IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM
#248
SEPTEMBER 2017
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NOTTS GALLERIES: A GUIDE MEET YOUR NEW SU OFFICERS WHERE TO EAT IN NOTTINGHAM FROM LACE MARKET TO THE SAN SIRO
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a letter from the
EDITOR -in-
CHIEF
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INTRO
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elcome to the very first issue of Impact for the 2017/18 academic year, and things have changed all around us. A new team, new logo, and new committee structure in-house has complimented the changes to the Portland Building in which our office resides. The Students’ Union Welcome Week (or Freshers Week to just about everyone else) is a time for trying something new, finding something unexpected and setting the tone for your year at the University of Nottingham, whether you are a first year or final year. I can only hope that ever more eager and creative minds find themselves writing for us!
In this issue, the cover stars are none other than our full-time Students’ Union Officers for 2017/18, as Jennifer Peck sat down to discuss their hopes for the year, as they try to help the SU consolidate their recent rating of ‘Very Good’ from the NUS. If the sheer number of societies on offer makes heading to Freshers Fair a daunting thought, then Impact Features’ societies flow-chart should help you find the right path. For those first years eager to experience all that Nottingham has to offer, you need look no further than Amy Wilcockson’s detailed look at Nottingham’s engrossing hidden culture, perfect for when you wish to get off of the beaten track, while Matteo Everett’s profile of Broadway Cinema will surely be enough to get you ready to watch the latest blockbuster in their cushioned seats.
Rhys Thomas has cast his watchful eye over the top tips for any student looking to eat on a budget, and is useful whether you’re just out of halls or a seasoned veteran of the student lifestyle, like all of our postgraduate readers. Impact Lifestyle have also provided their top tips on where to eat in Nottingham, to make sure you get the right bang for your often limited buck. As for our Sport team, the secrets of both UoN and Nottingham sport have been uncovered by Tom Monks, while an obscure Nottingham sporting legend and his link to a European powerhouse is the focus of their featured article. Looking ahead to what promises to be an eventful year both for Impact and the University of Nottingham as a whole, look out for our articles in both print and on our website, as we bring you all the news from across campus and Nottingham.
Connor Higgs
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what’s
INSIDE? #248
INTRO
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features The SUsual Suspects More Choice Than You Could Shake A Stick At Turn Down For What? Making The Leap Between School And Uni
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lifestyle Rhys’s Pieces Of Lifestyle Advice Making The Most Of Self-Catered Life Favourite Places to Eat In Nottingham A Brief History Of Gravitational Waves Universities And Cyber-Security Tuk Tuk Off Round The World
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entertainment The Compression Of Music Familiar Things Break Into Gaming Without Breaking The Bank Guide To Nottingham: Galleries Introducing Broadway Composing For Choreography Hidden Nottingham The Wonder Women Of Film Hollywood Typecasting
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extras Photoessay: Art Or Trash? Puzzles And Games
sport Non-League Nottingham UoN’s Sporting Secret Nottingham’s Sporting Secrets From Lace Market To The San Siro The Ultimate Sport
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THE SUSUAL SUSPECTS Interviewed by Jennifer Peck The Students’ Union officers are here to represent you this year, but you may not know much about them. Impact has done the legwork for you and compiled all the essential information you need to know...
ALAN HOLEY
President DEGREE “BSc Geography (aka advanced colouring).”
Describe your role in one sentence. “My role is to collaborate with a team of officers to create positive changes within the Student’s Union.” What do you aim to achieve in your role? “To make a lasting impact on the University of Nottingham.” What would be your dream job? “A job that I really enjoy, though like many people, I am not entirely sure what that is just now!” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Best experience was being a welcome week mentor, worst experience was saying goodbye to everyone that has now left university.” Crisis or Ocean? “I was crowned the King of Disco at Crisis but I have to say I definitely have a greater Ocean Dev’OCEAN!” What is your proudest achievement? “It has to be becoming the Students’
Union President of the University of Nottingham!” What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “The people at the university: they have shaped my life and have made my experience the best it could have ever been.” If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “Work hard, play hard.”
FEATURES
LAURA BEALIN-KELLY Equal Opportunities & Welfare DEGREE “MA International Social Policy.”
Describe your role in one sentence. “An advocate for welfare and equal opportunities for all students at the University of Nottingham.” What do you aim to achieve in your role? “It would be incredible to finish the year having established a structured programme of training so that students in these positions are fully equipped to support other students.” What is your dream job? “I would love to work for an international charity or aid organisation; working for UNICEF or the UN would be an absolute dream come true. But if you’d asked me when I was 10 I’d have said a ballet dancer or author!” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Best experience was celebrating with my friends at Grad Ball after we’d finished 3 years and passed our degrees. Worst experience was
Describe your role in one sentence. “To be the joint head of the education network with our postgraduate officers to ensure academic representation for everybody and lobby the best possible experience for our students.” What do you aim to achieve in your role? “I want to make sure every single student knows and is aware of the education network so that they can utilise it to raise any concerns to the university.” What is your dream job? “I would like to carry on working for Student’s Unions in Higher Education and Further Education or work in the Education Sector for the government – maybe even Prime Minister!” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Best experience was 100% running for the Student’s Union elections; I gained friends for life and had the best time! Worst experience involved extenuating circumstances (one of the reasons why
it is on my manifesto, they are a huge pain).” Crisis or Ocean? “Everyone says I should love Ocean but I actually really love Crisis. Now I have Saturday mornings off though I definitely think I’ll be taking a dip more often!” What is your proudest achievement? “Seeing how well the Grad Ball came together last year. I was a team leader for the SU events team and seeing all the hard work was amazing.” What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “The fact it’s in Nottingham meaning there’s something for everyone: every type of bar/pub and food.” If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “I have no idea what it would be but Martin Nguyen (Activities Officer) probably would say it would be ‘I like light bulbs!’”
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cleaning up sick as a Welcome Mentor after a new student vommed on me – not nice!” Crisis or Ocean? “Ocean – that’s a no brainer!” What is your proudest achievement? “I was a coordinator of Nightline last year and we were shortlisted for both ‘Most Improved Nightline’ and ‘Nightline of the Year’ at the National Nightline Association Conference. It was the recognition of the hard work of our executive committee and the coordinators that I was most proud of!” What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “It’s just so diverse! Where else are you going to find as many different societies, sports clubs or opportunities to get involved with? There is so much going on all of the time.” If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “Be OK with LBK.”
CASSIE O’BOYLE
Education DEGREE “American Studies & English.”
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Describe your role in one sentence. “Overseeing societies and SRS’ to give student’s a voice and make a change.”
What is your proudest achievement? “Building the amazing network of people I have surrounding me”
What do you aim to achieve in your role? “I want to carry on the great work that previous officers have done, whilst continuing to make new changes and support smaller societies to accomplish the goals they set out for themselves. I want to specifically improve student engagement, by improving exposure to societies through various means, particularly ‘Refreshers’ event.”
What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “The lifestyle, the spirit of the community, the people, the campus, Ocean!”
MARTIN NGUYEN
Activities DEGREE “Philosophy.”
If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “Let’s be friends!”
What is your dream job? “Owner of my own business!” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Best experience was results night: there was so much love and positivity in the room, and Ocean to top it off was amazing!” Crisis or Ocean? “Ocean every day!”
ELLIE MITCHELL Community DEGREE “BA English.”
Describe your role in one sentence. “Basically sorting out all the stuff at university that doesn’t involve learning, like housing, transport and charity, and being a go-between for the university and outside community.” What do you aim to achieve in your role? “I want to help make the University of Nottingham more politically active and progressive – I think our Students’ Union has a reputation amongst other universities for not being very outspoken. I would like to push for a stronger stance on on stuff like boycotting the NSS, living wage campaign, the Fossil Free movement etc.” What is your dream job? “Fortune cookie writer.” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Campaign week was simultaneously the best and worst experience. There wasn’t a day where I wasn’t losing my marbles but I also had so much fun!”
Crisis or Ocean? “Crisis! Though I normally end up queuing for 2 hours then going home at 11:30pm!” What is your proudest achievement? “Probably getting a first (sorry, I know I’m the worst!)” What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “Because it’s a nice mixture of fun and sensible. It’s like the salt and vinegar crisp of universities!” If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “I am probably not iconic enough to have a catchphrase but my favourite inspirational quote of all time is Latrice Royale from RuPaul’s Drag Race: ‘It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to fall down. Get up, look sickening and make them eat it!!!’”
FEATURES
ADAM PRATCHETT Sports DEGREE “Msci International Relations & Global Issues.”
Describe your role in one sentence. “To represent all students on any matters relating to sport and to make a positive change on their behalf.” What do you aim to achieve in your role? “To get as many students involved in sports as possible.” What is your dream job? “Director of Sport.” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Best memory has to be being selected in the Men’s Basketball team in first year. Worst memory was failing my first essay in first year and thinking I was not good enough for university.”
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What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “The fact that whether you are a top Olympic athlete or someone who is trying a new sport for the first time, our vision for sport and world class facilities means that all students are equally valued and catered for at the University of Nottingham” If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “Let’s gooooo!”
Crisis or Ocean? “Crisis!” What is your proudest achievement? “Being elected as Sports officer”
Describe your role in one sentence. “A representative for all students with a more specific focus on postgraduate life at our university.” Why did you run for your Students’ Union role? “I am passionate about the Students’ Union as a platform for making change and improving the student experience. I had a fantastic experience at University; I am passionate about helping students access the opportunities and support that I have had.” What do you aim to achieve in your role? “I want to help empower student groups. I also want to engage more with marginalised areas of our student community.” What is your dream job? “Female James Bond.” What are your best and worst University of Nottingham experiences? “Best experience was being back studying a new course which I have really enjoyed – spending a whole
extra year at University and all that it comes with…which has turned out to be an extra two years now! Worst experience was losing the second election.” Crisis or Ocean? “CRISIS!!!!” What is your proudest achievement? “Becoming the University of Nottingham Sports Woman of the Year 2015 and winning the Students’ Union elections after 3 campaigns! Two very surreal moments.” What would you say makes the University of Nottingham better than all other universities? “It has absolutely everything you could think of doing. We go to university in a park, have campuses in Malaysia and China, countless activities, sports clubs and societies, and every kind of person! And we are the best in the country at my favourite sport – big up University of Nottingham TT!” If you had to have a catchphrase what would it be? “I have a dream.”
YOLANDA KING Post Grad DEGREE “BA Geography & MA Criminology.”
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MORE CHOICE THAN YOU COULD SHAKE A STICK AT! Jennifer Peck Whether you’re a fresher or a final year, it’s always a good time to try out a society. The University of Nottingham has over 200 to offer, more than any other university in the country, so you really are at the best place, whether you want to try something completely new or get back into an old favourite. COURSE-BASED SOCIETIES A great way to meet people with similar interests or find out more about future career paths, virtually every course has its own society. They usually have great socials and lots of the bigger ones have post-exams trips away. Some have their own sports teams too. INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES From Arabic to Welsh, international societies offer a place to talk about shared culture and heritage. As Britain’s global university, Nottingham offers a lot to home and international students alike, and international societies are a great way of enhancing your experiences here.
CURRENT AFFAIRS With political societies linked to the major parties and a host of societies concerned with topical issues such as the living wage, conservation and women’s rights, there’s always a place for you to help make a difference. There’s also an active debate society if you’re more into discussion. BOOK & FILM CLUBS If you’re not into creating work yourself but love discussing other people’s work, book and film clubs provide the perfect opportunity to do so. Plus they’re a great way to have fun!
INSTRUMENTAL & ORCHESTRAL SOCIETIES Whether you’re interested in a capella, orchestra, musical theatre or even DJing, Nottingham has a musical society for you. And even if you don’t play an instrument, lots of musical societies offer a chance to simply discuss shared musical interests.
ARTS & CREATIVE WRITING If you’re more the artistic or creative type, there’s a bunch of societies that can help you hone your skills to perfection or build them up from the bottom. And if you’re looking to write non-fiction, then yours truly Impact is always looking for new members.
DANCE As well as a general dance society, Nottingham also offers a whole range of more specific societies for anyone wanting to hone their skills or try out something completely new. Break, belly, Indian, pole and Latin dance societies are all active and cater to beginners and veterans alike.
‘ENGAGE’ SPORTS Offering more than 20 weekly classes in a variety of sports, Engage is a great place for those looking to try something a little different. No sports membership is required, and all abilities are welcome, with Beginner and Social sessions to meet your needs.
VOLUNTEERING UoN boasts one of the biggest university charities in Europe in Karnival, but volunteering here is much wider than that. From established charities like Amnesty and Unicef to more local ventures like Student Action for Refugees and Easy Tiger, there’s a volunteering society for any area you might be interested in. Look out for Student Volunteering Week too!
UON SPORTS LEAGUES For the more serious sportspeople, UoN has over 70 dedicated sports teams that play competitively throughout the year. From standard sports like football and netball through to more niche areas like martial arts or frisbee, there really is something for everyone. And with the new David Ross Sports Village, there’s also unparalleled facilities to go alongside your society.
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Follow our flowchart to see what society might match your tastes, or you can explore for yourself on the SU website... http://www.uonsu-activities.co.uk/
DO YOU WANT TO JOIN A SOCIETY?
YES
Is exercising part of your lifestyle?
NO
Take another spin through Freshers fair, are you sure there’s nothing for you there? YES
NO
Are you into competitive sports? YES
NO
Do you feel that a hobby is incomplete without a good soundtrack?
UON SPORTS LEAGUE
‘ENGAGE’ SPORTS
YES
NO
Do you feel passionately about a cause? NO
YES
NO
Do you prefer to create your own artistic work?
Do you enjoy debating?
YES
NO NO
YES
NO
YES
DANCE
BOOK CLUB VOLUNTEERING
CURRENT AFFAIRS
ARTS & CREATIVE WRITING
Do you enjoy making your own music? YES YES
Do you enjoy learning about new cultures and languages?
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES INSTRUMENTAL & ORCHESTRAL SOCIETIES YES
COURSE BASED SOCIETIES
NO
Do you want to join a society that complements your degree?
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TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?!
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...so you can protect yourself from long-term hearing issues! Jo Ralphs We have all been there. You’re having a legendary night out – the music’s so loud you can feel it in your feet. At the end of the night you get out of the club; your ears are ringing, you can barely hear what people are saying – it’s been amazing! But what would happen if you wake up, and your ears are still ringing? Tinnitus is the medical name for ringing in your ears, like you get after being exposed to loud noises. While these sounds often fade after 24 hours, some ringing can become permanent, and have devastating consequences. Sadly, there is no cure. Sufferers can find themselves unable to sleep or concentrate, the constant noise driving them to distraction. Tinnitus often feels unending, and can make it hard for a person to function. After living with tinnitus for nearly a year myself, it is absolutely heart breaking to read stories of people who have ended their own lives over the condition. What’s worse is that nothing is being done to protect us. There is currently no legislation to control the levels of noise at gigs or in clubs, which at present are extremely damaging to your health. You might be wondering if this is just simple scaremongering – after all, if speakers are so dangerous, why is it legal to have them so loud? Here’s some numbers to put it into perspective: a normal conversation is around 50 decibels. A pneumatic drill is twice as loud. Incredibly, night clubs are often louder, at 110 decibels or more. Since 80 decibels is the limit of safe noise levels, it’s no wonder there’s so many cases of hearing loss from attending clubs and gigs. While that hunky man operating the drill is protected by ‘Control of Noise at Work’ legislation (and a massive pair of ear defenders), there is currently no legislation protecting music lovers in public places. You would think club owners and bands would just turn the volume down. After all, those dangerous noise levels affect them too; singer Grimes cancelled an entire tour in 2012 due to tinnitus and hearing loss. Countless other musicians suffer with the condition as well, including will.i.am and Ozzy Osbourne. Unfortunately, the culture around live music means that the hearing of audiences and performers alike is generally disregarded. Venues are unlikely to take voluntary action to protect their customers, so once again audiences are left to risk exposure to dangerous noise levels.
The sudden onset of hearing loss or tinnitus can be very distressing. Exposure to loud noises can also contribute to premature hearing loss as you grow older. There are various factors which make you more susceptible to hearing loss, but the problem is, you won’t know this until it’s too late. Since the law and the venues are not on your side, you are going to have to take your health into your own hands. Protecting your hearing is a no-brainer! Here is what you can do: Wear earplugs. I know what you are going to say – why would I want to wear earplugs when I’ve been fine up until now? I completely understand. While earplugs are ideal for cutting out dangerous frequencies, it is impossible to imagine an entire club full of uni students taking their health so seriously. However, if you are already worried about your hearing, ear plugs mean you won’t need to miss out on clubs and concerts for the sake of your sanity. They also don’t muffle sounds like you would think – I can still hear what people are saying to me in the middle of Crisis!
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Be aware of the speakers. Your proximity to the sound can worsen the damage. Keep an eye out for the speakers and move away from them if your ears are hurting!
Take breaks. Action on Hearing Loss, the largest UK hearing loss charity, recommends using chill out areas in clubs to get away from the noise. This is because the longer you are exposed, the worse the damage will be. Bear this in mind for your next all-nighter!
It is recommended that you wait at least 10 hours before re-exposure to loud noise. That means if your ears are still ringing from the night before, you might want to consider staying in. Or at least picking up a pair of ear plugs before you go out again. Remember that ringing in the ears for any amount of time indicates some type of hearing damage, so be careful. For 6 million people in the UK, tinnitus is going to be a lifelong struggle. Please don’t let it happen to you. If you are worried about your hearing, Action on Hearing Loss has some great information pages to help you. If you think you have tinnitus or hearing loss, please make an appointment with your GP.
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MAKING THE LEAP BETWEEN
SCHOOL AND UNI Maddie De Soyza Saturday 24th September 2016 was probably one of the most exciting and terrifying days of my life; it was the day I moved into Willoughby Hall at the University of Nottingham...
I remember the drive there vividly: a slightly more innocent, less sleep-deprived Maddie sitting in the passenger seat of her mum’s car full-to-the-brim focus on thinking, what have I let myself in for? My main fear, of course, was moving into a building with 200 strangers. This was something I felt could either go extremely well (I’m a massive people person so meeting new people was an exciting prospect for me, though scary) or catastrophically wrong. Thankfully for me it turned out to be the former of the two, but a year later and I can still totally relate to anyone else absolutely bricking it at the thought of living boxed in with a multitude of other freshers. I mean, you don’t need to be nervous; as long as you’re able to sleep through thumping bass, loud talking and questionable sex noises coming from the room above, you’re good to go.
For many people, the leap between school and university is not so much a leap as a blindfolded step off an extremely high cliff. You are definitely thrown in at the deep-end. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. University forces you to be independent, to make your own mind up about things, and to deal with the simultaneously scary and exciting prospect of freedom. At uni, there’s no one to tell you tell you it’s a wise idea not to go out seven nights in a row. There’s no one to drag you to your 9am when you’re so hungover you think you might die. And there’s no one to take your eleventh jägerbomb out of your hand before you throw up in the toilets of Ocean. This might sound like the best concept ever, or the worst. In any case, here’s my top seven pieces of advice on making the leap to uni from school, and hopefully not falling on your face....
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No one else has a clue what they’re doing either. If I’d have realised this sooner, it would have been a massive comfort to me. To be honest, it’s good general life advice, never mind for university.
Unless you’re a medic, or doing some other insanely intense course, first year is a walk in the park compared to A Levels. The pressure is massively lifted because it doesn’t actually count towards your degree (don’t believe anyone that tells you it does).
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I can’t stress this one enough: do not get off with anyone on your floor during freshers’ week. It’s really not worth the awkwardness afterwards.
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Remember to take every opportunity. For me this involved signing up to approximately 17 different societies at the freshers’ fair. Out of all of them I think I turned up to about 2, but at least the intention was there.
Embrace the fact that nobody knows anything about you. Now is the perfect opportunity to start afresh in a totally new city where there is no one to constantly remind you of the time you passed out at your 18th birthday party, there’s (hopefully) no chance of you bumping into your ex from your hometown on a night out, and you don’t see your old teachers every Friday night in the Spoons round the corner from your sixth form.
Try and remember you are here to do a degree (easier said than done, I know). Don’t be a knob, and don’t try and be someone you’re not. Countless people I met during freshers’ week are totally different now. It’s impossible to keep up the façade. Make life easier for yourself and be you. You’ll be fine, and a year later you’ll be wishing you had it to do all over again.
TOP TIPS FROM A
2 -YEAR-TO-BE ND
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RHYS’S PIECES OF LIFESTYLE ADVICE
Rhys Thomas Lifestyle Editor Rhys Thomas gives his take on starting university, and the changes you can make during this transition.
Lifestyle might sound like a falsely ‘Zen’ buzzword to some, but it’s a phrase that simply refers to our way of living, good or bad. You may or may not be conscious of your lifestyle at present — whether you practice a form of diet, have an exercise regime or you live for the hops on the weekend. University is a bit of a haven, relatively free from the judgment of a closed minded community, an egocentric high school and the slightly outdated attitudes of the beloved ma and da. If you’re in your first year and don’t know anyone in the university, nobody really knows you and therefore will accept you for whoever or whatever you choose to show yourself as. If you’ve always had a slightly more niche interest that you haven’t shared with friends at home, you’re guaranteed to find someone with the same interests here — there might even be a society for it. Since being at university I’ve found that I’ve been able to develop myself into the person I want to be. Initially, this started with my first food shop where
I realised that, as obvious as it sounds, the only food I could eat would be the food that I bought, only catering for myself or choosing exactly what I felt like eating.
“Have you felt you would be a lot more comfortable not drinking? Just say you don’t drink.” For me, as a keen foodie who was relatively health conscious I was able to be more disciplined my health, buying purely fresh produce, cutting out unhealthy snacks and testing my willpower (though seldom succeeding). I have also, with far more reluctance, been able to make myself turn up to the gym reasonably often. I am far more confident with my appearance than before and with my ability to express myself through my clothing. The greatest bit of development for me has however
been the ability to learn to enjoy my own company properly. As opposed to feeling slightly uneasy with popping into a café and enjoying a coffee alone at home, often met with the suspicious ‘why are you by yourself?’ inquiries, here I’m at absolute ease and no questions are ever asked. Alone time is now something I treasure and the freedom to travel and explore the city and beyond have presented me with the chance to get to know myself more than I ever could have at home or without the sense of independence I now have learned to embrace. Have you felt you would be a lot more comfortable not drinking? Just say you don’t drink. Have you wanted to change up the wardrobe? Experiment with it. Reinventing yourself for the better is more than possible and you can quite literally become who you want to be, your lifestyle is in your hands.
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MAKING THE MOST OF THE SELF-CATERED LIFE For many people at university meal planning, food shopping and budgeting are new experiences that we accept with the utmost reluctance. Balancing between eating well and staying financially healthy is a struggle for the best of us. Yet both can be achieved. Over the course of my university experience I have realised the following tips and tricks have allowed me to buy great quality food, whilst keeping myself financially in check. Now you can too! Frozen vegetables...
I made the ridiculous error of not buying frozen vegetables until the closing stages of my second year. I realised that it’s far faster to cook, cheaper to buy, longer lasting and nutritionally speaking more or less the same.
The biggest sack of pasta you can find...
You might feel ridiculous but you’ll also be safe in the knowledge that when you have literally nothing to eat there’s still that giant bag of pasta on top of your cupboards.
If it’s on offer, stock up...
I’m not saying be that person who sees ‘save 50p’ and proceeds to buy a dozen lobsters and half of Nestlé’s capital. However, if something you normally buy is half price and won’t go out of date any time soon, buy two!
Get used to tap water...
I hated tap water but now I’ll actually drink it and enjoy. I enjoy even more when I realize it’s basically free. Get a nice bottle to encourage drinking it if you prefer!
Nice coffee (or tea)...
Ground coffee and a French Press, or whole beans if you have a grinder. You can get a pouch of coffee for about the same price as some of the drinks in Starbucks or Costa and you’ll likely get a nicer coffee for it. If you have a grinder, then beans work out even cheaper than pre-ground coffee and are a better alternative to purchasing on campus. For tea drinkers, especially green or other non-milk teas, I have been that guy who takes his own bags onto campus plenty of times. If you just ask for a cup of boiling water, you’ll pay nothing, weird looks aside.
Communal buys and meals...
Do you need your own bottle of ketchup, of mayonnaise, of fenugreek?! The answer is usually no. You’ll find that splitting certain items between flatmates makes food last and is less damaging to your personal account (milk, cooking oils, tea bags, herbs, condiments, stock cubes, salt and pepper, being the more typical ones). Plenty a time have my flat and I produced an absolute banquet and paid like £3 each. Try it soon – decide on a meal you all like, buy the ingredients and split the price between you all.
Pointlessly luxurious items...
Now this sounds obvious on the surface but it’s always worth pointing out. How much is ‘this type of salt’ really enhancing your meal over ‘this cheaper brand of the exact same or slightly different salt’; can you really taste the branded tonic in your G&T over the own brand?
Make the healthier choice: don’t buy shit!
So you might want chocolate. But do you need chocolate? Could you survive without this can of diet coke? Those chewing gums? Those biscuits? If you need a snack – would a twenty pence apple be better for you and obviously cheaper than the Dairy Milk bar?
Reduced meat diet...
This is no plug to bring you off of the flesh. However, buying vegetables is usually considerably cheaper than buying meat, By limiting yourself to slightly less meat and more beans, pulses and fibrous veg, you might save a little money.
Spirits or wine are cheaper than beer...
Well they’re not at the time, but think about it. £5 for a drinkable bottle of wine shall set you up at pre-drinks far more than a few beers, saving you some money for the big dip or crisis to follow.
In many cases, ditch the supermarket and find the local... Get pally with the butcher or the baker and you’ll find that hunk of meat more generous or the 13th element of the baker’s dozen in your bag. They also have to compete more with the supermarkets so usually are cheaper and as this is their specialty, honestly they’re usually tastier also. There are plenty of independent stores in Beeston and on Derby Road.
Pre-made lunch (and decent Tupperware)...
On a similar theme to making your own coffee, making your own lunch not only ensures you eat exactly what you want and feel you should eat, but it will steer you away from the temptation of splurging on that Boots meal deal or Mooch burger.
Make dishes of more than one serving...
The one time I made a load of soup was the richest time of my life. It can be worth making a family-sized lasagna or giant pot of soup, as they’ll typically last days and the bulk-orientated buys will mean more food for your pound.
Rhys Thomas
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IMPACT
FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT IN NOTTINGHAM
LIFESTYLE
For the first issue of the term we figured we ought to provide a reference to some of the best eateries in the city. Without further ado, here are the places our foodies are always spending their time...
MCDONALD’S
ANNIE’S BURGER SHACK
Rising forth from the pastoral depths of Sutton Bonington campus with a student budget and little means of travel, it’s very rare that I have the motivation to eat out in Nottingham. Nevertheless, on occasion the distance and the overdraft are overcome by the need for a hefty night out, thus leading to a 3am visit to McDonald’s.
Despite being squirrelled away in the depths of the Lacemarket, Annie’s Burger Shack has become a Nottingham icon. Founded in 2009 by the original Annie, who moved over to Nottingham from Rhode Island in the U.S., Annie’s provides the best burgers in town alongside an amazing selection of Real Ale and Craft Beers.
SIOBHAN LAUREN DAVIS
It is a fast food eatery that one cannot simply beat. With a devastatingly beautiful burger menu (not forgetting the perfectly salted fries and carbonated drink with a meal order) my drunken self is always satisfied. Of late the promotional range strikes my fancy — farewell Big Mac and hello Big Tasty (and boy is the taste big!). The vital question accompanying this burger choice, ‘with or without bacon?’ is purely ridicule. Bacon, always bacon. It is a BBQ in a bun effortlessly layered with a 100% beef patty, Emmental cheese, a sprinkling of salad to make my conscience happier and an outstanding smoky sauce.
ELLEN SMITHIES
With a staggering 32 burgers to choose from (plus some other stuff but let’s be real — you go to Annie’s for the burgers) it literally has something for everyone: whether you opt for the classic ‘Classic’ or the outlandish yet outstanding ‘Sunday Dinner’ (roast on a burger, anyone?). Plus, every single burger (yes, every single one) is available as vegetarian or vegan for the herbivorous among us; they can easily accommodate gluten-free diets as well, so most dietary requirements are met with ease! Even if you don’t like burgers, Annie’s is worth it simply for the feel of the place. The décor on the first floor has a seriously authentic American-feel and there’s often always room to accommodate, downstairs is a bar with an extensive drinks range downstairs and an all round amazing atmosphere to boot. Annie’s has everything – and is why it’s my favourite place to eat in Nottingham.
McDonalds, when used as an indulgent treat is wonderful. It caters for all seasonal trends: from the cooling McFlurries in muggy British summers to the grease-dripping, crispy apple pies helping you build those additional warm layers for winter. McDonald’s is an eatery that is always there for its consumers and can you honestly say it doesn’t taste amazing?
Recommendation: The Gringo burger with curly fries and a ginger beer.
YAMAS
THE PUDDING PANTRY
The phrase “yamas” loosely translates from Greek to English as “cheers”, which is an apt representation of this hidden gem of a restaurant. The combination of Greek and Spanish cuisine reveals a myriad of options within their menu; every item on which is better than the former. Most of the dishes are tapas, but they aren’t particularly small.
As my favourite thing in the world other than Impact Magazine is breakfast, I find there’s no better way to start the day than to jog or cycle from my humble abode in Lenton to The Pudding Pantry on Trinity Square, just in time for them to have opened their doors at either 8am on Tuesday-Friday, 9am on Saturday and Monday or 10am on Sunday.
REBECCA SHERMAN
The menu suggests three per person but anything from 2-4 should suffice. I have always been amazed by this restaurant’s ability to perfect such simple but fantastic dishes. For example, their Greek salad: a dish containing little more than some tomatoes, lettuce, feta, olives and red onion, but truly cannot be missed. I personally recommend ‘albondigas con queso’ translating to ‘meatballs with cheese’, a dish which again sounds so simple, but is so gosh darn good! I must warn however that the waiting time for food can be quite long, but as the top of the menu cleverly reads: “good things come to those who wait”.
RHYS THOMAS
The relatively small and narrow café is fairly busy at any given point in the day, but this is for a good reason. Their range of breakfast-appropriate foods rival most places in the city but there’s a quality in their quantity to. As the owners have spent their lives in catering they are meticulous with ensuring the highest standards across all aspects of their menu; from having formed their own custom blend of coffee by combining various Outpost Coffee Roasters (another wonderful Nottingham café) beans together to making their own jams, you can guarantee a delicious start to the day in a wonderfully vibrant yet cosy environment.
Recommendation: Pancakes are available almost all day here and are certainly the best pancakes in Nottingham. I love to start my day with their double espresso, a pint of water, the ‘Vegan Banana & Walnut bread’ and, if I’m especially hungry, I’ll order their Toasted Granola too.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
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Ben Edge In a groundbreaking development for contemporary physics, gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space and time, were observed for the first time in 2015. However, whilst the current detectors are constructed from 4km-long steel tubes, researchers at Nottingham reckon they may be able to detect these waves using tabletop equipment. In 1916, Albert Einstein revolutionised modern physics when he published his general theory of relativity. Amongst other things, the paper predicted that immense accelerating objects produce ripples in space and time. These are known as gravitational waves – distortions in the fabric of the universe that emanate from high-energy celestial bodies like waves spreading out across a pond. Although evidence for their existence was discovered as far back as 1974, it took almost a century of scientific advancements to observe gravitational waves directly. Using extreme precision technology, that initial detection was made in September 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, and published five months later. The waves in question are thought to have been generated when two black holes, estimated at 29 and 36 times the mass of the sun, collided violently approximately 1.3 billion years ago. Since the initial announcement, LIGO has observed gravitational waves on two further occasions. The challenge now facing scientists is to develop sufficient technology in order to use these waves to further observe the universe. To date the
cosmos has predominantly been viewed through electromagnetic waves, using equipment such as optical and radio telescopes; however, this style of astronomy is not without its limitations. Because the first 400,000 years of the universe’s inception are opaque to electromagnetic waves, information about the early era remains relatively elusive using current techniques. Gravitational waves, however, face no such problem. Using these space-time ripples, scientists face the incredible potential of looking back to a fraction of a second after the Big Bang.
“Using these space-time ripples, scientists face the incredible potential of looking back to a fraction of a second after the Big Bang.” Similarly gravitational wave observatories could prove pivotal in the exploration of dark matter – the mysterious hypothetical phenomenon that does not interact with electromagnetic radiation.
The twin LIGO detectors are both remarkable feats of engineering. Not only are they able to measure fluctuations one ten-thousandth the size of an atomic nucleus, but they are the largest of their kind ever constructed. Each consists of two 4km-long steel vacuum tubes. Conversely, a research team led by the University of Nottingham’s Ivette Fuentes aim to achieve the same results using equipment that sits on top of a table. In 2014 Fuentes and her colleagues submitted a paper demonstrating that atoms held at just above minus 273.15°C (absolute zero) resonate due to gravitational waves. Near absolute zero, a group of atoms forms a Bose-Einstein condensate, in which vibrations from the waves produce “particles” of energy known as phonons. Using a detector four orders of magnitude more sensitive than LIGO, the group intend to measure the generated phonons as a means to collect their observations. Over the past century, gravitational waves have evolved from an astonishing idea into one of, if not the, most fascinating topic in physics at present. Truth be told, we’ve only scratched the surface.
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UNIVERSITIES AND CYBER-SECURITY
Ben Edge As the sophistication of malware rapidly increases, universities are becoming increasingly susceptible to cyber-attacks. But with a wealth of valuable research and student information stored in their systems, the task of staying protected is becoming a more challenging than ever.
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Over the past months, cyberspace has been the subject of intense scrutiny. In May, the WannaCry ransomware attack spread rapidly across the globe, most notably bringing the NHS’s computer system to a standstill. Around a month later, students at University College London faced the prospect of substantial data loss when their university network suffered a separate attack. Although the malware that UCL suffered was particularly extensive, the idea of hackers targeting educational institutions is by no means a rare occurrence. In fact, according to a s urvey by technology company VMware, more than a third of UK universities face cyber-attacks every hour. In January 2014, hacking collective Anonymous targeted Queen Mary University of London in retaliation for its Ministry of Defence-funded research, which the group branded “invasive.” Amongst other data, they claimed to have stolen the personal details of numerous students, leaking a selection for proof. A brief search of the internet brings up similar stories ranging from the National University of Singapore to Harvard and Penn State. Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of their systems, universities are far more susceptible to cyber-attacks than the majority of businesses. A vast number of students, researchers and visitors constantly take all manner of technology – with varying levels of security – onto and away from campus. This large-scale “bring-your-own-device” policy makes fully controlling the network a near impossible task. Furthermore, universities hold a massive amount of significant information, making them prime targets for attacks. If a system is infiltrated, not only could a hacker potentially access students’ confidential information and financial
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details but also a wealth of valuable research data. In the aforementioned VMware survey, 77% of universities claimed that a successful cyber intrusion on their institution could be a matter of national security. This is no exaggeration. In 1986, whilst attempting to amend a minor error, a laboratory managed by the University of California discovered a hacker spying on their intelligence for the Soviet Union. Similar to how WannaCry preyed on the weaknesses of the NHS’s underfinanced system, often cyber-attacks on universities prove successful due to their outdated security precautions. Insufficient resources, specifically due to limited funds, are cited as a major vulnerability of higher education organisations by Performance journal, both physically and in cyberspace.
“77% of universities claimed that a successful cyber intrusion on their institution could be a matter of national security.” A malware infection has the potential to be incredibly expensive for a university, as well as causing reputational damage and impeding research projects. The challenge now facing these institutions is to protect themselves from these increasingly prevalent and advanced cyber-attacks without sacrificing their open access. This is no mean feat; but, with systems holding a substantial amount of valuable research and student information, the effects of a security breach could be disastrous.
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TUK TUK
OFF ROUND THE WORLD Lucia Amoroso Lucia Amoroso takes us on a world tour, armed with a tuk tuk and a love of travelling. Tuk tuk, yes, those little motorised vehicles that you see in India, one wheel at the front two at the back, with a hood, an ear-splitting engine and irritating horn. A friend of mine, Callum, has recently had one imported from India. As a quasi-protest to Brexit, he is visiting the 28 remaining EU countries before the UK leaves, in the tuk tuk. At the same time, Callum hopes to use this obscure trip to raise the profile of his charity, the Liam Fairhurst Foundation. A filmmaker is creating a documentary film of the trip, which will hopefully make it onto Amazon Prime next year. I was invited to join for a section of the trip. A lack of organisation and vague plans meant I wasn’t sure when or where I would be going. However, when he eventually dropped a message saying a space in the tuk tuk had freed
up, I met Callum in Brussels just four days later.
see that we could really place faith in humanity.
Upon arrival, I was more excited than nervous. I knew each day would involve a lot of driving, but that we would stop at interesting cities when we could. Meeting Callum at the train station when my Eurostar arrived, we drove straight off through Brussels onwards to The Hague.
Our next stop was Amsterdam. We chose a campsite near the city, but soon realised we couldn’t take all the equipment with us whilst exploring the city for the afternoon, and needed somewhere to leave it. We took a chance and left it with a member of staff at the campsite. After a day exploring the city, we returned at 11pm to find all our equipment safely stored by the restaurant manager, with another stranger saving the day for us.
The journey that day was very long, and Callum explained that he was staying with the family of a friend of a friend (so to me a friend of a friend of a friend). The friend of the friend was not there, however, so we stayed with her parents and brother. We arrived at their beautiful house and equally great hospitality. They gave us a tour of the city and treated us to a meal out that night. We really weren’t expecting to be treated so well, and were glad to
After Amsterdam, we journeyed north-east through to Groningen, the capital of provincial Netherlands. We arrived knowing nothing about the area and found a beautiful little city with a lot of character; the pretty, immaculate, cobbled streets and stunning architecture had us
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wondering why we had never heard much about it before. It reminded us both of our hometown, Cambridge. We spent a sunny evening strolling the streets and stayed the night in a cheap hotel. We bumbled through the northern parts of the Dutch countryside en route to Bremen feeling very attached to the area, as it reminded us of the East Anglian fenlands where we grew up. After passing many windmills and no other tuk tuks (shocker), we made it to Bremen. The night before we had arranged to stay with a total stranger called Nils via couchsurfing.com.
“The pretty, immaculate, cobbled streets and stunning architecture [of Gronigen] had us wondering why we had never heard much about it before.” As predicted, Nils was great. He spent the whole evening with us taking us around the city, showing us everything from the popular sites to the secret little alleys with fairy-tale-like cottages and quirky stores. We were even treated to the local tales between these notable sights. After plenty of walking we ended up in the middle of the annual festival, Breminale. Some festival truck food and free lemonade consumed, we scooted home in the tuk tuk.
We stayed in Bremen for another day, planning the route we were to take upon leaving, while Nils was at work. We spent the evening with Nils and chatted like old friends over a delicious home-cooked meal and some of his signature cocktails. We learned that Nils joined the couch-surfing community simply ‘to meet new people, make new friends, learn from others, and show visitors the city which he feels so happy in’. The stay cost us nothing bar a drink for Nils at the pub. I felt that we were in credit with a new friend rather than any sort of debt. After heartfelt goodbyes with Nils we whipped on to Hamburg as fast as the tuk tuk would take us, in order to see some of the city before my flight home that evening. The skies were clear by the time we arrived and we had a few hours to walk the gorgeous streets of Hamburg. After buying yet another cheap fridge magnet to add to my family’s collection, we plugged the airport into Google Maps and drove there. In the few hours I needed to kill before my flight, I decided to send a load of messages to friends (some of which I haven’t heard from for years) who have visited or lived in the parts of Europe Callum will be heading for soon. My heart was warmed by the huge number of lengthy messages my friends sent me; offering up their homes for a place to stay; recommending places to see and hostels to use; and sending me kind words. After sending back messages of thanks for their advice, and wishing them well in whatever they are doing, my plane was boarding. The flight was late and I found myself using this time to internally reflect on my trip. I felt glad that I had been spontaneous and gone without much planning. I realised the most
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refreshing fact I had discovered was a sense of confidence; not in myself, but in strangers. It was heart-warming to learn and feel the ability to connect with utter strangers even if they have a different mother-tongue and totally different lifestyle. I realised a basic humanity. I was then quite surprised when my feeling of pride turned into subtle anger. As humans, we give our own species such a bad reputation. We are too suspicious of each other. It dawned on me that the reason we hear of heinous crimes is because they are uncommon. Of course, my experiences did not occur without trusting my instincts,
“It was heart-warming to learn and feel the ability to connect with utter strangers.” which are essential when keeping safe. It was obvious to me that most people aren’t monsters: barriers to communication, differences of identity, interests or social circles do not separate us at the most basic level. Perhaps I haven’t inspired you to buy a tuk tuk, to try couch surfing or even to visit Western Europe. Though I hope you can compliment a stranger in the street, give some old clothes to charity or send an old friend a message to jut ask how they’re doing. It might have taken some alternative travelling to allow my exposure into the receiving end of charity but now I am reminded that I can return the favour to those who need it.
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THE COMPRESSION
OF MUSIC Matthew Johnson A (brief) history of musical technology becoming smaller... and smaller.
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Way, way before everything was streamed and on our phones, there was the build-up of music technology to what we have today. Nowadays all of them are unbelievably #retro. The evolution of portable devices has been at a dead-on sprint ever since the 80s was on the horizon. Walkmans were made open to the public back in 1979, and I only saw one when dusting off my parents’ old storage boxes. Impact takes the time to dive into some of the most iconic music machines to see mad compression of all those tracks.
SONY WALKMAN PORTABLE CASSETTE PLAYER 1979
The 1980’s appear to be the kickoff for musically compressed devices. The Walkman being the origin story of handheld music players, here’s a (very) brief history of a classic icon. The year is 1979, July 1st. People of that time were blown away by its petite size. Sony used to their advantage what anyone who was anyone had: small cassettes. All of us refuse to understand how one can even put up with cassettes, but that’s how it was done. Sony’s Walkman was the birth of personal music listening. While the boombox was more along the lines of sharing hit tracks with those around us, the Walkman let people make everything a bit more one-on-one with their favorite artists. The story goes that Sony co-founder Masaru Ikabu wanted a way to listen to his own opera music, and the Sony designer at the time built Ikabu a prototype just in time for his next flight, and the rest is history.
THE DISCMAN 1989
A small addition here once again by Sony, being a piece of equipment most 90’s kid’s had hold of and seriously enjoyed. Compact Disc’s were totally “in” and people loved buying them, and consequently replaced those out of date and out of fashion cassettes. While the Discman models were constantly being worked on from 1984 onwards, it wasn’t until the D-Z555 model in 1989 that gave the public some true love for CDs. Sony was dying to transition people over to CDs and even marked their first couple of models at half the price it cost to manufacture. tTheir methods worked without a doubt, but it was the release of varying MP3 players, iPod’s and even the incredible Zune hat that brought dissolution to the CD.
THE BOOMBOX 1984
“A boombox can change the world.” When Lonely Island came out with the song Boombox, the self-made fascination over this ancestral device began. A lot of us are guilty for becoming infatuated by #throwback / #retro stuff, and if you had or have (bless you if you still do) a boombox, then you’ve got yourself a legendary piece of equipment. The 80’s were a time of hit singles that still linger at present, such as ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics, ‘Take On Me’ by A-ha, or the classic ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen. With the boombox, one wasn’t limited to just playing cassettes and radio hits, but also record those radio hits onto your very own tapes. The way of the boombox was what they had before iTunes, Spotify and even LimeWire for us 90s kids. What made them so luxurious and amazing though was the bass-laden speakers that could shake your very core. Imagine walking around today and playing your own music in public on some loud, heavy bass speakers hoisted upon your shoulders. If you can see yourself looking like an a%#hole, you’ve got the right image.
MP3s, iPODs & ZUNES... “One hundred songs. One thousand songs . . . right in your pocket cause I can’t stand looking at that inexplicable Walkman anymore.” A quote from the 2015 film Steve Jobs, personifying a less than likely truth where Mr. Jobs (Michael Fassbender) somehow simultaneously envisioned the MP3 player – the iPod – when his daughter’s cassette playing Walkman came into eye-line. MP3’s faced harsh times, as compressing those high quality songs we love was difficult, as the more you compress, the more quality you lose. From the first successful MP3 in 1997, AMP MP3 Playback Engine, to the infamous line of iPod’s, it’s safe to say the success of music compression into our pockets has come a long way. Nowadays, everything is on our phone, because what person over the age of 20 wants to bother with MP3’s or a Walkman that requires AA batteries? From an 80’s era where it was publicly acceptable to play those hit bass heavy beats on the street all the way to the present day, where you must keep those headphones jacked in, technology has changed. Here’s to the innovators that kept musical technology going, for without people like Steve Jobs, all of us could (horrifyingly) be fighting over the newest Zune . . .
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SCI-FI, STAR WARS, AND SPIELBERG... IS THERE SPACE FOR NOSTALGIA IN MODERN FILM & TV? Zoya Raza-Sheikh Set in 1983, Netflix’s nightmarish hit series, Stranger Things, brings nostalgia to life in its first season. It’s hard to miss the 80’s pop-culture references creeping throughout the sci-fi horror series. However, it seems big-screen media has been trying to successfully market nostalgia in an attempt to draw a wider audience to their productions. The use of nostalgia in modern film and tv has become a relatively common theme. If we look at recent nostalgia fueled productions, including Universal’s Ghostbusters reboot, Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph, and the critically acclaimed Mad Men series, it is no surprise modern film and TV is attempting to capitalise on the past. Written, co-produced and directed by Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things is the perfect example of nostalgia sold successfully. The Duffer brothers are no strangers to producing sci-fi/ thriller filmography, having directed horror film Hidden (2015) and written episodes for Wayward Pines (2015). Both the Duffer brothers’ talent and today’s on-screen fixation with nostalgic film provided the perfect platform for Stranger Things to thrive. While many debate the expiry date for the nostalgia trend that has hijacked our screens, you must admit the Stranger Things has kept the trend alive with its mysteriously thrilling narrative and appealing 1980’s aesthetic. While the story of Stranger Things is heavily reference laden to deliver
a nostalgic emotional response, this Netflix Original series offers something entirely unique. Set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things follows a dark paranormal mystery which threatens the unknowing residents of Hawkins, holding terrifying outcomes. The Duffer brothers set up this chilling series, paying homage to classic creators from the likes of Spielberg to Stephen King.
“Times were definitely simpler when The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and A New Hope (1977) were the only Star Wars films available.” With the central characters Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas making up a boyish group of friends, the group could not be more of a Goonies parody if they tried. Keeping with Spielberg, Stranger Things offers some dark foreshadowing through a background poster of Jaws (1975) plastered in the back of Will’s room. Also, we can’t forget the casual mentioning of the Poltergeist (1982) between Will and his mother, Joyce. This renowned horror film inspires the later Christmas lights scene. From Spielberg to Stephen King. The Duffer brothers offer no subtlety in referencing King. With both the series
title and typeface style imitating King’s thriller novel Needful Things. Not only this, but both Stranger Things and Needful Things share a unique female individual that harbours the destructive, yet wonderful, power of telekinesis. However, King’s influence doesn’t end there, as episode 4 of the series imitates the title to the popular King novel The Body, which offers some insight to the episode’s plot. Another significantly important period reference in Stranger Things is Star Wars. Times were definitely simpler when The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and A New Hope (1977) were the only Star Wars films available. The Star Wars references are strong in this one. The Stranger Things poster imitates the classic Star Wars poster style, Eleven uses her powers to pilot a Millennium Falcon figure, and Mike uses Yoda to explain Eleven’s powers to his friends, comparing her telekinetic abilities to the Force. There’s no doubt that Stranger Things successfully grips viewers in a convincing hold of nostalgia, and before you know it you’ll be listening to The Clash, wearing your favourite leather jacket, and looking to buy Eggos. While Stranger Things may be steeped in endless 80’s tropes, the series offers a refreshing on-screen style that hasn’t been this well executed since Mad Men. I’d say there’s plenty of space for nostalgia in modern film and TV.
Stranger Things, Season 2 will be released on 27th October 2017.
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BREAK INTO GAMING WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK Rui Almeida PLAYSTATION 2
£30 The most popular gaming console ever for a reason. There really is something for everyone here; go from slashing serial-killers in the controversially horrific Manhunt to shredding solos in Guitar Hero. Blow up some cars with the heavily memed CJ and Big Smoke in GTA San Andreas or a lite yellow clone in The Simpsons Hit and Run. RECOMMENDATIONS Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Ratchet and Clank Shadow of the Colossus The Simpsons: Hit and Run Spiderman 2 // Ultimate Spiderman Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory COUCH MULTIPLAYER Tony Hawk Pro Skater Need for Speed: Underground James Bond 007: Nightfire // Everything or Nothing SXX Tricky FIFA Street 1/2 Burnout 3: Takedown Rayman M
PLAYSTATION 3
£50 The next generation brought free online multiplayer, and a host of great looking and playing titles. With this only being one generation out PS3 games are still widely available, keeping prices lower on an extensive catalogue.
RECOMMENDATIONS Batman: Arkham Asylum Bioshock Catherine Grand Theft Auto 4/5 Hitman: Absolution The Last of Us Journey Mafia 2 Need for Speed: Carbon The Orange Box (Half Life 2; Portal; Team Fortress 2) Ratchet and Clank HD Trilogy (for £7.99 on sale) Red Dead Redemption Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory HD COUCH MULTIPLAYER LittleBigPlanet Rayman Legends Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars [i.e. Rocket League] (PSN Store)
NINTENDO
64 £20; WII £20; DS LITE £25 Each Nintendo console is going to have at least a few good Mario games, so you’re always sorted there for titles that are perfectly accessible yet satisfyingly challenging. To stay below or right on the line of that budget, stick to the original Wii and the aforementioned for your console. A plus to the Wii is its ability to play Gamecube games as well, which allows you to access a lot of other titles more commonly seen on the PS2 and Xbox, albeit a little lesser looking. For previous Nintendo consoles and games, emulators can be installed on PC’s, Fire Stick’s and “jailbroken” consoles with a bit of know-how. Of course, we encourage nothing illegal. The older consoles can also still be found for sale online but at varying price points depending on the seller - it’s up to you though as to whether shooting for the classics like Goldeneye on the original N64 or find a reboot on a more recent machine. Alternatively, a DS is an ample equivalent to the Switch for a fraction of the price. Plus, despite its age, its reliability holds up well, which is more than can be said for the Switch. The DS is the home of my definitive Mario Kart, a remastered Mario 64 and an excellent Mario Bros. These are just the classics; there’s a lot more around, ranging from Grand Theft Auto all the way to Animal Crossing. What brings the DS to the next level is the great multiplayer functionality - what do you know about 8 man-multiplayer Mario Kart when only one of them has the game? It’s a portable madness.
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ART OR TRASH? Rhys Thomas A Photoessay discussing Nottingham’s Street Art and it’s cultural implications.
Street art is at large in Nottingham, which makes perfect sense when we dive into the cultural life of the city. I decided to spend a day walking around the graffiti hotspots whilst wondering why for some, they are so problematic and why for others they are cherished. The most notable areas of adoration for graffiti are within cult music and fashions. Street art is one of the few artistic movements to bleed into high and low culture, to be crafted by people of all ethnicities and of all interests. It’s present in music videos from Punk to Hip-Hop and critiqued from Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring in 1980s New York, to 21st Century Bristol’s Robert Del Naja, or the ironically more identifiable, Banksy.
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The cultural influence of graffiti is paramount. With a shift back to Nottingham itself however, I found it quite obvious that the street art is actually quite in keeping with the post war roots of Nottingham: a traditionally labouring, post-industrial, east midlands city. Paint slapped on red brick has always existed here as a means of indication — the typographically industrial-as-it-gets ‘British Waterways’ print that shines out in glossy white over the canal, is one old and freshly coated example of this.
Fashion is also often seen to appropriate street art, underground and urban styles. In recent months Vetements decided to do a shop window feature which consisted of clothes piled from the floor and up, like some messy bedroom where the chair becomes a clotheshorse as the teenager lives for the weekend and not the chores. Nottingham is fashionably vintage and post-grunge in these senses also: you don’t have to wonder far beyond the epicentre of Market Square to find a host of vintage and second hand stores, quirky ‘rustic’ bars and restaurants or indeed music venues.
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Yet it would seem that Nottingham is more than reasonably tolerant of Street Art and Graffiti, even commissioning it’s own street-esque murals in some cases, Lace Market being the most notable. This might be due to (as of 2015/16) 18.6% of Nottingham’s population being based in UoN or NTU, with the council recognizing the importance of youth to their economy and trying to make the city a bit more ‘young’, or perhaps simply as Nottingham is a rare case of a city believing that walls, litter bins, ruins and more can be brightened with street art. Assuming the logic of money being pumped into ‘commissioned Graffiti’ is a means to get more people to love Nottingham, we’d be right to argue that this is indeed art and not crime? Yet the Graffiti that does pop up in Nottingham is done in the dead of night and the work is cryptically signed or left simply to those in the know.
A council appointed ‘Cleaning’ van is always present, pressure-washing down the paint that it didn’t pay to have on the wall, regardless of public approval or artistry.
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Additionally, if you had the courage to go and write ‘I Love Nottingham Uni’ on the back of our beloved Portland Building, you’d likely still find yourself in a spot of bother. Yet stickers often go un-altered for years on the lampposts around Lenton: how are they better? I pondered all of this on a relatively sunny July day as I cruised around the city with my camera in hand. The following images were some of the stimuli for the internal debate I have now let you into. Hopefully by the end you’ll also be thinking about the question:
IS THIS
ART OR TRASH?
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time to get
PUZPUZZLED ZLED Hey, you. Yes, you holding the magazine. The one sitting at the Fresher pre-drinks full of people you barely know, flicking through the magazine you have sort of seen around but never bothered to pick out. You wanted to look interested in an article on something really bold and shocking, thinking you could stimulate conversation? Yeah, we aren’t that good. You will just have to go back to the stock-and-trade questions of A-levels, which high school/sixth form/college you all went to. However, while you wait for everyone to get just drunk enough to think Never Have I Ever is a good idea, here’s a few puzzles you can actually do to pass the time, rather than read the seemingly endless paragraphs of words we try and cram in this. We know no-one ever reads them.
We won’t judge you for just doing the puzzles, we promise.
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ACROSS
DOWN
3 4 8 11 13 15 16 17 18
1 2 5 6 7 9 10 12 14
Campus opened in 1999 by Queen Elizabeth 2nd (7) UoN’s official student magazine (5) UoN alumnus who starred in The Affair and Luther (4, 6) Nottingham alumnus, Nobel Prize-winning economist (5, 7) Annual series of sporting events played against Nottingham Trent (7) Original name of Impact magazine (3, 4) Virtual learning environment used by all UoN students (5) River that runs through Nottingham (5) Sponsors of Nottingham’s 10,000 capacity arena (10)
UoN’s sports village opened in 2016 (5, 4) Free Nottingham based culture magazine (4, 4) Club night held on Wednesday at Rock City (6) UoN’s Vice Chancellor as of this year (7, 4) Name of UoN’s main library (8) Confidential listening service run by students (9) Donated the original land for the University, of pharmaceutical fame (5, 4) Location of UoN’s China Campus (6) Club home to the famous Baywatch ceremony (5)
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“The first stories are from Herefordshire?”
“So, he’s probably fictional?”
“Yes.”
“And he was based on someone from Sheffield?”
“Yes.”
“So, why is he a symbol of Nottingham?”
“Yes.”
By Troberts Illustrated by Poppy Anne Malby
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“Oh, he shot people and robbed them.”
Sources: www.sudokuoftheday.com and www.puzzle-maker.com
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GUIDE TO NOTTINGHAM:
GALLERIES Ellen Smithies
Nottingham is lucky enough to have many different art galleries, and with many of them being free to enter, it’s a student’s dream! This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the biggest and best galleries that Nottingham has to offer.
NOTTINGHAM CONTEMPORARY With no permanent collections on show, Nottingham Contemporary is a constantly changing and evolving space for the arts. In the past year alone, it has played host to artwork from across the world. Ranging from huge installations made of waste materials, to lurid pink elephant sculptures, and even a literal cloud of mist rising from the roof (rather aptly as part of a show called ‘Absolutely Nothing’). Nottingham Contemporary also has free spot talks a couple of times a week, and a fantastic outreach program. Not only that, but they maintain their own Advocacy Program. Through it you can undertake a number of tasks and join the Collabor-8 Collective, a group of young creatives that get involved with gallery more directly; the Program also gives you a working reference from the gallery, which is perfect for anyone looking to get into the sector.
NOTTINGHAM LAKESIDE ARTS Home to three separate galleries, NLA is an incredible place of creativity and expression. The Djanogly Gallery is home to multiple exhibitions a year; in 2016/17 it hosted Elpida Hadzi Vazileva, Victor Pasmore and Winifed Nicholson, as well as the University Summer Exhibition, to which anyone related to the University can submit work. NLA has significant ties with the University, and in fact, runs multiple modules as part of the Nottingham Advantage Award. It’s a great place to get involved, and being right on campus, there’s no excuse to not have an arty afternoon!
NOTTINGHAM CASTLE Perched on high above Nottingham, Nottingham’s famous Castle contains the City’s Fine Art collection. With works from L.S. Lowry, Winifed Nicholson and Grayson Perry, the Long Gallery is a great spot for anyone interested in great works of art. With local history exhibitions, Classical art and exhibitions on fashion, Nottingham Castle has something for everyone. The Castle also holds frequent temporary exhibitions as well, including the Nottingham Open, and recently played host to the travelling exhibition ‘Leonardo Da Vinci: Ten Drawings from the Royal Collection’ – several students from UoN’s History of Art department were lucky enough to be involved in the organisation of the exhibition. The Castle has several youth groups open to University students, including the Illuminate Youth Panel, which works alongside Museum Staff to create exhibitions and activities. Though entry isn’t free, it is well worth it for a day out at the castle.
NEW ART EXCHANGE Hidden away in Hyson Green to the north of the city centre, the New Art Exchange is a relatively new gallery on the Nottingham scene. Founded in 2003, NAE specialises in the arts that show the diversity of Nottingham, with a focus on sexuality, age, gender, culture, disability and religion. The art shown at NAE from exhibition to exhibition varies wildly, but all of it is amazing; it is definitely worth a visit every few months to see what they are up to. This article presents only some of the amazing art centres around Nottingham, for there are plenty of others out there, including City Arts, Surface Gallery and Backlit. Just go for an explore around the City Centre; chances are you’ll find one hidden away!
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Matteo Everett How to find the close-to-perfect cinema in Nottingham.
ENTERTAINMENT
Like any good city, Nottingham is home to a number of great and independent art venues of all kinds, from galleries to theatres to cinemas – including, up until recently, the smallest cinema in the world, Screen 22. (But) While most UoN students gravitate to the Art Deco-savvy Savoy for their cheap film fixes, tucked away in Hockley is another jewel in the city’s crown. Rated as amongst the world’s best in Total Film magazine, Nottingham’s Broadway Cinema – located on the site of a 19th-century neoclassical church on Broad Street – carries an equally lofty reputation with one of the world’s most famous moviemakers. Broadway had the special privilege of debuting cult classic Pulp Fiction during its 1994 ‘Shots in the Dark’ festival, showcasing all the best crime and thriller films cinema has to offer. No doubt this association cemented writer-director (and ‘Shots in the Dark’ fan) Quentin Tarantino’s opinion that ‘Nottingham is a really cool city’, and fifteen years later Broadway was granted an exclusive preview of another one of QT’s films, Inglorious Basterds. Unfortunately, the ‘Shots in the Dark’ film festival no longer exists – though it did return in 2015 for a one-off 25th-anniversary retrospective. Luckily, since 2005 Broadway has been home to the four-day ‘Mayhem’ Film Festival, focussing on ‘scary shorts’ and the ability to create a sense of horror and dread in under 25 minutes. In 2017 ‘Mayhem’ will run between the 12th and 15th of October, and while the film line-up will have been selected
by the time you’re reading this, it is worth noting for any budding film maker that the Festival takes submissions from the public every year. Besides this exciting festival, Broadway boasts two vegan-friendly cafés/bars (this is Hockley, after all), quiz nights, live music and DJ sets and, of course, a whole host of Hollywood blockbusters and independent films across four screens, including the only screen in the world designed by Beeston-born fashion designer, Paul Smith CBE. As well as regular movie streaming, Broadway hosts three separate special weekly screenings tailored to suit senior citizens (‘Silver Screen’), new parents and carers bringing along babies (‘Bringing Up Baby’), and families, each offering tickets at discounted prices. Not that any student will be asking for a discount. Price is another reason to check out Broadway, as all regularly scheduled movie tickets are £4.50 for all under-25s – a perfect alternative to student-friendly Savoy when your non-uni friends visit, and you can’t bear another night of clubbing after Friday night’s Ocean. So next time you fancy a cheap movie experience and are looking for a change of scene from your local cinema, or you’re simply fed up of streaming, head over to Hockley and see where Broadway might take you. You might just fall in love.
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COMPOSING FOR CHOREOGRAPHY Isobel Sheene ‘What is art?’ might seem like an unnecessarily philosophical question for a student magazine, but it’s an interesting one to think about. Literature, painting, music, dance, fashion design – all can be considered forms of art. But art is also more than this – often one or more of these ‘genres’ are able to come together and create a whole new form of artwork. Here, Impact considers the crossover between music and dance. Music and dance are two art forms that easily go hand in hand. Although you can easily have one without the other, the presence of both together is a central part of cultures around the world, ranging from ceremonial events to Friday night at Ocean. Usually, it is assumed that music comes first, created in a studio or live, and the dancing is a product of the human response to it. But that is not the only way composition occurs – what happens when creating both song and dance in tandem?
Ilyich Tchaikovsky was commissioned to compose the music and worked closely with choreographer Marius Petipa to create the ballet as a whole. Rather than the dance coming from the completed piece of music, Petipa gave Tchaikovsky detailed instructions for him to use in the creation of the music, including the tempo and bars. Composing for choreography is not an isolated process – the combination of art forms requires close collaboration between genres.
Let’s use the example of ballet. This dance style has existed for centuries and is usually performed alongside classical music. But often, the music the dancers perform to is not written separately, but rather composed explicitly with ballet in mind. The combination of the dance and music here results in a new art style, the noun form of ‘ballet’. Two artistic genres have combined to create a new form of art.
A more modern example would be the Northern Ballet production of The Little Mermaid, coming to Nottingham’s Theatre Royal this November. Sally Beamish’s musical composition of the ballet works together with the choreography by David Nixon to create the full performance of the piece. The reimagining of the story through dance was not created after the music, but alongside it – a beautiful, multi-layered work of art.
Ballets such as The Nutcracker were created together by artists with musical and dancing backgrounds. Pyotr
Musical theatre is another excellent example of this combination of artistic genres – not only do you have music
and dance, but also the larger story is woven into and between the songs. ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked is a great song, but there are so many more elements involved when you see it onstage. Alongside the live music and singing, and the larger story that the whole of the performance encompasses, you have the physical performance of acting, the visuals of the stage mechanics, and even the costuming and scenery, much like in a ballet. Each of these aspects is art on its own, but together they merge to form an entirely new, collective piece of art. What is said here goes to show that our understanding of art is not as simple as one form or another. It involves the blending and collaboration of various forms. Composing for choreography is not the same as just creating music, and creating a dance to a backing track is different to choreographing as the music is still being developed. These multi-layered artworks should gather a greater appreciation for their complexity, and the depth they therefore have.
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HIDDEN NOTTINGHAM Amy Wilcockson
Theatres, art galleries and heritage attractions – Nottingham really does have it all when it comes to exploring your arty side. But what about the side of Nottingham freshers rarely see? Do not fear, Impact Entertainment is here to be your guide and show you the best bits of hidden Nottingham. PARK TUNNEL
Whilst Nottingham is widely known as a city of caves, the man-made tunnel is slightly less of an attracting feature. What is now a public footpath, the Park Tunnel was hewn out of sandstone in 1855 to allow entry into the Park Estate. Renowned architect T.C. Hine was the man for the job, however, the tunnel’s gradient was too steep to allow access for horse-drawn carriages, thus defeating the purpose of the tunnel’s creation. Therefore, it was left to pedestrians to use and still is today. You can access the tunnel from Derby Road and The Ropewalk.
BROMLEY HOUSE LIBRARY
Another historical gem is Angel Row’s Bromley House Library. Behind a nondescript door is the Georgian townhouse that holds a vast collection of books and manuscripts, including Alan Sillitoe’s personal collection. An active subscription library, Bromley House has over one thousand members and boasts one of two walled gardens in the city centre. If you want a glimpse of this treasure trove for yourself, guided tours are regularly offered, and a young person’s membership is just over £50.
POET’S RESIDENCE
Mad, bad and dangerous to know, but who knew Lord Byron actually lived in Nottingham city centre? Whilst his ancestral home was Newstead Abbey, located in the Nottinghamshire countryside, in 1798-99, the ten-year-old Byron lived at 76 St James Street, close to Nottingham Castle whilst the future poet was being treated for his lame leg at a nearby hospital. It was during this time that apparently Byron’s ‘passions were developed early’, as he was reportedly beaten and seduced by his childhood nurse. Today, a plaque commemorates the poet’s residence in this property.
DERBY ROAD’S ART GALLERIES
Sitting on the 34 bus into town, we travel directly down one of the city’s artiest streets. Although Nottingham Contemporary usually takes all the credit, there are other galleries that astound – most residing on Derby Road. Whilst Focus Gallery is Nottingham’s oldest, specialising in art forms from all over the UK, Framework and Lime Gallery is another haven for art lovers, which is rumoured to have a Van Gogh in the window. Masterpiece or no, Derby Road is well worth a look.
THE LARDER ON GOOSEGATE
Down in Hockley, lies not just a wonderful eatery, but also a huge part of the University of Nottingham’s own history. 16-20 Goosegate was once home to the first apothecary store of Jesse Boot, founder of the worldwide chemist chain Boots, and retains many architectural features from Jesse’s 1881 shop. The Larder also owns the original ‘Boots’ sign, the headquarters of which are still in Nottingham to this day. Indeed, we students owe Boots a lot - without Jesse’s huge success, UoN wouldn’t be the uni we know and love today, as it was he who gifted the huge parklands to the then University College Nottingham that became Highfields and University Park.
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THE WONDER WOMEN OF FILM
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Isobel Sheene Following the success of Wonder Woman, Impact takes a look at women in filmmaking, highlighting some of the film industry’s very own female superheroes.
When Wonder Woman reeled in onto the silver screen this year, it was a film that made history. Not only was it the first big-budget superhero film with a female lead, but was also the first big-budget comic book movie to have a female director – Patty Jenkins. Jenkins’s work earned the film a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. As for the domestic opening for the film in the USA, it hit over $100 million, setting a record for any female directed films. Wonder Woman proves to Hollywood that female-led movies – both on the screen and behind the scenes – are popular and profitable. But women have been demonstrating their powerful role in filmmaking since the industry began, even if they are perhaps still not as recognised as they should be. In saying that, here are some female figures in the world of film you should know by name.
KATHRYN BIGELOW
Not only is she the first (and so far, only) female winner of the Oscar for Best Director, she also claims the same status for several other awards. These range from the BAFTA for Best Direction to the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing, and the Saturn Award for Best Director to the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Director. Overall, we have here an amazing director. Bigelow’s work includes the likes of Strange Days, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, and most recently Detroit, but she’s also been a writer, producer, and actress on various projects. She knows the industry inside and out, and she was listed on Time’s “Top 100” list of influential people in 2010.
PENNY MARSHALL
Patty Jenkins may have just set the record for a domestic film opening directed by a woman, but Penny Marshall was the first female director ever to make a $100 million hit. Like Bigelow, Marshall’s talents don’t just cover directing – she has also been an
actress and producer. Films she was involved in include Big, A League of Their Own (film version), Calendar Girl, and Bewitched, and this doesn’t exclude her productive work in TV, including A League of Their Own (the TV spin-off).
JANE GOLDMAN
Going back to superhero films again, Jane Goldman became the first major female writer in this genre, penning X-Men: First Class. She has also written screenplays for Stardust, The Woman in Black, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, working mainly in adapting novels for the big screen, and she was both Co-writer and co-producer on Kick-Ass. Another person on this list to enjoy variety, Goldman has also been a presenter on her own TV show, executive producer on various incarnations of The Big Fat Quiz, and is one of the creators of Kingsman, both The Secret Service and The Golden Circle.
CARRIE FISHER
Greatly loved and sorely missed, Carrie Fisher was a big name in Hollywood due to her acting work, notably as Princess and General Leia Organa in Star Wars. Her acting was far from her only role in the film industry though. As a script doctor, she worked behind the scenes on some big movie projects, including Sister Act, The Wedding Singer, and Hook. Indeed an icon in front of the camera, Fisher was also a wonder woman outside of the spotlight.
KATHLEEN KENNEDY
As a producer, Kennedy is certainly at the top of her game. She’s worked with Steven Spielberg for roughly 30 years, including credits on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones films, and the original Jurassic Park franchise. Her producer credits accumulate to over 90 films over her career, and in 2012, she also took
charge of Lucasfilm, taking the lead in the rebirth of the Star Wars franchise – Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Kennedy also co-founded the successful Amblin Entertainment Company, and her films have been nominated for Oscars eight times. And, according to Box Office Mojo’s people index, she is third in domestic box office receipts, following only Steven Spielberg and Stan Lee, with close to $7 billion.
SHERRY LANSING
Another multi-talented name on this list, Lansing has been actress and producer, as well as heading up some of the biggest organisations in Hollywood. Formerly a chairperson of Paramount Pictures, she also became President of Production at 20th Century Fox, giving her the title of the first woman to head a Hollywood movie studio. Her film work includes producing Indecent Proposal and Fatal Attraction, and she has also worked as an executive story editor at MGM. Massive imbalances within the industry still exist – according to Women in Film, the top grossing films of 2015 had only 11.8% female writers, 22% female producers, and 7.5% female directors. This uneven gender split highlights the ongoing diversity problems Hollywood still has – but the achievements of Patty Jenkins and her peers are starting to change that, and hopefully, these numbers will even out soon enough. In the meantime, a celebration is due in for our Wonder Women. Remember them and inspire the next generation of filmmakers to both follow in their accomplished footsteps, and to diversify the talent behind the scenes in the film industry.
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THE FAULT IN OUR TV AND MOVIE
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Matthew Johnson There are a few familiarities throughout the industry of film and television. Method actors. Eccentric directors. Visionary cinematographers. The focus here, though, will be repetition in acting, as our awareness is more consciously held against this issue at surface.
We understand the names of Johnny Depp, Seth Rogen, Morgan Freeman, and even Zach Galifinakis as actors who engender specific roles suited to what people want and what works – typecasting in a nutshell. This issue presents the film industry as having a huge bias for specific actors when creating a certain type of film (which they do). The majority of us already understand the problems of racism and sexism that lingers horridly throughout the Hollywood life, but the point of this topic is to ensure people realize a possible origin: typecasting.
Inequality has been a primal issue many have dealt with, whether you’re Asian, Black, female or a non-white male, you will most likely witness or even become a part of the moments where a role is given based on one’s devilish good-looks.
One thing should be put straight; this isn’t a list, it’s an argument. I lay out an argument that bears in mind Hollywood’s obnoxious categorization of people and their personas, their cultural backgrounds and physical appearances. In saying this, we can start by looking at the obvious (and less serious) types of typecasting.
An example of racial typecasting is the comedic star, Kal Penn, of the legendary Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. In a CNN interview on his recent tweets, Penn revealed scripts and roles from the younger years given to him, all similar to an Apu-like character from The Simpsons.
The example of Johnny Depp was no joke, and yes, I know, he plays a different character in every single film. I’m not one to pry at the legendary actor, but there definitely seems to be some pattern of him playing characters that are everything but what his own mind bears. Depp’s characters always appear out of the ordinary, becoming them with ease so often it appears almost to be a self-desire to escape a matrix of his own design. Another example is the all-star comic, Zach Galifinakis, and if you’re unaware of the man, give him a Google. What’s his typecast persona, you ask? If you give him a binge watch, the oddly-funny-weirdo that suits him oh-so-perfectly is quite transparent. With film credits such as The Hangover trilogy, Due Date, and Are You Here, Mr. Galifinakis hits that weirdness without difficulty. Other’s include Michael Cera,the awkward teen in every film. Then there’s Matthew McConaughey, a classic shirtless heartthrob, and of course, Morgan Freeman, the wise old man. Another form of typecasting is one many are aware of. If you aren’t a white male actor, facing racism and sexism in Hollywood can create some serious placement issues.
A study done in 2016 by USC Annenberg on diversity and inequality in popular films presented evidence to suggest problems of racism and sexism are not mended, but flourish, both in front of and behind the camera lens.
Women experience just as much typecasting as well, and certainly at great lengths. We know the classic love interest to men, the damsel in distress, or having romantic issues with some male character they’re head over heels for. In a 2016 Telegraph interview with Salma Hayek, she bluntly remarks about the typecasting issues of mid-1990s. People of film back then would seemingly cast her as “prostitute” but never “lead prostitute,” all because of her Mexican heritage. Typecasting shakes up the inequality many encounter through all aspects of film and TV. While we see films that are generally itching to change the norm, such as the recent Wonder Woman, Hidden Figures, and Get Out, Hollywood remains a suspect of discrimination. the classic “exterior over interior” is typical Hollywood fashion, sticking to what arguably works, and people are subjected to it more often than not. The question to be asked then is: will typecasting improve 20 to 40 years from now, or simply fade to black?
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NON-LEAGUE NOTTINGHAM
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Jimmy Moorhouse Nottinghamshire is more than just a County with a Forest. Nottingham is home to two of England’s most famous football clubs in Nottingham Forest and Notts County. Forest are most famous for their back-to-back European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980, under the guidance of their legendary manager Brian Clough. The Reds still enjoy a large following, despite their decline from European glory, and currently play in the second tier of English football. County, despite their current standing in the fourth tier, are also well known amongst football fans. With records of games as early as 1862, they are recognised as the oldest football team in the world currently playing at a professional level. In fact, County’s famous black and white striped kit is said to have inspired the design behind the kit of Italian champions Juventus, and they continue to play in those colours to this day. However, County and Forest are not the only football teams that the Nottingham area has to offer, with several teams in the area currently playing football in non-league divisions. For example, Basford United will be playing in England’s 7th tier next season, after a strong showing last season saw them almost reach the playoffs in their debut term in the Evo-Stik Southern League. Managed by ex-pro Martin Carruthers, the team will want to build on last season’s achievements and try and rise even further up the English leagues. Formed in 1900, Basford United have been enjoying football for over a century, and with season ticket prices as low as £80 for adults, it is easy to see why some people
prefer the non-league team’s games to that of Nottingham Forest or Notts County, where a season ticket will most likely cost you up to five times more than that of the non-league clubs. Of course, there is the argument that you will be watching a substantially worse quality of football, but these smaller non-league clubs often have a charm to them, a family-friendly atmosphere which larger clubs like Nottingham Forest simply cannot offer.
“With season ticket prices as low as £80 for adults, it is easy to see why some people prefer the non-league” As football is becoming more and more dependent on money, non-league clubs such as these are beginning to suffer, and whilst Basford enjoyed a promising season, the same cannot be said of another Nottinghamshire-based non-league club, Ilkeston FC. Ilkeston FC were founded in 1945, and play at the New Man or Ground in Ilkeston. Unfortunately, last season they were relegated from the Northern Premier League Division, meaning that they will begin their 2017/18 season in the 8th tier of English football. At this moment in time relegation is the least of the clubs worries, as the team were suspended from their league due to a failure to complete fixtures, due to unpaid players.
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UON’S
SPORTING SECRETS Tom Monks The obscure and exciting array of university sports clubs that allow all abilities to compete on a national level.
One of the best things about coming to university is the mix of people you get on campus. It broadens people’s horizons like nothing else, and throws up opportunities that you had never even heard of. After an initial surge of proactive determination to do everything under the sun, you quickly forget about the countless clubs and societies you signed up to. However, there is always that one activity that really hits the spot, and hey presto, you’ve got yourself a brand-new hobby.
“What other sport would let you play with seals, turtles and fish or swim through shipwrecks?” Sport is no exception, and often the club that you least expect becomes your favourite new thing. Before long, you are waiting in the wings as the roar of a crowd pumps you up for battle in BUCS or Varsity. Take Korfball, for example. What the heck is that!? Well, the best way to describe it is a mix between netball and basketball, where team members of four men and four women must
alternate between attacking and defensive duties. Club President, Neil Hudson, says the growth of “Korf” at UoN in recent years is down to the mixed gender and friendly environment, as well as their success in BUCS. Neil, like many in this obscure sport, had no previous experience: “Embrace making the mistakes at the start because a lot of people are in your position as well - it’s amazing how quickly you progress”. Sub Aqua is another relatively familiar activity disguised by peculiar naming. The scuba diving club represents a uniquely cost effective chance as a student to attain practical qualifications from novice upwards, but President Eleanor Miles sums their ethos up best: “What other sport would let you play with seals, turtles and fish or swim through shipwrecks? We run trips all over the UK and the world, having visited Egypt, Lanzarote and Malta in recent years”. If you like to keep your hair out of the water, however, then maybe Canoe Polo is for you. President James Downs is keen to boast his club’s impressive BUCS record, winning overall last year, whilst stressing the relaxed attitude held towards this often-intense sport
Sources: Students Union, interviews with club presidents
is still what makes the club special: “The level of contact, competition and exercise changes in correlation to the amount of participation. Simply, the more you attend the more you will improve, yet there is no pressure to attend any more sessions than you would like to”.
“Every member is highly valued and appreciated” If you like to keep your feet firmly on solid ground, then Floorball is your next best bet. At £15 annual membership, this is one of the cheapest sports societies. The club, which plays a fast-paced five-a-side cross between ice and field hockey, is a shining example of the benefits of choosing one of these lesser-known sports clubs. President Oliver Morgan summed up the whole purpose of using your time at university to play something unique: “As a small society, most members can play for the first team, competing in a league with other university and external teams. Every member is highly valued and appreciated”.
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NOTTINGHAM’S SPORTING SECRETS Tom Monks Beyond the banks of the Trent: the flourishing world of sport clubs going under the radar in Nottingham.
Most know of Nottingham’s most successful sports teams and their importance to the city. Robin Hood county is home to two of the oldest Football League clubs, with Notts County owning the title as the oldest of them all. In their slightly shorter history, Nottingham Forest have established themselves as one of the country’s most successful teams, particularly in Europe. West Bridgford is also home to one of the county’s most important cricket grounds in Trent Bridge, where Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and occasionally England play their matches. Many, however, are not aware of the vast underworld of Nottingham’s hidden sports teams, many of which have records in their respective sports comparable to that of the city’s more famous outfits that reside on the banks of the River Trent. By far the most notable of these teams is Nottingham Panthers. The ice hockey team is to many people a household name in local sport, but to a surprising few, their success and stature has passed them by.
With a record eight Challenge Cups and the UK’s only Continental Cup, the Panthers are the UK’s most successful club, despite their solitary Elite League title. They play their games at the National Ice Centre, where the legendary Torvill and Dean, who became the highest scoring figure skaters of all time at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, used to practice. Next on the list has to be the Nottingham Caesars. ‘The Big C’ are a British American Football team that play their Division One matches at the Harvey Hadden Stadium. The last of their three division titles came in 2008, and Head Coach Barry Boseley has overseen proceedings since the team was founded in 1984. Moving to the south-west of the city, you’ll find the Nottingham Squash Rackets Club. Their team consists of UoN students and several players in the top 100 of the world rankings, who in 2017 secured the Premier Squash League title. Nottingham Rugby Club are one team who are not too far away from becoming a major force in national sport. Whilst the professionalisation of
rugby union saw the club struggle, they have since consolidated their position in the Championship, England’s second tier. Should they achieve promotion to the top flight, the club will once again play their home matches at Meadow Lane, where they had previously played before moving to Lady Bay. Our last stop takes us to the Beeston Hockey Club. Both of the Bees’ first teams play in the Premier Divisions of male and female field hockey. Defeating Bowdon of Manchester, the men’s 1st XI won their seminal major trophy in 2008. Four further National Cups followed, with a division title coming in 2010/11, and two more in succession from 2012-2014. This is by no means a comprehensive look at the hidden alternatives to more expensive games played in the stadiums on the banks of the Trent, but it certainly shows that there’s a wealth of exciting and growing sport waiting to be discovered by the masses in Nottingham.
Sources: Club and League websites
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FROM
LACE MARKET TO THE
SAN SIRO “WE ARE ARE A A TEAM TEAM “WE OF DEVILS. DEVILS. OUR OUR OF COLOURS ARE ARE COLOURS RED AS AS FIRE FIRE AND AND RED BLACK TO TO INVOKE INVOKE BLACK FEAR IN IN OUR OUR FEAR OPPONENTS.” OPPONENTS.” Kilpin, 1899
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Tom Monks Lord of Milan… but forgotten in Nottingham. It has been said - a prophet is never remembered in his homeland. And how true that is for one of Nottingham’s forgotten heroes, Herbert Kilpin, a Lace Market worker who would go on to begin one of football’s greatest dynasties in A.C. Milan. Whilst most know of Juventus’ kit sourcing via Notts County in 1903 and the inspiration that Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi provided for Nottingham Forest’s jerseys, few are aware of just how deeply the Nottingham and Italian footballing cultures are interconnected. The ninth of fifteen children, Kilpin was born in 1870 in the back of his father’s butcher shop on Mansfield Road, adjacent to the arboretum where he would go to play football. Growing up, he played for local team Garibaldi Reds, who turned out at the Forest Recreation Ground. His professional life did not automatically find him in football, however. As for many working men in Nottingham at the time, the natural path for Kilpin was initially plying his trade in Nottingham’s Lace Market. It wasn’t until an Italian textile merchant by the name of Edoardo Bosio watched him playing for teams Notts Olympic and St Andrew’s, that his pioneering football career was set in motion. At the age of twenty-one, Kilpin played for Bosio’s Internazionale Torino, believed to be one of the first Italian football clubs,but he is considered a father of Italian football more generally to his specific significance for Milan. This also made him the first Englishman to play for a foreign club. In 1897, he moved from Turin to Milan, where there was no established football outfit until 1899, when Milan Cricket and Foot-ball club was founded by Kilpin and fellow expatriates and Italian friends. Kilpin had set up a tremendous legacy. He wanted powerful colours for the team, perhaps inspired by his days in Garibaldi. ‘Rosso’ and ‘Nero’ combined to give the ‘Rossoneri’,
or alternatively, the ‘Diavolo’ (Devils), their definitive colours.
Road is a stylish new pub named in Herbert Kilpin’s honour.
After teammate David Allison served as captain for the Rossoneri’s first season, Kilpin added that title to his role as player-manager. He served as such until 1906, but continued playing as captain until 1908. In only their second season, the club won the National Title, and added two more in 1906 and 1907.
Tucked away on Bridlesmith Walk sits the Herbert Kilpin pub, which opened in 2016. The Kilpin’s array of craft beers includes one in honour of the man himself, the Kilpin Pale Ale, which is surely meant to be enjoyed after walking back from a game at Meadow Lane or the City Ground.
“The overwhelming majority of A.C. Milan’s honours did not even exist when Kilpin was drinking his whiskey mid-game to keep him going.” Despite his own success, Kilpin would have had no idea what his club would become. The world’s fourth most successful, to be precise. Indeed, the overwhelming majority of A.C. Milan’s honours did not even exist when Kilpin was drinking his whiskey mid-game to keep him going. Nevertheless, Milan’s pride in their English roots is embodied by their very style of self-naming. Only during Italy’s fascist regime have the club gone by the Italian spelling of the city in ‘A.C. Milano’. This great man was born on the doorstep of Trent students’ favourite kebab shop. It’s strange that the legacy of a man who technically (if you stretch the rules) has more major honours to his name than Brian Clough, has received very little recognition in his city of birth. That is finally changing, however. Just a fifteen-minute walk from the plaque marking his birthplace on Mansfield
Nottingham’s appreciation of Kilpin’s legacy is finally starting to catch up with Milan’s. The father of one of football’s greatest winners now has a pub, a fictional novel, a documentary film in the making and of course, an NCT Bus to honour him. Not much is known about the final years of Herbert’s life. After twenty-three games and seven goals for Milan, the utility player retired in 1908. Milan fractured the same year he hung up his boots, leading to the formation of Inter and starting one of the biggest rivalries going. He died eight years later aged forty-six, potentially due to his fondness for whiskey and smoking. Who knows what he would have to say about the unfathomable successes of the two sporting powerhouses he helped create in Milan and Italian football, or what he would think about his club’s relative decline in recent years. He would have never imagined how his legacy, which started as nothing more ambitious than a primitive pastime, would inspire efforts to honour it a whole century later. Nonetheless, in these commercialised days of the sport, a flag can still be seen flying diffidently in the red and black version a San Siro crowd, adorning the moustachioed face of their oldest hero; the forgotten Lord of Milan.
Sources: Guardian, The Lord of Milan book, BBC, YouTube
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IMPACT
THE
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Jimmy Moorhouse Ultimate Frisbee, or Ultimate, is a sport which enjoys a growing reputation amongst young, and some old, in the world today. It was in 1968, when an American by the name of Joel Silver, introduced his idea for the sport to his student council at Columbia High School in New Jersey.
Just a year later, and the first competitive match was played between two groups of students. However, as the sport becomes more and more popular, with our very own University of Nottingham fielding a team in this year’s Varsity series, one significant question arises: What is the sport actually called? Is it Ultimate Frisbee, or just Ultimate? Now, I can’t speak for everyone on this matter when I say that, if someone had mentioned the sport ‘Ultimate’ to me a few months ago, I would have had no clue as to what they were referring to. Yet officially, Ultimate is the name of the sport. For those of you who don’t know, Ultimate is conducted between two teams of seven players, in which they aim to score a point by getting the Frisbee into an end zone. Interestingly, the game is self-refereed, so the sport requires a certain level of respect and trust for your opponents, to ensure that the game flows correctly. The sport is played on a pitch roughly the length of a football field, except slightly narrower, and games can last up 90 minutes, or until one team reaches 15 points. The sudden surge in the mixed sport’s popularity has seen it become recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with hopes that it will be included as an Olympic sport at the 2024 games, which will be hosted by
either Los Angeles or Paris. One person who hopes to be competing at these games is Josh Hanham, who has represented team the GB men’s teams in 2016 and 2017. When speaking to Impact, he talked of how Ultimate “provides a great opportunity to have a go at something different, and at a higher level it introduces you to a great national and international community of hardworking people united by a love of sport.” Josh hopes to have established himself as a Team GB player in time for the 2024 Olympics, by which time the sport hopes to be included for the first time. The debate of the sport’s actual name is one which can cause some confusion, as whilst the sport used to be known as ‘Ultimate Frisbee’, and in fact continues to be unofficially known by this today, the official name of the sport is Ultimate. The reasoning behind this is that the term ‘Frisbee’ is one which is used to define all flying discs, and is a registered trademark of the Wham-O toy company. Therefore, for legal reasons the sport must be referred to as Ultimate at official events. So for those of you thinking of taking up the sport, or even those of you who were just curious, that should sum up why this upcoming sport is known as Ultimate.
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THE ANSWERS
crossword ACROSS
3 JUBILEE 4 IMPACT 8 RUTH WILSON 11 CLIVE GRANGER 13 VARSITY 15 THE GONG 16 MOODLE 17 TRENT 18 MOTORPOINT
DOWN
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DAVID ROSS LEFT LION CRISIS SHEARER WEST HALLWARD NIGHTLINE JESSE BOOT NINGBO OCEAN
CREDITS
59
THE TEAM editorial Editor-in-Chief Print Editor Online Editor
Connor Higgs Ben Baruch Nicolas Caballero
design + images Artistic Director Assistant Designer Head of Images Illustrator
Poppy Anne Malby Rhys Thomas Denise Odong Poppy Anne Malby
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sections News Editor Head of Features Features Editor Head of Lifestyle Lifestyle Editor Science Correspondent Head of Entertainment Entertainment Editor Head of Reviews Head of Sport Sports Editor
management External Manager External Managing Assistant Internal Manager
Ruby Tyler Mollie Lewington Shannon Macleod
Cover Image by Poppy Anne Malby Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed throughout are those of the writers or interviewees, not Impact as a whole.
Sarah Lindgarde Jennifer Peck Jack Taylor Elle Magill Rhys Thomas Ben Edge Isobel Sheene Matthew Johnson Emma Heasman Tom Monks Jimmy Moorhouse Just
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SEPTEMBER 2017
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