October 2017

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OCTOBER 2017 | FREE

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STAND TOGETHER:

ACTIVISM, ALLYSHIP & ALUMNI

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ROYAL HOLLOWAY STUDENTS’ UNION N OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ROYAL HOLLOWAY STUDENTS’ UNION N

ORBITAL BOARD EDITOR Abbie Cheeseman DEPUTY EDITOR Stephanie Bagnall

Inside

NEWS Maria Green Shannon Gray

FEATURES Dominic Barrett Amber Choudhary LIFESTYLE Victoria Chapman Chloe Buck ARTS Josip Martinčić Georgia Beith SPORTS & SOCIETIES Louisa Wicks SCIENCE & GAMING Clara Cohen OPERATIONS Joanne Archer PHOTOGRAPHY Fab Piolini-Castle MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA Emma Halahan SUB-EDITOR Michele Theil ONLINE Beth Gooding DESIGN Emma Halahan Michele Theil

EDITORIAL

COMMENT Natasha Phillips Izzy Swanson

Abbie Cheeseman EDITOR

On the back of Black History Month, this issue focuses on some extremely important topics - mainly allyship.

Allyship can take many forms: from standing up at rallies to simply appreciating the history of another culture. In this issue, Emma Halahan discusses how we should be careful of cultural appropriation, when our attempts at allyship only scratch the surface of a rich culture.

James Douglas also discusses this theme, specifically with reference to black history with Hanan Hassan, President of the Women of Colour Collective.

this doesn’t have to lead to outright activism. Simply thinking about these issues, and how it’s reflected in your behaviour, is a good enough starting point for anyone.

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Elsewhere in the magazine, Stephanie Bagnall gives us one of the most harrowing but heartwarming Debrief interviews to date.

I won’t give away the gist but, Polly Goddard, you are an inspiration to us all.

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In our cover feature, Michele Theil looks at the successes of some of Holloway’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic alumni. Was anyone else aware that Lenny Henry came to Holloway?!

One of our new comment journalists, Rachel Hains, discusses America’s relationship with gun control on the back of their deadliest mass shooting in history. She asks the question on everyone’s mind: how many more people have to die for change to happen? Let’s give President Trump a break though, he’s far too busy trying to provoke a nuclear war to have the time to think about gun control.

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I hope you enjoy reading our October issue, there are a lot of thought provoking articles that should provide an interesting read!

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I would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has worked on this issue. From the journalists, to the photographers, designers and editors - you have all proved to be incredible members.

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October issue, you’ve been a joy to edit.

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We no longer live in a world where it is acceptable to not care about these cultural issues. However,

Orbital Magazine is produced monthly by a team of student volunteers.

The magazine is published by Royal Holloway Students’ Union, but the views presented do not

COVER ARTWORK Michele Theil

necessarily mirror those of RHSU or the editorial

CO-PRESIDENT SOCIETIES & MEDIA Pippa Gentry

If you would like to make a complaint or comment

ADDRESS Media Suite, Students’ Union, Royal Holloway University of London, TW20 0EX WEBSITE theorbital.co.uk EMAIL editor@theorbital.co.uk

EMAIL editor@theorbital.co.uk

team.

about our journalism, please contact the Editor, Abbie Cheeseman, on editor@theorbital.co.uk in the first instance.

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ORBITAL CONTENTS SIGN HERE: Shannon Gray and Michele Theil write about the student petitions that have rocked our campus.

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ARMED WITH CHANCES; POISED FOR CHANGE. Rachel Hains examines why gun control is rooted in American culture and what could feasibly change.

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DEBRIEF: POLLY GODDARD Deputy Editor, Stephanie Bagnall, talks to inspiring teen Polly Goddard, a 16-year-old cancer survivor who has raised over £140,000 for charity.

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ROHOROSCOPES What have the stars got in store for you this month?

Our resident mystic, Chloe Buck, predicts your future.

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CULTURAL ALLYSHIP: MAKE IT COUNT

RUTH FOX

Emma Halahan discusses cultural appropriation in an increasingly globalised world.

Martha Lochhead meets with mixed media and contemporary artist Ruth Fox.

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HIDDEN HEROES CASSINI: THE GRAND FINALE

Sub-editor Michele Theil looks at the successes of RHUL BAME alumni.

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Camilla Imarisio outlines the Cassini probes main discoveries.

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WOMEN OF COLOUR COLLECTIVE James Douglas talks to Hanan Hassan, President of the Women of Colour Collective.

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Deputy News Editor, Shannon Gray, reports on Royal Holloway’s recent rankings.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: SHONA KINAL

TOP OF THE CHARTS

London for highest student satisfaction.

This was despite the fact that the Student Union boycotted the NSS altogether.

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oyal Holloway has risen six places in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide of 2018. This places the college as the fourth highest performing university in London and 28th in the country. The principal, Professor Paul Layzell, said: “The rise in such a highly regarded guide, is a result of our university’s commitment to its student community.

We are dedicated to inspiring our students to succeed through our high-quality teaching and world-class research.”

This decision followed the announcement that a university’s NSS ranking would become a factor of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The TEF rewards excellent teaching within universities with a ranking of either bronze, silver or gold.

Controversially this allows them to raise their fees according to their ranking.

high calibre teaching, outstanding academic support and the wide array of opportunities the university provides - all of which received a higher satisfaction score than the average Russell Group university. He commented, “with superior teaching and highly rated academic support enabling individuals to succeed across a wide range of subjects, our students consistently rate their experience at Royal Holloway as above average. I am delighted that, once again, we are a leader in London for overall student satisfaction.”

T G o p p S r S it

The Times and Sunday Times University Guide use a variety of factors to decide on a university’s position. Employment prospects, degree results and performance in the National Student Survey (NSS) all contribute to the ranking. In the 2017 National Student Survey, Royal Holloway retained its title of the top performing university in

This caused students to protest against the action, labelling it unfair, classist and a commercialisation of education.

Though, it seems that the majority of students were undeterred in their decision to provide feedback on their time at Royal Holloway.

Principal Layzell believes the NSS result was strongly influenced by the

As we start the new teaching year, it is clear that Royal Holloway is only heading onwards and upwards. These new rankings showcase the high regard in which Royal Holloway is held by both its students and The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. This will certainly have an effect on student intake in the years to come. •

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NEWS

SILENCE WILL FALL

NEWS

Natasha Lam describes Walk for Freedom, a march against modern slavery that took place in London and other cities worldwide earlier this month.

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The Walk for Freedom march is organised by A21, a charity organisation fighting human trafficking and slavery. It is an annual event that aims to get people to stand together against “forced labour, servitude and sexual exploitation”.

“are the new abolitionists”, working to end modern day slavery and grant freedom to those that have been or still are victims of slavery.

Protesters walked in silence, starting from Old Palace Yard in Westminster at 9:30am, all the way through famous London landmarks like Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.

A21’s Walk for Freedom is organised all over the world, with marches in 48 states in the US and over 20 counties in the UK. There are also participating walks in most of the EU, Australia, Canada, South America and in a few Asian countries.

They were dressed in all black and most placed tape across their mouths to represent the silencing of those that have been captured and forced into slavery. Additionally, the tape served to symbolise the lack of awareness of modern day slavery and the fact that it is not something often spoken of in the public sphere.

Charlie Blythe, director of A21’s UK division and the organiser of the walk, stated that the walk is “one of those things that makes you feel great, to do something for others… it is something everybody can do to make an impact”.

The charity’s tag line states that they

Some people tied yellow cloths around their mouths with the names of victims of slavery and human trafficking written across them, in an effort to be even more striking in their message.

In true protest fashion, protesters also held placards with specific messages

written on them. These included phrases like “slavery still exists” and “abolish slavery everywhere, forever”.

According to A21, human trafficking and slavery is “the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world, generating more than $150 billion USD every year”. Sex trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude are among the most common forms of slavery and trafficking that exist here in the UK. The Evening Standard reports that at least 40 million people worldwide are living as slaves. 28 million of the world’s total slave population are women.

Within London, most enslaved women are forced into sex work. Others work for businesses that keep them there unpaid and continually paying back an invisible mountain of debt to the slavers.

A21’s work is extremely important and following their Walk for Freedom, the charity aims to hold more events to combat and raise awareness for modern slavery in the UK and the world. •

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eople marched through London on Saturday 14 October 2017 as part of a march calling for the end of modern slavery around the world.

EGHAM MAN BURGLED Natasha Lam details a recent burglary in Egham.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

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n 29 September 2017, a burglary occurred on Hummer Road in Egham. It was at 6:50am that the victim found two men in his house, with a knife intended to threaten, demanding that the man hand over his “limited edition Rolex watch” to the thieves.

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The victim struggled with the two men, hoping to overpower them, but was unsuccessful. The men ran out of the house with the watch and the victim subsequently called Surrey Police to report the theft and the injuries he sustained.

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Surrey Police published a witness appeal on their website just over a week after the incident, seeking help in finding information about the thieves and the stolen watch. They

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hope to recover the watch as soon as possible as it “was of great sentimental value to the owner”, according to Detective Constable Hannah Clarke of North Surrey Criminal Investigation Department.

Clarke was also firm in stating that the police were “determined to trace those responsible” as the incident “has left the victim understandably traumatised”.

Surrey Police recently published an update to the situation. They have stated that the police have arrested a 24-yearold man in connection with the burglary and was subsequently released on bail until November 2nd.

It is unclear as of yet whether the police were able to recover the victim’s stolen watch.

The other burglar is still at large and Surrey Police has not released any further information about the incident.

Crimes in Egham have been on the rise in recent months. According to statistics released by Surrey Police, there have been 36 reported burglaries this year and 8 in August alone.

Burglaries account for 5.46% of all crime in Egham and many of them are still under investigation or have had no further action taken against them due to a lack of evidence.

Other similar crimes like theft, shoplifting and robbery are also on the the rise.

These crimes account for 29% of all crime in Egham, which has worried and shocked many residents in the area. •

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

SIGN HERE: Shannon Gray and Michele Theil write about the student petitions that have rocked our campus. and single study ‘pods’. Whilst these areas were quiet zones, there were no silent study spaces and some students had complained of distracting noise in the surrounding area.

In early September, student Phoebe Dormand created a petition that asked for the Health Centre on campus to be improved. She cited 8 issues that she felt warranted the petition, including but not limited to, response time, lack of sympathy, being refused appointments and having only 5 doctors and 1 nurse covering over 9000 students. Comments on the petition found that there were many other issues with the Health Centre that Phoebe had not touched on.

Elena Nikolaou, the student responsible for starting the petition, was influenced by her time in an individual study area. She was unable to concentrate on working on her dissertation because other students were being loud around her. She states: “Davison Building is a place for us to study and concentrate! It is a place for us to find peace in order to achieve our goals. We have to defend our rights and respect each other. This library was made for us, the current students of Royal Holloway. It shouldn’t serve as another building to showcase in our open days! We need designated silent study and group study areas.”

Phoebe’s petition gained over 1500 signatures and led to the SU releasing a survey asking students to review the Health Centre in an effort to recognise the issues and subsequently improve it.

Now, a new petition has been making its way around the internet, and its aim is to create silent study spaces in Holloway’s newest library, the Emily Wilding Davison building. The new building came with a new policy, which stated that there were no silent study spaces, but instead group study areas

So far, the petition has gained over 625 signatures from students and alumni alike, and the petition comments show solidarity with Elena Nikolaou’s struggle. Many comments complained about loud students, whilst others discussed the crucial nature of silent study areas. Students study in a variety of different ways and whilst group study spaces may be perfect for social learners, other students prefer

spaces, but instead group study areas

social learners, other students prefer

to study in total silence or in a more secluded environment.

The lack of silent study space has also led many people to question the closing of Bedford and Founder’s libraries. One comment drew on this frustration, alongside student exasperation over the construction period for the new building: “The university have unnecessarily closed 2 functional libraries after 2 years of construction next to student halls, and replaced them with a library that does not make use of the available space to give the extra thousand students a quiet place to study.”

It was recently revealed that the Davison building has implemented designated spaces for silent study. It is unclear whether this was always the plan or if it was as a result of Elena’s petition but, either way, it is a victory for her and everyone who signed it.

Silent study spaces have now been placed on the North side of the first floor as well as two-thirds of the second floor, including the mezzanine. •

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oyal Holloway has recently been subject to several petitions, created by students attempting to instil the change they’d like to see at the university.

Michele Theil discusses the new prison-themed bar, ‘Alcotraz’.

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ast London is home to a great many things; Olympic Park in Stratford, The Tower of London, Emirates Air Line Cable Car, a Board Game Café and the many quirky bars of Shoreditch. One ‘quirky’ bar, however, is causing controversy with the theme it chose. ‘Alcotraz’ is a new prison-themed bar in East London based on Alcatraz Prison.

The bar is only open for three months and the exorbitant entry fee of £30 guarantees an orange jumpsuit for the person to wear throughout the session, which lasts one hour and 45 minutes.

At first glance, this may seem like a fun idea for a London night out with your friends. But it’s not. It is incredibly problematic and should make us all think of the endemic issues within the prison and judicial system in Western society that are being fetishised and brushed aside in the spirit of a ‘booze up’.

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The prison system in the UK is under extreme pressure. As crime rates skyrocket, jails are left inadequately staffed, and barely coping with the overcrowding and unable to provide a standard quality of living for the prisoners.

Prisoner protests and riots are on the rise due to the disillusionment prisoners feel in regards to the prison system and how individual prisons are run.

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It was recently revealed that some prisons in England and Wales are in breach of international human rights standards due to overcrowding.

The population of prisoners has increased by 82% in the last 30 years,

It was recently revealed that some prisons in England and Wales are in breach of international human rights standards due to overcrowding.

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going from 46,000 in 1986 to 84,000 in 2017. With these strains on the system and the quality of life prisoners are forced to deal with, it is no surprise that self-harm and suicide are massive issuse that are on the rise due to the lack of mental health provisions within prison.

There are over 30,000 people in prison who have mental health issues while a mere estimated 7000 people receive help or treatment for those issues.

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

LOCK HER UP: A SHOT AT THE PRISON EXPERIENCE

In 2015, the rate of self-inflicted deaths amongst the prison population was 120 per 100,000 people while it is 10.8 per 100,000 people within the general population.

In addition, it is often those of a lower socio-economic class or of a minorityethnic group that are most affected by the failing prison system. 26% of the prison population are from a minority ethnic group. This is staggering in comparison to only 14% of the general population being from a minority ethnic group. So, a pop-up bar in a relatively affluent area of London catering to the ‘hipster’ crowd is extremely disrespectful.

These issues are currently being left unaddressed with many people not even realising there is a problem. Being ignorant of the prison system situation is understandable but not excusable in what is supposed to be a civilised society. And what is even worse is shelling out £30 for a fun quirky evening of pretending to be a prisoner without fully understanding the circumstances surrounding imprisonment. Prison isn’t fun and games in which you’re having a great time with your friends all the while sneaking in alcohol and cigarettes. It’s not the SU. Take your £30 and just go to pub; you will get better value for money and avoid this highly problematic enterprise. •

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COMMENT

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illennial usually refers to someone born in the 1980s or the 1990s, but we now see it being used as an insult. It means narcissistic, self-obsessed, lazy, ‘snowflakes’. There is a growing trend of articles bashing this generation – we’re too liberal, too obsessed with social media and single-handedly responsible for the decline of various industries.

Some of these claims do seem to be true on the face of things. For example, we are more liberal than previous generations with our politics, and we are less likely to stand for discrimination than our grandparents would have been. It seems to me that this is the nature of any evolving democratic society. We have a growing understanding of human rights and we want to be accepting of each other.

The value of this claim is lost, however, when the criticism of our liberal nature develops further. When a millennial stands up for what they perceive as an injustice, they become a ‘snowflake’ that gets offended too easily. I concede that it is likely that these injustices are much smaller than those in earlier generations. Major discrimination is much less common than it used to

THE MILLENNIAL ‘REP’ Millie Pyne explores the common reputation of millennials. be – perhaps this is the reason we now pay more attention to micro-aggressions.

Regardless, behind this ‘snowflake’ portrayal is a young person who wants to create a more accepting society. It is puzzling that this is used to degrade them into overly-sensitive children.

As for the over-use of social media, I have slightly more understanding. We grew up in the digital age surrounded by technology, but that in itself does not create this image of the ‘millennial’.

It is girls posting selfies religiously onto Instagram and guys flexing in the gym on Snapchat.

But does taking selfies really make us narcissistic? In some ways, I’m torn.

Our phones all have cameras - we like to share the highlights of our lives and we are becoming more confident in ourselves through that - all of which is not an inherently bad thing. There are some, however, that tip the scales too far and become self-obsessed.

The use of technology and social media does not make us ‘obsessed’ though.

There are lots of benefits to social media.

Businesses can use it for marketing purposes, people can communicate with friends and family and we can get news and trends almost insatantaneously. Our

ability to gain knowledge is unlike any generation before us.

Overall, millennials are described as lost; we are lazy and have no drive or purpose. I would be surprised if a millennial claimed they had never heard an older person say “in my day, we worked hard for everything we got” and that’s fair. They did work hard. But millennials are put into a position where they have to work so much harder. It is harder for us to get a job, even though we are generally more educated than our predecessors. The competition between us is incredibly fierce and, in my opinion, this has developed us into well-rounded individuals.

Is this competition the reason for our reputation? It has been said before that maybe older workers are threatened by millennials. Perhaps that is the reason for the millennial portrayal, or perhaps people really do think we are lazy amd self-obsessed.

Either way, millennials do not deserve the hard time they have been given.

We work hard and we grew up in a constantly changing competitive world that means we have to do things differently in order to succeed.

Stop bashing us and let us live. •

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

COMMENT

ARMED WITH CHANCES; POISED FOR CHANGE. Rachel Hains explains why gun control is rooted in American culture and what could feasibly change.

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s the United States faces its deadliest mass shooting, the 347th mass shooting this year alone, questions are once again being raised regarding the country’s lack of gun control. How many people have to die for change to happen?

28 people in Connecticut, 49 people in Orlando, 59 people in Las Vegas. The list of fatalities gets longer and more dizzying every day. The New York Times reports that, in the United States, there is at least one mass shooting a day. Yet, little is being done to amend or restrict the availability of the cause of these deaths - guns.

When the Titanic sank, boat safety regulations changed to ensure there would always be adequate lifeboats on board in future, so that a tragedy like it would never happen again.

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Unfortunately, the United States seem unable to follow this mentality. This reality is even more harrowing given the plethora of things that are currently regulated more than assault rifles in the U.S, some of which include mundane items such as Kinder Surprise Eggs, birth control pills and Camembert cheese - of all things. One can’t help but feel that the United States’ policies and priorities need amending.

Over the years some efforts have been made to rectify the situation. For example, after the events of Orlando, John Lewis led a sit-in during a meeting of the House of Representatives, demanding a vote on gun violence legislation. However, it was largely unsuccessful in that it resulted in no new changes.

Since then, little else has been done in the way of bringing about much needed change. It is hard not to

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;SECNAHC HTIW DEMRA .EGNAHC ROF DESIOP

Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live.

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Whilst many Americans would argue that the right to bear arms is part of being an American citizen, it is hard to ignore the fact that the second amendment was ratified in 1791. At that time the deadliest arms available to the mass public were muskets and pistols, a far cry from the semi-automatics and assault rifles available today.

Still, with 300 million firearms in the U.S, gun culture is very much a part of the American way of life.

Is it possible to consider implementing such drastic change on so large a scale, and within a country that holds guns and their right to bear arms to such a high esteem? Historian Varad Mehta claims that such drastic measures could even potentially inspire further violence.

As such, the answer has to be a discussion about potential changes that must be made - greater background checks on buyers, restrictions on highcapacity magazines and the possibility of gun free spaces such as in bars or public spaces. As Robert Kennedy said: “Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live”.

How much wiser does the United States have to be?•

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compare their efforts with other countries.

After the 1996 massacre in Port Arthur in Australia, major reforms were made by John Howard’s government. The primary reform was the banning of rapid-fire weapons - there have been no mass shootings since.

CULTURAL ALLYSHIP: MAKE IT COUNT

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: IZZY SWANSON

Emma Halahan discusses cultural appropriation in an increasingly globalised world.

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ultural appropriation is the adoption of certain elements of a culture without the consent of that community nor a full understanding of why such elements are important. It has continued to make national headlines with scores of celebrities being accused of adopting cultural icons such as dreadlocks and henna without a full appreciation of their significance to communities around the globe.

Much of the controversy surrounding cultural appropriation concerns the people who believe their appropriation is just a gesture of appreciation and a recognition of the beauty of such elements.

Fundamentally, though, this idea is rooted in an orientalist thought process which reduces items to simply ‘beautiful’ and ‘mysterious’ objects, void of any deep sentimental or spiritual significance. So how can we, in a globalised and converging world, appreciate other cultures in a meaningful manner?

At the heart of cultural appropriation is a power dynamic that stretches way back to the colonial period of our history. Our ancestors stripped continents and communities of their valuable assets, exploited populations and fundamentally left these countries disadvantaged through selfishness.

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Cultural appropriation works to strip cultures thriving amongst us of their elements of significance. This accentuates a clear ipower imbalance that results in these elements being reflected in popular culture in a relatively trivialising manner.

When we pick and choose the parts of a culture we want to sport we only ever scratch the surface of any culture’s rich history and therefore the gesture can feel hollow, however well intended. It’s this picking and choosing that feels so hypocritical to most victims of appropriation; western culture is willing to endorse R&B, street fashion and afrobeats, for example, but is very reluctant to stand up when black lives systemically come under threat.

If we can teach ourselves to be cultural allies, we can attempt to alleviate the power imbalance at play when appropriation inevitably happens in our globalised world.

Whilst we can’t rid ourselves of the histories which make cultural appropriation so uncomfortable, we can attempt to listen to the cultures we appropriate from, appropriate less and crucially, stand as allies using our privilege to create a more even playing field.•

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privilege to create a more even playing field.•

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Holly Feeny questions why we glorify misogynistic rich white men as feminist allies.

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ince his recent death, Hugh Hefner has been

NOSNAWS Ylabelled ZZI :TIDEaRC YHPARG OTOHP feminist.

Throughout his career, he

often talked about wanting to rid society of prudish attitudes towards sex, and how this benefitted women.

Through his work, he claimed to be striving for sexual liberation and through Playboy, advocated for increased birth control accessibility and the legalisation of abortions in the US. Therefore, many have described him as a feminist ally, suggesting that he did extremely beneficial work for women’s rights.

However, whilst sex positivity and feminism are both great, Hugh Hefner did nothing to benefit either of them.

His work building a pornographic empire was, in fact, intrinsically damaging, as the industry is renowned for its exploitation of women for male gain. Through Playboy, many have said that he gave women the right to their own sexuality. In actuality, all he did with women’s sexuality was take it from them, dress it up in a corset and bunny ears and hand it over to straight men.

‘The notion that Playboy turns women into sex objects is ridiculous. Women are sex objects’. Do these sound like the words of a sex-positive feminist icon to you?

Hefner’s plethora of crimes against women is impressive, really. He used nude photos of Marilyn Monroe and Madonna without their consent, for his

own financial gain. He became obsessed with Monroe, describing her as his ‘sweetheart’ and even paying $75,000 to reserve the crypt next to hers. Even in death, he felt entitled to the body of a woman he had never even met.

Worse still, he knowingly published nude photographs of a 10-year-old Brooke Shields, yet was never charged with distribution of child pornography.

This is only a small handful of the acts that Hefner committed against women. Yet, as so many rich white men do, he hid his crimes under the blanket of feminism.

As an influential figure, this was bound to garner him attention. What does attention get him? Money.

Despite the common notion that feminism is a woman’s game, everybody can, and should, be a feminist. The issue isn’t that rich, white men cannot be feminists.

It’s that they should not be labelled as feminist allies with little or no research. In this case, if you did a quick Google search, you would find that Hugh Hefner was not only anti-feminist, he was exactly the kind of chauvinistic white man that the patriarchy thrives upon.

Do your research! If you want to praise an icon, praise those who really did good under the name of feminism; Maya Angelou, Hugh Franklin, Germaine Greer, Joseph Johnson, Gloria Steinem, Frida Kahlo, Simone De Beauvoir, and many, many more.•

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HUGH HEFNER: FEMINIST OR CHAUVINIST?

THE EMILY WILDING DAVISON BUILDING: A GUIDE

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FEATURES

JOANNE ARCHER TALKS YOU THROUGH THE DIFFICULTIES YOU MAY FACE IN THE NEW LIBRARY

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hether you are approaching academia from a fresh perspective or returning to the perils of all-nighters, we are all a bit bamboozled by the newest addition to campus. Have no fear, I am here to assist.

I, a professional idiot, am here to tell you about all the terrible decisions I have made in one month of exploring!

Where are my books?

Shamefully, it took me at least three attempts to work this out. It’s still a general pain finding books, but now with a fun ‘I might ACTUALLY die researching this dissertation’ twist! To find any book, access Library Search online, type in the book you are looking for and find out where it is in the library. The first step in this Crystal Maze is to check whether it is in the High Use or the General Use collection. The High Use books are on the ground floor of the library, past the futuristic barriers that currently serve no purpose beyond adding a sprinkle of alien chic. General Use can be found on the first and second floors in numerical order, with handy posters on the doors providing some direction.

How long can I borrow a thing?

This is IMPORTANT. Take notes, get it tattooed on your forehead, whatever it takes to get this in your head. 24-hour loans are now in the High Use collection.

Back in my day, when Bedford was still used, the 24-hour loans were held in their own section.

There was an air that students should approach these books with caution - but why are they so scary? Unlike other loans that the library offers, these can’t be renewed and, as the name suggests, they can’t be taken away for more than 24 hours. The punishment for not returning 24hour loans is a £0.50 per HOUR fine. You can imagine the horror I faced when I took two 24-hour loans on a weekend to Bath!

What is the deal with the bookcases?

They are stuck together right? Well, this is where the fun starts. You too can put your life in the hands of your fellow peers.

Just rotate the wheel on the end of the bookshelf and all the shelves will roll together. All of them. More than you’d expect. Oops, was someone else looking too? Don’t forget to pull the handle below the wheel on both bookshelves either side of you so that they will lock in place - unless you want to find yourself in a Tomb Raider situation.

Not just a library though, right?

So much more. The library has its own shop – which proved handy when my 0.7 UniBall Signo Gel grip pen ran out of ink and I could quickly pop downstairs to replace it!

There is also an exhibition space, Student Services and Careers Centre. I’d also recommend the Café on the Square for your morning Starbucks. There are plenty of cosy book nooks to be discovered, so what are you waiting for? Exam season? Me too.•

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: SHONA KINAL

FEATURES

SUB-EDITOR MICHELE THEIL LOOKS AT THE SUCCESSES OF RHUL BAME ALUMNI fo ( B C fo

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n celebration of Black History Month, Orbital Magazine decided to take a look at the successes of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) alumni in the history of Bedford College, Royal Holloway College and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL).

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There are many prominent people that attended Royal Holloway and Bedford New College but there are only a few that have made such a difference in the world.

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Sarah Parker Redmond attended Royal Holloway’s predecessor, Bedford College. It is often not mentioned that Bedford College, established in 1849 “the first higher education college for women in the UK”, previously merged with Royal Holloway College to become what we know it as today.

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Redmond was a lecturer on slavery and race and was part of the American Anti-Slavery Society (AAS).

She is heralded as an abolitionist and an anti-slavery activist. As an agent of the AAS, she was sent to England to gain support from the British for the Union Army. It was during this time that she attended Bedford New College.

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Later in life, Redmond studied Medicine in Italy and became a physician. Many people voted for the new library to be named the Sarah Parker Redmond building, due to her

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inspiring story and the work she did for the abolition of slavery movement.

Valerie Vaz, a prominent labour MP, previously studied Biochemistry at Bedford College. She grew up in Twickenham, a nearby borough. Vaz qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and became an MP for Walsall South first in 2010 and was reelected in the recent snap election. She has done a lot of work for the community, including being a school governor and a member of a health authority.

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Royal Holloway has opened up a huge door for me with regards to screenplay writing and other kinds of creativity that I wouldn’t have imagined possible.

In more recent years, famed comedian Sir Lenny Henry attended Royal Holloway and studied for an MA in Screenwriting for Television and Film.

Many may recognise Henry from his stand-up career as well as his appearance in several Premier Inn adverts around the country. He is also a prominent actor, having starred in many of his own screenplays as well as having a major role with Comic Relief.

He previously graduated with a degree

in English Literature (BA, Hons) from The Open University in 2007 before choosing to attend Royal Holloway for his Master’s degree. In 2010, he began studying as a Postgraduate Research Student in the Department of Media Arts, choosing to look at race, class and gender in the film industry.

Henry has always praised Royal Holloway and really enjoyed studying here. He is quoted as saying: “Royal Holloway has opened up a huge door for me with regard to screenplay writing and other kinds of creativity that I wouldn’t have imagined possible.”

Recently, Lenny Henry was involved in a campaign led by Sadiq Khan, calling for more ethnically diverse TV programmes. Khan wrote “a strongly worded letter to Ofcom head Sharon White”, calling for BAME productions to hire BAME people for at least 50% of its staff and 30% of its senior

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HIDDEN HEROES PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: TEJAS SANDHU

personnel. This is actually Henry’s plan and is strongly endorsed by Khan, raising awareness for more diversity within the media, both onair and off-air.

Royal Holloway’s Principal, Paul Layzell, recently tweeted an article describing Vanessa Kingori’s new appointment as the Publishing Director of British Vogue. Layzell congratulated her as an alumni of RHUL. Kingori, a British woman of Kenyan origin previously studied Management and Sociology at RHUL. She will take over British Vogue’s publishing from esteemed publisher Stephen Quinn at the end of this calendar year.

Kingori used to work for the Evening Standard’s ES magazine and Esquire Magazine before being appointed as the Publisher of British GQ Magazine in March 2015; an appointment that made history as she was the first woman to lead the

male-dominated magazine.

Both GQ and Vogue are under the control of media company Condé Nast. Within Condé Nast’s 100-year history, Kingori was the first and only black woman to be appointed as a publisher. She was also the youngest publisher at the company when she was first appointed to GQ. In 2016, Kingori was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth on the Queen’s 90th birthday. She was also listed as one of the UK’s Most Influential Black Britons and sits on Sadiq Khan’s Brexit Expert Advisory Panel as a result of her impressive achievements.

Redmond, Vaz, Henry and Kingori are only a few of the amazing people that have attended Royal Holloway and gone on to do some wonderful and inspiring things for the community. For more amazing people, check out the alumni page of RHUL’s website. •

GREAT EXPECTATIONS? Oli Rushby asks if we expect enough from technology companies when it comes to innovating new products.

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he end of summer always brings a multitude of new releases in gaming and gadgetry and this year is no exception. Electronic Arts have released the latest instalment of their famous football franchise, FIFA 18 and Apple is also in full flow, with both the iPhone 8 (released 22 September 2017) and the iPhone X (to be released in November 2017) surging into the mobile phone market. However, one thing is becoming more clear every year; these products seem to become less and less varied with each new release.

that come with each new version of the iPhone on consumers is debatable. Granted, the iPhone X will have an improved screen and improved storage, but does it warrant an extra £400 on the price tag when compared to the iPhone 7?

In the case of Electronic Arts’ FIFA 18, playing the game doesn’t seem to give a different experience to the previous release, FIFA 17, in very much the same way that FIFA 17 seemed very similar to FIFA 16 and so on. While new ‘game modes’ such as The Journey are added in every few releases, the FIFA franchise certainly seems to have stalled when it comes to bringing new and exciting features to make the different releases stand apart from each other.

While this investigation has only used examples from a couple of companies in the technology and gaming industry, it is not hard to find a lack of innovation in the products of other companies either – Activision’s Call of Duty franchise, aside from the varied theatres of war, seems to offer very little in the way of variety for those spending £40 or more on new releases every year.

The only distinct difference between each release is the players featured and their respective ‘ratings’ – surely this could simply be added to a single release of the game as a yearly update, rather than forcing consumers to spend upwards of £50 for each new release?

In Apple’s case, the situation is slightly different. While each release of the iPhone will use upgraded hardware to improve the phone, the impact of the ‘upgrades’

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It’s fairly well established that iPhones are not known for their durability – surely bringing out a new phone that is going to last longer would be worthier of the increased price tag than a new phone with a larger screen.

This begs the question; why are we, as paying customers, so willing to spend hundreds of pounds on a new iPhone that will only last a couple of years, or more than £50 on a game that is essentially a revamped version of last year’s equivalent title? It is evident that we do not expect enough from the companies providing us with ‘new’ technology – perhaps it is time to demand more for the frankly excessive amount of money that we spend every autumn on technology, rather than idly standing by and accepting little to no innovation in the products we buy. •

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THE GREATEST TREASURES OF BUDAPEST Deputy Editor, Stephanie Bagnall, details the must-see attractions of Budapest.

Buda Castle

The Hungarian Parliament Building At just over 100 years old, it is a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest, as well as the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary. The building itself is incredible but you can also get guided tours of the inside when the National Assembly is out of season. Tours take a mere 45 minutes but cover the main rooms in the building, the House of Lords and the Hungarian Crown Jewels.

The historical palace complex of the Hungarian Kings in Budapest sits on the south side of Castle Hill, on what is known as the Várnegyed (castle district). Built in 1247, Buda castle was one of the largest gothic buildings in the Middle Ages. If you visit the castle, you should set aside one whole day to see it. It is not only a magnificent building, but it is also home to the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The castle also hosts other exciting exhibits when in season.

The views from the parliament building show us the beautiful river Danube, where you can take a river cruise nearby. Across the river, you can take a cruise from Batthyany Square, which is only a one-stop subway journey from Kossuth Square on the M2 line. Looking at the Parliament from a distance is the best way to take in the full beauty and harmony of the building.

St. Stephen’s Basilica

Situated at the Pest end of Szabadság Bridge, it is not only great in size but also great for shopping!

It is a large restored neogothic hall which hosts an incredible market six days a week from 6am till 6pm. This market spans over two floors with groceries and food on the bottom and clothing, jewellery and everything else you could ever think of on the second floor. It’s a wonderful place for exploring and people watching and is popular among locals. This is a particularly good place to visit if the weather isn’t so good. •

This is a neoclassical church with an imposing dome and elegant turrets. With a height of 315 feet, it is the tallest building in the city and among the largest churches in the country. The beautiful church features majestic stained-glass windows and ancient works of art that should not be missed. The Basilica was dedicated to the holy King St Stephen who was the founding father of the Hungarian State. The church hosts tours where you can visit the chapel, the famous illuminated Holy Right Hand of St Stephen and the treasury of the church.

Great Market Hall

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udapest was created in 1873 by the merger of three cities: Buda, Óbuda and Pest and now the capital of Hungary. Its inspiring architecture, beautiful river views and the world-famous 16th-century thermal baths make this city a popular attraction to many. Whether it’s a romantic escape or a squad adventure, Budapest is home to many incredibly beautiful treasures and landmarks that you cannot miss if you visit.

G N I H T E M SO O D D L U D.” “WE CO I D E W , SO P L E H O T

DEBRIEF: Orbital Magazine’s regular sit down with people inspiring change on issues that matter.

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POLLY GODDARD Deputy Editor, Stephanie Bagnall, talks to inspiring teen, Polly Goddard, a 16-year-old cancer survivor who has raised over £140,000 for charity.

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had the pleasure to visit Polly in her family home in Fleet where she lives with her parents, younger brother and grandmother. Polly kindly met me at the station and walked me to her house. We spoke about school, how our days had been so far and engaged in some general chit chat as we approached her house.

Her room, decorated with a sweet plum purple paint, is lined with strings of polaroids containing images of family and friends. She sits on her patchwork covered sofa next to her desk, very neatly arranged with all the stationary a young academic could need.

I didn’t like people pinpointing me before they knew me.” She found the treatment grueling mostly because she didn’t have the time to bounce back before the next lot of dosage.

It seemed to frustrate her in that it was limiting her from her full potential rather than the fact that it was painful.

The incredible work they do goes so far that there’s every sort of doctor under the sun there. I was very insular at first. It made me feel so small.

We start by discussing her initial diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She recounts getting ill and the doctors originally thinking that she had tonsilitis. It was in fact her mum that persisted in saying “this isn’t Polly” and “this isn’t normal”. She explains to me that there had been a lot of cancer in her family in the past and that her mum “knew what was happening when things started to look serious”.

“They sat me down and I was told by a doctor what it was. Then it was straight into the hospital... I had no time to adjust, it was like this is what is happening and off we go.” Polly tells me how she was terrified and completely taken by surprise, “when I thought of cancer before, I thought of the old lady who passed away when she was at the end of her life, not a fresh 11-year-old. I remember thinking that it just can’t be me.”

When I ask her about her first trip to Great Ormond Street she tells me how daunted she initially was. “The incredible work they do goes so far that there’s every sort of doctor under the sun there. I was very insular at first. It made me feel so small.”

Throughout the interview, however, a smile creeps over her face when the renowned hospital is mentioned, as if it’s a place that she feels at home.

On asking her about her treatment, she tells me it was long and intensive. She reels off the extensive list of pills, operations and various treatments that she

I ask her what sort of things she’s learned from such an experience. Her answer is confident and assured.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that there is always someone worse off than yourself. My best friend James passed away while we were both being treated for different diseases. Losing James when he was 13 was like gosh, things in my life could be a lot worse than they are.” Not only did Polly suffer the death of her best friend, she lost her Uncle Sam to a different kind of cancer on the same day. Words cannoy describe how difficult it must have been for Polly to lose two people she was incredibly close with during her illness.

Polly goes on to tell me about the effect that it has had on her family, “we are certainly a lot closer as a family now. I was lucky to have such a good bond with them. I spent so much time away from school and away from people of my own age, but I was lucky to have my parents there and I have a closer bond with them than most people I know with their parents. They were the support network I needed and everything worked from that bond outwards.”

We move on to the topic of charities. She recalls the first fundraising that she did for Great Ormond Street - alongside her parents she cut her most of her hair off, partly to avoid seeing her hair fall out in clumps.

She proceeds to tell me that her dad looked like an egg with his shaved head and giggles at the memory.

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remembers having to live by religiously. “It was the classic cancer look that was something I resented.

“I wondered at the time whether it would be enough or if it was something that people would actually give money for. We raised over seven thousand pound.

My family didn’t need anything but I could see that the charity did and it was an immense feeling. It was just so amazing. We came home and we kept raising money and, when I was stronger and a bit better, we went back up to Great Ormond Street and did the big presentation with the massive cheque. It was the first bit of charity work I did. I didn’t fully take it in at the time but now looking back I see how special it is.”

She smiles fondly as she mentions the people there: “I had a consultant, Nick, he was one of the biggest inspirations. The people at the hospital make the best out of a bad situation.”

Above anything else, I was blown away by how much determination such a young girl can possess. For a girl who has been through so much, so young, her confidence doesn’t seem to have been dented at all.

She looks me in the eye throughout the interview, showing a level of maturity that is beyond her years.

She goes on to tell me about another fundraiser, Mollyfest. The Kick-Ass Molly campaign raised money for three year old Molly Matthews who needed money to get treatment abroad.

“Helping to organise the event was great because I needed projects to keep me going. I didn’t want to sit and dwell on what was happening, I needed to be getting into stuff. It was certainly difficult on the day of the festival. My mobility wasn’t top notch so maneuvering around was slightly more difficult but still it was something that I was glad I was a part of.

We could do something to help so we did. We raised a total of £140,000 from that.”

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For a girl who has been through so much, so young, her confidence doesn’t seem to have been dented at all. She looks me in the eye throughout the interview, showing a level of maturity for the work that she does that is beyond her years.

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We chat about these incredible events for a while and the conversation folds into a few different directions until I ask my final question; what is one piece of life advice you would give to someone? She took a little while to reply, but then decided on “things happen in life and things will take time, your bubble will burst and life will push us. But at the end of the day, what we put into life will come back around. We will reap what we sow.”

In total, Polly has helped raise an incredible £147,300 for various charities. After Mollyfest, the ‘Kick-Ass Molly’ campaign raised a further £75,000 which makes that a total of £215,000.

Polly obtained two 8s (one 8 is the equivalent of one A*), seven As and one 6 (the equivalent of a B) at GCSE. She is now currently studying English Literature, Modern History and Politics at Farnborough Sixth Form College and is doing incredibly well. She aspires to go to university in London and to become a teacher in politics.

I was truly overwhelmed by her warm-heartedness, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Orbital Magazine wishes Polly every success in the future. •

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day, e h t f o d e en “But at th e will f i l o t n i t u what we p ound. r a k c a b come ow.” s e w t a h ap w We will re

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: STEPHANIE BAGNALL

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

GET UP, GET OUT.

Hefina Everard discusses the importance of being proactive and keeping university life fresh.

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uitcases are all unpacked. Room decorations all hung up. Snazzy new stationary at the ready.

University has officially started. With the rush of deadlines, excessive partying and sleepless nights, this academic year will fly by. However, it’s important to remember to let yourself have fun. A big thing about university life is experiencing the unexperienced; taking yourself out of your comfort zone and trying something new.

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Change can be an extremely positive thing during your time at university, bringing things into your life that you never knew you needed. It can be rewarding too.

Changing your routine can put you in a lighter mood, which can increase your levels of serotonin, the ‘happy hormone’, to give you a new perspective on life. You’ll be ready to experience anything and everything university life throws at you.

Whether it’s something small, like studying in a different format to ease the growing boredom from revision; or something bigger like joining a society on campus. It may be something you’ve always wanted to try, but just haven’t had the confidence to do. Anything is possible, once you just embrace the change.

It is so easy to be dragged down and feel unmotivated when you are left to your own devices; yet, to reach this motivation you have to be ambitious and challenge yourself. Drive yourself forward; pick something that appeals to you and go for it.

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It’s important to do things that make you happy, and if you feel happy staying where you feel comfortable, that is perfectly fine. But, if like me, you want a bit of change this year then try something new. Experience things you have never experienced and put yourself out there.

You are guiding your own path at university, allowing yourself to take control of your own future. Some may find this daunting, while others may love the feeling of freedom. The most important thing at this stage of our lives is to accept and embrace change; whether it be through our own doing or something completely uncontrolled.

An unknown author once said, “A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there,” suggesting that you start thriving only once you’ve stepped out of the familiar and into the unknown.

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Don’t let anything stop you, as when you do start to doubt yourself, you’ll slowly start to crawl back into your comfort zone, which is the last place you want to be if you’re wanting to achieve something new and different.

The most important thing at this stage of our lives is to accept and embrace change; whether it be through our own doing or something completely uncontrolled.

Try to remember that anything that improves your mental health or makes you feel happier is 1000% worth pursuing. You should never restrict yourself at university, especially when there is so much on offer.

Look for the things that make you happiest - take that leap of faith and try it. There is no harm in changing your routine, particularly when it’s for the better.

Proactivity breeds positivity, remember that. •

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LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE

NAPS: THE NATURAL PICK-ME-UP Laura Stoodley tells us about the perks of napping and its benefits.

Unsurprisingly, napping has a number of benefits including reducing fatigue, increasing alertness, and improving mood. In addition, as bad sleep can increase the amount of stress hormones and negatively affect the immune system, a quick nap can reverse the hormonal impact that comes with a night of bad sleep.

Although, napping only benefits you if used properly (think great power, great responsibility). Lucky for you, I’m here to give you a brief guide on how to most effectively nap.

Firstly, your naps should last between ten and thirty minutes. Shorter naps won’t leave you feeling as groggy as longer naps can, meaning you’ll be able to quickly get back to work feeling ready to do your best.

Next, prime time for napping is in the middle of the day — between 1pm to 3pm — because it’s least likely to interfere with night time sleep, plus you usually experience the post-lunch sleepiness between these times. Also, because this leaves you napping in the middle of the day, it is important that you make sure your surroundings are primed for sleeping.

Try to find somewhere dark, with little noise and a comfortable temperature as these are factors that affect sleep quality.

However, napping can disrupt your sleep schedule. Our natural circadian rhythm — which pretty much regulates all the body’s functions — ensures that our bodies begin to feel drowsy during the night time and awake during the daytime (I know, the wake up part of mine is messed up too). Napping too late or for too long can disrupt your body’s rhythm and leave you feeling alert when you mean to go to sleep.

So, to relate this to student life, studies show that taking a nap can improve your memory. This means a short nap after a study session can help you retain the information you just learnt and it can act as a way to reward yourself after your hard work (two birds, one stone). Student life is filled with late nights, so try a caffeine nap to give you that extra boost you need to finish your work. If you nap during the twenty minutes it takes caffeine to kick in, you’ll wake up to the caffeine boost and feel extra sharp and productive.

Whether you’re coming home from a long day at university, or settling down to write that essay you said you weren’t going to leave to the last minute but did, try a nap to get you started. It might be the best way to obtain that natural pick-me-up you need to get through the tough times at uni. •

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am a huge advocate for naps. Usually, you can find me waking up from my early evening nap and preparing for a night out, or less favourably and more commonly, settling in to grind down on a night full of homework. Lately, I’ve been wondering - are these naps helping me or just helping me procrastinate?

DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

Stephanie Bagnall urges us to step away from social media and notice the little things.

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o one can deny that we, on the whole, are a social media obsessed generation. The average person has five social media accounts and spends an average of one hour and 40 minutes browsing these networks every day, according to the latest quarterly report from Global Web Index (GWI).

After finding out about these staggering statistics, I decided to take a break from social media and delete all my apps for a month. These are some things that I learnt.

Even couples on dates or friends meeting for a coffee would subtly check their phones. It was heartbreaking. I found myself smiling more at people and giving them my full attention. I overheard snippets from strangers and small encounters progressed into entire conversations. Almost every day I was meeting new people in small but significant ways.

The small spaces of nothing that fill our everyday lives, such as waiting for buses and trains, queuing in lines, and waiting for people, were suddenly full of interesting things. I started to notice My levels of procrastication decreased things that I hadn’t noticed in ages wonderfully and it was incredible. I or seen before like spiderwebs, the was doing double the work in half the worn out pieces of material on seats time. I felt amazing. Mostly because I or just the scenery on a train journey. had more time to do what I loved with Tiny details that were strangely more the extra minutes that I had left over. I rewarding to notice rather than two was painting more, writing more and minutes of absent-mindedly scrolling feeling much more satisfied and content through an app. knowing that I was filling my time productively.

The most prominent effect of this social media break was an element Another thing I noticed was that my of detachment. I had an ugly feeling interaction with other people had of separation from everyone I was changed. I looked around and I noticed close to. At the time, I was in a foreign that 99% of people had headphones country with little access to my friends in or were so engrossed with their or family. Every letter I sent took a week phones that it became slightly terrifying. to arrive and I couldn’t receive anything

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because I was moving so frequently with no permanent address. I was missing out on what my friends and family were up to and they felt so far away that it made me miss them so much more - but that only meant that I was so much more grateful for the time I got to spend with them afterwards.

Of course, there was a strong temptation, particularly towards the end of the month, to quickly log back in and have a sneaky peak. When I finally did return, it was extremely anticlimactic. I wonder still what all the fuss is about. This break from social media has shown me that, if platforms weren’t so crucial in the organising of events and communication, then I would certainly be deleting them all.

Throughout my experience of leaving social media, I felt that I was much more in tune with what was real and less concerned with mindless scrolling. Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have helped connect us to the world but we should invest less time getting wrapped up with other peoples’ lives and stop attempting to show a more attractive version of our own lives too.

What we should do is spend more time getting reconnected with ourselves and the people around us. •

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ROHOROSCOPES What have the stars got in store for you this month?

Our resident mystic, Chloe Buck, predicts your life at Holloway for the next month.

Sagittarius

Capricorn

23 October - 21 November

22nd November – 21st December

22 December - 19 January

Love: A night at the SU will do you good, you might meet someone new.

Study: Remember to check Moodle and to not get behind on your readings.

Make a checklist of things that you need to do so that you don’t lose track.

Travel:Your heart says weekend away?

Your bank account is saying no.

Love: You need to start thinking about things long-term, don’t act on impulse, think about it first.

Study: Don’t leave it all to the last minute, plan, and don’t rush.

Travel: Virginia Waters is just round the corner, a walk there will do you good.

Love: Maybe your next love interest is sat opposite you in the library.

Study: Study is not the be all and end all, don’t let it take over your life.

Travel: A day trip to London is calling your name.

Aquarius

Pisces

Aries

20 January - 18 February

19 February - 20 March

21 March - 19 April

Love: Arguments aren’t always the worst thing in the world, sometimes they make your relationships stronger.

Study: Freshers was a while ago, maybe it’s time to take this year seriously.

Travel: Fancy a city break? Come on Orbital Magazine’s tour.

Love: Courage is all you need.

Study: Studying is so much easier when you have a cup of tea and a few biscuits to get you through it.

Travel: Kaspas is calling you, go treat yourself.

Love: Stop overthinking everything and just flow with wherever life is taking you.

Study: Check out one of the group study spaces in the new library.

Travel: Travel? I don’t think so, you definitely can’t afford it.

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

20 April - 20 May

21 May - 20 June

21 June - 22 July

Love: Life comes with many ups and downs, and as Passenger teaches us ‘you only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low’.

Study: You don’t really want a third, do you?

Travel: Windsor Park is nice at this time of year, go check out the picturesque views.

Love: Love is written in the stars for you this month.

Study: Working hard really does make you feel like you’ve achieved something, Travel: A visit to a bookshop or even borrowing books from a good friend could make a real difference to your day.

Love: Cupid is calling your name this month so put your earphones in, it may not be the best idea.

Study: Forget studying, you’ve been working too hard. Start a new series on Netflix.

Travel: Head to Imagine and try a different flavour of bubble tea.

Leo

Virgo

Libra

23 July - 22 August

23 August - 22 September

23 September - 22 October

Love: Take them out on a real date, maybe that’s where you’ve been going wrong.

Study: Deadlines are there for a reason, consider sticking to them.

Travel: Venture to a new restaurant in the area and try some new food out of your comfort zone.

Love: Don’t let your emotions override your rational thoughts.

Study: Study buddies always make studying a little more bearable.

Travel: Don’t forget about your family! A trip home is what you need right now.

Love: A partnership with an old friend might make you see your situation in a different way.

Study: Try not to let deadlines take up all your headspace, go for coffee at the Boilerhouse to clear your head.

Travel: You may be feeling confused and need to get away. A trip home is what you need.

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Scorpio

RUTH FOX Martha Lochhead meets with mixed media and contemporary artist Ruth Fox and Steven Young to discuss their latest work.

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had the pleasure of meeting mixed media and contemporary artist Ruth Fox, and Steven Young with whom she collaborated, to discuss her most recent exhibition ‘A Most Awkward Divide.’

We met atW Gallery 46 in Whitechapel, London, on the final day of her exhibition. After looking around the exhibition and being shown a few pieces by Ruth, we went into the garden to talk about her work and body hunt campaign.

“I’m looking at how we live online and how technology and science are kind of escalating to the point where it uses a lot of time out of our minds and we really don’t

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focus much on our bodies anymore. I think we are kind of losing sight of our individual physical identities and it’s affecting how we live.”

Did you have a personal experience with the mind/body divide?

I think it’s what we all call stress really. When you’re on the laptop too much or working too much, you get a bit stressed and a bit anxious. And, you have this very awkward feeling when you don’t spend enough time actually sitting and thinking about how it feels to be in your body. It’s the age of over information effecting us all.

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ARTS ARTS

I noticed one of your artworks is called the machine...

As a human species, we are very curious about what we can do with our bodies and minds and what limits we can push them to. So, obviously being curious, scientists look into things like uploading our minds separately from our bodies. It’s great we’re looking at that but its not going to help our physical identities, it’s pushing us further away.

In terms of looking for a solution, have you found one?

I think there’s an element of people focusing more on being in their bodies. Also, I think it’s about understanding that we’ve all gotten over complicated and if we went back to a simpler, more basic way of living and working perhaps, everyone would be a lot happier. But we are a species and we are going to probably, at some point, exhaust ourselves, overdo it, and maybe die out, I don’t know we’ll see it’s a bit morbid. The overall journey of the art is what I call a Body Hunt Campaign, so its trying to find what we’ve lost physically. •

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

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You can follow Ruth on Instagram @ruth_fox and Steven @thythunderbird. This is an excerpt of our conversation, to hear the full interview go to www.mixcloud.com/ insanityradio/stream/ or visit Orbital Magazine online.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: SHONA KINAL

Helena Keeble recounts hearing Anthony Horowitz talk at The Norwich Crime Writing Festival.

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he Norwich Crime Writing Festival brought together a wide range of authors, from Martina Cole, to Arne Dahl. One of the key speakers, bestselling author Anthony Horowitz, discussed his new book The Word is Murder. The event was full of wonderful insights into this new book and his writing career.

oH rof lA fo W er fo rC ht ot eg

Horowitz initially became famous for his award winning spy series, Alex Rider, and his productions of Midsomer Murders and Foyles War. Horowitz has written some remarkable literature in a wide variety of genres. However, at The Norwich Crime Writing Festival, he admitted that since he’s “sixty-two now, it’s time to quiet down” from writing multiple genres and stick to crime writing.

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The Word is Murder evolved from the idea to write a book, which explores the process of writing, originally called 10 Million Words; the amount of words Horowitz estimates to have written in his lifetime. However, he resolved to fold that material into The Word is Murder. In his new book Horowitz depicts himself as a character in the novel who, like Horowitz, is an accomplished writer, and finds himself in the middle of

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MURDER, HE WROTE

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a murder mystery. Through this he focuses on the characters unfolding the mystery, rather than the murder itself. This is something which Horowitz believes is integral to crime writing where we are “not interested in the murder but the characters”.

throughout the event, what was surprising was how witty Anthony Horowitz is despite his genre of choice being crime fiction, not comedy. When questioned about the possibility of The Word is Murder becoming a film he simply replied, “Who is going to play me? Is Clooney available?”

At the end of the event Horowitz invited the audience to ask him questions, to which someone asked about his writing process. Horowitz claims he has six steps of drafting:

Laughter ran around the room throughout the event, especially when he admitted that his wife had once explained that he had never written a romance novel because “how can you write about something you’ve never experienced?”. Perhaps a little ironic considering that the prolific crime writer has, presumably, never committed a murder, or been murdered himself.

1 – He always uses a fountain pen for the first draft, since this makes him feel a connection with some of his favourite authors - like Agatha Christie.

2 – The novel is edited around 60%.

3 – Then his son and wife read it, apparently his son is ‘totally fearless in his criticism’.

4 – The publishers edit it.

5 – The copy editor reads through it.

6 – Finally Horowitz has a last look over his finished draft.

While being thoroughly informative

The audience left the Norwich Arts Centre enlightened, inspired, and with a signed book or two in hand. Throughout his prosperous career Horowitz has had the opportunity to inspire many. Children and adults aspire to be him - something evident from this event selling out. Horowitz has a way of connecting with his readers and audience that is entirely unique; wit which inspires wonder.

At this event he encouraged everyone to keep writing. You never know if, one day, you too could write a bestseller. •

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: SHONA KINAL

LANIK ANOHS :TIDERC YHPARGOTOHP

OVERSHADOWED 23, 408 Views

Content Warning: Eating Disorders

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In Overshadowed, Michelle Fox plays Imogene (Imo), a 17-year-old girl living in Leeds who decides to ‘vlog’ her daily life. It is through the perspective of her camera that the audience are seeing Imogene becoming more and more affected by her anorexia. She becomes increasingly withdrawn from her family and friends as well as extremely defensive when her issues are pointed out to her.

Writer Eva O’Connor, portrays anorexia in an extremely interesting way by actually personifying anorexia as the character “Anna”, who is invisible to

everyone except Imogene and the audience. She is always there, telling Imogene to continue exercising and eat less. It is a stark portrayal as it explores anorexia as an overwhelming physical force.

O’Connor has had experience with anorexia herself and chose to write a play about her illness, which was then expanded into the show that BBC Three released. She also stars as the character of Anna, using her personal knowledge to craft the words that Anna says to Imogene.

A potential romantic relationship between Imo and a character named Wayne is rarely touched on in relation to her illness and focuses more on their mutual friendship. The show also looks at the parallels between Wayne’s mother’s liver failure and Imogene’s illness. Comparing an eating disorder, often inaccurately thought of to be a lack of mental control or stability, to a physical illness is a great way to raise more awareness of eating disorders and how they affect people.

Amazingly, the show is extremely powerful without acting like an instruction manual to those watching it.

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Additonally, we root for Imogene’s recovery for herself, because she is a likeable character with an engaging presence. There is no need for a satisfactory romantic ending or even a truly happy ending. It simply ends with Imogene making a “goodbye” video to her audience and admitting she has a problem. Anna reappears one last time, looking eerily similar to the girl in The Ring, standing in the background and ‘overshadowing’ Imogene in the foreground of the shot. Imogene strongly proclaims that she “will beat this” and the screen cuts out.

It is a powerful ending and draws attention to the strength in recovery, something that many other shows and films have failed to do.

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Eva O’Connor and the rest of the production team did extremely well with this show and I hope they produce additional content with equally compelling messages.

Well done, BBC Three. •

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MICHELE THEIL

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n the previous issue of Orbital, I wrote an article condemning the issues with Netflix’ portrayal of anorexia in To The Bone. I disagreed with how it glorified eating disorders in many ways and acted like a howto guide for sufferers. Where Netflix failed though, BBC Three seems to have succeeded with showing people the truth about anorexia – that it is a debilitating illness - without glorifying it or using a romantic storyline to further the plot of recovery.

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: JOE CURTIS

FISH OUT OF WATER

Georgia Beith reviews the new EP from Fish Out of Water, a folk rock band featuring lead vocals from one of Royal Holloway’s own.

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ish Out of Water is a folk rock quintet hailing from Bournemouth and fronted by Royal Holloway’s own - Maria Green. They are following up their debut album “Carp Diem” with the release of a four track EP; “Hares on a Mountain”.

Working with Talking Elephant Records, the five-piece band’s second release is decidedly more polished and presents a slicker, more cohesive sound than their first ten track album.

Their sound travels in a slightly heavier direction at times, pulling traditional folk songs into the twenty first century through reworked renditions. For a group of people so young Fish Out of Water expertly take on songs with centuries of history, churning out fresh, if not slightly experimental, music. Fish Out of Water’s revamped sound brings a new level of originality to their music, most likely largely in part due to the addition of singer/songwriter Lester J. Allen to the line-up.

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The standout song from the EP is title track “Hares on a Mountain”, a dark and moody version of a traditional folk song which can trace its origins back to the 1800s. This song showcases the combination of whimsical folk lyrics and more powerful rock sound that typifies the band. It’s also a track on which Green’s vocals shine the most – a definite strong suit of the band.

Recently, Fish Out of Water headlined the Fire Stage at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival and later this month they can be seen playing the launch day of the Oxjam Festival in Bournemouth at the Shelley Theatre. Their live performances frequently feature reinterpretations of more modern songs, alongside their original material and their emblematic reworkings of traditional folk music. • Fish Out of Water’s new EP “Hares on a Mountain” is available now on iTunes and Spotify. You can also find the band on Facebook @FishOutOfWaterUK, on Twitter @foowband and on Instagram @fishoutofwateruk.

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TICK OFF A CHEAP TICKET Rebecca Owen looks at how to make the most of London’s theatre scene.

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hen you’re 40 minutes from central London, with a return ticket for as little as £7, studying at Royal Holloway is a drama student’s dream.

However, being a regular theatre-goer comes at a hefty price if you’re not savvy about how to nab the most reasonably priced tickets. Student life is expensive enough as it is, so I’ve compiled a list of the best ways to maintain your theatre addiction and save your pennies.

Mousetrap Theatre Projects has a scheme called westend4£10 if you’re 19-25 (or theatrelive4£5 if you’re 18!) where they organise trips to the biggest shows currently in the West End, often accompanied with a backstage tour or Q&A to make the experience even better.

You can sign up for free on their website.

PROMPT offers students great deals from £16 to some of the best West End shows, and signing up is absolutely free.

Tickets are released every day from 12pm until 3pm for the performance that evening.

As an EntryPass member at the National Theatre, you can get tickets to all shows for £7.50, attend workshops and events, and get access to exclusive NT discounts. The membership is free to join via their website.

The Royal Opera House also offers its own scheme for students with tickets starting at as little as £1 for certain performances, £10 for last minute standing tickets and lots of other offers and discounts.

Similar 16-25 schemes are available with English National Opera’s Access all Arias, the Lyric Hammersmith’s Lyric Young Company, and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s BREEZE membership. Other theatres offering cheap seats include the Almeida Theatre, Tricycle Theatre and the Bush Theatre.

Another great way of getting cheap seats is called ‘dayseating’ where cheaper seats are held for those who queue up early at the theatre for the performance that day.

Box offices usually open at 10am, and most hold around 25 seats (typically front row, but often at the box office’s discretion). The price range is usually between £15-35, which is a fraction of what lots of ticket prices are in advance.

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Restricted view tickets are often sold at a lower price don’t overlook these! Sometimes restricted view means the stage is a little high up, or there’s a pillar next to your seat.

Unless these are dealbreakers for you, I’d highly recommend them. There is rarely a problem with the view.

It’s also worth noting off-peak times are usually in previews of a show (i.e. before the press night of a new show) or mid-week matinees where tickets are often sold at £10 cheaper. Additionally the BFI Southbank Cinema offers £3 last minute tickets to movies and Q&As with the cast and directors.

Join these great schemes to make the most of being a theatre-loving student without breaking the bank! •

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: MICHELE THEIL

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: LIGO/CALTECH/MIT/SONOMA STATE (AURORE SIMONNET) PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: LIGO/CALTECH/MIT/SONOMA STATE (AURORE SIMONNET)

EINSTEIN’S IDEA: Simon Williams explains why the detection of Gravitational Waves is so important.

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SCIENCE AND GAMING SCIENCE AND GAMING

Back in the seventeenth century, Isaac Newton formulated his theories of what is now called Newtonian Mechanics. This involved some object moving through some space, being acted upon by some force. Makes sense right? That’s how the world that we can see works.

If I push something, it move but it turns out to be more complicated than that. The major pitfall of Newtonian Mechanics is that it involves no mechanism to how the mysterious idea of a force works? It just seems to exist, and pop into and out of existence depending on if it is needed or not.

As time moved on, this was accepted and used until 1915, when along came Albert Einstein with his ground breaking theory of General Relativity. Einstein presented this bizarre idea of gravity being the warping of space and time itself, using the idea of ‘space-time’ being a sheet and the massive objects warp this sheet.

Imagine a trampoline: if nothing is on it, it is stretched flat. Now imagine you take a bowling ball, and place it in the middle of the trampoline.

Consequently the trampoline warps to the weight of the ball, creating a dip in the material. If you were to push a marble along the surface, it would move round the bowling ball in a circular shape; it’s path being bent by the presence of the dip in the material. Now imagine that the trampoline’s material is in fact space-time, the bowling ball is the Sun, and the marble is a planet. We can see that the planet orbits the sun by ‘falling’ into the dip of the warped space-time. Our analogy breaks down here though, as obviously our marble on the trampoline will fall into the middle of the dip.

This is because it is losing energy due to friction; our idea of space-time does not have an analogous idea of friction. Which is good for us, because otherwise we’d be flying towards the Sun! Seems like a peculiar idea, so why did anyone listen to Einstein? Being a good physicist, Einstein presented evidence for his idea: the orbit of Mercury, the innermost planet to the Sun. Using Newtonian Mechanics, Mercury’s orbit is weird. One would expect that Mercury travels around the Sun the same way every time it orbits; this is an elliptical orbit.

However, the true orbit of Mercury seems to change and in fact is not a perfect ellipse, and precesses around the Sun. This problem was called the Precession of the Perihelion. Einstein used his formulations to predict the orbit of Mercury, and did so with extreme precision. It seemed that Newton’s age-old theories were wrong, and Einstein’s idea was looking promising!

Then in 1916, Einstein released a paper describing what have come to be known as Gravitational Waves: ripples in space-time itself. If we go back to our metaphor of a trampoline: if I were to flick the trampoline at one side, a ripple would travel along the length of the trampoline moving the material up and down. The same is true for space-time, but in this case the flick has to be an incredibly energetic astronomical event that causes the actual fabric of space and time to ripple.

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Gravitational waves: ripples in space-time itself.

The event that was recorded by LIGO in 2015 was the merger of two black holes. This is when two black holes orbit each other very closely, and when they get too close they merge into a single black hole, releasing a huge amount of energy. These mysterious entities had masses that were around 36 and 29 times the mass of the Sun: that’s approximately twelve million times the mass of the Earth. It is the most energetic astrophysical event since the Big Bang.

The waves formed by the black holes have travelled through space for 1.3 billion years before they were detected by the LIGO experiment. As they travel they squash and squeeze space itself, and so as a wave passes you by, your physical shape is squashed and squeezed by the warping of space time. These changes are minute, but were how the LIGO experiment detected the waves. The changes are smaller than an atom, and thus the experiment is extremely sensitive, and has to take into account a lorry driving within miles of the experiment.

The detection of Gravitational Waves is consequently one of the most important discoveries of all time, expanding and drastically changing our knowledge of the fundamental properties of the Universe just that little bit more. It is extremely deserving of the Nobel Prize. •

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n 15 September 2015, the illusive gravitational waves were detected for the first time at the Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory (LIGO). This came 99 years after Albert Einstein released his revolutionary paper that predicted these ripples in space and time. Two years on, researchers from LIGO have received the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics for this observation, the most prestigious prize in the physics community. So, what’s all the fuss about?

CASSINI: THE GRAND FINALE T p

The Cassini spacecraft provided us with unparalleled observations on the most photogenic planet in our solar system. Camilla Imarisio outlines its main discoveries.

iscovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, Saturn and its rings have been fascinating the humankind since ancient times. The Cassini and smaller Huygens probes, launched on October 15th 1997, provided us with unprecedented details of one of the most photogenic planets in our solar system, revealing its beauty and inspiring our sense of wonder.

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The flowing liquid hydrocarbons found on Titan’s surface by the Huygens probe are thought to be responsible for such landscapes. Wind-sculpted dune lands are also found on Titan’s equatorial regions and volcano-like mounds have been spotted. Showcasing incredible landscapes and even seasonal changes, Titan provides a window into the origins of life on Earth billions of years ago.

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On September 15 2017, just weeks shy of its 20th birthday, the Cassini dove into Saturn’s atmosphere, burning up and disintegrating like a meteor. Its successful mission was to provide us with observations of Saturn, as well as its rings and moons, from a closer viewpoint than ever before. To celebrate Cassini and its journey, here are some key findings and discoveries.

Saturn’s Rings and Moons

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Extraterrestrial Life could be possible on Saturn’s Moons

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In a stable environment where liquid water, a source of energy and organic molecules composed of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen-molecules are present, life is thought to be possible. Saturn’s moon Enceladus has been found to host a global liquid water ocean, with salts and simple organic molecules, as well as intense geological activity near the moon’s south pole where jets of icy sprays spew from crevasses.

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Hunter Waite, principal investigator on one of Cassini’s instruments, said that “Cassini has shown that Enceladus satisfies almost all the present criteria that defines habitability” encouraging us to “go back and look for life.” The moon Titan is also thought to have a global ocean of water beneath its thick and icy crust. It is this cold surface which has been found to host liquid hydrocarbons that has left scientists to wonder whether it could host exotic forms of life.

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Earth-like Landscapes

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Branching channels and steep canyons shaped into Titan’s icy surface resemble landscapes as seen on Earth. Shorelines and sheltered bays lead into lakes and seas, and pebble shaped ice-water rocks are formed.

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Whilst the exact origin of Saturn’s rings is still under consideration, we have learned through studies that the rings were formed many different ways.

Showcasing incredible landscapes and even seasonal changes, Titan provides a window into the origins of life on Earth billions of years ago.

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They are on average 10m thick, though the particles range in size from grains of sand to mountain-sized blocks, and some of Saturn’s rings are thought to be formed by interaction with the moons by acquiring material from meteorite-hit moons. An outer ring is believed to be created by the water ice ‘jetted out’

by Enceladus as some of the moon’s plume material leaves the ground fast enough to escape towards the ring, rather than fall back to the surface.

Some of the moons also have bewildering shapes. Atlas looks like a typical flying saucer, Pan reminds us of a ravioli, whilst Mimas resembles the Death Star from Star Wars.

A Celebration of Science and Technology The Cassini-Huygens mission is an international collaboration involving three space agencies (NASA, ESA and ASI) and 19 countries. The Cassini spacecraft carried 12 instruments on board. The Huygens probe, which hitched a ride to Titan on Cassini’s back, had six more. This collaboration between multiple teams will become an exemplary model for future missions. • PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/SSI

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THE BUBONIC APOCALYPSE? Clara Cohen discusses the resurgence of a strain of bacteria that caused The Black Death, better known as the bubonic plague.

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The bubonic plague was an illness that ravaged most of Eurasia. It first presented with buboes, blackened and swollen lymph nodes around the armpits and groin which often leaked pus and would bleed when pierced. After that came a high fever and hematemesis, or the vomiting of blood. If the victim did not pull through in the first couple of days, then the disease would ultimately lead to death.

Though the antiquated ideas of the dark ages suggest the pandemic was caused by the wrath of God, the illness was actually cause by Yersinia Pestis. Y. Pestis or, as it used to be known, Pasteurella Pestis, was identified by a French physician named Alexandre Yersin in 1894.

It works by supressing immune symptom responses in macrophages and other immune cells. The infection can rapidly spread through different internal organs, though it focuses on the lymphatic system, resulting in the recognisable buboes. Although the Black Death seemed to disappear entirely in 1670, outbreaks of the plague still appear to this day.

In today’s world, the disease is most commonly found throughout America, Africa and Asia. In 1995, there was an outbreak of the bubonic plague in Majunga, Madagascar. Majunga is a port city, to the North of the island. The scientists who studied the plague cases feared that the maritime movement to and from the city would increase the spread of the epidemic. In the 14th Century, plague fleas were carried by rats, which were transported across the channel from Europe by boats. These vessels became known as Plague Ships. Although outbreaks in

port cities were never sustained for too long, unless the rats and fleas could find a suitable habitat, the disease was fatal to many inhabitants of Majunga.

Of the 394 tested individuals, 15.2% were confirmed to have the plague and, after 9 months, 24 victims had died.

Over the course of the 20th Century, 805 individuals had probable or confirmed cases of the bubonic plague in the United States of America. A study showed that the plague was found to be present for one or more years in 14 out of 25 countries in Latin America. Although the modern day outbreaks have avoided Europe, the effects of climate change and globalization could risk the safety of the European population.

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In 1995, there was an outbreak of

the bubonic plague in Majunga, Madagascar. Of the 394 tested individuals, 15.2% were confirmed to have the plague and, after 9 months, 24 victims had died.

The Black Death, stopped being a major threat over 400 years ago, but it is still active around the world and still poses a risk to our health, with over 3000 cases reported annually to the World Health Organisation.

New strains of Y. Pestis which possess a high-level resistance to antimicrobial agents have been discovered in the past 20 years. These strains are not isolated incidents, but potentially the emergence of a new global threat to public health.

A second Black Death that sweeps the earth is a very real possibility in this age of high-speed transport, and if we can’t find a new treatment for the resistant strains, we might not be able to avoid it. •

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he Black Death, or bubonic plague, is one of the most infamous epidemics of the western world.

The disease spread across most of Europe, killing between 75 and 250 million people in the space of 7 years. The plague was caused by Yersinia Pestis, a bacterium of the enterobacteriaceae family which could kill an infected human in 3 to 7 days. This particular strain of bacterium has reappeared multiple times since the 14th century, but could we expect to see a full resurgence of the bubonic plague in our modern times?

WOMEN OF COLOUR COLLECTIVE J

James Douglas talks to Hanan Hassan, new President of the Women of Colour Collective.

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Hi Hanan, could you tell me a bit more about your society and what it stands for?

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We were founded in 2015 and what we wanted to do was to address intersectionality more on campus. We focus not just on women, but particularly women of colour. So we’re doing a lot campaigns for Black History Month and big events like ‘Why is My Curriculum so White’. We’ll be arguing the case against exactly that. We also look at the other marginalised groups and campaigns that focus on Muslim women and female genital mutilation – things that don’t necessarily get that much coverage.

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Is your society inclusive of people that aren’t women of colour?

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Yeah, it’s definitely inclusive of everyone.

We’re here for men, women, white people, people of other ethnicities; everyone.

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Okay so, big question, what does Black History Month mean to you?

So I think Black History Month to me is an opportunity to understand that in Britain, there has been an uphill battle for civil rights and I think it took a really long time for all people to recognise that. From the Magna Carta all the way to the late 60s, we have not had it easy. I think that this month is about recognising people who have done great things despite adversity.

Do you think it’s still important to commemorate and celebrate it?

I’ve heard people say Black History Month is good, but it’s only one month so what happens in all the other months of the year?

I don’t know - that’s a big question. I think there is definitely the case of saying that no one month should be dedicated to anyone. But it’s the same for International Women’s Day and Women’s Month.

I think, in an ideal world, Black History Month would be every day, where it is integrated into our education and everyday lives. But it isn’t. So, until we accept and integrate black history into British history, I think we will still need a month.

What do you think the general reactions and responses are to Black History Month?

People on campus have a really interesting relationship with Black History Month. The University of Kent had Zayn Malik and Sadiq Khan as the figureheads for Black History which I think is really stupid because they aren’t black. I think that there’s almost a predisposition where people want to put all people of colour into a box. Obviously, Sadiq Khan doesn’t speak for black people, and black people don’t speak for Sadiq Khan. We’re both people of colour but we aren’t the same.

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I definitely agree with you there. How do you think Black History Month will or can be moved forward?

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I think it was only recently that people realised the significance of people like Nelson Mandela, but there are still loads of hidden figures like Paul Stevenson who, in the 60s, led a revolution against a Bristol bass company for not hiring black and Asian people. There are so many other people who have done things that aren’t recognised.

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Final question, in terms of Black History Month: do you feel like you’ve always known a lot about it or is it just something you’re a lot more clued into now that you’re older?

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I think it’s definitely not something I’ve always understood. Since I’ve become older I’ve definitely understood or am beginning to understand the significance of everything. The society [Women’s of Colour Collective] has really helped me with feeling like it’s okay to take pride in your history and culture which I didn’t really do when I was younger. I was very ashamed of where I grew up and how I grew up. But not anymore! •

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: ADRIHANI RASHIDI

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Olaoluwa Olupona, President of African and Carribean Society (ACS) responds: For me, Black History Month represents an opportunity to highlight historical figures past and present. In recent years, I have seen the focus on that month shift as I have gone through secondary school to university. The stories of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks were drilled into us all at a young age but, as I grew older, I understood their true significance. In the current times of racial discrimination, we highlight such people in helping shape America in the past. But there are black Britons whose success and history can sometimes be overlooked. From Olaudah Equiano to Skepta, the list can go on. For me, this month helps me to feel proud of all the things black people have done universally. •

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Louisa Wicks and Abbie Cheeseman speak to Poppy Faithfull, President of one of Royal Holloway’s newest societies.

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he newly ratified Refugee Society is the newest of the political and ideological societies on campus. According to Faithfull, it “provides students with the opportunity to help aid and support the refugee community.”

is going to involve students living on just £1 a day for five days. The steely determination of these students will raise money for the important work that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees do. The society explains that “the UN agency stands up for the rights and well-being of more than 60 million refugees and displaced people worldwide.”

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She tells us that “an unprecedented 65.6 million people around the world have been forced to flee from their home. Among them 22.5 million are refugees and over half are under the age of 18.” These are the highest levels of displacement on record and the society are aiming to support in any way that they can.

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Refugee Society’s primary aim is to make a difference. Faithfull tells us that Royal Holloway is “lucky enough to have a student body that is truly passionate about the refugee crisis and this society allows them to turn that passion into action.”

They are also in contact with a refugee centre in Calais who need urgent food supplies to serve over 2,500 meals a day. On top of this, they are collaborating with Music Society to host an evening of live music at The Packhorse in aid of refugees.

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Their first society fundraiser of the year, Living Below the Poverty Line,

#WithRefugees is the primary campaign that the society are supporting this year.

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Their fundraising efforts do not stop there. They are also teaming up with Bloody Good Period, a charity who provide sanitary supplies for asylum seekers, refugees and those who can’t afford them.

The global campaign urges governments to ensure that every refugee child gets an education, that every refugee family has somewhere safe to live, and that every refugee can work and support their families.

For those who are interested in learning more about the refugee crisis, the society are hosting a number of guest speakers in the coming months. They are kicking the series off with Royal Holloway’s own PIR lecturer, and cofounder of Refugees’ Say, Dr Will Jones.

They are also bringing the founder of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) to campus to talk about the hardships and challenges that refugee women face. The events will be free for Refugee Society members and just a small donation to a refugee charity for non-members.

If you would like to hear more about the society, you can contact them at refugeesociety@su.rhul.ac.uk or on the RHULRefugeeSociety Facebook page. •

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: FAB PIOLINI-CASTLE

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YOU FEEL?

Sports & Socs Editor Louisa Wicks heads to Toast to find out about CoppaFeel!, a charity that encourages people to keep an eye on their boobs.

What are you planning for this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

Do you have any tips on how people can check themselves at home?

We have so much planned for ‘Boob Month’ as we call it. From selling tattoos at Toast, getting the football team training in bras and even the classic bake sale, we hope to be unavoidable during the whole month of October.

First of all, can you explain what your key aims are as a society?

Our most exciting plan this year is to hold our very own Coppafeel! Glitter Party in December, so watch this space!

We are also hoping to put on a karaoke night, a quiz night and everything we can to make sure that everyone on campus is checking their pecs and boobs!

There is no specific way to check yourself. It’s just about having a feel and learning what is normal. Breast tissue starts under the armpit and stretches all the way to the collar bone, and everyone has it (even guys!) so it’s integral to have a good feel every so often. Aside from feeling for lumps, look for changes in the nipple and texture.

For more pointers on what to look out for, visit the Coppafeel! website, or chat to a member of the Uni Boob Team.

We work with CoppaFeel!, a breast cancer awareness society which works to stamp out the late detection of breast cancer in young men and women. So many young people don’t realise that they are at risk of breast cancer, and as a result they don’t feel the need to check themselves! We want to get as many people as possible regularly checking their boobs or pecs. It’s all about getting to know what’s normal for you, so that when something doesn’t seem quite right, you are confident enough to go to the doctor and get it checked out before it becomes something scary. We also raise money for CoppaFeel!, so that they can carry on spreading their important message.

Have you got any other big plans for this year?

Why is it so important for people to check themselves?

The founder of Coppafeel!, Kris Hallenga, ignored a lump in her breast for months.

Aged just 23 she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, and has been living with it ever since. Along with her sister Maren, Kris set up Coppafeel! in the hope that young people would check their boobs and pecs regularly and take action if necessary.

Finally, how can people get involved with your society?

If you would like to help raise money and awareness for an incredible, invaluably important cause that could save someone’s life, drop us a message on any of our social media! It’s ‘Royal Holloway Uni Boob Team’ on Facebook, @ubtrhul on Twitter and @ubt_rhul on Instagram.

RHUL’s Uni Boob Team also have a monthly text service, reminding subscribers to check their boobs.

Text UBT RHUL to 70500 now! •

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ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, one of the biggest and most successful social awareness campaigns. Breast cancer can affect each and every one of us and groups such as Royal Holloway’s Uni Boob Team are working hard to make sure that people know about the risks. When I spoke to the society’s president, Francesca Mills, I found out what their plans and goals are for this year.

THE PUZZLES 4

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Across 2 3 7 9 11 15 16

Break a mirror, ___ years of bad luck (5) Which bridge is near the Budapest Market Hall? (9,6) Who haunts the old hall behind Founders? (4,8) The famous seasonal Starbucks drink (7,5,5) What do you carve at Halloween? (7) Author of the new book ‘The Word is Murder’ (7,8) Where was the film ‘Scream’ set? (10)

Down 1 2 4 5 6 8 10 12 13 14

Another name for the Bubonic plague (3,5,5) Halloween originated from which ancient Celtic festival (7) The name of Ruth Fox and Steven Young’s most recent exhibition (1,4,7,6) 400 Million is the net worth of this horror novelist (7,4) Roman goddess of fruit and trees – (where ‘apple bobbing’ came from) (6) The name of the Thorpe Park Halloween themed event (6,5) November 1st, or ‘All Saint’s Day’ was created by... (4,7) BBC Three’s new show about eating disorders (12) The debut album from the band ‘Fish Out of Water’ (4,4) Which famous football game came out on the 29 September 2017? (4,2) Easy

Sudoku is easy to play and the rules are simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 through 9.

Difficult

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MEATBALL MELT Meatball Melts are a fun and delicious way to spice up your regular pasta and sauce recipe. Great for cheese lovers, this recipe is sure to be a house hit!

500g Beef Mince 1 Egg Salt and Pepper 1 Tsp Thyme Mozzarella

1 Onion (Chopped) 1 Garlic Clove 2 Tomatoes 150ml Red Wine 200ml Beef Stock 200g Mushrooms Basil Chilli Powder Honey Paprika

Preheat your oven to 200°C 1. Beat an egg and mix it into the beef mince with salt, pepper and thyme to taste.

2. Make the mixture into 50p size balls.

3. Make a hole in the ball, put 5p size chunks of mozzarella into the middle of the ball and close it back over.

4. Fry the balls until browned on the outside.

To make the sauce: 1. Fry the onion and garlic together for a few minutes and add the tomatoes.

2. Once it has sweated, add the tinned tomatoes and all of the herbs.

3. Add the wine, use the stock to thicken and bring to the boil.

Final Touches: 1. Put the meatballs at the bottom of an oven dish, pour the sauce over the top and add some more cheese to the top of the sauce.

STUDENT RECIPES

INGREDIENTS:

2. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with fresh basil and garlic bread.

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