Epigram Issue 387

Pages for readers, Opportunities for writers

f 01.10.25

Photos courtesy of: Epigram / Patrick Sullivan &Bristol SU

Bristol university’s independent newspaper & the UK’s best student publication 2025

Lilja Nassar Comment Subeditor

A

s I’m in a confessional mood today, I’ll admit that apart

from its ever-present appearance on every email header, I was until recently quite unsure of what the Bristol SU’s (Student Union’s) role really was. I can’t say I’ve heard many students reference the SU

with a positive tone – it’s only ever really brought up in complaints about them impeding on sports societies’ ‘fun and harmless’ socials and initiation rituals. I’m sure many of you who have a committee po-

sition in a society have received that daunting email (it’s always the emails) from the over-policing SU condemning its socials. You may share the same belief that I used to: that you have a sufficient under-

NEWS

Comment

Film & TV

SciTech

SPOrt

Free bus passes axed

Why Black History Month isn’t enough

Our partnership with the iconic

Is vinyl actually better?

Women’s Rugby World Cup

standing of the role of SU. It represents student voices, doesn’t it? > Continue reading on Pg. 7

Epitome Turn to page 12 to see what’s going on in Bristol this month

Between the Sheets 13 Arts 2 Editorial 16 Film & TV 3 Ads 18 Music 4 News 6 Comment 20 Sci-Tech 22 Sport 8 Features 11 Community 24 Epi-games

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Editorial James Lewis Co-Editor-in-Chief

A

I’m not gloating – I won’t be joining you.

This year, I’ve moved flats and, with it, my measly E rated energy efficiency is upgraded to a B – I couldn’t be happier.

t least the weather’s fine’ is what I’ve been telling myself as I get back into a routine. It’s hard to imagine that the last time I was in a lecture was in March. Yes, March. And now I’m here trying to keep those plates of coursework, Epigram, and a social life spinning. A far cry from my summer routine that consisted of a bit of working and a lot of chilling. ‘But,’ I say to myself again, ‘at least it’s not raining.’

Whether you like it or not, that time is creeping up. ‘Who are you living with next year?’, ‘Whiteladies or Gloucester Road?’

For the uninitiated this seems absolute insanity, for those going into a third or fourth year, it’s normalised insanity. It will start with whispers, then chats in the flat, but by the end of this month I’m sure you’ll start hearing that so and so has seen a house, that your coursemate has a house.

Because for those who haven’t experienced it yet, Bristol autumns can be wet.

Not can, will. My dread for the time of year on the horizon is down to the fact I had the coldest winter known to man.

I see you, all my sash window friends.

That single glazing won’t keep you one bit warm without breaking the bank.

A lot of this feels panicky, especially for the freshers among you who haven’t had the chance to make proper friends. But from the advice of a vaguely righteous third year, happy in the way of not being subjected to this again, you actually have more time than you think. I didn’t land this warm, cozy flat I’m sitting in right now until February – though not for a lack of trying. I know a few others who didn’t get sorted until later than that.

‘

If I could do it again, I’d get a hot water bottle earlier. Not just any hot water bottle, but one of those that’s full length you can spoon. They have pretty decent ones in Boots that aren’t too expensive.

But, my shivering friends, and I say this with the utmost empathy – I assure you

If you can fend off the wintry blues and the existential dread house hunting evokes, then you’ll see that there is still plenty to be excited and grateful

Photo courtesy of: Ellie Barnes

Our Team for. Your degree is the fifth most sought after by employers. Monday nights are sorted with our University Challenge team seeking to emulate and one up last year’s team. The jury’s still out on whether anyone is excited about Lizard Lounge reopening, but hey there’s that too.

And here at Epigram, we’ve got plenty for you to be excited about. After a brilliant first few weeks welcoming new and returning writers at the pub and over coffee, we’ve got lots more plans to help get as many of you involved as we can.

Tomorrow (2nd of October) we’re hosting our ‘Give it a Go’, where anyone interested can find out how they can get involved with Epigram this year and learn some writing fundamentals. You’ll find us at The Croft’s launch party that same evening to celebrate their first issue of the year.

We’ve even got our founding editor, James Landale, returning to Epigram to give a careers talk on Tuesday 7th of October.

So, even if you’re making choices that you don’t feel you can properly make yet, you know you’ve got a group of friendly faces here at Epigram if you fancy it. If you’re writing, editing, or just joining us for a drink, we can’t wait to see you around.

Senior Editorial

Co Editors-in-Chief: James Lewis & Julia Mullins Deputy Editors: Sofia Lambis & Faniki Deche Senior Print Editor: Miles Gilroy Senior Digital Editor: Daisy Yates

News

Co-Editors: Cara Hene & Oliver Poyser Deputy Editor: Aimee Anderson Subeditor: Katy Goodall & Ellen Landale Reporters: Ariella Greenfield, Arthur Clinton & Megan Patterson

Features

Editor: Anna Dodd Deputy Editors: Ellie Barnes & Charlotte Kerby Subeditors: Hannah Corcoran & Maya Tailor Column Editors: Yezou Aymero & Madeline Richards

Comment

Editor: Sam Couriel Deputy Editors: Amelie Patel & Lindsay Shimizu Subeditors: Amaya Lewis-Patel & Lilja Nassar

Community

Editor: Annabel Bienfait Deputy Editors: Rachel Shortall & Ivor Starkey Subeditors: Cordell Punter & Alannah Mylechreest Epitome Curators: Jed Dixon & Zed Law

Arts

Editor: Ella Heathcote Deputy Editors: Grace Knight & Amelia McCabe Subeditors: Tylah Hendrickson & Eloise Nicol Column Editors: Ruby Wright & Alexandra Boersma

Film & TV

Editor: Felix Glanville Deputy Editors: Eleanor Bate & Max Graham Subeditors: Emma Coleman & Olivia Howard

Music

Editor: Sophie Scannell Deputy Editors: Aditi Hrisheekesh & Eve Davies Subeditors: Anastasia Baker & Arianna Balsamo

Sci-Tech

Editor: Corin Hadley Deputy Editors: Alice Guskov & Sanya Saxena & Jemima Choi

Sport

Editor: Emma Griffiths Deputy Editors: Ava Featon & Benjy Howard Subeditor: Weronika Lecka & Edward Wallace

Design

Print Subeditor: Scarlett Bantin Head Photographer: Sophie Stradling Resident Photographer: Tom Foley Head of Illustration: Mia Jansa

Social Media

Content Producers: Jenna Baker, Imogen Day, Edith Alexander & Rafe Llewellyn

Business

Managing Director: Mihai Rosca Administrative Director: Eden Chambers Media Ethics & EDIW Officer: Rhiannon Jenkins Finance Director: Ike Idikakalu Marketing Director: Olivia Hill Head of Ads & Sales: Sian Clarke Head of Technology: Miles Gilroy

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

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(Friend crashing out) ‘I've already got with three guys this week and it's only Wednesday morning’

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Comment

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We are looking for photographers to contribute on an ad-hoc basis. Your role would consist of taking high-quality photographs that we can use both in print and online.

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NEWS Free bus pass axed for students living outside Stoke Bishop Freshers will now have to pay £400 for the equivalent bus pass if they do not live in North Village.

James Lewis, Co-Editor

T

he free bus pass used to be offered to all first years living in undergraduate accommodation.

Last year, the pass offered unlimited trips on the U1, 3, 4, and 72 bus routes. This has been reduced to the U1, 5, and 77, with free travel on the 3 and 4 only between Bristol city centre and Coombe Dingle.

However, those who applied for accommodation before 1 May – the date that eligibility for the bus pass changed – can still redeem a free bus pass, even if they live outside Stoke Bishop.

Those who didn’t meet this cutoff date and are living outside Stoke Bishop now face paying £400 for the bus pass their North Village peers receive for free.

All students who want to upgrade to a full Bristol Zone bus pass, accessing all First and metrobus

routes, will now need to pay £485.

Last year, the upgrade from the free bus pass cost £189.

A University of Bristol spokesperson told Epigram that this situation reflects the University’s changing relationship with First Bus, and a desire to keep accommodation costs down for students.

The spokesperson said, ‘the U1 service will be run as a commercial route by First Bus rather than a university-contracted service.

‘We’re moving away from the previous model, which was extremely costly, as we found that the majority of students didn’t use the passes that were offered to them, and most University buildings are within walking or cycling distance of our halls and the city centre.’

Incoming law student, Dana, will be living in Campbell House and is therefore not eligible for the pass.

She told Epigram that the bus pass was ‘one of the things that made [her] excited’ when applying for accommodation after a foundation year in London where no travel discounts were offered.

Dana added that she is ‘concerned for students with disabilities who will find the daily walk

to uni particularly challenging’.

For some students, this daily walk is getting longer and longer. In the last two years, two accommodations have opened that are over a half an hour walk to campus. Metal Works, which opened last September, is a 35-minute walk to Wills Memorial Building. Meanwhile, Avon Point, which is accepting its first residents this week, takes 37-minutes.

Josephine, a first year Music student, is living in Avon Point despite the accommodation being more than £3,000 over her specified budget and having marked down being near campus as her first priority when applying for accommodation.

She told Epigram that ‘when you’re put this far away [travel] is a necessity’ and not something she should be expected to have to pay extra for.

Josephine thinks the decision to change bus passes is ‘something that hasn’t been thought about carefully enough’, because her accommodation is a similar distance from campus as Stoke Bishop.

The University say that these changed have been made to help ‘keep accommodation costs down for everyone’.

Photo courtesy of: Epigram / Cara Hene

Bus pass eligibility, though, appears to be negatively affecting those who need it most.

Of the 19 student accommodation room types that cost 55% (£5804.70) or less of the maximum student loan – the generally accepted threshold for ‘affordable’ student housing – only one is in Stoke Bishop.

Of the 50 most affordable room types for first years, just nine of these are in Stoke Bishop. In fact, of these nine, seven are in the bracket 40-50.

For those living in Northwell House, for example, their 32-minute walk to campus could be cut in half to 16-minutes on the 77.

Yet, they aren’t eligible for the pass despite living in the most affordable accommodation offered by the University of Bristol.

First years, how do you feel about the new eligibility rules? Drop us an email at editor.epigram@gmail.com, or dm us on Instagram @epigrampaper_

Bristol achieve 'hugely impressive win' in first round of University Challenge The University of Bristol team went head-to-head with Cardiff University resulting in a ‘comprehensive and hugely impressive’ win.

Leah Hoyle, Third Year, English

T

he victorious Bristolian team was comprised of captain Hugo Goodwill (MEng Aerospace Engineering), Lewys Jenkins (BSc Mathematics), Lois Connolly (BA Liberal Arts) and Nathaniel Joyce (MSci Biology).

The cohort came together to answer a range of questions, on subjects varying from dried lentils to instruments for land surveying.

ergy was to the win – ‘I was really happy with our team dynamic in the episode. We were close going into it and it’s exciting to get to get closer to one another after filming.’

Host of the show, Amol Rajan, noted as the show opened that the ‘two universities on opposite sides of the Severn Estuary find themselves on opposite sides.’ Bristol did not come up against Cardiff last series.

Jenkins explained how ‘we practiced conferring with each other by playing along to old episodes of University Challenge to prepare for the actual show’.

Instead, they found themselves winning versus Cambridge, Exeter and the Open University, scoring a place in the semi-finals.

Maintaining a significant lead throughout the 30-minute show, Bristol ended with 185 points while Cardiff had 115.

Team member Lewys Jenkins told Epigram how key the panel's syn-

Jenkins seemed confident about the questions but noted how some

were pretty unpredictable – ‘I certainly wasn't expecting to hear bonus sets on the chemistry of cheese or Premier League walkout music!’

Rajan described Cardiff ’s performance as being ‘such bad luck, you never quite got going,’ despite the team making humorous guesses to still answer ‘even though they were wrong’.

Comparatively, the host expressed that Bristol’s performance was ‘very, very strong. Well done Bristol… we shall certainly see you again.’

Photo courtesy of: the University of Bristol

It is unsure when the next episode featuring University of Bristol will be, but qualification to the next round is guaranteed by the scale of the team's victory.

Speaking on behalf of the whole Bristol team, Jenkins said ‘It feels absolutely amazing to have won on behalf of the University of Bristol!

I'm really glad that our practice and teamwork paid off and that we delivered this result on behalf of the entire university community. It still feels a bit surreal to be honest!’

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

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Print Editor ........................................Oliver Poyser Online Editor ......................................... Cara Hene Deputy Editor ..............................Aimee Anderson Subeditor............................................Katy Goodall Subeditor...........................................Ellen Landale

Bristol remains 5th most targeted university by graduate employees

Judge dismisses council's appeal over Freedom of Information request backlog Bristol City Council has lost its legal battle against a 2024 notice which ordered the authority to resolve its long list of overdue requests.

The highest paid recent graduates saw a median starting salary in investment banking of £60,000, while trainee solicitors at leading law firms earned £56,000.

Top strategy consultant firms paid their graduates £50,000.

University of Bristol graduates are in the lead regarding graduate employment targeting, according to new research.

Cara Hene,

Stuart Johnson, the Director of Careers and Skills at the University of Bristol, said:

News Digital Editor

T

he report looked at how UK universities faired attracting leading graduate employees, considering factors such as careers fairs, on-campus employer presentations, virtual events and careers service events.

Bristol retained its 5th place from the previous year’s report

by High Fliers Research, which has assessed the graduate job market annually since 2013.

Among the top five were also Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Warwick with other top British universities such as Imperial, The University of Edinburgh and Oxford University ranking 9th, 13th and 19th respectively.

The report surveys the UK’s top 100 graduate employees across multiple sectors such as media, banking, law, finance and the public sector.

‘It’s encouraging to see Bristol graduates continuing to stand out as top talent for leading employers, even in a challenging recruitment climate.

‘Bristol has remained in the top-10 most-targeted universities for over a decade, and this year is no exception, securing a top 5 position. That consistency speaks volumes about the calibre of our students and the dedication of our staff who support them throughout their journey.’

The report found this year’s average graduate salary rose £1000 from the previous year to £35,000.

As will be no shock for soon-to-be graduating students, a key finding was the stark rise in applications for graduate vacancies, which have risen by 28% year-on-year.

FLASH NEWS To read more go to epigram.org.uk

Bristol protestors clash over immigration for second time this August Aimee Anderson,

News Deputy Editor On August 23 roughly 50 people protesting the use of hotels for asylum seekers were met by around 250 counter protestors in Bristol's Castle Park. The anti-immigrant protestors began their demonstration at Castle Park and intended to march through Bristol.

Arthur Clinton, News Reporter

T

he lawyer behind the appeal acted without consulting politicians on the council, a Liberal Democrat councillor claims.

In 2023, the Information Commissioner (ICO) said that Bristol City Council has ‘consistently’ been one of the councils with the most Freedom of Information (FoI) complaints in recent years.

The public body has received over 60 complaints since April 2023 about the council - many of these pertaining to unanswered Freedom of Information requests.

Public authorities must respond to requests within 20 working days.

Subsequently, the ICO issued Bristol City Council with an enforcement notice in March 2024 which required the council to resolve all outstanding requests and to publish an action plan to mitigate delays.

The council had previously said it would take 39 months to clear its backlog of 158 FoI requests, a pledge described by the ICO in the notice as ‘unreasonable’.

Last month, the council's Director of Legal and Democratic Services Tim O'Gara lodged the appeal, describing the notice as ‘disproportionate and excessively punitive’.

The appeal argued that an initial non-binding recommendation made to the council in 2023 did not explicitly mention the backlog, whereas the 2024 enforcement notice did, making the latter unjustified.

Photo courtesy of: the University of Bristol

However, Judge Gilda Kiai disagreed. A ‘vast number of messages’ were sent between the ICO and the council regarding the backlog prior to the enforcement notice, Kiai said,

rendering the appeal redundant.

The judge stated, ‘Significant delays can cause real difficulties to applicants, who often need information within a particular period of time for important reasons. It cannot be correct or fair for requests to not be dealt with for three years without any sanctions.’

Lib Dem Cllr Nicholas Coombes, Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee, has previously critiqued the decision to appeal the notice from the Information Commissioner. He said to Epigram: ‘The Head of Legal did indeed act without informing politicians; a fact which emerged under my questioning at the Audit Committee.’

‘The appeal appears to have been launched on a technicality, and was dismissed. Personally, I would have far preferred our efforts to be focused on improving the service rather than legal tricks.’

‘Speaking for the Liberal Democrats, we are determined to clear the backlog of FoI requests and make the Council work in a transparent way.’

Epigram asked Bristol City Council about the possibility of a rift between the legal department and politicians. They said: ‘An appeal of the enforcement notice was instigated based on legal advice and done so in line with the council’s constitution.

‘The Tribunal dismissed the appeal and have published their decision online.

‘We have and continue to work with the Information Commissioner’s Office to improve performance and

Photo courtesy of: Bristol City Council

will carry on with these efforts to deliver best practice in our processes.’

The council is not the first Bristol institution to come under fire for poor handling of FoI inquiries; in 2018 it was revealed that the University of Bristol consistently failed to meet request deadlines.

Of the 474 requests received by the university in 2017, only 32.3 per cent were completed within the statutory 20 day deadline.

One request revealed that more than 500 students were penalised for AI misuse in the 2023/24 academic year.

The university's Freedom of Information team attributed this to ‘staffing issues throughout the year, as well as technical issues resulting from an IT migration.’

However, the University of Bristol's rate of prompt fulfilments has rapidly improved; only 5 per cent of requests in 2023 failed to meet the legal deadline, a substantial improvement from previous years.

Photo courtesy of: Bristol City Council

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EPIGRAM 01.10.25

Comment October paints it Black, November erases it again:

Why Black History Month isn't enough Sagal Khalif

Editor's Choice:

Third year, Law

As we enter Black History Month, this brilliant piece by Sagal Khalif challenges us to consider whether the campus approach to racial justice has become more performative than it is meaningful. It encourages inward reflection and self improvement. But further than that, it serves as a timely reminder of how black history, and a diverse range of cultures, are pivotal to shaping our country and communities.

B

lack History Month is approaching, and once again universities will produce Instagram posts. Bristol will look as if it is paying attention. Yet appearances are not enough. Outside campus, St George’s flags are painted on homes and streets, and graffiti declares ‘This is England.’

The echoes of the 1970s football chants, ‘There ain’t no black in the Union Jack,’ are unmistakable.

When Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in 1926, his aim was education, recognition, and resistance. He wanted to challenge the erasure of Black people from history and insist that their experiences were fundamental to our shared past. Almost a century later, at the University of Bristol, Black history is still treated as optional. It appears in October, then disappears again. It is not part of the curriculum, not embedded in the national story, and not consistently recognised on campus.

Bristol’s 2024 Black History Month programme carried the theme ‘Reclaiming the Narrative’.

It offered events from a Black Engineers Society meet and greet to a conversation with

But the majority of attendees will already be engaged with these

Photo courte plash sy of: Oladimeji Odunsi / Uns

And they are almost right. The flag we had to colour in at school does not include black, and neither does the curriculum. Black history, Asian history, Jewish history, none of it forms part of what we are taught.

How can universities claim to be sincere when the education that shapes us from childhood ignores the histories it claims to celebrate?

DJ Krust at the Central Library.

These events create space, and the students and staff who organise them deserve recognition.

issues. For most students, these events are optional and easy to ignore. Panels and cultural events matter, yet they cannot substitute for systemic change. Without curriculum reform, reading lists that reflect history, and serious institutional commitment, Black History Month remains symbolic. The university can claim to celebrate Black history for one month while leaving it invisible for the rest of the year.

There is no British history without Black British history. As the writer Akala argues in Natives, the history of empire, migration, and resistance is inseparable from the history of Britain itself. To strip it out of the curriculum is not an oversight. It is a political choice. It leaves generations of students with a distorted view of their own country, one in which Black people exist as optional extras rather than central actors.

to racist housing policies, and contributions to culture, science, and politics are often ignored.

These are not marginal episodes.

They are central to modern Britain. Condensing them into one month insults their significance.

Universities cannot solve this alone. By the time students arrive at Bristol, most have already been taught a version of history in which empire is marginal, migration is barely addressed, and Black contributions are absent. Four weeks of events cannot compensate for years of systemic neglect. Black history should be embedded into the national curriculum from the start. It should not be optional, not contained to one month, and not dependent on student societies or extracurricular programming.

This issue extends into university curricula. Granted it is hard to directly intersect a degree like Mechanical Engineering with Britain’s racial history, even within the disciplines that can do this, engagement with history is optional.

As a Law student myself, I have had to actively seek out modules that address migration and legislation.

It is possible to complete a degree without seriously studying the

racist nationality and citizenship laws once enforced, despite their profound effect being relevant today. Students are entitled to have varied interests, but is it not in the best interest of the United Kingdom for future lawyers, policymakers, and citizens to know this history? The contradiction is clear. Black History Month is celebrated while the country produces exclusionary symbols and rhetoric. Students can attend panels and cultural events, but the education system that shaped them ignores the very histories that justify these celebrations.

Black history is not an optional supplement. It is British history. To present it as a month-long festival without structural integration is to render it performative.

At Bristol, the effort of students and staff to create meaningful events deserves recognition.

Yet the institution itself has not done enough. Posters cannot substitute a curriculum that recognises Black contributions to British history from the start of education. Until Black history is embedded into the teaching every student receives, Black History Month will remain an exercise in optics rather than substance.

When Black history is taught, it is often narrowed to a single storyline: slavery and abolition.

This narrative presents Britain as the benevolent power that ended the trade. It centres white agency and erases Black struggle, activism, and achievement. The fight against the far right in the 1980s and 1990s, campaigns for justice after police brutality, resistance Photo courtesy of: Milan Perera

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

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Editor ................................................... Sam Couriel Deputy Editor .................................... Amelie Patel Deputy Editor .............................. Lindsay Shimizu Subeditor................................. Amaya Lewis-Patel Subeditor..............................................Lilja Nassar

Do we still need student unions? isn't that irrelevant after all

Lilja Nassar Comment Subeditor

> Continued from font page While true, can you call to mind how the SU has managed to do this, and what its highlights in improving student welfare in the past year have been? I thought not. I myself was unable to think of anything the SU had done, or that I was aware it had done, to improve my personal student experience.

I saw the SU and its advocates as having possibly bloated levels of self-importance at times, at its worst being out of touch and performative, and at its best being an invisible relic of its perhaps glorious past. I saw the SU as the committee of an indistinguishable student society, one that certainly wanted their presence known, but that was unfortunately unable to elucidate their purpose.

The last I heard of the SU being mentioned amongst my peers was following their controversial decision to end the Associate Membership Scheme which permitted non-students such as alumni and staff from being a part of societies within the University of Bristol. The SU's defence of their decision was that changes had to be made to the scheme for 'safeguarding and 'managing conduct' principles, amongst others.

It seemed to me that the SU was only relevant when it had ignited controversy; many promises were made in their constant output of reassuringly polished emails, however I'd become disillusioned with their ability to actually instigate any real change as I hadn't noticed it myself.

You might then be surprised

that after some careful and thorough research (at least I hope), I reached the eventual conclusion that the SU is actually of some use. Quite a lot, in fact.

ers' week (or refreshers', for many) provide students with the opportunity to try many different societies and mingle with others with the shared interest. This I knew beforehand; however, I didn't really link it to the SU, perhaps because of my previous supposition that it was a fluff y entity which floated within the university’s central existence with little useful input.

For instance, did you know that the SU has been vital in aiding students to navigate through their shared difficulties? For one, in support of the 'Bristol, Cut the Rent' strike, the SU ran a workshop to help freshers strike against the lack of support received from the University of Bristol in first year halls during COVID-19 lockdowns.

In a way, the SU is a microcosm of the wider political sphere, which many students are actively participating in. You would think that with the rising cases of 'political burnout' that students would, if anything, want to focus on smaller scale political activity which would make a more feasible and direct impact on themselves and their peers. Maybe as students we should start to think of the SU as a human shield composed of many well-intentioned students like ourselves who stand up and protect us against the wrath and injustices we may be en-

It was strange internalising that the SU really was putting consistent effort into making internal changes within the University of Bristol to ensure a more equitable and accepting environment for students. I found it regularly proposes motions related to current affairs which affect individuals within the university on a personal level, such as requesting the 'Bristol SU to lobby the University to adopt the following anti-Palestinian racism definition: Anti-Palestinian racism is a form of anti-Arab racism that silences, excludes, erases, stereotypes, defames or dehumanises Palestinians.'

More of its recent successes include the renewal of the 'Supporting students who have experienced sexual misconduct' motion during the 2025 Annual Members Meeting, in which the SU is to for one 'work with the University of Bristol to deliver an Annual Climate Survey on Sexual Misconduct at UoB,' and more. It's especially important for students to be able to support each other in what is far too commonplace in university life. Following the meeting, a new motion to 'Implement recycling soft / flexible plastic at Bristol University' was also passed with student-centric benefits in mind, such as 'to reduce the workload of students trying to recycle and help the environment'.

If this wasn't impressive enough, what sealed the deal was that the SU has not neglected the importance of socialising for students either – their ‘Give it a Go!’ series of taster sessions during fresh-

Photo courtesy of: Miles Gilroy

As pressures on students increase, the discusses endless offers Lilja are Nassar of oppurtunity becoming her realisation that too Bristol's much? student union

countered with by the university.

At the risk of being reminiscent of a Second World War propaganda poster, what it comes down to is that the SU is only as powerful as the students who care about it – which could include you. We as students may be too passive in engaging with the union. We expect results but without any input from ourselves – are we the bosses that we so dread, who “climbed up” the career ladder purely by hanging onto their connections,

expecting big things without offering any help in return? Student apathy is a real issue; our misguided understanding of the SU's role, and our disinterest in it almost entirely, may be the cause of our dissatisfaction with its effectiveness.

Far be it for me to say that the SU is perfect; it can do with many improvements or internal reforms.

Where alternatives like issue-based groups may be more effective in reaching their outcomes, the SU is however still what we have got going for us at this moment, and it is a vital vessel in catalysing our progression to a better student env i ron ment .

08 EPIGRAM 01.10.25

Photo courtesy of: Epigram/James Lewis

Features Uncovering Halloween’s history Tom Henworth

Editor's Choice:

Second Year, History

Coming into the cooler months of the year, I thought there was no better way to bring in autumn than by providing you with a cozy read that traces Halloween back to its pagan roots. It’s no secret that it has strayed far from its original meaning to become a capitalist venture, but Tom’s article considers the elements of this holiday that are maintained in the way we celebrate today. There is something grounding about looking back at our ancestors and remembering we are not so different from them in our shared enjoyment of communal ritual.

I

Photo courtesy of: Anna Dodd

think I speak for many people when I declare my affection for Halloween. In its modern conception – trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and now the partying – it is essentially a festival of hedonism. From that perspective, what’s not to love? Although the cynical observer may claim that the Halloween we know today, with a vast plastic industrial complex behind it, is merely a relic of prior communitarian and religious traditions hijacked by western decadence.

A ghost, if you will, of activities rooted in spirituality and the human experience now reduced to a commercialised extravaganza.

Does a lamentable perspective carry any weight? If so, is there anything that can be done about it?

Rather embarrassingly for a history student, who apparently prides himself on being a scholar of the past, my understanding of the origins of Halloween prior to penning this article was extremely limited.

In fact, the sole reason as to why I had even the vaguest idea of its Celtic origins was from an advert promoting tourism in Ireland. Now, not to acquit my igno-

rance, it does quite pertinently speak of the stark disconnect between the modern Halloween and the traditions from which it stems.

The tourism advert, claiming Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, was not wrong. The festival of Samhain, originating in Gaelic Ireland, is the earliest we can definitively trace the set of traditions that have since moulded into Halloween. However, it's highly likely that even this ancient tradition evolved from neolithic practices, which now have been lost to time.

Samhain constituted the celebration of the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, held halfway between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice, on the first of November. Additionally, it was a liminal festival, in which the veil between this world and the ‘Otherworld’ was said to be at its closest or even blurred. This allowed contact with spirits and the dead, much more reflective of the ghoulish culture of our Halloween, leading the lighting of bonfires and costumes to ward off spirits.

That said, the essence of Samhain could not be more different from the Halloween of today. It was not in any sense hedonistic. Most obviously, the ritual activities which constituted it were made from religious devotion; people dressed up not for a good craic but out of real fear of rampant malevolent spirits.

It's perhaps easy for us to look back

mockingly on those people and characterise their beliefs as crude and absurd. Yet the returning ancestor or roaming spirit were as real to them as the trick-or-treat bucket and plastic skeleton are to us. Perhaps it is us, with our almost satirical renditions of once serious ritual observance, that have made a mockery of them?

The evolution from Samhain into Halloween was multifaceted. It entailed the miscellaneous assimilation of Samhain with various Christian practices; ‘All Hallows’ Eve’, ‘All Saints’ Day’, and ‘All Souls’ Day’, which together constitute ‘Allhallowtide’. For many Christians, despite the incremental secularisation of some of its characteristics, it remains an important aspect of their faith to this day. In the ninth century All Saints Day was officially declared by the Western Church to fall upon the first of November, coinciding with Samhain; it is claimed that this was a result of the influence of Irish missionaries.

The Christianised Allhallowtide remained eschatological, commemorating the dead in both saints and the souls of the recently deceased.

However, as the festival became more formalised across Europe, a broad array of practices developed idiosyncratic to the areas in which they evolved. This was exacerbated by the Protestant Reformation by way of its rejection of certain theology that were crucial to Allhallowtide. Many of these subsequently went on to form part of the composition of Halloween; the baking of soul cakes in Bavaria, jack-o’-lanterns, costumes to ward off vengeful ghosts (sound familiar?), and divination across Britain and Ireland.

The latter was particularly prevalent in Celtic speaking areas as a direct echo from its pre-Christian origins.

It was, however, Irish and Scottish immigration to the fledgling United States of America that can be cited as the pivotal factor in propelling the diverse first of November customs of Europe into a commercial enterprise. Though activities emblematic of modern Halloween, such as pranks and pumpkin carving, had originated outside of the continent at an earlier time; they were iterated into mainstream public consciousness centrally in America. This process began in the early 1900s, with the production of Halloween-themed postcards and paper decorations, and then upshifted with advancements in printing technology and mass production that enabled Halloween merchandise to become more affordable – for example relatively inexpensive materials such as crepe paper began to be used in costumes.

The current reality is that Halloween has now proliferated into a brand of economic enormity, only surpassed perhaps by Christmas.

It extends to film, food, and even tourism. As an illustration of this, a 2023 article published by the BBC reported that some haunted houses, as an attraction alone, extend

to six figure sums. The National Retail Federation in America, after a consumer survey in 2024, announced that they expected total Halloween spending to reach 11.6 billion dollars in that year alone.

While undoubtedly a far cry from its humble genesis on the Emerald Isle, is all this actually bad? One might suggest that, fundamentally, the essence of Halloween as a communitarian event has not been lost at all. While the emphasis may have shifted from explicitly religious to more secular activities, Halloween serves as a vessel for human interaction nowadays just as much as it did during Celtic times. The great communal bonfires and feasts of Samhain ultimately brought people together, as costume parties and trick or treating do to this day.

Ultimately, the question of Halloween’s evolution is also a question of humankind’s evolution. As societies have been shaped over time, their cultural expressions have changed too. One may, with equal validity, claim that this is both a good and bad thing. Halloween’s transformation was largely inevitable; it may, in all probability, continue to evolve again in the future. Perhaps the exigencies of a future society, even one not so distant with the pressures of pollution threatening to render the synthetic underbelly of the Halloween economy untenable, could result in it reverting somewhat into a pre-industrialised form. Though maybe only the Celts, aided by Samhain divination rituals, had a certain answer to the future of Halloween.

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Editor .............................................. Anna Dodd Deputy Editor ............................... Ellie Barnes Deputy Editor ........................ Charlotte Kerby Subeditor.......................................Maya Tailor Subeditor.............................Hannah Corcoran

In conversation with Hannah Chappatte Miles Gilroy met with Hybr founder and CEO, Hannah Chappatte, to find out more about what it takes to be a founder and what Hybr is doing to help solve Bristol's student renting crisis

Miles Gilroy Senior Print Editor In 2024, Hannah Chappatte featured on both the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and the Sunday Times’ Young Power List, alongside the likes of Leah Williamson, Luke Littler, Amelia Dimoldenberg, and Bukayo Saka.

‘It feels like a ridiculous privilege and I think it makes you feel very, like, undeserving to be next to those people. [...] It's a great honor.’

I sat down with Hannah, the founder and CEO of Hybr, to discover more about her, her business, and her time at the University of Bristol.

Hannah studied liberal arts at the University of Bristol, graduating in 2019. After experiencing the ‘chaos’ of the student housing market in Bristol first hand, Hannah was motivated to improve the system and make the process easier for both students and agents.

With three million students in the UK forming a rental market worth £13bn, Hannah pushed ahead with her idea and created Hybr.

But, going from studying liberal arts to founding a tech startup seems like quite a large jump.

So, what is it about Hannah that made this jump possible?

Well, first of all, the jump may not be as large as it seems - at least from liberal arts to entrepreneur. Hannah praises her degree for giving her the opportunity to exercise her multitasking ability, a skill she now finds extremely useful in her current role.

‘I loved liberal arts because I al-

ways wanted to do something that was quite holistic, multidisciplinary, I didn't want to just focus on one thing. I like doing a lot of things. I think that's quite representative of me as a founder - I'm good at spinning plates.’

Hybr’s goal is to increase the ‘transparency’between renters and agents, enabling them to work together to find the most suitable properties. It’s name, originating from ‘hibernate’, reflects this idea of making the process smoother and more relaxed.

Okay, so a liberal arts degree set her up to become an effective founder, but how has she thrived so well in the tech startup scene?

Despite being recognised at the same level as the captain of the Lionesses, Hannah rather humbly doesn’t ‘consider [her]self too successful.’ She cites the innate ambition of the entrepreneurial spirit as the root of this humility.

Hannah spoke fondly of the extra curricular activities and internships she took part in while at university. During her summers, she worked at Jumia, a Nairobi tech startup. She was emphatic that this experience was invaluable for her when it came to founding Hybr.

‘I would recommend any student that's interested in start-ups to do an internship at a start-up.’

Armed with industry experience and a level of passion that can only be fostered by interaction with the Bristol student rental market, Hannah launched Hybr, aiming to provide students – and agents – with the tools they desperately need.

Hybr is a rental marketplace that matches students and graduates to housing based on their preferences, as well as assisting letting agents with their workflow and calendars, improving efficiency and reducing stress on both sides of the rental process.

Hannah came up with the idea after realising that all the aches and pains that haunt students during the rental process are due to inefficient practices by letting agents who try and organise viewings and keep track of applications manually.

‘The only way to solve that problem was to build a solution for letting agents because it's the letting agent that manage the properties and manage the renter experience.

And the reason why renting is so stressful is because letting agents don't have any tools to manage the renter journey. The lettings teams are drowning. They're stressed.’

‘I think most entrepreneurs are always raising that bar and you generally never achieve it. I'm very, very early on in my journey, so I'm definitely not there from a personal perspective. I want to have a much bigger impact on the UK student rental experience, and I think we're, like, not even 1% there.’

Perhaps this relentless ambition is contagious. Hannah told me she finds inspiration in other successful female entrepreneurs, referencing Marcia Kilgore, founder of Beauty Pie; Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva; and her very own sisterin-law, Alexandra Chappatte, who founded the Kenya-based craft beverage company African Originals.

‘Proving that you can have a different type of profile than most of the CEO's out there, I think that's very inspirational.’

Experience and ambition aside, starting a business is a daunting prospect; it’s practically impossible to know A: if you’re the right type of person to be a founder, and B: if being a founder is the right path for you. I was eager to get Hannah’s insight on whether knowing the answers to these questions is necessary.

‘Definitely not. I think it kind of helps having the naïvety because I was just focusing on what do I need to achieve today, what do I need to achieve this week, what do I need to achieve this month? What am I trying to validate to give me the confidence to continue on this journey? And that allowed me to take my time and grow into the role

Photo courtesy of: Hannah Chappatte

versus if I'd have been chucked into where I am now, I would never have survived. So yeah, I definitely didn't know, but I think sometimes you need that early naïvety to throw yourself in the deep end.’

In such an uncertain and hectic environment, it seems as though retaining your confidence and composure would be an impossible task.

Hannah spoke about how the startup experience affected her and how she dealt with its stresses and strains.

‘You have doubts all the time. You have massively bad days and good days. I remember having my first ever panic attack in the early stage of the business – had plenty more of them since that point. [...] But I never thought I'd give up. It just made me want to improve, want to prove to not only other people, but mostly to myself that I could do it.'

‘Compartmentalising is so important. I don't think I would be able to survive without that. So, being able to work a 13 hour day, but

being able to switch off at the end of the day and have a really nice evening with friends or family. Even if that's just like an hour at dinner.

And the same with making sure that you're taking at least one full day off on the weekend. Having that time to reset so that you come back hungry, passionate, excited for the next week is really important.’

To close off our chat, I asked Hannah what advice she’d give to current students on how to get the most out of university; her closing remarks are comfortingly honest: ‘Take the pressure off yourself from having the perfect time. University is very, like, you'll be on cloud nine one moment and then you'll be having an anxiety attack a second later.

Know that that's normal. Every single student is going through that.’

So, if Hannah's success is anything to go off, we should all relax a little. Take each day as it comes and spend your time doing that which makes you happy.

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Photo courtesy of: Anna Dodd

Features Mind the...Gap In conversation with the ACS during Black History Month The Mind the Gap columnists sit down with the president and deputy of the ACS to discuss growing the Black space at Bristol

‘With the rise of racially fuelled hate currently, you want to know you have comfort at university.

You don't want to have to question your racial identity, code switch, or change who you are.’

In recent years, there has been a push for increased diversity; universities such as Leicester have a black student population of 13.4 per cent alongside usniversities like Birmingham and Warwick, which have become well known for their strong Black communities, unlike the University of Bristol.

Even traditionally elitist universities such as Oxbridge have been praised for their efforts to ramp up diversity efforts. Just last year, Oxford University were praised for record intake of Black students, along with Cambridge University gaining a lot of publicity for introducing the Stormzy scholarship, providing the full tuition and maintenance fees as non-repayable grants to encoura g e

Columnists ............... Maddy Richards & Yezou Aymero

we are exd the Gap, in M f nth: a o e su ober is History Mo s to For the Oct a spotlight on Black n o ti u ib tr n e co cited to shin ar to reflect on Black spite of systemye in w and more, time of the ce, culture, o includes an intervie of n ie sc y, et ls d a soci ea le H ic ty rt u This a d Dep ic adversity. d Eniola, the Head an ociety S n ea b b ri n a with Ayva a of Bristol’s African-C ing and growty nserv co to d the Universi te nnect it are comm dents to co (ACS), who nity for our Black stu e to their dedu ic ing a comm e this article does just acked month -p p m o h ja e e W th . h to wit rward fo k o lo d n a ication, ahead.

Pam’s and a pub quiz to encourage people to get talking and learning about Black history in the UK. ‘When we don’t remember and study history every day, we repeat it’

This self-perpetuating cycle is something that Eniola and Ayva are attempting to put a stop to Having access to a Black hair saand prove to incoming and prolon is just one example, but it spective Bristol students that The president and vice president represents so much more; it is a the ACS is a strong force. It is a explain how the month is not Maddy Richards & Yezou safe space which acts as a beating space where, as Ayva put it, ‘you about pushing anyone else out of Aymero heart for the community. Ayva’s don’t have to question the ratio.’ the way, but instead acts as a moMind the Gap Columnists experience captures just how in‘Bristol is a very academic uni- ment to celebrate and explore the tegral it always has been to run versity, but I have seen Black Black heritage and culture that has been formative in people who are ttending a white-dominated ACS, in order to act as a custodivery smart holduniversity can be a particular- an of culture for the Bristol stu'Your column is called Mind creating the nation that we live in toing themselves ly daunting experience for African dents who are in the minority. the Gap, and we are trying to day. It is a dedicatback because and Caribbean students who find Although Black students from fill that gap’ ed time to uplift they are scared themselves in the minority. How- less diverse areas of the UK may and shine a light not to be culturever, there is certainly a space here find Bristol a pleasant surprise, ally seen, that is why we want on the Black British community at Bristol where Black students can many students from bigger cities to create a space for you guys.’ because of the barriers they have expect to find community. The Af- find the white-dominated populaso often faced in the past, delving rican & Caribbean Society (ACS), tion a sharp shock. This includes Eniola’s advice for Black stu- into a non-white washed version of as best described by its president, Eniola, who had come from dents thinking of what uni- history that dominates the mandaAyva, as the type of society where London, and describes how versity to apply for would tory curriculum across the country. committee meetings have one rule: difficult she found the tranbe ‘Do not pass up an opeveryone has to wear their bonnet. sition. ‘I definitely feel the gap’, admits Eniola. portunity because you The ACS’ 2025 timetable is cerare concerned about tainly packed, offering a new netTalking to Ayva and her depu- ‘I know we have schemes diversity – organisa- ball team, affordable club nights, ty, Eniola, was a reminder of the such as the Black scholprogramme, tions like ACS are regular meet ups, and even sports thriving space that Bristol has arships here to support you.’ days. Another focus is on forming to offer for its Black students. but the diversity in the relationships with companies to set definitely Discussing the two politics stu- university So, what does Black up networking events in order to dents' motivations for leading feels like a heavy topic.’

History Month mean facilitate professional connections. the 14-person committee for this to the ACS as a soci- Ayva also reveals that a talk with year’s ACS, Ayva and Eniola pres- The University of Brisety? To answer this, ‘Everyday racism’ is something ent a unified front rooted in their tol data revealed that, in Ayva rummages around ACS members can look forward to shared desire to grow the Black the 2024 intake, only 3.4 before pulling out a t-shirt this year. The committee even has space at the University of Bristol. per cent of students were black, a statistic that often that boldly reads ‘Black a dedicated Caribbean Rep, InterHistory Month is Every national Rep, and LGBTQ+ Rep to From Canterbury, an area not ex- leaves Black students being Month’. From the post-war further push diversity and incluactly known for its diversity levels, the only non-white person reconstruction era, reliant sivity, ensuring there truly is space Ayva shares a story of booking a in their seminars, lectures, on labour flows from west for everyone to be seen and heard. hair appointment on the phone or halls of accommodation.

Africa, the Windrush genbut, upon arriving at the salon, Eniola shares her white domeration, as well as the long The ACS can undeniably take getting turned away when the inated North village experistanding exploitation of Black pride in the results of its advocastylists admitted that they did not ence, whereby ‘In the big 24 Photo courtesy of: African & Caribbean Society communities inflicted by the Brit- cy, and when Ayva chants, ‘We know how to deal with her mixed- Hiatt Baker flat, there was are family,’ we students to apply. ish Empire, it's evonly one Black Black race hair type. It know she encapgirl in the whole ‘Oxford have been quite publicly ident that Black was simply some'If you want there to be a ‘There is a space, and there of F block.’ She shamed, so they had to change. c o n t r i b u t i o n s sulates the comthing that they Black community, be the munity-building had no knowledge is always someone that can says that ‘95 per Whilst with Bristol, there has not are intrinsic to essence of the Afstrong Black community.’ cent of the black been as much public backlash, so British history. about. This was relate to your identity.’ rican & Caribbean people that I met then there is a cycle where students Black History an experience at Bristol are think “I don’t see enough Black Month, therefore, proves inte- society. Overall, the university that made Ayva realise just how meaningful it is from the ACS,’ admitting how students there, so I will go to War- gral. The main planned Black can expect a lively month ahead, to be able to look around and see she ‘couldn’t imagine her univer- wick or Birmingham where there History Month events for the so- with celebration of Black histopeople who look similar to you. sity experience without the ACS.’ is a presence of Black students”’ ciety include a club night at Pam ry and achievement at the heart.

A

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

Community

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Editor ........................................... Annabel Bienfait Deputy Editor ................................Rachel Shortall Deputy Editor ..................................... Ivor Starkey Subeditor......................................... Cordell Punter Subeditor..............................Alannah Mylechreest

Society Spotlight | JFS

Annabel Bienfait Community Editor

Dear Agony Cordell Punter Aunt...

Community Subeditor

This month, we got in touch with Bristol’s Jazz Funk Soul (JFS) Society. JFS have established themselves as the go-to for top quality jazz gigs and workshops for students in Bristol. They showcase incredible student talent at their weekly jam nights, while drawing big names in jazz, such as Ezra Collective, Zeñel, Cesca and Snazzback, to play every fortnight. Their society is open to all students, from all musical backgrounds and abilities. Here’s what Vice President, Isobel, shared about the society:

How would you describe JFS in a few words?

JazzFunkSoul society plays every Tuesday at Mr Wolfs. Every week we run open jams where you can join us on stage, and every other week we also invite some of the coolest jazz and funk bands from Bristol and London to perform for us. We also run the occasional workshop with professional musicians to help our members develop their skills, and our committee performs at several of our own gigs throughout the year.

What happens at a JFS jam?

A typical night with JFS features a Rhythm section - keys, drums, bass, guitar (and double bass or other alternatives if we’re feeling crazy!), a frontline - typically horns, saxophone, trumpet, trombone (but we welcome jazz clarinetists/flautists too), singers - we welcome any voice type.

Find a committee member (with a committee t-shirt on) and we will help you get on stage for a jam! We welcome people of all abilities. If you're not comfortable with playing something you haven't heard before, come along with a song suggestion and we'll be happy to play it!

What kind of music do you play at the jams?

Our repertoire ranges from jazz standards, such as Blue Bossa and Nardis, to funk tunes and soul numbers, such as Ain’t No Sunshine, Superstition and On My Mind. We love playing new stuff as much as we can, but there are always classics we come back to every week.

‘My landlord keeps sending contractors who practically trash our clean flat’

Image courtesy of: JFS Society

What are your favourite memories of performing with JFS? Whenever we get to perform in a public concert setting. Last year this included gigs run by Big Band Society: Clusterfunk, Tub Thumpers and Sax and the City (there'll be many more to come this year!). Additionally, some of our best JFS experiences have to be watching the incredible bands we've had play in recent years - Hungry Hungry Hippos and Howell's Grooving Castle spring to mind!

Looking to the future, do you have any exciting events coming up?

We're very excited about the acts we've booked for this year - there's amazing talent and some pretty big names coming up, so make sure to look out for that on our Instagram! We've also got great workshops planned with some of Bristol's most experienced music educators, and potential plans for our own festival at a large venue (watch this space)!

Epigraph

The evil landlord strikes again.

Firstly, it is important to document everything such as when contractors arrive, communications, and photos. This can then be used as proof for when you contact your landlord.

If you feel safe to do so then you could potentially confront the contractors. If the landlord is persistently unresponsive to this then you can escalate via Bristol City Council, where you can report a rogue landlord if you believe they are making you unsafe (e.g. electrical rubbish). They will only intervene if the property breaks legal standards.

‘I've only been at uni for 2 days, and I’m already having concerns about my flat. They have adopted a girl who is really cold towards me for no reason, and I don’t know what to do!’

What’s on?

JFS Society runs jam sessions every Tuesday at Mr Wolfs, from 9pm12am. Entry is free before 10pm, and only £3 after. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Stick around afterwards for the DJ set, playing every week until late.

Ah, that friend. Annoyingly in life people will be distant to you for reasons that have nothing to do with you – don’t let this internalise especially in this new environment. This one person’s position won’t define everyone’s opinion of you and (hopefully) they aren’t always around. Why not arrange for your flatmates and you to go out as a group, or a game/quiz night for example. This will allow you as a group to come together, and even if she is always frosty then you can win over your actual flatmates!

Every other week, JFS invites top-class bands and musicians to perform at the end of the open jam (from 11pm onwards). Entry costs £4 if you buy your ticket in advance, and £5 on the door.

Contact: Instagram: @jfsbristol Email: jfsbristol@gmail.com Tickets: Sold at headfirstbristol. co.uk

‘My housemate is obsessed with Doctor Who, what do I do?’

Curated by Ivor Starkey Community Deputy Editor

In the garden a snake bid me eat through knotted lips and twisted prayers from throne of ivy dead the fruit bears black

Outstretched fingers nimbly clasp the neglected growth of the trees and sins flood my heart and turn it cold

Whispers amongst branches dead echo in the wind in unloved melodies.

The chains round my feet can’t hold me forever

Thrown into the underworld discarded and forgotten, a legacy of poison and ill and a memory of past love.

Illustration courtesy of: Annabel Bienfait

EVE

by Georgia Dix

Okay Agony Aunt has only watched one episode in 2016, so I am a bit rusty. Here’s some important characters: - The Doctor – Currently Ncuti Gatwa (previously Sex Education, interestingly born in Rwanda). However, he is stepping down from the role and currently the frontrunners for the role are Billie Piper and Josh O’Connor. Oh, and say your favourite doctor was David Tennant.

- TARDIS – a time machine which stands for ‘Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space’ - Sonic Screwdrivers – seems to be a wand (is the Doctor a wizard?)

- Key villains – Daleks (turret-things), Cybermen (looks like tin man from Wizard of Oz), and The Master (the villain).

But what’s the point of the show? Well, The Doctor is essentially going around trying to liberate oppressed people from around the world, so the opposite of Donald Trump. Which is nice.

Pho

Epitome

ourt to c esy of: S ren acla ie M

oph

Green Crime launch with Julia Shaw (Bookhaus, Wapping Wharf, £7) 1/10 Criminal psychologist Julia Shaw presents her findings on the illegality underpinning the climate crisis and habitat breakdown. Framed through psychological analysis, this promises to be a fascinating insight into the minds of those who doom us all.

Cerys Hafana (St George’s, £15) 2/10 Soft spoken folk artist Cerys Hafana returns to Bristol to enchant with her triple harp.

Expect echoes of past sounds from her particular interest in archival music.

Twelfth Night (Ashton Court, £10) 2/10 A darkly modern reimagination of Shakespeare’s timeless comedy situated in the beauty of the Ashton Court Estate. A must for theatre aficionados.

Fleetmac Wood presents Chiffon Dreams (Lost Horizons, St Jude's, £15)

Zed Law & Jed Dixon Epitome Curators

DOWN STOKES FESTIVAL

Location: The Cube, Kingsdown Date: 4/10-5/10 Price: £22 for a full weekend pass, £5 for an individual film

Location: Multi Venue Date: 16/10-19/10 Price: from £40

3/10 Remixing the timeless songs of Fleetwood Mac into a variety of electronic forms, this genre bending club night should shine a whole new light on the possibilities of classic artists.

Docks Heritage Weekend (M Shed, Wapping Wharf, free) 4/10-5/10 Explore the history of the Bristol docks in this multievent weekend. Come down for rowing taster sessions, live poetry readings, discounted entry to the SS Great Britain and much more.

Nova Twins (Electric Bristol, £22.50) 11/10 Experience the energy of hard rock Nova Twins at Electric.

The duo have carved a name for themselves through their feral live shows- expect a few bruises from the mosh pits.

Life Drawing with Dogs and Beer (Wiper and True Taproom, Old Market, £10) 12/10 Attempt to keep up with the constantly moving (and very friendly) dogs in this life sketching class. Learn from the guided exercises, enjoy a Bristol craft beer and get to know

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This year, we are relaunching ‘Epitome’: the go-to guide of Bristol's best events, student deals, and nights out. From club nights to craft fairs, we aim to help you discover the best of Bristol each month. Get in touch if you have an unmissable event you want to share with our readers.

BRISTOL RADICAL FILM FESTIVAL

An essential event highlighting global struggles and injustices.

Experience a range of films covering topics from the miners’ strike to the United Kingdom’s complicity in an ongoing genocide.

Early October: 1st-12th

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

Down Stokes festival returns for a weekend of heavy music taking place throughout Stokes Croft. Particular lineup highlights include 6-piece jazz infused post-punk outfit Opus Kink playing their first Bristol show for almost two years and locals Heavy Lung playing a massive set at the Full Moon and Attic Bar. Explore the venues, discover your new favourite band and batter yourself in the mosh-pit – what’s not to love?

the ‘models’- perfect for those missing their pets at home!

a different experience on a budget.

King Street Brew House Pub Quiz (King Street Brew House, £2 pp) 12/10 £100 bar tab top prize, great beer and a bustling atmosphere.

Need I say more?

Irish Music Sessions (Bristol Folk House, Park Street, free) 20/10 Come down to the Folk House for their new free night of traditional Irish Folk- both musicians and listeners welcome!

13th October onwards

Corto.alto (The Lantern Hall, Bristol Beacon, £18.50) 22/10 Pioneering new wave jazz artist Corto.alto returns to Bristol, riding the wave of their mercury nominated debut ‘Bad With Names’. Check out their new single ‘DON’T LISTEN’ for a flavour of what to expect!

Play for Palestine w/ No Go Stop, Binbag Wisdom and more (The Jam Jar, St Jude's, £8) 15/10 An eclectic mix of local musicians spanning a range of funk-based genres convene at the Jam Jar with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestine. Come down for over four hours of non-stop dancing and show your support.

Mini Robot Wars – BBB Beetle Champs (St Michael’s Centre, Stoke Gifford, £6.50) 18/10 Over 7 hours of nonstop fights from 50 competitors until a winner is crowned. For just £6.50 this event is perfect for

Mark William Lewis + Tony Bontana (Strange Brew, Bristol Shopping Quarter, £14) 29/10 The A24 signed ‘romantic noir crooner’ Mark William lewis is joined by experimental Birmingham based rapper Tony Bontana for a night of innovative, if unconventional music. Plus, you can claim you were there before it was cool.

Drag Me to Hell (Thekla, £7) 29/10

5 Affordable Evenings out In Bristol Den and Terrace

Steam

Mr Wolfs

The White Harte

Cabot Tower

Pub quiz every Tuesday @8pm, £2 entry

Half price drinks through Unify

Improv jazz nights every Wednesday, free entry all night

15 TVs along with 3 dartboards and 2 pool tables

Views of the city and sunset for free

YOUTH SECTOR + HARMER JAYS Location: The Lanes, City Centre Date: 3/10 Price: Free Brighton five-piece Youth Sector bring their infectious and up-tempo art rock to Bristol. Having established themselves after support shows for Kaiser Chiefs, this promises to be a polished and politically conscious live show.

Queer pop and drag ghouls combine on Bristol’s most iconic club for Thekla’s Halloween night.

Lost Track of Time: Haunted Mansion (Ashton Court, from £20) 31/10 11th Century mansion Ashton Court receives a haunted makeover for Halloween.

Headliner MiNNA joins a stacked lineup for a night of ghoulish hedonism.

Nour Jaouda: Matters of Time (Spike Island, free) Available Wednesday through to Sunday until January Nour Jaouda presents her handcrafted textile exhibition charting her sense of belonging and ‘landscape of memory’ in places essential to her life.

Photo courtesy of: Eleanor Bate

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

Arts

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Editor ............................................... Ella Heathcote Deputy Editor .................................... Grace Knight Deputy Editor ............................... Amelia McCabe Subeditor.................................. Tylah Hendrickson Subeditor............................................... Eloise Nicol

A guide to art & décor Ani Lacy PhD History of Art

Editor's Choice:

As we settle into the new academic year, the natural brownish tapestries lining the walls of our student homes - otherwise known as years of damp and mould - may have become somewhat off-putting, or indeed distressing. This article will guide you on where to find pleasing distractions for your space, from wall art to decorations, so you can tour your friends around your student flat with pride.

M

oving into a student flat or halls often means being greeted by plain walls, worn furniture, and a sense of impermanence. But creating a space that feels like your own doesn’t have to be expensive.

Bristol, with its mix of charity shops, creative markets, and artist-run studios, offers plenty of affordable ways to decorate while also supporting local communities and artists.

Second-hand furniture is often the most practical starting point. The British Heart Foundation’s furniture and electrical store in Broadmead

Photos courtesy of: Miles Gilroy

is a reliable option for everything from desks to lamps, with the added benefit that your purchase supports medical research. Emmaus in Stokes Croft is another favourite among students; this social enterprise resells donated household goods, and every purchase helps people who have experienced homelessness.

For smaller touches – like mirrors, frames, or kitchenware – the clusters of charity shops along Cotham Hill, Queen’s Road, and Park Street are full of hidden treasures. Since

stock changes daily, a quick browse on your way to lectures can often result in a lucky find. Students also turn to Facebook Marketplace and TrashNothing, which are especially useful for picking up larger items like chairs or bookshelves for free, as long as you can arrange collection.

Once the basics are in place, the next step is adding art and decoration to give your room personality. Bristol has a vibrant creative scene, and buying directly from artists often costs less than you might think.

Centrespace Studios in the city centre, for

example, hosts its annual Open Studios in October, opening three floors of studios to the public. It’s an opportunity to meet artists, explore their work, and buy affordable prints, ceramics, or textiles.

for your student accommodation needs to be bought. Adding plants, which can often be found through local plant swaps, brings a sense of life into even the smallest of rooms. Textiles such as throws, rugs, and cushions, easily found in charity shops, can instantly make a space warmer and more inviting.

St Nicholas Market is another yearround destination, where stalls showcase ‘Not everything for handmade décor, jewyour student accomChoosing secellery, and artwork ond-hand and local from local makers. modation needs to be options is about more Students and gradubought’ than saving money, alates from Bristol’s art though that is certainschools also frequently exhibit their work, and degree ly a benefit for students. It also helps shows or pop-up exhibitions can be reduce waste, supports charities a great way to find unique pieces at and social enterprises, and sustains prices much lower than commercial the city’s creative community. Most galleries. Buying art from artists can importantly, it allows you to build sometimes be an investment, but it a space that feels individual and can also be a great memory of your meaningful, rather than filling your time as a student here and create a room with mass-produced items. lifelong connection to the local arts scene.

Not

everything

Photos courtesy of (left to right): James Lewis, Ani Lacy, Julia Mullins

Manky student walls?

14 EPIGRAM 01.10.25

Arts

Banksy or not?

The fight to keep Turbo Island independent Max Graham writes about the recent purchase of Turbo Island and the rumours surrounding it, exploring the space's importance in Bristol

Max Graham Film and TV Deputy Editor

I

n Bristol, few names carry as much weight or mystery as Banksy and Turbo Island. For many, they are part and parcel of the cityscape, always walked past, spoken about in legends and fabled stories, and for better or worse, frequently attached to the popular imagination of Bristol. A recent addition to the mythology is that Banksy himself is the anonymous bidder who ‘saved’ Turbo Island from being snapped up by outside investors.

Despite their association with Bris-

tol, the two lead very different lives.

Banksy favours anonymity, employing guerilla tactics and operating in secrecy. His artistic interventions are marked by surprise and subversion. Turbo Island renounces this ethos of subtlety. Its public presence is unmissable, most notably due to the bold block lettering — TURBO ISLAND — emblazoned across the wall at its summit.

Turbo Island is a wedge of land nestled at the junction of Jamaica Street and Stokes Croft. Technically privately owned, the land has long stood as a public facing, unregulated spot that has established itself as part art space, part social corner, part urban relic – its backdrop a seemingly eternal bonfire.

However, last year Turbo Island was quietly put up for bid, which threatened its future. The news caused a stir among locals, with concerns quickly surfacing that the island would be taken over by property developers. Anyone really seeing the island, though, raises an eyebrow- far from being an expansive plot of land, it

has only a limited and awkwardly placed space that does not, at first glance, beckon development.

Photo courtesy of: Instagram/@barry_boem

A local group, the PRSC (People’s Republic of Stokes Croft), launched a fundraising campaign to buy the land. They raised just over £2,000 of a £50,000 target, falling significantly short of the required sum.

Despite the gap, the message was clear, symbolised by a simple, loud ‘NOT FOR SALE’ tagged onto the site at the time of sale.

The land was eventually sold – not to a developer, but to Out of Hand, an advertising company based in Bedminster that provide billboarding services across Bristol. The cost of the purchase was £100,000.

Although planning permission has been granted, there is still no sign of development on the island.

This was the case up until recently, when a stencilled rat appeared on the island, seemingly pointing to the PRSC sign written across the street on one hand, and down to the ground on the other as a statement

of local support. The art style is strongly reminiscent of Banksy’s past works, which continually feature rat motifs as his mascots.

The message of this stencil many took as a statement from Banksy himself laying claim to be the anonymous buyer of the island.

It seems wholly in keeping with Banksy’s past performances: still working from the shadows, but using his sway and sentimentality for Bristol to solidify the future of a local institution undergoing change and controversy.

Unfortunately, though, while the rat motif attributed to Banksy may have been popularised by him, he did not originate it. It started with French street artist Blek le Rat in the 1980s, whose influence on Banksy is well documented, alongside an influence on street art writ large. The motif meant to symbolise the rebellious and unnoticed, which on the face of things justifies its appearance on Turbo Island.

However, the motif's wide use in the street art community does not

Photo courtesy of: Ella Heathcote unequivocally stamp it to Banksy.

In this case, the rat on Turbo Island was later claimed by local stencil artist @barry_boem, who posted a photo of the piece on Instagram and took credit for the work. In fact, the artist seems to enjoy the rumours sparked by the rat's appearance and may indeed be more ‘Banksy’ than Banksy himself in this situation. He states: ‘No million-dollar auctions No Hollywood-level mystery Just art with the raw energy that street art lives and breathes on.’

While this may dispel hopes of a Banksy intervention, it does highlight that Turbo Island still embodies a particularly rebellious spirit, one that champions grass-roots street art. While the island's future remains uncertain amidst such a flurry of rumours regarding legal ownership, legal action, and ongoing public pressure, it may be a bit of fresh air amongst this that the area’s independent creative identity is very much still alive.

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

Literature column Columnists .................. Alexandra Boersma & Ruby Wright

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Editor ............................................... Ella Heathcote Deputy Editor .................................... Grace Knight Deputy Editor ............................... Amelia McCabe Subeditor.................................. Tylah Hendrickson Subeditor............................................... Eloise Nicol

Books to keep you awake at night Literature columnist Ruby Wright delivers a list of literary horrors to scare and entertain readers in the lead up to Halloween and beyond.

Ruby Wright Literature Columnist

I

n films, horror can be immediate and visceral – but in a medium where jump scares are ultimately impossible, how can books horrify?

Literary horror manages to both captivate and repel, using the psychological and unnerving to shape the story instead of action. I know many people who don’t watch horror because they find it too intense, yet I also find that many people don’t read horror because they find it slow-paced or banal. So, I’d like to present a short list of contemporary horror books that will truly terrify, that use nightmarish subject matter to confront the political and cultural issues of our time. In my experience, the best horror is only one or two steps away from the world we live in now.

Tender Is the Flesh

by Agustina Bazerrica (Trans.

Sarah Moses)

ceptions accumulate and victims pile up, as Ji-won attempts to satiate herself.

Things We Say in the Dark

by Kirsty Logan

In a world where animals have been wiped out by a global epidemic, mankind, rather than ceasing to consume meat entirely, has begun to systematically farm humans – not that they’re called that anymore. We follow Marcos (employee of the local processing plant), whose task it is to source live specimens (referred to as ‘heads’), whose killing and butchering we see through Marcos' eyes. He approaches his work with detachment and apathy until the day he receives a live specimen of the finest quality.

Despite the drastic punishments for anyone initiating personal contact, little by little he begins to treat her like a human being.

Brilliantly inventive, Kim’s story of female revenge and the unravelling of a young woman in her 20s masterfully ties Ji-won’s struggle to navigate her culture and beliefs in the western world with some very graphic body horror.

One more short story collection, with this one exploring contemporary feminist issues through its dissection of the female body, desire and violence, and domestic claustrophobia.

Make no mistake, this book is wildly uncomfortable, and at times sickens with its unflinching portrayal of the factory farming process. The writing is wonderfully brutal and I seriously recommend all omnivores to read this.

The Eyes Are the Best Part

by Monika Kim

A collection of singularly unsettling stories that combine the sociopolitical and the macabre. Enríquez writes into being the unspoken – fetish, illness, the darkness of human history and the madness for obsession all come to life with urgency. A woman is sexually obsessed with the human heart, a rotting baby crawls out of a backyard and into a bedroom, a pair of teenage girls can't let go of their idol and an entire neighbourhood is cursed to death by a question of morality they fail to answer correctly. Set throughout Buenos Aires, no prior knowledge of the politics of Argentina is needed for the power of Enríquez's statements to be felt.

A fantastic book to dive into a world of the bizarre and strange, and as a collection of short stories, it's perfect for reading in short bursts throughout the month.

This book builds up an impressive atmosphere of dread and doesn’t shy away from looking at women’s fears and realities with a terrifying level of honesty.

The Bus on Thursday

by Shirley Barrett Described as ‘Bridget Jones meets the Exorcist’, this novel follows one woman’s post cancer retreat to a re-

I hope these books help to make your october more sinister and spooky than ever!

Images courtesy of: Ruby Wright

Ji-won’s life explodes with her father’s departure – her mother is distraught, her grades failing and her dreams growing stranger. The arrival of George, her mother’s obnoxious new boyfriend, shifts the story from family drama to visceral psychological horror. His ogling of her teenage sister and general fetishisation of Asian women triggers the beginning of Ji-won’s spiral, as her obsession and hatred for George’s brilliant blue eyeballs leak into her dreams, fuelling her rage and growing h u n g e r.

T h e de-

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez (Trans. Megan McDowell)

The stories range from disturbing horror to vicious fairy tales, with couples who wrestle with a lack of connection to their children and a schoolgirl becomes obsessed with the female anatomical models in a museum. One woman alone in a remote house in Iceland is unnerved by her isolation; another can only find respite from the clinging ghost that follows her by submerging herself in an overgrown pool.

mote A u s tralian town where horrors await her. This humor-horror is without a doubt the lightest on this list – an absurd and strangely hypnotic read that sometimes veers towards thriller, other times romance, and often tends to defy convention altogether. There is possession and exorcism, and of course the question of the disembodied hand scuttling about, as well as other bona fide horror elements, so I’m including it on this list with the disclaimer that this is an ultimately strange book that might not terrify as much as it entertains.

16 EPIGRAM 01.10.25

Film & TV Epigram's partnership with Bristol's iconic cultural hub ‘Watershed’ continues Editor’s Choice:

Jenna Baker Third Year, Film and English

For another year, Epigram remains partnered with the Watershed Cinema to provide exclusive screenings, insider days, and film festival access for students across Bristol.

Jenna Baker offers an enthused and personal insight to what the partnership means for writers and viewers alike.

P

laced conveniently in the centre of Bristol by the picturesque harbourside, Watershed's colourful lights consistently perforated other wise dim, rainy evenings during my less than consistent first year. As a Film and TV student, the chance to see independent films at a cheap price (£6 for under 24 year olds!) was a haven for me when I wanted to escape the mania of living in halls.

Inside are three screens, comfortable and always hosting a vibrant and friendly crowd, as well as a Cafe and bar serving film-themed and seasonal drinks. The pervasive media studio and the wide range of events hosted there is what makes Watershed stand out as a venue.

From weekly lunchtime talks to networking events, young people are not just encouraged but truly valued

in the events space, frequently Watershed has hosted various early career meet ups for 18-30'(ish)' year olds, to come together, socialise and gain expertise from creative industry professionals. On Fridays, the Pervasive media studio is open to the public. You can get to know the space and the resident community of artists that work there, whilst studying outside of the sometimes intense atmosphere of Uni libraries. Whether it's art, film, technology or media you're interested in, weekly Lunchtime talks are also an excellent way to gain insight into specific aspects of different industries and topics.

Whilst I have yet to make use of all the opportunities available, (simply because there are so many) I managed to gain amazing experience working as a Social Media Reporter at Watershed's annual 'Cinema Rediscovered' film festival.

Taking place in the sumjournalistic mer, this scheme is a great way to gain exp e-

rience, especially if you don't have any, meet industry professionals and other film fanatics, whilst also being granted exceptional creative freedom over the content you cover. A highlight of this event for me was an Imax screening of Wim Wenders' enchanting neo-western Paris, Texas (1984).

As well as looking great on your CV, another massive plus is you get free access to the festival. I had a lot of fun whilst gaining valuable experience, seeing a variety of unique films and meeting the team at Watershed, who clearly care about nurturing young talent.

Epigram's partnership with Watershed also allows student writers to gain access to screenings, FOR FREE! Tickets usually come out monthly and are available on a first come, first served basis through our Film & TV Whatsapp group.

As well as Cinema Rediscovered, Watershed hosts various filmic events and festivals throughout the year. Encounters Film Festival takes place every year, with screenings in Watershed, Arnolfini and Bristol Beacon (this year it was the 24th-28th September), showcasing new directors and short films. Previous entrant Charlotte Wells (di-

rector of Aftersun, 2022) believes ‘Encounters opened the door to the industry for [her].’

BFI London film festival is also coming to Watershed from the 8th-19th October, with early previews of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Rian Johnson), starring Fleabag's (2016) hot priest, Andrew Scott, alongside a cast of A-listers, including Mila Kunis and Daniel Craig. Director of The Favourite (2018) and Poor Things (2023), Yorgos Lanthimos' next film Bugonia will also be previewing as well as Guillermo del Toro's take on Frankenstein and The Mastermind, directed by up and coming director Kelly Reichardt.

If you're into neo-westerns, check out First Cow (2019). Showcasing the talent of rising star and Indie cinema heartthrob Josh O'Connor, as well as Salt-

Photo courtesy of: Alex Boersma burn (2023, Emerald Fennell) star Jacob Elordi. Other films coming soon you won't want to miss include Die, My Love, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, The History of Sound, starring Josh O'Connor (again!) and Paul Mescal and Harris Dickinson's directorial debut Urchin. Bristol Palestine Film Festival will also be showcasing and amplifying a diverse range of Palestinian voices, which is coming to Watershed this November.

Another perk of Watershed is 'Undershed,' an immersive gallery, currently showcasing an exhibition which blends gameplay with narration from Tilda Swinton, about the experience of living with ADHD. Using immersive AI technology, the exhibition is innovative and entirely sensory in its portrayal of very real lived experiences.

Prioritising accessibility, Watershed also hosts relaxed screenings, designed to benefit anyone with additional needs (or if you just want to avoid the crowds!), to provide more spacious and quieter screenings. With quieter sound and a reduced capacity, these showings have a more relaxed feel, with films starting promptly, with no adverts or trailers.

I can safely say it is my favourite venue in Bristol to fit any mood.

Artwork courtesy of: Martia Zubieta

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

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Editor ......................................... Felix Glanville Deputy Editor ..............................Eleanor Bate Deputy Editor ............................. Max Graham Subeditor................................ Emma Coleman Subeditor...................................Olivia Howard

Why is Gilmore Girls so popular?

Settle down in Stars Hollow, and have a look at why the early 2000s show still has an enduring appeal, especially in autumn.

Beth Nugent

or those who don’t know, Gilmore Girls revolves around a mother and a daughter as they go through life, each with their own individual challenges, love interests and triumphs. It ran for seven seasons, with a four part limited Netflix revival in 2016 (Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life), and still people (me) are yearning for more, so, what makes this show so rewatchable?

There isn’t just one reason why this show has high levels of repeat view-

Flick Picks: Underrated horrors

Tobe Hooper The sink scene remains one of my favourite moments in all of horror (how did this movie get a PG rating?). Even in its earlier moments, the realism of this film is a bit stunted, so don’t expect much grit. Poltergeist has snappy, lively dialogue, and real comedy.

These characters live in a world where most of their friends are a short walk away and their town thrives off community. There are frivolous town events that everyone shows up to and town hall meetings that display a time where people wanted to connect with their neighbours, even if it’s through arguing about planning permission. We can pretend that social media makes it easier for us to keep in touch with friends but Gilmore Girls shows us that nothing beats a tangible connection with meaningful quality time.

ment it’s set in, as well as the core characters, and through repetition of the same space the viewer feels like they’ve been there and walked the streets alongside the characters.

By using settings to attach the viewer to the show, rather than just the characters, it creates that nostalgic feeling we get when we revisit a show we’re fond of. Showrunners and producers do this purposefully so that these iconic and recognisable places are cemented in your brain and woven in with feelings of warmth and joy.

One of the more refreshing ele-

ments of the show is its commitment to delving into complex female relationships, the central one being mother and daughter, but female friends also play a large part in progressing the plotline.

Paris (Liza Weil) and Rory (Alexis Bledel), Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy), Lane (Keiko Agena) and Rory these women are at the forefront, and yes they do make mistakes and sometimes their characters are truly unbelievable, but it’s a comfort to enter a world where formative relationships are explored with deep care and understanding.

Romina Trevino Third year, Liberal Arts

Photo courtesy of: IMDb

Photo courtesy of: IMDb

Poltergeist (1982)

ers, but a large one could be that Gilmore Girls shows us a simpler life and one that we as a generation yearn for. As much as we love sending our friends TikToks and binge watching shows on Netflix, there’s a part of us that looks at Stars Hollow and wishes that was us.

The setting of Stars Hollow is charming in itself, a sleepy town that goes through the changing seasons so clearly that it’s hard to imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to live in a place with snowy winters, leafy autumns and sunny summers. Situational TV shows have the benefit of allowing the viewer to become emotionally attached to the environ-

Photos courtesy of: IMDb

Third year, Film and Television

F

To read the full reviews and more, go to epigram.org.uk

Photo courtesy of: IMDb

Photo courtesy of: IMDb

Suspiria (1977)

Gremlins (1984)

Nobuhiko Obayashi

Dario Argento

Joe Dante

There really isn't anything like House.

This film feels like it truly embodies what it felt like to be a kid, when the world feels so mysterious and abstract and scary. The subconscious fears and fantasies that colour our dreams and nightmares, ever present.

What a year 1977 was for horror. Argento’s mastery of suspense is so palpable from minute one that there is no question to why he would go on to be known as the Master of Horror. Visually, Suspiria is a gift for the eyes. The soundtrack by progressive rock band Goblin is incredible.

Another childhood classic that just happens to be probably my favourite film of all time. This is a Christmas staple, but this was one of the movies that created so much backlash back in the 80s that they had to invent the PG-13 rating, and I get where they are coming from.

House (1977)

18 EPIGRAM 01.10.25

music Which music society should you join this year?

With everything from classical orchestras to Taylor Swift Appreciation, the University of Bristol has a music society perfect for you!

Tilly Collard Third Year, English

B

ristol is a vibrant centre of art and creativity, home to a dynamic music scene that’s echoed in the rich variety of musical societies offered at our university.

So, whether you're a fresher eager to dive in or a returning student ready to explore something new, discover all the musical opportunities the university has to offer!

Music Performance: If you’re a musician interested in rehearsal and performance opportunities, there are a plethora of groups to explore in a range of skill levels and intensity. BUMS (Bristol University Music Society) boasts over 10 incredible musical ensembles, both auditioned and non-auditioned.

As well as this, there are two symphony orchestras to choose from. The auditioned University of Bristol Symphony Orchestra is Photo courtesy of: Isaac Howie

the university's main orchestra, conducted by members of the Department of Music.

They perform an ambitious repertoire from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, blending iconic pieces and lesser-known works in their dazzling concerts.

Symphonia offers both a part-auditioned symphony orchestra and a completely non-auditioned philharmonic, providing a unique opportunity to be part of an orchestra in a fun and relaxed environment.

Bristol is home to an active jazz scene, with two amazing Big Band societies (Hornstars and Bristol University Jazz Orchestra) performing regularly in venues across Bristol.

In addition to this, the student led Jazz, Funk and Soul Society (JFS) can always be found jamming out in Mr Wolfs!

Bristol University Blues Society also offers a great opportunity for some casual jamming in pubs and the Balloon Bar. If you’re a theatre enthusiast or interested in performing as part of a wider creative process, consider joining the Music Theatre Bristol (MTB) Pit Band and become the heartbeat of live theatre at university. From powerful overtures to dramatic underscoring and toe-

tapping finales, pit band musicians are essential to creating the magic of musical theatre. You'll get the chance to collaborate with talented performers, gain real ensemble experience, and perform in front of live audiences in some of Bristol’s most exciting student productions.

Don’t worry vocalists, we haven’t forgotten you! Bristol has a huge variety of singing ensembles to dive into. BUMS offers two choirs: Chamber Choir, an auditioned group of 40-50 high standard singers, and Minerva Choir, a non-auditioned choir welcoming all vocal abilities in a relaxed and sociable setting.

The Bristol University Singers is the university's most prestigious choir, consisting of around 30 singers, and performing a wide range of music from the Renaissance to present day.

There are also plenty of opportunities to sing outside of a choir setting! The University of Bristol Performing Arts Forum (PAF) offers a plethora of opportunities for vocal performance.

MTB is dedicated to staging a range of high-quality shows and cabarets.

Bristol University Opera Society (BOPS) also perform two fulllength operas per year, with the

aim of making opera more fun and accessible. They have auditioned principal roles and a non-auditioned ensemble, so anyone who wants to have a crack at some opera is able to do so in a fun and engaging way.

The University is also home to eight different Acapella groups. Imagine Pitch Perfect, but in real life!

Each one offers something unique in the world of unaccompanied singing, so look out for Bristol Suspensions, Academy, Pitch Fight, Bristones, Top Note, Tone Rangers, All Sharps, and Brizzlebox.

It's the perfect way to live out your Barden Bella or Treblemaker fantasies!

Music Appreciation: Taylor Swift Appreciation Society is probably the most notable appreciation group, with dedicated club nights, karaoke socials, and brunch parties dedicated to celebrating everything Swiftie! If you’re a ‘Lover’ of Taylor, they’d be ‘Enchanted to meet you’!

Alternatively, the Underground Music Society dives into Bristol’s vibrant rave culture and explores both the literal and figurative underground music scene. Discover some new beats and have a good ol’ boogie while doing so!

Photo courtesy of: Megan Foulk

If you’re a concert enthusiast, Gig Society is the place to be. Featuring student bands as well as up-andcoming new artists, GigSoc is always showcasing something new and exciting, and you could be on barricade! Weekly pub socials and music quizzes make this a great place to connect with fellow music aficionados and hear some amazing new artists.

Additionally, RockSoc is a group dedicated to celebrating Bristol’s alternative music scene. Their events calendar is full of pub socials, alt club nights, quizzes and gigs, as well as frequent jam sessions if you want to rock out with fellow musicians!

From orchestras and choirs, to genre-specific appreciation groups, you’ll find a society that matches your interests and inspires you to get involved. Be sure to explore the SU societies page for more details. You can also follow your favourite groups on social media for updates on how to join, audition info, upcoming socials, and events!

So, why not dive into Bristol’s music scene this year? Get involved, meet new people, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

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Editor .......................................Sophie Scannell Deputy Editor ......................Aditi Hrisheekesh Deputy Editor ..................................Eve Davies Subeditor................................Anastasia Baker Subeditor............................. Arianna Balsamo

News:

Lizard Lounge to reopen its doors under new management Situated just moments from campus on Queens Road, newly refurbished Sixty Six will take the place of Lizard Lounge.

Sophie Scannell Music Editor

M

any of us will remember the closure of Lizard Lounge earlier this summer, kissing goodbye to every Taylor Tuesday that now remain nothing but a memory.

Good news for some (less great for others) is that Lizard Lounge is making a comeback, and just in the nick of time for freshers’ week.

Lizard Lounge, for better or for worse, had spanned a lifetime of almost thirty years. Now, following suit to its next-door-neighbour, Gravity, the club shut its doors in early July with a sombre Instagram post that marked ‘the end of an era’.

Now, two Bristol-based events companies, Dazed Muzic and Lost Track of Time, are taking it into their own hands to revamp

and renew the legacy of Lizard Lounge by completely redesigning the look and sound of the notoriously cheesy nightclub.

All of this refurbishment will come together under the new name, Sixty Six, a homage to its address on Queens Road, which is displayed on its front door.

The venue’s optimal location, nestled neatly in the bustling Triangle, is not lost on the usurpers of the club. Looking to transform it into a ‘state-ofthe-art dance music venue’, the venue’s two main events will take place each weekend.

straight into Sunday morning.

Ticketed launch parties are set to take off on the 19th and 20th of September.

Expect house, disco, and an alarming number of freshers pestering you for what course and accommodation you're in. Will you be one of the first to have a boogie in Sixty Six?

Lost Track of Time introduce ‘Off Record’, Friday’s house and garage night, after which Dazed Muzic will take over on Saturdays to give us ‘Dazed Disco’, which does exactly what is says on the tin: house and disco classics to keep you going

Illustration courtesy of: Off Record Photo courtesy of: Sophie Scannell

Sounds of summer 2025

Bethany Banks Third Year, English

Credit: RCA Records & Domino Recording Company

Credit: Columbia Records, Sony Music Entertainment, As Long As I’m Dancing LLC

Credit: Partisan Records / Play It Again Sam

Credit: Sony Music Entertainment

The Field

Headphones On

Love Takes Miles

Let Me Live In Your City

Blood Orange

Addison Rae

Cameron Winter

Paul Simon

In typical Bristol student fashion, I was eagerly awaiting the Blood Orange album release this summer, and was not left disappointed.

Dev Hynes’ production has the ability to transform any gloomy afternoon into feeling like the start of an alluring summer night.

TikTok dancer turned dance-pop it girl, Rae oozes cool-girl charm with her pop-princess persona, and I can’t help but sing along.

This summer, Winter’s warbling vocals lingered the longest in my head from the track ‘Love Takes Miles’, a standout on the album that somehow shouldn’t be catchy, but really, really is. I was struck most by Winter’s intriguing, awe-inspiring voice, which seems to be the stand-out instrument on this album.

Complete with a lilting guitar melody and the transcendent tones of Simon, ‘Let Me Live In Your City’ is the perfect song to unwind to after a hectic shift, or have a quiet moment with on an early journey to work.

‘The Field’ is no exception, even the song’s name invoking a revered pastime of British summertime. I, as I’m sure is the same for many of you, have spent a hefty chunk of my summers wasting away the hours lazing around in fields with my friends, and this song perfectly encapsulates that nostalgic, sunny feeling.

Whilst I have enjoyed every step of the Addison Rae-naissance so far, a standout track to me is ‘Headphones On’, a song in which Rae’s sultry-sweet voice conveys the joys of shutting out the anxieties of the world and disappearing into the music you love, over an invigorating beat with lush instrumentals.

If anyone caught a live Addison Rae performance this summer, I will be eternally jealous, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

I listened to this song most days this summer, comforted by it in my headphones on ‘Love Takes Miles’ reminds me of some of my 6am walk to the cafe, helping me appremy favourite people in Bristol, and leaves me ciate the dusky peace of the city at this time. feeling slightly mournful when thinking of my final year of study to come, after recall- For more recommendations, go to: ing the seemingly endless summer gone by. epigram.org.uk

20 EPIGRAM 01.10.25

SciTech Vinyl worlds Everyone's heard someone say that vinyl is better than digital. Jenine Althari asked the audiophiles at Paul Roberts Hi-Fi about why this is and the ways music is stored when it's not being played.

Jenine Althari Third year, Chemistry

A

When asked about the difference between digital and analogue, Gordon responded not with explanation, but demonstration. He gently lowered the needle onto the 12-inch record, and a soft cackle gave way to This Journey In by The Rebirth. The track filled each corner of the shop - rich and unhurried. And, like the timing of a practiced punchline, Gordon said, ‘I rest my case for vinyl’.

In an era of ultra-clean, digital sound, this warmth and presence felt like something we’ve forgotten to expect when listening to music. So, what is it that gives vinyl its distinct sound, and why are more people returning to it?

Part of the answer lies in the difference between how these formats capture sound. Digital audio records sound in snapshots which are quick samples of the

ten flattened in digital mastering.

As the record in the shop continued to spin, Gordon highlighted what sets the analogue sound apart: the ability to hear the ‘nuance of the musicians’ and the ‘bends in the notes’ is what makes it ‘feel like we are in the studio with them.’ Perhaps that’s what people really mean when they talk about vinyl’s warmth: not just a tonal quality, but the full preservation of the original sound.

Much of what we hear of digital audio is shaped by dynamic range compression - a process applied during the mastering stage to ensure music sounds consistent across all playback systems.

Engineers reduce the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of a track, effectively pushing everything closer together. The result is often a louder, more uni-

form sound, but with less space for subtlety and contrast.

This pursuit of loudness became an industry obsession from the late 1990s, during a period now known as ‘the loudness wars’. Record labels pushed mastering engineers to prioritise volume over detail, hoping louder tracks would grab listeners attention on the radio or MTV. Nowadays, streaming platforms apply their own loudness normalisation, meaning there’s no competitive advantage in maxing out volume. As a positive consequence, more artists and producers have returned to dynamic mixes that preserve the original feel of the music.

But, beyond how music is mastered, the format itself can shape the sound we hear. Even without aggressive compression, CDs and digital files face physical limitations that vinyl doesn’t. A vinyl provides more space for information, while CDs often require that information be squeezed into a smaller area.

The more space a format allows, the more closely it can preserve the original depth and dynamics.

To capture this idea, Paul offered a simple analogy: ‘It’s like trying to fit a 30-piece orchestra into a small room. With vinyl, they’ve all got space. With a smaller format, like a CD, half the orchestra has to be kicked out.’

This relationship between physical space and sound quality is perhaps most obvious in the 12-inch single, a format designed for clarity instead of convenience. With just one track per side, these records dedicate far more space to a sin-

gle song. ‘You’ve got just seven minutes of music there,’ Gordon explained, ‘so the grooves are wider… it picks up a much better sound’.

It must be said that even amongst vinyl records, not all sound i s equal. Gordon pointed out that the same album can vary dramatically in quality depending on how and when it was pressed: ‘In theory, the earlier the pressing, the better the quality.’ This is That physicality isn’t just a technical detail; it helped define the because the original master disc, sound of disco and shape its evocreated from the tape, can only be lution. In the 1970s, as nightclubs used to press a limited number of evolved into high-volume, high-enrecords before it begins to wear ergy spaces, DJs needed a format out. When new masters are made, that could deliver punchy sound slight degradation is introduced. without distortion. The wide So for collectors, early pressgrooves of 12-inch singles made ings aren’t just valuable, disco possible, allowing for strongthey often sound better too. er bass, crisper percussion, Pressing location matters as and deeper dynamwell, with Gordon ic range. ‘This is noting Japawhere disco nese records became hugeamong some ly successof the best. ful,’ GorThey’re ofdon noted. ten sought Disco was after for about more their clarity than just and craftsrhythm, and manship, the 12-inch the result of single shaped high-grade both the way it m materials and a ash meticulous sounded and the ge c atl p s redit : Dewang Gupta / Un tention to detail way it moved people.

Still, there are more factors during mastering and duplicontributing to the reemergence cation. In contrast, some modern of vinyl than just preservation reissues are pressed from digital of original dynamics. After all, files rather than original analogue streaming is instant, portable, tapes, introducing limitations and often free. It can be said that before the needle even hits the vinyl offers deliberate listening groove. And when combined with in a world of distraction. Records low-quality pressings or poor care, come with a ritual, and the init’s easy to see where the cackle tentionality of the routine slows and hiss reputation comes from. you down. Alongside this, much of its charm comes from the act But those distortions aren’t inherof collecting. And unlike streament to vinyl. 'Vinyl doesn’t have ing, where musical taste is often to have those distortions. When shaped by algorithms, a record collooked after, it can sound like lection is curated - not generated. this,’ Gordon said, gesturing at the warm sound still filling the space.

I

Photo courtesy of: Corin Hadley

t Paul Roberts Hi-Fi, signed as the ‘Centre of Grooves’, Paul Verrinder and Gordon Montgomery bring decades of expertise in analogue audio.

waveform, taken tens of thousands of times per second. A standard CD, for example, captures 44,100 samples per second.

These points are stored as binary, a series of 1s and 0s, and during playback, the gaps between them are filled in by approximations.

Vinyl, by contrast, doesn’t have missing pieces. It captures the entire continuous waveform as a physical groove, carved directly into the record. What’s heard through the speakers is the needle tracing those vibrations in real time. It’s a continuous signal, not a reconstructed one. Vinyl preserves the full detail of the music, including the subtle dynamics that are of-

The record reached its runout groove, and the case for vinyl had played itself out.

Photo courtesy of: Mitchel Lensink/ Unsplash

Vinyl’s return isn’t just about chasing better sound, it’s about resisting the flattening of how we listen. In a time when music is often consumed passively, in playlists built by code, the record pushes for something else: attention, care, and involvement. Vinyl asks for something from the listener and offers something deeper in return.

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

21

Editor ............................................ Corin Hadley Deputy Editor ............................... Alice Guskov Deputy Editor ............................. Sanya Saxena Deputy Editor ...............................Jemima Choi Illustrations courtesy of: Corin Hadley

Life and rock in Bristol's gorge The Bristol Gorge, other than just looking nice, is a site of special biological and geological importance.

Amelia McCabe

From its earliest formation, the gorge has defied geological expectations. For years, scientists were puzzled as to why the River Avon cut through the carboniferous limestone of Clifton, rather than following its expected route southwesterly through Ashton Vale.

Third Year, English

A

von Gorge – a site of industrial legacy and striking topography – is a defining feature of Bristol's landscape. While it is most commonly recognised for its housing of Clifton’s Suspension Bridge, it is also remarkable for its geology and biology. So, beyond its place in industrial history, what makes this landscape truly important?

Whether it is understood as a site of scientific phenomenon or local legend, Avon Gorge certainly deserves its position as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Site (RIGGS). From rare plants to its own microclimate, this glacial formation is as interesting below the surface as it is above.

It is now understood that two glacial deposits, which formed during the last ice age, prevented the Avon from cutting through its original path. Instead, it was forced to carve through the ridge at Clifton, towards what is now known as Cleveland. As a result, we can see the gorge – thanks to erosional downcutting and fluvial deposition – forming a corridor through the western side of Bristol.

Just as enigmatic as its formation is its climate. Thanks to the porous nature of carboniferous limestone, which also contributes to the steep, south-western facing sides of the gorge, temperatures are often two degrees higher than the surrounding Bristol area. Constantly sheltered from prevailing winds, in the direct view of sunlight, and drained of most of its surface

Who pissed in my facecream?

With so many skincare products available, with so many ingredients, how do you know what's legit and what's (literal) shit?

Katie Hoffelner Fourth Year, Physics

U

nbothered.

Happy.

In

Moisturised. my lane.

Skincare is often sold to us as the ultimate form of self love.

However, it's difficult to understand what actually helps, and many people are spending lots of money and time on routines that may do more harm than good.

On the one hand, buzzwords

such as ‘glowy’ or ‘glass’ skin can make people feel insecure about normal, healthy skin. On the other hand, fearmongering about ‘gross’ or even ‘dangerous’ chemicals can scare people away from beneficial products.

91% of people had voted that ‘a splash of human urine’ was a disgusting skincare ingredient, ranking it second only to infant foreskin. The ingredient that's being referred to is urea, a chemical which is produced naturally in our bodies.

Urea has a vital role in skin health, as it helps the skin regulate its moisture content depending on the humidity of the surrounding air. In addition, urea aids in the production of keratinocytes, which are the most common type of cell in the outermost layer of the

water stores, Avon Gorge forms a distinct warm and dry climate; this is ideal for supporting rare and endemic species of flora and fauna found nowhere else in the region.

these birds. If you’re lucky, you may even spot the descending silhouette of a falcon through the morning mist on your way to lectures.

So, whether you have an interest

in rare wildlife or you simply enjoy marveling at natural wonders, visit Clifton Suspension Bridge, Clifton Observatory, or join Peregrine Watch to experience the best views of Avon Gorge.

Over 24 rare plants can be found along the steep slopes of the gorge.

This includes endemic species, such as the Bristol onion and Bristol rock cress, which have evolved in isolation along the gorge’s slopes. To name a few of the rarer kinds of flora that can be found, there are the spiked speedwell, autumn squill, and honewort.

Higher up, and out of the way of smaller plant species, grow rare types of shrubs. From the Bristol whitebeam to the Willmott's whitebeam, there is no end to the unusual plants which inhabit the cliff faces of Avon Gorge. Its abundance of remarkable species is what makes it not only a geological marvel, but also an ecological haven.

1990 also marked the year when peregrine falcons reappeared within the Gorge. The varied food source and plethora of crags and ledges make this site an ideal habitat for

skin. The continuous production of keratinocytes is essential for healthy skin function. Most people should have sufficient urea in their skin and don't need to apply more topically, but in certain cases, it can be extremely useful.

Lower concentrations of urea (520%) can help moisturise dry skin.

Higher concentrations (20%+) are able to break down layers of dead skin, and are commonly found in foot creams to treat rough skin on the soles of the foot.

Another ingredient, which 77% of people voted as disgusting, is snail mucin. Snail mucin is a promising ingredient, consisting of a range of compounds which give it moisturising and antimicrobial properties.

If you're interested in the benefits of snail mucin but not it’s origin story, ingredients such as hyaluronic acid can be a good alternative.

Hyaluronic acid is a component of snail mucin, which lends to its moisturising properties. It is also found in the human body, and helps to maintain skin elasticity.

Reduction of hyaluronic acid in the

Photo courtesy of: James Lewis

body, caused by aging or excessive exposure to sunlight, results in drier skin, wrinkles, and slower healing of wounds. Hyaluronic acid is part of a class of substances called humectants, which attract water and are commonly used in cosmetics or food to retain moisture.

Other humectants include glycerin, aloe vera, and even urea. Incorporating a humectant into your skincare routine may offer some of the moisturising benefits which snail mucin is praised for, at a much lower cost.

an ingredient with extensive research into its benefits may end up being irritating for your skin.

For many, a simple routine consisting of sunscreen and potentially a gentle cleanser and moisturiser should be sufficient. Other lifestyle factors such as diet, stress, or smoking also affect the health and appearance of the skin, so it's important to consider a holistic approach to skin health.

Skincare content creators are incentivised to promote new ideas and products to keep viewers engaged, FACECREAM regardless of whether -O-MATIC 2000 there is sufficient research to suggest that something is effective, or even safe.

Viewers may feel compelled to buy products without understanding how, let alone if, To find out more about misconceptions they work. In addition, everyone's and surprising realities in the skincare skin acts differently, and even industry, visit epigram.org.uk

22 EPIGRAM 01.10.25

Sport What a home Women's Rugby World Cup really means

Emma Griffiths Sports Editor

The Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 is being hosted in England for the first time since 2010. Epigram explores what it means for the biggest tournament in the sport's history to be right on our doorstep.

A

s I step out of Brighton train station, I’m confronted with the Women's Rugby World Cup. And 'confronted' is an apt verb choice - I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s everywhere.

Photo courtesy of: Instagram/@rugbyworldcup

I expected maybe one slightly damp sign, potentially a couple of England shirts and cowboy hats sticking out in a sea of people who just didn’t really care that the biggest celebration of women’s rugby was happening right here in their city.

sold in my sleep - 410,000 for your information - and yet, seeing it in person is something entirely different.

Without sounding dramatic, it really does feel like we’re collectively on a precipice. We've all invested in a sport whose stocks are about to skyrocket. It’s like the calm before the storm, if the storm was adorned in red sparkly cowboy hats, yelling manically at a screen, and covered in a light sheen of sweat from the tropical 22 degrees.

But instead, I walk out into the Brighton sunshine to be greeted by more England shirts that I could count, cowboy hats galore, signs directing people to Fan Zones - and more importantly: people going.

I follow the crowds to the Fan Zone, and I’m surprised - sounds terrible to say, but it is true, I am surprised - to look around and see that the crowd isn’t just full of twenty-something girls like me.

In fact, we’re almost the minority.

I’ve been covering women’s rugby for over a year now, so I’m not really sure why this made such an impact on me. I’ve written countless articles on how much the women’s game is growing; I could recite record-breaking statistics of tickets

I’ve found that in women’s sport, there’s a tendency to assume that if you’re a woman, you must watch women’s sport - simply because you are a woman. In the name of feminism. But that completely defeats the point - sport isn’t political at its core.

Sport is unifying: it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from - as long as you’re really good at handling an egg-shaped ball, or watching other people do that, you're welcome.

The crowd proves this. In one glance, I take in a group of middle aged men, countless families, teenagers and about every other demographic that you could think of.

In other words, the Fan Zone is full. I mean, not as full as it would be at a Men’s World Cup, but again, remember that I said ‘precipice’ - the all-out full-tilt acceleration is imminent. I arrive just as a try is scored on the huge screen at the front, and a roar erupts.

Stop it you guys, I think, no need to be that excited to see me.

But the excitement is palpable - and obviously not because I’ve arrived, but because another try has been scored in the final group round games.

This World Cup hasn't just been record-breaking from participation statistics - almost every game is privy to world-class performances that are redefining the calibre of women's rugby. And we're only two weeks in.

Just looking at Pool A, which I'm on my way to watch, there are stories of incredible talent and tenacity from every nation.

For Australia, eighteen year old Caitlyn Halse - the youngest Wallaroo ever - has quickly established herself as a dominant force in the Australian offensive, scoring multiple tries in every game.

Samoa - a nation that is primarily amateur or semi-professional and crowdfunded to even get to the tournament - scored their first World Cup points last week, and celebrated like they’d just lifted the trophy.

In all of the groups, the girls on the pitch have not just proved that women’s rugby is good - they’ve proved that it’s great. Forget keeping up with the boys, they’ve shown that it’s a game in its own right.

I head towards the stadium, with a sneaking suspicion that I might find this a bit more emotional than I initially expected. I was going to tell myself to man up, but actually, maybe that’s part of what this day is - revelling in a historic moment, drinking in the atmosphere, the pride that practically seeps from every person there.

If I thought that there was a sea of supporters in central Brighton, then the stadium transcends geographical metaphors entirely. It’s packed, even 90 minutes out from kick-off when I arrive.

As people take their seats, a number flashes up on the screen - 30,443 people watching today. It’s crazy how, suddenly, these five digit numbers have become almost normal.

When England last hosted the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2010, just over 7,000 came to the final. 15 years on, and over quadruple that number are coming to just the group rounds.

This season was the first one where the Red Roses matches not only broke even, but made money. The girls are all on fully professional contracts - as the best team in the

world, they are a model for the rest of global women's rugby of what equality in sport truly looks like.

The final this year will take place in the sold out 82,000-capacity Allianz Stadium in Twickenham - not the smaller Stoop, not as a precursor to a men's match, but as an important rugby date in its own right. England Sport is doing a lot right when it comes to improving the standards and expectations attached to women's rugby, and seeing this funnelled into a World Cup is incredibly exciting.

And as if all of this isn’t nice enough, the 80 minute whistle heralds in a very rare moment in sport. Both sides celebrating - although Australia have suffered a pretty substantial loss, they’ve done enough to make it through the quarterfinals. A match almost always requires a winner and a loser: being able to see two winners is, put simply, outstanding.

Even five years ago, this wouldn't be a reality. The crowds, the atmosphere, the funding, the calibre of the rugby played. As much as the women's game finally being treated with the respect and gravity that it deserves shouldn't be a novel experience, it is also easy to forget how amazing all of this is.

This World Cup goes so much further than just who eventually lifts the trophy (which is also the biggest ever by the way). This World Cup is a celebration of everything the sport has ever been, everything it has become and everything it hopes to achieve. As we move into the knockout rounds, and the stakes get higher and higher, the emotion is sure to only increase.

Bristol is hosting two quarter-finals and both of the semi-finals. If you can't get a ticket - an amazing statement in its own right - Bristol Amphitheatre has a huge Fan Zone, replete with big screens, food and drink, and shed loads of atmosphere. It's an event that you don't want to miss - I mean, remember: everyone watches women's sport.

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

23

Editor .............................................. Emma Griffiths Deputy Editor .......................................Ava Featon Deputy Editor ................................. Benjy Howard Subeditor.......................................Weronika Lecka Subeditor...................................... Edward Wallace

Volleyball is back with the Men's World Cup Volleyball is about to enjoy some serious spotlight as the Men's Volleyball World Cup gets underway from the 12th - 28th September.

Ava Featon Second Year, Sport Deputy Editor The stage has been set for the Men’s Volleyball World Cup 2025, and it is Manila who have the pleasure of hosting this enticing event. Spanning across the majority of September, the host country of the Philippines is in for an eventful few weeks.

Thirty-two countries will battle it out for the title of World Cup champion. Drawings took place live in the Philippines on the 14th of September. Each team has been drawn into one of the eight

pools, which were determined by the FIVB Volleyball Senior World Rankings at the end of the National Teams Season, the year before the Event (30 August 2024) establishing the teams’ seeding position.

Both the host country (Philippines) and the current World Champions (Italy) automatically gained a spot into the 2025 World Cup, alongside the top three teams from the 2023 Continental Championships.

The rest of the twenty-seven teams were made up from the qualifying positions in the FIVB world rankings at the end of the National League Season 2024.

The thirty-two teams that will be competing for the title are; Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czechia, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea, Libya, the Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia,

Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States of America.

The excitment begins on the 12th of September when the pool stages get underway. Each of the eight pools, which consist of four countries in each, will compete in a round-robin style competition, before the top two countries from each pool advance into the knockout round of sixteen nations.

The unfortunate teams that fail to advance to the next phase of the tournament will be put through the combined ranking system to determine their world ranking. This includes various factors such as their pool position, number of points and victories, and their set and point ratios.

On the 20th of September, the competition will heat up again as the ruthless knock-out rounds begin. Countries will go head-tohead with one another in a single

Sport Society Spotlight

elimination format, where only the teams who come out victorious will advance to the quarterfinals.

The quarter-finals are played across the 24th – 25th September. The draw will take place according to a set framework - namely, the first quarter-final (QF) winner will play the winner of the second QF, and the third QF winner will face the second QF winner.

The semi-finals will take place on the 27th September, when the losers from both matches will throw down for the bronze medal.

It's a quick turnaround for the finals the next day on the 28th September, where the final two will battle it out to lift the trophy and be crowned World Champion - at least until the next competition in 2029.

There are two impressive venues where the World Cup is going to be held. The Smart Araneta

Coliseum is one of the largest indoor sports arena in Asia, with a 15,000 strong capacity. The second venue is the SM Mall of Asia Arena, which regularly hosts the Philippines’ University Volleyball Championships and the Country’s Premier Volleyball League.

However, for the vast majority of us who will not be attending live, the tournament is easily accessible across streaming platforms. ‘VBTV’ offer live and on-demand access to the matches, as well as ‘CEV EuroVolleyTV’ who also offer both live and catchup streaming of the World Cup. The Men’s Volleyball World Cup 2025 is shaping up to be a competition you do not want to miss out on. Whether you are watching the underdogs fight for their position on the world stage, or established teams proving why their silverware cabinet is so full, this is a tournament you want to get in on.

Ed Wallace & Benjy Howard Sport Sub-Editor & Sport Deputy Editor Photo courtesy of: Instagram/@uniofbristoltennis

Epigram is incredibly excited to be launching our new column spotlighting different sport societies every month.

Hopefully this can give you an opportunity to learn more about sports that always intrigued you, or grow your knowledge about sports that you had no idea could even exist!

All I can say is watch this space!

University of Bristol Tennis Club T

ennis is on the up. Thrilling events, rising stars, and an increasing roster of talented British players have all played a part in boosting the sport’s popularity in recent months, particularly in this country.

September saw Carlos Alcaraz win his sixth career Grand Slam (the name given to tennis’ four most prestigious tournaments) at the US Open, aged just 22. The precocious talent, who believed he played ‘perfectly’ in the final against Jannik Sinner, is already one of only four players to have won mul-

tiple Grand Slams on all three surfaces of grass, hard court, and clay.

Those two look set to play out a great, career-long rivalry after they produced one of the all-time great finals at Wimbledon in July - with battles like this being key drivers for raking in new viewerships and fans of the sport. At that same tournament, the highest number of British participants since 1984 competed in the men’s and women’s singles competitions.

backdrop appears to provide the perfect platform for the University of Bristol Tennis Club (UBTC) to flourish. The UBTC Performance Captain, Leo Sassoon, hopes that they can harness this positive momentum and encourages interested students to reach out to any society member and try their hand at one of the training sessions.

Emma Raducanu, practically a global celebrity after her 2021 US Open win as a teenager, is regaining her previous form and confidence to become a serious threat for major titles; meanwhile, Jack Draper’s rapid rise has seen him break into the world top 10 rankings.

The flexibility of playing tennis at Bristol is one of its major attractions, according to Leo: ‘the schedule is easy to balance with work and other commitments as there is a lot of freedom [in when you can play].’ As all students know, excess admin can be a real turn-off, so fortunately all that is necessary to play at the Coombe Dingle courts or to attend a lesson is to fill out a simple online form.

As the world of university sport heads into the 2025/26 season, this

Members have the opportunity to take part in sessions up to

four times a week, in addition to Wednesday matches - which, unsurprisingly, are followed by the society’s weekly socials.

As ever with Bristol sports teams, UBTC have performed strongly in BUCS (British University and College Sport) competitions, ranking eighth in the country for 2024/25. The Bristol Women’s 1 team claimed first-place finishes in the Western Tier 1 and Premier South play-offs, rounding out a successful year for the whole club.

Above all else, Leo’s affirmation that the society’s ‘community feel and atmosphere at Coombe Dingle’ play an integral part in member enjoyment of tennis at Bristol paints an enticing image of a welcoming and successful club. And with the exciting current landscape across the sport as a whole, any newcomers will have chosen just the right time to join.

24

01.10.25 EPIGRAM

Curated by Rachel Shortall, brought to you by the Community Section

EPI-GAMES

c

CRISS CROSS by Mihai Rosca

Illustrations courtesy of: Issy Blythe

Brought to you by the President of Epigram himself, Mihai has picked out a selection of words relating to some of his favourite articles of the year so far, which can all be found on the Epigram website - can you fit them into this criss cross?

3-LETTERS RWA

HOW TO CRISS CROSS

4-LETTERS Brat Bear EMMY

Unfamiliar with this type of puzzle? Fret not, the aim of the game is very simple, fit the words into the grid so that they interlock correctly. For some, placement will be straightforward e.g. words which are the only ones with a given number of letters. For others however, a little more

6-LETTERS Venues Budget Matcha Lizard Horror Marvel Abroad

thinking is required.

For example, if my words were: REACH, RATE and DOCK

7-LETTERS Reading Surgery Fresher Pitcher

5-LETTERS Indie Train 8-LETTERS Classics Forwards Festival Thailand Vaccines 9-LETTERS Employers Diversity Bookshops Languages Lionesses

If any of these topics pique your interest, find out about all of this and more at epigram.org.uk

I know that REACH must go in the 5 letter slot, DOCK must go where the 4-letter word overlaps with the C, and so on. Apply this kind of logic and fill the grid to succeed!

CHESS PUZZLE by Kaz Freedman Assuming that the moves given for black are the best moves that black can make, how can white reach checkmate in 3 moves?

MINI CROSSWORD by Rachel Shortall 1

2

3

4

5

6 7 8

White's first move: ______________________________ Black's move: Rook to F6

10

13

White's second move: ___________________________

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE by Romina Treviño Santa Cruz Can you spot the differences between these two illustrations of a Bristol student scene? There are a total of 14 to be found!

Epigram could not feature creative puzzles like this one without collaborating with you wonderful, talented people reading! If you have a fun Epigames idea or a desire to see your work in a later print, let us know at epigramcommunitysection@gmail.com

12 14

15

16

Black's move: King to H7 White's third move: _____________________________

11

9

17

ACROSS

1. Counterpart of Florence of 'Dog Days Are Over' fame (7) 6. Energy supplier based in Bristol (3) 7. Kenny's South Park friend (7) 8. Card that stores and transfers digital data like photos and videos from your device (2) 10. Drink with an India Pale variety (3) 13. Country from which Halloween is said to have originated (7) 16. Respectful address to a man (3) 17. Method of operating a muppet, say (8)

DOWN

1. Chocolatey coffee (5) 2. First name of 'Sweet but Psycho' singer (3) 3. To come to one's defence is to fight one's ______ (6) 4. What the I and M stand for in the abbreviation IMO (4) 5. Ages (4) 9. _____ Warbucks, as he is known by Annie (5) 11. Without, in ___ of (4) 12. What Moses is said to have managed to do to the red sea (4) 14. In particular, when shortened in text messages (3)” 15. Untrue statement (3)