Quench Magazine, Issue 189, October 2022 by Cardiff Student Media

INDEPENDENCE Issue, no. 189, OCTOBER 2022

Editor’s Note

Croeso cynnes i Quench!

Having been on the Quench team since my first year at Cardiff, starting as a Copy Editor before moving onwards to Section Editor in my second year, it brings me so much joy to write my first Editor’s note. Despite having started my journey at University in 2020 - where we literally couldn’t go anywhere or do anything - student media was a consistent component in my academic life. By the end of my first year, Quench Magazine felt like a dear friend of mine, and one that had lasted longer than Freshers Week!

By the end of my first year, Quench Magazine felt like a dear friend of mine, and one that had lasted longer than Freshers Week!

Editor-in-Chief is a title that brings a lot of excitement, pressure, and responsibility. I’d like to thank my team for their patience over the summer, for their consistent hard work and effort to move past any difficulty.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the theme of this issue is ‘Independence’. Quench gave me the confidence to become an independent writer, and thanks to student media I felt like I knew what I was doing and where I wanted to go. Having done my first year in almost total lockdown, joining no societies or meeting more than 3 people from outside of my flat, Quench felt like a comfort blanket. I remember how nervous I was submitting my first ever article contribution, but how warmly it was received - I was welcomed with open arms, and I’ve not looked back since.

As Editor-in-Chief, my goal this year is to simply recreate that warm, cozy feeling that I have always associated with Quench. I can’t wait to work closely with you all this year, whether you are on the team, or contributing. For all of you freshers, welcome! We have a full team

of students like yourselves who are here to answer any questions and to help you.

Don’t let University life be daunting. It’s not always easy, but it truly is so much fun once you’re in the swing of things. Each term is a special one, and they will hold so many dear memories. Enjoy that new independence! There is so much to see and do here in Cardiff, our capital city truly is wonderful and never fails to deliver.

Whether you’re a reader, contributor, or a part of our wonderful team, I hope you enjoy this issue of Quench. Thank you so much for being here. This first issue feels like it’s been such a long time in the making. I wish you all a wonderful first term, and I can’t wait to see you all soon.

Alexa Editor-in-ChiefAlexa Editor-in-Chief

As a new university year is about to begin, and as Cardiff is getting ready to welcome a new cohort of eager-eyed freshers, independence seems a fitting theme for our first issue of the academic year. For many, university encapsulates the first taste of true freedom. Leaving home, managing student loans, making new friends, and trying new things all seem like extremely daunting prospects, but they are vital steps on the road to independence.

I struggle to find the words to describe my first ever term at university. It was a complete blur of mixed emotions, to be honest. I do, however, remember feeling completely overwhelmed by the independence that I now faced. It felt strange that I had moved to a completely new city, and now had complete freedom and the ability to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. This prospect scared me for a while, but I quickly realised how beautiful independence can be. Independence can teach you new things about yourself, enabling you to be content in your own company and discover new hobbies, which is what led me to Quench.

ever term at university. It was a complete blur of mixed emotions, to be honest. I do, however, remember feeling completely overwhelmed by freedom but what led me to Quench.

I have always had an interest in writing and journalism, but, without the opportunity to get involved with student media, I’m not sure that my passion would have ever been truly realised. I began as a contributing writer for Quench in my first year, and then took on the role of Features Co-Editor in my second year. Now, as my third year begins, I am thrilled to be working alongside the incredible Molly as Deputy Editor.

journalism, but, without the opportunity to get involved with student media, I’m not sure that my passion would have ever been truly realised. it together. With the hard work of this amazing team, and the guidance and expertise of our wonderfully talented Editor-in-Chief, Alexa, I am

One thing that I have always admired about Quench is the freedom that it affords its editorial team and contributing writers, so it has been refreshing to see how each section has interpreted the theme of independence, refining it and making it their own as this issue has come together. With the hard work of this amazing team, and the guidance and expertise of our wonderfully talented Editor-in-Chief, Alexa, I am so excited to see where we will take Quench as the academic year progresses.

Maddie

Hello readers, and a very warm welcome to Quench! Thank you for taking the time to pick up our lovely publication, I do hope you enjoy reading it. As this is my first year working with Quench, and it may be some readers’ first time seeing our magazine, it only feels right to start with a bit of an introduction to both myself and this publication. My name is Molly, and I am one of the Deputy Editors here at Quench. I am just about to start my Master’s degree in Cultural and Creative Industries. I have spent the last three years in sunny Brighton at the University of Sussex getting my Bachelor’s Degree in Eng lish Literature and Linguistics. I love reading, coffee, folk-rock music and anything green!

of the Deputy Editors here at Quench. I am just and Creative Industries. I have spent the last of Sussex getting my Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Linguistics. I love reading, coffee, folk-rock music and anything green!

the theme of our first edition epitomises the

our education, new modules, new friends and daunt-

This edition of Quench is a special one, being both the inaugural edition of the new academ ic year and my own debut to Quench, if you take a trip to the Travel section, you may find something I have written. Independence as the theme of our first edition epitomises the aura of autumn for me. The ‘back to school’ season sees us all packing up our belongings once again, moving into new accommodation and filling in a new academic planner. But it also signifies a new beginning, the next level of our education, new modules, new friends and overall development. We are all reminded once more of our own independence. This is a daunt ing notion, sometimes isolating, but hopefully, we can altogether find the beauty in our own independence, a message akin to some of the lovely articles here.

To utilise my degree in Linguistics, the noun independence is synonymous with the idea of freedom, liberty and autonomy, coming from the early seventeenth century with the connotations of political non-affiliation- ‘one who acts according to his own will’. Fingers crossed, we can all learn to love our independence, and thrive with the knowledge that we have the freedom to live as we choose.

learn to love our independence, and thrive with the knowledge that we have the freedom to live

Molly Deputy Editor Deputy Editor

Meet the Team:

Editor’s Note

Croeso cynnes i Quench!

ALEXA PRICE Editor-in-Chief

Features

KATE NICHOLS Film & TV

of students like yourselves who are here to answer any questions and to help you.

Alexa

Editor-in-Chief 4

MADDIE BALCOMBE Deputy Editor MOLLY OPENSHAW Deputy Editor CHARLOTTE HARRIS Columnist SOPHIE REVELL RUME OTUGUOR

Features

ALANYA SMITH

Spotlight

AMY WILD Film & TV

..........................................

Meet the Team

Maddie Molly

Editor

Deputy

DOMINIC BRAMLEY-CARR Spotlight RHIANNON FARR Music BETH YATES Music EVE DAVIES Food & Travel HANNAH WILD

Travel

LUCIA CUBB

Literature

BRYONY WRIGHT

Literature

ZOE PRICE

Fashion

LIBBI KETTLE

Fashion ..........................................

Meet the Team

Editor’s Note

Croeso cynnes i Quench!

of students like yourselves who are here to answer any questions and to help you.

Alexa Editor-in-Chief 6

LAURA MAE Copy Editor RUBIE BARKER Copy Editor RIDA REHMAN Head of Design ANANYA RANJIT Deputy Head of Design JULIAN TSE Photographer MIA WILSON Photographer CONSTANCE CUA

Photographer

ELEANOR BYRNE

Page Designer

HARIS HUSSNAIN

Page Designer ..........................................

Meet the Team

TAHIRA ALI

SOYAL KHEDKAR Illustrator

GRACIE RICHARDS Head of Social Media

Instagram Manager MILLIE KNAPPETT Instagram Deputy Manager

GRACE DAWSON Twitter Manager

To utilise my degree in Linguistics, the noun

YAIZA CURTIS

Twitter Deputy Manager

Maddie Deputy Editor 7

Page Designer

PAULINA WISNIEWSKA

............................

FEATURES

LEARN WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG, DO WHEN YOU ARE OLD 10-11

THE REALITY OF FIRST YEAR 12-13

COLUMN

THE FRESHER BLUES: COPING WITH LONELINESS AND FINDING YOUR PEOPLE AT UNIVERSITY 14-15

FILM & TV

ARE COMING OF AGE FILMS TOO CLICHÉ? 16-17

HOW DOES MEAN GIRLS CAPTURE IDENTITY ISSUES IN ADOLESCENCE? 18-19

MUSIC

GO YOUR OWN WAY 20-21 PANIC SHACK REVIEW 22-23

LITERATURE

CARDIFF’S BEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOPS 24-25

HOW CAN WE READ NOVELS INDEPENDENTLY OF THEIR AUTHORS? 26-27

CREATIVE WRITING SUBMISSIONS 28-29

LETTING GO OF THE AESTHETIC 30-31

WHY ARE YOU SO SCARED OF BREASTS? 32-33

FASHION TRAVEL

MY FIRST HOLIDAY WITHOUT MY PARENTS 34-35

BEST COUNTRIES FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVEL 36-37

FINDING INDEPENDENCE THROUGH COOKING 38-39

CARDIFF’S BEST INDEPENDENT COFFEE 40-41

FOOD & DRINK CLEBAR

BUSNESAU ANNIBYNNOLCAERDYDD 42-43

ANNIBYNIAETH I GYMRU 44-45

SPOTLIGHT

PUTTING THE ‘U’ BACK IN MASTURBATION 46-47

FINDING INDEPENDENCE IN CODEPENDENT RELATIONSHIPS 48-49

Learn While

You’re Young,

When I moved into my first year flat, I never imagined that I’d one day come to fear my newfound freedom. I’d worked hard for my independence: sticking to school timetables and never skipping lessons; finding a job as soon as I was old enough to work; doing as I was told day in day out with little control over my daily routine. Moving to a new city and being my own boss was what I was owed for all those years of following the rules. Graduation was just a distant time stamp in my life and any conversation about hopes for my career felt fairly hypothetical. I was in control now, with full capacity to choose which route I wanted to take in my personal and professional life, and I loved it. Or so I thought.

Fast forward to the summer before my final year, and I feel like I’ve been handed a ticking bomb that’s set to blow up the moment I’m awarded my degree. All of a sudden, the word ‘graduation’ is synonymous with letting go of the comfort blanket of telling people I’m a student. Being asked what I want to do with my life sounds like a threat. The big stretch of road ahead of me has come to - it seems - a crossroads. Do I move back in with my parents? Do I stay in Cardiff? Do I move to a totally new city? Do I pack up and travel for a year? There are endless possibilities, which does feel exciting most of the time, but when I think a bit deeper about it there is a voice

in the back of my head telling me ‘don’t choose the wrong thing.’

And the truth is, no amount of achievements, extra-curricular activities or hours spent in a lecture theatre can actually prepare you to answer that question - what do you want to do with your life? There is no right answer, at the end of the day. Accepting this fact, that life isn’t a multiple choice exam with one distinct correct answer, was the biggest ordeal of gaining independence that I went through. Moving out didn’t really phase me. Finding out the hard way you can’t pour boiling hot oil down a sink was a breeze; budgeting to deal with monthly rent and bill payments on my own was no big deal. Having no one to tell me exactly which career to choose and who to date and where to live? No thanks - queue the existential crisis.

And it was something I didn’t expect to have to learn.

There is a Dutch saying that roughly translates to, ‘learn when you’re young, do when you’re old.’ I’m sure there are many ways to interpret it; I learned it from a boy from Amsterdam who was still reeling from the previous night of exceeded drinking limits. But maybe because I was already feeling pretty existential about starting third year

10Features

Do When You’re Old

of university, the saying took on a meaning that I hope to bring with me in the next few years. Independence is all about learning. The time and freedom we have to learn about ourselves and the role we want to play in the world are two of the best parts of being young and starting

university but we don’t lose them the moment that our degree ends.

I don’t think it matters how sure you are about the person you want to be, there’s always a fear - no matter how small - deep down that you’re not making the right decisions. Maybe I’ll regret staying in Cardiff when there’s a whole world out there I could call home; maybe I’ll regret jumping straight into the corporate world when I could be living out my Donna Sheridan dreams of running away to a Greek island indefinitely.

Who knows? Maybe that Dutch boy is rightlearn when you’re young. Make the mistakes, whilst we still have time to make them.

Words by: Sophie Revell Design by: Alexa Price

11Features

The Reality

Starting First Year is a huge step for anyone beginning their university journey. In this article, our contributors reflect on the reality of their First Year at Cardiff University.

There’s no other way of describing the first year of university as a rollercoaster of emotions, whilst it can be the best few months away from home there are also lots of challenges you are faced with. The main one being living with complete strangers! You’ll have to adapt very quickly to living with your flatmates (whether you get on with them or not) and tasks that may seem simple like cleaning a communal kitchen can cause problems. The same with doing your own laundry, such an easy task at home, can seem like a huge chore- especially in halls with flights of stairs. One of the hardest adjustments for me was living independently and budgeting my own money as unfortunately those student overdrafts can build up quickly if you aren’t careful.

My biggest piece of advice to freshers as a current final year student who survived first year and now doesn’t want to leave university is to go into it with no expectations as you may then be pleasantly surprised.

words by: Grace Dawson

meeting new people and starting a degree sounded great, yet I made no time for myself, this was the hardest adjustment. Going to lectures, being with new friends and recovering from the night before often meant that cooking healthy meals was something I neglected, and the poor sleeping routine meant my mental health wasn’t great.

The biggest lesson I got from first year was to make time for myself, keep up with putting effort into the food I was cooking, having a daily routine which gave me stability and the best mindset to go out and socialise.

words by: Shaniece O’Keefe

Features 12

of First Year

through first year having immediately made lifelong bonds. Pressure put on myself, fuelled by the ‘university is the best years of your life façade’ left me lonely in a way that I could never have imagined and prepared for. Instead of blaming and turning on myself for not having secured a nourishing group of friends in this time, I wish I had been guided by the reality that the loneliness I was going through was universal and not something to be ashamed of. University is frequently sold as a place of guaranteed immediate friendship and connection. When I found myself consumed by isolating loneliness within a kingdom of social fun, guidance that natural connections and meeting those who you truly bond with takes time, would have been and is crucial.

Do not mistake university loneliness as an issue within yourself, your future life-long friendships are out there, they just take time to be found.

words by: Lucy Matthews

There’s only so much you can do whilst working towards getting a degree. Take a look back at just how intensively you worked – a lot of regrets about events missed were made no longer worth fretting about with a quick glance at your lecture and seminar timetable. Balancing your time is also more difficult now you’re responsible for yourself. Sometimes cooking dinner is the highlight of your day and the next an erroneous chore; you just have to keep going. Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes as of course everyone makes them. The truth about meeting so many new people is that it can be tough when you don’t always gel with the people you want to be friends with.

Confidence is key. Don’t worry; as you’re only starting out, you should get another few cracks at the whip at what you want to achieve at university, academically and socially.

words by: Billy Edwards design by: Julian Tse

Features 13

The Fresher Blues: Coping with loneliness and finding your people at university

words by: Charlotte Harries design by: Constance Cua

There’s a very big, but very well-kept secret about leaving home for the first time. Despite all of the acquaintances you’ll make, and all of the people you’ll meet in clubs or pubs and swap life stories with until the sun begins to rise, the first few months away from home are some of the loneliest days of university life. You move away from everyone you know and find yourself in a new city, friendships yet to be made, alone and unknown. It’s exciting, but inescapably lonely. Before university, I used to believe that I was capable of making friends with anyone: surely any two eighteen-year olds who had just found themselves in a new city would find something to bond over? Something deeper to talk about than:

“So where are you from?”

“…Surrey”

“And what do you study?”

“…Sociology”

“Cool... I thought about doing that for A Level.”

(I’d like to clarify that the person from Surrey who studies sociology and refuses to speak with more than one word at a time is purely fictitious and definitely not based on every other person I spoke to in the Talybont complex during my first semester.)

Column 14

Sadly, it turned out I was horrendous at pushing conversation any further than this. My attempts normally involved references to the weather, post-box history (a favourite topic of mine which I hoped people might find endearing- they did not) or asking people what their favourite colour was. None of it broke the ice, and instead I built a reputation for being a bit socially challenged. Whilst I tried to keep up something of a manic pixie dream girl persona minus the charm or romantic appeal to my flatmates, in my room I would spend entire days and nights alone, hiding in my bed and feeling desperately unhappy, wishing for the good old days with the friends I’d had since nursery.

Eventually, sometime in November and after a particularly bad week of seeing no one and doing nothing, I called my parents asking to go home. I had been defeated. I left Talybont North as I had entered: with no friends, and nothing to show for my time but some newfound vices and a hatred of circuit laundry. After a very lengthy Christmas break spent debating whether to admit defeat and drop out or to completely rebrand myself in the hope my flatmates would finally see me as a friend, I emailed residences and asked to move accommodation. I moved in to a new flat, in a new part of town, and – shocker – made some friends! People who would suffer me talking about post boxes, would remember to invite me to their plans, and actually added me to their group chat! Even in my third year, meeting these people and having the courage to move and try again is the thing I’m proudest of since leaving home. As time went on, I’d talk to these friends, as well as the strangers I’d meet on nights out and realise that all of us ex-freshers had gone through the same thing. Be it for a week or a semester, almost everyone I talked to had felt some level of alienation and loneliness when they first moved to university. Although no one admitted it at the time, there was an epidemic of loneliness, hitting much harder than the typical fresher’s flu we expected.

If you’re feeling miserably lonely at the moment, please don’t suffer in silence. Talk to people about how you feel - it’s a much better bonding point than the weather, I promise. Join societies, volunteer or find a part time job, and take people up on their invitations. University is what you make of it. It’s tiring to search, but in a city of over four hundred thousand people, there are good friends to be found. When you move away from home your story becomes yours only. Your memories are no longer shared by your parents, or the friends you’ve had throughout school, and they can’t be confined to one city, town, or family home anymore. It’s a lonely transition, to realise that your life is fragmented between the old and the new, but it’s also incredibly exciting. You might not find your people for a little while, but if the Wetherspoons Chip Counting Society could find enough members to form a coherent group, you’re capable of making a friend.

Cardiff Nightline: 02920870555

Column 15

Are Coming-of-Age Films too Cliché?

Coming-of-age films have gotten themselves a pretty bad reputation over the years for overromanticizing pretty much everything, being too cliché, viewing teenage girls through the male gaze and most obviously having a serious lack of diversity. These criticisms are valid and need to be given greater consideration in the future.

Although many of these films are packed with problematic tropes, almost all of them encapsulate a feeling that isn’t present in any other movie genre. Classic coming-of-age movies like Things I Hate About You and 13 going on 30 hold up upon rewatch. On the surface the films may seem shallow, but both do such a great job at establishing characters and relationships you care about. In a way, this mirrors exactly what you’re trying to do as a teenager; establishing who you are and what kind of relationships you want. I think that’s why coming-of-age films are so popular - as teenagers we all just want a character to identify with. You might not have Jenna Rink’s unrealistic wardrobe or Kat Stratford’s boyfriend, but you can use these characters as templates to decide who you want to be and how you want to be seen by others. Also, there’s the fact that the soundtracks are usually amazing.

Films like Little Women (2019) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) have a smart way of showing how dreamy and fun being a teen can be whilst also showing that most of the time is filled with self-doubt and anxiety. All the March sisters often live mundane day to day life, but they often have sparks of joy that makes mundane a little more extraordinary.

I hope that coming-of-age films continue to evolve while retaining the spark that makes them so fun to watch at sleepovers.

words by: Ashleigh Adams

Film & TV 16

Coming-of-age films are known for their relatabil ity; isn’t that what makes them so touching?

Some argue the coming-of-age trope is cliché. Repetitive. Boring, even. I contend that a genre which soothes the open wound of growing up. Of course, the narratives are remolded to keep the next generation of teens engrossed, but it is the narrative of coming-of-age that makes the trope simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. It is a genre that provides solace when teens are grasping for any sign of reassurance that growing up is not a dark abyss – a trope that is so universally re latable cannot be whittled down as a cliché; it is simply too sentimental of the passing of time.

Boyhood (2014) is perhaps the most accurate depiction of growing up to date. The film, shot across the span of 12 years, follows a young boy, Mason, from the age of 6 to 18 as he navigates the trials and tribulations of approach ing adulthood. Taking the loved experiences of the actor of Mason and combining them with a fictional family storyline, alongside the time line of the movie’s shooting allowing the visual documentation of Mason’s ageing provides viewers with a captivatingly raw documentation of shedding one’s old skin. Boyhood emanates a euphoric revelation at the fleeting period of childhood to adulthood. The shared emotional intangibility between the actors and viewers of coming-of-age films is unprecedented. Both parties have grown up, or are growing up, and share the newfound knowledge that we are not alone in the feeling in the middle of two worlds.

We are not the only displaced person, and our coming-of-age story is certainly not cliché.

words by: Ella Dorman

Audiences are no longer interested in the idealised narrative portrayed in the coming-of-age genre. The ‘girl next door’ and ‘jock’ character ar chetypes have fizzled out for instead, fully fleshed out, flawed protagonists - like the hot-headed and stubborn Christine in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, played by Saoirse Ronan. Lady Bird went from budget indie film to Oscar worthy, dominating in the awards circuit and has become a well-loved film for its sharp and witty writing and the way it breaks away from classic coming-of-age clichés. In a lot of coming-of-age films, the protagonists are generally portrayed as highly aspiration al and tend to be successful in achieving their goals. Whereas in Lady Bird, Christine is real istic about her aspirations and hilariously states “I want schools like Yale, but not Yale because I probably couldn’t get in.” Gerwig explores the financial pressures of living in a lower-socioeconomic class. The reality of financial hardship is rarely shown in coming-of-age films; in Lady Bird we see Christine navigate trying to fit in with her richer peers and the struggle with debt her par ents face. Representation matters and allowing young people from all walks of life to feel seen in film is incredibly important and the genre still needs to do more reflect this. Barry Jenkins’ 2016 film Moonlight has been widely acclaimed for its depiction of young African - American queer sexuality; and has paved the way for other coming-ofage films like Lady Bird and Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name to be recognised and re spected. The coming-of-age genre has definitely shifted from cliché to giving audiences depictions of young people which feel so much more real and nuanced.

words by: Morna Muzawazi design by: Eleanor Byrne

Film & TV 17

How Does M e A n G i Lr s

The Nerds

Band Geeks

Varsity Jocks

THE PLASTICS

Art Freaks

North Shore High School

Film & TV 18

capture self identity issues in adolescence?

Mean Girls, from the title, tells us that this film is about how those brief years of teenagerhood are always circling around the questions of ‘who am I?’ and ‘who do I want others to think I am?’. Every character is deep down desperate to be mean, to be able to blame someone else for their unhappiness in their social community. But the film wants the audience to know that this is about “girls” not “women”; it’s about a transient stage that they can and will grow out of. Cady morphs into a ginger Regina George by nature, following a some-what outdated idea of girlhood where you blindly follow the leader. Cady has no identity outside of being the new-girl from a different country- which from personal experience, doesn’t carry as a sole personality trait- and she does what she’s told out of fear from rejection. Janis and Damian take her under their wing, and throw her under Regina’s, using Cady as a clean slate to live their revenge fantasy, and stripping her and themselves of purpose. Cady is no longer lost in this new place, but she still has no true identity, losing her passion and avoiding the things that made her stand out otherwise. Janis’ identity was being Regina George’s counter, her archnemesis, and once Cady replaces her and stops being “friends” with Janis and Damian, she has to switch her anger and her personal arc, and with that goes her sense of self in a meltdown that makes her admit she is also ‘mean’.

The channel ‘The Take’ explores Janis’ character in one of their videos, emphasizing how despite Janis’ hatred for Regina, the two used to be friends- ‘The Plastics’ still use Janis’ choreography, so their friendship must have been on a similar level of intimacy. The two rivals must have, at one point, had something in common that they ditched to adopt polarizing personalities in order to stand out, either as the top of the pyramid or completely outside of it.

Coming-of-age films often paint teenage years as years of extremes, where you cannot be in the middle of anything, otherwise, you’ll forever

be unnoticed. People are either desirable, so everyone follows their every move, or they’re low-profile yet clever and different enough that they don’t blend in but no in-between where they have not yet formed a strong personality. Mean Girls tries to eradicate this idea towards the end of the movie, as anger unites all teenagers desperate to fight whoever tried to sum up their identity in this amalgamation of such different people. Years later, films like Booksmart (2020) emulate that, forming the story around the basis that you can live a fulfilling life without forcing yourself into a certain group or denomination, and that your sense of self should not be tied down to whether you’re a popular kid, a smart one or just a bit weird.

Mean Girls is just as relevant now as it was in 2004, as social media has been tirelessly trying to categorise everyone into a group or aesthetic, as to encourage consumerism through the promise of ‘belonging’. Cady is uninitiated and overwhelmed by the number of cliques presented to her in the cafeteria, and despite her initial motives she ends up becoming a plastic because it is the only group with no pre-requisite but to put the effort in to become one. The other groups require a hobby or even a race to be part of it, but The Plastics are simply pretty with a strict set of rules. The end of the film shows how identity and teenagehood are both spaces to grow, to learn and make mistakes, as everyone finds their own space to belong to. Overall, identity is rooted in community and the people surrounding the characters, whether it be Gretchen and the Cool Asians, or Regina and the Lacrosse team, the girls are at their happiest when they find their community stemming from their interests and personalities and not vice-versa.

Film & TV 19

Who are the artists that have thrived since departing from their groups? What made their solo careers so successful? We asked our contributors for their thoughts...

Gwen Stefani

Few people can be defined as style icons during the 00s, but Gwen Stefani sits at the throne of pop royalty. After leaving ska-punk band No Doubt to pursue her solo career, people thought she was destined to fail; after all, how can you beat feminist bangers like ‘Just a Girl’ or ‘Don’t Speak’? Fast forward to 2004 and the charts are rocked by the legendary pop album ‘Love Angel Music Baby’, named after Stefani’s own Harajuku girls squad. Having released undeniable bops in her music career such as ‘Rich Girl’, ‘Hollaback Girl’ and ‘What You Waiting For?’, Stefani has immortalised herself as a genre changing legend who continues to serve electric performances and new music today. No matter the playlist, Stefani’s discography holds the essential anthems for any memorable house party.

words by: Alanya Smith

Harry Styles

Harry Styles rose to fame as a member of One Direction. His solo career began in 2017, and he has since become one of the biggest names in music today. Harry’s break away from One Direction marked a noticeable shift in his aesthetic, as he developed from the ‘boy next door’ to a boundary-pushing style icon. The change in Harry’s image is reflected through his music too, with playful, innovative tracks like ‘Cinema’ seeming a world away from One Direction’s cringy teen-pop. Harry’s successful solo career in music has also led to acting roles, fashion campaigns, and the formation of an extremely dedicated fanbase across the world. Harry’s former bandmates have mostly been supportive of his solo career. However, in a recent interview, Liam Payne bragged about his personal achievements since leaving the band, claiming that he is the most successful artist to emerge from One Direction. Whilst it is true that all five members have achieved individual success in their own right, no one has done

Music 20

it quite like Harry Styles. Harry’s decision to rebrand has positioned him in a league of his own, whereas Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn seem to still be existing in the shadow of One Direction.

words by: Maddie Balcombe

Tyler, The Creator

Odd Future: the group that non-hip-hop heads may not even know birthed some of the most influential rap and r&b artists of our generation. To name a few, the group founded Frank Ocean, Earl Sweatshirt, Syd from The Internet and the 20-member ensemble’s leader, Tyler the Creator. Thanks to the group’s shock factor in its lyrics, visuals, and comedy, not to mention its popularisation of brands such as Supreme, Odd Future had made its mark in the hip-hop world as one of the most influential groups of the 2010s. Stemming from the ideology of not caring what others think, Tyler Okonma’s lifestyle is completely translated into his art, to where it feels like a personal letter to his fans. Odd Future’s controversial lyrics and dark themes were a vehicle for Okonma’s own teenage feelings of confusion and rejection. Collectively, Tyler shaped Odd Future to be a group that not only produced music, but clothing, sketches, and intricate music videos. Tyler’s involvement as a creative for Odd Future and his transparency in everything that he makes is exactly what made him successful as an independent artist today. With two Grammy-winning albums and the streetwear brand Golf Wang, Tyler shows how honesty in his likes and dislikes leads to success.

words by: Eleanor Byrne design by: Eleanor Byrne

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney bared his depression over the end of The Beatles in his first solo albums in 1970. Through beautifully sad ballads such as ‘Junk’, ‘Dear Friend’ and ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, many fans believed he was communicating his feelings towards John Lennon through song. Then came RAM – an amazing album, full of low-fi sunshine pop with an emphasis on hooks. It was hugely influential in the creation of ‘indie’ music and ‘bedroom pop’, but at the time it was lambasted by critics convinced by Lennon that Paul was to blame. Paul gained more confidence working in a band and so came Wings; ‘Band on The Run’ from 1973 is their pinnacle; an album packed with hits. The Beatle generation liked the old magic and their children liked ‘Wings’. However, the public opinion of Paul in the 1980s was as a has-been who made songs for granny and The Frog Chorus, infamous for cheesy duets with Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. Steadily, since the reinterest in the Beatles planted by Britpop and bolstered by some great 21st century records, Paul has deservedly had a cultural retribution as a pop genius - his Glastonbury set this year was undoubtedly the festival’s highlight.

words by: Billy Edwards

Music 21

Panic Shack - Review

Panic Shack are a group borne out of a group of friends slowly losing their interest in going to see indie boy bands, who hypocritically fawned independence, yet seemed to offer all the same. The group, with a line-up of Sarah Harvey, Meg Fretwell, Romi Lawrence, Em Smith and Ed Barker, had a pipedream of a band that initially seemed difficult to reach but, since 2018, they have quickly grown an excitable fanbase beyond their home of Cardiff as winningly independent.

Independent acts must fill up their calendars to reach more people, and so they have been working extensively and taking advantage of every chance waved at them – their singles often feature on BBC Music’s ‘Introducing’ feature across their radio stations, and they’re a frequent festival presence, such as at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festival, and when not headlining they’ve jumped at supporting Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard. Despite the fact Meg and Romi had learnt how to play a guitar from scratch, they quickly became a talented and must-see outfit; their sell-out shows are a showcase of all the fun that can be had when you get to decide everything about your group for yourself – with matching outfits and especially-choregraphed dancing.

Music 22

With their first gig in October 2019, it’s a shame lockdown soon after quashed their plans to ramp up their performances, as they had cottoned on early to the revival of the spoken-word style now popular with groups such as Dry Cleaning and Yard Act. They hope to inspire girls into performing and writing their own music and rail against the elitist and male tradition of the rock music industry, captivating for their admittance of rudimentary skills yet still producing great music all the same. Sure, their indie music fandom seeps through –there’s a touch of the ferocity of the Arctic Monkeys’ debut and the effect of their witty, down-to-earth lyricism set to music reminds me of John Cooper Clarke – but the carefree and genial approach of Panic Shack is at once refreshingly escapist yet immediately relatable to the teenage life stories of their intended audience. Through songs such as ‘Mannequin Man’, poking fun at rigid ideals of masculinity, and ‘The Ick’, a song about unusual turn-offs in relationships like “putting the milk in first”, they have presented even supposed mundanity is a fertile ground for songwriting that anyone can do.

Words by: Billy Edwards Design by: Alexa Price

Music 23

Cardiff’s Best

There’s no doubt about it - there’s something about shopping at independent bookshops that is so much better than buying from large chains. Whether it be the smell of a dusty old paperback, the thrill you get from knowing you’re helping minimise your impact on the planet if your books are secondhand, or the charm of a quaint little literary establishment; visiting an independent bookshop is about so much more than the books you purchase - it’s an experience. Independent book shopping is also a great way to support local economies, and a fantastic opportunity to explore the city.

It’s clearly not just us who are in love with shopping independently, either - in 2006, Independent Bookshop Week was launched, in order to support UK booksellers and raise the profile of the magic of shopping independently - this year, Independent Bookshop Week was celebrated from 18-25 June. Another perk of shopping independently is that often, the books are cheaper than you’d be able to find in larger stores, meaning that you save money, which of course can be spent on even more books! If you know where to look, Cardiff has some really incredible independent shops to offer book lovers. With that in mind, here are our top picks for local independent bookshops around Cardiff.

Bear Island Book Exchange - Cardiff Market

We all know that buying books and reading books are two completely different hobbies. So, my top pick for the cheapest independent bookshop in Cardiff is Bear Island Book Exchange which can be found in Cardiff Market. They have a beautiful array of second-hand paperbacks that are often around only £2.50 and the stock is replenished often.

Many students also sell their university texts here, so you might be able to get your course books for a lot cheaper than you’d find online. My favourite book I’ve ever bought from Bear Island is a gorgeous 90s hardback edition of “The Catcher in Rye”, which was only £4.50.

Shelf Life Books and Zines - Cowbridge Road East

Another great bookshop is Shelf Life Books and Zines which can be found on Cowbridge Road East. This vibrant bookshop has an incredible array of books, with the shop having a particular focus on marginalised voices. This incredibly radical independent shop is also a non-profit, so you can feel good about spending your money on some of the wonderful books they choose to highlight.

The Queer Emporium - Royal Arcade

My final pick is the Queer Emporium, which is located in the Royal Arcade. The Queer Emporium is not strictly a bookshop, but they have a beautiful, curated array of books that focus on queer voices, and friendly staff who make it almost impossible to go in without treating yourself to one of the books they have to offer. The Queer Emporium also strives to create a safe space for local queer identifying people, and so it can be a great place to meet like-minded friends.

These are some of my favourite bookshops in Cardiff. I hope you enjoy shopping at them as much as I do.

words by: Ashleigh Adams

Literature 24

Indy Bookstores

In a time when books can be delivered right to your front door, visiting a bookshop has become an experience. Unlike commercial bookshops, independent bookshops are run by passionate owners who work hard to make their shops interesting and individual. Cardiff is full of independent books shops, all of which are enticing in their own way. Not only is the experience of finding a good book in an independent book shop a good way to find your next read, the location of these shops are also often worth exploring themselves.

Troutmark Books - Castle Arcade

Troutmark books is nestled in one of Cardiff’s famous spots, Castle Arcade. Filled from floor to ceiling with a variety of well-organised secondhand books, this shop contains almost every genre you can imagine. The variety in this shop is impressive, with books ranging from antique children’s books to modern comics. As it is a second-hand book shop, shopping here is less about finding a certain book - it’s about the experience, about browsing their many shelves and perhaps discovering a new interest along the way.

The Wellfield Bookshop - Roath

If second-hand books are not your thing, The Wellfield Bookshop is the place to shop. Filled with many new books, you are unlikely not to find an interesting read - this book shop stocks everything from the latest novel to the old classics. Located in Roath, this shop is only a short walk from the beautiful Roath Park, which is the perfect place to start your newly purchased novel.

words by: Megan Huws design by: Soyal Khedkar

Literature 25

THE DEATH OF THE AUTHOR

(How) Can We Read Novels Indpendently Of Their Writers?

Growing up with a Harry Potter mad mum, the Wonderful World of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Whether it was dressing as Hermione Granger every year for World Book Day, building Diagon Alley Lego sets with my parents, or numerous trips to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, J.K. Rowling’s magical world has influenced mine and I’m sure 99% of childhoods globally. (Even my bathroom, hallway and dining room at home have some subtle Harry Potter décor). So how, as an audience enchanted by the world she created, do we react when our favourite author turns out to be a bigot?

At first, maybe, with disbelief? How can an author who has imagined hundreds of mystical creatures, spells and created an entire universe not understand the very REAL concept of being a transgender person? Or in a world full of names such as Bellatrix Lestranges and Filius Flitwicks, would it really have been so difficult for Rowling to name her (only!) Chinese character something more creative and appropriate than Cho Chang (two Korean last names)?

After spouting transphobic and transmisogynistic tweets throughout 2020, Rowling made a lazy attempt at masking her overshares by latching onto the fact that Dumbledore was gay. Obviously, she’s not bigoted because a character she created (but never canonically depicted as gay) is part of the LGBTQ+ community so she’s totally cool with anything and everything LGBTQ+ and doesn’t deserve any backlash and everything is fine and everyone’s happy - right?

Wrong, actually.

Literature 26

Rowling then decided to write a three thousand word essay expressing her views and opinions surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, focussing on her attitudes towards transgender people in particular - this was something that was neither necessary nor asked for by anyone, not to mention the fact that it was incredibly discriminative and harmful. To save everyone the trouble of reading it, the essay focuses mainly on her insistence that her blatant transphobia and harmful comments were intended for the benefit of ‘protecting’ women (by which she of course means AFAB people) and goes on to explain her own opinions on the backlash she received. Obviously, she managed to express all of this whilst claiming that she cannot possibly be transphobic as she has met transgender people and has an ‘interest’ in their issues. Needless to say, there wasn’t an acknowledgement of the hurt she caused the transgender community, or an apology towards them, in sight. Cue eye-roll. Roland Barthes wrote an essay in 1967 called “The Death of the Author” which argues that an author’s biases and experiences cannot be used to derive meaning from a text. The beauty of Barthes’ argument is that it allows fans of ‘cancelled’ authors like J.K. Rowling to enjoy their work void of their writers.

Whilst it’s hard to enjoy something like Harry Potter while ignoring the creator of the series, and it’s important not to forget Rowling’s actions, the all-encompassing universe that the Harry Potter novels and franchise has created ensures it’s not impossible to do so.

Harry Potter means so much to so many people. It has a global fandom, it’s been in the public eye for decades and all fans have a very personal

relationship with the book. Rowling may have been responsible for this, but she is also just a 57-year-old woman with bigoted views who has little to no effect on your own private experience with the novels.

I went to Lacock with my dad this summer, the filming location for Hogwarts, Professor Slughorn’s house and Lily and James Potter’s house. Did I do this because I love J.K. Rowling? No. I did this because I love Hermione Granger and I’ve always wanted to be her, and sitting in the cloisters of the abbey made me feel like a real Gryffindor student studying for my OWLs. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t think you have to avoid buying Harry Potter related stuff just because of J.K. Rowling; unfortunately, she has a net worth of over £1 billion, so any effect brought about by denying yourself won’t be making a difference.

J.K. Rowling only did half the work by writing Harry Potter; the thoughts and feelings that you, as a reader or watcher of her work, gain from these experiences, are personal to you, and this applies to any controversial author’s work.

I personally will always love Harry Potter because it reminds me of my mum and my childhood, and since I don’t know J.K. Rowling, I can enjoy Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts through the life experiences and the fond memories I have attached to them without acknowledging her at all.

words by: Bee Evans design by: Soyal Khedkar

Literature 27

Ever since I left

My dad says he hates being home at 8pm.

Because it’s awfully quiet and he doesn’t know what to think. My mum’s still at work and my brother is at his tutor’s, losing his patience over math.

The sound of my guitar, of me watching the television, is like an ever-present hum, droning out the silence, droning out his noise.

He asks me if I’m ready as I’m sitting on the floor. And I say yes. I’ve left home twice now; I’ve crossed continents alone. Still, he asks me again. If I have everything I’m going to need; socks I need to buy, clothes I need to alter, if I’m going to be okay.

I think he’s asking me to stay.

I tell him I’ll be home again, it’s my last year and maybe I’ll move back. He’s smiling at me as he says, metaphorically, that someday he’s going to have to learn how to sleep alone. I know, even tually he’ll get used to not having me around, but as he’s heading out the door, he tells me dinners aren’t the same anymore.

Three chairs at a table don’t fit quite right.

He leaves an apple out for me every morning, washed with warm water to get the wax off. It’s 1:30 he says, nudging me awake. He tells me he hates it when I head out before I’ve seen him in the morning.

I think it reminds him how, soon he won’t have to open the door to my room at all.

How do you ever get used to the tremor in your father’s voice? The mist in his eyes? His gaze stuck to the floor. I want to tell him to be strong. I don’t want to cry, so instead I laugh.

Will I ever stop being a daughter?

He tells me I must call my brother every day; talk to him, guide him. And I remember how little I speak to my father when I’m away. Because there’s no 8pm for us continents apart. There’s only 1am, his bloodshot eyes and his slurring voice. There’s only him asking “Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes.” (Lie) “I’ll call you tomorrow, I’m heading out with friends.” (I’ll call you when you’re sober). How have 20 years gone by? Why do we forget the staleness of time? I want to pause for a mo ment so I can run to my father after school and eat strawberries by the beach. I want to scrape my knee so he can bandage it up.

I want him to be angry with me, like he used to be when I was 15 and would stay out too late. He always feels so guilty for being cross with me now. Like I’m going to leave him and forget him if he says the wrong thing, like there’s never going to be enough time to make amends.

He should be wiping my tears away. I’m heading back to an empty room, solo dinners. But here I am, miles away and it’s 8pm. And so, I’m asking him if he’s eaten. I’m asking if he’s okay.

I think I’m asking if I should’ve stayed.

Words by: Gargi Shetty Design by: Haris Hussnian

Literature 28

Alone wolf and the willow tree

Normal is not me. I am wild and a freak. I often wander the woods alone enjoying the peace and quiet. In the woods, I am free to run whenever I like.

I can walk across the small foothills to admire the moon’s celestial beauty. Shining bright across the woods its white light never intervenes during the day, like me it is independent.

I must howl at the moon but I chose not to, I am no shepherd nor a sheep. I am me alone wolf and free. I have a purpose and my own beliefs. You can tell me what to think but I won’t listen.

I will never listen. I walk the opposite path in the woods.

I often see packs in fives and threes walking like gangsters on a sketchy street. The other wolves follow as the alpha leads. This is a dictatorship but they call it a democracy.

I sometimes join them when they go on a hunt with their mates.

Their mates take care of them providing food and meat. But I don’t need a mate because I can get my own food. I will occasionally meet the pack under the willow tree.

I will socialise and join in their activities, but only because I want to.

The pack sometimes squabbles and bickers.

I watch from afar as they behave like animals. The alpha is now a Shepherd with no sheep, sitting in the woods like a lemon. What is their purpose now?

The other pack members are idly sitting in a line like a squad of soldiers awaiting orders. With no shep herd, they are lost.

The woods are so quiet, that the pack is trapped in a stalemate.

I on the other hand am free and proudly gallop around the woods.

Strange men with hounds enter the woods, are they searching for me?

I am capable of surviving on my own and I climb up the tree camouflaged and hidden. I see the strange men and their hounds walk past my tree towards the individual pack members. Their hierarchy fails them and the men leave with caged wolves.

I could fight with the men and the wolves would be free, but that is not my destiny

To many, I am the villain the weirdo the freak, But, I really am independent, intelligent, free and not the one caged like a beast on a leash

I am the hero of my story and the writer of my destiny.

I respected the other wolves and treated them with kindness, they were mean, cruel vicious and never self-sufficient.

Their squabbling and fighting is what brought them to ruin

They didn’t respect my individual thoughts, feelings or wit

But that’s ok. When I’m alone a clever idea is always brewing.

I run across the woods to the willow tree

I climb on top of it watching the midnight scene.

I see the moon shine and I feel a sense of purpose, Independence and solace. I am my own hero and I am free.

Words by: Haris Hussnain Design by: Haris Hussnain

Literature 29

Letting go of the Aesthetic:

Where is Your Mind?

In the time of instant communication, where swift transformations in collective consciousness can occur within a twenty-four-hour window, the current cultural circumstances seem to be lagging behind. There is no denying that the skyrocketing use of digital media has changed what is known and understood about trends over the last decade. Fashion, or maybe more generally what is known as the ‘lifestyle’ aesthetic, is where this developing transformation is most visible.

The everyday performative posting allows social capital to thrive in the framework of social media, where beautiful and ‘inspiring’ content is constantly subjected to the masses as not only desirable but instantly attainable. The social phenomena online has resulted in the expansion of the upper-middle-class influence to feature in almost every corner of digital media. The microtrends of aesthetics that are used as highlighters for individualism reinforce the consumerism rooted in the new-fangled aesthetic. The minor divisions between different aesthetics (clean girl, coquette, city girl, downtown, old money, model off duty) causes the identity crisis of the collective, as each individual strives to belong to a recognisable but selective group. It can often start out as ironic, it’s bordering on nearly always performative, as the trivial aspects of the aesthetic hold the key to be exceptional, consumerism sits tight at the heart of every aesthetic. However, the thought that the whole world should be slightly better dressed, better accessorized, better looking than someone else is a concept that only the privileged can really devote both their time and their money to.

Not only does the relentless curation of a persona become detrimental to the person both online and offline, the impact upon the environment is nearly beyond repair. The shift from quality to quantity in clothing -as a response from consumer demands- has allowed micro-trends to be reborn from this breakneck fashion cycle. Micro-trends that once had lifespans of 3-5

years, have reduced into lifespans of 3-5 months due to the fast-spiralling popularity of the current aesthetic. Whilst trends like the y2k aesthetic have seen consumers rushing to purchase from second-hand sites (like Vinted, Depop or second-hand stores) or choosing to support sustainable companies, the practice of rushing to own trend pieces (i.e. the notorious Hockney dress from House of Sunny) remains altogether unsustainable and ethically compromised. Multiple pieces bought, like the Hockney dress, instantly lose their social currency, and therefore are often not re-worn, re-used, or re-sold past their time in the trend-spotlight. The unsustainability of the TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram fuelled aesthetics is ignored in order to gain social credibility online; but this results in all of those who partake in hyper-specific consumerism to become ethically lacking in more than one way. The desire to be influenced yet individual is what motivates most of the consumers to ignore their morals; while those who influence typically have the money to buy with ethics and sustainability in mind, yet they still knowingly lead their followers down the path they themselves have not taken: into buying the cheaper option, the sweatshop option, the unnecessary purchase.

The celebration of both the ordinary and the increasingly bizarre in fashion and lifestyle online might appear to be the final dregs of elitism left over in the influencer culture. However, it also symbolizes the matching, underlying objective that is unmistakable among social-media influencers: to elude the labels of privileged and boring and instead create a distinctive (yet always appealing) self-brand. What appears to have formed is a new privileged generation obsessed with being different in a world with seven billion people on it, yet simultaneously similar enough to fit into some identifiable -nonetheless attractive- category. Often partaking in the curated ‘alternative’ persona, the fully fledged umbrella-trend of the ‘aesthetic’ subsists of

Fashion

the premeditated, the performative routine of ‘unedited’ reality. What once was the purposeful retreat by the wealthy and the culturally-educated away from the typecast of basic has transformed into a flaunting of any kind of style as long as there is a considerable amount of money funnelled behind it. So, in order to be the opposite of basic and ‘boring’, one must constantly reinvent oneself in small but noticeable changes every week, until the recognisable individual that once was is only found in Instagram’s archives. As the void between the real and the curated ‘them’ widens and threatens to swallow the unedited individual whole, remind yourself of who you are and really want to be. The aesthetic, or should I say aesthetics can only consume you as long as you let them.

Words by: Zoe Price Design by: Mia Wilson

Fashion

Back in July, Florence Pugh attended the Valentino show, stunning crowds in a gorgeous hot pink sheer dress. Despite her marvelling fan base, she was met by sexist trolls online slamming her wardrobe choice for “inappropriately” showing her breasts. The mesh seethrough top half of the extravagant Valentino dress sparked social disputes between haters and fans, with many scrambling online to support the look, whilst others tried to damage the icon’s reputation and confidence by vilifying the actress’s body.

The Midsommar star hit back on social media, posting a lengthy Instagram post shutting down the online trolls, defending her choice of outfit and expressing outrage at the misogynistic comments. She described the backlash as an example of “just how easy it is for men to totally destroy a woman’s body, publicly, proudly, for everyone to see”. Florence even suggested she had no regrets wearing the flashy dress, going so far as to say she was “excited to wear it, not a wink of me was nervous”.

Florence Pugh’s fashion controversy isn’t the first time we’ve seen such a misogynistic scandal. For decades the media and online haters have attacked women and their bodies, making shameful comments and feeling the need to point out every flaw on the biggest platforms. The idea of a female showing even the slightest bit of her breast in public for many is enough to warrant such disrespectful online hate. Pugh has stated previously on social media that she celebrates the #freethenipple movement, possibly explaining the motive behind the sheer top dress.

The #freethenipple campaign highlights the double standard that allows men to appear in public shirtless, while women who do so are deemed to be sexually indecent. It’s about pushing for cultural acceptance for women to bare their breasts in pub lic; their body their choice. Other notable celebrities such as Jessica Chastain and Billie Piper have also publicly supported the campaign, launching passionate pleas to stamp out misogyny. Chastain also reposted Florence Pugh’s emotional social media post, questioning, “why is it so threatening for some men to realise that women can love our bodies without your permission?”.

History however is not on the female side. Hollywood has al ways frowned upon visible nipples or too much breast exposure. Such forced opinions were not only on the red carpet, but this ‘ideology’ appeared in many films and tv shows. This ultimately leads to restrictions on what women can and can not wear on the biggest stage in the world. Dress codes have socialised us into specific gender roles, based on the clothes we wear, and sometimes wrongly attach sexual justification based on the fashion choices we as women make. One ex ample of the controlling nature that fashion imposes on fe male celebrities is the Oscar’s dress code that is infamous for its strict requirements. Floor length, formal gown dresses were compulsory for women while no such wardrobe require ments were in place for men.

Until 2002, when Gwyneth Paltrow broke the unwritten rule of wearing a sheer top dress much like Florence Pugh’s, proudly exposing her breasts.

It could be argued that this was the start of the #freethenipple movement unofficial ly, as backlash to Paltrow’s dress caused controversy globally. It lit another spark into women starting to campaign for less censorship of their bodies. Officially, how ever, the freethenipple campaign came about during pre-production of the 2014 film of the same title, which documented filmmaker Lina Esco’s response to herself running through New York topless. Teas er clips for the film were released in 2013 on social media platforms Facebook and later Instagram, before being soon removed from the sites for violating their nu dity guidelines. Facebook guidelines state that images state that images of female nipples may only be shown in the context of breastfeeding or birth giving, whilst no such code of conduct applies for men. The restrictions from global social media companies initially sparked backlash from celebrities, including Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Anniston, before the official #free thenipple campaign launched a year later online.

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The fashion world has evolved significantly over the past decade, with women having more freedom to wear what they feel comfortable and confident in, rather than be imposed to strict clothing limitations. But there is much more campaigning to do. Until women can do this without facing the vilification of online trolls and backlash from the mainstream media, there will always be a fight against fashion.

So the question remains, as Florence Pugh posed, “why are you so scared of breasts?”

Whilst there are still strides to go in normalis ing female body exposure in the celebrity lime light, closer to home steps are being taken to tackle the gender disparity. The annual free thenipple protest in Brighton this year saw hundreds of campaigners marching across the seafront, embracing their top half nudity. With the intent of tackling the sexist double standard, peaceful protesters were seen holding colourful signs with powerful phrases including, “sexual ised since 1999” and “isn’t it wild that there are legal nipples and illegal nip ples?”. Other campaigners had their breasts celebrating in glitter and flames decorated over their nipples, whilst a male supporter was seen sporting a red bikini paint ed over his chest, further chal lenging the double standard of breasts and fashion.

Fashion 33

Travel Diaries: My First Holiday Without My Parents

Travel is great way to gain independence. It sets you free of parental supervision. It broadens your horizons. It allows you to discover new cultures and lifestyles, helping to build personality and independence. Our contributors have shared their stories from when they first travelled withou t‘adult’ guidance

Corfu Words by Molly Openshaw

My first independent travel story comes from when I travelled to Corfu with my friends from Sixth Form after finishing my A-levels. I was just shy of turning eighteen and was the sole organiser of the trip, seeing nine eighteen (or almost) year-old girls off to Sidari, Corfu. The flight there went reasonably smoothly, aside from one girl deciding last minute not to join us and quite a long delay, but eventually, most of us arrived in Corfu ready for our hour-long transfer to the scenic town of Sidari, in the Northern part of the island

Now this ‘girls’ holiday was somewhere in the middle of the party-relax holiday continuum –equal parts sunbathing and dancing – making the location of Sidari the perfect choice. Instead of the all-pervasive club atmosphere of Kavos, situated on the South side of Corfu, Sidari offered a handful of bars and clubs, a selection of shops, and plenty of opportunities to escape the resort for more cultural trips.

One downside to staying in a resort was the food options in our half-board hotel. Like most people abroad, one of my favourite things to do on holiday is experience the national food and drink. However, in our hotel the options mainly consisted of sausages, chips, pizza, and other beautiful, anglicized delicacies. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the most authentic restaurant in our peripheral for gyros – a delicious combination of meat, salad, and tzatziki wrapped in a pita.

Another slight issue we had was navigating the language barrier in the hotel restaurant with my friend’s severe nut allergy. This culminated in quite an awful moment on our last day. After a week of dodging peanuts, hazelnuts, and cashews in the nameless dishes at dinner, a humble packet of Maryland cookies championed my friend’s nut allergy. Everyone was fine in the end, but lessons were learned about reading the labels on foreign foods!

Travel 34

Words by Carys Scales

My two best friends and I decided to book a holiday while we sat around our kitchen table on a classic rainy Cardiff day. We found a cheap deal – around 240£ each for five nights in an Italian four-star hotel. On the big day, our flight was at 10am so I pulled myself out of bed at 7am as the airport was two hours away. As I was sleepily shoving my face into my hoodie, one of my friends called me and said she couldn’t get hold of our other friend. I hung up and rang him- no answer. After twenty phone calls and hundreds of texts, we were despairing and faced with a decision: do we go without him, or do we wait and risk missing our flight?

An hour and a half into my two-hour drive, we finally heard from him; he had slept through his alarm! It was a race against time as he was an hour and a half’s drive away from the airport. I arranged to meet my friend on the grass outside Bristol airport where we snacked on some olives and waited. Eventually, we texted him saying that we would meet him after security.

We started loading our bags onto the scanner and went through the detectors. Since my trousers had metal on them, I got checked. As I was getting patted down, I looked back through the queue and there he was! Somehow, they had seriously beaten the SatNav and he just happened to be going through security. I’ve never shouted louder in an airport in my life – it is safe to say that I got a few dirty looks from the airport staff but the relief was truly unmatched.

Luckily, the rest of our trip was fairly stress-free, other than our discovery that our hotel was two and a half hours away from the airport and there was no straight train! It definitely taught us to be more responsible with our time (and to Google hotel locations before booking!)

Words by Nicholas Stanaitis

She hid her big emerald eyes behind white vintage glasses as we walked to a nearby traditional Polish restaurant after the tour; I convinced her that she needed to try pierogi before heading back to Russia. The Salt Mines, one of the oldest in the world, a labyrinth of fantastical statues and Renaissance staircases, was where I met this blonde bombshell – the Marilyn Monroe of Moscow – an up-and-coming actress looking to escape to LA to pursue the American Dream - Hollywood. I finally understood the value of travelling – meeting people you would have never met at home.

It was only days before, I stumbled, trembling, into my new bedroom, wherein five strangers – four males and one female – emptied their lungs into the same uncomfortable darkness. The film-like opening soundtrack trumpeted from atop the highest tower of St Mary’s Cathedral in the market square; I basked at the surreal European and pastel-architectural dreamscape of Krakow’s Old Town, wherein its medieval interior I had never once seen naked.

I started to forgo the padlock securing my laptop and wallet. One night, I asked the receptionist on night shift if he was okay because he stared at me wide-eyed as I strolled by in my boxer shorts.

The door whined its key card verification, and one of the Norwegian roommates entered. To our collective amazement, when he flicked one of the switches on the wall, a soft blue mist descended from the cheap LEDs lining the ceiling.

“Welcome to the Blue-light District,” I joked. It was at that moment my whole travel experience changed for the better, for it was at this moment I realised that what made life richer was a human connection – something that I had forgotten back in the UK.

Italy

35Travel

The Best Countries for

Independent Travel

Travelling alone can be daunting for anybody, wherever you are but, inevitably, some coun tries are safer than others when it comes to travel. There are several things one should consider before setting off on their solo adventures: language barriers, reliability of emergency services, availability of healthcare, and street safety. So, here are some countries we believe are best for young, independent travellers.

Australia

The Aussie laid-back culture and travel infra structure welcomes visitors with open arms. Due to its history as a British colony, Australia shares threads of cultural heritage with Britain. It is an English-speaking nation, which breaks the first barrier of travel. As a solo traveller it is reassuring to know that you will be able to eas ily communicate with citizens, allowing you to ask for help if you need it and carry out simple tasks without the anxiety of communicating via finger points and poorly pronounced foreign words.

While Australian culture has similarities with Britain it is by no means the same. Australian cities, namely Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and Perth, feel slightly off-kilter compared to British ones. They radiate a quirky, cosmopol itan atmosphere that perfectly accommodates solo travellers. Enter any shop or bar and you are sure to be greeted by a smile and friendly ‘how’s it going?’.

From world class beaches to bustling cities, there is so much to explore down under. If you make the most out of your solo time away, you won’t even have a second to feel lonely.

Tip: although the thought of driving in Australia might seem easy considering they operate the

same driving style as the UK, we’d recommend avoiding a solo trip in the Outback – you can drive for miles upon miles without encountering a petrol station and phone service is not always reliable.

Scotland

If solo travel is something on your bucket list but you’re nervous about setting off for the first ever time, it might be a good idea to stay with in the UK until you get to grips with all things independent travel. The myth-inspiring land of Scotland is great for a budget-friendly, adven ture-filled trip. Feeling safe and able to relax is essential to enjoying an independent trip; street harassment and theft are rare in Scotland, making it a safe and inclusive nation.

As the capital city, Edinburgh is a hub of arts, history, and beautiful landscapes with plenty of unique independent book shops, coffee shops, and galleries where you can really soak in the culture. Edinburgh is home to a multitude of delicious foodie haunts and their world-renown music and festival scene means there is live music on almost every corner. From bagpipes to guitars, the city’s diverse music taste offers something for everyone.

Edinburgh is a relatively small and compact city, making it a walker’s heaven. Walking is recom mended as the best way to see the charming sights of Edinburgh, cutting costs and keeping you active. Climb Arthur’s Seat for panoramic views across the city.

What’s more, Edinburgh boasts many trendy, Insta-worthy hostels where you can connect with travellers from all over the globe. What more could you want on your first solo trip?

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Iceland

If you’ve been craving a trip where you can dig out your walking boots, reconnect with nature, and unleash the intrepid traveller within you, then Iceland might just be the place for you. Iceland beholds one of the world’s most extraor dinary landscapes, consisting of glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, tectonic plates, and geothermal pools, making it the ideal place for solo travel as you’ll never tire of exploring. If you’re looking to see some of Iceland’s greatest sights, a bus trip is the perfect way to achieve this, providing you with the chance to meet other travellers and enjoy the scenic views during the journey (the roads can be particularly treacherous in the winter months so we wouldn’t recommend driving alone at that time of year).

Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world due to its low crime rate, small popula tion, and raised importance of gender equality, making it a sought-out location for solo female travellers. The combination of these features provides women with the freedom to inde pendently explore Iceland without concern for their safety, meaning you can immerse yourself within the friendly community and enjoy being alone in nature. But don’t worry, Iceland has ac cessible phone signals across the whole nation, so you can wander off into the unknown, but not have to worry about being completely off the grid.

Although road and street signs are written in Icelandic, you’ll find that the majority of natives in major towns and cities speak English, making it easier when trying to translate words such as ‘Vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúrsly klakippuhringurinn’.

Iceland is the place to experience pure relax ation along with the joy of nature. Being the furthest you’ve ever been from a McDonald’s brings a new kind of solitude, where you can immerse yourself within a mystical world, facing a series of natural phenomena.

Italy

Whether you’re looking for a beach day, city break, or a romantic weekend in the Tuscan hills, Italy has it all. It is a nation of fashion, his tory, and architecture, which is well reflected in the cultural cities of Rome and Venice. Whether you visit for a day trip or weekend, there is plenty to keep you occupied. Spend the afternoon on a gondola in Venice or exploring the Colos seum in Rome. Cities such as these are tourist hotspots, meaning that English is commonly spoken by the locals, making your trip less

daunting. Within Europe, there are numerous interrail routes which solo travellers embark on, with It aly being at the centre of many of these routes. This makes Italy a backpacker’s paradise. Hos tels are always bustling with like-minded solo travellers, proving to be great company for day trips or exploring the nightlife.

Italian transport, particularly their high-speed trains, is reliable, so you can travel from the north to the south quickly and efficiently. If you’re situated on the Amalfi Coast and feeling particularly adventurous you may wish to try Vespa hire. Buses and trains around the Amalfi Coast are often heaving with tourists and slow compared to a Vespa, in which you can find hidden beaches and aren’t restricted to transport timetables.

Although there is so much to explore in Italy, a top selling point has to be the food. The op portunity to indulge in dishes of creamy pasta, wood-fired pizza, and endless tubs of gelato is what dreams are made of, and why we think that solo travel in Italy seems so appealing.

Tip: Avoid travelling Italy during the summer months, particularly to places such as the Amalfi Coast, which is a tourist hotspot in the summer. The months of March-May and Sep tember-October make for a much more pleas ant experience, both in terms of busy-ness and weather.

Words by: Eve Davies and Hannah Wild Design by: Alexa Price

Travel 37

Finding Independence Through Cooking

Starting university is a gateway to adulthood, as you begin to take care of yourself in ways that you might not have before: cleaning, shopping, budgeting, and, of course, cooking.

For many, it can be daunting to take on such big responsibilities at an already pressurefilled time, especially if you are a culinary beginner. It can be easy to slip into bad habits, to default to (not so) cheap takeaways or ready meals. Of course, if this is your preference and what you are comfortable with then that is %100 your decision!

However, learning to cook for yourself can be empowering and stimulating, and gaining independence in the kitchen can help you navigate the path into adulthood.

People often do not give university students credit where it is due for the stress they are under. The pressure of being away from home, balancing a social life and deadlines, and a completely different academic structure to one you’ve ever encountered before can be daunting for a fresher (it still is for me as an almost-third year!) That is why it is so important to keep yourself energised and upbeat, and a healthy, nutritious diet is one of the best ways to do this. Being nutritious doesn’t mean constantly eating fibre or vegetables and only drinking water - it is about finding your perfect, unique, and balanced diet to subsidise your lifestyle.

So, where do you begin?

Firstly, you need all the main food groups in

your daily diet. Working out what your body craves more of (for example, you may prefer to eat fruits rather than vegetables) is the key to creating sustainable, healthy eating habits. By creating meals with all food groups, you will nurture yourself physically and mentally more than you know. And it can be so easy! For example, adding your favourite veggies (such as onions, carrots, or courgettes) and a choice of meat (or meat substitutes) to a simple tomato sauce will enhance your dinner. Another way to add some well needed nourishment is making a simple side salad with your meal. While you experiment with different skills in the kitchen, you will develop your culinary independence.

To better your confidence and interest in the kitchen it is important to be excited about what you are eating. You could play it safe with a simple, plain recipe that you use more times in a week than you attend lectures; but being bored of the same old food is likely to discourage you from cooking. Let’s be honest, what sounds better when you’re starving after a long day and the cravings peak - oven chicken and steamed veggies or a maccies?

In this instance, perhaps you could try making your own burger, meaning you are gaining a skill and improving your independence whilst maintaining a healthy diet. It is also important to remember that by making your own food and, as time progresses, planning your meals for the

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week, you are being cost efficient and ecofriendly.

For example, a packet of beef mince can last you three days - longer if you separate and freeze batches. That can cover three different protein packed recipes for the week, such as a burger, meat sauce for pasta, and stir fry. Alternatively, you can batch cook your favourite recipes, such as a trusty chilli, and simply freeze portions to defrost and cook on days when you are pushed for time.

You can also work versatile veggies and carbohydrates into your sustainable budget and use them in different combinations to level up your meals. I suggest budgeting 30£ for a sustainable weekly Lidl shop. That’s the equivalent of two takeaways!

My Journey

Growing my independence through cooking has been such an important part of university for me. It has helped me structure my days, have something to look forward to after stressful times, and maintain a healthy relationship with food and, consequently myself. It can be so easy to slip into bad habits of either not eating or eating the wrong foods, and by learning what meals I want to make for a treat, what my body needs after an SU or Live Lounge night when I’m craving nutrients, or simply the best foods to get me through a day of lectures feeling well-nourished, I know that I am taking steps to better my health, my independence, and happiness. It truly is a life skill that you can only get better at!

The sense of pride you get when devouring tasty food made by yourself can really help your confidence. To all freshers who are nervous about not only finding your feet in the kitchen, but your accommodation kitchen especially, spending time in communal areas cooking with your flatmates will get you chatting, help you break the ice and learn things about them. The best advice that I can give you is to take the leap towards improving your cookery skills. I promise you will not regret it.

I am going to leave you with some of my favourite meals. These were a staple during first year and helped me expand my cooking skills vastly:

- Chili Con Carne

- Pollo Pesto Pasta (Pizza Express Style)

- Smash Burgers

- Spaghetti Carbonara

- Loaded Potato Skins

- Fajitas/Burrito Bowls

- Hasselback Chicken and Mash

I know it can feel overwhelming, but you’ve got this! Happy cooking!

Words by: Sofia Mallia Design by: Rida Rehman

Food 39

The Best Of Cardiff’s

Independent Coffee Scene

If there is one thing that is going to get you through this year of uni, it is COFFEE.

We all know the importance of shopping small and local, so it’s time to turn our attention from the likes of Costa and Starbucks to Cardiff’s independent coffee scene. Thankfully Cardiff is home to an abundance of unique, quirky, and delicious independent coffee shops to cater for all your pre-lecture coffees, study marathon coffees, and catch-ups with friends. Our contributors have rounded up some of their favourite coffee haunts around our city.

Brodies Coffee Co

Located in Gorsedd Gardens, just along from the student life centre, Brodies Coffee Co is a small cabin in the park, adored by both the coffee-loving and the homeless communities in Cardiff.

The coffee is perfect, but the ethos is even bet ter. Brodies is ideal for a catch-up with a friend in the sun. With snippets of inspiration from their fun signature ‘YOU GOT THIS’ coffee cups, Bro dies is sure to brighten your day. Additionally, once customers fill up their loyalty card a drink is given to the homeless.

Brodies had humble beginnings starting as a VW camper van before moving into the cabin in Gorsedd Gardens, which we know and love to day. Brodies’ menu is filled with delicious cakes, cookies, and toasties - all of which I highly recommend (especially the brownies). In my opinion, they serve the best coffee in Cardiff, which is why I keep going back.

Brodies is not just great because of its social justice and community spirit; it’s affordable for students too. Students get a 10% discount on everything, making an iced latte less than £3!

In 2021 Brodies opened a second location called Bricks ‘n’ Mortar, which is located on North Road opposite Talybont accommodation. Bricks’ n’

opposite Talybont accommodation. Bricks’ n’ Mortar is the place to go on a rainy day or when you want to get some work done. With a more extensive food menu and free wifi, it’s a perfect cafe to get that essay that you have been putting off, done.

Words By: Amy Wild

Blend Coffee

Slightly further out from Cardiff University, in Grangetown, is an independent coffee shop called Blend. The Cardiff born and bred owner, Shiraz Kasim, opened the coffee shop in 2021 after previously having worked at Costa. His aim was to celebrate diversity and bring people together.

After believing he was on the wrong life path, a friend brought Kasim to The Plan coffee shop, and that was when his love for coffee began. In 2018 Ian Brody, owner of Brodies Coffee Co taught him about speciality coffee and he is very grateful for the lessons. The name Blend came about as Kasim aims to blend people from all backgrounds together.

I have been to Blend once and Kasim was the

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most welcoming person. The coffee and chicken toastie I consumed were both delicious and I was very nearly tempted by a cake too. Also, the menu is very well priced. It was very quiet when I visited so I hope from this more people can learn about Blend and visit the coffee shop too. I wish to return soon after having such a lovely first im pression.

Words By: Tia Fishlock

Mec Coffee

Specialty coffee shops get a bit of a reputation of being snobby, pretentious, and unapproachable; like you won’t be allowed in until you explain the difference between a Chemex and a cortado. But rest assured that Mec Coffee is not one of those places. Located on Crwys Road, Mec is, in my opinion, the best place in Cardiff to try unique and delicious coffees with friendly and approachable service. The shop is run by two friends, Will and Tom.

Will originally opened Mec in the city centre where he met Tom, who was running a wine shop opposite, which focussed on natural and organic wines. The two now run Mec together and serve both wine and coffee with the shop open late Thursday – Saturday, making the perfect spot for a chilled night out.

As well as serving the usual espresso-based fa vourites, Mec has a constantly changing menu of coffees from interesting and independent coffee roasters. This selection gives visitors the chance to explore a wide variety of coffees with distinct flavours from all over the world. Mec is an abso lute must-visit in Cardiff for anyone who wants to discover global specialty coffee.

Words By: Lizzi Richards

Coffee Barker

Renowned as Wales ’city of arcades, many of Cardiff’s favourite coffee spots can be found in its Victorian and Edwardian arcades. Nestled in Castle Arcade, in earshot of Cardiff Castle and the Principality Stadium, is the city’s well-loved Coffee Barker – a dark-lit, cosy coffee shop. Coffee Barker serves superb coffee roasted from 100% organic Arabica beans, delicious breakfast ast and light meals, and tasty sweet treats. The Nutella latte is a strong favourite on their menu.

Coffee Barker was opened by Stephan Barker and his wife in 2009 as an addition to Barker’s

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Busnesau Annibynnol Caerdydd

Er meddyliai rhai bod cynnal sgyrsiau Cymraeg yn hynod o galed ym mhrif ddinas Cymru, mae ‘na digonedd o Gymry Gymraeg o gwmpas os ‘da chi yn edrych yn y llefydd cywir. Os da chi wir yn styc yn edrych am sgyrsiau Cymraeg, gad i mi gyfeirio chi at fy hoff fusnesau iaith Cymraeg yng Nghaerdydd.

Blŵm I ddechrau sefydlwyd Blŵm fel busnes nwyddau cartref a blodau. Erbyn heddiw mae Blŵm hefyd yn gaffi bach hyfryd ar Fairoak Road. Mae’r dewis o goffi a chacen yma yn gwbl anhygoel, a phopeth wedi dod o fusnesau lleol, megis coffi Coaltown. Fel Cant a mil, mae Blŵm tu allan i ganol y ddinas a hefyd yn ardal Cathays. Yn fy marn i, mae’n study spot hynod o lyfli, a rwla arall i roi ar eich rhestr tymor yma - yn enwedig os da chi yn ffan o lefydd aesthetically pleasing. Allai ddim meddwl am brynhawn gwell na chuddio oddi’r glaw, llyfrau mas, a chai latte y fy llaw.

Cant a mil

Edrych am lyfrau i ddarllen (sydd ddim ar eich Course Reader!) tymor yma? Ydych chi am ymlacio ar ôl seminar caled gyda chyfrol newydd Llwyd Owen? Efallai rydych chi heb ddarllen yn y Gymraeg ers bod Trysor Plasywernen wedi totally rhoi ti off ym Mlwyddyn 9, a nawr hoffech chi neidio mewn i’r byd llenyddol Cymraeg. Dim ots beth yw eich sefyllfa, neu pa fath o lyfrau sydd yn well gennych, mae gan Cant a mil llyfrau o bob math. Yn agos iawn i fyfyrwyr Cathays, (hwrê!), mae Cant a mil yn siop llyfrau Cymraeg ar Whitchurch Road. Mae perchennog y siop, Jo, yn arbenigwr yn dysgu Cymraeg (sydd yn hynod o bwysig i fyfyrwyr sydd yn meddwl am ddysgu’r iaith yn y Brifysgol!), yn ogystal â llenyddiaeth Cymraeg. Pe bai hi’n ddiwrnod hyfryd neu yn bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn, mae’r croeso yn Cant a mil yn gyfeillgar a chynnes, does dim vibes tebyg yng Nghaerdydd, wir!

Mae o hefyd yn werth cynnwys bod Cant a mil yn cynnal sgyrsiau Cymraeg dros frecwast pob bore Gwener o 9:00-10:00, yn gaffi Wildflower, sydd hefyd ar Whitchurch Road. Os ‘da chi yn fed up o’ch cyd-myrfyrwyr erbyn diwedd yr wythnos, ewch lan i gwrdd â siaradwyr Cymraeg yr ardal Mynydd Bychan- mae yna groeso cynnes i bawb!

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MythsnTits

Yn anffodus does dim siop gan MythsnTits, ond does dim amheuaeth y byddech yn gweld cynnyrch a dyluniadau unigryw Mari o gwmpas y ddinas. Mae ei gwaith yn hynod o ddeniadol a phoblogaidd, yn ogystal â llwyddiannus! Mae ei chynnyrch ar gael yn y siop Cardiff Creative yn Queen’s Arcade (argymhelliad arall cwbl lysh i chi Freshers!). Blwyddyn yma, roedd yna stondin MythsnTits yng ngwyliau lleol megis Tafwyl a Gŵyl Fach y Fro. Mae cynnyrch Mari yn Gymreigaidd ond yn gynwysedig, wedi ysbrydoli yn aml gan fytholeg Roegaidd, y Mabinogi, ac ein antics ni fel Cymry Cymraegtotally iconic, yndi?

Mae ‘na modd i chi gweld dyluniai Mari o gwmpas y dref, gan gynnwys hysbysebion cyrsiau dysgu Cymraeg! Does dim amheuaeth bod ei gwaith yn sefyll mas. Os oes siawns gydach chi, ewch i ddweud helo!

Felly mae ‘na cymaint o hotspots Cymraeg yng Nghaerdydd, ma jyst angen i chi edrych! Heb law mae noson pêl droed yw hi, wedyn does dim angen edrych o gwbl - iaith y tonnau o grysau coch fel arfer odi’r Gymraeg.

Tip bach ar eich cyfer os da chi wir yn dechrau mynd yn desperate though: ma fel arfer o leiaf dau actor o Pobl y Cwm neu Rownd a Rownd yn ardal ysmygu Clwb Ifor Bach ar nos Sadwrn, a ma nhw yn cynnal sgyrsiau diddorol… weithiau.

geiriau gan: Alexa Price darlunydd: Alexa Price

Clebar 43 Instagram: @blwm_cardiff @siopcantamil @mythsntits

Annibyniaeth i

Dwi’n siŵr cafodd sawl un o ddarllenwyr Quench Clebar y fraint o weld torfau yr orymdaith dros annibyniaeth â cymerodd lle yng nghanol y ddinas yn ddiweddar. Efallai mai cymryd rhan oeddech chi! Os mae hynny yn wir, gobeithio eich bod chi wedi joio mas draw - braf yw bod yng nghwmni Cymry Cymraeg yndi?

Dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf mae’r gefnogaeth tuag at annibyniaeth wedi cynyddu ar draws y wlad i gyd, ac mae’n debyg mae o ganlyniad i’r pandemic oedd hon. Does dim angen i mi adrodd gwleidyddiaeth y pryd dwi’n siŵr, ond mae’n mynd heb ddweud bod agwedd y wlad yn trawsnewid. Mae aelodaeth Yn araf bach mae cymunedau ein Cymru ni yn croesawu’r syniad o annibyniaeth yn gynyddol, ond beth ydy’r term ‘Cymru Annibynnol’ wir yn golygu?

Mae Quench Clebar wedi cael y fraint yn ddiweddar o gyfweld â chadeirydd YesCymru Caerdydd, Iestyn Ap Rhobert. Mae Iestyn wedi gweithio gydag YesCymru ers sawl blwyddyn i hybu a rhannu’i syniadau ynglŷn ag annibyniaeth.

Fel Cadeirydd YesCaerdydd, oes ‘na gôl(s) mawr gen ti ar gyfer y flwyddyn sydd i ddod? Unrwbeth dyle ni fel myfyrwyr bod yn ymwybodol amdano?

O dan system newydd YesCymru, mae gennych chi ranbarthau gwahanol, ac rydym ni fel YesCaerdydd yn rhanbarth y De Ddwyrain. Un o bethau hoffwn i weld yw bod YesCaerdydd yn chwarae rôl yn y rhanbarth ehangach. Mae ‘na tua 3,500 o aelodau gyda ni yng Nghaerdydd, sydd yn ‘neud ni’r grŵp mwyaf yng Nghymru o bell ffordd, ac felly hoffwn fod YesCaerdydd yn cymryd rhan yn helpu sefydlu’r grwpiau bach sydd o’n gwmpas. Beth sydd angen yng Nghaerdydd i greu grwpiau cysylltiol (associated groups), sydd yn golygu bod hubs bach o gefnogwyr o ardaloedd gwahanol, megis Cathays, Grangetown, neu hyd yn oed o fewn y Prifysgolion gwahanol. Does dim byd yn stopio ni rhag cael YesCymru Ysgol Glantâf!

Ers pryd wyti wedi cefnogi’r achos o Annibyniaeth i Gymru? Beth oedd dy gymhelliant? Oedd ‘na rhyw fatha ‘turning point’ rwyt ti’n gallu cofio?

Mae hon yn gwestiwn hadd iawn i ateb: ers mi oeddwn i yn blentyn. Dwi erioed wedi meddwl mewn unrhyw ffordd arall. Mi oedd Mam a Dad yn meddwl fel hon, suppose fatha indoctrination oedd o! Annibyniaeth, yn fy marn i, ydy’r unig ffordd ymlaen. Mae o hefyd yn golygu ein bod ni yn gallu ‘neud unrhywbeth a hoffwn ni! Oni wastad yn moyn annibyniaeth, ond erbyn heddiw mi allai esbonio’n well pam dwi eisiau fo.

Beth ydy ‘annibyniaeth’ yn golygu i ti?

I fi, mae annibyniaeth yn golygu bod Cymru yn wlad sydd yn cael ei gyd-nabod gyda gwledydd eraill. Mor syml â hynny. Wrth gwrs bydd o hefyd yn codi safon byw’r wlad, ond mae o hefyd yn golygu bydd gennym ni sedd ein hun yn yr UN, bydd gyda ni polisi economaidd ein hun. Yn

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Gymru

fwyaf, hoffwn i weld bod ni yn rhan o’r Undeb Ewropeaidd unwaith eto. Bydd annibyniaeth yn rhoi’r darpar i ni gallu cyflawni unrhywbeth a hoffwn ni.

Mae’n siŵr dy fod ti, fel finnau, wedi cael lot o gwestiynu am dy ddewis i gefnogi’r ymdrech at annibyniaeth. Shwd wyti yn delio gydag hyn?

Wrth gwrs. Mae hon wedi bod yn digwydd ers imi allu cofio. Dwi’n cofio reit nol i 1997, yn ystod y refferendwm ar gyfer sefydlu cynulliad lle oedd hi yn amlwg iawn ar ba ochr oeddwn i. Dwi’n gallu cofio faint o bobl oedd jyst ddim yn deall nid pleidlais ar gyfer annibyniaeth oedd hi; pleidlais ddemocrataidd a sylfaenol oedd hi ar gyfer Cymru. Yn anffodus, mae agweddau mor debyg dal yn ein gwlad ni nawr. Mae’n mynd heb ddweud bod cymaint o bobl, yn enwedig y bobl sydd wedi symud yma o Loegr, yn brainwashed. ‘Da ni yn edrych ar deledu, radio, a phapurau newydd o Loegr; mae dylanwad Lloegr o’n cwmpas ni bob dydd, a dydyn ni ddim yn sylweddoli bod hyn yn digwydd. Mae pobl yn cwympo mewn i’r trap o feddwl bod Cymru yn rhy fach, bod dim digon o adnoddau gennym, a bod angen yr arian o Loegr arnom. Mae’r naratif yma wedi dod o gael eich golchi yn y syniad yma o Brydeindod, sydd yn mynd i fod yn anodd iawn i gael gwared â. Mae heina sydd yn cwestiynu’r angen yn gwybod yn union beth y maent yn neud, a dwi wir yn meddwl bod angen i bethau mynd yn really wael cyn i bethau wella.

Oes unrhyw cymorth gen ti i fyfyrwyr sydd ella am gymryd rhan yn yr achos ond dim cweit yn siŵr yn le i ddechrau?

Y peth cyntaf i neud yn sicr ydy dilyn YesCymru ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol. Dyna le bydd y wybodaeth berthnasol yn cael eu rhannu. Hynod o straightforward. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae angen bod ‘na rhywfath o alternative yn lle dilyn cyfryngau mainstream- mae Nation.Cymru yn lle da i ddechrau. Efallai mai edrych ar beth sydd yn digwydd yn yr Alban yn syniad da, achos yn anffodus iawn, bydd yr Alban yn ein harwain, a bydd Cymru yn ei ddilyn.

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Price

45Clebar

Alexa Price darlunydd: Alexa

PUTTING

Words by Tahira Ali

Being Desi, the hardest lesson I was taught was that I could never have healthy confident sex whilst remaining ‘pure’ and innocent. That shame has long since resided in the nearest ratty Cathays bin! I felt this guilty need to finally try ‘cure’ myself from not being able to orgasm, to practice in the hopes of consoling and rectifying my sex life with my then-boyfriend. My mistake was treating masturbation as compulsory scientific research as if I could rush some magical unlocking with this dependent pressure looming over me.

Now single, I researched [@Scottyunfamous on Instagram is sensational], navigating who sexual me truly was and learning that it doesn’t have to be deeply emotional or even partnered. Solo-sex is a constant, completely independent of your romantic status. It’s yours alone— take ownership and advantage of your privacy. It’s probably the most self-serving and rewarding exercise you can do... Literally! Most importantly, go at your own pace. The internet is your best friend. It should definitely be prescribed because masturbation is medicinal!

Words by Lucy Matthews

University is defined by the sexual firsts (alongside occasional lasts) you will experience when living independently, signalling the safe use of vibrators, dildos and the like without the chances of an awkward interruption from Mum or Dad. Pleasure does not equate to having a partner, and you may find yourself less focused on finding the one, instead more focused on finding yourself through acts of self-pleasure. Do not be put off by patriarchal taboos that claim ‘women can’t wank’, or perhaps your own sexist bias that those who even dare to browse THAT section of Ann Summers are automatically dirty and unnatural. Women are no longer regarded as witches if they dare find the clitoris and so the time is now to not only find out more about your sexual wants and needs, but also to get a clearer sense of your sexual identity. Masturbation is meditation, allowing you to fully relax and even relieve stress through a healthy pleasurable outlet. The masturbation movement helps those who feel like strangers to their own down-belows feel more at ease with the prospect of self-pleasure and can even give guidance on how you can reach the holy grail: the big O.

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THE ‘U’ BACK IN MASTURBATION

Words by Alanya Smith Words by Dominic Bramley-Carr

Masturbation can be an amazing way to explore your sexuality and really get to know yourself. As someone who used to have a really unhealthy view of sex as transactional, something I had to give boys to make them like me or something to use as a tool for validation, taking independent sexual pleasure seriously was revolutionary. It helped me to learn that sex isn’t defined by what other people want from you and sexual pleasure doesn’t have to be dependent on other people. Taking your pleasure and power into your own hands (literally) can be a fantastic way to strengthen your relationship with yourself and your sexual identity, especially when people are inevitably figuring themselves out with the dynamic shift that university brings. The most important thing to remember is that masturbation isn’t something to be shamed or stigmatised, and it’s definitely not something to shy away from (oh, and that UNIDAYS does a 20% student discount for LoveHoney!).

Believe it or not, sexual pleasure isn’t solely reserved for relationships! It’s important to explore your body, interests, and comfort levels independently before you become sexually active with other people. Masturbation is a completely healthy and normal act that everybody does, even if they don’t like to talk about it. Sexual pleasure, particularly for marginalised identities, is often shamed and judged unfairly. It’s time we rewrite the narrative and celebrate masturbation as a safe and accessible act of self-care and selflove. It can be quite daunting to join university and enter new romantic fields, but navigating your independent sexual pleasure is a fun and empowering part of student living. We need to stop feeling embarrassed about discussing masturbation and break down the taboos surrounding it; that starts with recognising what makes us feel comfortable and reminding ourselves that we’re worthy of sexual pleasure!

Design by: Alexa Price

Spotlight

Finding Independence in Codependent Relationships

Famously, one of the best things about university is the amazing close relationships you can form, both romantic and platonic. The combination of living in close proximity and a lot of free time, as well as people being away from home for the first time and forming a “substitute” family of sorts means that people often tend to form intense bonds that last for life. However, it is far from uncommon for these relationships to cross into codependency, especially when people live together. Often, these over-reliant dynamics can lead to resentment, insecurity and anger. At one point or another, most of us will have felt slightly smothered or conversely, that we couldn’t possibly survive without a friend or partner for just one evening. It is difficult to navigate relationships at the best of times before we come to the tricky issue of recognising when a relationship is turning co-dependent, let alone figuring out how to establish healthy boundaries and practices in a relationship with codependent tendencies. Nevertheless, I’ll attempt to talk through some of the signs and hopefully, some of the solutions, based on a mixture of personal experience and research.

elling whether a relationship, platonic or romantic, is reaching into codependency is always complex. Every relationship is unique and thus it’s difficult to identify specific markers for it becoming codependent. Typically, it involves a shift in emotional boundaries such as one or both people oversharing and displacing their emotional baggage. This can often lead to someone’s different moods affecting the other person and feeling stuck or drained in the relationship. There can also be a crossing of physical boundaries, violating personal space and alone time. If one or both people are consistently seeking support from the other and taking away attention from their individual needs and wants, it’s difficult to maintain a healthy relationship. This is primarily because you aren’t practicing healthy behaviours for yourself - it’s essential to self-prioritise and make time for you and your needs alone. Perhaps most of all, a significant sign of co-dependence is feeling like you need someone in your life rather than wanting them. This shows that your relationships might have reached an intense level of over-reliance which can’t function without taking an emotional toll on both people. However, it’s important to remember that codependency can manifest itself in many ways and only you can know if you feel that the line has been crossed.

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Whilst it may be scary to confront, communicating about how you feel and how you think healthy practices could be introduced to your relationship can’t be avoided. Explain kindly, listen to their thoughts, and search for solutions together. If they aren’t receptive to your feelings, don’t be afraid to stand your ground and make clear that you need to be heard. Don’t let anyone try and manipulate you into thinking that you’re overreacting. Following this conversation, start by making time for you. Make sure to introduce self-care time, whatever this might look like for you. Be it spa nights, getting a good night’s sleep or carving out time for your favourite hobby, find and prioritise things that bring you joy. If you feel up to it, try solo dating. I’ve found that slowly building from going for walks, to reading with a coffee, to going for meals has strengthened my confidence in myself and my ability to be happily alone.

This is not the only way forward by any means and you should make sure to do what feels comfortable and natural for you, but it can be a start. The best thing you can do to help your relationship is to strive for balance, allowing time for yourself and your goals as well as the people you care about. It’s important to remember that depending on other people is not the enemy –relationships are about support. Just ensure that it’s one of give-and-take and doesn’t replace the relationship you have with yourself.

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words by: Dominic Bramley-Carr design by: Alexa Price

“If you do feel that your relationship is codependent or beginning to show signs of codependency, the first and most important thing to do is to have a constructive conversation re-establishing your boundaries.”

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Team Favourites

Designed by: Haris Hussnain

The Devil Wears Prada

By Kate Nichols

Since its release, The Devil Wears Prada (2006) quickly rose to popularity as a film adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel. I personally loved this movie because of Meryl Streep’s amazing performance as the ruthless editor-inchief of Runway, Miranda Priestly. It is clear from the title of the movie that Miranda takes on the role as the ‘villain’ of the film due to her cutthroat attitude approach to business. After all, it comes as nothing new that a woman who possesses a powerful sense of independence and a fiery personality can be so easily villainized. Take Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) from one of my favourite childhood films High School Musical as an example. Okay, she was not perfect, but she was also not the villain that she was made out to be. She is an example of a woman flaunting her femininity and ambition which Hollywood so loves to demonise; I mean God forbid if a woman ever puts herself first, right? There is something about Miranda’s character which despite drawing fear also draws a sense of awe.

She is an intelligent woman with a fierce reputation who is unapologetic and direct in her speech to people. Streep does an excellent job of capturing Miranda’s authoritative yet feminine presence. Instead of being loud, Miranda is softspoken yet still able to command the attention in any room – and she is terrifyingly good at it! Although it would also be wrong of me to argue that Miranda is perfect. She can be cold, inconsiderate and often manipulative which has earned her the nickname “the dragon lady”. However, to render Miranda as simply evil, I think, is wrong. She is a much more complex character and there is no denying that she is

exceptionally good at what she does as well as extremely entertaining to watch on screen. Whether you love or hate her character, it must be said that she does have some quite iconic lines as well as some enviable outfits – it is no wonder the film won the Satellite Award for Best Costume Design (2006)! It is also interesting to note that the movie takes us away from the glamour of the fashion world and is not shy in exposing the ugly truth of being a successful woman in a high demanding job. We see the sacrifices, the pain and the compromised morals in Miranda’s fight to maintain her power within the industry. Whether you are a Meryl Streep fan, a fashionista or none of the above, The Devil Wears Prada is not a movie to miss.

Ten Things I Hate About You

By Amy Wild

The 1999 romantic comedy is one of my favourites of all time. Kat, played by Julia Stiles, is a headstrong girl-boss 18-year-old finding her way through her final year at high school. Kat is the scary big sister we always wanted. Showing us independence, standing up for ourselves and not taking any nonsense from boys. Her strong opinions on the capitalist society and misogyny mean that she was constantly deemed as a “wild beast” or an “insane headcase” throughout the film, but really she was too early for her time. In the current day, she would be best friends with feminist icons Emma Watson or Viola Davis.

When I first watched the film, I just thought she was so cool, from her style to her wit and sarcasm. Now looking back, I feel like I have stolen part of her personality as I have grown up - and I’m not complaining. Along with the immense girl crush on Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger plays Patrick, the unexpected love interest winning the heart of both

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the characters and the audience. The sarcastic sense of humour from Kat and the charm and smile of Patrick make it a must-watch film and, to me, one of the classics.

The fashion from Ten Things I Hate About You is the style that Urban Outfitters is desperately trying to copy, from sheer maxi shirts to baby tees. It’s so 90s, and it’s iconic. Most of the outfits are timeless and something I wouldn’t be surprised to see walking down Queen’s Street.

Rom-coms nowadays just don’t hit like they did in the 90s and early 2000s. But I can’t put my finger on why. It could be that the budget of the current rom-coms is so large that it feels almost like a different world from what the viewer is in. Or maybe it is because current rom-coms are unoriginal and formulaic; they are trying to follow the same story with different character names. It just makes them slightly cringy and cliche. Whereas there is an abundance of 90s/ early 2000s rom-coms that keep the enjoyment and fun in the film, so much so that you can watch over and over again like Clueless, Pretty Woman, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’s Diary.

Ten Things I Hate About you is an easy-going classic that even your boyfriend would enjoy.

Yma o Hyd - Dafydd Iwan

By Rhiannon Farr

My favourite piece regarding independence is the iconic Welsh independence anthem, Dafydd Iwan’s Yma o Hyd. Described by Iwan as a song that celebrates the ‘survival of the language against all odds and the survival of a nation’, Yma o Hyd perfectly encapsulates the strength and determination shown by the Welsh for centuries in the face of adversity. The title’s English translation is ‘Still Here’ which serves as a reminder to the people of Wales that we must keep fighting against oppressive forces.

In Welsh culture, Yma o Hyd is a staple in the Welsh Independence movement, but it also inspired a resurgence in Welsh language education. It also served as a response to Margaret Thatcher’s closure of Welsh mines and industries, as the song was released in 1883. As well as this, Welsh sporting fans have adopted Yma o Hyd as an unofficial anthem for their matches. Fans of Cardiff City, Wrexham AFC and the national football team sing the song before kick-off, as do supporters of the Scarlets rugby team.

Yma o Hyd is a piece of music that is second to none. It celebrates Welsh culture in every way and even re-entered the charts in 2020. Whether you see it as an anthem of the independence movement, a song for the people, or as a

sporting banger, it is undeniable that Yma o Hyd represents independence no matter how you view it.

Idles

By Beth Yates

When asked to talk about my favourites it (amusingly) goes without saying that I am going to have to give IDLES a mention. The Bristolian five piece’s gritty sound has been prominent in my Spotify library for a few years now; their abrasive basslines and bold, unifying chants are charismatically captivating - and the perfect fuel for the mosh pits at their shows. With four studio albums under their belt, their discography displays that lead singer and lyricist Joe Talbot really is the epitome of a ‘shouty man’ who effectively turns his passions and frustrations into a sonically snarling British political commentary. The band preaches one key imperative, as seen in their 2018 track “Television”: “Love yourself”. On top of this, the band fearlessly deals with vital themes such as toxic masculinity and class conflict, which sees them at the heart of today’s British post-punk scene. Their headstrong approach and hammering drums are like being prodded by a socially charged stick - with just the right amount of hostility to help awaken the listener’s awareness about the injustices still faced in 21st century society.

I feel as though IDLES fit quite well into this month’s theme of independence. This is because Talbot unapologetically pours his own thoughts and feelings into his work, particularly when encouraging those to break away from the toxic status quo. We can look at the individuality of their material through a political lens, but also through a lens of raw emotion. Dealing with difficult topics such as addiction and mental health, their most recent album Crawler (2021) saw the rebirth of their sound after the pandemic. Its opening track “MTT 420 RR” is hauntingly beautiful, recounting a near-fatal motorcycle accident under the influence of drugs. Whilst still capturing IDLES’ token cathartic angst (“The Wheel” is a personal favourite), Crawler provides a more experimental sound and a new, personal insight into Talbot’s psyche. Its stance is confident yet vulnerable. Back to the theme of independence, IDLES’ discography is the embodiment of being selfassured and being unafraid to stand up for what you believe in - something that is especially so important for freshers to do when moving to a daunting new city. Take their hit single “Mother” as an example of the importance of community and looking after the people you will meet regardless of their background, and as long as it is not hurting anybody else, make sure to be proud of your individuality and fearlessly stand up for what you believe in.

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Team

Never Let me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Your life must now run the course that’s been set for it.”

A dystopian novel grounded in a coming-of-age story, Never Let Me Go (2005) by Kazuo Ishiguro exemplifies friendship, love, identity and most importantly, lack of independence. This retrospective story follows the life of Hailsham student Kathy H, alongside her friends Ruth and Tommy, as they live in a world built against them completely. This novel stands as one of my all-time favourites, as it serves as a gripping mystery, a doomedfrom-the-start love story, and a striking critique on society’s treatment of those who are ‘different’, alongside the long-debated morality of cloning.

Hailsham first appears in an idyllic boarding school-esque fashion, in which students are taught well and all forms of art are seen as incredibly important. Although there are hints pointing towards the dystopian future Ishiguro sets through Kathy H’s opening chapter, the true purpose of the students’ lives is revealed later within the story. The reader eventually discovers the ominous future that lays ahead of those at Hailsham: the students are nothing more than clones, created for the purpose of one day donating their vital organs to those that are above them in society.

The narrative continues, a constant stream of Kathy H’s memories as she retells the story of her childhood, adolescence and early adulthood – a person (one of many) destined to live a short and controlled life. Although the reader is able to peruse the superficial freedom the characters initially have after their departure from Hailsham, it is still understood that true independence is non-existent, and something that will never be obtained. Ishiguro excellently brings every character to life through moments that the reader can empathise with, enjoy and feel despondent at – all details that create this thoughtprovoking and beautiful story. As the reader, we are able to question so many aspects of society through the words of the novel as Ishiguro invites us into an unexpected world filled with darkness, tragedy and longing – a captivating novel from start to finish.

With reluctance, I will refrain from spoiling the rest of the novel, but it is one that I recommend as a must-read. As a lover of dystopian and speculative fiction, Never Let Me Go remains in my top 10 novels of all time.

words by: Lucia Cubb

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Deciding on my literary favourites for this issue’s theme was really hard - literature and independence are topics that pair really well, so there was plenty to choose from! Independence, in one form or another, is a universal experience; whether it be starting a new school as a child, learning to live by yourself as a young adult, or even simply adapting to thinking solely for yourself after friendships and relationships end, we’ve all found ourselves alone and independent at some point in our lives. One of the great things about books is that they so often are able to put into words what we’re feeling but finding it difficult to express. With that in mind, here are a couple of my favourite ways that the theme of independence has been interpreted in literature.

An obvious favourite for me is Louisa May Alcott’s classic coming-of-age novel, Little Women. This book encapsulates how it feels to navigate those formative years spent wrestling with fear, ambition, responsibility, and freedom. Alcott’s novel follows the four March sisters in their personal struggle for independence and identity, as they negotiate growing up in a world that’s simultaneously captivating and cruel. The relatability of the March sisters in Little Women shows us that the adolescent quest for independence is something that everyone experiences, whether you’re a young American woman in the 1860s or a fresher in Cardiff in 2022 - and reminds us to enjoy it.

Another literary interpretation of independence that I’ve come across recently is Amanda Lovelace’s poetic narrative, The Princess Saves Herself In This One. This collection of poems deals semi-autobiographically with themes of love, grief, and the confusion of coming of age, with the narrative arc spanning several very formative years in the narrator’s life. The title of the text itself is a nod to independence, in the way that it reverses the trope of the helpless damsel in distress to illustrate the narrator harnessing her own agency to find independence within and for herself. Lovelace’s poems are a beautiful and deeply personal depiction of independence, as well as an accessible and rewarding way to enjoy poetry.

words by: Bryony Wright

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Favourites

Fashion Politics

The fashion capsule intertwines more with politics than often broadly considered. Feminism and fashion; a mix that absent minds believe don’t mesh. If a ‘so-called feminist’, as they would say, endures in materialistic fabrics, then they aren’t helping to sway from the ‘typical feminine’ of a ‘typical woman’. As feminism serves as an educating movement , people are learning that not only is this view archaic and translucent, but can also be taught that fashion cuts deeper than surface silks. There are many historical epics were the needle of fashion and fight for independence run a thick thread of relation. One such powerful march of freedom, is the suffragettes/ suffragists.

Their uniform presents a bold statement of irony. They sought to confront the stereotypical feminine tapestry that draped over society and suffocated independence.

They would dress in silks of intricate details and puff-ball sleeves that provided a delicate aesthetic for a less polite protest of smashing windows and sparking fires across a misogynistic society. This aesthetic of the feminist soldier represents Emmeline Pankhurst’s remodelling of the woman definitive. It is a physical microphone handed to the ladies conformed to pretty petticoats and cream corsets. It infringes a volume that forced fashion will not equal forced mindsets.And even if they did enjoy their skirts, that would not serve as a lesser to their protest.

Fashion departments Liberty and Selfridges sold rosettes, handbags, underwear, hats and so on sporting the white, purple and green suffragette rainbow. Although perhaps done selfishly to save their window glass, the colours of a rebellion were now dominating society’s palette. Green was for hope, Purple for loyalty and nobilty , white for purity. Green-maxi skirts with intricate embroidery were the feminist’s fashion trend, and faux fur gave an ironic elegance to less-so-elegant acts of empowerment.

Christina Broom, Britain’s first woman press and suffragette photographer, is an amazing addition to the movement’s PR image. One of my favourites is of Christabel Pankhurst (Emmeline’s daughter), in her bonnet topped with white roses. It is a beautiful combination of nature and fabric to create a light, peaceful look of a cause that certainly will not be any of those things. Both subject and photographer are the female gaze, creating an equality in the artist and artwork. An example of women taking control of their image.

Their colourful looks aided their cause in such a creative way, dressing their parts in the play about misogyny. But refusing to play them.

Words by: Libbi Kettle

The ‘Neutral Shift Cycle’

Having lived through the past two decades of fashion cycles I’ve noticed a pattern that has been recently referred to as the ‘Neutral Shift Cycle’. The theory proposes that popular fashion shifts around every ten years from black as the neutral base to brown as the neutral. Obviously, this is not to say that black or brown isn’t being worn when the other dominates but the neutral shift dictates the most influential styles and colours of each era. In the past couple of years

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EIC FAVOURITES

& recommendations for freshers!

Sam Fender - Getting Started

Starting with my music favourites, I cannot tell you enough how much of a feel-good song Getting Started is. Nothing says ‘first day of term’ more than this absolute anthem. It is completely underrated. Take Seventeen Going

Under from your playlist and replace it with this, please. I’m literally going into my final year as an undergraduate, there’s no way I’m just getting started, though this song definitely makes me feel like I am. Feeling underwhelmed or de-motivated? Listen to this. Perhaps you’re moving somewhere new, and looking for a song that encapsulates the tingley feeling of starting fresh? Listen to this. It’s simply a must-have on your playlists this autumn.

Adwaith - ETO

As one of my favourite Welsh language bands at the minute, there was no way I wasn’t going to mention ETO by Adwaith. If you’re a big fan of the Welsh music scene like I am, there’s no way you haven’t heard of this band. Having played at festivals like Glastonbury and Green Man this year, there’s no doubt that Adwaith are going to be big. This track is one from their latest album Bato Mato, and while the whole album is just beautifully done, this is another feel-good song that will definitely get you in the groove. Perhaps you’re a total newbie to the Welsh music scene? These should be on the top of your list of artists to listen to.

Nights In with housemates

Goodness knows how expensive going out can be, especially considering the current cost of living crisis. I think while Freshers Week and the beginning of University life is such an exciting time for so many reasons, please remember that you can just have as much fun from your new homes! For those of you who perhaps don’t like to go clubbing as much, drinks and a film with your friends is still a great evening! Pryzm and the SU will still be around after Freshers week. Don’t feel pressured by the hype.

This summer, my house has really taken to nights with a variety of different telly. While sometimes it’ll simply be The Chase, or Property Brothers: Forever Homes, this summer we have truly taken to watching Star Wars. As one who had never watched any kind of Star Wars before, this was a whole new kettle of fish. While we didn’t think the hype would last, nor did I fully understand all of it, we’re now making our way through Lego Star Wars on the Wii, and have a 3D puzzle of R2D2 in our living room (with his legs on backwards.. Nobody’s perfect!). Find something none of you have watched before! It’ll be so worth it.

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on’t miss out on the gorgeous autumn here in Cardiff! Having so many green spaces means that the change of seasons here in Cardiff is always glorious. Whether it be around Bute Park or Roath, I can assure you that after a long morning in the ASSL, there is no feeling quite like it. Yes, the air is often crisp, and Cardiff gets pretty windy, but just remember to bring a scarf! Gather your friends, buy a pumpkin spice latte (another personal favourite!), and make a few hours out of it. You could always stop off in one of Cardiff’s many bookshops With the work load increasing, it’s so easy to forget to look after yourself - the easiest way to do this is just take that walk. There’s always something to see in our capital city, and the autumn comes and goes with the blink of an eye - make the most of it!

FCycling

or those of you who are new around the city, use those Ovo Bikes! Speaking as one who did her first year in and out of lockdowns, NextBikes were our best friends. They weren’t just our daily exercise, they were our way of getting to know the city we lived in. I’ve heard countless people talk about how little they feel they know the city, and my only answer to that will be to get out of Cathays!!! I now have my own bike, and it is the most convenient way

to get from A to B, as well as another way get that fresh air! I couldn’t recommend it more. My favourite spot to cycle to has got to be the Bay, though it’s also no more than a 45 minute walk from Cathays!

HTiny Rebel, Womanby Street

aving spent so much of my summer here, it felt wrong to not include it in my favourites. If you know me well, you’ll know I love trying whatever’s new on draught, and the only place to do this is Tiny Rebel. Not only are the pints immaculate, but the vibes are just great. While I don’t tend to think of myself as a very cool person, the good vibes of Tiny Rebel makes me feel like maybe I could be cool.

For those wanting to try and perhaps don’t know where to start, my personal favourite pints at the minute are Cloud Shake, and Carrot Cake Milkshake. Though if you asked me on another day, I might say the Electric Boogaloo In a nutshell, just try them all - there’s a pint for everyone.

Words by: Alexa Price Design by: Alexa Price

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