Mouth Of The Ystwyth Issue 10 (Halloween)

Summer 2025 November 2025

Issue. 9 Issue. 10

Mouth Mouth of the the of of the the of

Ystwyth Ystwyth

freshers advice - society page - guide to Aber Autumn and all things Halloween!

Contents Page: Welcome to MOTY ••••••••••••••••••••••• 2 A Note From the Editor ••••••••••••••••• 2 The History of Halloween ••••••••••••••• 3 Steven Lee vs The Man Wulf ••••••••••• 5 The Death of Third Spaces •••••••••••• 7 October ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 Aberia ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 10 Halloween Movie Marathon ••••••••••• 11 POV of an Exchange Student ••••••••••• 13

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Meet The Mouths of the Ystwyth: Welcome to MOTY! We are Aberystwyth’s Student Newspaper, reporting on anything student or Aberystwyth related – it can be art, photos, poems, short stories, comic strips, articles, reviews. If you have something you’d like to publish that is not listed above, feel free to message our Instagram or email our mailbox.

A Note from the Editor: Dear Readers, This is Mouth of The Ysywyth’s autumnal edition, including spooky themes fit for Halloween and lots of introspective pieces tailored to Aber and student life. Autumn is a season of change — this is something we wanted to emphasise in this edition of the newspaper. I hope you enjoy the poetry, photography, creative stories and articles in this edition!

Take care, Kate Stepanova

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The History of

Halloween Written by Tathan Williams

The history of Halloween is one that many might believe originated in Northern America due to its enormous popularity and mass cultural presence within its community. However, Halloween’s beginnings can be traced back to the Iron Age of Éire (Ireland) with the ancient Celtic pagans, 2000 years before Christopher Columbus would even ‘discover’ the America’s in 1492.

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Halloween’s beginning is known as Samhain (Summer’s End): a 3-day fire festival celebrating the dead and the living.

This was because of the Celtic calendar which separated the year into two halves of light (Summer) and dark (Winter).

Samhain was to commemorate this transition— a transition with the boundary between death and life at its thinnest. The fire festival was said to be a way to connect people to the spirits by paying homage to those who had passed and to drive other evil spirits and entities away. This connection was performed wearing costumes, as it was important to shield one's face from evil spirits. These costumes were made from animal hides and other elements within their environment. During the festival, it was commonplace to sacrifice crops and animals as offerings, for good luck in return. Popular games would arise within communities by playing pranks on one another and blaming them on those damn evil spirits. Historian David Skal describes the notion of life after death and living past the material world to be common in ancient Celtic beliefs and customs.

Halloween is a patchwork holiday, which means that it is an amalgamation of beliefs and customs from various societies. The Roman invasion in 43CE led to a convergence of Celtic culture to fit more in line with Christian beliefs and traditions.

This was a common practice to help convert people over to Christian faith by adopting their beliefs and customs but changing it slightly to fit the Christian narrative. Samhain would slowly shift with time to Hallowmas (mass of the saints), All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows’ Day depending on the region. Halloween is derived from ‘Hallow’— meaning Holy person— and ‘Een’— a contraction of eve. The way it was celebrated would alter in time,

with the celebration of Christian figures and sacrifices being replaced by giving to the poor. What did not change though were the pranks, which simply shifted from the evil spirits to the spirits of the saints.

The early formation of Northern America was synonymous with the separation of celebratory holidays from the Catholic Church, so Hallowmas was rarely celebrated. Halloween traditions such as costumes and bobbing for apples only started to appear with the boom of the industrial period and the surge of mass immigration, which brought over many beliefs, customs, and practices. But it was in the 19th century that more Halloween traditions started to sprout, with a mass of Irish immigrants fleeing to America due to the potato genocide (famine). The Irish brought old Celtic traditions and tales such as carving pumpkins— which derives from the tale of Stingy Jack. Jack was a trickster who outsmarted the devil on multiple occasions. When Jack died, he was denied access into heaven and hell, leaving him to wonder the earth with a carved-out turnip containing burning coal to light his way.

This was changed to an easier and bigger carved object, the pumpkin or Jack-Olantern. Playing tricks became such a problem with vandalism that treats were given out as bribes, which led to people going from door to door for ‘Trick or Treats’. The 20th century onwards saw the rise of mass commercialization and its depictions of Halloween with costumes, candy, horror movies / films, festivals, and specials. Today Halloween is celebrated by millions across the globe and garners a costume market of USD 6.2 billion in 2024.

Many have long forgotten its true origins, but its festive nature lives on...

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REVIEW: REVIEW: REVIEW: REVIEW:

STEWART STEWART LEE STEWART LEE STEWART LEE LEE VS VS THE VS THE VS THE THE

MAN-WULF MAN-WULF MAN-WULF MAN-WULF SIAN SIAN BENTHAM SIAN BENTHAM BENTHAM

Arriving at the Art Centre on Friday evening, I felt I was encountering a very distinct sub-section of Aberystwyth society. I saw trilby hats, peacoats, plaid shirts, men with similar beards, old men with tiny scarfs, and men standing alone, holding plastic cups with contemplative faces. Was this the liberal intelligentsia, I wondered, ever-present at Stewart Lee’s shows and habitually heckled by the man himself? I’d never seen so many all in one place.

Lee - perhaps unfamiliar to the average Aberystwyth student - has been active on-stage and behind-the-scenes since the 1980s, working with other creatives like Steve Coogan, Noel Fielding, Chris Morris, and Armando Iannucci, to name but a few. He is known for his deadpan delivery, political satire, and failed comedian persona (now failed, awardwinning comedian persona), frequently referring to the comedic process as part of his act.

Stewart Lee vs. the Man-Wulf examines the meaning of freedom-of-speech in comedy, kicking back at the ‘$60 million Netflix comedians of hate’, who capitalise on a casual cruelty that we find increasingly normalised. What emerges is the essential difference between the comedian and the bully: whether you’re punching up or down. He swipes at Dave Chapelle and Ricky Gervais, as well as the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, at which Jimmy Carr and Jack Whitehall (discretely) performed.

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The show, as Lee explains from the onset, is split into three parts: the first finds Lee in his familiar guise as the depressed, halloumi-chasing liberal; in the second he becomes the Man-Wulf, a wisecracking American comic, devoid of all moral inhibitions; and in the final act Lee attempts to reconcile the two, because perhaps lefties can be the tough guys after all.

This is not comedy for the faint hearted – prepare for an evening that wallows in Labour government mediocrity, the ongoing rise of right-wing populism, and the meta-physical deconstruction of what you thought your night was supposed to be – and all while a man in the latter half of middle-age sweats in his £6000 wolf costume, complete with leopard print cuffs and lapels. As you watch Lee stumble across the stage of the Great Hall, encumbered by his wolf boots and unable to subdue a swivel chair, you’re prompted to consider the purpose of comedy, as a relief from the world but also a challenge to it. At Riyadh, where performers can joke about anything except religion and the government, how much can comedy really hope to achieve?

But thankfully, Man-Wulf’s despair is peppered with surreal trivialities: Lee being put in a headlock by Michael McIntyre’s late manager, impressions of Bob Dylan at varying stages of vocal decay, and a creative reimagining of Gregg Wallace as the Full Moon.

This is certainly alternative comedy, but that isn’t to say it’s exclusive. I mean it is artfully constructed, politically resonant, sensitive to modern anxieties without conceding to them, and gleefully absurd.

The gig closed with a few words of genuine sincerity, with Lee noting that although the Saudi festival claimed to be the largest in the world, Machynlleth Comedy Festival had five times as many acts, all of whom ‘much better’ than anyone they had over there.

So, those bearded men with their plaid shirts and trilby hats, with their tiny scarves and pockets stuffed with jam jars: the liberal intelligentsia. Was I one of them now? I wondered. In my Lucy & Yak dungarees, a Times cryptic crossword book tucked under one arm, I think I was.

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Students are lonelier than we’ve ever been. Even worse, students are more resistant to getting help than ever. In a 2023 YouGov poll, a staggering 93% of students admitted to feeling lonely, with over half of them feeling too afraid to seek help for their loneliness. this seems pretty bleak on its surface, but if you do feel lonely, you’re certainly not in the minority. This collective isolation and desire for community is a uniting experience. Transitioning from high school where your social life is largely linked to your school life - to a new place where you know virtually no one is understandably jarring. Finding connection was so much easier when you had sports teams, debate club, or student council immediately after your final period. The issue comes when students don’t know how to find it again. I truly believe that community is necessary for a wellrounded and fulfilling life as humans are naturally social beings. But where is it?

In his book ‘The Great Good Place’, sociologist Ray Oldenburg outlined the three social ‘spaces’ or parts of a person’s life. The first space is the home where you spend time alone or with family, often doing domestic labour like chores.

The second is the workplace, where you work and earn a living. But most importantly to Oldenburg, however, is ‘third spaces’, like parks, gyms, cafes and clubs where we willingly socialise and connect outside of the constraints of family or work. Oldenburg felt deeply that these third spaces are fundamental to our personal and social wellbeing. How often do you go to parks or café or events to meet and talk to new people? How much of your social life is outside of work and home? If your answer is very little, it isn’t your fault. Third spaces, as Oldenburg understood them, arguably don’t exist anymore As Covid 19 forced us inside and away from the social spaces that Oldenburg believed to be so vital to our mental health, socialisation became digital, and anything ‘in person’ became daunting. More than ever young people find their community online, but as social media forces users into algorithmic echo chambers, real human connection becomes harder to find. The pandemic transformed out third spaces and moved them into our phones. But when lockdown ended and the world came out of its hibernation, our third spaces stayed online, stuck in an internet that prioritises engagement over connection.

So, what’s the answer? I feel as if the picture I’ve painted here is not so optimistic, but it can be. Community isn’t a lifeless object that one day appears before you like a lucky penny. Community is built and maintained by those in it; to be part of it, you must actively participate in it. The answer is not to let community find you, but for you to find it. This is how it works, humans finding connection over a shared feeling or interest and creating something together. I know that this is easier said than done but keeping in mind we are all just as lonely as each other, and so simply reaching out to someone cool you met in seminar for coffee is a great place to start. As intimidating as it may seem, you have little to lose by putting yourself out there. Its worth the effort it takes to pursue. Go to a societies’ social, just once, because you never know. Head to Irie’s Bar in town for a spoken word night. Try out a swing class at the church hall in Llanbadarn Fawr.

Connection isn’t looking for you, it’s waiting for you. .

THE DEATH OF THIRD SPACES Tee Speirs

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October Days wash over me, a blur of orange and brown.

The leaves dance in the wind, a familiar, wellpracticed routine.

For they are admirably versed in the ways of change.

As they embrace all, letting the bitter breeze scatter them.

Knowing not what may happen, still, they accept what comes to pass.

Beneath my feet they crunch, oh! How I miss when they were above.

By Poppy Parsons

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Aberia

By Louis So

What makes coastal Aberia different from other towns is that it has waves instead of wind. They are visual, audible, but not tangible. Their crests and troughs are shaped according to the heights of the buildings in town. But when the waves blow, the traveller will never get wet. The heart of the town is at the bottom. It is a vertical town. While its streams, astride, girdled the heart of the town, the sea hangs suspended in the middle with the sky on top. The steamboat at the pier provides a return journey to the middle sea. No one can ever tell if it is the sea or the sky that rains. It is the mind of the beholder who gives Aberia its population. An untroubled mind can always escape the throngs of men in coats and women in petticoats and jackets with black mob caps. But one is always preoccupied in some way. Books are the only accepted currency. Cakes serve as tips. Sometimes it may happen when the traveller is browsing a croquette shop, and suddenly, all people around disappear, leaving only the packed cabinets and the buildings lining the unpeopled streets. The carriages will suddenly be unoccupied. The wheels slowly stop.

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The Ultimate

Halloween

Movie Marathon For People Who Hate Horror Films With the weekend of Halloween very rapidly approaching, I feel it’s important to truly appreciate some Halloween themed media; whilst I enjoy pumpkin carving or a night out in a cute costume just as much as the next person, I’m also always a sucker for a movie night in and there a lot of movies to watch at Halloween.

But if your personality, like mine, tends to incline a little to the wimpier side, and just the idea of watching a horror movie starts to get you a little bit shaky, don’t worry! Whilst horror films seemingly dominate the Halloween film market for obvious reasons, there are still plenty of Halloween cinematic classics that won’t leave you sleeping with the lights on. This short list includes some of my favourites: it’s a collection of the comedic, the camp, the cosy, and everything in between. I’ve even thrown in a semi-niche foreign film just in case you’re desperate to appear more cultured (pretentious) this Halloween. Although a couple are technically classed as horrors, I can solemnly assure you that Murnau’s 1922 Nosferatu is not quite the same level of nightmare fuel as a 21st century slasher.

So, pick a couple films from the list, get some Halloween sweets, and watch away!

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Corspe Bride

Nosferatu

Tim Burton, 2005

F. W. Murnau, 1922

Paranorman

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Sam Fell and Chris Butler, 2012

Jim Sharman, 1975

Shaun of the Dead Edar Wright, 2004

Ghostbusters

Ivan Reitman, 1984

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Steve Box , 2005

Scooby 2: Monsters Unleashed Raja Gosnell, 2002

What We Do in the Shadows Taika Waititi, 2014

HumanistVampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Ariane Louis-Seize, 2023

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pov of an exchange student tiba saleh I am an exchange student from Germany, and right now I am spending my semester abroad in Aberystwyth. To be honest, if my home university had not offered this place, I would probably have never heard of Aberystwyth. When I first took the train after arriving in the UK from Birmingham to Aberystwyth and looked out the window, I saw hardly any buildings, justlots of green landscapes. My first thought was: What have I done? Maybe I have chosen the wrong university. You can tell I am more used to big, massive, crowded cities. During my first few days, it rained like crazy, but after that there were a couple of sunny days, and I started to explore to the city. Gradually, I began to appreciate the quietness that Aberystwyth offers. It is very different from my hometown, at first, I kept

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comparing everything and thinking how much better my hometown was.Looking back, that was probably just a form of homesickness. Change is always exciting and a bit scary, but it helps you grow and learn. Living in Aberystwyth has already been a great experience that I am really enjoying. The people here are so friendly, and living on campus is quite different from what I am used to in Germany. I immediately noticed that after my first classes. There are so many differences between the two universities. For example, in Germany our student cards are our train tickets that we can use to travel across the whole Germany. In contrast, here in Aberystwyth public transport is limited and tickets are much more expensive.

The people who have been in Germany may also tell that it is good to have this opportunity to use public transport but with the amount of train cancellations it would not bring you that far. But despite that, it still feels special to sit in class and see the sea from my window. I also love the variety of societies the university offers, there is always something going on, and it never gets boring. So, living as a student in Aber is a great experience so far, and I would definitely encourage other students to choose this university!

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Meet The Mouths of the Ystwyth: Welcome to MOTY! Papur Newydd y myfyrwyr Aberystwyth ydyn ni, yn adrodd ar bob peth myfyrwyr Aberystwyth a’r dref ei hun. Gallai adroddiadau’n dod mewn llawer o fathau: celf, lluniau, cerddi, strorïay byr, stribedi comig ac erthyglau ac adolygiadau!

A Note from the Editor: Annwyl Darllenwyr, Dyma’r argraffiad hydrefol o ‘Mouth of The Ystwyth, yn cynnwys themâu arswydus sy’n hollol addas i’r calan gaeaf hefyd llawer o ddarnau mewnblyg wedi'u teilwra i Aber a bywyd myfyrwyr. Hydref yw’r tymor o newid – dyma rywbeth oeddwn eisiau pwysleisio yn yr argraffiad hwn o’r papur newydd. Rwy’n gobeithio byddech yn mwynhau’r farddoniaeth, ffotograffiaeth, straeon creadigol ac yr erthyglau yn yr argraffiad hwn!

Cymerwch ofal, Kate Stepanova

Cymraeg

Aberia

By Louis So

Yr hyn sy'n gwneud Aberia arfordirol yn wahanol i drefi eraill yw bod ganddi donnau yn lle gwynt. Maent yn weledol, yn glywadwy, ond nid yn amlwg. Mae eu copaon a'u cafnau wedi'u siapio yn ôl uchder yr adeiladau yn y dref. Ond pan fydd y tonnau'n chwythu, ni fydd y teithiwr byth yn gwlychu. Mae calon y dref ar y gwaelod. Mae'n dref fertigol. Er bod ei nentydd, ar draws, yn amgylchynu calon y dref, mae'r môr yn hongian yn y canol gyda'r awyr ar ei ben. Mae'r llong stêm wrth y pier yn darparu taith yn ôl i'r môr canol. Ni all neb byth ddweud a yw'n y môr neu'r awyr sy'n bwrw glaw. Meddwl y gwyliwr sy'n rhoi ei phoblogaeth i Aberia. Gall meddwl digyffro bob amser ddianc rhag tyrfaoedd o ddynion mewn cotiau a menywod mewn peticots a siacedi gyda chapiau torf du. Ond mae rhywun bob amser yn brysur mewn rhyw ffordd.

Llyfrau yw'r unig arian cyfred a dderbynnir. Mae cacennau'n gweithio fel tipiau. Weithiau gall ddigwydd pan fydd y teithiwr yn pori siop crocedi, ac yn sydyn, mae pawb o gwmpas yn diflannu, gan adael dim ond y cypyrddau llawn dop a'r adeiladau sy'n leinio'r strydoedd gwag. Bydd y cerbydau'n wag yn sydyn. Mae'r olwynion yn stopio'n araf.

Cymraeg

Hanes Calan Gaeaf Written by Tathan Williams

Mae hanes Calan Gaeaf yn un y mae llawer yn credu i fod wedi tarddu yng Ngogledd America oherwydd ei boblogrwydd enfawr a’i bresenoldeb diwylliannol torfol o fewn ei gymuned. Er hynny, mae olion cychwyniad Calan Gaeaf i'w gweld nôl yn yr Oes Haearn o ‘Éire’ (Iwerddon) gyda’r paganiaid Celtaidd hynafol, 2000 o flynyddoedd cyn i Christopher Columbus ‘ddarganfod’ America yn 1492.

Cymraeg

Gelwir dechreuad Calan Gaeaf yn ‘Samhain’ (Diwedd yr Haf): tridiau o ŵyl dân i ddathlu’r meirw a’r byw. Roedd hyn oherwydd bod y calendr Celtaidd yn gwahanu’r flwyddyn yn ddwy hanner, golau (haf) a thywyll (gaeaf). Roedd ‘Samhain’ yn cael ei ddefnyddio i gydnabod y newid hwn – pryd mae’r ffin rhwng byd y meirw a’r byw ar ei deneuaf. Credir bod yr ŵyl dân yn ffordd i gysylltu gyda’r ysbrydion drwy dalu teyrnged i'r rhai a fu farw, ac i yrru ysbrydion drwg i ffwrdd. Mae’r digwyddiad yma yn cael ei gynnal mewn gwisgoedd, gan ei fod yn bwysig i warchod eich gwyneb rhag ysbrydion drwg. Mae’r gwisgoedd wedi’u gwneud o grwyn anifeiliaid a deunyddiau eraill o’i hamgylchfyd. Yn ystod yr ŵyl, roedd hi’n gyffredin i aberthu cnydau ac anifeiliaid fel offrymau, i ddenu lwc.

Byddai traddodiadau gwerinol yn codi yn y gymdeithas, fel chwarae triciau ar ei gilydd, ac wedyn rhoi bai ar ysbrydion drygionus.

Mae’r hanesydd David Skal yn disgrifio’r syniad o fywyd ar ôl marwolaeth fel rhywbeth cyffredin mewn credoau ac arferion Celtaidd hynafol.

Mae Calan Gaeaf yn ŵyl glytwaith , sy’n golygu ei fod yn gyfuniad o gredoau ac arferion wedi’u cymryd gan amryw o gymdeithasau. Canlyniad goresgyniad y Rhufeiniaid yn 43 OC oedd bod y diwylliannau Celtaidd yn mynd yn debycach er mwyn cydymffurfio yn fwy hefo credoau a thraddodiadau Cristnogol.

Roedd hwn yn gyffredin er mwyn helpu pobol i drosi i'r ffydd Gristnogol, drwy fabwysiadu eu credoau a’u harferion ond ei newid ychydig i gyd-fynd â’r naratif Cristnogol. Newidiodd ‘Samhain’ gydag amser i ‘Hallowmass’ (offeren y seintiau), ‘Gŵyl yr Holl Saint’, neu ‘All Hallows’ Day’, yn dibynnu ar yr ardal. Mae’r gair Halloween yn tarddu o’r gair ‘Hallow’ sy’n golygu person Sanctaidd – ac ‘Een’ ffurf ar y gair eve.

Dros y blynyddoedd mae’r dathliadau wedi esblygu, gan gyfnewid dathlu’r ffigurau Cristnogol ac offrymau am elusen. Yr un peth arhosodd yr un fath oedd chwarae triciau, Roedd sefydliad Gogledd America yn gydamserol gyda’r rhwyg rhwng y gŵyliau a’r eglwys Gatholig, felly doedd ‘Hallowmass’ braidd yn cael ei ddathlu.

Dim ond gyda thŵf y cyfnod diwydiannol, a’r cynnydd mewn mewnfudo yr ymddangosodd traddodiadau Calan Gaeaf fel gwisgoedd a chwilota am afalau, a daeth llawer o gredoau ac arferion draw i America. Ond yn y 19eg ganrif, dechreuodd mwy o draddodiadau Calan Gaeaf godi, gyda llu o fewnfudwyr Gwyddelig yn ffoi i America oherwydd Newyn Mawr Iwerddon. Daeth y Gwyddelod â hen draddodiadau a chwedlau Celtaidd gyda nhw, fel cerfio pwmpenni – sy'n dod o chwedl ‘Stingy Jack’. Roedd Jack yn dwyllwr a drechodd y diafol ar sawl achlysur. Pan fu Jack farw, gwrthodwyd mynediad iddo i'r nefoedd ac i uffern, gan ei adael i grwydro’r ddaear hefo meipen wedi’i cherfio gyda glo ynddi er mwyn goleuo’i ffordd. Newidiodd hyn i wrthrych mwy, fel pwmpenni neu ‘Jack O Lanterns’ gan eu bod nhw’n haws i gerfio.

Daeth chwarae triciau yn gymaint o broblem gyda fandaliaeth bod losin yn cael eu cynnig fel cildwrn. Arweiniodd hyn at bobol yn mynd o ddrws i ddrws i chwarae Trick or treat. O'r 20fed ganrif ymlaen, gwelwyd cynnydd mewn marchnata o Galan Gaeaf gyda gwisgoedd, losin, ffilmiau arswyd, gŵyliau, a rhaglenni arbennig. Heddiw, mae Calan Gaeaf yn cael ei ddathlu gan filiynau ledled y byd ac fe wariwyd $6.2 biliwn ar wisgoedd yn 2024. Mae llawer o bobol wedi hen anghofio gwreiddiau gwirioneddol Calan Gaeaf, ond mae ei natur hwyliog yn parhau...

Cymraeg

ADOLYGIAD: ADOLYGIAD: ADOLYGIAD: ADOLYGIAD: STEWART STEWART LEE LEE STEWART LEE STEWART LEE VS VS THE THE VS THE VS THE

MAN-WULF MAN-WULF MAN-WULF MAN-WULF SIAN SIAN BENTHAM SIAN BENTHAM BENTHAM

Wrth i mi gyrraedd y Ganolfan Celfyddydau ar nos Wener, roeddwn i'n teimlo fel petawn i wedi dod ar draws rhyw is-fyd benodol iawn o gymdeithas Aberystwyth. Gwelais hetiau trilby, peacoats, crysau plad, dynion hefo barfau tebyg, hen ddynion mewn sgarffiau pitw, a dynion yn sefyll ar eu pennau eu hunain, yn dal cwpanau plastig hefo gwynebau myfyrgar.

Ai dyma’r intelligentsia rhyddfrydol tybed, a oedd yn bresennol ym mhob un o sioeau Stewart Lee, tybed, ac yn cael eu gwawdio’n gyson gan y dyn ei hun?

Doeddwn i erioed wedi gweld cymaint ohonynt yn yr un lle.

llai pwerus na chi. Mae Lee yn anelu ei saethau at Dave Chappelle a Ricky Gervais, yn ogystal â Gŵyl Gomedi Riyadh yn Saudi Arabia, lle perfformiodd Jimmy Carr a Jack Whitehall (yn dawel fach).

Mae’r sioe, fel mae Lee yn egluro o’r cychwyn, wedi’i rhannu’n dair rhan: mae’r cyntaf yn canfod Lee yn ei wisg gyfarwydd fel y rhyddfrydwr ag iselder sy’n caru halloumi; Yn yr ail ran, mae’n troi mewn i'r ‘Man-Wulf’, digrifwr Americanaidd call, heb unrhyw rwystrau moesol; ac yn yr act olaf, mae Lee yn ceisio cymodi’r ddau, oherwydd efallai y gall pobol ar y chwith fod yn ddynion Mae Lee – sydd efallai yn anghyfarwydd i caled wedi’r cyfan? fyfyrwyr cyffredin Aberystwyth – wedi bod yn weithgar ar lwyfannau a thu ôl y Dydy’r sioe yma ddim i'r gwangalon llen ers yr 1980au, gan weithio gyda paratowch am noson sy’n ymgolli ym phobol creadigol eraill fel Steve Coogan, mha mor dila mae’r llywodraeth Lafur, Noel Fielding, Chris Morris, ac Armando cynnydd mewn poblyddiaeth asgell dde, a Iannucci. Mae'n adnabyddus am ei dadfeilio metaffisegol o’r hyn yr oeddech gyflwyniad deadpan, ei ddychan chi wedi disgwyl o’r noson – a hynny i gyd gwleidyddol, a’i bersona 'Comedïwr tra bod dyn canol oed yn chwysu yn ei aflwyddiannus’ (bellach yn portreadu siwt blaidd gwerth £6000, gyda chyffiau ‘Comedïwr aflwyddiannus sydd wedi a lapeli leopardprint. Wrth i chi wylio Lee ennill gwobrau’), gan gyfeirio’n aml at y yn baglu ar draws llwyfan y Neuadd broses gomedi fel rhan o’i act.

Fawr, wedi’i rwystro mewn bŵts blaidd, a methu rheoli cadair swyddfa, rydych Mae ‘Stewart Lee vs the Man-Wulf' yn chi’n cael eich annog i ystyried pwrpas archwilio ystyr rhyddid barn o fewn comedi, fel rhyddhad o’r byd, ond hefyd comedi, gan daro nôl at ‘$60 million fel her i'r byd. Yn Riyadh, lle gall Netflix comedians of hate’, sy’n gwneud perfformwyr jocan am unrhyw beth ar arian allan o greulondeb sydd bellach yn wahân i grefydd a’r llywodraeth, faint all cael ei normaleiddio. Yr hyn sy’n amlygu comedi wir obeithio ei gyflawni? ei hun yw’r gwahaniaeth elfennol rhwng y digrifwyr a’r bwli: os ydych chi’n dewis neud comedi am ben pobol sy’n fwy, neu

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Ond diolch byth, mae anobaith ‘ManWulf’ yn llawn materion dibwys swrreal: fel Lee yn cael ei roi mewn headlock gan gyn-reolwr Michael McIntyre, dynwared Bob Dylan ar wahanol adegau yn ei ddirywiad lleisiol, ac ailddychmygiad creadigol o Greg Wallace fel y Lleuad Llawn.

Mae hwn yn sicr yn gomedi amgen, ond nid yw hynny’n golygu ei fod yn anghynhwysol. Dwi’n meddwl ei fod wedi’i greu yn grefftus, yn adleisio’n wleidyddol, yn sensitif i bryderon modern heb ildio iddynt, ac yn hapus absẃrd.

Daeth y gig i ben hefo ychydig o eiriau didwyll, gyda Lee yn nodi, er bod gŵyl

Saudi Arabia yn honni mai hi yw’r fwyaf yn y byd, bod gan ŵyl Gomedi Machynlleth bum gwaith yn fwy o berfformwyr, hefo pob un ohonynt yn ‘llawer gwell’ nag unrhyw un oedd ganddyn nhw draw yno.

Felly, y dynion barfog hynny gyda’u crysau plad, a’u hetiau trilby, a’u sgarffiau bach, a’u pocedi wedi’u llenwi gyda jariau o jam: yr intelligentsia rhyddfrydol. Oeddwn i'n un ohonynt nawr? Meddyliais i. Yn fy dungarees Lucy &Yak, a llyfr croesair cryptig The Times wedi’i guddio o dan un fraich, dwi’n credu yr oeddwn i.

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Mae myfyrwir y mwyaf unig mae ni erioed wedi bod. Hyd yn oed yn wath, rydym yn mwy gwydn tuag cael cymorth. Mewn arolwg 2023 gan YouGov, mi wnaeth 93% o fyfyrwir cydnabod i deimlo’n unig, gyda dros hanner o nhw yn peri ofyd am ceisio am gymorth efo’r unigrwydd. Mae hyn yn edrych yn weddol llwm ar yr arwyneb, ond os ydych yn unieuthu efo’r teimlad o unigrwydd, rydych chi yn sicr dim yn y lleifarif.

Mae'r unigedd cyfunol hwn a'r awydd am gymuned yn brofiad sy'n uno. Yn mynd o’r uwchradd – ble mae eich bywyd cymdeithasol wedi ei plethu efo’ch bywyd ysgol – i le newydd ble rydych yn gwybod braidd neb yn wir teimlad rhyfedd. Mi oedd darganfod cysylltiad yn llawer haws pryd oedd ganddoch timau chwaraeon, clwb dadleuon neu’r cyngor ysgol yn syth ar ol eich dosbarth olaf. Mae’r problem yn deullio o’r sefyllfa pryd mae myfyrwir dim yn gwybod sut i ail-darganfod hyn eto. Dwi’n hollol credu mae cymuned yn holl bwysig am fywyd boddhaus gan fod pobl yn fodau cymdeithasol yn naturiol. Ond ble mae o?

Yn ei lyfr ‘The Great Good Place’, amlinellodd y cymdeithasegydd Ray Oldenburg y tri ‘gofod’ cymdeithasol neu ran o fywyd person. Y gofod cyntaf yw’r cartref lle rydych chi’n treulio amser ar eich pen eich hun neu gyda’r teulu, yn aml yn gwneud llafur domestig fel tasgau tŷ. Yr ail yw’r gweithle, lle rydych chi’n gweithio ac yn ennill bywoliaeth. Ond yr hyn sydd bwysicaf i Oldenburg, fodd bynnag, yw ‘trydydd mannau’, fel parciau, mannau chwaraeon, caffis a chlybiau lle rydym yn cymdeithasu ac yn cysylltu’n fwriadol y tu allan i gyfyngiadau teulu neu waith. Teimlai Oldenburg yn ddwfn fod y trydydd mannau hyn yn hanfodol i’n lles personol a chymdeithasol. Pa mor aml ydych chi’n mynd i barciau neu gaffis neu ddigwyddiadau i gwrdd â phobl newydd a siarad â nhw? Faint o’ch bywyd cymdeithasol sydd y tu allan i’r gwaith a’r cartref ? Os mai ychydig iawn yw eich ateb, nid eich bai chi yw e. Gellir dadlau nad yw trydydd mannau, fel y deallodd Oldenburg, yn bodoli mwyach.

Wrth i Covid 19 ein gorfodi i mewn ac i ffwrdd o'r mannau cymdeithasol yr oedd Oldenburg yn credu eu bod mor hanfodol i'n hiechyd meddwl, daeth cymdeithasu'n ddigidol, a daeth unrhyw beth 'yn bersonol' yn frawychus. Yn fwy nag erioed mae pobl ifanc yn dod o hyd i'w cymuned ar-lein, ond wrth i gyfryngau cymdeithasol orfodi defnyddwyr i mewn i siambrau adlais algorithmig, mae cysylltiad dynol go iawn yn dod yn anoddach i'w ganfod. Trawsnewidiodd y pandemig drydydd mannau a'u symud i'n ffonau. Ond pan ddaeth y cyfyngiadau symud i ben a daeth y byd allan o'i aeafgwsg, arhosodd ein trydydd mannau ar-lein, yn sownd mewn rhyngrwyd sy'n blaenoriaethu ymgysylltu dros gysylltiad.

Felly, beth yw'r ateb? Rwy'n teimlo nad yw'r darlun rydw i wedi'i baentio yma mor optimistaidd, ond gall fod. Nid yw cymuned yn wrthrych difywyd sy'n ymddangos o'ch blaen un diwrnod fel ceiniog lwcus. Mae cymuned yn cael ei hadeiladu a'i chynnal gan y rhai sydd ynddi; i fod yn rhan ohoni, rhaid i chi gymryd rhan weithredol ynddi. Yr ateb yw peidio â gadael i gymuned ddod o hyd i chi, ond i chi ddod o hyd iddi. Dyma sut mae'n gweithio, bodau dynol yn dod o hyd i gysylltiad dros deimlad neu ddiddordeb a rennir ac yn creu rhywbeth gyda'n gilydd. Rwy'n gwybod bod hyn yn haws dweud na gwneud ond gan gofio ein bod ni i gyd yr un mor unig â'n gilydd, ac felly mae estyn allan at rywun cŵl y gwnaethoch chi ei gyfarfod mewn seminar am goffi yn lle gwych i ddechrau. Cyn belled ag y gall ymddangos yn frawychus, nid oes gennych lawer i'w golli trwy roi eich hun allan yna. Mae'n werth yr ymdrech y mae'n ei gymryd i'w ddilyn.

Ewch i gymdeithasu cymdeithasau, unwaith yn unig, oherwydd dydych chi byth yn gwybod. Ewch i Far Irie yn y dref am noson gair llafar. Rhowch gynnig ar ddosbarth swing yn neuadd yr eglwys yn Llanbadarn Fawr. Nid yw cysylltiad yn chwilio amdanoch chi, mae'n aros amdanoch chi.

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Y MARWOLAETH O

DRYDYDD GOFODAU Tee Speirs Cymraeg

Rhestr Gorau

O Ffilmiau

I’r Calan Gaeaf (I Bobl Sy’n Casá Arswyd) Gyda’r penwythnos calan gaeaf yn dod, rwy’n teimlo bod o’n bwysig i werthfawrogi rhai cyfryngau calan gaeaf; tra bod fi’n mwynhau cerfio pwmpen neu nos mas mewn gwisg giwt yr un maint ag unrhyw un arall, dwi hefyd yn hoff iawn o nos ffilm – ac mae yna lawer o ffilmiau i wylio at yr amser hwn.

Ond os ydych efo bersonoliaeth fel mi, rydych yn peri gofid o arswyd ac mae’r syniad o wylio ffilm ofnus yn neud i chi dechrau crynu, paid â becso! Tra bod ffilmiau arswydus yn dominyddu'r farchnad calan gaeaf am resymau amlwg, mae yn dal digonedd o glasuron calan gaeaf na fydd yn gadael chi yn cysgu efo’r golau ‘mhlan.

Mae’r rhestr fer yma yn cynnwys rhai o fy ffefrynnau: Mae’n gasgliad o’r ddoniol, y gamp, y cysur a phob dim rhwng rhain. Dwi hyd yn od wedi taflu mewn ffilm tramor sy’n tamed yn niche os ydych eisiau gweld yn fwy diwylliedig (rhodresgar) y calan gaeaf yma.

Er bod rhai yn cael ei chategoreiddio fel arswyd, rwy’n addo bod Nosferatu Murnau 1922 dim yn mynd i danio eich hunllefau'r un peth ag slasher y 21ain canrif. Felly dewiswch rhai ffilmiau o’r rhestr, hol rhai melysion a gwyliwch i ffwrdd!

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Corspe Bride

Nosferatu

Tim Burton, 2005

F. W. Murnau, 1922

Paranorman

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Sam Fell and Chris Butler, 2012

Jim Sharman, 1975

Shaun of the Dead Edar Wright, 2004

Ghostbusters

Ivan Reitman, 1984

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Steve Box , 2005

Scooby 2: Monsters Unleashed Raja Gosnell, 2002

What We Do in the Shadows Taika Waititi, 2014

HumanistVampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Ariane Louis-Seize, 2023

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Safbwynt myfyriwr rhaglen gyfnewid tiba saleh Myfyriwr rhaglen gyfnewid o’r Almaen ydw i, ac ar hyn o’r bryd rydw i'n treulio fy semester dramor yn Aberystwyth. I fod yn onest, petai fy Mhrifysgol nol adre heb gynnig y lle yma, mwy na thebyg mi fyswn i byth wedi clywed amdan Aberystwyth. Wedi i mi gyrraedd y DU, ddaliais i fy nhrên cyntaf yma, o Firmingham i Aberystwyth. Wrth edrych allan drwy’r ffenest, doedd dim llawer o adeiladau, dim ond tirwedd wyrdd eang. Y peth cyntaf meddyliais i oedd: Beth ydw i wedi gwneud? Efallai fy mod i wedi dewis y Brifysgol anghywir.

Gallwch weld fy mod i wedi arfer i ddinasoedd mawr, prysur, poblog. Yn ystod fy niwrnodau cyntaf, bu’n glawio’n uffernol, ond ar ôl hynny, roedd ychydig o ddiwrnodau heulog, a dechreuais i grwydro ac edrych o gwmpas y dref. Yn raddol, dechreuais i werthfawrogi’r tawelwch wedi’i chynnig gan

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Aberystwyth. Mae hi’n wahanol iawn i fy nhref nol adref, ar y dechrau, roeddwn i'n cymharu popeth, ac yn meddwl amdan faint yn well roedd hi adref. Wrth edrych nôl, roedd hynny mwy na thebyg yn rhyw ffurf o hiraeth am adref. Mae newid wastad yn gyffrous ac ychydig yn heriol, ond mae’n eich helpu chi i dyfu ac i ddysgu. Mae byw yn Aberystwyth yn barod wedi bod yn brofiad gwych a dwi’n mwynhau llawer. Mae pawb mor gyfeillgar yma, ac mae byw ar gampws yn eithaf gwahanol i beth dwi wedi’i arfer gydag yn yr Almaen. Nes i sylweddoli hynny yn syth ar ôl i mi fynychu fy ngwersi cyntaf. Mae cymaint o wahaniaethau rhwng y ddwy brifysgol. Er enghraifft, yn yr Almaen, roedd ein carden myfyriwr yn gallu cael ei ddefnyddio fel tocyn trên, fel ein bod ni’n gallu teithio ar draws yr Almaen. Yn Aberystwyth, mae’r dewis o drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn gyfyng, ac mae’r tocynnau yn llawer drytach. I bobol o’r Almaen, mi fyddai hwn yn ymddangos fel cyfle gwych i ddefnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus, ond mae trenau yn cael eu canslo, felly does dim modd i chi fynd yn bell iawn. Er hynny, mae hi dal yn teimlo’n sbesial i allu eistedd mewn dosbarth a gweld y môr o’r ffenest. Rydw i hefyd yn caru’r dewis eang o gymdeithasau wedi’i chynnig gan y brifysgol, mae wastad rhywbeth ymlaen, felly dyw hi byth yn ddiflas yma. Ar y cyfan, mae byw fel myfyriwr yn Aber wedi bod yn brofiad gwych hyd hyn, ac mi fyswn i bendant yn annog myfyrwyr eraill i ddewis y brifysgol hon.

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Summer 2025 October 2025

Issue. 9 Issue. 10

Mouth Mouth of the the of of the the of

Ystwyth Ystwyth Our Contributors: Kate Stepnaova Demi Cooney Tathan Williams Charlotte Bulling Sian Bentham Tee Speirs Poppy Parsons Louis So Harriet Stoneman Easlish Royle Tiba Saleh Sophie Meaton Courtney Olwen Manel freshers advice - society page - guide to Aber