Humanities departments whilst teachers are not expected to provide sufficient feedback from which to improve on. This comes after

the UCU announced industrial action in February and March this year which saw staff members walk out for seven weeks over pay, pensions, and workload. This left many students without teaching on content on which they would later be assessed.

'I really enjoyed studying a Linguistics module this year,' says Isabella, 'but without being able to practise with a formative essay halfway through the unit, as well as missing some of my contact hours, I felt I was unprepared for my final summative essay. I could’ve received a higher mark if I had that earlier feedback.'

The University has recognised the MAB’s impact on students in an online statement, saying: 'These disputes are national issues, not ones that we can resolve on our own. We are continuing to work with all the trade unions and with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) which is negotiating nationally on these issues with UK universities.

MAB will continue until either the disputes are settled, UCU calls off the boycott, or the end of the industrial ac-

tion mandate is reached.

Our main priority is to protect your interests. All school, faculty and departmental managers not involved in this form of industrial action will prioritise marking and assessment work during this time.”

Whilst some Arts students believe the UCU’s industrial action has gone too far, Isabella reveals she is optimistic that the MAB won’t prevent her from studying what interests her.

'It is unfair that students have to suffer for something that isn’t their fault,' says Isabella, 'I still find the course enriching, although it has been annoying at times. It hasn’t deterred me from continuing with what I want to do - I’m more focused on how interesting I find it.'

The UCU announced on the 14 August that their Higher Education Committee (HEC) voted to extend industrial action into the new academic year. The HEC is also preparing to launch a new ballot so that the UCU can renew their industrial action mandate further. Since this article has been written, Bristol University staff members have ended the MAB.

Book Nook: end of summer reads Seb Davies shares a couple of his end of summer reads.

Seb Davies Third Year, Philosophy

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n the Road by Jack Kerouac is focal novel of the Beat Generation. It is a masterpiece that attempts to navigate a variety of themes within an ever-modernising America.

Kerouac is not shy in his discussion of sex and drugs and the way in which they shape the individual’s experiences in their travels across America. We meet Sal Paradise, a young intellectual writer who surrounds himself in his home city of New York with other like-minded intellectu-

als. However, this is abruptly shaken up when we meet Dean, a problematic yet fascinating individual who has spent most of his life in and out of trouble, and ultimately jail. It is this clash of personalities that makes this book such a joy to read, learning how these two very different individuals navigate the scale of travelling the US, and how these experiences come to shape their personalities in very different ways. The experience of reading about Sal, Dean and their many other friends travelling around the country is quite remarkable.

Kerouac is a genius in the way in which he makes you want to just leave everything behind and go explore things you have never seen before.

Based on his own experienc-

es travelling with friend Neal Cassidy, Kerouac manages to perfectly capture the unpredictability and freedom that comes with travelling, and places it into a wonderful piece of literature. The erratic nature of the plot is certainly evident and makes it challenging at points to comprehend what is going on, and yet I think that only adds to the beauty of the novel.

Much in the same way that I found Dean’s character to be very unlikeable at points, it is how wild he is as a person that really makes On the Road a special novel to read.

Sartre’s first novel Nausea is without a doubt the best book I have read for a very long time. The ability which Sartre has in being able to introduce such a moving

theory, through the means of a fictional diary, is quite remarkable. Set in the fictional town of Bouville, we learn about the experiences of Antoine Roquetin through the means of his diary. Carrying out his day-to-day life, he is plagued by a feeling that he terms 'the nausea', and we learn through the diary what this means to Antoine as well as the way in which he comes to terms with it. This book is without a doubt the perfect introduction to existentialism, the idea that we shape the meaning of our own existence, and yet we also can appreciate a beautiful piece of fiction at the same time.

The beauty of Sartre’s writing, and other philosophical novels, is you are free

to take as much or as little meaning from the book as possible, and each time you come across this book, you can take a little bit extra from it. The way in which this novel can be freeing to you as an individual is a credit which you cannot give to many novels. Learning how Antoine comes to terms with what his own existence means, and the way in which he can let that shape his life is no doubt what makes this book a joy to read, and why I tell people that there is no doubt it is one of the greatest novels I have ever come across.

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Back to university: How to maintain a love of reading Honey Ryder explores how to balance reading alongsideyouracademiclife.

Honey Ryder Second Year, English

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uring the term, there is little time to read for fun. We prioritise academic reading and resort to audiobooks or a few pages of casual reading a night.

We cope by telling ourselves that it is okay to sideline our recreational reading until our workload decreases.

After the pressure of endof-year exams, detoxing our brains with light-hearted summer reads is a relief. The first book I read when university ended for the summer was a romance fantasy cheesy enough to make an English student’s skin crawl.

Still, it helped me rediscover

the joy of reading as a pastime instead of a requirement for my degree. When the thought of reading one more convoluted page by a literary great was uninviting, that book lifted me from my reading slump.

Eventually, I returned to reading more intellectually stimulating novels. I hoped to feel more prepared for the university-assigned readings by easing myself into more challenging texts. The transition into academics should not be an abrupt change but a development of your summer reading.

This is easier said than done.

Reading transforms from an indulgence into a chore in the time it takes to open an Outlook email. I study English Literature, where the lines between reading for pleasure and academic purposes are blurred. This can be a positive thing. Work often feels like play. However, being forced to read a tedious or difficult

book dulls your passion. An innate rebelliousness overcomes you when something is compulsory rather than optional. Also, knowing that the results of your reading will be examined and quantified per a grading system can kill any eagerness.

The key is to shift your thinking. You can learn just as much from the books you do not like as the books you do. Understanding why you dislike a text, if it has something to do with the writing style or the organisation of information, enhances your critical eye and helps you improve your own writing. Lecturers choose the compulsory readings for a reason, so finding the usefulness in something you deem uninteresting will make you a more active, engaged reader.

Persisting with a book that you loathe is no mean feat. It helps to see reading as a

competition, wherein you keep trying to outdo yourself. Nothing beats clicking ‘I’m Finished!’ on a book on Goodreads or crossing an item off your reading list. Let the thought of adding one more book to your brain’s infinite catalogue motivate rather than deter you.

I would advise you to start early. Cramming your reading squashes any potential for pleasure. Reading your academic books in a comfortable chair, with a cup of tea, the relaxed way you would read a book of your choice might allow you to discover things you like about them or at least make for an enjoyable experience. Take the pressure off yourself and see what reveals itself on the page.

Resurrecting the critical thinking part of the brain after a summer of passive reading is a struggle. Again, easing yourself into it is the best way forward. I indicate noteworthy

lines and passages in a text so that my future self can return to them and re-examine them in more detail. You do not need to be making nuanced annotations from the get-go. Give yourself time to get back into the rhythm of a university student.

It helps to have a reading routine. Tackling a pre-determined number of chapters or pages per day prevents feeling swamped with required reading. It also fuels that dopamine-inducing sense of accomplishment when you meet your daily target.

We want the changeover from summer to university to be as painless as possible. If you approach your course reading with the right mindset and efficiently manage your time, you will prepare yourself well for the next academic yearand still have time for a guilty pleasure read or two.

Gaze at Edinburgh Fringe Following the success of her near totally sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, writer and director Lilly Arianne talks to Epigram about her show ‘Gaze’, imposter syndrome

Isabel Williams Arts Co-Deputy Editor

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arlier this year, over 40 Bristol students geared up to strut and fret upon the stage before crowds of strangers as part of the annual Edinburgh Fringe theatre festival. One of the productions representing Bristol University was the show ‘Gaze’, which was quoted by the BBC as receiving praise for its ‘great acting and sharp dialogue’.

The show was initially written as a small piece for the University of Bristol’s Falstaff Society, before Lilly got the chance to take it to the Fringe through her winning a Drama Society competition.

She explains to me that, like so many works of art, the show was conceived from a place very close to heart.

'I think all the creative projects I’ve had have stemmed from me being angry” she muses. “It was a short piece and I wrote it on a train. I’d been in quite a

bad argument with a friend and I just needed to channel the anger somewhere.'

As somebody who hasn’t had the chance to see the play, I ask her if she can give me a rundown on its content.

'It’s called Gaze because it’s about the male gaze. What I wanted to do is kind of highlight how latent misogyny in friendship groups, in culture, in just your daily interactions can actually be the start of something much more sinister than perhaps we imagine.'

She elaborates on the structure of the play, which consists of two parts: one in which the audience are laughing along with the casual banter of a dinner party and one in which the characters become almost animalistic caricatures of themselves, repeating the same dialogue of the first section with an undertone that makes its misogyny far more explicit; a creative decision that is intended to make the audience feel uncomfortable. 'I wanted the audience to feel complicit in everything that had happened' Lilly tells me, relating to how the central female character breaks the fourth wall in the middle of the play.

The script is keen to recognise the detrimental impact that latent misogyny has on everybody, besides solely cisgender, straight women.

Whilst proposing the show to

DramSoc for the Edinburgh got to believe that you can Fringe, Lilly added a lesbian do it and rely on the peocouple to the list of characple around you. There are ters, 'because I wanted to so many people who want to look at the experience of insupport you.' She admits that ternalised homophobia and in her own case there was a how a lot of queer relationlevel of imposter syndrome ships, especially queer womthat made her feel unworthy, en, are still affected by the but affirms that with the fimale gaze.' She also mennancial support of an organitions that, even with the patriarchy’s tyranny as her focal point, she never wanted to paint men as unwavering villains. 'Like, the male gaze impacts men as well', she says, 'Misogyny hurts men as well. It puts them in this box and forces them to be a certain kind of man.'

Fortunately, it doesn’t seem that Lilly’s message was misinterpreted and the run was an undeniable success. 'We were immensely lucky,' Lilly admits, 'we all just got on incredibly well.' She comments on how one of the most rewarding aspects was seeing that 'people were having genuine conversations afterwards about the show', adding that 'it’s just got a conversation started about issues that are very close to, I mean, all of us really.'

As the interview nears its conclusion, I ask if Lilly has any advice for those fresheyed students hoping to pursue her trajectory. 'I think my advice is don’t have imImage courtesy of Name /Unsplash poster syndrome. You’ve

sation like DramSoc, 'why the hell not take that opportunity?'

So, can we hope to see ‘Gaze’ in a theatre near us soon? 'Maybe. Or I might just start writing something new and get bored of it.' Either way, we’re excited to see what she does next.

Image courtesy of Ben Tofan / Unsplash

Film & TV

Editor Arron Kennon Co-Deputy Editor Lauren Durose Co-Deputy Editor Sofia Webster Digital Editor Sienna Thompson Subeditor Victor Bennett

The best comfort films for starting university A selection of classic comfort films to help with feelings of homesickness, nerves and all sorts of new emotions.

Alannah Mylechreest Second Year, English and German

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f you've recently moved away from home to university for the first time, you may be feeling all kinds of emotions - excited, nervous, lonely, homesick.

Films are the best remedy for all these overwhelming feelings and I've put together a list of my top picks for comfort films that you can watch whilst you ease into university life. They're perfect to view either by yourself as you settle into your new room, or with your flatmates as a bonding experience!

Groundhog Day (1993) Feel-good classic comedies make for excellent comfort films, and Groundhog Day is one of the best examples. The film follows weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray), who is covering the Groundhog Day celebrations in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and wakes up one morning to find he is experiencing the previous day all over again. As he struggles to find a way to escape the time loop, Phil's cynical attitude changes and he learns

to live his life to the fullest.

Murray is naturally hilarious, particularly with his deadpan delivery, and Andie MacDowell also shines as the loveable romantic interest Rita. They say laughter is the best medicine, so give Groundhog Day a try if you want a distraction from any homesickness.

Tomatoes and with many shots of a picturesque and idyllic London, accompanied by Dario Marianelli's quirky soundtrack, it's easy to see why.

Paddington's consistent positive outlook is inspiring and he spouts many wise aphorisms over the course of the film.

There are also so many hilarious moments, particularly during encounters with the prison's chef Knuckles (Brendan Gleeson) or the once-beloved actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant). That being said, I challenge you not to be weeping at some point during this film!

Ponyo (2008)

Paddington 2 (2017) The film version of a warm hug, Paddington 2 is best viewed with a hot mug of tea and a marmalade sandwich in hand. You don't necessarily have to have seen Paddington (2014), just simply know that the eponymous Paddington (Ben Whishaw) is an adorable bear cub from Peru that the Brown family finds in Paddington train station and adopts as one of their own.

Whilst searching for the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy's birthday, Paddington is framed for robbery and his community bands together to bring justice. At one point, Paddington 2 was the most reviewed film at 100 per cent on Rotten

in order to show up her former boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis). It will probably make you want to crack open a textbook and start studying.

Furthermore, the abundance of pink in practically every other shot is certain to wash away any feelings of sadness.

Legally Blonde (2001) If you're in need of some motivation at the start of a new academic year, then Legally Blonde is the best solution - at least when it comes to films. Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) has fierce drive and determination to get into Harvard Law School, and subsequently be top of the class,

The colourful world of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films makes for excellent escapism and if you've already watched My Neighbour Totoro (1988) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004), I'd suggest giving Ponyo a try!

This heartwarming tale of friendship details the relationship between the magical goldfish-turned-human Ponyo (Yuria Nara, Noah Cyrus in the English-language version), and the five-year-old boy Sōsuke (Hiroki Doi, Frankie Jonas in the English-language version). Like all Studio Ghibli films, the animation is simply gorgeous and if you're looking for a bit of joy, you'll definitely find it when you

see how adorable Ponyo is!

The Sound of Music (1965) All in all, the best comfort films are deeply personal; ones that you have watched so many times you could recite the script by heart. For me that would have to be Robert Wise's adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic 1959 musical The Sound of Music. Free-spirited postulant Maria (Julie Andrews) is sent to look after the seven children of the widowed Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and helps to bring joy and music back into all of their lives, including the Captain's.

Even if you've never watched the film before, you'll probably be familiar with many of its musical numbers, such as 'Do-re-mi', 'My Favourite Things' or 'Edelweiss'.

Seeing Maria stride through the gorgeous Austrian hills in the stunning springtime can also be a welcome distraction as winter draws closer.

Images courtesy of IMDb

Past Lives: a modern masterpiece Celine Song's directorial debut is a modern masterpiece of a love story that will resonate with the past, present and future.

Lara Lippin Third Year, English

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eline Song’s spellbinding debut Past Lives (2023) explores the relationship between childhood sweethearts Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo). The South Korean and Canadian playwright and director captures the beauty of life’s interconnectedness and explores whether each encounter is down to chance or fate.

The film opens with a

wide shot of Nora sitting between Hae Sung (Yoo) and her Jewish American husband Arthur (John Magaro), whilst being observed by two unknown speakers. Although we don’t know the identities of these three characters yet, Song makes it clear that they share a complicated history.

Cutting swiftly from this outside perspective, Song takes us back 24 years to Seoul, where Nora (known as Na Young in South Korea) and Hae Sung meet as classmates. The two children grow close quickly, bonding over their grades and shared interests. Their blossoming friendship is quickly cut short by Na Young's parents’ decision to

move to Toronto. The young pair’s final goodbye is beautifully captured by cinematographer, Shabier Kirchner. We watch young Na Young and Hae Sung splitting off separately on their walk back from school, foreshadowing the pair's separation throughout the rest of the film.

Song then transports us twelve years later, where Hae Sung is still in Korea and Na Young (now known as Nora) is trying to establish herself as a playwright in New York. Upon interest, Nora reaches out to Hae Sung sparking them to reconnect over Skype.

They bond and reminisce over the past, intimately

travelling back in time together. However, much like their childhood, this moment of bliss is abruptly cut short when Nora tells Hae Sung they should stop speaking.

It is clear that Hae Sung has fallen for the Nora he once knew and clings to their past shared life, however Nora is stuck between her past in Korea and her identity as an immigrant in New York. Although they once shared a romantic connection, Nora attaches Hae Sung to her past life and longs for new beginnings in New York.

Nora’s separation from her past life self-echoes Song’s own personal experience of moving from Seoul to To-

ronto at age 12. In conversation with the Los Angeles Times, Song explained how her childhood ‘happened in a different culture under a different name. It’s a silo or a distinctly separated moment in your life that very much feels like a past life.'

Song’s personal experience of separation shines through poetically, capturing both the heartbreak of being in love with the past version of someone else and the conflicting pain of breaking someone’s projection of a past version of you.

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At the Cube: The Battle of Chile To mark 50 years since the events of 1973, the three part documentary film series was shown in its entirety at the Cube on 10th September.

Arron Kennon Film & TV Editor

T

he Battle of Chile (1975-1979) is a groundbreaking documentary trilogy directed by Patricio Guzmán, capturing the tumultuous and transformative events surrounding the Chilean political landscape in the early 1970s. Comprising three parts – The Insurrection of the Bourgeoisie, The Coup d'État and Popular Power – this monumental work provides an intimate and compelling account of the rise, fall and legacy of Salvador Allende's socialist government, with the eventual military coup led

by General Augusto Pinochet.

The existence of the trilogy constitutes a miracle in itself. Once Pinochet’s military dictatorship was established, members of the Revolutionary Leftist Movement were sought out for capture, torture and murder. Guzmán was forced into exile, fleeing Chile and smuggling the footage into Cuba, where he was able to work on the film under the protection of their communist government.

Cinematographer for the film Jorje Muller, was not so fortunate. Captured in 1974, he has unfor-

tunately not been seen since.

The first installment of the trilogy, The Insurrection of the Bourgeoisie, immerses the audience in the fervor and anxiety of Chilean society as Salvador Allende's Popular Unity government attempts to enact radical socialist reforms. Guzmán balances archival footage with on-the-ground interviews and insightful narration. The film paints a vivid picture of the deep divisions within Chilean society, where the wealthy elite and the military plotting to undermine Allende's government at every turn.

Guzmán's lens captures the intensity of the period, from the street protests to the heated debates within the Chilean Congress. He exposes the economic sabotage orchestrated by the bourgeoisie and the complicity of foreign powers, particularly the United States who consistently funded and supported the Chilean opposition to socialism. Through the lens of history, viewers witness the challenges of implementing progressive reforms within a hostile environment, making it a poignant commentary on the timeless struggle for social change.

The Coup d'État delves into the harrowing events of 11th September, 1973, when General Pinochet's military junta staged a brutal coup against

President Allende. Guzmán's camera captures the chaos, fear and violence that engulfed Chile on that fateful day. The film is a chilling account of how democracy can crumble when confronted with ruthless authoritarianism.

The documentary excels in its portrayal of the human toll of the coup, with heart-wrenching testimonies from survivors and family members of the disappeared. Guzmán's ability to juxtapose personal stories with historical context provides a powerful emotional depth to the narrative.

In Popular Power, the final installment, Guzmán continues to chronicle the aftermath of the coup and the resilient spirit of the Chilean people. As Chile endures Pinochet's repressive regime, the documentary highlights the grassroots resistance movements that emerged in the face of adversity.

Through extensive interviews with activists, students and workers, Guzmán captures the enduring hope and determination that sustained the struggle for democracy.

The Battle of Chile trilogy stands as a testament to

the enduring power of documentary filmmaking as a tool for political education and historical preservation. Guzmán's dedication to telling the story of Chile's turbulent journey toward democracy is evident in every frame. The trilogy remains a crucial resource for understanding the complex interplay between political ideologies, foreign intervention,= and the human cost of political upheaval.

Image Courtesy of Rebecca Hausner / Unsplash

‘Queer Wrongs': Passages is a vitally fresh take on desperate intimacy Both

Whishaw and Exarchopoulos are a delight to watch in Ira Sachs' latest film.

Adèle

Ben

Jacob Rose Third Year, Film and English

I

n Passages (2023), the latest film directed by Ira Sachs, art is ever-present.

The first scene invites us into the final day of shooting on a film set. The director Tomas (Franz Rogowski) is intense, stalling production through a never ending hassling of the actors in his pursuit of perfection, all while blaming them for the delay.

It’s an intense scene and

one which acts excellently in capturing the tone for the rest of Passages.

The film’s premise follows Tomas’ steadily growing desperation to cling onto either one of his two lovers: his husband Martin (Ben Whishaw) and recent fling Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos). As his manipulative traits get him rejected by one, they work on the other, providing an uncomfortably worrying tennis match of toxic desire.

Rogowski's performance of Tomas is subtly monstrous, embodying such a twisted realism that is easy to hate and difficult to distinguish from Rogowski himself.

Tomas’ desperation burns through the screen, but who can blame him? Both Whishaw and Exarchopoulos are a delight to watch, as their characters fluctuate between figures of desire - ‘sexy’ is plastered all over the film’s marketing for a reason - to nearly-overflowing vessels of heartbreak.

Passages' independence gives it a refreshing freedom,

wherein a chunk of its narrative beats aren’t weighed down by the still-ongoing, still-ridiculous questioning of whether they (Queer people, polyamory, women’s rights) deserve to exist.

The Queer Wrongs title is, of course, referencing the subversion of ‘queer rights’, but we legitimately benefit from stories like Passages and their freeing discomforts; in having them, we allow for narratives far more encompassing, real and necessary in the current day.

Art, as mentioned, is within every grain of life during Passages: Tomas’ fashion dominates space,

ranging from koi-fish crop tops to puffed up fur coats.

Each interior is a 'euro-nouveau' dollhouse, packed with artisan styles, cooking boards, bookshelves and other artworks, giving reality through their gradual familiarity.

In showing so many artistic worlds and personal moments of an intimately driven story, Passages becomes much more than a love story, instead encompassing a cultural snapshot of a youthful, queer, uncomfortable but important era.

Image courtesy of IMDb

Music

Editor Jake Paterson Co-Deputy Editor Benji Chapman Co-Deputy Editor Dylan McNally Digital Editor Cara Hene Subeditor Susie Long

Reflecting on Forwards Festival 2023

set, clad in leather, her iconic oversized bowler hat, and the most dramatic neon green leg warmers I think I will ever see, she had the crowd captivated.

Almost biblically, everything Susie Long she did was watched and worMusic Subeditor shipped; it was genius. As n the midst of their unwell as extraordinary showparalleled set at Formanship, Badu’s vocals were wards Festival last week, insane - I don’t often use the Ezra Collective drummer Femi phrase “jaw-dropping” literKoleoso explains the motivaally, but this made the cut. tion behind their music: “It’s Alongside her surprise guests joy. Joy is so much more real - notably a very exciting apthan happiness - it’s what we pearance by Yasiin Bey (fka. should all be trying to find.”

Mos Def) - Erykah Badu put I think with this statement, on one hell of a show. As it Koleoso summarised not just went on, Badu’s set just got the recent Mercury Prize winmore and more intricate, from ners’ performance, but Forher vocals and setlist itself, to wards Festival as a whole. the outfit reveals of glittery It was one big bundle of joy. fringe sleeves and shredded Local DJ Steve Rice was t-shirts. Badu bore her soul providing a smooth soul for the thousands of us on the soundtrack as we walked in, Downs that night, and we all soon followed by the mellow lapped it up enthusiastically. sounds of JIM on the East Kicking off Sunday, I then Stage. Neither were artists headed over to see Nigerithat I had previously heard of an-born, London-based art- but that’s what I love about a ist Obongjayar. I’ve been a festival like Forwards: it really fan of his music for a while, is curated to have something with strong hip-hop, afrobefor everyone. As we listened, at and rap characteristics, as it was lovely to see how much well as clever odes to soul and the festival had to offer in a funk, but nothing could have small space, prepared me 'Joy is so much more for the enerwith Information panels and real than happiness. gy that this talks, food and brings It's what we should all man drinks as far as to a perforbe trying to find.' the eye could mance.

With see, and wonthe mid-afternoon sun blazing derful representation of small down on the Forwards festival businesses like The FashEast Stage, it became a true pack and Longwell Records. ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ As the day continued and kind of moment: it’s music you the crowds grew, the magican’t help but move to and a cal atmosphere on the Bristol very good move from the festiDowns just got better and betval’s organisers to include him ter. Ezra Collective then took to in their lineup. Obongjayar is the West Stage, with a set that a gem of authentic happiness - for me at least - was the best within the modern music inof the weekend. The London dustry, and he was an absojazz band brought an almost lute pleasure to watch live. indescribable energy to their We then ran off to get performance, with drum solos, some food and restock on guitar riffs and trumpet parts beer, with the beautiful muhighlighting just how talented sic of Arlo Parks providing our this band really is. Making us soundtrack for the evening. all a part of their collective, the Wrestling our way through the band hosted the most interaccrowds quickly assembling at tive live experience that I have the West Stage, Primal Scream ever had the pleasure of being was calling our names. With part of. From sing-along secthe Saturday sunset framing tions to jumping over the barthe stage perfectly, it was obrier to dance with the crowd, vious exactly why this band this group has really nailed the is revered the way they are. art of engaging their audience Whilst, truthfully, I am yet anwith their music. Their setlist, other surface-level fan of Priwhilst being entirely instrumal Scream, their performance mental, resonated with each was insane. Bobby Gillespie individual audience member seemed so at home on stage, in such a pure, joyful way; it such a natural frontman, and was definitely a once-in-athe energy was infectious. lifetime sort of experience.

We screamed along to ‘CounWhen Erykah Badu try Girl’, moved on up and got emerged for her headline

Now a key part of Bristol's festival calendar, this years' edition saw Aphex Twin and Erykah Badu headline.

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our ‘Rocks’ off with the best of that I have ever experienced them and I loved every second. and will be hard to beat. In a Watching Aphex Twin live way, I wasn’t expecting to like was an experience that I’m it as much as I did, being an not sure how effectively I’ll indie-folk/alt. girl to my core, be able to put into words. It but that didn’t matter. His muwas an entirely transformasic feels like it transports you tive 90 minutes that felt like it to a different place entirely; he could’ve lastis so much more ed either 30 'His music feels like than just a DJ. seconds or The crowd it transports you to a an entire were in the palm different place entirely.' lifetime - it of his hand, hypsounds clinotised by his ché but you music. With his really did feel one with the infamous celebrity sequence music. We laughed afterwards playing onto the screens, it that this was probably how was amazing to see how easbrainwashing cults started. ily and quickly he turned a Clinging onto the barrier and group of thousands of indipositioned under a giant row viduals into one entity - we of speakers, my senses were all seemed to act as one. The completely infiltrated by Aphex reel of celebrities and famous Twin: it was undoubtedly the Bristolians continued: King best live music performance Charles, Mr Bean, JK Rowling,

Image courtesy of Giulia Spadafora / Plaster PR

'Xerum eum nist et rectatio corem sequi core possed era voluptatetus essit adias essedi re peliquos niminverit prenitatur

The Wurzels, Big Issue Jefff... and along with it our bellowing cries (boos, cheers, more boos, cheers, and a thunderous roar of applause in that order). He was the best possible headliner we could have had and I will remember that performance forever.

All in all, I think that Forwards Festival has cracked the code for how to make a perfect weekend. To fit so much talent into such a short space of time - this article barely scratches the surface of what they had to offer - and to have it all so close to home in our lovely city was incredible. I can’t wait to see what they next have in store, where Forwards will return to the Downs for 2024!

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epigram 01.10.2023

Talking 'Teenage Kicks' with The Undertones Ahead of their UK tour, Pete Doherty talks to Epigram about how the band have lasted forty years.

Isabel Williams Arts Co-Deputy Editor

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rom the release of their first album way back in 1979 to their compilation album of 2022, The Undertones’ music has always been the sound of carefree adolescent recklessness. Their rough-hewn but upbeat track ‘Teenage Kicks’ has long been a favourite with love-struck teens and indie bildungsroman movies alike. I can vividly remember dancing around a fairy-light adorned bedroom at two in the morning, my friend and I singing in loud faux-whispers to avoid rousing the slumbering parents in the room above us.

Even after the replacement of their original frontman Feargal Sharkey with Paul McLoone, The Undertones haven’t lost their quintessential spark. Their last album ‘Dig What You Need’ featured a compilation of their top tracks, remixed to provide a crisp and highly polished production quality.

Even with the band members being well into mid-

dle age, the album’s sound maintains a distinct vitality that still channels the teenage angst of their early days.

“I think the drive and the energy have always been there”, Doherty tells me.

“The Undertones sound will probably always be associated with Feargal Sharkey’s wobbly sounding voice, but I think Paul is doing an admirable job, I think he’s terrific and he’s very, very funny.

He makes me laugh. For me those kinds of attributes are probably more important.”

It becomes clear throughout the course of the interview just how much Doherty appreciates being able to play as part of The Undertones, both for the joy of the music and for the close friendship of the other band members.

Although members of the band have worked on solo musical enterprises, with Doherty playing as part of a ceilidh band for a while, he doubts that The Undertones will be producing anything entirely new. “I just see them like we’re this kind of force and we just try and get on with it and do the best that we can,” he says. It’s an unfortunate side effect of fame that many bands

grow to detest their most popular songs.

Considering the enduring appeal of ‘Teenage Kicks’, I can’t help but wonder whether The Undertones may have garnered some feelings of resentment towards the song over time.

Doherty agrees that at the height of their career, they were much less interested in playing the song live, “Which we should have been doing,” he admits, “which was a really bad mistake.”

Nowadays, however, the band’s feelings are much changed. You can practically hear the smile on Doherty’s face as he reminisces about a Spanish festival they played a few years ago: “It was great because I could see everyone, just this big

sea of movement, everyone was getting into 'Teenage Kicks'” he says, before adding “I feel really honoured to be playing these tracks with guys that I like and I get a great buzz from it.” It is this message of easy contentment and appreciation that Doherty gets across to me. “I know it seems very simplistic and kind of idealistic, but just be happy.

If you’re happy, everything else will fall into place.”

It’s a warming senti-

ment to hear, but does Doherty think of himself as happy now? “Well, I’m sitting here; it’s a gorgeous day and I’ve got Bobby beside me, he’s my dog.

I've got the guys- they’re building a little cabin at the back of the house, it all looks absolutely stunningly beautiful and I just took them up some Coca-Cola and some bars of chocolate. And I’m quite happy and I’m quite content.”

Image courtesy of Rob / Sonic PR

Rising: HUNNY BUZZ Epigram catches up with the emerging Bristol indiepop band as they are set to embark on a new UK tour.

Zoë Blake-James Proofreader

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at in my bed, with the lights off and headphones on, a euphonious blend of gritty guitar and soulful vocals wash over me. One song melts into the next and the stories told are so mesmerisingly palpable, that I feel as though I could reach out and touch a fragment of the melancholy poured into the heartfelt words. I hear for the first time the understated power of the lyrics, “And I love you forever but I wish you knew better at times.” ('Girlfriend in the Band'). In the dark of my room, shut off from the outside world and immersed in this new experience, I’ve discovered the magical spin on indie-pop that is HUNNY BUZZ. It was little intricacies such as these that initially

drew me in and compelled me a year on to speak with the emerging Bristol band.

In particular, HUNNY BUZZ’s latest song, 'Deli Man', is truly a testament to the band’s fun and fresh approach to all things indie-pop; this time with newer elements of country folk, but nonetheless still holding a strong message that we see across all of their tracks. “I write about personal things because it’s my therapy and an outlet for my thoughts,” lead vocalist Lyd explains, as she discusses the vulnerability that can come with touching upon modern struggles. “I also know that lots of people go through stuff too and that that’s just part of life; my lyrics could help someone, or connect with someone.”

The gliding, almost ethereal sound distortions that float in the background of 'Deli Man' alongside the everchanging, driving rhythm of the drums, give the sensation of a tide ebbing and flowing. Lyd’s voice is a current of emotion that pulls you in and challenges you to

stay. Her defiance in the face of modern issues crests with a question that pierces right through to the listener, engaging and reassuring them.

Connecting with this message feels easy, as you gradually become swept up by the waves of energy that HUNNY BUZZ exude through their music.

The band’s liveliness and pastel guitar themes perhaps have Andy Ghosh’s (guitarist from Turbowolf) words of wisdom to thank for. Lead guitarist Rowan Barfoot muses on the advice he learnt, such that

the most important thing is to create something new out of the inspiration he takes from music idols and to always keep things fun. This playful and artistic side to the band is reflected in their whimsical music videos which also dual with the melancholic nature of their lyricism, taking you on a journey to the heart of the band’s image. Pastel colours, dynamic melodies and words from the heart; where most would shy from this combination, HUNNY BUZZ flourish under it. Their connection

as a group is clear to see across this coherence and their strengths most certainly lie in the fact that “there is so much passion and emotion between the four of [them].” “The dynamic between us sometimes feels unexplainable; we are like family. We know each other so well emotionally and musically,” the band continues.

“We write songs because we love getting together and seeing what new sounds we can get out of one another.”

The future is certainly bright for HUNNY BUZZ, who continue to channel their fun energy not only into their songs, but also through their fanbase and stage presence, whether it is underground at a sold-out night at The Louisiana by Bristol’s harbourside, or out in the open air of Oxfordshire’s Truck festival.

Having just completed their first UK tour, they are absolutely buzzed to announce their next one in the upcoming year, supporting their debut EP Pacific Wax! Image courtesy of HUNNY BUZZ band

Interested in photography?

We are looking for photographers to contribute to our print edition and online content on an ad-hoc basis.

Your role would consist of sending high-quality photographs that we can use both in print and online.

You can contribute as much as you want, whether that is just a few photos or many.

In order to apply, please email editor.epigram@gmail with 1) Your name, course and year group 2) Two examples of your photography

SciTech

Editor Dhristi Agarwal Deputy Editor Lucas Mockeridge

Facial recognition: Orwellian tech?

As the government plans to increase its use of facial recognition, SciTech looks at how it works and the threat that it poses to liberty.

Lucas Mockeridge SciTech Deputy Editor

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acial recognition seems relatively benign. No harm comes from using it to unlock a mobile device, or pass through an ePassport gate at the airport. But such technology is also used for state surveillance, even in Britain.

The UK police first trialled live facial recognition as a surveillance tool in 2014.

Since then, several police forces around the country have gradually adopted it and now, controversially, the Home Office is hoping to expand its use nationally.

Under live facial recognition, footage from CCTV and bodyworn cameras is streamed directly to the police’s facial recognition system in real time. The system finds faces in the footage and compares them with those on a police watchlist. Officers nearby are alerted if there is a match.

applied to an image to find all of the faces that it contains.

Neural networks are also used to recognise faces. For this task, a network is given lots of cropped images of faces. By telling it which faces it must regard as the same person, a network can learn to distil the essence of a face into a vector, which can then be used for comparisons.

To make sure that the network finds important facial features, faces in the data must vary as much as possible, from pulling funny expressions to wearing face coverings. MoreModern facial recognition over, the faces must be disystems owe their remarkverse to prevent the network able accuracy to a type of from being inherently biased. artificial intelligence called Bias has been a huge issue deep learning. Deep learning with facial recognition systems revolves around deep neural historically. In 2019, the US networks: algorithms inspired National Institute of Standby the human brain that learn and Techto perform tasks Britain has around six ards nology found by creating patterns from data. million CCTV cameras, that many comfacial Facial recog- each of which could mercial recognition sysnition systems be connected to a tems were 10 to often use neural live facial recognition 100 times more networks for face likely to misdetection. A netidentify a black or East work first receives a dataset Asian face than a white one. of images, with the locations However, the National Physof the objects and faces within ical Laboratory found that the them. Using this data, it learns police’s live facial recognition a series of filters that can be

had no race or sex bias under certain system parameters. But the chances of a false match was one in 6,000.

At that rate, tens of thousands of people could be misidentified on a national scale.

The police believe that live facial recognition helps them to prevent crime from happening and bring criminals to justice. For instance, a wanted sex offender was arrested at the Coronation, after being identified by the technology.

Human rights groups describe the technology as ‘Orwellian’ and compare the police’s use of it to taking DNA or fingerprints without consent or even knowledge. They accuse the police of turning Britain’s streets into police lineups and Britons themselves into walking ID cards.

Campaigners also argue that live facial recognition undermines the presumption of innocence: the bedrock of liberty and justice. They believe that once an individual has been identified by facial recognition the onus is on them to prove their innocence rather than the state to prove their guilt.

Whilst the EU is moving to ban police from using live facial recognition, the UK has no

law that even mentions it. The police are able to justify its use under common law powers, but the public expect the law to be explicit. Research by the Ada Lovelace Institute found that the majority of the British people want police use of facial recognition technology to be restricted, with nearly a third being uncomfortable with it altogether.

People's discomfort was often tied to a fear of normalising surveillance in Britain.

This fear may be well-founded. Britain has around six million CCTV cameras, each of which could be connected to a live facial recognition system. The technology has already been used by other countries to stop people from protesting and to persecute minority groups.

An expansion of live facial recognition may irrevocably change the relationship between the state and the individual in Britain. Perhaps this would create more injustice than any set of criminals could ever visit upon society.

Image courtesy of Flickr /Cassowary Colorizations

Somerset app aims to prevent opioid overdoses Will Smears looks into opioid misuse in the UK and the app aiming to prevent overdoses in Somerset.

Will Smears Fourth Year, Biochemistry

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omerset has among the worst incidences of injection drug-related deaths in the UK, with Bristol accounting for a large proportion of them.

Opioid users often lack access to medication for opioid overdoses, but an app developed partly by University of Bristol researchers aims to solve this problem.

Opioids can be extracted from Papaver somniferum (Poppy plant) or synthetically developed. Codeine, morphine and fentanyl are opioids historically used for pain-relief, but are also used recreationally alongside oth-

er opioids such as heroin, oxycodone and methadone.

Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, blocking the transmission of pain signals. They intensify triggering feelings of pleasure and sedation, by stimulating the release of endorphins (happy chemicals).

Relaxation and sleepiness can be induced through slow breathing and a reduction in heart rate. In an overdose, this can cause breathing problems and unconsciousness, which is often fatal.

Opioid prescriptions in the UK more than doubled since 1998. This has been described as an ‘epidemic’. Many public health workers think that opioids are promiscuously prescribed, often in cases of chronic pain, for which they are of little use. Clinically prescribed opioids as well as illegal street opioids, such as heroin, have contributed to

an increase in opioid-related deaths across the UK, despite an overall decrease in the rate of addicts. The increase in mortality rates is largely attributed to an ageing cohort of drug users, with the highest rate of users among the 45-49 year age group. This may be due to the effects of long-term use making users more susceptible to overdose.

In 2021, 4,859 drug poisoning deaths were registered across England and Wales, with a rate of 84.4 deaths per million. The South West had a particularly alarming rate of 91.4 per million. Nearly half of all these deaths involved an opiate, a natural opioid. 49 per cent of opioid users in Somerset did not access hospital treatment compared to the English average of 47 per cent.

Injecting drug use is particularly prevalent in Bristol, an epicentre for ‘snowballing’

– injecting a mixture of crack cocaine and heroine. The statistics clearly show a need for improved medical assistance for opioid users in Somerset, which the ‘Carry Naloxone’ app aims to help fulfil. The app was partly developed by researchers at the University of Bristol and encourages opioid users to carry naloxone: a medication to treat opioid overdoses.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist. It effectively ‘kicks off’ opioids from opioid receptors and blocks them from generating further effect. Naloxone is extremely effective; either the nasal spray or injection can restore normal breathing within two minutes.

On entering the app, there are several tabs providing information resources. The first outlines the symptoms of opioid overdose and instructions on administering naloxone. It also tells users how to reduce the risk of overdose. With loca-

tion access, the app can show a map revealing the locations of pharmacies stocking naloxone.

Drs Jennifer Scott and Jo Kesten from University of Bristol Medical School, alongside Deb Hussey from Turning Point UK, performed surveys and workshops with victims of overdose, witnesses to overdose, current users and drug service staff. Dr Scott hopes that the app will help provide more ‘engaging’ information material to ‘help raise awareness of naloxone and where to get it and encourage people in Somerset to carry naloxone’.

The app was written by University of Bath computer science student Tom Heaton. Somerset Council funded the project to support the 2021 ‘From Harm to Hope’ Government drug strategy.

• For the rest of this article, please visit www.epigram.org. uk

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epigram 01.10.23

Science behind the spectacle of reverse swing – skill or manipulation?

Milan assesses the physics of reverse swing bowling ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Milan Perera Deputy Editor

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skilful tactic employed by fast bowlers to make the cricket ball move unexpectedly in the air, deceiving batters and causing difficulties in making contact with the ball. Here's a breakdown of the physics behind reverse swing.

he ICC Cricket World Cup is around the Ball surface condition: The corner. Cricket fans key to reverse swing lies in around the world are gearing the condition of the ball. As up for an enthralling bonana cricket ball is used in the za of cricket which showcases game, it undergoes wear and the skills, craft, endurance and tear. One side becomes roughexperience of cricketing superer and loses its shine, while stars. Among the illusive phethe other side remains more nomena of cricksmooth and A skillful tactic et, reverse swing shiny. This difemployed by fast is undoubtedly ferential surface bowlers to make high on the list. condition is vithe ball move Though it has tal for reverse unexpectedly. been around swing. In order since the 1970s, reverse swing to create a contrast between did not enter the discourse the two surfaces of the ball, until early 1990s, mainly due fielding sides have always reto the stupefying exploits of sorted to creative methods inbowlers such as Wasim Akram stead of the natural wear and and Waqar Younis. Initially tear process of a ball. In order dismissed as ‘unsportsmanto increase roughness of the like’ dark arts due to the lack surface, players have been usof understanding from both ing bottle tops, sandpaper or the opposition batters and other abrasive agents. This is media alike, reverse swing is where sportsmanship comes now considered a key compointo question, however the nent of a fast bowler’s quiver. nature of this article is beyond Reverse swing in cricket is a the scope of such discussion. phenomenon that involves the principles of aerodynamMagnus Effect: To understand ics and fluid dynamics. It's a the physics of conventional

the batsman, the pressure swing and reverse swing, we differences cause the ball to need to first grasp the Magmove toward the rough side. nus Effect. When a cricket ball This is why reverse swing is moves through the air, the airoften more proflow over one side of the ball is fast- A phenomenon that nounced when er than the other. involves the principles the rough side leg-side This difference of aerodynamics and faces for a convenin airflow speed fluid dynamics. tional swing results in a presbowler (for a sure difference right-handed batsman). In esbetween the two sides of the sence, the ball swings back toball, causing it to move in the wards the shiny side, defying direction of the low-pressure the batsman's expectations. side. For instance, a cricket One of the most iconball with one shiny and one ic examples of this is the disrough side will traditionally missal of Alan Lamb off the swing toward the shiny side, bowling of Wasim Akram in due to the Magnus Effect. the World Cup final in 1992.

Lamb, who was an adept Turbulence and Pressure Difbatsman against fast bowlers, ferences: In reverse swing, the was expecting the outswing rough side of the ball disrupts from Wasim Akram, but inthe airflow around it, creating stead the ball swung into turbulence. This turbulence the right-handed Lamb and generates a low-pressure recrashed his wicket. Lamb could gion on the rough side as the only walk back to the pavilion air flow escapes the rougher in complete bewilderment. surface of the ball prematurely, while the shiny side produces a high-pressure region.

Seam Orientation: The oriThe result is a reversal of the entation of the seam on the pressure gradient compared cricket ball also plays a critical to when the ball was new. role in reverse swing. Bowlers deliberately tilt the seam slightly toward the shiny side.

Reversed Pressure Gradient: This tilted seam causes the This reversed pressure graball to wobble unpredictably dient is the key to reverse in the air, making it even more swing. When the ball is bowled challenging for the batsman with the rough side facing

to judge its trajectory. One of the major exponents of this phenomenon was Lasith Malinga, whose side arm slinging action, with an almost horizontal seam position, yielded many a delivery that bamboozled batters and fans alike.

Speed Matters: The speed at which the ball is bowled is another significant factor in reverse swing. Fast bowlers generate turbulence more effectively which, combined with the ball's surface condition, leads to more pronounced reverse swing. At higher speeds, the ball can display exaggerated movement in the air, making it exceptionally challenging for the batsman. Bowlers such as Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were early pioneers of reverse swing due to the pace they could generate through the air.

Thus, reverse swing in cricket is a result of the interaction between the ball's surface condition, seam orientation, speed and the principles of aerodynamics and fluid dynamics. Skilful bowlers who can manipulate these factors effectively can produce reverse swing—a captivating and often decisive aspect of the game that keeps batsmen guessing and fans enthralled.

WiSTEM: a society closing the gender gap SciTech puts the spotlight on the Women in STEM Society and its mission to promote gender equality.

Lucinda Hamilton-Burns Fourth Year, Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience

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he Women in STEM Society (WiSTEM) is an excellent example of a society that places community at the forefront of everything that it does.

WiSTEM is focused on promoting gender equality in all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines whilst creating a meaningful support network for women and other genders

that have historically been a minority in these fields.

WiSTEM makes an inspiring and invaluable contribution to the university by hosting networking and careers events, such as mentor schemes and black history events with their sponsor KPMG. The society also organises a range of socials such as boardgames, movie nights and pub quizzes, where women and minority gender groups can meet other STEM students in a safe and inclusive space.

Through these socials, WiSTEM helps to promote a sense of well-being within the STEM community and builds a strong network that will undoubtedly support students throughout their careers.

A particularly enjoyable as-

pect of the society's social media presence is its weekly 'WiSTEM Wednesday' posts, which acknowledge notable female scientists and their contribution to science, both past and present.

Female research is so often underfunded and underappreciated. Historically, women have been completely disregarded in awards such as the Nobel Prize, with only 3 per cent of all winners being women since the first prize was awarded in 1901.

By highlighting these inspiring women and their work, WiSTEM reminds everyone of the impact that women can, and frequently do, have in a male-dominated field. Moreover, it provides representation for

women from minority groups that have historically been erased from the narrative.

This all has the effect of inspiring the younger generation of scientists, who may have otherwise not been aware of these incredible women and will hopefully go on to create a more inclusive STEM community in the future.

‘We especially love that we are able to reach so many women and young minds to break barriers often faced in STEM disciplines,’ says Isobel Foster, WiSTEM’s Social Media Manager. ‘We love our huge network of support and our amazing community of super smart and powerful women in STEM!' Although not a subject-specific society, contrib-

uting to the university in the usual way, WiSTEM creates something just as valuable: a network and support system for women and minority genders in a male-dominated arena.

WiSTEM’s work to inspire young minds by highlighting the contribution of women in STEM, alongside its frequent career and social events, show what an inclusive, well-rounded and fun society it is. It's very clear why it was awarded Gold Accreditation in 2023.

Keep up the good work ladies!

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epigram 01.10.23

Moving far beyond the court: Futsal, UoB Futsal and Futsoul 360 Victor Bennett deep-dives into the various aspects of Futsal , an underated sport that pushes the boundaries of football.

Victor Bennett Film & TV Subeditor

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n inside version of football, a professionalised five-a-side or a game which is only played in the most deprived areas of the world? What is futsal and why should students be interested?

I talked to Jonathan Tyrell, co-founder of Futsoul 360, Futsal 360 and head coach of UoB Futsal, Max Mulliri, Vice-President of UoB Futsal, and Elliot Duffau,President of UoB Futsal, in a bid to answer these questions and debunk our understanding of this poorly understood sport.

Futsal is a game played on an indoor court where two teams of five players, using their feet, win by scoring more goals than the other. A game which, in that respect, seems almost identical to five-a-side or ‘a smaller version of football.’ For Duffau, however, ‘it became quite apparent that this is a completely different sport’ in so far as ‘the tactics, the way you play, or even the way you control the ball’ teaches you to ‘unlearn everything you have learned about football.’

Born out of South America in the 1930s, it would be foolish to associate futsal with the over-the-top flair and outlandish skill moves that players from that region are so commonly associated with. Mulliri, rather, describes the game with mathematical precision as to the specific movements that each player is tasked with, placing a huge emphasis on both the importance of patience in build-up play and having an awareness of your teammate's position.

Futsal is widely recognised as fundamental to the development of future football stars. Three of the greatest football players, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pelé have openly spoken about how futsal has given them the necessary transferable skills to distinguish themselves from the rest.

It is very surprising, therefore, that, as of 2020, the Football Association (FA) planned to slash the National Futsal Budget by £75m, citing the lack of success the England national football team has had

at major football tournaments (The Guardian, 2020). Resources were thought better directed away from futsal, and towards football; this is a decision which chooses to ignore the words of the world's best football stars and England head coach Gareth Southgate.

Nevertheless, individuals such as Jonathan Tyrell have taken it upon themselves to establish the necessary infrastructure that the FA has so stubbornly neglected. Tyrell’s story with the sport is both a familiar one and outstanding in execution. Similar to Mulliri, Duffau and most of UoB

Futsal, his interest grew out of small-sided football, where he was recommended by a teammate to go on tour with Christian charity, Ambassadors in Sport, to play Futsal in Spanish prisons. ‘As soon as I played it, I thought this is amazing!,’ leading him to quickly join the University of Sheffield futsal team and sign up for the National Futsal League.

Tyrell’s love for the game extends beyond the physical boundaries of the court.

He believes futsal to be the solution to a range of social issues within the city. Alongside co-founders Ewan Minter

and Sam Andrews, Tyrell has set up ‘Futsoul 360’, a charity established in Spring 2021 which hopes ‘to bring a diverse range of communities together through futsal […] to ensure that every young person in Bristol can play their part in shaping its future’ (Futsoul 360).

Emulating the effect Futsal has had as the heart of the community in nations such as Brazil, Uruguay, Spain and Portugal, Tyrell has begun to connect the diverse range of voices Bristol offers. The Futsal 360 academy boats 250 kids, connecting Bristol’s most deprived and most

privileged areas together through a shared passion for the sport. ‘The whole point’, Tyrell adds, was ‘to connect people in Bristol that would otherwise never connect.’

Tyrell's prestige as an ambassador for the sport in Bristol soon led him to take up the challenge of spearheading UoB Futsal, for free. Thanks to his guidance and connections, UoB Futsal managed to reach the semi-finals of the National BUCS league and, as a result, qualify for the Split 2023 EUSA Futsal tournament.

UoB Futsal represented the United Kingdom in this international tournament, alongside 16 other countries and 700 participants. An opportunity which few students get to experience, Mulliri felt honoured to represent his country, ‘I felt like an Olympic athlete’, adding ‘How many times do you get the opportunity to represent your country.’ Similarly, Duffau explained, ‘The fact that we had an opening ceremony […] where the Croatian minister of sport and Croatian minister of tourism gave speeches […] made me realise the gravity of the occasion.’

But the story of UoB Futsal and Bristol Futsal is just beginning. Armed with a ten-year plan, coach Jonathan Tyrell and President and Vice-President of UoB Futsal plan to both compete more ferociously on the court and inspire the next generation of Bristol’s future futsal stars off it.

Images courtesy of @daus.pics

Sport In conversation with Bristol University's Pool and Snooker Club ciety’s goals for this year, Harley explains: ‘We won the BUCS Snooker Championship in the 2022/23 academic year. It is essentially the holy grail of University Pool and Snooker achievements.

‘Our goals for this year are to expand our community Amelia Jacob [...] to compete and retain Co-Editor-in-Chief our BUCS Snooker Champipigram recently had onship title and gain more the opportunity to BUCS accolades. Also, to speak to the Presisurpass our fundraising efdent of Bristol University’s forts of last academic year.’

Pool and Snooker Club, HarThe society is also keen to ley Irwin, and Women’s Capappeal to the incoming wave tain, Beth Strand, of first year about the sociestudents. Harty’s achievements ley emphasis'Like chess, for and upcoming es that ‘freshexample, pool is a plans for this year. ers should mental sport.'

Pool and snookget involved, er are unusual as our memsports: they are berships are as closely linked to fame reasonably priced, we have a and fortune as they are to friendly and supportive coma casual pint and a chat in munity and are constantthe pub. Harley Irwin notes ly looking for more talent.’ that: ‘The UoB Pool and It is hard to avoid mentioning Snooker Club is a welcomthe negative stereotypes stuing and social environment dents may have in mind before for any casual or seasoned joining the club, primarily the pool and snooker players.’ attitude towards female pool Harley says that the club and snooker players. Harley prides themselves on ‘our acknowledges that there are competition achievements, ‘misconceptions’ about pool social environment, friendly and snooker, namely ‘that it coaching and charity work for is not a welcoming environPapyrus UK’ [the club raised ment for women to play in.’ over £2,000 for the suicide Beth Strand is Pool and prevention charity in the Snooker’s Women’s Caplast academic year and hold tain. She tells Epigram: a “Snookerthon” in mem‘I began attending the sociory of their past treasurer ety around the end of my first around February each year]. year, encouraged by a male When asked about the sofriend whom I often played

As one of the university's lesser known sports societies, this year Bristol's Pool and Snooker Club is seeking to break stereotypes of male chauvinism.

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with in pubs. I've always parBeth says that the ‘women’s want to enter such a space. ticularly enjoyed the social asonly session this year is sim‘It's a deeply shared ethos pect of the game - quaint Engply an opportunity to welcome amongst the committee this lish pubs with rickety old tables women who would like to play year to change this percepwhere you can break the ice pool with the club in an envition, and I want to really enwith a drink and ronment where courage any women who want play light-heart- 'Our club is committed they feel entireto give it a go to come along edly with friends ly at ease [...] and bring your mates, as it to expanding options I hope the ses- is hopefully the first of many or strangers. for women to ‘The society sion will show its opportunities for women prois hosted at Allplay, socialise and attendees how vided by the club. If nothing Stars, which is fun the game else, it's a free evening of pool compete.' a bigger sports can be, and and an opportunity to meet club but still has that local hopefully make them reother like-minded women.’ 'pubby'-feel to it. It's jovialise their own skills too!

Harley supports this stateal, loud and busy [...] but it's She also notes that ‘Like ment, saying that ‘our Club also not necessarily a place chess, for example, pool is a is committed to expanding where a woman may feel mental sport’. She points out options for women to play, entirely at ease, and I was the irony of male chauvinism socialise and compete in.’ a little intimidated at first. in this regard: ‘the suggestion Harley emphasises the ben‘However, the society memthat male and female players efits of being a member of bers were incredibly welcomshouldn't be able to compete the Club: ‘I started playing ing and kind from the outset with one anpool and snooker [...] I soon became a reguother really is 'It's a deeply shared at university and lar attendee, getting to know the suggestion I had no previethos amongst names and faces and quickly that the female experience in the committe this ous making friends. I went every brain is inferior. playing these, the Thursday evening without fail.’

‘I think re- year to change this club has always The committee are keen to ally the main been so welcoming perception.' get rid of the misogynistic steproblem is and committed to reotypes attached to playing the socialisation of pool as a building our members’ abilities pool and snooker, introduc'male-coded' activity which and knowledge in the sport.’ ing a women’s only session kind of implicitly gatekeeps Regular sessions for Pool and at All Stars, the first of which it from women and leads Snooker Club members take will be taking place on 4th to higher levels of scrutiplace on Tuesdays and ThursOctober from 5:30-7:30pm. ny towards women that do days 5:30-7:30pm at All Stars.

Images courtesy of @uob_psc