Indigo 796

EDITORIAL 2

Thursday, 15 July 2017

TRAVEL 3 Local destinations to visit around the Durham locality V I S UAL ARTS 4&5 The power of the image, and a profile on the future of photojournalism F O O D & DRINK 6&7 Ideas for that big graduation dinner with your friends you’ll want to have F EATURES 8&9 The under-representation of women in music MUSIC 10 The benefits of music streaming sites F ILM & TV 11 Film franchises that just need to move on BOOKS 12 & 13 Interview with Harriet Harman on her new book: A Woman’s Work STAGE 14 Durham’s Festival of the Arts is on – we show you what’s happening F ASHION 15 Why I will renew my Vogue subscription C R E A TIVE WRITING 16 The end of the road

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riting about graduation and the end of a university experience is strange.

Whilst reminiscing about your three (or four) years at university, you’ll probably be contemplating future plans and hopes. You’ll enjoy lovely Durham and the company of the eccentric and fabulous people you have come to know so well, whilst knowing that this will only be your home for a couple more weeks.

It is certainly a privilege to be at a university that has such a sense of community, where you regularly bump into your friends wherever you walk.

University encompasses a big part of your life, and so leaving is a time of celebration, nostalgia, as well as apprehension.

Whilst at university, I have found that success is important, but dealing with setbacks is equally crucial. Coping well with failure is vital for humility and learning. Respect for others who have different outlooks on life and alternate aspirations to yourself is again vital.

The election results last week indicate turbulent and uncertain times. However, there is a sense of hope and excitement where young people are more engaged and politics is changing. The end of your third (or fourth) year has similarities as the future can be intimidating, but that change must and will take place.

It almost seems as if the general public is tired of stability. I see this as similar to the progression from university life into employment or further education, which can also interfere with the stability and steadiness of our current situations.

This, however, is necessary in order to move on and eventually let go. It takes courage to break stability, it takes courage to change direction, and speak up.

In this edition, Indigo celebrates the experiences of Durham students, where sections focus on the theme of graduation as well as reflecting on old experiences and new ones alike. As this is the team’s last edition, we would all like to wish you the best of luck in the future, and congratulate you on your time at Durham.

Happy Graduation!

INDIGO EDITORS YC Chin Olivia Howcroft (deputy) FEATURES EDITORS Sophie Paterson Matthew Chalmers (deputy) C R E A T I VE W R I T IN G E D I T O R Anna Gibbs STAGE EDITORS Alison Gamble Christye McKinney (deputy) VISUAL ARTS EDITORS Lolita Gendler Lucy Sara-Kelly (deputy) BOOKS EDITORS Aaron Bell Tamsin Bracher FASHION EDITORS Victor Schagerlund Emma Denison (deputy) FOOD & DRINK EDITORS Divya Shastri Robbie Tominey-Nevado (deputy) TRAVEL EDITORS Harriet Willis FILM & TV EDITORS Simon Fearn Olivia Ballantine-Smith (deputy) MUSIC EDITOR Bethany Madden Tom Watling

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Cover Photograph: Rob Hardyman

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TRAVEL Thursday, 15 July 2017

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How to burst the Durham bubble Ideas for affordable day trips in and around the Durham area

By Florianne Humphrey travel@palatinate.org.uk

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hroughout the seemingly never-ending essay deadlines and gruelling exams, we often long for the glorious post-exam days.

However, most Durham students tend to remain trapped in the Durham ‘bubble’. To conquer this, Florianne Humphrey explores how you can transform your ‘three weeks of nothing’ into three weeks of adventure through travelling to nearby places in and around the local area.

Derwent Gorge and Muggleswick Wood

Muggleswick Wood is the largest oakwood in North-East England. A beautiful, quasi-magic haven that clings to the dramatic sublimity of Derwent Gorge. Situated close by is the award-winning Knitsley farm shop and Granary Café – don’t go without trying the sandwiches, filled with thick slices of lamb and beef reared on the farm and drenched in lashings of gravy.

Puffin tours

Many people have heard of the famous Holy Island, home of the Lindisfarne Gospels. However, they may not know that the island can be approached by a boat from Seahouses harbour, which takes you to see nesting sea birds, porpoise, and the Grey Seal colony. The boat reaches Holy Island at hide tide when it is cut off from the main land, allowing time to explore the island itself. Shorter boat tours also launch from Amble, home to the famous Spurelli, the best ice cream parlour in the North East.

Harehope Quarry

A former limestone quarry may not sound like the most appealing location for a daytrip but, in summer, the river dries up and exposes the famous Frosterley marble, used for the columns in Durham Cathedral. For the archaeologists among you, the river bed is packed full of fossilised sea creatures from when the area was on the equator and covered in lagoons. Also, for those who really did go for the quarry, you can see the abandoned machinery and read information signs about its history.

Escomb Church

Escomb does not seem like the type of village to house one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon churches in England, but that is what makes the experience more memorable.

This unassuming, yet fascinating church really has stood the test of time, pressed on all sides by modern houses, yet it still holds Celtic services as a nod to its heritage. Whilst you are there, look out for the wild ponies that graze on the grassy verges along the road into the village.

Finchale Priory

Pronounced ‘finkle’, the priory was founded in 1196 on the site of the hermitage of St Godric, a reformed pirate. It was used as an outpost of Durham Cathedral and a holiday retreat for the Durham monks until the 16th century. It is incredibly well preserved, making it easy to imagine how it would have looked like in its glory days.

Gibside

Gibside’s stunning landscape gardens were created by one of the richest men in Georgian England, George Bowes, an ancestor of the Queen Mother who used to visit Gibside as a child. Walking down the tree-lined, half-mile Long Walk takes you to a stone column that stands taller than Nelson’s Column in London and is crowned by the statue of Liberty, predating its New York namesake by a century.

develop the museum in the Earl’s ancestral home of Teesdale to introduce a variety of art, such as painting, ceramics, furniture and textiles, to the local people. In ten years, they purchased 15,000 items, the jewel of the crown being the 250 year-old Silver Swan automaton that is still operated at the museum.

Tunstall Reservoir

Tunstall Reservoir is one of many reservoirs in Country Durham, including Derwent and Hury Reservoir. You can do a circular route around it which takes about an hour, going through the ancient Backstone Bank Wood. The dramatic outcrop of woodland, the rolling Pennines and the vast lake feels more like the Swiss Alps than the North East of England. Plus, there are plenty of spots along the route to sit down and just enjoy the view.

Hamsterley Forest

With 2000 hectares of forest to explore, on the edge of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it is enough just to walk around this beautiful forest. However, there is also the opportunity for horseriding and trails for mountain biking. Other nearby places are Frosterley, home of the Black Bull Inn, a quaint and cosy pub next to the Weardale heritage railway, and High Force, a waterfall that drops 21 metres into a plunge pool below.

Bowes Museum

The Bowes Museum was built by the 10th Earl of Strathmore and his wife, a Parisian actress, who had a deep passion for art. In 1852 they decided to

South Shields

South Shields if one of the best examples of the wild, rugged North East coastline. The lively town also has a newly built cultural centre, The Word, that holds various free exhibits about Northern culture, such as dialect, pirates and the famous director Ridley Scott, who was born in the town itself. A few minutes down the coast is Souter Lighthouse, which provides a panoramic North Sea view.

Photographs by Florianne Humphrey

VISUAL ARTS 4

Thursday,15 June 2017

By Lucy Sara-Kelly

Deputy Visual Arts Editor Lolita Gendler

Visual Arts Editor

visualarts@palatinate.org.uk

H TTURE E U F N F I S

The prop o r t i o n e d frame can include or exclude vital information, forever changing a scene from volatile to hopeful or hopeful to despondent. An image can be accurate, a snapshot of experience, natural and in the moment, yet it is clear from photographic terminology that composition, manipulation, and arrangement also play an undeniable role – each used to alter and analyse an image, each inescapably artificial.

Viewing the photograph of Khan, taken by Joe Giddens, alongside another media-driven ‘age defining’ image Jonathan Bachman’s portrait of Leshia Evans, and Ognen Teofilovski Reuters’ photograph of Jasmina Golubovska, patterns emerge. The image of Evans took flight in the global photosphere, her flimsy summer dress waving at the line of heavily armed police at a Black Lives Matter protest in Baton Rouge.

Her serene expression and the dignity of her stance against a militarised force encapsulated more than any megaphone could ever reveal.

Similarly, in 2015 Ognen Teofilovski Reuters’ captured a woman in Skopje, Macedonia, using a riot shield to put on her lipstick in the middle of a police scrummage. All three images are provocative, all three images show a, perhaps, feminine pacifism and resilience; they are revealing snapshots of an ongoing story. The question with each however is; whose story? Images are to a deafened world what brail is to the blind, they are never silent, and according to some parties, neither was Khan.

The Huffington Post reports that the anger on the faces of the EDL was a response to the breaking of a three-minute silence with the christening cries of ‘Nazi’. If this were true, suddenly there seems a power shift amongst the subjects of Giddens image, is Kahn really the embodiment of the hopeful resistance? The answer is not ours to speculate. Instead what is clear is that the story of this image is in fact representative of anthology, the various subjects, the photographers, the media, the audience, each unreliable narrator voice layered over each other like a badly produced electro-beat.

The truth being that an image can never express the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Photographic terminology is inherently self-aware of its curated construction; composition, manipulation, arrangement. Photography faces two types of manipulation, that which is predetermined and that which is an appropriation of the pre-existing. The predetermined can be conspired by the subject or photographer, perhaps through an instruction to smile or an awareness that a lens is present. An image can easily become artificial, yet the artificial can also easily be masked.

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Images by Lolita Gendler

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hroughout history, images have had the power to promote, condemn, exonerate and expose. Our relationships with most are momentary; fading from the forefront of our retinas to the quilted backdrop of our experience. Others have resonated more persistently. Those that stay with us often powerfully capture a composition worth of ‘a thousand words’. Alfred Eisenstaedt’s sailor kissing a woman in Times Square; Nick Ut’s capturing of 1972’s Napalm aftermath; Arthur Sasse’s frame of the provoked Albert Einstein thrusting his tongue at the camera; each a piece of iconography in its own right. But times have changed; consistent and relentless visual bombardments have made it increasingly difficult to track the emergence of such icons.

Our visual affairs are more fleeting than ever before; with crazes such as memes taking precedent, each banal rise to fame follows the same inconsequential trajectory and retreat. Amongst the offering hordes, it is rare for a single image to pull away. So, when a unicorn emerges, its horn pointedly cutting through the sea of selfies; the world sits up and takes notice. The most recent contestant features the face of Brummie protestor Saffiyah Khan.

Everyone has had their pennys-worth, from the Daily Mail to Piers Morgan’s Twitter page – each no more, or less, than a penny of photographic analysis or dismantling insight. It is Khan’s ‘smile’ that has caught our attention, her amusement and lack of fear in the face of anger. For better or worse, her subtle stoicism amidst the less composed screams has reminded us of the power of silence; a power the still image has, seemingly, always held. And yet it is of course not the case that an image is silent. Faces need not create a sound to communicate, the ‘talkies’ need not have ever existed for Buster Keaton to have kept us crying or laughing in our seats. There is danger intertwined in this unspoken power, and thus a responsibility with those who yield it. This power opens itself to visual manipulation, where context, or lack of, can easily rewrite our history.

Has Visual C While the post- pap presentation decisions of the photographer are key to the reception of the image, it is the audience and the users of the image that dictate its lasting impression. The collective decided that Kahn would be promoted as a fleeting face of hope, and so it was that the context was minimised in favour of a more desirable visual message. Khan told Vice that she hoped to use her newfound status to “fight against racism on the streets of the UK”. She added: “[I’ve] got big things planned, focusing on the bigger picture.

Being viral is worthless if nothing helpful comes of it.”

The majority of images that go viral are, however, generally absorbed in celebrity culture. For younger generations, the images that manipulate their worldview are Instagram-sourced. Celebrity icons such as Selena Gomez (122M followers) and Kim Kardashian (101M followers) control the photosphere many live in.

Bombarded with images on social media, fewer stand out, and more begin to emulate each other. Are there no more originals? Will no fashion image be as iconic as Marilyn in the white dress or Audrey in Tiffany’s?

They are some of the most artificial images we come across, postures forced, bodies often already enhanced and further enhanced by filters, lighting, devises beyond the grasp of the normal teenager.

Today’s society, more than ever, is a culture which indulges far too heavily in the image without questioning the source, the context, or the process of alteration.

We are an age absorbed in technology, and technology is ruled by visual culture; generations lost in a world where the image is king, the meaninglessness of them would be ironic – if it weren’t so terrifying. The defining image nowadays is largely down to the mostshared on social media. The Kardashians have more followers than National Geographic and BBC News on Instagram. Instagram is, of course, a world dominated by celebrities, fashion, and aesthetically ‘pleasing’ photography, yet it is also the biggest image sharing network in the world. With Instagram rising, and generations maturing in the bubble of the app, will the more political, social and environmentally significant photos be buried under those of Victoria Supermodels?

“

IMAGES ARE TO A DEAFENED WORLD WHAT BRAIL IS TO THE BLIND. THEY ARE NEVER

SILENT.

”

VISUAL ARTS

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Thursday, 15 June 2017

Culture Gone Too Far? Can Anything Save Us? In the face of the visual unconsious, there are several projects attempting to remind us what the image can really do. Organisations such as National Geographic still work arduously to contextualise their images.

Nat Geo’s photos are often breath-taking in their scale and jaw-dropping in their varied locations; their photographers submerge themselves in other cultures and situation themselves in the centre of political events and natural disasters. Their images are not simply images, and even shared on Instagram, the photograph is always followed with a caption alluding to the context of the image and links to the photographer’s other work. It is not just about the image, but the story behind it, the people in it, the photographer who shot it. Yet with so many incredible images and so many more people buying advanced cameras, is it increasingly difficult for one momentous photo to surface.

Humans of New York, like National Geographic, focuses on the story behind the image. Through deeply embedding the photograph in a personal context, there is less of a chance for street photography to be taken out of context. Brandon Stanton began the project in 2010, photographing the city’s inhabitants and later going on to interview them, providing a context for the portraits he captured. Both Humans of New York and National Geographic stand on the side of authentic photography, attempting to focus on the complex and delicate relationships involved in the acknowledgment of the power of images.

Ironically, with the increase of visual accessibility comes the decrease of intimacy, the gap between the viewer, audience, and photographer widens and with the desensitisation of this relationship creeps an amoral approach to photography. Hoping to rebuild these bridges is the Faces in Focus team, their mission: repair and save the virtue of street photography, and protect it from slipping down the voyeuristic rabbit hole. Describing themselves as a ‘network of photographers and story tellers’ aiming to narrow the gulf between those on either side of the lens. More than being a platform for socially conscious street photographers, Faces in Focus allows its wider audience to have an active engagement with the project by allowing its audience to donate and volunteer for charities associated with the subjects of the works.

Talking with one of the Faces in Focus founders, Joseph Lebus, the distinction between varying forms of viewing is apparent. Though he sees a place in some settings for the passive engager, perusing the impressive and considered composition, he notes a pressing concern associated with this approach in certain contexts. Instead, the Faces in Focus platform not only spreads and informs its audience of its featured subjects stories, it provides them with the opportunity to have a personal relationship.

T h e group’s intentio ns are noble, and the project is executed with a thoroughly considered passion. When challenging questions are posed, Lebus does not shy away from them, he instead seems completely engaged in working out the intricate ethics entangled in the Faces in Focus endeavour. The project is centred on the ethical prominence of photography, but Lebus and the team have a difficult task in finding the balance between the weighting they place on a strong ethical consideration and the aesthetic value of their photographers and their work. Lebus talks of moving towards a more powerful and positive engagement through photography. However, one cannot help but wonder whether a greater focus on the socially engaged will impact the works artistic value, if the photo is merely a vehicle for social engagement, is it still art? This is a tale as old as time, but the Faces in Focus team believe that there is a place for differently centred works, what they think must be constant however, is an active engagement, a conscious understanding of the continued discussion.

The balance they strive for comes with a focus they run consciously deeper than a mere image. Lebus sees photography as inhabiting a tripartite relationship, consisting of the photographer, the subject, and the viewer. For the team, the success of this relationship and the work that arises from it is entirely dependent on each party’s treatment and consideration of their counterpart. The platform is a realised Fairy tale anthology, sharing the stories that represent all of us, threads that may relate and tales that will educate.

Each as important and as beautifully composed as the last. Perhaps heralding t h e beginning of a movement towards authenticity and away from misappropriation, Faces in Focus are leading the way in creating meaningful and engaging art, which melds viewer, subject, and photographer in a relationship which is both thoroughly challenging and personally engaging.

So be responsible photographers, subjects and audiences. If we all play our part, we may just become worthy of our visual authority yet. The 21st century is defined by its incredible multitude of images, representing a fast-growing, technological advancing, and increasingly multicultural society. Our generation have the amazing opportunity to pick and promote the images we want to define us, whether we deserve this privilege remains to be seen, but in order to have the chance to deserve it, we must at least recognise we have it.

This is a call to arms. Be visually responsible, recognise the power of the image, recognise the power we hold in our handling of these images. Be aware that there is more than meets the eye, and yet the eye can be the key to unlocking truths. We unconsciously use visual representations every day; smoothing our flaws, giving ourselves puppy noses and ears, we already use and see the image as iconography, all that is left to do is become conscious of it.

So be responsible photographers, subjects and audiences. If we all play our part, we may just become worthy of our visual authority yet.

A Word From Your Visual Arts EDs...

Since January we have investigated one of the oldest and most contested aspects of the Visual Arts; its function, or lack of, in social activism. From Berger to MIMA, from Art’s role in the migrant crisis, to the feminists plight and finally the power and responsibility of the image. Regardless of which rung of worth you sit upon, whether you sit at the bottom of the ladder, pitchfork in hand, screaming of the uselessness of it all, we hope that we have gone a way to clearing the clouds at the top and exposing the benevolent and worthy mecca that is the world of the Visual Arts.

...Lolita & Lucy

FOOD AND DRINK 6

Thursday, 15 June 2017

Graduation Food Guide

The best places in and around Durham for your perfect graduation meal

By Divya Shastri food@palatinate.org.uk

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raduation for many signifies a time of transition. We are going from our youth into adulthood. It means leaving the security blanket that is your parents and going off into the world to make something of yourself. Graduation is one of the most important events in our lives, a great step that we are taking forward. But, graduation is not just scary, it’s exciting as well. It’s a time for celebration: celebrating the last three years of your life, the things you have learned, the friendships you have made. And the best possible way to celebrate is most definitely with good company and good food.

Fine Dining:

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hese are restaurants that aren’t in the close Durham area and do require a drive to get to. If you have the transportation to get there, these restaurants will not disappoint with their intricate menus and elegant setting.

The Morritt Hotel The Morritt Hotel is another good choice for a fine dining experience outside of Durham.

The hotel is situated in the picturesque Teesdale countryside, and has an award winning restaurant and bar. For 2 courses for £28.00 or 3 courses for £35.00, and dishes like Butternut Squash Veloute and Trinea Chocolate Ganache, it is definitely worth the drive.

Black Knight Restaurant Being situated at the stately Lumley Castle, the Black Knight is a good choice for those who want to make their graduation dinner have that extra oomph! Lumley Castle is a grand 14th century castle that has been converted into a boutique hotel. With an a la carte menu serving dishes such as Pan fried scallops, Smoked haddock aranchini, Beetroot summer pudding and oven roasted sea trout, the food is sure to be a hit. If dinner is not what you had in mind for your graduation meal, Black Knight also has a lunch menu for two for £35 with dishes such as Parmesan Gnocchi and Confit Duck.

The Raby Hunt The Raby Hunt is one of only 20 restaurants in the UK to hold 2 Michelin stars. Situated in Summerhouse in Darlington, The Raby Hunt has been an inn since it was built in the early 1800s. Chef James Close runs this thirty seat restaurant, with dishes inspired by his travels through Europe. With a 10 course tasting menu, Saturday lunch at £85 per person and a 12 course tasting menu Wednesday and Thursday evening at £95 pp, it is definitely an upmarket choice.

The Orangery The Orangery is the centrepiece of the formidable sprawl of hotel, golf course and spa that make up Rockcliffe Hall. As mentioned on their website, “Informal luxury is what The Orangery is all about.” The Orangery combines fine dining with a more relaxed atmosphere and a semi-casual dress code. The food, thanks to chef Richard Allen and his team, stands out, with exquisite dishes such as Sea bream and chorizo risotto and Duck liver parfait. There are a variety of menus to choose from including ones that cater to specific dietary requirements such as pescetarian and vegetarian. Most intriguing are their tasting and surprise menus which are nine courses and seven courses respectively. Not only is there variety in terms of food choice, there is also a variation in price points with the vegetarian set menu (four courses) staring at £60 and the surprise menu (nine courses) reaching £90.

FOOD AND DRINK Thursday, 15 June 2017

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Within the City:

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f you aren’t overly keen on having to drive to your dinner, here are some of the finest restaurants within Durham that will tantalize your taste buds.

The Cellar Door A 13th Century cellar conversion, the Cellar Door within Durham is well known for its refined atmosphere.

With a special graduation menu, Cellar Door is the perfect choice for those who want a low key, but elegant graduation lunch or dinner. With two courses for £32.95 or three for £36.95, there are a variety of dishes to choose from including Wood pigeon and Goat’s cheese wellington.

Flat White Kitchen Everyone’s favourite cafe is also preparing a graduation menu. Beloved for its brunch and becoming increasingly popular for its evening meals, Flat White Kitchen is running a special graduation meal for students. The four course meal is by booking only and costs £40. There are plenty of choices with options for a pescetarian, meat and vegetarian main course. The dishes include Chicken Terrine, Red Wine Risotto , and Belly of Lamb. If you are looking for somewhere with a more relaxed atmosphere, but great quality food, Flat White Kitchen is definitely for you.

But do hurry because it is sure to be a popular choice for many students!

DH1 Up on The Avenue, DH1 is a popular Durham restaurant serving seasonal dishes, using local ingredients. There are many tasting menus to choose from starting at £45. Within, you can find interesting dishes like Beetroot tartate and Goosnargh duck, and Lindisfarne oyster.

DH1 is the perfect place for someone looking for sophisticated cooking within Durham City.

Chef Stephen Hardy engages in ‘modern’ British cooking and has a complex menu - perfect for any food lover!

A la Carte:

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f set menus are up your alley, don’t worry, there are plenty of a la carte options within Durham. Here are a couple that we recommend.

Tapas Factory Durham’s latest culinary addition is one you should definitely keep in mind if you are looking for a good family style sharing meal. The owners of the restaurant are from Spain so you know that you will be getting authentic Spanish cuisine. There are many wonderful dishes to choose from such as Paella, Patatas bravas, and Chorizo Frito. What’s great about this restaurant is that you have a vast number of options to choose from and they cater to many different diets. Definitely try Tapas Factory if you want to have a fun, casual graduation dinner!

Zizzi’s You can’t ever go wrong with Italian so if you are looking for a nice relaxed dinner, Zizzi’s is another perfect pick. There’s a great number of dishes to choose from. There’s pizza and pasta , but there are other great dishes such as Seabass Verde and Spiedini Pollo. However, if you do want a set menu option, Zizzi’s offers a three course meal for £19.95.

Illustration: Charlotte Way

The best possible way to celebrate is most definitely with good company and good food.

FEATURES 8

Thursday, 15 June 2017

Changing Perceptions: different stages of university life First Year by Hugh Johnson

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irst year has been a surprising time. The transition from school to university is a change that is heavily stressed, but this doesn’t make the change easier. It is certainly challenging to go from an environment where you are told what to do to being given the freedom that university has to offer.

One of the things that I have enjoyed most about my first year of Durham is the friends that I have made here, and I was surprised by how many students older than myself I ended up knowing.

First year also has not let down on the side that many expect first year to offer - the fun of sports, societies, nights out and day to day Durham life.

However, when I first arrived I came with a certain expectation of what university would be like, and while I have enjoyed my first year, I think that a big realisation many students face is the fact that university is not as you expect it to be, yet everything you knew it would be. The nature of academic work at Durham was not as I had expected it to be, and the year has been challenging for me due to the level of independence I was given in my studies.

While this has been a challenging thing, it has also been a crucial development, as through writing many questionable summatives, I have grown to be a more independent worker.

Durham is a place that offers a huge variety of activities, and a simple fact that I had never considered before university is that I wouldn’t be able to do them all. For me, first year has been a time to find what areas I want to pursue. I would sum up my first year as a fantastic time that was nothing as I expected it, yet a truly great experience in a university town like no other.

Second Year by Matthew Chalmers

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econd year has brought vital but positive change to me, and my perceptions of Durham. Moving from the frenetic, communal energy of first year into the more paced and measured tempo of the second has been an interesting transition. It has shown me something important about university life: you need not indulge people who you do not want to. Whilst the prospect of living in my own windy chateau with only five friends for company may have smacked of social isolation, the truth was far different. One simply sees those one wants to see, you’re always seeing your favourite people, or eating your favourite food, or reading your favourite book. This freedom is a joy.

Any stress caused by the increased difficulty of work is offset by this social reality, and the breath of fresh air that has been living in Durham itself, frequenting cafés like faux Parisians, buying stir fries, pasta and sausages (and not much more), the option of a pub a mere five minute walk away.

The eyes of the college Big Brother dissipate, and novelties like merely having to step out the door to have a smoke, or cooking dinner at whichever hour tickles your fancy, have certainly introduced me to a freer and more mature Durham.

After greater access to events in Durham, the city itself feels more alive.

To risk absolute pretentiousness the perception of this ‘new’ Durham is best concluded with an anecdote. Sitting in the burgundy glow of Empty Shop, sipping on a beer with my friends and girlfriend by my side and listening to stand up poetry I was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that, honestly, I had thought this was what university would be. Second year has therefore met those expectations, and exceeded them, and Durham looks all the better for it.

Photograph (left): Naomi Ellis via Palatinate@flickr Photograph (above): chausino via Flickr

FEATURES Thursday, 15 June 2017

Third Year by Jake Goldman

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eing a student has taught me, to use a tired cliché, far more about the ‘school of life’ than anything else. It has been a true learning curve in so many different ways. For me, it has been an exercise (often unsuccessful) in time management and dealing with crises. I have learned never to give up an opportunity to try something new or challenge yourself. You never know where something may lead, from a new society you’ve joined, to an academic contact you’ve discovered in your department, or a new acquaintance you’ve met on a night out or on an all nighter in the Billy B who will become a close friend in no time at all. Most of all, getting involved in extracurricular activities has been a great way to meet like-minded people.

Instead of worrying about what the ‘cool kids’, or indeed your crush, may think of you, worry about the people who care about you, those friends who will look out for you and make sure you are okay,, text you when you are down and come and visit you with food before a deadline. Those are the people who count, and the people who will make the effort to remain close with you for years to come.

I’ve also learned, however, that I’m terrible at heeding my own advice. I would tell everybody to not stress about degree, exams and essays; it’s just words on paper! But I spent most of my time fretting and procrastinating. Obviously, our degrees are important, but there is so much more to life! Other things are equally important, in different ways at least. Don’t neglect your mental wellbeing, ability to socialise, and your time alone or with friends relaxing and unwinding.

Durham, despite first appearances, has a plethora of people from so many different backgrounds. It may not be a true reflection of society, and it’s vital to remember this in order to not get too caught up in an elite culture that can be quite intimidating. However, there are some incredible people here, and I have really tried to capitalise on speaking to everyone and drawing on their experiences.

Never judge a book by its cover is another cliché, but a true one. On first meeting many of my closest friends, I would not believe you if you told me these would become such. Friendships take time to mature and grow, and shared experiences, drunk or sober, are vital in cementing this. It’s not important to know everyone or to be the biggest BNOC. It’s important to be yourself and to find people you enjoy being around. I have been incredibly privileged to spend three years at THE BEST university in the country, which has given me so much academic and social food for thought which I am positive will forever remain with me.

Photograph by Nigel Judson via Flickr and Creative Commons

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MUSIC 10

Thursday, 15 June 2017

From sales to streaming As the music industry increasingly turns to music streaming services to keep it afloat, Tom Watling investigates the benefits of this new system

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n 2001, the Global Music Report estimated that the music industry generated revenue of $23.6 billion.

The following year, Napster launched its stable release and the industry lost 40% of its revenue in the succeeding 15 years: it’s worst decline of all time. Fast forward to 2016 and the digital streaming revenues account for over 50% of the $15.7 billion total generated revenue. This is also the first time, since Napster, that there has been two years of revenue growth.

So, this begs the question: Are online streaming services killing the music industry, or are they about to save it?

Sean Parker founded Napster in 1999 with the idea of creating a platform upon which users could share digital audio files encoded in MP3 format. Whilst it was revolutionary, it violated every rule of licensing and ownership yet to be put into legislative form. It set in motion the slow decline of physical format sales and demanded the emergence of online streaming services capable of compensating the rightful record owners for the sharing of their property. This came in the form of Spotify in October 2008.

Whilst iTunes had been in full effect prior to the launch of Spotify, it did not have the potential to correct the problem caused by Napster. Thus, in 2008, Spotify created the idea of having a multi-tier

streaming service capable of catering to the needs of those that would pay for their music, in the form of a monthly payment, and those that would not, in the form of an ad-supported platform. This idea grew with rapid speed and the current market boasts a plethora of streaming services, all of which have over 1 million subscribers, and video-hosting services, such as YouTube and VEVO, which generate billions of views annually.

However, many artists saw Spotify as an experiment with potentially catastrophic consequences and sought to withhold or withdraw their music from Spotify and other platforms. Taylor Swift is the most obvious example of this, who, in November 2014, following the release of her album entitled 1989, removed all her material from Spotify. Her reasoning behind it was explained by her discoverer and CEO of Big Machine Records, Scott Borchetta: “If [a] fan purchased the record...and then their friends go, ‘Why did you pay for it? It’s free on Spotify,’ we’re being completely disrespectful to that superfan,”

Borchetta and Swift did not want to conform to an experiment that seemed to them to be nothing but a glorified version of Napster capable only of compounding the problem of disproportionate compensation. However, in the years succeeding Swift’s decision in 2014, the success of the

streaming services proved revolutionary for the industry, showing itself as far more valuable than previously realised.

The saving grace, unforeseen by many, came in the form of the paid subscription platform, commonly known as Spotify Premium. This idea consisted of subscribers paying a monthly fee of

“Streaming services could be the cause of a second digital revolution” £10.00 in return for over 30 million songs.

Spotify’s rights to the distribution and secondary ownership of this music was actualised through the payment of royalty fees to the record labels, which currently exists at 58% of revenue generated by the relevant musician, although this fee will be cut to 52% by the end of next year.

This goes some way to explaining why Goldman Sachs Research predicts, in a research note called ‘Music in the air,’ that streaming services could be the cause of a second digital revolution and help music revenues reach a staggering $104 billion by 2030.

So, are online streaming services killing the music industry, or are they about to save it? In short, the streaming services are hurting the music industry, it’s just not the services one might suspect. The disparity in royalty fees, compounded by the contrasting disparity in users/views, serves to show that whilst music streaming services, such as Spotify, are struggling to turn over a profit, sites such as YouTube disproportionately take from the music industry. Until sufficient copyright laws are passed by the European Commission, sites such as YouTube will act as an anticatalyst to the growth of the music industry. Only in addressing this the industry can finally offset the 40% revenue decline of the 15 successive years after Napster.

Photograph by Wiennat Mongkulmann via Flickr and Creative Commons

FILM & TV Thursday, 15 June 2017

11

Graduate already! The film franchises that refuse to move on As our Finalists prepare to face the big, bad world, we take a look at franchises we love that need to let go Review: Wonder Woman

By Emma Johnson-Ferguson

W Pirates of the Caribbean

By Olivia Ballantine-Smith

Pirates of the Caribbean is back, and it’s more impenetrable than ever. How many PotC films have we had now? Four? Five?

What started as a genuinely funny, well-executed franchise is now notable only for its popularity among high school orchestras.

This isn’t to say that the most recent films aren’t enjoyable – critical reception aside, these are big-budget, high-grossing projects for a reason – but they just don’t have the charm of the original film. Johnny Depp is getting older, Geoffrey Rush’s eyebrows are running out of ideas, and the uniforms make no sense to anyone with more than a passing interest in piratical history.

It’s time for the PotC franchise to move on.

Bigger and better things may not be possible for the A-listers in the cast, but surely they can aspire to something with fewer plot holes.

Alien

By Simon Fearn You would think by now folks would have learnt that sticking your head in a big alien egg is a Bad Idea. It appears not.

In the recently-released Alien: Covenant the iconic ‘face-hugger’ scene is played with a variety of winks and nudges. Don’t worry, insists evil android David (Michael Fassbender).

It’ll be fine, he says. We know it won’t be.

As partial as I am to an alien gore-fest, it appears too many Xenomorphs do spoil the broth. Watching aliens rip through people’s chests now appears humdrum and routine.

Prometheus and Alien: Covenant attempted to

revitalise the franchise with some unconvincing metaphysical posturing, but it only served to spoil the original films’ sense of mystery.

No subsequent Alien has ever been as scary as Ridley Scott’s original. Now on its sixth standalone outing, the formula of mysterious distress calls and astronauts’ shoddy risk assessment is becoming noticeably tired.

They’ve had a good run (if we ignore Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection): it’s time to put the Xenomorphs to bed.

Fast and Furious

By Florianne Humphrey If Fast and Furious wrote a recipe book, all their cakes would look the same, contain the same ingredients, be iced identically, and taste more and more bland every time.

Each recipe would read something like this: 10 litres of fast super cars in eye-watering colours; 5 grams of beautiful but scantily clad women, preferably grinding against said cars; 3 ounces of heavy rap music; 2 cups of exotic locations with lax driving laws; a few slices of male heroes too muscly to walk properly, and, finally, a sprinkling of cheesy one-liners that give dad jokes a run for their money.

The recent film perhaps waved the final white flag of surrender. When the cars were driving on the roof of a submarine, I checked myself and my long-standing loyalty to the franchise and decided enough was enough.

It was a great ride, Fast and Furious, but you’ve reached your top speed and now, sadly, it’s time to retire to the scrap heap before you suffer that inevitable crash.

Illustration: Faye Chua

hilst it still seems hard to believe, Wonder Woman is the first movie to tackle the story of a female superhero with the weight (and budget) that has been afforded to the array of male superheroes that are floating around the 2017 world consciousness.

The respect granted to the character of Diana is a breath of fresh air to movie and comic book fans in general after the (albeit delightful) disaster that was Suicide Squad. DC brings out all the stops in this big-budget offering.

Opening on Themyscira, a Santorini-esque haven for the Amazon race, we are given a brief but delicately tackled history of our heroine. Desperate to learn to fight from a young age, her naïveté, born out of a benevolence we rarely see in other superheroes, means by the time we meet grown Diana (Gal Gadot), we are invested in her as a character.

Meeting Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor opens the door to knowledge of the outside world, which is plagued by the turmoil of the First World War. What ensues is both dramatic and ‘super’. Nonetheless, this movie remains in touch with its emotions in an intelligent way that is seldom seen in other movies of this ilk.

For this, praise must go to director Patty Jenkins, who frequently places the emphasis of this movie away from huge action sequences. This focus on relationships and character development results in deeper connection from the audience that becomes necessary in the predictably CGI-based end battle.

Am I gushing? Maybe. Perhaps it’s because this movie desperately needs a good reception. Whilst it may have been the best movie out of the DC factory in years, a sequel is never guaranteed (discounting the already filmed Justice League).

Whilst this movie is an empowering film for women, it is nigh on impossible to guarantee more female superhero protagonists.

This movie was a well-handled origin story, but until we can go to the cinema and waste two hours of our life on a mediocre blockbuster about a female superhero we have seen many times before, we still have a way to go.

Photograph: Nathan Rupert via Flickr

BOOKS 12

Thursday, 15 June 2017

This Woman’s Work Eloïse Carey shares her thoughts on A Woman’s Work, Harriet Harman’s insightful memoirs, and a document of her career fighting for equality in the workplace...

By Eloïse Carey

H

arriet Harman, feminist campaigner and Labour frontbencher, has recently released her memoir, A Woman’s Work.

Spanning forty of some of the toughest years in politics for the Labour party and, in particular, for female MPs, Harman’s autobiography is both refreshing and shocking: it is a book not really about her but about all women from her era. She is straight-talking and purposeful, impressing her readers with a strong sense that she is telling her experiences for a reason. For example, when recounting that a tutor offered her a 2:1 in return for sex at the University of York (he told her that she was a ‘borderline’ student and would

achieve a higher grade if she agreed to his advances), Harman isn’t looking for sympathy. She explains why she has chosen to come forward on The Andrew Marr Show by simply stating that such events are ‘still a battle we’ve got to fight now’ and ‘we need to […] make sure that those people who are put in that position feel able to complain’.

The first thing that comes to mind when you read the memoir, and is even more evident in interview, is that Harman is an incredibly tough individual. She has had to become used to not being liked, because as a woman you couldn’t possibly be liked and be at the top of your game. This is only too apparent in her experience of interactions with male colleagues, and unfortunately is not limited to the early years of her career. The working world is only marginally more receptive to a different kind of leader, and women in positions of power still feel the need to ‘behave like men’ in order to be taken seriously.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Harman’s memoir was the numerous parallels I drew with it. Much of the leering, harassment and downright dismissal is behaviour that I and the young women around me have experienced, albeit less overtly, in our lives at one point or another. To those who argue that sexism is no longer present in today’s society, I urge you to read this book. Whether or not you are a feminist, whether you are female or male, whether you agree or disagree or don’t really care, pick it up. Read five pages, read the whole thing, you’ll be amazed by how analogous it is to your own life. It’s both an academic work and an incredibly detailed account of Harman’s life all rolled into one. Politics and the position of women are key topics in society today; don’t be narrow-minded and think you know enough

already. And if you haven’t personally experienced the subtle sexism that pervades communities today, take a look around you at university, at its ‘lad culture’, the sexualisation of women, ‘six packs’ as the sole criteria for the ‘ideal’ man, - criticised for working hard, criticised for remaining at home. I myself have been asked the question ‘do you use your boobs as an advantage?’ ‘Pussy’ is the chosen word for a guy perceived as ‘weak’, a stereotype damaging to both sexes. Even writing this article, as someone who has been brought up to be proud of my views and stand behind my opinion, I’m wondering if this is going to come across as ‘feminazi’. If it does, then like Harman I’ll make no apologies for rocking the boat.

There are multiple articles online describing Harman as ‘aggressive’ and ‘manly’, or ‘too staunch in her views’, adjectives that would not be applied to a man in the same position. Many more applaud her, stating that her manner is a direct result of a career in the male-dominated realm of politics. Either way, she has started a debate, one that must be put at the forefront of our generation so that the next don’t have to consider it. Most importantly though I want to promote this book to everyone; while it’s about a woman, there are plenty of men with similar experiences who have also been categorised by society and expected to behave in a certain way because of their gender.

At 66, Harman’s ideals are no less vivid and her determination no less intense than the descriptions of her as a young woman in her book. It is clear that despite achieving so much, Harman is by no means finished. In an interview with The Guardian, Harman now accepts that she made a u-turn from her views of memoirs as ‘male vanity projects’. However, unlike a lot of memoirs, which see politicians sitting back and surveying their life’s work over a glass of whisky in a men’s club, A Woman’s Work is a call to arms. It is an inspiration for women and men to get up and go, and I very much doubt that this will be the last we hear from Harriet Harman.

BOOKS Thursday, 15 June 2017

13

Profile: Harriet Harman “I don’t want the story of women in politics... to be hidden from history”

By Eloïse Carey

Do you think that the perception of increasing equality in the workplace has actually been detrimental to women in making them feel their experiences of sexism aren’t ‘serious’ enough?

There’s always been a resistance to women expressing their concern about sexism in the workplace. Either they have “no sense of humour” when dealing with sexual harassment, or they are “pushy” in asking to be paid equally to male colleagues, or they are “unreasonable” for complaining about not getting a promotion.

And, while it has become less acceptable to openly support inequality, resistance to change comes in the form of saying we’ve got equality now so what are you still complaining about! Whether it’s active resistance or the new “passive resistance” where men agree with equality in theory but nothing changes, it’s always hard for women when complaining about sexism and frequently their complaints are belittled as trivial. The important thing is for women to discuss these issues together in a workplace and make a joint approach.

What made you decide that your experiences as a woman in politics needed to be shared? Why now?

Why? Because I don’t want the story of women in politics and the massive change in women’s lives over the last 30 years to be, as Sheila Rowbotham warned, “hidden from history”. My male cabinet colleagues have published their memoirs, but none had written about the 100 Labour women who got elected

in 1997, who changed parliament, politics and government forever and for good. Nowhere is the story of our progress in demanding for women’s voices to be heard in parliament, for women to have an equal say in government, how women’s votes helped labour get elected in 1997, how we brought in childcare, a minimum wage and the Equality Act. Now? Because for the first time in over 30 years I’m no longer on the front bench.

that we had only been able to talk about - like saving the NHS, ending pensioner poverty and replacing Section 28 with the right for gays and lesbians to form civil partnerships.

Do you think you’ve had to overcompensate in the workplace because you are a woman? Has this affected the way you pursued your career?

As a woman with young children I found I had to “overcompensate” both at work and at home. Knowing that you have young children, you have to prove to your colleagues you are working as hard as them. Being out at work so much you have to prove to yourself that you are not a terrible mother.

What would you say to teenagers that don’t believe sexism exists anymore?

Sexism in the world of work is a hangover from when women were regarded as inferior to men and that their domain was the kitchen sink. And it’s still difficult in practice for women to be equal if they are the one who is mainly responsible for the children, older and disabled relatives. The time when it becomes very evident that sexism is still alive and well at work, is when you have children.

That’s why we need to fight to extend maternity pay and leave, for all jobs to be available for part-timers, and for higher paternity leave so that men can take time off with their children when they are young.

What is one experience that you’ve had in your career that has stuck with you?

Standing on the South Bank in London as day dawned after the 1997 general election and it became clear that we had won a landslide. After years of stagnating in opposition we were able to start taking the actions

“The important thing is for women to discuss these issues together” Photograph: Penguin Allen Lane Illustration: Faye Chua

STAGE Thursday, 15 June 2017

14

Durham Festival of the Arts Your ‘What’s On Guide’ to this year’s theatrical offerings

Saturday 17th - Sunday 18th June American Idiot! – Featuring the music of Green Day’s albums, Trevelyan College Musical Society’s production of this rock-opera promises to be an electrifying show and an end-of-year experience not to be missed! Performing from the 17th to the 19th June at 19:30 in Trevelyan College Hall.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead! (Woodplayers) – First staged at the Edinburgh fringe in 1966, Tom Stoppard’s play focuses on two minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as the events of the play unfold around them. Performing in Collingwood College Dining Hall from the 18th to the 19th June at 14:30.

Thursday 15th June Zanna, Don’t! DULOG’s final show of the year, is a musical fairytale exploring a world where to be gay is to be normal, and heterosexuality is taboo. Performing at the Assembly Rooms Theatre from the 14th to the 17th June at 19:30 (with an additional performance at 13:00 on the 17th) Souvenirs (Wrong Tree Theatre) – Cafedral Performing from the 14th to the 16th June at 19:30.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – join Durham Opera Ensemble as they take on Will Todd and Maggie Gottlieb’s Jazz Opera rendition of Lewis Carroll’s classic story – Library Lawn, St John’s College. Performing from the 15th to the 16th June at 18:30, and on the 17th at 14:30.

Monday 19th - Tuesday 20th June Black Comedy (Bailey Theatre Company) – Leech Hall, St John’s College. Performing from the 19th to the 20th June at 19:30.

Shopping and F***ing – Aidan’s College Theatre present a production by Mark Ravenhill that promises an emotionally-charged yet darkly humorous insight into the lives of LGBT+ millennials. Performing from the 19th to the 20th June at 19:30 in Empty Shop HQ. Little Shop of Horrors – Foot of the Hill Theatre Company presents the deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash Musical, which has devoured the hears of theatre-goers for over 30 years.

Performances will take place in St Mary’s College Dining Hall from the 20th to the 21st June at 20:30.

Friday 16th June A Midsummers Night’s Dream – Castle Theatre Company present one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies in an outdoor performance that is sure to entertain! Bring your picnics along to performances in the Fellow’s Garden, Castle College on the 16th and the 17th June at 14:30, or to Ushaw College Garden on 18th June at 13:30, before the show tours the UK this summer!

Hedda Gabler (Woodplayers) – Henrik Ibsen’s classic story of deceit, manipulation, lust and debauchery will be brought to life again in Collingwood College Hall from the 18th to the 19th June at 19:30.

Black Box Series – a series of short productions in an intimate black box space. Taking place in Vane Tempest, Durham Students’ Union from 17:30 to 23:00 on the 16th to the 17th June. Productions performed will include Solstice (Wrong Tree Theatre), Lemons, Lemons, Lemons (Phoenix Theatre) and Landing (First Theatre Company).

Wednesday 21st June Twelfth Night – Hild Bede Theatre invite audiences to experience a riot of music, tricks and celebrations on their college grounds as they tackle one of Shakespeare’s most powerful comedies! Picnics are equally encouraged with performances at 14:00 and 17:00 on the 21st, and at 15:00 on the 22nd and 23rd June.

Blackadder III – the beloved British sitcom hits Durham as Ooook! Productions cast their audience into the extravagant 18th Century. Performances will take place in the Assembly Rooms Theatre from the 21st to the 23rd June at 19:30.

Photographs: via Facebook (clockwise from top) DULOG, Durham Festival of the Arts, Collingwood College Woodplayers, Ooook! Productions, Castle Theatre Company, Durham Opera Ensemble.

FASHION Thursday, 15 June 2017

15

Why I am renewing my Vogue subscription

By Thuli Maseko fashion@palatinate.org.uk

L

ooking through Mr. Enninful’s Instagram, I am becoming increasingly inclined to renew my Vogue subscription for another year.

Haute couture, Dr. King quotes, the most famous faces on our billboards, receiving an OBE for his efforts to diversify fashion – already I feel an affinity with Edward Enninful that I do not with most women in fashion publications.

The fashion world has a race problem.

There are obviously problems with representation and diversity across other intersections but given Enninful’s and my ethnicity, race is particularly salient.

In recent times, British Vogue has made numerous mistakes in the regions of diversity and inclusivity. White women painted black and dressed as geishas, ‘diversity issues’ brimming with cultural appropriation.

Enter Edward Enninful. Is he the solution? I believe so. Does his being a man concern me? Not at the minute, and I’m fairly certain it will stay that way.

I concede that there is reason to question the relevance of Enninful’s race in his appointment as the Editor in Chief of British Vogue given his impressive career record that has spanned more than 25 years (though I wager most people of colour will disagree with you if you do so).

Having held creative positions at iD, Vogue Italia and W Magazine, accompanied by his mastery of social media, the future and reputation of British Vogue is most definitely in safe hands. But when 0.2% of editors for British publications are black, Enninful’s race is very important.

The implications of his getting the job are twofold, affecting not only the world of fashion but that of print journalism in general.

Further, to disregard Enninful’s race as unimportant is to disregard the nature and significance of a large proportion of his contributions to the industry.

Some of the biggest names behind the art are ethnic minorities whose vision and influence grace the pages of these publications, but of the 25+ issues of British Vogue under my desk, I recall but one black woman on the cover.

I most certainly do not want Vogue to become an overtly political magazine that deals with heavy activism- it’s indulgent and glossy and it should stay that way.

Nevertheless, fashion is more powerful than it is oftentimes given credit for. It’s an art, a form of expression that holds the ability to shape identities.

The current faces of the industry leave me wondering how I can create something for myself. If you think such a view melodramatic I shan’t seek your pardon.

Nowadays, everything is political, everything speaks to some form of social issue. But it is not only in the pages of The Economist or Politico that the issues of today lie. Fashion reflects society. The more diversity I see coming through my door each month, the more confident I feel stepping out of it.

So, Mr Enninful, you can expect my subscription come November.

Photograph: Conde Nast via Creative Commons

CREATIVE WRITING 16

Thursday, 15 June 2017

The end of the road

Selkie

By Rachel Fennel The pink shell of your ear catches me off guard. Intrigued, you take your chance and I’m reeled in by your smile. No chance to think, breathe (or panic).

Only later, watching driftwood do I wonder what I’ve parted with unwittingly. So nervous I bite my tongue. When you kiss me, I stain your mouth red.

Slowly, the time passes, and fully under the control of your moon smile that waxes and wanes erratically, the realization makes my heart sink.

Months pass.

Visiting your parents we walk the cliffs, and watch the sea embrace the sun.

It drowns.

Your clothes wash into my space until I can’t escape or find where you start and I end.

Restless longing swims my insides. I fill the bath up till only my nose peeks out; fleshy iceberg.

Somedays I don’t do the housework- you shout as I sit under the shower, water sluicing over my skin.

At night I wake drowning, the weight of my ring, dragging me down.

The earth separates us finally. I walk from your last sleep and slip on my old self, warm, well known and drive to the sea. The wind whips my hair.

I find our old boat where we first met and row till the shore is just a thin wispy line. I dip my hand into the sea and watch our old life slip off down to the sea floor until I can’t see it anymore.

Vanished.

But these three things I remember: Your hands fisting my hair, the sea swell of the bed, your weight above me.

Editor’s Column by Anna Gibbs creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk

F

or some of you reading this (does anyone out there actually read this column, or is this the part of the paper used for broken glass?), these will be your final few weeks as a Durham student.

I can’t pretend to know exactly how that feels, but popping the Durham bubble must be a strange prospect.

You could pop it gently, with your eyes closed tight. You could run at it confidently and pop it with flair. Or you could simply wait for it to meet its own demise as you yourself drift away first.

As a sentimental person, I intend to pocket my memories of Durham and take some of that cobbled, auburn warmth away and around with me when my turn to graduate arrives.

For those of you who’ll be returning, going away for the holidays always feels slightly odd too. I’m sickeningly making it sound like Hogwarts now, but to be fair, when I’m away from Durham, I almost feel like I’ve made the place up.

When you’re away from Durham, there’s nothing but memory to remind you that the place is real. It’s like it was all a vague dream that you once had, as you struggle to remember details.

That said, the essence of the place is more of a warm, burnt orange feeling, a series of images, rather than something that can be described with a few marks on a piece of paper.

Maybe there are paths in the city which make your insides twinge at the memories made there, doorways which make your heart sink as it copies the emotions of a time past and best forgotten, or bridges which push the corners of your mouth up into an involuntary grin as you cross them.

It may be the end of the road, but every end is a new beginning, with a new destination. And maybe that destination is at the other end of the wheatfield of life, so run sweet child, run.

Photographs by Anna Gibbs