Issue 726/ 7 Dec 2021 by Exeposé

The South West’s Best Student Publication

ISSUE 726 07 DEC 2021 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

Disabled students condemn University’s failure to uphold ILPs as evidence Oliver Leader de Saxe and Chloe Pumares Editor and Deputy Editor

Interview with Bella Enoizi, VP Education Pages 5 & 6

Comment: Should we abolish private schools? Page 11

EVERAL students have voiced their anger and dismay regarding Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) no longer counting as evidence for mitigation. This year the University has given all students four self-certified one week extensions which require no mitigation forms or evidence, and unlimited self-certified extensions for students with ILPs. However, it appears the system has changed when applying for longer-term mitigation, with ILPs Geograph no longerImage: standing as evidence alone. One Humanities student who spoke to Exeposé shared her experiences of the “University’s lack of mental health support specifically in relation to mitigation.” “I was previously told my ILP was for three weeks of extensions, but this year I’ve been told otherwise. When I reached out to my personal tutor, he said that my college should be supporting my mitigation request but they aren’t for some reason. It took me two weeks to get an extension actually approved which if it hadn’t, I could have failed my specific assignment.” The student went on to criticise the college’s demands for further proof that their mental health condition had worsened to get an extension longer than a week.

Christmas all around the globe Page 16 Images (top to bottom): Guild, WRTL (wikicommons), NativityChristmasLights (wikicommons)

extensions” for those experiencing a “long term fluctuating health condition / disability.” Under the Equality Act 2010, a mental health condition is considered a disability if it has a long-term effect on your normal dayto-day activity for 12 months or more. One student experiencing a long term physical health condition was similarly “denied mitigation on the basis I didn’t have supporting evidence despite my ILP. I can’t go to the doctor every time I need an extension.” They noted they would have to pay £25 per letter of support if they wrote one. Similar to other students, they were then

recommended to approach Wellbeing to support their application, but were unable to get an appointment in time for their assessment. “I felt I had to submit a subpar essay because deferral is not a viable option for me. It’s all just a bit convoluted and unfair.” When asked how they would improve the system, they told Exeposé that there should be a “24/7 Wellbeing service available to support students if they insist on all students with ILPs needing evidence.”

Continued on page 3

Image: Oliver Leader de Saxe

Student charity work halted by Guild’s delay in updating DBS policy Oliver Leader de Saxe and Chloe Pumares Editor and Deputy Editor

Lifestyle:

“It has been really stressful to have to find proof for my mental health condition when I already have proof.” According to the student, when they reached out to the Wellbeing team, they told them that the “ILP was wrong and that it was miscommunicated,” backing it up by stating that “in first term of my second year I hadn’t used my ILP because I was in a better mental state, as if that was proof.” In the Teaching Quality Assurance Manual under Annex F, the list of accepted evidence includes “an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) which supports the granting of

WO student volunteer groups have spoken to Exeposé in regards to delays surrounding inhouse DBS checks, with criticism being levelled at how “dismissive” the Students’ Guild have been of their concerns and how lack of clear communication has led to projects being cancelled. “Pre-pandemic the Guild used to provide all DBS checks for our projects such as for working with children in schools” a spokesperson from Exeter Student Volunteers (ESV) told Exeposé. “The volunteers would go to a drop-in which was run weekly and complete the forms.”

However, during the pandemic the DBS service was suspended for “revamp”, with ESV claiming that issues surrounding this have been ongoing since June. “We are still being told by the Guild that it’ll be sorted soon, with no estimated date despite repeatedly asking. It means our projects such as those involving children or in an educational setting cannot run, even if volunteers had an external DBS because it hasn’t been done through the Guild.” EVS went on to state how the Guild let the society “organise a summer camp for Devon Young Carers but the Guild came in a few a weeks before because they hadn’t gotten their side of the admin done. It’s just another case of disorganisation and them wasting our time.”

Upcoming school projects that could be impacted by DBS delays include Mentoring for Success, Art Club, Global Touch and a Teddy Bear Hospital. When EVS reached out to the Guild expressing their concerns, they received an email “saying we’d been running the society improperly and not getting the right risk assessments. But there’s no point [doing risk assessments] until DBS takes place.” Student Action for Refugees (STAR) shared similar experiences, stating how the system for submitting volunteers’ names in order to get DBS checks seems “unclear” and that “there doesn’t seem to be one.” STAR initially reached out to the Guild on 1 September and received a re-

ply the next day stating the process was being reviewed. This was followed up on 26 September after no updates about DBS checks were provided on the Guild website other than for related academic courses. The same day the society received a response stating that the new process was to provide a list of volunteers “so [the Activities team] can work out the numbers required.” The Guild also stated that they hoped to cover the costs. STAR sent over a list of student volunteers to be DBS checked on 3 November, and received a reply on 24 November stating they would be in touch early in the week if anything needs changing.

Continued on page 3

EXEPOSÉ Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ Editors Print: Bridie Adams & Oliver Leader de Saxe Online: Millie Betts & Anna Wilmot Deputies: Lucy Aylmer, Cassia Grace & Chloe Pumares editors@exepose.com Social Media Executive Emily Im News Editors Print: Megan Ballantyne & Livvy Mason-Myhill Online: Meg Allan & Orla Mackinnon news@exepose.com Features Editors Print: Joshua Hughes & Steffi Haselden Online: Issac Bettridge & Lucy Evans Foreign Correspondents Co-ordinator:s: Ryan Gerrett & Elen Johnston features@exepose.com Comment Editors Print: Evan Thomas & Kate Hall Online: Rachael Powell & Eirwen Abberley Watton comment@exepose.com Satire Editor Print: Cleo Gravett Lifestyle Editors Print: Danni Darrah & Zoe Sperry Online: Katie Edgar & Sophie Porteous lifestyle@exepose.com Arts + Lit Editors Print: Ella Minty & Ana Anajuba Online: Clemence Smith & Georgia Balmer artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors

Editorial

SPA AWARDS

2020 Best Publication 2021 Best Publication in the South West

HE build-up to Christmas is always exciting, and we hope you're enjoying all of the festivities Exeter has to offer as term draws to a close. The shorter days of winter see the start of well-loved routines: writing cards, wrapping presents, and decorating your house and Christmas tree. Hopefully these activities are providing some light relief from deadlines. It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Christmas Masquerade Ball with XMEDIA on 5 December, and we hope those who came had a great time. It was nice to put faces to the names of the writers who frequently contribute to the paper. As for our final issue of the year, we have News stories on the experiences of students with Individual Learning Plans (front page) and local protests against the presence of live reindeer at Exeter Christmas Market (page 4.) In Features we have an article on Black Friday (page 10) and, in Comment, an article about transphobia in the UK (page 12.) The Satire section looks at the Festival of Compassion and the reopening of the Great Western Railway Dartmoor line (page 13.)

Lifestyle has plenty of Christmas content, celebrating Christmas in three different cultures and reviewing Exeter Christmas Market (page 16.) Meanwhile, Arts + Lit has some interesting content including about whether plays are to be read or watched (page 18) and Music discusses the issue of ownership in music, looking specifically at Taylor Swift's dispute with Scooter Braun (page 19.) Screen features a debate surrounding the 'Peeves cut' of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (page 22) and Tech recommends video games for beginner gamers (page 23). As always Science covers some groundbreaking content, including explorations of how going to bed early can help you live longer (page 28) and of how childhood colds can protect you against COVID-19 (page 29.) Sport includes a rundown of Fight Night (back page) and a summary of why Djokovic refuses to have the COVID-19 vaccine (page 31.) Have a lovely Christmas and we'll see you next term!

NEWS

Students donate profits from resold tickets PAGE 3

FEATURES The callousness of Patel's 'Anti-Refugee Bill' PAGE 10

ARTS + LIT

Japan and the West

PAGE 17

SCIENCE 'Hangxiety' PAGE 28

Ollie & Bridie

Images (top to bottom): Pixabay, Richard Townshend, Giuseppi Milo, Pixabay

Print: Harry Hawkins & Loti Bend

University news home and abroad

Online: Tom Bosher & George Ward music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Archie Lockyer & Francesca Sylph Online: Adam Simcox screen@exepose.com Tech Editor Print: Alaïa LaFleur Science Editors Print: Ellen Rogers & Nancy Stitt Online: Daisy Scott & Imogen Poyntz-Wright sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Oscar Young & Rob Worthington Online: Floris de Bruin & Henry Hood sport@exepose.com Copy Editor Oliver Lamb Proofers Ana Anajuba, Kate Hall, Joshua Hughes, Oliver Lamb, Tabitha Hannam & Joshua Smith

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58 UK universities and colleges to UAE institutions to return strike for three days in December to full capacity

AST week, 58 universities and colleges faced industrial action in the form of strikes. In addition, workers at 64 universities have a mandate to take action short of strike. According to the UCU, one third of academic staff are on insecure contracts, the gender pay gap is at 15 per cent and the most current Higher Education Statistics Agency figures reveal that of 22,810 professors, only 155 were Black. Besides, workers are experiencing a crisis of job-related worry with over 50 per cent of them having visible signs of depression. The UCU called on university heads to urgently begin working out a solution in the lead up to Christmastime: "While we set out pragmatic solutions that could halt widespread disruption to UK campuses, university bosses refuse to revoke unecessary, swingeing pension cuts or even to negotiate on issues like casualisation and the unbearably high workloads that blight higher education". Workers at 74 universities also held a 14-day walkout over pensions payment and conditions last year.

CADEMIC institutions in the United Arab Emirates will return to 100 per cent capacity from January next year. All schools and universities must continue to follow COVID-19 safety measures. The announcement was made on Tuesday 16 November during the weekly COVID-19 briefings which are held. It has been recommended by the relevant authorities that all those eligible to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should, in order to protect teachers, support staff and pupils from the new variants emerging. A spokesperson for the Government said at the briefing that “we have studied the development during the first term. All schools complied with precautionary measures to ensure a safe return of the pupils. There has also been a sharp drop in the number of daily cases in the country and it is safe for all pupils and students to return to the classroom in January.”

Record high antisemitic incidents on campuses

CCORDING to The Jerusalem Post, reported antisemitic incidences have risen to a record high this academic year. The Community Security Trust (CST) released figures stating that 111 university-related antisemitic incidents occurred in the 2020-21 academic year compared with 70 the preceding year, representing a 59 per cent increase. There may be a link to the Israeli attacks in Palestine in May 2021, which the organisation linked to the sharp increase. 64 out of the 111 incidents recorded took place that month. CST also reported that all these incidents, bar one reported assault, involved verbal, written or online abuse. The top three universities where these incidences took place were the University of Bristol, the University of Warwick, and the University College London, the former two having 11 incidents each and the latter 10. In a statement, the CST said “This record high for university-related antisemitic incidents, and the fact they have risen for the fourth year in a row, should ring alarm bells for everyone in the Higher Education sector". Image: Magnus Hagdorn Flickr

Over 4,100 university teacher posts vacant in Bangladesh

N a parliamentary session on 15 November which the Dhaka Tribune reported on, Bangladesh’s Education minister Dipu Moni revealed 4,150 teaching posts are vacant across 43 universities. The scripted remarks were made in response to a question tabled by the representative from Chittagon-4, Didarul Alam. Vacancies at universities in the country range from just over 50 to more than 300, with Rajshahi University facing 364 empty teaching posts, whilst the Islamic University in Kushtia and Dhaka University face 310 and 303 vacancies respectively. Chittagong University itself faces the largest number of vacancies, with 410 staff required to fill teaching spaces. According to the 46th annual report of the Bangladesh University Grants Commission from 2019, there are just under 300,000 student in 40 public universities, with over 15,000 staff in teaching positions. However, Moni’s list of university statistics was far from exhaustive, with seven public universities not being operational when the report was first compiled.

By Bridie Adams, Chloe Pumares, Ana Anajuba, Oliver Leader de Saxe

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

3 NEWS

“They’re making people jump through a lot of hoops they shouldn’t have to” Continued from the front page...

EANWHILE, a third year English student spoke about their experience when filling out the mitigation form online. They “ticked the ‘ILP’ box as supporting evidence,” before they received an email back stating “if you need to apply for more than four extensions within this time period […] Please note that all further mitigation applications (including students with ILPs) must be supported with relevant supporting evidence.” The email includes a ten working day period for the evidence that can come “from a medical professional such as a GP or other health specialist” including a member of the University Wellbeing team. Students have expressed concerns that this time period isn’t long enough to get relevant supporting evidence. This third year student went on to express the response they had to

receiving this email from the Mitigation Hub. “It was the tip of the iceberg and led to one of the worst panic attacks I’ve had in months.” They also stated that “the most irritating part of this is that the linked ‘check list of approved evidence’ still lists an ‘ILP with extensions supported’ — so they’ve either not bothered to update the website with their new policy or have just pulled this new step out of their arse.” The student had to then email the Wellbeing Hub themselves which required them to complete an attached form which “basically just asks you to confirm you do in fact have an ILP” with further detail also required. This student “ended up copying and pasting phrases directly from my ILP to fill out this evidence box.” Stressing that “this may seem like a trivial bump in the process to some, but […] I was really distressed by the whole process.” Exeposé was also told by this stu-

dent that those who have ILPs were never notified that this process had changed and that there would be new rules for mitigation. The English student ended by saying that this new mitigation process “makes life harder for a person trying to use their ILP and the people processing it.” It also “shows a total lack of understanding and empathy when it comes to students with disabilities, especially in regards to mental illness.” A spokesperson for the University of Exeter said: “Students with ILPs recommending that extension requests should be supported will have no limit to the number of one-week extensions they can have on coursework (within BART) in a 12-month period. If a longer extension is required, such students will be expected to apply via the evidencebased mitigation process, but will be able to reference their ILP as evidence in support of their appli-

cation and will NOT be required to submit any further evidence. This applies only in those cases where the ILP specifically states that extensions are supported.”

É If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: University helpline 0300 555 0225 Samaritans 116 123 Wellbeing wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk Bella Enoizi, VP Education vpeducation@exeterguild.com https://www.exeter.ac.uk/speakout/staysafe www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing https://www.exeterguild.org/advice

“We are still being told by the Guild that it’ll be sorted soon” Continued from the front page...

OWEVER, STAR also noted that “on the whole, I wouldn’t say it has negatively affected the volunteers or members as it has all been behind the scenes.” A spokesperson for the Guild told Exeposé: “Following a review by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), the Guild’s registration status was changed as the organisation was not meeting the minimum threshold for applications during the pandemic, meeting the threshold is required for continual registration. As such, this prompted a review within the Guild on how to facilitate DBS checks to enable students to continue working on volunteering projects or with external organisations. “This review has taken longer than anticipated but we are hoping to introduce a new process in the new year to enable volunteer projects requiring DBS checks to take place from term two onwards. The Guild has met with ESV to update them on this process and hope to move forward positively to ensure all the amazing volunteer projects our students get involved in can take place as soon as possible.”

Students donate profits from resold tickets in response to “unethical” secondary ticketing Bridie Adams Editor

N 20 November, two students, Corky Barlow and Joe Devlin, resold tickets to Fight Night and received significant attention after they pledged to donate all of the profits to charities. Barlow, a second year English student, received nine bids on her ticket, finally selling it for £120 and donating the money to Muscular Dystrophy UK, specifically towards research into nemaline myopathy. Barlow told Exeposé: “I knew people would be willing to buy a Fight Night ticket for over £100 as I’d heard they were going for that much resold and as it was all for charity I hoped people would be happy to pay even more!” Devlin, a second year Politics and International Relations student, received five bids and sold his ticket for £90, with the profits going to Movember UK. In a follow-up Facebook post on 22 November, Devlin said: “Thank you to everyone who engaged with my post and with the bidding […] Thanks to you all, the top bid somehow ended as £90! Meaning that I have now donated the £55 ‘profit’ to Movember UK.” This post gained 336 reactions on Facebook and students praised Devlin for his fundraising efforts, commenting “What a man!”, “Legend,” and “Top stuff.” On the topic of secondary ticketing, Devlin told Exeposé: “When you want to get a spontaneous ticket to join your

mates on a night out or attempt to get to Timepiece on a Wednesday, it is so rough having to haggle with people.” He described the donation of profits to charity as a “more positive” approach to secondary ticketing. Since the beginning of term, there have been hundreds of Overheard at University of Exeter posts in relation to secondary ticketing. The secondary ticket market is made up of tickets to be resold following their primary purchase from a venue, often at a higher price than face value. The face value of tickets for nightclubs in Exeter is usually under £5, but according to a second year Computer Science student, these are often resold for “£12 plus” so “over half is profit.” The student said: “In general, it is pretty rare to find club tickets at cost, though this is dependent mostly on demand. I know demand has lowered in the last few weeks compared to the past (noticeably a lot of selling posts and no buying posts last week). Once the precedent is set it is harder for everyone else to sell at cost (I know a friend exclusively sold tickets at cost, but to fund himself getting tickets he would have to set his tickets to a higher price: a vicious cycle).” On Barlow and Devlin’s donations to charity, the student commented: “I think that is a good thing.” Another anonymous student feels that the reselling of tickets for extortionate prices is “unethical.” They said: “If you can’t make it to the club, why do you need to profit? All this does is exploit other students.

“Our university already has enough class divides without creating even more disparities. University is supposed to be fun for everybody but nights out have become less accessible for students from lower income backgrounds. Action should be taken to stop tickets being resold at extortionate prices. For example, we could collectively boycott buying tickets for more than face value to try and bring resale prices down to a reasonable amount. “However, the fact that students have started donating the profits to charity is really encouraging and I think more people should start doing this when selling tickets.” The charities Barlow and Devlin donated to, Muscular Dystrophy UK and Movember UK, are both close to their hearts. Barlow said: “Muscular Dystrophy UK is a charity which works towards helping make people’s lives with muscular degenerative diseases a bit easier. I raised money specifically for nemaline myopathy which is a strand of the disease. It was just crazy to get the charity so much recognition!” Speaking about Movember and the University’s success in raising money last month, Devlin said: “It’s very difficult to distil into a short few words, but I would say that whilst we are getting better at it, there is still a lot of work to do in improving men’s health issues generally. Whether that is the crisis of men’s health where one where one man dies by suicide every minute of every day or issues such as cancer. “The value in supporting Movember cannot be understated.”

Image: Rowan Greenwood

4 NEWS

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

Protesters gather outside Exeter Winter Wonderland Livvy Mason-Myhill News Editor

ITH the festive season in full swing, the opening of Exeter’s Winter Wonderland created more than the joys of holiday cheer. Protests against the use of two live reindeer during the Christmas event on 20 November were led by the local campaign group Exeter Friends for Animals (EFFA). The protests were held by the main entrance to Northernhay Gardens to highlight the “cruelty involved in festive live animal events.” The protesters handed out leaflets from Animal Aid and held signs in protest, discouraging event organisers from the use of live animals in their events and advocating for people to boycott events with live animals. Many of the protesters thought that the reindeer would have been distressed due to their journey to the market, alongside having to deal with loud noises and the attention of many people, especially children. The EFFA have gone on to say that the event organisers should consider going “animal free”, suggesting other alternatives such as light shows. However, one of the owners of the reindeer, Sarah, was interviewed by Devon Live and states that the protesters distress was misplaced, and that “They live on a farm in Somerset, 90 per cent of the animals have been born on the farm and they are very very happy to come out and meet the adoring public” Sarah further explain to Devon Live that “the fact we are in our fourth generation of breeding our reindeer now proves there is no problem keeping them here”.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

“They treated us as though we were children”: University criticised by autistic students for lack of support Cassia Grace Deputy Editor

TUDENTS with autism have come forward to discuss their experiences of ableism at the University of Exeter and how lack of provisions for autism as a disability with unique requirements impacts their studies. In November, Exeposé — along with the University Vice Chancellor, Wellbeing services, various local MPs, Guild Officers and the Disability Network — was contacted by a postgraduate student to complain about the culture of ableism at the University. The individual, who shall remain anonymous, provided a follow-up statement to Exeposé. They discussed their hyper-sensitive hearing (a common problem for autistic people) and how the current format of lectures is not prepared to handle such issues, causing distress and anxiety for autistic students: “I reached breaking point during an online tutorial where the pain (autistics can be hyper- or hypo-sensitive to varying sensory systems) from listening to people talking, due to the software used and other participant’s variable hardware, became too much and caused an anxiety attack. When I informed my tutors of the issue, their only concern was to implement an alternative assessment (participation was being assessed) as per my ILP, yet I was informed that I must still listen to the recordings of the tutorials.” They added that Wellbeing provided little assistance or appropriate support to address these issues, stating that, “their prime consideration was to question my headphones rather than acknowledge the struggles I faced. It is this failure to recognise the lived experience of other people that lets the University down in their treatment” of disabled people. With regards to a culture of ableism at the University, the student commented that “the attitudes of the University has largely been that it’s my problem, and it’s up to me to resolve the issue rather than providing any adjustments as required by the 2010 Equality Act.” They also criticised the University for failing to properly recognise autism as equal to other more visible disabilities and thereby disqualifying the lived experiences of autistic students: “Ableism has become a culture in which those with differing abilities have become ignored and their struggles are not heard. This is clear from the University’s Facebook page which happily promo-

tes other social justice issues such as Black History Month, International Women’s Day, and Trans Visibility Day to name a few, yet World Disability Day has never been acknowledged after a search of the page. It may be much clearer on the struggles of the blind, deaf, or wheelchair users, however, those with hidden ‘disabilities’ continue to stay well and truly hidden”. Following this, Exeposé spoke to several other people about their experiences as autistic students. One such student stated that they had had largely positive experiences with the University, but that “it would be amazing if they

Image: Flickr

could strategise some ways of educating the wider University community more on autism to assist the journey to rid ableism and stigma around the condition”. They added that although there are “excellent support mechanisms in place”, they felt that their struggles are not always believed and “sometimes staff approve and provide support on the basis of avoiding claims of discrimination, rather than because they genuinely believe someone is struggling”. The same student added that they have also had similar problems of ableism with fellow students: “I frequently hear students criticising and evaluating the necessity of the support networks I receive whether that is DSA [Disabled Students’ Allowance] or exam arrangements in comparison to others they know who are ‘severely disabled.’ This is incredibly upsetting as it makes me self-conscious and insecure about my condition and less likely to tell people”. They stated that they feel this is because they “refuse to play into a stereotype simply for the sake of being supported” and so “often experience ableism on a daily basis.” They suggested that such ableism is prominent towards autistic people because it is a less visible disability: “I believe

the main issue for this is that autism is an invisible disability, it is neurological and does not affect someone’s physical appearance. There is long-standing stigma and stereotyping around individuals with disabilities having to look a certain way to be recognised as disabled, and this causes a large proportion of individuals with invisible disabilities to experience ableism when in reality our struggles are just as valid and prominent as the next person’s. Appearance and how an individual presents themselves is never a true representation of what is going on inside”. A different student added further criticism to the University’s attitude towards and provision for autistic students. They stated that, “I have found that sometimes I have struggled directly due to some of the activities put are on in class. I always ask for lecture slides to be either sent to me or put on ELE a couple days before the lecture/ seminar so I can fully understand and gain a sense of structure of what will be happening in class, and some do for the first week or two. But then stop after a couple weeks, even when I chase them up for it (it is also in my ILP). I also find mainly that tutors/lecturers are not well educated in autism, especially in what it relates to in terms of education adjustments — so I need a routine and very little changes, I can’t understand verbal instructions properly.” Sarah Henderson, a third year student, was motivated by her struggles with the University to set up a blog called I don’t look autistic, where she discusses her experiences of autism and works to reduce ableism. The site currently has several screenshots of slides from a Psychology seminar at the University of Exeter, which Sarah criticises for promoting stereotypes of autism. The seminar slides contain statements such as “Autism is defined by an absence,” which Sarah says makes autistic people seem “less than what they consider a complete human.” When speaking to Exeposé, she stated that “One of the major reasons I came to Exeter was because they advertised as having great support for autistic people, and in my first year that was true. But it has got progressively worse since then, to the point that AccessAbility were actively making my life worse. They treated us as though we were children, refused to let us talk about certain topics that were important to us, and kept blocking all attempts we made to speak to an expert about keeping us, as autistic students, safe. There was an argument between many of the autistic students

and the staff where the phrase, “We just want you to treat us like human beings” was used multiple times. The University as a whole does less than the bare minimum for ensuring equal opportunity for autistic students, and so aside from a few individual staff members, there is almost nowhere you can go to access good support.” A spokesperson for the University responded to these concerns with the following comment: “The University’s AccessAbility team provide a lot of support for neuro-diverse students. This includes pre-arrival student adviser appointments, the formation of Individual Learning Plans, and giving priority in terms of the allocation of accommodation. There is also a pre-arrival welcome day for neuro-diverse students. “We have created a new special-focus adviser post to support students with complex needs associated with Autism Spectrum Conditions. There is also an Autism Spectrum Conditions social group, and autism mentoring funded by the Disabled Students’ Allowance. In recent years, the University has also sponsored some projects focused on autism as part of the Education Incubator which is an initiative to cultivate pedagogic innovation and collaboration. One project, in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, sought to improve neurodiverse experiences at University by developing and deploying online training and teaching toolkits for staff. Another project, in the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, developed and trialled a new programme to support autistic students and members of staff on campus”. The Guild also provided comment, stating that, “We want all students to have a great experience at Exeter and that includes ensuring that students’ experiences within and beyond the classroom are inclusive and accessible. We’re disappointed whenever we hear of students facing barriers or not being adequately supported on their course. We’re here to ensure that student feedback on this topic is raised through your Subject Chairs, Equality Reps or Student Reps in relevant University meetings to help make change happen on your course and improve your experience.” The Guild added that it is looking to improve support for disabled pupils and will be holding forums to discuss what changes should be made: “We also know that the Guild itself can always do more, so we’re currently looking at how we make our events, activities and opportunities more accessible and would welcome any feedback and student involvement on how we can do better. We welcome students to come along to our Let’s Talk: Inclusive Societies event on Wednesday 8 December at 14:00 to be part of this wider conversation.”

5 NEWS

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

In conversation: Bella Enoizi, VP Education Oliver Leader de Saxe and Chloe Pumares Editor and Deputy Editor

OR the final issue of the term, Exeposé spoke to VP Education Bella Enoizi, breaking down what she does in her role on a daily basis, supporting students after COVID-19 and how things might change due to the pandemic. É: Can you tell us a little more about your role and what work you’ve been doing recently? BE: So, I am VP education which means my remit covers anything to do with students’ academic experience here, so anything from delivery of your course, to exams, to the library. I have a very close relationship with the University Executive Education team, so we talk about academic policy and teaching manuals. A lot of behind the scenes work. Majority of work is about changes to mitigation and extension processes. I have done a lot of reviewing of the personal tutor system which is being supported by Student Reps and colleges. I hope to flip this next term and get the staff perspective to get a more rounded view. I am also working on how we gather student feedback and how we act on it; I am in negotiations with the University to get funding for a new system.

I am in negotiations with the University to get funding for a new [feedback] system É: Supporting students after COVID-19 was mentioned in your manifesto. Do you believe that students are being properly supported in this post-pandemic world? Do you believe they have access to recorded materials and seminars regardless of health or accessibility issues? BE: I think last year was such a period of experimentation and we have definitely come a long way. A lot of people are used to the new normal. The work we have to done around the changes to the mitigation processes, this year students have four weeks’ worth of no evidence extensions. It treats students more like adults and recognises the unpredictability of life at the moment. So I think that is a really positive thing. There have been other significant changes to the manuals about which you will be receiving communications from the University this week as well, I’m really excited about it and it gives recognition to students about what they have struggled with in the last year. In terms of the provision of online resources, I think it is still an area that can be improved.

There is a massive disparity between departments. I think obviously this year has been slightly different as we have returned to an in-person model and staff want to encourage in-person teaching because that is the best way to teach and learn. For some courses, the online model isn’t as effective. If we are going for value of money, that isn’t what we are paying for. Some people prefer that but that isn’t what we signed up for. I think the accessibility side of the pandemic should be something we try to maintain.

I know that the ILP system can be slightly clunky at times É: We have heard reports that students with ILPs are struggling to get mitigation and extensions as their ILPs no longer count as evidence. Has the process changed. If so, why? BE: I haven’t heard those reports. I know that the ILP system can be slightly clunky at times. That is another piece of work that is hopefully going to happen in January around how this system can support more students, bringing student carers or student parents into the ILP system. I think it is a good system, but needs an overhaul. I think it’s disappointing that students aren’t able to receive the support they are entitled to. I’d be interested to hear who they have been Image: Students’ Guild

speaking to; if they have been given an ILP it should be pretty smooth sailing. É: When we interviewed Marion, she mentioned the possibility of introducing more hybrid rooms and lowering thresholds for hybrid teaching. What work are you doing to ensure that this happens as quickly as possible? Do you think that these improvements will benefit the current student cohort? BE: In terms of the capability for hybrid teaching, some colleges are more equipped for that than others. The Business School is years ahead of other colleges, just because of financials and tech installations that haven’t happened in other buildings. The University of Exeter’s strategy is a 2030 strategy but the times we are in necessitate more hybrid teaching. It is something we continue to pressure them on. É: Does this mean there is a financial disparity between faculties? BE: That is not what I meant. The Business School is a newer building so when it was designed it was designed in that way because it is a lot more future facing. A lot of other buildings are older and not designed in that way. A lot of rooms and the way they are configured are not suitable to have those cameras that show everything. Physical limitations are there. The Business School was obviously designed a lot more recently.

É: Why does the new normal for in-person teaching continue to look so much like the old normal in regards to not supporting students who may not be able to attend contact hours? BE: We do have a lot of students who are currently studying remotely and that provision has been successful. Next term the University is hoping to move even more students to in-person. Obviously we have recently heard about a new variant and the University are just going to react, as it is we have weekly meetings. We already said to them in terms of communications we need to have drafts for every outcome so we can send them out as soon as possible. As for support for those who cannot attend, it varies from course to course. There are so many different reasons someone might not have that access so it can be really difficult to mitigate all those reasons when planning. É: In light of the rise of the Omnicron variant, what are the specific contingency plans in place if we were forced into another lockdown? BE: I think, while last year wasn’t ideal, the fact we already have done it shows we can do it. People will be much quicker to adapt as they have already done it and we know what it looks like. There aren’t any specific contingency plans worth divulging as we are in weekly discussions and as I said we have Comms prepared for any eventuality. An awful lot could change over Christmas. It’s just a case of being reactive, it’s a really difficult thing to plan for and foresee; we will just react to the student consensus. É: Last year, students were angry about not receiving the same level of education and wanted fee compensation. Do you think, between the last lockdown and now, online teaching has improved? Is the Guild working to help improve online teaching if we had to go back online? BE: So, obviously the Guild don’t influence how teaching is delivered or what is taught. We are the students ‘representative body.’ If I got an influx of student feedback that would be where I then apply pressure to that specific department. The current Guild SABBs, we all suffered through strikes and all that good stuff, are fully able to empathize and give our outlook on that. I do hope there are less bumps in the road after the last 18 months. If students need support lobbying for something they want to see change then we would work on that. É: Do you think the University has improved in light of student feedback? BE: I think there has been an improvement. When COVID-19 first

kicked off no one was sure as to what that was going to look like. Two years in there is a respect for the student experience. To be really blunt, that is what effects the University’s ratings. If the students are unhappy the University don’t really have the ability to not listen. It’s not really up for negotiation in that sense, it’s discussion about what can we do about feedback and they are receptive of that. They are under no illusion of what the students have been through. É: Other changes last year included a safety net, no evidence mitigation etc. Are these changes going to become permanent in order to improve the quality of life for students? If not, do you think they should be? BE: So last year I did a lot of work around the ‘borderline zone’ being expanded and the group I lobbied with. We were successful in that. As I said earlier there will be communication about what has been kept on and what has been changed. I feel positive about what has been kept on. I don’t feel it is necessary for a lot of them to be kept on, but I think the University is becoming a more compassionate and human institution, such as the four weeks for free mitigation. I think that has the potential to stay on after COVID-19 if that is used well and not abused. We are having chats about the percentage of students using it and how it is impacting feedback time. Students don’t enjoy how long feedback takes but if 25 per cent of students are mitigating then it delays feedback for everyone. If we continue to hear that feedback time is really long we will have to reassess it.

While the students will always hope for a lot more, I don’t think the University will be any more lenient É: Furthermore, do you think the safety net last year went far enough given the circumstances? BE: From a student perspective, when I was lobbying for it we hoped to get a lot more, and other universities did varying degrees of similar provisions. But in the end I spent an awful lot of my final year in university meetings and being told about the calculations behind it and the reasons behind it and seeing how that all plays into each other. It explains a lot more. I think that transparency and explanation to the wider student population was lacking. We are definitely at the more lenient and generous end and while the students will always hope for a lot more I don’t think the University will be any more lenient.

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7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

“As the Guild we represent all of our members” Continued from previous page... É: Do you think the University needs to be more transparent? BE: It could have gone some way to alleviate concerns. The group I lobbied with published a lot of information — what we were allowed to publish. We tried to do our part and that information is still all online. Going forward that is what I am trying to improve as I think it’s really interesting and explains so much more than an email ever can. But there is a lot of legality and process around it. Now having been a SABB I understand why more students can’t be in these meetings. I have a newfound appreciation for that difficult line they have to toe. Allowing students access to exams results is a really grey area and could be questionable. More could be done but I fully appreciate the risky balance that would need. I’d be happy to hear from anyone who thinks that more could be done. É: Another educational issue that was impacted was exams, with many exams going online for 24 hour or even longer periods. Do you think this was a positive change that should be carried forward? Do you think exams put unnecessary stress and strain on often overworked or busy students? BE: I’m quite a traditionalist so this might be an unpopular opinion: I think exams and forms of assessments are a fact of education, that is the way of measuring success. But I don’t think the same exam or assessment should be applied to every course. A three hour exam for an English student where you have to memorise quotes and critics is not a reasonable example of my ability, I would just brain dump for three hours. 24 hours meant I could brain dump have an hour break and then go back and refine it which is much more representative of my ability and what I have learnt over the course of the year. 24 hours is still a push for a Humanities student, so I think that model worked really well for me. I know some students struggled as they saw 24 hours and thought they had to spend 24 hours on it, or chose to. That’s a concern of the University: that students were burning themselves out. I thought more clarity about how to use a 24-hour exam would be helpful. There was an enormous amount of academic misconduct for science and maths with access to the internet. So a lot of them decided to return back to the traditional model of in-person exams in January. Other departments that struggled with finding right ways to assess were languages. I think there is definitely work to be done, but I think returning to traditional model of in-person exams which are timed

would be the wrong solution to that for many courses. É: Exams this year seem to be different from faculty to faculty, with some returning to in-person midterms whilst other will remain as online exams. Do you think this is fair, and means some students have it harder than others? And won’t a return to actual exams across the University leave certain year groups disadvantaged? What is the Guild strategy to address this? BE: With departmental difference, I don’t think it’s unfair. You are only being assessed alongside the people who are sitting the same exam as you. It’s down to what is the right decision for that course and that subject, if there is an exam where there is a yes or no answer and you can Google, is that fair to be an online exam? No, I don’t think it is. For more subjective exams no matter how much information you can gather online, you typing that exam rather than writing doesn’t affect your ability to construct that argument. The skills your course is teaching you are still being assessed in those two models. So I don’t think the differences in departments is unfair. I think the only ones who could know the right way to assess a subject are the experts, those who teach it. The University is aware it could be stressful for current first years if they have their exams online this year but next year could be traditional. Also on the University radar is the fact that many students won’t have sat public exams during their education. In terms of long term there will be a transition back to more traditional exams but I think the review as to how subjects are assessed was coming but COVID-19 sped it up. Some subjects might scrap old ways of assessing. In terms of disadvantaged students, we need to return to normality as some point, and the Guild’s function will always be to represent the student voice. É: Following on from the topic of exams, are there any measures in place to support those students that fail their exams or do not proceed to the next year of study? BE: I’m not involved in the provision of that support, I would only get involved if they get in touch with the advice service. If people are needing a sounding board or talk through of the next steps I would really recommend getting in touch with them. I’m sure the University have contingency plans for those situations. É: We also know some students have received varying quality of communications from the University in regards to being told whether they can progress or not, which can have dire financial consequences for those informed late in the process. Is this an is-

sue the Guild are aware of? What steps are being taken to hold the University to account on this? BE: That’s an interesting question. I have not personally had any students coming to me with that particular issue. I would be happy to discuss it with anyone who wants to reach out. In terms of the University being timely enough, that would depend on whether they had mitigated anything or deferred an assessment, or too many to progress. When deferring they should have been informed that it can affect your progression. It may not have been explained clearly enough. If thinking of deferring speak to your module convenor or advice hub about it so you know the full consequences of that. É: In a policy paper from a council meeting from February this year regarding fees compensation, the Guild VP Education was assigned the task of creating a working group to determine a campaign which addresses different types of tuition fee arrangements. Is this work being continued this year? BE: It was voted on so we still have the mandate to do so, it has not been brought to me as something students are interested in continuing. We joined forces with the Falmouth Guild as part of a student campaign started at LSE [London School of Economics], I believe, however, I have not heard very much noise on the issue. If students wanted to campaign on that then we would support them in campaigning for that. É: Do you think students might not be aware about how to go about it? Could the Guild be more active in encouraging students? BE: I think our ability to enable student activism could be highlighted more clearly. It is something I always signpost students to. As the Guild, we represent all of our members and unless it is a representative view of all of our members then we cannot take a stance on it ourselves. The onus is on students and if they feel passionate about something then they will find the time to do that. É: On the topic of money and fairness, the UCU have balloted for industrial action as they did in 2019, and are planning to ballot again next year. Does the Guild have a strategy in place to support students who have already had much of their university and general education affected by current events? If it does, can you share what this strategy is and when it would be made available to students? BE: Obviously, it was really disappointing to hear the UCU were considering balloting. although Exeter didn’t achieve the mandate. The earliest industrial action could happen is 31 January but the UCU need to give the Uni-

versity two weeks notice, so we have a three week planning period. Due to the first round of balloting we have already done a lot of the groundwork and we do have a strategy in place, as do the University. Everyone is ready to respond and support students as much as possible. I was a student in 2019 and I know how disruptive strikes can be, and we will keep our finger on the pulse as to how students feel about it. É: Does the Guild support UCU action, or do you support it on a personal level? Could it be put to a student ballot? BE: In terms of when the Guild will take a stance either way, I think we would be keen to avoid doing so as to not alienate any of our membership. If pressed to do so we would hold a vote and our view would be the majority view, but I don’t think students would gain anything from that. In 2019 pulse surveys went out and we got high engagement with that so we know about whether students supported the cause or action or both or neither. When taking a stance, people may support a cause but a majority might not support an action, so if our stance is supportive it might conflict with what students think which is why I don’t think an official stance is important. If students want to support the staff, we will support them with whatever steps they choose to take. É: Following Black History Month earlier this term, it’s clear that there are still plenty of miles to go in terms of decolonising the curriculum. What is the Guild’s long-term strategy this year to help address issues of colonisation in the curriculum, and do you think there have been enough changes in recent months and years to ensure an accurate curriculum focused on fairness and equality? BE: No, I don’t think there has been enough change recently. I know there is an awful long way to go. I know some colleges have had success with publishing alternative reading lists with a diverse range of texts and voices. I would like to see this in other colleges. In my manifesto this was something I would like to see enabled. In terms of a long-term plan we do have Marion, our VP Liberation and Equality, who ensures that all voices are represented. Academically, I don’t have much influence on content of courses — I would have more if subject chairs gather feedback from students on courses who were disappointed by lack of diversity, then they could feed back to me and I could take that up higher. But without that course to course knowledge, I wouldn’t be able to really influence anything.

Trains restart between Exeter and Dartmoor after 49 years Kate Hall Comment Editor

LAYED in by a brass band, on Saturday 20 November a train service resumed between Exeter and Okehampton. This recommenced a regular daily service along this route for the first time since 1972. The Dartmoor Line, reinstated by Great Western Railway (GWR) as part of a government scheme to restore abandoned train lines, is welcome news to local residents and industries alike. Services are initially running every two hours, though plans are in place to increase this to hourly trains in 2022. The scenic route follows the 150 year old track, stopping at Okehampton, Crediton, Exeter St. Davids and Exeter Central on selected times and days. The journey time is approximately 40 minutes, with a cost of eight pounds for an Anytime Day Return. According to BBC News, GWR’s regional director said the track was in “fantastic condition” following the nine month period of construction and upgrading, which included work such as laying new track, structural repairs, vegetation clearing and installation of communication equipment. The anticipated first journey was apparently “very smooth.” Plans are also in place for winter work on the station buildings including the café among other facilities. This service will provide locals living in and around these areas with a reliable public transport option for commuting, visiting or getting connection trains from Exeter to national lines. It will also provide city dwellers without the means to drive, including many students, access to some of the most popular spots on Dartmoor including Rowtor, Higher Tor and Belstone.

Image: Devon Live

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7 DEC 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Features

FEATURES EDITORS:

Joshua Hughes and Steffi Haselden

Poland - Belarus border crisis

Kenosha unrest: missing the big picture Evan Thomas, Comment Editor, reviews the outcome of the Kyle Rittenhouse case and the implications it poses

YLE Rittenhouse isn’t a terrorist, but he’s no hero either. If you cast your mind back to the coverage following the killings in Kenosha, Wisconsin that took place in August 2020, a narrative quickly formed amongst some media sources. A 17-year-old kid, with farright sympathies, illegally crossed state lines to incite violence during a peaceful protest in Kenosha and ended up murdering two participants.

A competing narrative was born amongst conservative outlets Many saw this as an unfair demonisation of Rittenhouse which allowed opportunists to leap to his defence. A competing narrative was born amongst conservative outlets. Rittenhouse had travelled to Kenosha to restore order, protect local businesses after violent riots and engaged in self-defence after being brutally attacked by a crazed mob. Before the killings, peaceful Black Lives Matter protests in Kenosha took place as a result of Jacob Blake being shot seven times by police, which led to his paralysis. During the night, cases of arson were reported, but whether these were preceded, or incited by, the heavy-handed police response which became an ugly feature of many of 2020’s protests isn’t particularly clear. As a result of the property damage, Rittenhouse travelled to Kenosha with a med kit and an AR-15 rifle he was too young to possess legally. His purpose, in his own words, was to “help people” and “protect […] business”. According to Rittenhouse, he was initially confronted by Joseph Rosenbaum, who threatened to kill him. FBI footage shows Rosenbaum and a group of protesters chasing Rittenhouse. Witnesses testified that Rosenbaum attempted to pry Rittenhouse’s rifle from him, which led Rittenhouse to shoot Rosenbaum four times, killing him. After being chased again, Rittenhouse was struck with a skateboard by Anthony Huber who, like Rosenbaum,

Agata Koralewska examines the unfolding crisis between Poland and Belarus

Image: Lightburst

tried to take Rittenhouse’s rifle. Rittenhouse then killed Huber with one shot. A third man, Gaige Grosskreutz, pointed his gun at Rittenhouse believing him to be an active shooter. Rittenhouse shot him in the arm, which he survived, but with lasting injuries.

Despite Rosenbaum’s behaviour, not a single other armed protester shot him An oft-parroted defence of Rittenhouse was that Rosenbaum was mentally unstable and verbally combative, with evidence that he shouted racial epithets at protesters. Conservative media also points out that all three men who were shot had an extensive criminal history. It’s important to note that despite Rosenbaum’s behaviour, not a single other armed protester shot him and there’s no indication that Rittenhouse was aware of these previous criminal convictions. If Rittenhouse had never been in Kenosha with an AR-15 that night, it’s almost a certainty that Rosenbaum and Huber would still be alive. That’s what, to many, makes the verdict so disappointing. Critics point out that the likelihood of this event ending with peaceful arrest and acquittal if the shooter had

been a person of colour is low. Rittenhouse was charged with two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide and two counts of recklessly endangering safety, and cleared on all counts. Unlike in some other states, under Wisconsin law, someone can apply deadly force if they “reasonably believed that the force used was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself.”. All the jury decided was that the belief was reasonable, not whether the actions were in any way commendable. Much speculation has also been placed on Rittenhouse’s ideology. He’s expressed support for Blue Lives Matter, seemingly been embraced by figures like Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump, as well as stated his backing for Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform. What rarely makes it into the discussion is that Rittenhouse is still a teenager; the chances of him having a coherent belief system at this age are low. In hyperfocussing on the character of Rittenhouse, much of the American media has failed to properly explore any of the larger issues leading to the deaths or the impact that a vigilante being seemingly vindicated will have. The US has more guns than people and with tensions continuing to run high, the risk of similar bouts of violence seems high.

HERE are no less than four thousand migrants in camps located next to the Polish border with Belarus and many of them are young men, women and children. They come from the Middle East and Asia, for example Syria, Iraq or Yemen. Many of them were seeking freedom from war and the flight to Belarus would allow them to settle in the EU. The migrants that were caught on the border were taken away by authorities and some of them put into detention centres across Lithuania and Poland. Many of them have ended up having to survive in the Polish forests and many of them had to suffer from hunger and disease. There has been a reported case of a 38-year old woman from Syria miscarrying after being taken to a local hospital in a Polish village. Alexander Lukashenko, who is the communist leader of Belarus since 1994, has recently admitted that “it is perfectly possible” that his adherents “helped the migrants get into Polish territory”. Earlier this year the EU, NATO and the US made an accusation against the President that he presented a false promise of entry into the EU to the migrants and he disagreed. Even after all of this, he claimed that he doesn’t see a problem in deceiving them as “they are not coming to his country.”

Lukashenko understands the language of power Following the re-election of Lukashenko in August 2020, a significant number of protesters against Lukashenko’s regime have been beaten up at the detention centre in Okrestina. The border crisis isbelieved by the EU to have been planned for months as revenge for the sanctions put on Belarus because of Lukashenko’s undermining of democracy and freedom of speech in his own country.

As Ms Tikhanovskaya, the opposition leader, highlighted, Lukashenko “only understands the language of power” hence the sanctions were a logical restriction that would threaten the President’s plans. However, following the recent response from Lukashenko, decreasing his power in Belarus might not be as straightforward as it seems. The NATO leader, Jens Stoltenberg, met with the Polish president, Andrzej Duda, to discuss the situation on the Polish border. “NATO supporters deprecate the export of innocent people on our alliance’s border, it’s inhumane” he stated. The Polish President expressed his worries about “frontal attack” on the border and that “some of them [immigrants] are armed by the Belarusian forces.” He stated that the situation might not be resolved for a few more months. There is a question to consider: Is Europe going to face a migrant crisis this Christmas? Unlike the 2015 migration crisis, the situation in 2021 has been entirely orchestrated by Lukashenko as a vengeance for the sanctions put on Belarus by the European Union. Some sources describe the conflict as geopolitical because, in a sense, calling it a migration crisis would put the blame on the immigrants themselves rather than the Belarusian leader who initiated the conflict. The EU has started to seek a solution by preparing new sanctions for Belarus despite the threats from the president to cut off the gas supplies. Lithuania, Latvia and Poland surround Belarus and have increased the presence of guards on their borders. Philippe Dam, Human Rights Watch’s advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia, has said that “These people have been manipulated into this scheme. The EU should be questioning how to help them and not just how to respond to Belarus.”

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

10 FEATURES

Black Friday: a shift in the narrative? Lucy Aylmer, Deputy Editor, discusses the changing nature of the consumerist landscape

LACK Friday is synonymous with frantic shoppers racing through Oxford Street, never-ending queues and leaving the shops with items that you probably don’t want or even need.

Offering jaw-dropping discounts that incite a shopping frenzy Coined in the US during the 1950s to signify the start of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday marks the point at which stores move from the “red” to the “black”. In essence, they start making profits. Black Friday allures shoppers by offering jaw-dropping discounts that incite a shopping frenzy during a period already characterised by huge expenditure — Christmas. Yet this year, many shops have opted out and are voluntarily boycotting Black Friday.

It seems that mass consumerism and the subsequent throwaway culture associated with Black Friday is becoming increasingly out of touch with the current climate. The growing momentum of sustainability movements and the recent COP26 in Glasgow may have prompted this cultural shift. According to Nature, the fashion industry produces 92 million tonnes of waste per year. And by 2050, worldwide waste generation is expected to increase by approximately 70 per cent to 3.4 billion tonnes. Waste is a problem and one

way to deal with it is to consume less. As stated by a report in The Guardian, around 85 per cent of independent retailers have boycotted Black Friday this year. Instead, companies such as Out of Box Gifts an eco-friendly gift box shop are donating ten per cent of Black Friday sales to a local food bank. Other retailers such as Pantee, a sustainable underwear brand, is opting to switch off their website entirely to prevent “impulse buying”, states cofounder Katie McCourt. Independent retailers appear to be transitioning

Independent retailers are beginning to wake up to the unsustainable reality of over-consumption

from profit-focussed to more socially responsible business models — those that seek to give back to the community. Other retailers have cited climate change as the biggest motivator for the boycotts. Beauty company Deciem has taken to Instagram to voice its concerns for Black Friday, in a statement that read “hyper-consumerism poses one of the biggest threats to the planet, and flash sales can often lead to rushed purchasing decisions […] we no longer feel that Black Friday is an earth or consumer-friendly event”. Independent retailers are beginning to wake up to the unsustainable reality of over-consumption and the impact it has on people and the planet. In contrast, big retailers like Amazon and high street chains continue to incentivise mass consumption through offering early Black Friday deals. From walking around Exeter on the Wednesday preceding Black Friday, I noticed that Urban Outfitters had already started to apply their Black Friday deals. High street retailers are keen to widen the window of intense consumerism during the Christmas period — and Black Friday and the following Cyber Monday celebrate just that. So, who is buying into Black Friday? Younger generations don’t ap-

pear to be. Instead, they echo a sense of apathy towards shopping and Black Friday specialities. I asked several friends what their plans were for Black Friday; one friend said that she was going to the cinema to watch the new House of Gucci film whilst the other said she was going for coffee with a friend. No mention of maxing out on Black Friday deals there. This pattern mirrors wider industry reports which assert that 76 per cent of consumers would rather spend their money on experiences instead of products.

The consumerist landscape is witnessing a seismic change in people's shopping habbits The consumerist landscape is witnessing a seismic change in people’s shopping habits. The increasing drive towards sustainability and the growing pressure for retailers to adopt greener attitudes is reshaping how we shop. Both retailers and consumers seem increaingly disinterested in the collective mania of Black Friday and the accumulation of stuff that comes with it. So, the question remains — has shopping truly gone out of fashion?

Image: Powhusku

The callousness of Patel’s ‘Anti-Refugee Bill’ Eloise Collis discusses the human rights issues associated with the Nationality and Borders Bill

N 24 November, 27 people lost their lives in an attempt to cross the channel to seek asylum in the UK. It’s a tragic reminder of the consequences refugees endure when travelling via unsafe routes. The danger is often heightened by the presence of human traffickers that aid and enable dangerous crossings. Instead of treating this situation humanely, Priti Patel’s forthcoming Nationality and Borders Bill is yet another attack on refugee rights; an attack on human rights. The bill, which is in the report stage in the House of Commons, claims to cut costs, reduce trafficking and protect those seeking asylum. Arguably, none of these aims will be achieved. Asylum and protection, in this bill, are safeguards the Government is willing to sacrifice for efficiency in the immigration process. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has openly spoken

out against this bill, highlighting that it undermines Britain’s commitment to the 1951 Refugee Convention. This is a bill that puts domestic politics before global cooperation and human rights. A proposed two-tiered approach to asylum is particularly at odds with this convention. It will mean that many refugees are likely to be denied fundamental human rights to family reunion. Only those who have entered the UK through what the Government deems safe and legal routes will have access to the rights of the convention. So, if this is the prerequisite for refugee’s rights, are the Government increasing provisions of safe routes? No, it is in fact the opposite. Instead, plans are to “push back” those attempting to cross the channel, forcing people into often dangerous and deadly situations at sea. The bill claims to increase efficiency and cut costs. But, it will likely do the opposite, creating

backlogs and dysfunction within the system, thus increasing costs. This is further exacerbated by the introduction of new criminal offences and increasing prison time.

This bill, despite its evident flaws, is likely to be passed through the Conservative-controlled House of Commons. However, we have power to enact change and ensure the bill is

amended to, as a minimum, adhere to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Sign petitions, write to your MPs at home and write to Members in the House of Lords. Image: Pixabay

Comment

07 DEC 2021| EXEPOSÉ

COMMENT EDITORS:

Kate Hall and Evan Thomas

Should private schools be abolished? Proposition

Lauren Gollop

T the University of Exeter, where one third of students are privately educated, there is a clear divide felt by those who attended a state school. Unfortunately, being accepted into a Russell Group university is only one hurdle to overcome; the two-tier class system created by private schools rewards privilege rather than providing equal opportunity for all. Isn’t it time fee-paying education was abolished?

The circumstances you were born into determine your chances of success

Independent schools offer students a plethora of advantages, including smaller classroom sizes, higher expectations of conduct and success in Continuing Education, meaning pupils are more likely to attend university and end up in well-paid jobs. 74 per cent of judges, for example, are privately educated. So, why is this an issue? Why not provide better education for some, if we cannot provide better education for all? I believe it is dangerous to unequivocally accept an elitist system, where the circumstances you were born into determine your chances of success. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, changes to learning and teacher-assessed grades disproportionately benefited fee-paying schools – a Conservative government decision, two-thirds of whom attended private school themselves. The gap between state and private school A-level grades grew even wider where the increase in A grades was 50 per cent higher among private schools. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to be outperformed by their more advantaged peers. As Lee Elliot Major, professor in Social Mobility at the University of Exeter observed, “it is deeply concerning to see widening socio-economic divides… the pandemic has exacerbated educational inequalities…” According to an Exeposé article in February 2021, the University of Exeter’s private school intake trumps any other university in the South West and this has seen an increase in the past five years. Meanwhile, its Russell Group competitors, including Oxbridge, have ensured gradual decreases in order to diversify its cohort. However, the divide doesn’t end after the admissions process. President of Exeter’s 93% Club Luca Boyd (who aim to level the playing-

Opposition

field between state and privately educated students) commented, “this issue presents itself most when meeting new people and being asked ‘What school did you go to?’ as an icebreaker and seeing people lose interest in me when I say I didn’t go to a private school.” Nathaniel Guerreiro, Co-President of Exeter’s Law Society and aspiring barrister purported “coming from an underperforming state school to a university like Exeter, I faced my fair share of classist comments […] my favourite has to be when I was labelled as the

Ana Anajuba Arts + Lit Editor

RIVATE schools are undeniably a remnant of the British class system that still lives today. They are a bastion of underhand dealings and unearned privilege — parents passing on their connections to a child who may not deserve the access that they are given in life. They may be a symbolic rot and the true underbelly of our country, but will erasing them erase the classism that they symbolise?

Image credits: Josan 76: Pixabay

‘poorest person’ in a group”, adding: “I really felt like I had to start going above and beyond to have my chances against the Oxbridge graduates”. Abolishing private schools does not mean a ‘total’ ban; a system, like Finland’s, where the majority of mainstream education is under government operation suggests higher overall exam results, where educational success is not hindered by class.

74 per cent of judges are privately educated

As long as fee-paying schools exist, education continues to favour the richest few of society, while many capable minds are left unnoticed. When your background predestines your future, revolting against it is a life-long battle.

Join me in a thought experiment: imagine that by some great miracle private schools cease to exist. Ignore the fact that this is unlikely to ever happen given the proportion of people in power that have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Ignore the fact that 29 per cent of Members of Parliament are privately educated compared to seven per cent of the general population they claim to represent. Ignore the fact that 57 per cent of the House of Lords (another symptom of classism) and 65 per cent of senior judges were all privately educated. Ignore the fact that approximately two-thirds of the current cabinet went to private school and instead believe for a moment that all schools were run by the state. Would things be any better?

Undoubtedly not. Some schools would be better funded than others. Schools attended by richer students or located in well-served areas would mysteriously seem to do better than others. Families will still use their business connection to get and give internships for their children in a maybe immoral

They may be a symbolic rot and the true underbelly of our country, but will erasing them erase the classism that they symbolise? but not illegal quid pro quo system. Some students will still have access to private tuition and private clubs that will never be afforded to those who attend comprehensive schools. Some will be pulled out of the mediocre and overcrowded lessons to be home schooled oneon-one by well-educated and well-paid tutors. Maybe the solution, then, is not to bring others down to the level that comprehensive schools currently rest at, but to bring state funded schools up to the levels of privately funded ones. Instead, imagine that the rich are made to pay their fair share of taxes. An unlikely scenario it may be, if it happened it would mean that a lot more money can be allocated to the education budget. Comprehensive schools would be able to afford more teachers meaning smaller classes and more individual focus on students. They would also be able to deploy state-of-the-art classrooms and resources that would rival that of private schools. Students would no longer only dream of exciting extracurricular activities but be able to partake

...to bring state funded schools up to the levels of privately funded ones. in renowned plays and sporting clubs. That is a world that we should want to live in. One where private schools are not banned but are made redundant. After all, who would send their child to a private school if state schools performed better?

07 DEC 2021| EXEPOSÉ

COMMENT

Climate change: does every little help?

Image: dmncwndrlch - Pixabay

Eirwen Abberley Watton Online Comment Editor

CCORDING to a The Guardian article from 2017, 70 per cent of our emissions come from just 100 companies. More than 50 per cent of global industrial emissions since 1988 can be attributed to only 25 corporate and stateowned entities. This statistic is harrowing: global warming is being accelerated by a tiny number of corporations who rake in huge profits. It comes as no surprise that some of the highest emitters are oil companies, including BP, Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron. In 2020, global oil production amounted to 88.4 million

barrels per day. We are so reliant on oil in our everyday lives that it is difficult for immediate change to happen. But these companies are notorious for pursuing profit regardless of the danger posed to ecosystems and people.

A meat diet is generally considered twice as expensive as a vegetarian one Given their sizeable contribution to global emissions, it is not surprising that these large corporations try to deflect the responsibility onto individuals. If we believe that switching off lights, not buying into fast fashion and

going vegetarian will save the planet, emissionheavy corporations have their scapegoat. In order to reassure the public, these companies use greenwashing — a marketing tactic which paints them as more eco-friendly than they actually are. BP, for example, “spent less investing in solar, hydrogen, and wind energy over a six-year period than it did on a two-year advertising campaign to rebrand itself as ‘Beyond Petroleum’” (Rob Nixon). The idea of moving ‘Beyond Petroleum’ promises renewable alternatives to oil which have not been delivered. The realities of global warming, and the end of eco-systems as we know them, are terrifying. Climate activism can place pressure on governments to make more concrete changes, but often the results are still insufficient. The COP26 summit, for example, has provoked mixed reactions. Many are concerned that the pledges made do not go far enough. The current promises, even if they are fulfilled, will only limit warming to 2.4˚C. According to scientists, this could lead to a climate catastrophe. What’s even more worrying is that the pledges are not legally binding. So, if we can’t rely on governments and big corporations to make change, what can we do? We face pressure from all around to change our diets, shop from more sustainable (and expensive) brands and travel by foot or public transport when we can (think Boris Bikes). While the onus should not be placed on individuals to spend money they do not have or make changes that negatively impact their standard of living, we can make changes that are not more costly. If it will not endanger your health, it is worth considering a shift to vegetarianism (or at least reducing how many

times a week you eat meat). A meat diet is generally considered twice as expensive as a vegetarian one. In 2006, the UN found that the total emissions produced by meat agriculture was 18 per cent of the global total — more than all forms of transport put together. Proposing vegetarianism/veganism often meets strong resistance, and many vegan staples are energy, land and water-intensive. In a BBC article, Richard Gray advises that the best diet is one that employs caution and thought. It is most important to do your research on the produce, eat seasonally and shop locally where possible.

What’s truly disturbing is how this translates to policy positions Buying clothes from sustainable brands or buying organic food, reduces waste and emissions but often requires a budget which is simply not feasible for everyone. The extent to which we can make these changes is limited by our financial status. Ultimately, “a fifth of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions are backed by public investment” (BBC). This means that governments need to be held accountable for their support of high emitters. It is very difficult to feed yourself, go to work and have a social life without buying into the fossil-fuel-driven structures underpinning them. If you make whatever changes you can, this will help to empower you and allay anxiety about climate change. But if these changes are not financially possible, or detrimentally affect your happiness, then don’t pressure yourself. Instead, get out there and place pressure on the real villains of global warming.

Transphobia in the UK Ana Anajuba Arts + Lit Editor CONTENT WARNING: TRANSPHOBIA, SEXUAL ASSAULT

RANSPHOBIA. It is a word that has — unfortunately — entered the public consciousness in recent years. More and more, as time goes on, it feels like misleading headlines and articles are published about transgender people to stir up anger about their mere existence. Most recent was a BBC article published on 26 October 2021 written by Caroline Lowbridge that interviewed lesbians who claimed that they are somehow being pressured into sex by trans women. Whilst there is no doubt that — like any random group of people — there are some bad actors who may be unscrupulous, it is disingenuous at best and dangerous at worst to suggest that somehow trans people are particularly predatory when it comes to sex and dating. What is worse, is the fact that interviewed amongst these alleged lesbian vic-

tims was self-confessed serial abuser, adult film star Lily Cade. The fact that she simultaneously claimed that an anamorphous blob of trans women were clamouring and coercing her to sleep with them whilst having apologised four years ago after a series of sexual assault allegations that included attacks in bathrooms is incredibly ironic. It is true that she could be a changed person — however, her violent and rhetoric spewed against trans people, including “If you left it up to me, I’d execute every last one of them personally,” and “Lynch Caitlyn! Lynch the ‘Sisters’ Wachowski! Lynch Laurel Hubbard! Lynch Fallon Fox!” – indicate this is not the case. What is worse is that Cade’s contribution to the story was one account of declining to shoot a scene with a trans adult film star and her request being accepted. That is it. There was no coercion. No force. No violence. Even for the adult film industry, that is an incredibly positive ending to refusing to shoot a scene. The full article was 4,000 words of unrefuted, unresearched hatred that completely shrouded any valid points

that could possibly have been made. This is unsurprising. According to broadcaster and presenter India Willougby: “BBC Radio 4 just invited me on to discuss whether biological sex can be separated from gender identity. Happy to chat — but I must be accompanied by Kathleen Stock. Whereas Stock is allowed on unaccompanied. It’s discrimination.” It is indeed discriminatory. So-called ‘gender critical feminists’, also referred to as TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical Image: Ted Eytan

feminists) by their detractors, are allowed to give their opinion unfiltered whereas trans people who wish only to defend their rights are forced to listen to bigotry to make their point. There is a complex history of trans people in the UK. Yet undeniably, it seems like the situation worsens by the day. From certain prominent figures giving their unresearched opinion as fact and having it regurgitated ad nauseum by the British media to random professors gaining national platforms after a so-called cancellation (also known as fair criticism of their opinions), it seems like the country has moved on from homophobia to transphobia after the legalisation of gay marriage and general acceptance of gay people. Sadly, organisations like the LGB Alliance team up with transphobes in some twisted Kafkaesque fever dream scenario. Even as Stonewall is being disassociated from the BBC, they gain more prominence yet seem to spend no time fighting for gay rights. Issues like trans women in sport are brought up by people who have never cared about women’s sports in their

life. All of a sudden women are used as a cudgel against trans women like that will do feminism any good. As a woman I can say this: I could care less how someone lives their life but the anti-women at its core rhetoric spouted by transphobes does nothing for me or my safety.

If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/speakout/staysafe www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing https://www.exeterguild.org/advice University helpline 0300 555 0225 Samaritans 116 123 Devon Rape Crisis 01392 208756 National Rape Crisis 0808 802 9999 Stop Abuse for Everyone (SAFE) 03030 300112

7 DEC 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Satire Students offered new Study Abroad placements in Heavitree

HEN I first started at university, I too was taken in by the enticing promise of a Study Abroad programme. A year spent away from rainy England, becoming more cultured and worldly; what more could anyone want? But for some poor students, their dream Study Abroad will only be about a mile down the road. Heavitree, with the exotic postcode of EX1, has been announced as Exeter’s newest ‘it factor’ destination. Of course, Heavitree does have a lot to offer. Technically, it proudly sits just outside the walls of Exeter; step past that boundary and it’s like a whole new world. Southgate estate agents proudly boasts that Heavitree even has exclusive, easy access to the M5, a Tesco Express and a Co-Op! As if that wasn’t enough to entice you, it is also home to the Heavitree Pleasure Ground, which you may be surprised to find out is not a strip joint but is in fact a children’s play area. The perfect addition to uni students seeking to live it up on their Study ‘Abroad’. Cassia Grace, Deputy Editor

Bar-gain: money off cocktails when you bring a keep cup?

EPORTS have come in of Exeter students asking for keep cup coffee offers on their cocktails, hoping to bag a deal. Artigiano Espresso & Wine Bar is a coffee shop and a cocktail bar, the two things students love most in this world. The owner, Chris P. Fry, complained, “These Exetah students have plenty of money, a full priced cocktail is hardly going to dent the trust fund,” going on to say, “I appreciate a bargain as much as the next person, but this business is my livelihood. They already have cheaper coffee what more could they possibly want?” Chloe Pumares, Deputy Editor

SATIRE EDITORS: Cleo Gravett

University of Exeter launches Festival of Compassion, draws the line at being compassionate

Oliver Leader de Saxe Editor

HE Festival of Compassion has been in full swing, but behind closed doors senior members of University staff are reportedly concerned at the unrealistic expectation of “basic human decency.” Despite the University’s best efforts to make sure the marketing for the event only contained the most inoffensive and focus-grouped jargon possible, many within the University’s executive and marketing teams were shocked to find the student body thought that the Festival was “hypocritical” and “absolute bollocks.”

selves,” one senior staff member said, sipping a margherita from the deck of his private yacht as his children engaged in fox hunting on the distant shore. “Mitigation this, fee reduc-

tion that; it’s truly vile behaviour. We gave them free yoga for Christ’s sake! Don’t they care about us at all?” During the Festival, students could go to a plethora of events, rang-

It was a great opportunity to tap into the whole good person thing “It’s appalling to hear students being so ungrateful. This Festival is about being compassionate to others, yet all they are doing is making it about them-

Images (top to bottom): University of Exeter, Clipart Library

ing from retail therapy at Marketplace, pitch-up and pay rounders, and talks with leading wellbeing professionals, including staff-favourite Dr Rhee Poff, who led a discussion on being mindful of the University’s damn business. In spite of the controversy, many students were happy to share their positive experiences of the Festival. “It was a really great opportunity to really tap into that whole being a good person thing I’ve heard so much about,” said Trent Chaser, a University social media intern and first year Communications student with over six thousand followers on Instagram. “I made so many amazing posts about how bad racism is. Everybody loved it. It’s going to get me so much engagement.” When asked about the criticism that the Festival of Compassion was simply performative, a spokesperson for the University accused the Exeposé Editors of being “despicable human beings” and “in the wrong role,” stating that if Exeposé printed anything negative about the University, they would shoot our dogs. Investigations into the legitimacy of this dog threat are ongoing.

GWR reopens Dartmoor Line; students recreate Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ on the moors Cleo Gravett Satire Editor

F you’ve ever wondered to yourself, “If I only could, I’d make a deal with God, and I’d get him to swap our places,” thanks to Great Western Railways (GWR) now you can! The newly reinstated Dartmoor Line facilitates travel to the “wily, windy moors”, with many students taking this opportunity to relieve stress brought on by end-of-term deadlines by recreating Kate Bush’s iconic ‘Wuthering Heights’ music video. Opened on 20 November 2021 under the Department of Transport’s Restoring Your Railway initiative, it’s a roughly 40 minute train journey (or one listen-through of Kate Bush’s The Kick Inside) from Exeter Central to Okehampton, and

passengers are dropped off on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. From here you can clamber over the rocks and streams of the moor and be “running up that hill” in no time. After the immense success of the service seen in the first week, GWR have even suggested plans of a rebrand and change of name to Kate Western Railway. Charity shops in Exeter reported a tenfold increase in sales of billowy red dresses, black belts and flower hair clips. When asked for comment, Babs Booshker, an English and Drama student at the University, said, “The new service is useful for escaping the stress of uni! Plus, my ‘Wuthering Heights’ recreation counts as my assessments for both my Thomas Hardy and my Interpretive Dance modules, it’s a win-win!” Exeposé would like to issue a

safety warning to students venturing to Dartmoor, reminding them to be vigilant in the event of a sighting of the dangerous Hound

of the Baskervilles — hopefully they’ll meet its friendlier cousins, the ‘Hounds of Love’ instead.

Heathcliff, it’s me, it’s Cathy!

Images (top to bottom): Roman Popelar, Ian Burt, Pixabay

LIFESTYLE

MUSIC

HOLIDAYS AROUND THE GLOBE Image: Lilboas, UnSplash

TECH

ARTS + LIT

STUDY BREAK

SCREEN

NON-FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS

Image: Pixabay

FESTIVE FLICKS Image: Pixabay

Image: Marco Verch Flickr

ADELE AND ARTISTIC MERIT Image: Wikimedia Commons

TIKTOK: MISINFORMATION OR EDUCATION? Image: Pixabay

STUDY BREAK

Image: The Blue Diamond Gallery

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LIFESTYLE EDITOR Danni Darrah Zoe Sperry

ARTS + LIT EDITOR Ana Anajuba Ella Minty

MUSIC EDITORS Charlotte Bend Harry Hawkins

SCREEN EDITORS Archie Lockyer Francesca Sylph

TECH EDITOR Alaïa LaFleur

25 STUDY BREAK Puzzles by Matthew and George

lifestyle Is fast fashion dying?

Eirwen Abberly Watton, Comment Editor, looks into whether fast fashion is actually in decline

AST fashion is a notoriously problematic industry. Not only is it environmentally devastating and responsible for unacceptable working conditions across the globe, it is also a driving force of harmful beauty standards. Mik Zazon, a body-positivity influencer who has over 938,000 followers, has recently launched legal action against fashion giant Boohoo for appropriating her trademarked slogan “Normalise Normal Bodies”. This statement holds personal value for Zazon. In a retaliating Instagram post, she describes how she was “just getting [her] own two feet off of the ground after leaving an outpatient eating disorder recovery program” when she coined the slogan. It is also important on a public level; it embodies the message of body positivity. That what you see in the media is not real. That everyone

deserves to be valued no matter how much they weigh. That all bodies are beautiful.

FASHIION COMPANIES OFTEN TAKE THE GUISE OF INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY

While Zazon’s drive to “Normalise Normal Bodies” should be displayed on billboards for everyone to see, her issue is Boohoo’s “appropriation of the phrase for profit”. In an attempt to keep ahead of the increasingly conscious market, fashion companies often take the guise of inclusion, diversity and sustainability. Even changes made to make fashion far more inclusive are ultimately creating profit for CEOs. Fashion companies make money from branding themselves as

sustainable, as well as inclusive. The pretence of being environmentallyfriendly to maintain customers, while actually contributing large amounts of emissions to global warming, is known as ‘greenwashing’. The reality is much darker: according to Fibre 4 Fashion, 20-35 per cent of ocean microplastics come from the fashion industry and the app Good on You says that 93 per cent of fashion brands do not pay their workers a living wage.

IT IS FASHIONABLE TO BOYCOTT FAST FASHION Spreading awareness about these issues has caused a shift in shopping habits. It is now much more socially acceptable to buy clothing second-hand, from charity shops or from vintage stores.

It has become fashionable to boycott fast fashion. But is this enough? According to TED, number of garments purchased per capita between 2000 and 2014 increased by about 60 per cent. While apps like Good on You have been developed to warn consumers of the worst brands (using an ethics-rating system), the continued expansion of clothing production is primarily in fast fashion and not in sustainable businesses. Customers keep spending money on fast fashion because most people cannot afford to pay more for clothes from sustainable brands. So, while we should do what we can to reduce our consumption, the onus should not be placed on consumers. We need to put pressure on companies like Boohoo, not on low-income families and other individuals who can’t afford to make these changes.

Breaking up with social media? Rebecca Bowsher looks at the pros and cons of social media during the festive period

OCIAL media has been described by the older generation such as my mother as the “scourge of the earth” and certainly it has many pitfalls. It can be a monumental waste of time scrolling through post after post either getting FOMO (fear of missing out) or extremely anxious that the planet is dying and everyone is mean to each other. However, it can also be a wonderful place full of inspira-

tion and, of course, entertaining memes. It is always important to prioritise mental health, and this includes cutting out all of the content that will make you anxious and apprehensive. It is never a good idea to read the news or the comments sections of political debates before bedtime. However, social media websites such as Pinterest offer wholesome Christmas

inspiration on decorations, baking and crafts, which is much more productive. Social media can be a marvellous place as long as it is taken in moderation. Falling into a pitfall of doom scrolling through Twitter is addictive and it is difficult to fall out of these cycles when you are sitting in your room alone, which you are more likely to be doing in the holidays at home away from friends. It is important to use social media to en-

gage positively with friends and family when you feel like it and not use it when you’re bored. I find that positivity on social media comes from being in a mentally good place and either sharing the positivity or only looking at positive content. Mindlessly scrolling when I am in a bad mood only brings me anxiety and dread. Social media over the festive period should be a place of love and warmth. If it isn’t, put away the phone.

The benefits of journaling J

OURNALING is something that lots of people associate with spending loads of time writing thoughtful ideas in a beautiful notebook. However, this is not the case. Many people do journal this way, the neatness and beauty bringing a sense of order and calm to an otherwise chaotic world. Yet, journaling is not focused on beauty, it is

Jess Steward shares her outlook on journaling and its importance focused on being a positive outlet for emotions, interests and self-care. I believe that journaling is one way to compute emotions that allows you to truly understand what is happening inside your mind. Journaling is predominantly about writing to bring yourself peace. That peace comes in many shapes and forms for different people. No two people are the same, and therefore, no two journaling techniques will be the same. It can be difficult for people to commit to journaling every day, and thus will only journal once a week. Or there will be people who incorporate it into their everyday lives as a means of relaxation at the end, or beginning, of the day. However you journal, or even if you do not, I strongly believe that journaling is one small

thing everyone could do to improve their mental 'clutter'. I call it 'clutter' as that is the way I perceive all of the thoughts clouding your mind that are not entirely productive to your mental health. As a result, journaling allows you to organise this clutter — a Mrs Hinch for your mind. To start journaling, grab a notebook — it can be one you have had forever or a shiny new one — and grab a pen and just start writing. You can use prompts (some will be listed at the end), or just write about what you feel comes to the forefront of your mind. Either way, write until you feel a small weight has been lifted from you. Journaling really is not hard to start; you can even do it on your laptop if you hate handwriting. Ultimately, if you feel you need an outlet for all of that mental 'clutter'. I mentioned earlier, use journaling to help.

Some writing prompts What brings you peace? When was the last time you felt true fear? How did you overcome it? Write a letter to someone, saying something you have always wanted them to know (you don’t need to send it!) What are three things you are grateful for today? Give your day two positives and something that could be better tomorrow. Write how you feel on a scale of 1-10 and describe why.

Image: Flickr Clarice Barabto-Dunn

exhibit

EDITORS: Danni Darrah and Zoe Sperry

lifestyle

6 dec 2021 |

Holidays around the globe Lifestyle writers discuss their Christmas holiday traditions from across the world

HE Christmas celebration in Poland starts on the 24th of December and Christmas Eve is called “Wigilia”. The entire family gathers round for a traditional supper that consists of 12 dishes, symbolising the 12 apostles or the 12 months in the year. The usual specialties of Polish cuisine that can be found on a festive table are pierogi (Polish dumplings) with sauerkraut and mushrooms, Barszcz (beetroot soup) , carp, sernik (Polish cheesecake) and many more. Before the dinner begins and children get excited about their presents, they are told by their parents to look for the first star in the winter sky symbolising the star of Bethlehem. That gives the parents time to quickly turn into Santa and stealthily hide their gifts for the family under the Christmas tree. The other highlight of the evening is sharing a thin, white wafer (called opłatek in Polish) and exchanging wishes for the upcoming new year. It is an opportunity for the relatives to join together in a celebration after a hard year and express their feelings towards each other by sharing some of their wafer with the other person. After the dinner, there is usually a midnight mass (Pasterka) which is accompanied by carol singing.

F you ever have the highest honour of coming to my house for Christmas, you will be amazed at the feast that awaits. Far from the usual simple potato dishes, dry turkey, and meh Christmas pudding, a kaleidoscope of beautiful dishes inspired by Nigerian cuisine awaits. Christmas day for me is not necessarily fun: I have never been the child who rushes down the stairs at the crack of dawn to harangue their still sleeping parents — in fact, I like to have a late Christmas. It is often a stressful occasion with too many people hovering around a hob and an oven, allocated to different dishes by my mother. I, as the person considered least likely to make an edible dish (allegedly), am relegated to making a salad. My younger brother usually makes a delightful apple crumble whilst my youngest brother is forced to prepare brussels sprouts by the only person who eats them — my dad, who is content in putting his feet up and occasionally contributing to the whirlwind (or just relishing in buying the drinks). My sister — the true MVP — makes her famous buns as starters, then mac and cheese, goat curry, and any other thing her magical hands will whip up. Meanwhile, my mother makes the staple dishes of jollof rice, fried rice and rice and stew. For me, Christmas is not about presents, it is not really about the food either (though that is one of the best parts), it is about spending time with a family that I appreciate the older I get. This year, it will be the first Christmas in a while that I actually have a vegetarian dish to make, and I cannot wait to share it with the people I love most in the world.

Agata Koralewska

Ana Anajuba, Arts + Lit Editor

VER here on Christmas Eve, children squeeze their eyes shut desperately trying to fall asleep before a much-anticipated guest arrives: Santa Claus. In Spain, however, it is the Three Kings who steal the starlight, and bring gifts to Spanish children.

CHILDREN SQUEEZE THEIR EYES SHUT DESPERATELY TRYING TO FALL ASLEEP Where round-bellied men dress up in a red suit and a beard in the UK, in Spanish schools, three people don crowns and robes and walk around the classrooms handing out sweets and presents. Some families have adopted the Santa tradition as well, but the big Christmas celebration is on 6 January. There are incredible parades to welcome the arrival of the kings who come bearing gifts in the night. Families celebrate el Día de Los Reyes Magos. Instead of a figgy pudding at their Christmas meal, the Spanish enjoy the roscón de reyes. This dessert resembles a jewelled crown. It is a ring of sweet bread decorated with candied fruit. While we are careful not to swallow a coin, the roscón only has two choking hazards: a dried bean and a figurine of a king. The person who finds the king wears a paper crown for the rest of the meal and enjoys good luck for a year. Unfortunately, if you find the bean, you’re buying the roscón for the following year. Maddie Luke

An anticlimactic Christmas Market Cassia Grace, Deputy Editor, reviews the Exeter Christmas Market at the Cathedral

HE Exeter Christmas Market is a timeless tradition that has once again taken over the Cathedral Green and our hearts, coming to announce that Christmas is officially here (albeit a month early). Yet, for me, the market was not on par with past years. Admittedly I may have insufferably high standards when it comes to Christmas. The Christmas Market was, as usual, a sight to overcome even the biggest of scrooges: the small stalls decorated with festive lights, the chatter of excited shoppers (some of whom have travelled an outra-

geous distance to join us in our lovely city) and the sweet smell of mulled wine in the air. And of course there were some familiar stalls that still had as much appeal as when I first saw them many eons ago. The wool stall in particular, with its colourful knits and funky patterns, my personal favourite being some very lively sheep, made a lovely addition to my mother’s Christmas list. As far as food goes, there was a lot of variety; from duck wraps, to churros, to burgers, to hog roasts. And a lovely hot chocolate stand to warm your hands

from the bitter storm we’re all enjoying. The drinks tent, complete with log fires and with a number of mulled items on the menu, was also a welcome break and the perfect place for a catch up. If you can beat the queues, this was probably my favourite place for festive spirit. Unfortunately my list of criticisms is almost as expansive. The food, whilst good, was also incredibly overpriced. The same issue could be levelled against most of the stalls. Although this could be considered an inevitable hazard of Christ-

mas Markets, it certainly wasn’t suitable for a poor group of students hoping to find their gifts for Secret Santa. Not to mention, a lot of the stalls were incredibly niche; I certainly didn’t arrive with the intention of visiting the knife stall, buying a framed ancestry chart or a Viking drinking horn (spoiler: I didn’t leave with them either). What’s worse, I was only half way through my hot chocolate when disaster struck; I’d run out of stalls to browse! All in all, it was a very underwhelming experience; had it not been for the enforced merriment of the Christmas season, I think we would have left early.

Image: Alison Day

arts + lit Japan and the West

Joshua Smith discusses Japan’s history with the Western world

HE roots of Manga go back to the late Edo period (c.1750), in wood block prints called Ukiyo-e, translated loosely as ‘pictures of the floating world’, initially for children they quickly became serialised into devices of satire and gossip, frequently referring to public figures. It has since evolved like much of Japanese culture into a worldwide sensation, from Hokusai’s 100 drawings of Mount Fuji to Studio Ghibli’s heart-warming anime, taking on different forms and laying the foundations for the global cartoon industry. The exhibition ‘Japan: Courts and Culture’, at Buckingham Palace next year will present the material artefacts of a 300 year relationship between two island monarchies. Artefacts on display shall illustrate Japan from eras of samurai rule, with samurai armour from 1580 sent as a gift to James I by Tokugawa leyasu on display, to its post-Commodore Perry present, with a dressing box gifted to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 by the Emperor Showa being revealed to the public for the first time. The exhibition is a way of re-discovering an affinity between two former imperialist

island monarchies and understanding 1639, thus cultural exchange with Japan was the alternative perspectives Japan has not to happen (excluding the Dutch East India inspired in the West throughout history. Company who operated out of a tiny island In 1614 Tokugawa Ieyasu had defeated in Nagasaki bay) until 1853 when American his rival daimyo and signed decrees Commodore Perry arrived in Japan, that said all Europeans threatening naval bombardment should be driven out of if they did not open up Japan, all Christians be to trade with the West. persecuted and Japan On 25 November would cease to trade 1970 Japan’s most with any foreign famous writer Yukio power. Europeans Mishima carried out a had arrived in the meticulously planned floating kingdom hostage taking at by accident when one of Japan’s military a Portuguese ship headquarters as part was blown off course of a coup motivated 71 years previously in by his desire to return 1543, and 1549 saw Jesuit Japan to its samurai past. Image: Trevor Priest Francis Xavier arrive in This failed, and the artist who Dobson, Flickr the country to found the first Christian had that year appeared on the cover mission. The first British contact in Japan was in of LIFE magazine, committed Seppuku. 1613, arriving with a gift and letter from James Mishima’s hard-right views represented a I, beginning a friendship between the nations. minority by 1970, since even back in 1910 when Though it was short lived, the sakoku Europeans were still being newly confronted ‘closed country’ policy was officially signed in by the long and illustrious history and artefacts

of Japan at the Japan-British exhibition, the Japan on show had rapidly faded. In 57 years manga had succeeded in “liberating [the Impressionists] from conventionally stiff portrayals of human and natural forms”, yet the Japanese state had become a stiff replica of the European governmental system with the inevitable fall of the shogunate, the hereditary military dictatorship of Japan which had ruled from 1192-1867, and re-establishment of direct imperial rule. This gave rise to Western style political, judicial and military institutions. Despite this, Japanese art has remained unique and radically influential on the global stage from the ceaseless admiration for Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e to the films of Kurosawa and the global manga and anime industry, which has always been popular since it was released from censorship in America post WWII. All of this shows how culturally relevant Japan is to us today and how a new exhibition of the artefacts from its past will illuminate a relationship and parallels that will inspire reflection and understanding for an extraordinary, unique culture, which for many years was immaculately preserved away from the western world.

Non-fiction recommendations Arts and Lit writers talk about their favourite non-fiction books

Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall The Strange Last Voyage of Danold Crowhurst

Joanna Moorhead The Surreal Life of Leonora Carrington

Ben Macintyre The Spy and the Traitor

S a historical biography, The Strange Last EONORA Carrington is probably a name HAT do a nuclear wargame on the verge of getting Voyage of Donald Crowhurst is a book that that you haven’t heard of before. But you out of hand, a senior politician who may be on the KGB most likely wouldn’t have piqued my interest probably will have heard of her partner, payroll and a CIA desk jockey selling the lives of his fellow had it not been recommended to me so highly. A Max Ernst. Like Ernst, Carrington was a prolific operatives for cash have in common? No, it isn’t the leaked plot from greatly appraised but underrated piece of investigative surrealist artist who was largely overshadowed by the new James Bond movie; it’s the fact all of this actually happened. journalism, it explores the global voyage of Donald Ernst’s success and fame. Nonetheless, Carrington Like all great stranger-than-fiction stories, British journalist Ben Crowhurst in the 1968 Sunday Times sailing race. defied gender stereotypes and liberated herself Macintyre’s tale of treachery, bravery and spy brilliancy reads like The race was never truly sailed by him — Crowhurst from her privileged, but patriarchal upbringing in the most addictive airport thriller. The book follows the exploits never made it out of the Atlantic Ocean, instead Lancaster. Carrington had a difficult relationship of one Oleg Gordievsky, KGB serviceman turned British double fraudulently recording falsified times and coordinates. with her father and brothers who did not respect agent, whose heroic exploits quite literally helped save the world. Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall fascinatingly uncover her choice of profession or the circles in Yet Gordievsky is no superspy, and Macintyre the entire journey, while understanding his increasingly which she mixed. After her eighteenth makes clear the real nerve-wracking damage and Image: Hodder declining mental state, until his eventual presumed suicide. birthday and an uncomfortable experience at the moral conundrums at the heart of true international It was Crowhurst’s psychological deterioration as a debutante ball, Carrington left home in search of espionage. Macintyre, like all great journalists, looks at result of social isolation, depression and hallucination that an adventure. She travelled the world from Paris to all sides of the story, not just from British intelligence gripped me throughout and encourages me to recommend Mexico City and mingled with artists that shared her but also former friends and colleagues from the USSR. Image: Trevor Carrington it. More than this, it was the speculation about the end same passion for avant-garde surrealism. In many respects, despite daring escapes from the Dobson, Flickr of his journey, intricately studied by so many behaviour had a remarkable life and her legacy is even greater; heart of Moscow and tense truth serum interrogations, psychologists and investigators, that eventually draw the in 2009 her Bosch-inspired painting The Giantess The Spy and the Traitor is about loneliness, about multiple conclusions of what drove Crowhurst to his suicide. was sold for $1.5 million at Christie’s in New York — a secrets kept from families and the toll they take. This biographical piece of investigative journalism spurred far cry from her financially precarious existence in So, if you fancy a globe-trotting espionage thriller me to find others within the same genre; The Missing Cryptoqueen Mexico City. Moorhead takes the reader through with real-world stakes, minus the jingoistic flag-waving Image: Virago by Jamie Bartlett being an investigation of the OneCoin scam an extremely personal account of the trials and and double the frantic document scanning, Macintyre’s that happened globally. Who knew that a recommendation tribulations of Carrington’s inspiring and unpredictable life. Cold War instant classic may be the non-fiction book for you. could open an entirely new genre of reading for me? Danni Darrah, Lifestyle Editor

Lucy Aylmer, Deputy Editor

Oliver Leader De Saxe, Editor

exhibit

arts + lit

EDITORS: Ana Anajuba & Ella Minty

7 DEC 2021 | 18

The joy of reading plays

Charlie Nadin explores the benefits of reading a play versus only watching a performance of it

HE whole world is a stage and all the men and women merely readers; that is the joy of reading plays. Often when people ask you what you like to read, or indeed what you have been reading, there is an expectation of what the answer will be. Perhaps a novel — some great classic like Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights — or maybe a newspaper or a magazine. Increasingly, people are embracing forms that have typically been shunned or disregarded, mediums like manga and comics or fan fiction and erotica. The list goes on. But an answer people very rarely seem to expect: “I read plays”. Now, there is an understandable disconnect. Plays are, after all, designed to be performed, so what is there to consider of the written medium? It arguably lacks so much of what live performances can offer the senses. I should preface my argument by mentioning that I am a combined honours English and Drama student, so it is sort of my prerogative to read and find the value in performance texts.

Even still, I feel the most compelling defence of reading drama I can make must come from my experience.

THERE IS AN IMAGINATIVE POWER ASCRIBED TO THE READER. YOU CAN CREATE THE SCENE. I read Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale during the first year of my A-Levels. I had, up to that point, no real interest in Shakespeare, nor had I ever heard of the play, or even seen it performed. Yet I absolutely adore that text to this day. I’m sure if I was held to it, I could recount near every detail of the plot in a way that I would never be able to for some books I’ve read (I can’t remember a damn thing about The Great Gatsby, that’s for sure). My scrawling notes dominate entire double page spreads

in my little copy, so much so that it is sometimes difficult to see the print for my writing. And I say text quite deliberately. I did, soon after reading it, see both an amateur production at my school, and a professionally acted version by the BBC. Neither ever captivated my attention as much as my tatty little book did. Admittedly, I studied the play, and my teacher was rather passionate about it, so perhaps I was coerced into loving it. But there are others that I love: Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, but most particularly Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. I love the performance, I’ve seen it multiple times, but I have such an affinity with the book. It resonates with me on a personal level in how it reminds me of my brother, though he would loath me ever admitting

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, author unknown

that. I think that is where the value of reading a play lies. There is an imaginative power ascribed to the reader, you can create the scene, you can direct the actors in your mind to perform as you see fit and you can insert yourself into the action. It is arguably a more involved process than watching a director’s vision of what is ultimately a text like any other book. So, why not give a play a read? You might just love it.

Conversation of compassion with Dr Beverly Tatum

Ana Anajuba and Ella Minty, Arts and Lit Editors discuss the talk given by Professer Beverly Tatum on race

S part of Exeter’s Festival of Compassion, we attended a talk by Professor Beverly Tatum, which was hosted by a second year sociology student studying at the University. Professor Tatum is a widely acclaimed psychologist and educator. She is the author of the bestselling book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria And Other Conversations About Race. The talk was fascinating; it encouraged the audience to challenge their perceptions about race and question systemic forms of racism. Professor Tatum’s talk centered on the concept that to change perception and stereotypes around race, we need to have open conversation and not be afraid of talking about it. When asked why she wrote her book, the

professor spoke about how she began trying to educate people who work in schools about racism, but she found that the conversation kept being pushed to higher levels of power within these very same institutions.

WE NEED TO HAVE OPEN CONVERSATION AND NOT BE AFRAID As someone who was born in 1954, the same year as the Brown v Board of Education Supreme Court case, Professor Tatum’s life has always been coloured by racism. When her father wanted to pursue a doctorate at Florida State University, he could not because it was a whites-only institution. Rather than allow him to attend, they

paid for his transportation to Pennsylvania State University instead. The impact of racism within her family influenced her parent’s decision to move away in 1954 after her father finished his doctorate and subseqently, became the first African American professor at Bridgewater State University. This early experience with systemic racism is an obvious autobiographical root of her research. The issue of racism is such a complex topic and it necessitated numerous workshops. Professor Tatum found this impacted her worklife balance and so she decided to condense the message into a work of non-fiction that simultaneously summarised her research and ensured her message reached a wider audience. This endeavour resulted in her first non-fiction work being published in 1998.

The title of Professor Tatum’s book was a commonly asked question from the people she held workshops with and educated on the subject, but Tatum would rather people focus on the “other conversations about race” that need to be had. Tatum referenced Dr Martin Luther King’s concept about making a choice between chaos or community as she believes that we need to focus on compassion and not the stigma surrounding difficult conversations about race. Image credit: Penguin Books

Reading Corner Alaïa Lafleur, Tech Editor reviews her recent favourite read

OR those who do not know, Chinua Achebe is probably the most famous Nigerian and African writer within the Anglophone canon, described by some as the “founding father of African fiction”. Of course, this trivializes the work of his

contemporaries (like Cyprian Ekwensi, and Amos Tutuola) and the much longer history of African literature that Achebe himself stood on. However, Achebe remains Image credit: Penguin Classics one of the most subtle and insightful authors I have ever read. Things Fall Apart (1958) fooled me from the very first sentences. The deceptive simplicity of Achebe’s style hid its incredible scale and sharp perception. It tells the story of Okonkwo, a courageous Igbo man of high status, who is exiled for seven years from

fictional Umuofia only to return to see his village struggling to maintain its sovereignty and cultural identity at the outset of British colonialization. By the end, Okonkwo is the only one among his clansmen willing to defend his homeland through war. We encounter the full ethnocentric, arrogant and ignorant reality of the British Empire, along with a tender relation of Igbo culture which possesses several highly admirable qualities; pragmatic thinking among others. It is never without nuance, and Achebe does not shy away from portraying the cruelty within some of the Igbo traditions, like the complete ostracization of the osu as a separate class. Some Igbo characters question these conventions while others, like Okonkwo, follow them blindly. Complex

and real, it allows for so much more to be felt. Okonkwo, is frankly one nasty piece of work: abusive to his children and wives, extremely inflexible and lacking in emotional self-awareness. Yet one of the most disturbing moments is when he takes his own life despite the sinful association of suicide in Umuofia. Someone like Okonkwo, larger-than-life, even heroic, insurmountably proud, who lived and worked for his (masculine) image and legacy, who had gone through wars and exiles, chose a dishonourable, “feminine” death, to facing a colonial court and an occupied Umuofia. I cared for Umuofia. I did not care for Okonkwo. But in that moment, I felt his loss as an uncle you never liked but whom you could not help but care about.

MUSIC

Choirs: cheer or chore? D

Exeposé Music Writers debate the staying power of traditional Christmas hymns and classics

ECEMBER is finally here, and we all know what that means: Christmas music. Finally. For some, Christmas music may mean bopping along to Ariana Grande’s ‘Santa Tell Me’ or familiar tunes such as Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’. Maybe it’s all those years of being forced into a church twice a week, but for me, Christmas music will always come back to the classics like ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’. Hymns such as this seem to really get into the heart of what Christmas is about; for me they are reminiscent of cold Christmas Eve’s spent singing in choirs and time spent with family. Harmonising with others in this way is always a spine tingling feeling, but there is something about singing Christmas songs that is especially moving; everyone seems more cheerful and hopeful, there is always hot chocolate to warm cold hands and the familiar carols seem to bring a sense of togetherness and community. These more traditional Christmas songs also cut through the noise of commercial Christmas; they are not just an attempt by the latest autotuned pop singer to make a quick buck, they are genuine works of art that have been passed down through the generations. Of course, it’s not just carols and hymns that top the list when it comes to Christmas music. Christmas classics that Generation Alpha may think of as ‘old’ are arguably some of the most iconic Christmas songs to ever grace our radios. Sinatra, with his smooth syllables marking him out as vocally superior to any current artists, has always been the soundtrack to my Christmas.

In fact, all the best Christmas songs were written before the 1960s: ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Rocking Around The Christmas Tree’, ‘Santa Baby’, ‘Frosty The Snowman’. Iconic songs one and all. Many have made their mark on modern culture, showing their versatility and ability to outlive their writers. ‘White Christmas’ by Bing Crosby (1942) remains the best selling single of all time, while ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ was immortalised through the legendary talent show dance in Mean Girls. Classic Christmas films such as It’s A Wonderful Life, although brilliant in their own right, would not be half as good without such classic songs; ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ at the end of Frank Capra’s masterpiece remains to this day one of the most evocative uses of music I’ve seen. The fact that modern artists insist on remaking such well-trodden tunes, with the likes of Mr Buble making his millions from it, shows that these songs can never be Image: Columbia Records beaten or go out of fashion. They will forever make up the definitive Christmas playlist. Cassia Grace, Deputy Editor

AVING been subjected to, and a weakly voiced participant in, carols all through Catholic school, the repetition of some Christmas traditionals are very familiar. That doesn’t mean they’re necessarily all able to incite Christmas cheer in me. I think of a traditional choir songbook like a school Christmas dinner — yes, there are a couple of pigs in blankets, but the turkey is dry, and you MUST eat the Brussel sprouts. There are some real moaners (see ‘The Redeemer’) that would make even Robert Smith ask you to start smiling, not least because the weird puritanic harmony and jerky rhythm is suited more to a Tool or Type O Negative gig than a freezing church hall. Give me some joy to the world, damnit! And that’s the Catholic ones — don’t get me started on English hymns. Any rendition of ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ puts me in more of a catatonic state than Mr Clause’s brandy. To be clear, I’m not ragging on the kids forced to sing these dirges. Adults and professional choristers can make it sound awful too! The wheedling hyper RP pronunciation of an Oxbridge group, or the sanitised bludgeon-

ing of any song Pentatonix undertake are arguably far worse than the innocent general public with their pleasantly normal and not perfectly pitched voices. All of this to say that there are simply just many options as good, if not better! Not even considering the greatness of international Yuletide anthems like 'Felis Navidad', there are plenty of great seasonal tunes, whether it's classics like Wham! and Mariah, or more recent Christmas inspired originals like Tyler the Creator’s Grinch EP. What makes this music so essentially Christmassy? I’d argue that just like elaborate light decorations or decadent food, a good Christmas song is layered and comforting. Some shortcuts to seasonal lift are vibraphones and jingle bells, which can allow you to have a rockabilly, Beach Boys or even pop punk Night Before Christmas (speaking of which, any Christmas film with Danny Elfman’s soundtrack is instant post-pudding bliss.) And you could always just enjoy some wintral music that can convey a multitude of feelings beyond just ‘Jesus is coming’ and ‘it’s cold’. For me, Jools’ Hootenanny is a way more important Christmas-time touchstone than the Carols from King’s. With such a spectrum of options, it's clear that whilst the weather outside is frightful, the inside is pretty delightful — so treat yourself to whatever takes your fancy. Just know that I won’t be droning along to ‘While Shepherds Watched’ this year. No 'No-els' for me!

Harry Hawkins, Print Music Editor

Bowie: A new sonic experience

Mahnoor Imam discusses what's in store for a new potential Bowie film

NE of David Bowie’s most recent biopics include Gabriel Range’s Stardust (2020), a fictionalised portrait exploring Bowie’s alter-ego personas throughout his lifetime. However with a lack of Bowie’s actual discography in the soundtrack, along with a failed box office and generally unfavourable reviews, the film failed to generate mass acclaim. Partly this was the result of Bowie’s estate not granting the rights to use Bowie’s music in the film, meaning that production would have to scour Bowie’s covers of various songs throughout his early career. This ignites the hope for the new film to claim success in ways Stardust couldn’t, Image: Ron Frazier

with Bowie’s estate granting the rights as well as the helping hand of record producer, Tony Visconti who closely worked with Bowie himself. Tony Visconti has worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, Sparks, Morrissey and more; this collaboration sets high expectations for the film’s soundtracks to be complete with Bowie’s track-listings. Following from Brett Morgen’s critically acclaimed documentary on Nirvana, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, audiences can reasonably expect a more expansive retrospective on Bowie’s distinguished music career, one that will now involve his music. Morgen promises an “immersive cinematic experience” rather than a deep-dive biography or

detailed documentary of the singer’s life. Additionally, with the access to thousands of hours of never-seen-before footage, audiences will have a rare glimpse into Bowie’s life from a remarkable angle. Despite detailed access through the footage, Bowie’s estate remains adamant on keeping the private side of his life as is. However, critics predict there will be a rare insight into personal aspects of Bowie’s life. Alongside Morgen, the Oscarwinning sound team behind the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody are also working on the film. With an academy-winner production team as experienced and valuable set for this project, this upcoming film stands as a stark contrast to Stardust.

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exhibit | music

EDITORS: Harry Hawkins and Charlotte Bend

23 NOV 2021 | 20

Taylor's Version: ownership in the music industry Bridie Adams, Editor, discusses how Taylor Swift has gained power over her work

RTISTS are beginning to press harder for more power over the work they created. Instead of leaving their intellectual property totally at the hand of labels, and the most obvious example of this rising movement is Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift is not the owner of any of her master records released prior to her 2019 album, Lover, as stated by the Cable News Network. This was due to the agreement with her old record label Big Machine Records. On 16 November last year, the American singer-songwriter Tweeted: “As you know, for the past year I’ve been actively trying to regain ownership of my master recordings. With that goal in mind, my team attempted to enter into negotiations with Scooter Braun.” She went on, “I would have to sign a document that would silence me forever before I could even have a chance to bid on my own work. My legal team said that this is absolutely NOT normal.” Swift continued explaining her negotiations with music tycoon Braun: “He would never even quote my team a price. These master recordings were not for sale to me.” Instead, Braun sold the masters

to an independent company, and Swift “learned that […] Scooter Braun will continue to profit […] for many years.” She then mentioned re-recording her old music, describing it as “exciting and creatively fulfilling. I have plenty of surprises in store.” Swift was given guidance by her legal team, and told that she could begin re-recording her past albums and release them as brand new versions. Swift has pulled this off; she is presently in the task of re-recording and re-releasing updated versions of her first albums (there is no copyright issue with reusing her own lines or instrumentals.)

HELEN BROWN CALLED RED... A BETTER VERSION OF A TERRIFIC POP ALBUM Fearless (Taylor's Version) was released on 9 April 2021, through Republic Records. It went on to make its way to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 200 albums chart in the week

of 24 April 2021. Swift feels passionately about coming into possession and ownership of her music and has said that re-releasing her album Fearless made her want to re-record all the albums she has released. In addition, Swift has said that re-releasing her prior albums enables her to give fans a greater awareness of what her real intentions for those albums were to start with. She said that when she originally released the album Fearless, she cut certain songs because they were not suitable, but for Taylor’s Version she changed her mind and decided to release a number of unreleased tracks so that fans could know the all-encompassing meaning and purpose of the album. Red (Taylor’s Version) was released on 12 November 2021 and includes the singles ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ and ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’, with Taylor’s Version adding in a number of extra tracks that

didn’t make it into the initial album. The Independent’s album critic Helen Brown called Red (Taylor’s Version) a “better version of a terrific pop album,” as the words and production haven’t changed a lot. Emily Simonian, a licensed therapist in Washington DC who has a Bachelor of Arts in contemporary music, told Insider “that the new version of ‘All Too Well’ may transport listeners back in time to their younger selves.” Swift has been applauded in the media for her imaginative method of getting to grips with a delicate statutory matter and for the recent, re-recorded albums that have been made. Taylor Swift has power, and her unique struggle to adjust how money is distributed for creative work is a possible prototype for getting compensation from industry forces. Images from left to right: Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons, Republic, Big Machine

"You Can't Keep it": Adele and artistic merit J

Clémence Smith, Online Arts+Lit Editor, investigates Adele's comeback in the music industry

UST 41 minutes on Instagram live sufficed for Adele to, once again, effortlessly wrap the world around her little finger. After a six-year hiatus, Adele is back and better than ever. Her new album, however, is more than just a chart-topper and passing hit; it has sparked long-overdue debates within the industry over artistic merit and music consumption. Adele’s buoyant personality undoubtedly contributes to her popularity. Unabashedly down to earth, listening to her talk seems like chatting to a friend. Today’s biggest stars seem impossibly removed from their followers; but even as Adele strolls through her multi-million dollar LA abode in her 73 questions Vogue interview, she stays true to her approachable and candid self.

WHO'S MAKING MUSIC FOR MY PEERS? I WILL DO THAT JOB GLADLY Despite her laid-back attitude, 30 has become 2021’s fastest-selling album, surpassing Ed Sheeran and ABBA. When asked in her Instagram live what her new album was based on, Adele’s prompt reply was “divorce babe, divorce”. This straightforward reply ironically contrasts with the album’s content, which is, arguably, Adele’s most emotionally complex work to date. The songs are intensely personal, the album act-

ing as a mirror in which Adele contemplates her reflection and purpose in life. 'My Little Love', one of the collection’s rawest songs, features voice recordings of Adele’s conversations with her son. In an interview with Apple Music, the singer explained their purpose, highlighting her anxiety of oversharing her feelings with her son. “When you lay on me, can you feel the way my heart breaks?” she sings, adding “I’m so sorry if what I’ve done makes you feel sad” moments later. The album progresses from a confessional tone to one of self-reflection, as she states “my heart speaks in puzzles and codes / I’ve been trying my whole life to solve” in the work’s last song 'Love Is A Game'. Having started writing back in 2018, 30 masterfully traces Adele’s path from heartbreak to recovery. Speaking to Zane Lowe, Adele pointed out that musicians are expected to constantly produce hits: “That’s not what artists are […] and I wanted to remind them all that you don’t have to be in everyone’s

faces all the time”. Great art isn’t premeditated and can’t be predicted — trying to do so actually risks distorting the creative process. The music industry has seen major changes since Adele released her previous album, 25. According to the BBC, in 2015 “streaming accounted for just 11 per cent of the UK’s music market […] today, 80 per cent of music consumption is on streaming services”. Instead of the 800,000 sales that 25 saw in its opening week, Adele’s newest work sold 204,000 copies. This change in media, however, goes beyond dematerialisation: it also changes how one listens to music. The singer made headlines when she convinced Spotify to remove the shuffle button from an album’s page, letting songs play in their intended order. Trying to decipher artistic intention through a shuffled album is akin to trying to see the bigger picture immediately after one opens a jigsaw puzzle. Technology has undoubtedly altered how we interact with music. Nowadays, TikTok largely dictates the charts. Although this has shone a

light on previously undiscovered artists, most TikTok sounds remain just a passing trend, being twisted into various forms (from dances to comedy sketches) until they are discarded as irrelevant. Adele acts as a beacon for older generations, stating “If everyone's making music for the TikTok, who's making the music for my generation? Who's making the music for my peers? I will do that job gladly”.

ADELE'S MOST EMOTIONALLY COMPLEX WORK TO DATE Her music delivers a deeper emotional impact that will grow over time. After a certain number of plays, it is easy for the artist’s figure to start fading into the background as the music becomes imbued with one’s own circumstances and interpretations. Poignantly, Adele ended her interview with Apple music by stating that “You can have [the album]… you can’t keep it”. Adele calls into question those who argue that an artist’s influence dies once their work has been published. She doesn’t claim to be a universal artist, writing for the masses; nor does she have to be. The impression that 30 leaves on its listeners is like the lingering warmth of a hug; despite its transience, it changes us forever. Image: Lightburst

screen

The art of the music documentary From the Bee Gees to One Direction, Exeposé Screen Writers share their favourite music documentries

THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART

HREE brothers who, with their warbling high notes and teeth visible from space, gave us a catalogue of shoulder-shimmying anthems and remain drastically underrated. This documentary shows their extensive history and masterful musicianship, and charts their strong fraternal relationship (which was not without trouble — Maurice’s alcoholism, Andy’s devastating premature death, Robin’s diva behaviour) up to a reunion that manifested a little too late. Barry (B.G. himself ) is the glue of this documentary, and the use of archival interview footage of Robin and Maurice alongside present day footage of Barry makes for fluid storytelling that respectfully overcomes the fact that two thirds of the band is no longer with us. Interviews with the Gallagher and Jonas brothers poignantly demystify the elusive family band dynamic — the highs are twice as high and the lows twice as low. A smorgasbord of video clips: early performances, studio snippets, sequences from Saturday Night Fever, illustrates their reputation as genre chameleons who found success together for four decades, and escaped the backlash of the racist and homophobic “Disco Sucks” movement by writing for other legendary musicians (Diana Ross and Barbra Streisand, to name two). This documentary pays the personal and the technical equal attention — how deep is my love for it? Endless. Cleo Gravett, Satire Editor

ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US

NITIALLY, I had planned to write this article about Asif Kapadia’s heartbreakingly tender Amy or the energetic and electric Supersonic (big up A24 music docs). However, I can’t lie to you; Spotify Wrapped season is upon us and I can already tell that One Direction is going to be my top artist for the 5th year in a row, so I might as well expose myself even further. This is Us follows the day-today lives of Harry, Niall, Liam, Louis and Zayn intermixed with live concert footage from their 2013 Take Me Home Tour, including the iconic ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ cover that we sadly never got a studio version of. Judge me all you like but the nostalgia and serotonin that I get from One Direction: This is Us is honestly unparalleled. Sure, it’s kind of bittersweet now I’m older and wiser and able to realise that the campfire scene was definitely scripted and mostly lies (as was their “18-month hiatus”). However, the fact that I can annoy Film Bros. by pointing out that a One Direction documentary is officially listed on Martin Scorsese’s IMDb page makes it all worth it. Forget George Harrison: Living in the Material World, One Direction: This is Us is clearly the best music documentary that Martin Scorsese has ever been involved in. Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor

DEMI LOVATO: DANCING WITH THE DEVIL

CONTENT WARNING: SUBSTANCE ABUSE

HE making of an intimate documentary is now a pivotal part of the pop-star experience. Demi Lovato is well acquainted with the trend of revealing celebrity documentaries, now having released three. Dancing With The Devil, which premiered in March, is a gritty set of YouTube videos about the life and career of American singer-songwriter Demi Lovato. Lovato steps up to explain what happened along the way to their catastrophic overdose in 2018, as well as how they have developed as an artist throughout their own musical journey. The documentary goes further than just Lovato’s struggle with suffering a relapse, and recuperating from this; it digs into further traumas Lovato has experienced in years gone by. The only way to exclusively, electronically stream the candid, four-part documentary series is on the singer’s official YouTube channel — no streaming subscriptions like Netflix or Disney Plus are needed. The documentary is so poignant and hard-hitting that, despite coinciding with the release of Lovato’s latest album, the series will stay with me for much longer than the music. Bridie Adams, Editor Image: Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, SB Films, IMDb.

THE SPARKS BROTHERS

DGAR Wright’s fanfare to the band Sparks oozes with an infectious passion that has left me with a deep and long-lasting obsession with Ron and Russel Mael. Documenting their entire 60-year career with over 25 albums being covered, the zany eclectic nature of the band matches exceedingly well with Wright’s direction style. Added alongside is commentary with those influenced by the pop duo like Depeche Mode as well as more unexpected choices like writer Neil Gaiman, who performs a poetry reading of the band’s hit ‘Amateur Hour’. This helps to show the phenomenal impact that Sparks has had on the music industry as a whole despite, as the film states, it’s about a band “you’ve probably never heard of”. Additionally, exploring Ron and Russel as people, the strangest aspect of the documentary is that instead of being the usual glorification of superstars, the siblings come across as accurate to the kooky characters that they present on stage. Adding to this is Wright’s personal choice of favourites from the band, explaining how he interprets them and how they relate to his childhood, making the documentary appear to come from not only a director, but a super fan of Sparks. Archie Lockyer, Screen Editor

Taylor Swift, filmmaker

Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor, discusses Taylor Swift’s short film directorial debut

AYLOR Swift: singer, songwriter, and now, filmmaker. In 2012, when Taylor released Red, ‘All Too Well’ was simply an album track without a video. However, the predicted deep cut quickly became a fan favourite; so it makes sense that it would become the promotional single from her re-recorded Red (Taylor’s version). The 10-minute version, in all its glory (“f*ck the patriarchy!”), debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the longest song in history to top the chart. To accompany the song, an entire cinematic universe was created through All Too Well: The Short Film — a project written, directed and produced by Taylor herself. Taylor has dabbled in filmmaking before: co-directing her own music videos for ‘Mine’, ‘You Need to Calm Down’ and ‘Me!’; making her solo directorial debut last year with ‘The Man’; and directing and producing her concert film

Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions in 2020. However, All Too Well marks the first time that Taylor has directed a short film. Opening with a sentimental quote from poet Pablo Neruda, “love is so short, forgetting is so long,” All Too Well: The Short Film stars Sadie Sink (‘Her’) and Dylan O’Brien (‘Him’) as a toxic and turbulent couple whose relationship ultimately falls apart, largely due to their age gap. The 15-minute film is divided into seven chapters, including an epilogue which features a red-headed Taylor Swift reading her novel All Too Well aloud to a packed bookstore (reminiscent of Before Sunset, anyone?). Outside, Jake Gyllenhaal — I mean, Dylan O’Brien — watches her through a frosty window, wearing the same scarf she abandoned thirteen years earlier. The film premiered to a tearful crowd of ‘Swifties’ at the AMC Lincoln Center in New

York City on 12 November and by the next morning, it was the number-one trending YouTube video worldwide with over 14 million views. It briefly took the number-one rated spot on Letterboxd with 4.65 stars, beating out Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite. To produce that lush autumnal cinematography, the film was shot on 35mm by DP Rina Yang, who was named as a BAFTA ‘Breakthrough’ last year. All Too Well has received positive reviews from critics, who tend to praise the direction, cinematography and Sink’s performance. Variety has described it as “a music video on steroids meets a Noah Baumbach movie.” Regardless of your opinion on Taylor Swift, you have to admit that she has created something quite wonderful. All Too Well: The Short Film proves that whatever medium or art form she is working in — whether that be film or music — Swift truly is a storyteller at heart. Image: Official poster for All Too Well: The Short Film, Taylor Swift Productions, IMDb.

exhibit | screen

7 DEC 2021 | 22

EDITORS: Archie Lockyer and Francesca Sylph

Festive flicks

Screen writers discuss their favourite films throughout the festive period It’s a Wonderful Life

Love Actually

Image:IMDB

Adam Simcox, Online Screen Editor

Danni Darrah, Lifestyle Editor

T’S A Wonderful Life is widely regarded as the canonical Christmas classic for a reason. Frank Capra’s classic film – which he noted was probably his best – epitomizes the warm, familial feelings most of us are lucky enough to associate with the Christmas season, but it’s important not to forget the deep winter it traverses to end up where it does. The classic confronts what happens when reality falls short of the hopes people have for their lives. Jim Stewart’s George Bailey, a man who suddenly finds himself indebted to a Scrooge-like tycoon, is not his brother, who travels the world, living the very dream that was once George’s own. When we meet him, George is contemplating the unimaginable: hurling himself from a bridge such that his family might pay off his debts with the resultant insurance payout. Even as things wrap up, as that Christmas cheer we’ve been eagerly awaiting arrives, not everything has been fixed. The film acknowledges that George’s town has been irrevocably damaged. George isn’t rewarded with the fulfilment of his wishes, instead a reality is uncovered: the warm fire that can exist at the heart of any community, family, or group of friends, regardless of the situation. “No man is a failure who has friends,” the film insists, and no winter is so cold, so dark that it’s untraversable by the side of a loved one.

N all-star cast, quotable lines that have aged finer than Hugh Grant’s dance solo and a multi-narrative plot that caters to all audience members; Love Actually undoubtedly trumps all other Christmas movies. There are several reasons that make this timeless film so watchable, including the unbelievable fact that Colin — sorry, ‘God of Sex’— actually found himself some hot women in America. Love Actually follows eight stories at Christmas time with characters that all have some distant or close relations to each other. The narratives range from romantic winter weddings, to bittersweet lost love, to laugh out loud funny (Rowan Atkinson’s cameo as a sales assistant, need I say more?) Every year, this movie means something different to me. I grew up resonating with different stories annually. It emulates the comfort of coming home to family I only get to see at Christmas and provides an instant festive spirit within my home, along with the cacophony of Love Actually quotes for weeks to follow. A comedy requiring no brain cells, this is a perfect film for burnt out students. So, if you’re after a feel good Christmas rom-com, snuggle up with the mulled wine, it’s on Netflix now.

Miracle on 34th Street

Anabel Costa-Ferreira

S the weather gets colder, it is the perfect time to take a night off and treat yourself to a movie night. Though the debate as to what is the best seasonal classic remains impossible to answer, I would argue the following certainly makes the cut. The 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street takes aspects of humour, seriousness and heartfelt family moments to create something truly special. Opening scenes of a classic Thanksgiving Day parade at fictional department store Coles, cannot seem to help but put you in the Christmas spirit. The narrative follows a tale deliberating what it means to have the Christmas spirit and trust in the magic of the season. As department store director Dorey is forced to fire the actor playing Santa moments before the parade, she takes a chance on a stranger Kris, who happens to be the real Santa. The story follows the man Kris Kringle who goes on to become a well-known New York figure, who kids from all over come to see. Alongside the story of Dorey’s home life, with a mature six-year-old daughter, who has been taught by her mother that Santa is a myth. Aside from heartfelt family moments, there is also a legal side to the movie, as Kris is unjustly arrested, and a public court case takes shape. With so much to offer this is a holiday classic that truly has something for everyone.

Image: IMDb

A new Harry Potter cut? Exeposé editors discuss the idea of a new take on Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

ECENTLY, director Chris Columbus has discussed the potentiality of releasing the longer, original cut of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, featuring the character of Peeves. Fans of the Harry Potter book series will be familiar with Peeves; a naughty poltergeist spirit who wreaks havoc haunting the halls of Hogwarts and its inhabitants. In the deleted scenes, Peeves was played by the late English actor, writer and stand-up comic Rik Mayall (1958 to 2014). “We have to put Peeves back in the movie, who was cut from the movie!” said Columbus in a recent interview. The issue with the prospect of an extended cut isn’t with Mayall. I love Mayall’s work and would definitely enjoy seeing his performance in Harry Potter. Releasing his scenes would be a great way of commemorating him if they were shown around his birthday or the anniversary of his death. The issue is the excessive and unnecessary extension of the story, to the point where it just becomes boring and repetitive. I grew up with Harry Potter; I have a soft spot for it and I always will — but it’s definitely time to move on now. I don’t have any interest in elongating a story that, as far as I am concerned, has already been squeezed dry. The last novels hit the bookstores in 2007, and a few years later the last of Warner Bros. films had been adapted and released too. Why did all of this need to be dragged out for another ten years? At first, the expansion of the Harry Potter universe with Fantastic Beasts and the Cursed Child seemed fun. But now it’s definitely way too much and the story has been completely overworked and ruined. As the last sentences in the Deathly Hallows say, “The scar had not pained Harry for 19 years. All was well.” Can’t we, like Harry’s scar, please just leave him in peace? BRIDIE ADAMS, EDITOR

HROUGHOUT film history, there has been an avid love for director’s cuts. The likes of Blade Runner or Superman 2 have had dozens of edited versions, yet arguably the most prominent of them all is the version fully approved by the director. I would argue that we could have a potentially amazing Harry Potter film on the horizon with the announcement of Christopher Columbus’s desire to release his full cut of Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. Not only is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone filled with whimsy and a cheerful Christmas spirit. But it’s also a film that calls back to our childhoods. As those primarily brought up in the late 90s and early 2000s, for me personally it would be a marvel to watch new scenes and ideas that failed to make it into the film as well as to see whether this new cut holds a light to the fond nostalgia I have for the original cut. Additionally, I feel that returning to the roots of the Harry Potter world would make for some much-needed fresh air from the frankly mediocre Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series. Reminding me, and I imagine many others, why they love Harry Potter in the first place! Whether it’s the iconic chess scene, now popularised into a meme thanks to TikTok, or the troll fight in the toilets, however Christopher Columbus reimagines these scenes, I am certain it will at least be interesting. Overall, I don’t see the news of Christopher Columbus’ reimagined cut of the film to be a threat to my childhood or why I love those original films, but a chance to rekindle the child in me that is begging to return to Hogwarts. ARCHIE LOCKYER, SCREEN EDITOR Image Source: IMDB

TECH The best video games for non-gamers Tech writers who consider themselves non-gamers share their favourites

AVING spent many a RETURN OF THE OBRA DINN childhood afternoon adventuring around little towns with a certain top-hatted gentleman and his small, blue-suited sidekick, I love a puzzle. But my experience of puzzle games was revolutionised last year, when I played Return of the Obra Dinn (ROTOD) for the first time. A PC/Mac game from Lucas Pope, ROTOD has pirates, puzzles and a dynamic soundtrack that I’ve looped countless times while studying. Set in Falmouth in 1807, you play as an insurance inspector on a seemingly abandoned ship tasked with determining the fate of all souls on board. You collect clues using a “Memento Mortem”, a special pocket watch which transports you back to a freeze-frame of the moment of death of any corpse located. Oh, and it’s all non-chronological, so you’ll often see snapshots of characters meeting ominous nautical deaths before seeing them enjoying a lovely bottle of rum with their chums in the next chapter. You’re also given a logbook for your deductions, with answers validated in sets of three in order to prevent guesswork. The most striking element of the game is its beautiful animation style — sepia, pointillist and reminiscent of early Macintosh games. If you have an appetite for curiosity, there’s no game I could recommend more.

N April 2020 ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS I bought my first console since the Nintendo DS I got for Christmas in 2007. I bought a Switch solely for the purpose of playing the hot new game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Whilst sheltering inside our homes, ACNH gave the opportunity to explore new places and meet new people — even if they were NPCs. Over that summer, I clocked in over 200 hours of landscaping, fossil hunting and flower-breeding on my island ‘Enola’. The game’s daily structure was comforting at a time when everything was so up in the air. Every day, I looked forward to planting my bell tree, collecting resources and most importantly checking turnip prices. The Stalk Market was one of the high-stakes aspects of the game: you must try to find the best turnip prices. Also, the game feels like a community. My favourite thing about ACNH is simply how beautiful it is — the orange sunsets, the cherry blossom trees, the fields of flowers. The graphics are gorgeous and the music, although not my favourite AC soundtrack, makes you feel nostalgic for a place that doesn’t even exist. Katie Jones

HE Lord of the Rings Online, or THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE LotRO, is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world. You choose your character and class before entering Middle Earth, visiting several iconic locations including Hobbiton, Bree and Rivendell. Although the graphics are soon to be updated, Middle Earth is already surprisingly beautiful when experienced in this format, with some truly spectacular scenery. The main storyline follows the Fellowship and there are thousands of side quests and activities. Admittedly, there is a lot of fighting involved, but it is not the sole focus of the game and is never too gory or realistic. Players can also choose to spend time crafting, farming, cooking, fishing, designing outfits and even learning to play instruments. LotRO can be played alone or with friends or by buddying up with a Kinship of other players. And, on the whole, the other players are great. I have had people jump into battle with me when I was struggling and even had useful items sent to my mailbox by strangers. If you are ever stuck or confused, just ask for help, and someone is sure to assist you. Overall, this game is rich, engaging, immersive and accessible.

Cleo Gravett, Satire Editor

LL memes aside, Minecraft is a game I do and probably always will go back MINECRAFT to. In my early teens, I would spend so many evenings episodically on Minecraft PvP servers with friends from school, making alliances and enemies alike, all the while chuckling away on our Skype call. In the height of the pandemic and all its many regressions, I found myself back in this 16 by 16 pixel blocked world, which now has shipwrecks, parrots and the multi-platform multiplayer Bedrock Edition. What more could you want when the real world is off-limits? This is a game which, at least for non-gamers like myself, is limitless in its possibilities. At its most complex, it got thousands of kids into coding with the option for players to build their own servers and code their own minigames, for newbies such as myself, to join onto and play. Whether it’s spending hours on calls with friends building worlds with intricate minecart systems in Survival Mode, exploring the vast amount of minigames on servers, or simply messing around in Creative Mode making Christmas trees, Minecraft is a timeless game that has enough in it to keep anyone busy for hours at a time.

M Shelton

Image credit: Nintendo

Kate Hall, Comment Editor

A brief guide to cheap gaming Bridie Adams, Editor, offers advice on how to game on a budget

LTHOUGH gaming has a reputation for being a very expensive hobby, there are ways to make it more affordable. Especially if you are new to gaming, chances are you won’t want to fork out hundreds (or thousands!) of pounds on high-end tech. So here are some ideas to start gaming on the cheap — whether you’re a beginner or an expert. If you don’t yet have a gaming console, you can get cheap ones (albeit ones that are getting on a bit) like a mini SNES, NES or Mega Drive on eBay and delight in some genuinely great games. If you haven’t delved into the world of video games before, even picking up an older PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 or Nin-

tendo Wii and a bundle of games at a jumble sale will give you an idea of whether you like gaming or not. This way, you can get a feel for the hobby and decide whether or not it’s worth splashing out on a newer console. Although newer consoles are usually very expensive and getting one for a good deal may feel like an impossibility, it’s worth being alert - sales appear right through the year; you just have to look. Also, with newer Xboxes and PlayStations, if you pay for a subscription, you get to download games each month with no extra charge, and you retain these for as long as you’re a regular subscriber. Sometimes you don’t even need a dedicated console for gaming — if you

have a relatively new smartphone or tablet, you can download a lot of astonishing games to enjoy solo such as Monument Valley, a puzzle game in which you lead a little girl through captivating buildings. Another way to make gaming more affordable is by using digital distribution platforms. GOG.com (previously Good Old Games) is a good bet; it is an electronic store with an organised collection of the greatest computer games and films. However, Steam is the largest digital game distribution service. Because of the sheer amount of years it has been around, it is larger in size than GOG, shown beyond doubt to be reputable, and backed up by

individual reviewers. Therefore, I would recommend Steam first and foremost, but it’s definitely worth giving both platforms a try.

ACCESS AFFORDABLE ROUTES INTO GAMING If you’re passionate about building your skills on a budget, hopefully these ideas have given you inspiration to access affordable routes into gaming. And if you are still after further guidance, The Guardian and Gamespot have some particularly brilliant articles on the topic.

exhibit | TECH

7 DEC 2021 | 24

EDITOR: Alaïa Lafleur

The cult of cryptocurrency Ana Anajuba, Arts + Lit Editor, discusses crypto scams and lack of regulation

24 hours and had increased from less than a penny to £2,134 in approximately a week. The developers stopped trading activity and disappeared with an estimated £2.48m according to Gizmodo. News outlets should take better responsibility when it comes to dealing with emerging crypto tokens. There is a degree of trust that is put in the media and journalists and as people often do not read past headlines, there should be better clarity. When anonymous developers steal people’s money there should be nothing “apparent” about it. For those who were desperate (or, to take a more cynical view, greedy), this will come as a huge blow to their wallets and may lead to a cycle of debt as seen on Squid Game. More and more so-called influencers are also targeting their usually young and impressionable audiences to invest in coins that they do not make clear they are being paid to promote. Fortunately, there are many

F you ever orbit the sectors of social media where alleged millionaires give personal financial advice, there is a good chance that you may have been tempted to (or actually have) invested in a crypto coin that turned out to be a scam and a rug-pull. The chances are slim, as you are most likely a poor university student living on instant noodles and cheap pizza from Marketplace. However, possibly in part due to the recent pandemic that decimated people’s personal finances and the world’s economy, there seems to be an uptick in financial gurus advertising their advice and get-rich-quick-and-easy schemes. The idea is to take advantage of the burgeoning crypto economy and the habitually online users who hope to get in on the ground floor.

THE COIN HAD INCREASED BY 2,400% One such scheme was the Squid Game coin token named after the hugely popular Netflix series (that — ironically — was about people who had been financially taken advantage of by greedy rich people.) Newspapers and outlets like the BBC, CNBC and Sky News published headlines publicising the fact that the value of the coin had increased by 2,400 per cent in

Image: Quote Inspector

online who work to expose fake experts. Some Youtubers like Coffeezilla and Spencer Cornelia regularly make videos going in depth into the actions that can put your financial health at risk. The sad thing is that these people rarely ever get any kind of justice or penance for what they have done. The laws around cryptocurrencies are currently too lax and until they become more stringent, fake gurus will promote and sell courses on investing, only to disappear with other people’s money.

THE LAW CANNOT ALWAYS KEEP UP Whilst HMRC does not currently consider cryptocurrency legal tender, there are some efforts by countries like the United States to have some sort of regulation over it. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler have both shared an interest in having some legal jurisdiction over cryptocurrency. However, when the main draw of something is the fact that it is decentralised and deregulated, it calls into question if this will happen — and if it does, will it even make a difference?

TikTok: misinformation or education? Ticking all the right boxes

A massive Tok-up M. Shelton

T first, I liked TikTok. I enjoyed the comedy, life hacks and educational content, and appreciated it as a space for self-expression and community. However, I was soon getting sucked in, sometimes scrolling for several hours.

I WAS SOON GETTING SUCKED IN And that is TikTok’s biggest fault: it’s massively addictive. The algorithm is uniquely good at personalised content recommendations, and they’re delivered as an endless stream with no pauses or distractions. These videos leave us wanting more, resulting in an app that is incredibly hard to resist.

THE ALGORITHM IS UNIQUELY GOOD I realised that I couldn’t establish healthy boundaries with TikTok. This made me permanently uninstall it, but I worry about the impact on school-aged children who likely feel pressured to stay connected to their peers via the app. And that’s not TikTok’s only flaw. It also drives trends — some harmless, but others not. For example, massively popular and seemingly innocent fashion videos are pushing the

trend cycle to move so quickly that it’s expediting fast fashion and fuelling overconsumption. Notoriously unethical brands such as SHEIN have soared in popularity as people seek out the latest trendy items at low prices, over and over again. And despite huge amounts of wonderful, educational content, misinformation is rife. Disturbing videos also slip through the cracks, including those depicting violence and cruelty. Again, this is bad enough for adults, but it’s just one way in which TikTok can endanger young and impressionable people. Numerous dangerous challenges have also resulted in injuries and even deaths, such as the ‘blackout challenge’ and ‘Benadryl challenge’, which each claimed the lives of multiple children. In addition to all of this, there are major concerns about privacy, security and censorship. T i k To k has acquired so much power, and ultimately it seems to be doing more harm than good.

Eierwen Abberly Watton, Online Comment Editor

IKTOK is a safe space. I love it and I’m not ashamed. It can undoubtedly be a great way to fast-track becoming an influencer. If this is your dream, it can be a great way to attract millions of followers and nab those brand deals. One of many examples is Anna Sitar (@annaxsitar), who is now a content creator

and social media influencer thanks to over 802 million likes on TikTok. My TikTok feed is not full of influencers (except for bodypositive ones who have helped me reframe my body image). The algorithm works for me; it creates a personalised platform where I learn things every day. Image: Pixabay

And it’s true that TikTok, like any other social media platform, is rife with misinformation. But it is also full of experts of all ages trying to educate people on things they would not otherwise be educated on. If the algorithm is working optimally, the For You page can be just that — a safe space in which you can see other people who have shared the same worries or difficult experiences as you. I see a lot of content on sex education, informing young people about what’s normal when porn has told them it’s not normal (like your body not looking a certain way). Much of what I see fills the huge gaps left by our education system, and would have been really comforting for younger me. TikTok is a space of open debate and advice-giving. If you find yourself on the right side of it, the numerous accounts raising awareness on racial, environmental, and gender issues are a welcome refreshment from our scarily conservative university. TikTok shows me every day that there are so many people like me who care about the planet and social mobility and violence against women. For me, TikTok is an inclusive and reassuring network of safe spaces. It is a way to hear from voices that might not otherwise have been heard. Communities that are marginalised elsewhere find a space on TikTok to talk about their issues and educate the next generation.

study break | 7 DEC 2021

exhibit | 25

STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Across 1 3 9 10 11 12 14 16 19 21 24 25 26 27

Down Curved structure (4) Buying goods from shops (8) Start to use gradually (5,2) Free from (3,2) Divine messenger (5) One’s prime - hay dye (anagram) (6) Reindeer-drawn sledge (6) Decorative ring of flowers (6) Frozen spike of water (6) Chimes - peals (5) Fact - at mud (anagram) (5) Nan mows (anagram) - yeti (7) Remove from a team (8) Harbour (4)

1 2 4 5 6 7 8 13 15 17 18 20 22 23

Clapping of hands (8) Loud, deep ringing sound (5) Japanese island - no hush (anagram) (6) Paint the town red (5) American state (7) Present (4) Tiredness from flying (3,3) Stale joke - then cuts (anagram) (8) Thrilled - on the edge of one’s seat (7) Decorative strip (6) Add (salt, say) to food (6) Ruminant with hump(s) (5) West Indian dance with a bar (5) Chances (4)

Trivia corner

1. How many reindeer does Santa’s sleigh have? 2. What is the most-streamed Christmas song of all time?

3. How many miles of wrapping paper is used in the UK every year? 4. What gifts did the three wise men bring for the birth of Jesus Christ?

ANSWERS

5. Which character did Keira Knightley play in Love Actually? 6. Who knows when are sleeping and knows when you’re awake?

Down: 1 Applause, 2 Clang, 4 Honshu, 5 Party, 6 Indiana, 7 Gift, 8 Jet lag, 13 Chestnut, 15 Excited, 17 Ribbon, 18 Season, 20 Camel, 22 Limbo, 23 Odds. Across: 1 Arch, 3 Shopping, 9 Phase in, 10 Rid of, 11 Angel, 12 Heyday, 14 Sleigh, 16 Wreath, 19 Icicle, 21 Bells, 24 Datum, 25 Snowman, 26 Sideline, 27 Port. Trivia: 1. eight 2. ’All I want for Christmas is you’ by Mariah Carey 3. 227,000 miles 4. gold, frankincens, and myrrh 5. Juliet 6. Santa Clause

Science

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

SCIENCE EDITORS:

Ellen Rogers and Nancy Stitt

Going to bed earlier may save your life

Chloe Pumares, Deputy Editor, discusses how going to sleep earlier may lower your risk of heart disease.

ECENT research has revealed that going to sleep between 10PM and 11PM lowers your risk of developing heart disease. This is according to a recent study co-authored by Dr David Plans, a Senior Lecturer at the Initiative in Digital Economy at Exeter, as part of the University of Exeter Business School. The study used data from more than 88,000 participants of the UK Biobank and collected data over a period of 7 days using a wristworn accelerator which stored sleep onset and wake up times. Questionnaires and assessments

which focused on demographic, lifestyle, health and fitness were also completed by participants followed with a new diagnosis for heart disease, which is defined as a heart attack, heart failure, chronic ischaemic heart disease, stroke or transient ischaemic attack. Following up, at an average of 5.7 years after the study was started, 3,172 participants (3.6 per cent) developed cardiovascular disease. The disease was highest in those who went to sleep later than midnight and lowest in those who slept between 10PM and 11PM. Specifically those sleeping at midnight or later had a 25 per cent higher

risk, while those falling asleep before 10PM had a 24 per cent risk, suggesting that the period between 10PM and 11PM is optimal. Falling asleep an hour later between 11PM and 12AM had a 12 per cent greater risk of developing heart disease than those who fell asleep in the hour before. This suggests there is a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease when going to bed earlier rather than later. However, this cannot prove that early or late bedtimes contribute to the development of heart disease as other external factors may play a part. The study did not examine the quality of sleep, only the length and timing.

Other limitations of the study included the fact that it was only based on data from adults between 43 and 79, and that the participants were predominately white. Further research would be needed to examine the findings, as there is currently not enough data to prescribe a particular bedtime to the public.

body’s circadian rhythm as “a 24hour internal clock”, which “helps to regulate physical and mental functioning.” He went on to state that if the body clock is not reset properly over a long period of time this can “increase inflammation and can impair glucose regulation”, which are both associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Plans also acknowledged that even though they can’t yet prove causation from their studies, “the results suggest early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health.”

Disease was highest in those who went to sleep later than midnight and lowest at 10-11PM Dr David Plans describes the

What causes ‘hangxiety’?

Paris Gill discusses the effect of alcohol consumption on mental health.

HAT feeling of a hangover: when you’re feeling pretty groggy, have a headache, and maybe can’t remember some of the night before. For a lot of people, the cure is usually to just take some paracetamol, drink water, and try to sleep it off. However, there has recently been research into the psychological symptoms also experienced in a hangover, including increased feelings of stress and anxiety, known as ‘hangxiety’. Hangovers occur from a hormone imbalance caused when drinking alcohol: alcohol increases GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) receptors, which send messages to the brain and

inhibit nerve cell activity, leading to a calming effect. At the same time, alcohol begins to block glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter, leading to lower anxiety levels. As scientist David Nutt describes it: “More glutamate means more anxiety, less glutamate means less anxiety.” The body recognises this sudden imbalance in hormones and starts to try and correct it, so when you stop drinking, you are left with unnaturally low GABA levels and a spike in glutamate. This glutamate spike is what leads to the heightened anxiety levels that can be experienced during a hangover. As well as heightened anxiety, glutamate is also responsible

for solidifying memories, so may be responsible for some of the memory loss experienced after a night out. Another hormone involved is noradrenaline (known as the ‘fight-orflight’ hormone), which suppresses feelings of stress during alcohol consumption, and increases them during withdrawal, and so is another contributing factor to ‘hangxiety’. There is also a link between those who suffer ‘hangxiety’ most severely and those who experience shyness and possibly suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder. In a study carried out by Exeter Professor Celia Morgan et al, they found that a “significant increase in anxiety the day follow-

ing drinking was observed in highlyshy participants”. People who may drink as a way to cope with social anxiety are therefore shown to be more at risk of experiencing worse

Hangovers occur from a hormone imbalance levels of anxiety during a hangover. The study also found a link between ‘hangxiety’ and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) symptoms in “highly-shy individuals”. This in turn leads to a heightened AUD risk in shyer people, showing how harmful ‘hangxiety’ is on mental health. The

Alcohol Education Trust states that “Alcohol misuse is a factor in 30 per cent of suicides each year.” With this research about the effects of drinking, it’s clear that alcohol is a large contributing factor to a decline in mental health, both during a hangover and in alcohol-consumers generally. Despite all the hangover ‘cures’ stated previously, for the psychological symptoms, Dr Nish Manek states that, “the only real solution is to not drink alcohol in the first place.” He encourages those who may drink because of social anxiety to be aware of how ‘hangxiety’ may affect them the next day, and advises them to drink responsibly, or just not at all.

New plastic made from DNA

Nancy Stitt, Science Editor, discusses a recently developed sustainable plastic made from DNA.

NEW plastic made from DNA has been developed by Dayong Yang and his team at Tianjin University in China, and it is said to be the most sustainable plastic ever made. The problem of plastic pollution is at an all-time high, with a recent study in the journal Science estimating that 11 million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year. This study says that if the world continues on this trajectory, then the amount of plastic waste being produced will triple by 2040. This new plastic was made by joining short strands of DNA (taken

from salmon sperm) to a chemical found in vegetable oil. This creates a gel-like material known as a hydrogel, which can then be put into moulds and solidified by a drying process at low temperatures. Yang and his team were able to make many objects from this process, including a cup, a triangular prism, and a DNA model. Alternative bioplastics available include PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), made from sugars found in algae, and PLA (polylactic acid), made from sugars found in crops like corn. While these plastics can be broken down by micro-organisms relatively quickly, ac-

cording to the Yale Environment 360, this decomposition can only happen in very controlled conditions in a decomposition industrial facility at very high temperatures. Therefore, this process isn’t widely accessible, especially in developing countries facing the most serious plastic pollution. If these bioplastics aren’t decomposed in the correct conditions and they end up in landfills, they can last for hundreds of years and release methane, posing a similar threat to PET plastic. Additionally, the manufacturing of these bioplastics requires a lot of energy.

Yang and his team aimed to overcome these problems, with their paper in the American Chemical Society Journal stating that “The sustainability involves all aspects of the production, use, and end-of-life options of DNA plastics.” One of the exciting things about this plastic is how easy it is to recycle. Yang’s team were able to simply soak the objects that they made in water and remould them into whatever they wanted. Another advantage to Yang’s DNA-plastic is how widely available DNA is as a material: there is an estimated 50 billion tons of DNA on Earth. Addition-

ally, as the manufacturing process of the DNA-plastic does not require high temperatures, it is said to produce 97 per cent less carbon emissions than polystyrene production. However, there are some drawbacks to Yang’s new plastic, including the fact that it must be kept dry. Waterproofing chemicals could be added, but this may affect how easy the plastic is to recycle. The DNAplastic could still be used in some electronic items and forms of packaging, and Yang states that his team are already planning to make commercial products from this plastic.

SCIENCE

EXEPOSÉ | 7 DEC 2021

Colds in childhood protect against COVID-19

EW research shows that common colds may cause immunity to COVID-19. Exposure to viruses which include colds and respiratory illness plays a role in people’s immunologic responses. Studies have shown that infection with the shCoVs to blame for common colds has a T lymphocyte immunologic response to SARS-CoV-2, and resistance to SARS-CoV-2 can likely result from cross-reactivity. Pre-COVID-19, nearly all young children came into contact with the majority of viruses before they turned 18 months old, according to the Guardian. Infants and young children are regularly at considerable danger of colds, mainly if they are in day care.

Breakthroughs in phage therapy Ellen Rogers, Science Editor, discusses a new approach to treating bacterial infections

HAGE therapy — the concept of using viruses to kill bacteria — is no new idea, with the first ‘phage cocktail’ being used to treat a boy of dysentery way back in 1919. Research into phage therapy dried up drastically as antibiotic development took off in the 1940s, but the recent (and rapid) emergence of antibiotic resistance amongst many bacteria has sparked interest in the field once again. Bacteria that cause diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and salmonellosis are becoming much harder to treat, resulting in increased death rates, longer hospital stays, a n d far

greater treatment costs overall. Phages, formally known as bacteriophages, are viruses that exclusively kill bacteria, posing no threat to humans — which is lucky, as there are more phages on Earth than every other organism combined! Phages can infect and kill multidrug resistant bacteria, even when antibiotics become ineffective, and are thus an attractive prospect for treating infections as bacteria continually evolve in response to our overuse (and sometimes misuse) of antibiot ics.

Young children are regularly at considerable danger of colds, mainly if they are in day care The colds they pick up might be able to keep them safe from COVID-19 too. Obviously, no one likes colds they force people to remain at home (children are absent from education and adults from work) and, in all likelihood, you’ll have more colds in the wintertimes and springs of your lifespan than any other ailment. However, if they are able to help prevent COVID-19, maybe they are not all bad. Bridie Adams, Editor Image: Pixabay

When a phage identifies one of its ‘prey’ species of bacteria nearby, fibres on its ‘tail’ can bind to receptors on the surface of the bacterium. It then punctures the cell surface with a syringe-like structure and injects its genetic material into the bacterium, forcing it to manufacture the components required to produce new phages. When enough virions have been made, the phages produce a chemical called ‘endolysin’, which punches holes in the bacterium and, as a result of the pressure within the cell, causes it to ‘explode’. The virions are then free to infect other bacteria, and the cycle continues. Although phages show promising results in early trials, it can be difficult to recreate a dynamic human microenv i ron ment within lab glassware. However, researchers at the University of E xe t e r ’s Living Systems Institute (LSI) have recently published work in PLoS Biology that lays the foundation for studies into how the environment affects interactions between bacteria and phages. Understanding how phages respond to environmental cues and changes will be key to

developing effective therapies that pose no threat to human health.

Phages respond to environmental cues The LSI team’s research also found that bacteria can adapt in response to phage treatment, without acquiring any genetic mutations conferring resistance. Escherichia coli cells were found to decrease the amount of phage receptors on their surface, meaning fewer phages could bind and enter each bacterium. The team’s research is now hoping to find a way to encourage bacteria to express more receptors in order to make phage therapy more effective and to prevent bacteria becoming resistant. Dr Stefano Pagliara, a biophysicist at the LSI, has warned that antimicrobial resistance could soon become a bigger killer than COVID-19 if new therapies are not found soon. If the team can find a way to mimic how bacteria behave in small body vessels, such as alveoli (small air sacs in the lung) and capillaries, phages could “help save thousands of lives.”. With many properties making them compelling alternatives to traditional antibiotics, and all potential drawbacks being manageable with proper phage selection and greater understanding of bacteria-phage interactions and the impact of environmental factors, phages may be a key weapon against bacteria in future years. If you want to check out the University’s work, the paper is entitled ‘Individual bacteria in structured environments rely on phenotypic resistance to phage’, published in PLoS Biology.

Bacteria research sounds new hearing loss treatment

Anna Jones discusses how the bacteria within our bodies can protect against ear infections and hearing loss

VERYONE has between ten trillion and 100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells in their bodies. These microbial cells outnumber our human cells ten to one and make up the human microbiota. The microbiota primarily exists as bacteria in the gut, but more specifically the large intestine. The microbiome is the genetic material of all the microbes living on and in the human body and is initially determined by your DNA alongside other environmental factors.

Chronic middle-ear infections affect onethird of Aboriginal children in Australia The microbiome is essential to our health and imperative for human

development, immunity and nutrition. Dysfunctional microbiomes can lead to a plethora of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy, proving how necessary they are to overall health. Chronic middle-ear infections affect one third of Aboriginal children in Australia and can lead to life-long consequences, impacting both their education and career prospects because of the effect it can have on speech and hearing. Being deaf is an issue that goes beyond what it may seem. It can make socialising and processing a lot harder, and presents accessibility issues which can make life more difficult. Exciting new research from scientists in Queensland, Australia has revealed it may be possible

Image: Pixabay

to prevent the hearing loss that results from middle-ear infections. To do this, they considered why some highrisk children never develop chronic ear diseases, whilst others do. They have found that the presence of Dolosigranulum and Corynebacterium species within a child’s microbiome (usually in the respiratory system) can protect high-risk individuals from middle-ear infections. The presence of these bacteria was discovered when the research team tested 103 children between two and seven years old, looking at their ears, noses and throats. Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz revealed that: “By focus-

ing on the microbiomes in the upper respiratory tracts of disease-resistant kids, we could investigate the ecological networks of bacterial interactions that seemed to be working together to protect against the condition.” The next goal for the team is to understand more about how these bacteria confer protection against ear infections and then apply the protective mechanism as either a preventative measure or as a treatment. For now it is uncertain what this treatment will look like, but being able to prevent hearing loss caused by chronic ear infections is huge in terms of children’s lives particularly for those living in disadvantaged populations. It will allow these children to go on to study what they wish and achieve their goals without the hindrance of not being able to hear.

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

SPORT

What next for Manchester United?

Oliver Rickwood examines the current situation at Manchester United

ANCHESTER United have sacked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a humiliating 4-1 defeat against Watford at Vicarage Road, amid a dreadful run of recent form. The club released a statement confirming the decision, thanking Solskjaer for his "tireless efforts" but admitting that the performances over the past few weeks had been "disappointing." They also reiterated that Solskjaer will ‘always be a legend at Manchester United’ and that he will "forever be welcome back at Old Trafford as part of the Manchester United family." He leaves the club in seventh position in the Premier League, with the team having only won one of the previous seven fixtures. This run of games included an embarrassing 5-0 home defeat at the hands of rivals Liverpool. Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals for the Red Devils, returned in sentimental fashion as interim coach in December 2018, taking over from veteran Jose Mourinho and receiving the major support from the fans. He was given the job permanently in March 2019, after winning 14 of his first 19 matches in charge. He then guided the team to a third place finish in his first full season. He improved United once again in the 2019/20 campaign, with his side finishing runners up in the Premier League and Europa League respectively. The appointment of Solskjaer at the time was a complete success. A familiar, reliable face, who loved the club and could settle the disruption stirred by the turbulent departure of Jose Mourinho. However, as Solskjaer began to relax and attempt to implement a new identity, it became clear he was out of his depth. During the period of fixtures after the restart in 2020, Manchester United became recognised for defending deep and exploiting an explosive counterattack, achieving notably impressive away form. However, the team often struggled to break down well organised and structured defences, with some labelling Solskjaer’s system as one-dimensional. Manchester United were trailing further and further from their famous attacking style of the early 2010s. At their best, United produced entertaining football adored by their fans. However, this counter-attacking style still

achieved a second placed league finish last campaign. So, what has changed this season? The introduction of Cristiano Ronaldo had forced Solskjaer to re-style his team this summer and yet it seems that he had reverted to his familiar patterns of play. Many have criticised Ronaldo’s lack of pressing intensity, noting that he slows the transition between midfield and attack. Players such as Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood were praised highly for these traits last season. Jamie Carragher even noted that the only reason he thinks that they signed Ronaldo was to prevent him from signing for closest rivals Manchester City. He says they were ‘terrified’ of the consequences. Further exploring transfer policy, the club spent many months chasing the signature of Jadon Sancho, a promising young English talent tipped to become a regular starter throughout the 2021/22 season. However, it seems the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo has largely overshadowed Sancho on and off the pitch. Sancho has only played a full 90

minutes in one Premier League fixture this season. Players such as Donny van de Beek, who flourished on the European stage for Ajax a few years ago, were not trusted by the manager. Solskjaer was criticised for his midfield selections throughout his managerial reign, often favouring more defensive-minded players such as Scott McTominay, Fred and Nemanja Matic in the middle of the park. This once again prevented the possibility of a more creative, dynamic counter-attack. The main issue for Solskjaer and perhaps the factor that afforded him no additional time as manager was a lack of silverware. Occasionally, proof of domestic or European success can provide a basis for one to request further time to turn things around. Football nowadays, especially in the commercial field, is a game measured by tangible success. Solskjaer failed to achieve this. Manchester United have now confronted the task of appointing an interim manager to replace Solskjaer with Ralf Rangnick taking the reins until the end of the season. He’s signed a six-monthd e a l ,

Credit: Steffen Prößdorf

which will eventually lead him into a consultancy role for a further two years. Rangnick is an experienced coach having managed across Germany, including successful spells with Schalke 04 and RB Leipzig. He is nicknamed ‘The Professor’ from his time spent in Germany and he is often referred to when noting big influences on the managerial styles of those such as Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp. He is well respected amongst fellow managers, having attracted tactical attention for his style labelled ‘Gegenpress’, where his team immediately engages in a high press to win the ball back after a loss in possession. Interestingly, he popularised zonal marking, a tactical feature becoming increasingly visible in the Premier League today. It is often the subject of rigorous scrutiny, so it will be fascinating to learn whether he adapts these types of tactical foundations to the traditions of the English game. On the surface, this alternative pressing style does not seem too far away from the style played by Manchester United this season. However, Rangnick is a solely positive-thinking manager and has been quoted in an interview with The Red Bulletin saying: "in the past, some pundits used to say, 'It takes someone to calm down the game, to step on the ball'. Try doing that against one of the top teams today. You won't stand a chance." He will demand fast transitions, a very high intensity and most importantly for Manchester United fans, a forceful attacking intent. Michael Carrick has assumed duties as caretaker manager for the time being, until issues with Rangnick’s visa can be resolved. This is a short-term solution for Manchester United, but it comes in the form of an experienced and tactically intelligent manager, who is certain to make an impact, however small, on the remainder of the club’s season. Fixtures over the festive period seem favourable for Manchester United, including matches against the current bottom three teams in the league: Newcastle, Norwich, and Burnley. Despite this appointment, Manchester United must immediately turn their attention towards the fast-approaching summer, in which a permanent successor to Solskjaer will need to be identified. Fans will hope for a big name such as Erik ten Haag or Zinedine Zidane, but it is also not outside the realms of possibility that Rangnick may impress and be appointed on a full-time basis. Over the coming weeks, Manchester United fans will be expecting to see a change in the team’s attitude, tactical set-up and hopefully results on the pitch. It will be interesting to see whether Rangnick can make a difference, on and off the pitch; it is clear a tactical overhaul is required, and it will be interesting to see whether he can bring immediate success in his six months in charge.

7 DEC 2021 | EXEPOSÉ

Exeter's pricey sports society memberships

Lucy Aylmer, Deputy Editor, discusses sports society membership prices at Exeter University

HE University of Exeter is ranked the number one sports university in the South of England — so it comes as no surprise that sport is an incredibly important part of Exeter’s culture. Most of my friends are either part of a sport society or on the committee and have developed a strong network of friends from the communities that sport societies imbue.

Tennis Club membership costs are disproportionate to many other university tennis clubs However, throughout the past few years I have joined several sport societies and have often felt that the pricing does not adequately reflect the value or benefits accrued from being a member. In second year, I joined the University of Exeter Tennis Club (EUTC) and paid £95 for membership, which included "a social top, free court time, coaching sessions and internal and external competitions." To be frank,

Image: Wikimedia Commons

it really wasn’t worth it; most of the sessions were ridiculously overcrowded, often with six people covering a court at any given time and left very little room to have a rally. EUTC membership costs are disproportionate to many other university tennis clubs offering similar training and sessions. For example, UCL prices range from £40 to £110 dependent on whether a student plays for recreation or development, London Universities Sports League or BUCS (British University and Colleges Sport). Arguably, this pricing strategy is far more equitable as it divides pricing into tennis level and ability. Of course, if you play for BUCS, the £95 is probably quite worthwhile given that BUCS affiliation costs are £20 per member and players get the chance to compete nationally against other universities alongside regular training sessions. In contrast, as a social member you still pay exactly the same amount, but yet have far fewer benefits and reduced quality of training. This seems comparatively unjust considering other universities provide a proportional pricing framework. The

Ashes 2021 preview

Oscar Young, Sport Editor, highlights the key things to watch in this month's Test Series

HE oldest rivalry in cricket — and possibly all of sport — is making its return this winter as England take on Australia down under for the 72nd edition of the Ashes series. The first series took place 139 years ago in Australia, where the touring team managed to "regain the ashes of English cricket." Since then, it has become the predominant meeting in the sport. This year, the host Australia will be entering as strong favourites, having the advantage of being the holders. In the event of a tied series, the current holder, Australia, will retain the Ashes. It is worth noting this has only happened twice since 1972, even though one of those instances was in the most recent meeting in 2019. Given Australia won the time before in the 2017-18 series, they are still considered holders, and so have that upper hand heading in. You don’t need to be an avid cricket fan, let alone sports fan, to remember that 2019 series. That summer brings up memories of long sunny days, where cricket took centre stage in the nation’s eye in a way that it hasn’t managed to in the last

15 years. England’s World Cup run met its storied conclusion at Lord’s with one of the best games of cricket ever, a Super Over-victory over New Zealand. Indeed, it was "the barest of margins" that proved the difference in that game, but it only took a month for that spectacle to be outdone. The third Ashes test at Headingley saw Ben Stokes’ legendary innings to win the match, and eventually save the series. That brings us back to this year’s series, where we will be hoping for more of the same thrilling action. Ben Stokes is a fitting place to begin, with the English superstar returning from his two-month long mental health hiatus to re-join the England squad for the Ashes. Stokes’ presence will bolster the strength and confidence of an underdog England camp. The team is also looking to captain Joe Root to recreate some of his recent brilliance, as well as seam bowler Ollie Robinson to deliver on the lofty expectations that have come to surround him. However, the Australian team are currently the bookie’s favourite to find success in this series. Their pace trio of new captain Pat Cummins, Josh Haslewood and Mitchell Starc will look

to back up batsmen Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, among others. Smith and Joe Root have been vying for the title of best Test batsman for over half a decade now, and whichever one shows up on the biggest stage over the next month will go a long way to determining the outcome of this series. Pat Cummins has recently been given the title of captain after former skipper Tim Paine stepped down from the role and announced his own mental health break last month. In the last few years, neither side has seen the consistency that

they historically have come to expect. However, this will not take away from the intensity and historical importance of the series. Overall, Australia will undoubtably go in as the favourites, and any sensible bets should really be on them. Touring in Australia is hard enough in itself, even without factoring in the teams. England have won just two series in Australia since 1980. Here's to hoping, however, that England are able to rekindle some of the magic of two years ago and create a competitive series for fans back home to watch. Image: Wikimedia Commons

same holds true for other societies at Exeter such as lacrosse and sailing. Incidentally, it is worth noting the relationship between the pricing framework and the number of students at Exeter who attended private school. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 34.3 per cent of Exeter’s student population went to private school — which is a 2.3 per cent increase from 2016. Across the other six universities studied, Exeter ranks third and is the only university to report incremental intakes of private school students year on year. It is likely that pricey sport societies are able to charge extortionate amounts as a large proportion of students can afford it. Regardless of whether you fall into that statistic or not, many feel perturbed by the price and just won’t join. University is about experimenting, trying new things and figuring out what you enjoy and what you don’t. A huge part of that experience is facilitated by societies and the Wednesday night socials. Price is the ultimate barrier to entry and inevitably will deter less affluent students from taking up a new sport and expanding their friendship circle.

Djokovic's vaccine stance casts doubt on Australian Open

OVAK Djokovic says he has yet to decide whether he will compete at next year’s Australian Open tournament, despite being the defending champion and a nine-time Australian Open winner. The uncertainty stems from the recently announced requirement that all players must have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The world number one has as of yet refused to divulge whether he has had a vaccination — or if he has the intention of getting vaccinated. Djokovic’s former coach, Becker, “can’t imagine” a set of circumstances where Djokovic does not take part in the first Grand Slam of the year — as he is hot on the heels of an absolute record of 21 major title victories. Becker predicts that Djokovic will eventually “follow the rules”, despite Djokovic stating that he was “opposed” to the COVID-19 vaccination and emphasising his “freedom of choice.” One of his principal anxieties, according to the i, is side effects. With the deadline for entry to the Australian Open fast approaching, the tennis world waits with bated breath to see what Djokovic will do or say next.

Bridie Adams. Editor

7 DEC 2021| EXEPOSÉ

Sport

SPORTS EDITORS:

Oscar Young and Rob Worthington

Fight Night Exeter: review

Image: Bar Studios

Rob Worthington Sports Editor

XETER’S Student Fight Night returned to Exeter Castle for the first time since March 2020. As expected, the event once again produced an occasion to remember for both competitors and the packed crowd of spectators.

Class was added to the rowdy affair Hundreds of students arrived at the Castle on a cold Saturday night after voyaging through a busy Exeter High Street in their best dress. In typical Exeter fashion, a touch of class was added to the rowdy affair with guests required to conform to a black-tie dress code. The fighting began shortly after the Castle’s doors slammed shut at seven PM, with Tom ‘The Terrier’ Fountain and ‘The Curious’ George Broxham setting the tone with a strong bout.

The effects of the high intensity eight-week training programme were obvious as soon as the fighting commenced, with each boxer portraying considerable quality in their encounters. As the evening wore on with drinks flowing and ringwalk songs booming from the loudspeakers, the quality of boxing was maintained at a notably high standard. The majority of the bouts were actually competitive despite the 14 unanimous victories arising from the total of 15 fights on the night.

The majority of the bouts were actually competetive despite the 14 unanimous victories The fighting itself took place in the format of three two-minute rounds. The competitors were provided with a trainer by event organisers 4Play to support them in between the rounds.

In spite of the buoyant student atmosphere surrounding the ring, an aura of professionalism was apparent during each bout, with the boxers desperate to reap the ultimate reward off the back of the training process.

Boxing was maintained at a notably high standard Before the event, I caught up with third-year student Imogen Scarles, better known as ‘Imo ‘Hammad Ali’ Scarles’ on the night. She described herself as both “super excited” and “absolutely terrified” a fortnight prior to Fight Night, yet that wasn’t obvious in her fighting. Imogen, roared on by a crowd filled with friends and supporters, pushed herself to a fantastic unanimous victory. She spoke of her “competitive” edge a few weeks ago, and that was clear to see in her determined, yet also composed approach to her victory over Sophie ‘Big Bunda’ Brook.

Off the back of her victory, Imogen tells me “Fight night was one of the most incredible night I’ve had at Exeter. The crowd was so loud, making an immense atmosphere when I stepped into the ring. I still can’t fully believe I fought, and even won my fight! I’m so grateful for the experience and if I could I’d do it all over again.” Special mention must also be given to Imogen’s flatmate, Flora ‘Ready to Flor’ya’ Macpherson, who brushed Meg ‘The Megalodon’ Allan aside. A few words also on Corky ‘In Your Mouth’ Barlow who contributed to the only technical knockout of the night; her dominant display led to the referee deeming Chantal ‘Merk’ Owski unfit to carry on after the second round. However, the standout moment of the evening arrived at Fight Night’s climax with Musty ‘Prince’ Akhtar and Fin ‘The First Blood’ Bridgewater clearly primed and ready for an intense contest. Nonetheless, thanks to some ruthless boxing, the fight was over barely a minute after it had begun.

Fin ‘The First Blood’ Bridgewater delivered an eager audience what they had been waiting for all night, an outright knockout. In what was a fiery battle from the second it began, Bridgewater sent Akhtar to the ground twice before delivering the final hammer blow. A performance of superb quality from the third-year student.

Bridgewater delivered an eager audience what they had been waiting for

Fight Night Exeter really was a brilliant reflection of the hard work all 30 student boxers put into their preparation ahead of the event. As 4Play’s announcer for the evening quite rightly proclaimed, each competitor was a “winner” on the night. A raucous atmosphere combined with brilliant boxing portrayed exactly why Fight Night usually ranks so high on the Exeter student bucket list.

For more coverage of Exeter sport, head to @Exeposesport @exeposesport