Quine Magazine S/S 23

Spring 2023

Passing The Burden

Sustainable Scotland

Makeup Saved My Life

How one passion gave Maia McCabe a new lease of life

Sit Down With Máiri McAllan

Acknowledgements

Mum, I made it! I actually created a magazine, a dream of mine for as long as I can remember! I would like to thank the colourful group of interviewees who gracefully honoured me with the opportunity to tell their story. Without you, I would not have Quine.

My flatmates, Jennifer and Carly, thank you for being by my side, letting me turn our living room into Quine’s very own studio, and listen to all my mental breakdowns! Ieva, Cara and Emma, thank you for being with me every step of the way. We did it guys!

My contributors; Jamie, immensely talented, thank you so much for writing for my magazine, you were truly meant to write! I hope we can collaborate again some time. Freya, my beautiful sister, thank you for traipsing all the way to Edinburgh to spend hours in the Kilby with me, and wandering around taking photos. The greatest photographer to ever exist.

My parents, you are undoubtedly my biggest supporters, thank you for continuously being there for me, always giving me solutions to my problems. You are my biggest inspiration. Also, thank you for allowing me to turn your kitchen into my writing space, when Quine is famous, always remember where it began; the kitchen.

Milo, for giving me constant bosies!!!

Lastly, my supervisor, Carolyn Scott, thank you for being there to support me, teaching me indesign; despite me being a technical novice. Extremely grateful to you, and all the advice you gave me!

Thank you, dear reader, I hope you enjoy Quine, maybe see you for another edition sometime!

Follow Me On Instagram Here!

Fit Like!

When I told people that I wanted to be a journalist, they were so happy for me, and thought it was a great career to go into. When I told people I wanted to work in women’s magazines, such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Elle, they looked at me with such despair. As if I had thrown away the last few years of my degree.

Changing women’s magazines and the portrayal of any minority in women’s magazines was something I had set out to achieve and I hope that I have. I have eternally been inspired with the likes of Cosmopolitan and Vogue since I was really young, and I wanted to create a Scottish version.

We need more Scottish voices out there, we need to get stories out there mainstream, especially in the likes of Lifestyle, Fashion, et cetera. They are being severely neglected in mainstream UK-wide news. I envisioned Quine as a way of breaking this neglect.

If you don’t know, the word Quine, comes from the Doric Dialect of Aberdeen, and means Woman. Being from Aberdeen, and watching Doric slowly die out as I grew older, I wanted to embrace Doric and naming my magazine Quine was the perfect way.

I wanted to create Quine, a vision that I have had since I was eight or nine, to honour the greatest years of my life, so far, my University days. Yet, one thing that I have lacked during University is self-love, it has been a long and strenuous journey but as I have grown as a person, so has my abundance of self-love. Therefore, I wanted my first-ever edition of Quine to cover that!

I think going into the new year, we all need to focus on a bit of self-love, cause whilst the journey is strenuous, I often feel as if it is never-ending. It is called being human. What we need to focus on is the good stuff; mental health, physical health, listening to your body, your mind; following your happiness, loving the people you surround yourself with. I think we need to throw up, ‘new year, new me’, and focus on what is most important; appreciating and building upon what you already have.

Niamh McCabe

Best Fashion Repeats

Sustainable Fashion in Scotland

Scotland has consistently been a strong figure in the fight against climate change. One of their strongest aspects is their sustainable fashion that is deeply rooted within their fashion.

For me, a form of self-love has always been buying clothes, I have adored fashion and clothes for as long as I can remember. Before I found writing, I was set on being a fashion designer. But, I have quite an addictive personality, so I transformed this beautiful celebration of self-love into a dangerous shopping addiction.

Scotland is the most eco-friendly country in the United Kingdom, if not Europe, it was only right to transfer this onto my shopping habits.

Being extremely eco-friendly with my clothes, donating all my old, loved clothes to different charities, cutting down my shopping habits, being a charity shop regular myself, have really made me fall in love with clothes and fashion again. One quote, in particular, really made me move on from my shopaholic past and embrace my new sustainable future. Owner of Rejean, a sustainable fashion brand that remakes used denim, Siobhan McKenna said, ‘if you do buy off the high street, don’t feel guilty, just keep that garment going for as long as possible. I’m not here to make people feel bad for their choices. Just whatever you do buy, please keep it going for as long as possible and then guilt-free’.

Months in, I realised how harmful it was for the environment, the fashion industry, and my bank account. Bulk-buying clothes to be delivered to my flat, I was less Carrie Bradshaw and more Rebecca Bloomwood (pre green scarf). So, I turned to charity shops, thrifting and sustainable clothing. Given that

By Niamh McCabe

‘If you do buy off the high street, don’t feel guilty, just keep that garment going for as long as possible.

treen

Located in Stockbridge, treen is a sustainable fashion shop that specialises in ending animal cruelty by making all their clothes vegan. They are also very charitable and give many donations to NGOs.

Totty Rocks

Famously used by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Kate Moss, Totty Rocks only uses fabrics located in Scotland to reduce their carbon footprint. Their small, eclectic shop is located in Bruntsfield if you want to have a browse.

Rejean

Says it in the name, they repurpose denim that is destined for the landfill. They find and create pieces from old, used denim. Giving it a new lease of life. They can use up to three denim jackets, for example, to make one pair of jeans.

Love and Squalor

Love and Squalor, founded in 2017, choose only natural fibres, trying their best to use every single bit of fabric they own, to reduce waste. They aim to make their clothes stand the test of time.

Just in time for creating, or reworking that summer wardrobe, here is Quine’s top six sustainable Scottish fashion brands for you to check out.

1. Sheer: a light blue sheer dress, perfect for summer nights.

2. Heart Motifs: a heart coathanger, perfect to hang up your heart filled clothes.

3. Denim: Upon Denim, upon denim, upon denim.

4. Fringing: Silver Fringed Dress

5. Cobalt Blue: Why only go one item of clothing blue, when you can do everything cobalt blue?

Current Fashion Trends

According to the SS23 runways, Spring is the time to bare it all and wear your heart on your sleeve! From Cobalt Blue to Fringing, Quine will delve into this season’s trends.

Denim: A true staple, you can never go wrong with denim! However, SS23 is the time to take denim that one step further. How about a matching denim two-piece, or low-rise denim jeans, or a denim jacket with asymmetric lining? Spring is the time to be brave with your denim.

Sheer: SS23 means the awaited return of sheer, in particular, layering your sheer. Sheer over a slip-dress, undergarments or even your everyday clothes! Why only have

a little bit of sheer, when you can have it all?!

Fringing: Spring means fringe, finally! A personal favourite, fringe is back in almost everything, dresses, jackets and even bags. The perfect transitional weather piece that you need in your wardrobe.

Heart Motifs: Maybe it is because there is love in the air in Spring, but SS23 saw a lot of hearts decorating their garments!

Cobalt Blue: Cobalt Blue is by far the colour of the season, with pastel colours falling a little behind. The rich blue will soon be everywhere, if it isn’t already!

Current Beauty Trend

B ody

Learning to Love Your Body

FROSTED MAKEUP

With Y2K still on the up, balletcore is becoming the latest obsession. Radiating skin, glistening cheeks, pretty pinks and purples, glossy lips. You want your skin to not look wet, but look shimmery. But, we must stay away from the onenote looks, add some dimension to your shimmer for a flawless look.

Learning Love

Learning to love my body again after such a traumatic experience has been challenging, lonesome and brave. I am finally ready to tell that story.

By Niamh McCabe

Your

After writing this article, a disclaimer felt appropriate. Victim, survivor, whatever you want to call me, is a branding that I am still trying to overcome a year on. Sitting here, I want to make sure that people know what this truly is, an article about me falling in love with my body again, not me getting over my assault.

Irarely talk about what happened between myself and him in my bedroom, I still find it difficult to comprehend. Perhaps because I can barely remember it. I, particularly, do not remember my consent. I realised that when I woke up in my bed to an array of bruises in different colours, shapes, sizes, some even bloody. When I saw myself for the first time in the mirror, sullen eyes, bare-faced, swollen lips, I saw a girl I did not know.

It was me, but it certainly was not me. I turned away, I was not that girl. I was not that girl that got sexually assaulted in her own bed. I was not the girl stupid enough to let that happen, I have

A tramp, a slut, a whore, this is how I felt. It is also not words that are unbeknown to me. I’ve been called a few in my time. However, there was only one time I felt truly vulnerable, when my sisters saw my bruise a week or so after. I was draped in a towel after coming out of the shower, thinking I had covered the wounds speckling my chest. They called me out and I shut them down.

I’m the elder sister, I’m meant to protect my younger siblings not show them the worst of the world painted across my body. I failed as a sister in that moment, this just added to my qualms. I was embarrassed for them to see me, as their supposed idol, destroyed by the hands of a man. Much to my dismay, we spoke about it. I eluded to many things and they promised to not tell a single soul. Something I am eternally grateful for.

Being alone is not how I thought I would go through this process, like the bruises that once scattered my body, my fear has gone away painfully slow. I’m asking, should I be doing this alone? I’ve told people, drunkenly opened myself up to my friends and family, but due to my paranoid personality, I feel they downplay the incident. Not saying they are doing that, of course they aren’t. I try to tell myself, ‘Niamh, how are they meant to know when you laugh it off’?

The self-sabotage cycle begins, I blame, berate and brutalise myself to the point I feel like the frightened little girl standing in front of my mirror, seeing someone who vaguely represents me.

I’ve read that to love my body, I must love myself. What cardboard cut-out, generic advice, but I’m desperate at this point. I want to sleep again, I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror. So, can they tell me how? Can anyone tell me how to love myself? Because I’m unsure of how to do that, how to pick the pieces of my soul up and put them

This journey of loving the stretch marks, the curves, the layers of skin has been complex and lonesome to say the least. Now, I’ve not been one to shy away from eating disorders, torturing my body, forever thinking that I am the fattest, ugliest,

When I saw myself for the first time in the mirror, sullen eyes, barefaced, swollen lips, I saw a girl I did not know.

beastly girl in the room. But, that is a different story and I do not feel like downloading my high school life on you brave reader. Therefore, my body issues have always been there- bubbling under the surface. My assault just heightened it, brought my body image issues to levels that I could not handle.

bedroom is something I will never share. Not because I cannot get over it, and not because I do not remember all of it, trust me, I can remember enough. But, because I’ve never been able to physically say the words.

When understanding this, I realised my body is saving me, it always has been. Whether it was blocking the trauma, closing my mouth or taking the hits, it put me first. I was not the only one bruised and broken, my beautiful body was too. Mind, body and soul, together as one. Why did it take me so long to figure that out? They are one, and I was only focusing on two.

Mind, body, and soul go hand in hand, when one is down, they are all down. Therefore, whilst I was neglecting my body, I was also neglecting the fact that it has never let me down. It has surrendered itself to protect me, and I’m forever indebted to it. I hope my body can forgive me for the pain I put it through.

When understanding this, I realised my body is saving me, it always has been. Whether it was blocking the trauma, closing my

This journey of loving the stretch marks, the curves, the layers of skin has been complex and lonesome to say the least.

My body is saving me, it always has been.

Makeup Saved

By Niamh McCabe

Saved My Life

One of the greatest journeys a person can take is learning to love themselves completely. It’s emotionally and physically taxing, requiring a great amount of time and sacrifice. One journey in particular struck a chord in me, it is a journey that is not only extremely inspiring but will resonate with quite a few people. Maia McCabe was diagnosed as suicidal from a young age, and turned to an unconventional way to heal herself.

Photo Credits: Freya McCabe

Through drafting this article, I had no intention of alienating people. The words, ‘makeup is good for your mental health,’ can be scary, confusing, people may see it as sexist or misogynistic. But, I do believe that to be quite narrow-minded, makeup, to me at least, is not just about using cosmetics to enhance your appearance, it is about using helpful products on your skin, whether it be makeup or skincare, to make you feel better.

You should determine what make-up is to you, not follow the natural stereotypical convention of makeup. If wearing makeup to you is applying lip-balm whenever you can, that is perfect. That is what makeup means to you.

If you have extremely sensitive skin, or cannot wear a lot of makeup and prefer wearing minimal make-up, or wearing just basic, natural skincare, and it works for you, that is the exact

same as a Drag Queen wearing a full face of makeup on stage to perform. The only thing different is the make-up on your face, but not about how you are feeling with it on.

Make-up is good for your mental health, it is even scientifically proven! Oxytocin is released through self-touch. Therefore, as you do your make-up you are creating an intimate and safe space for yourself. The neurotransmitter gets your emotions under control, regulating them, as well as radiating positivity for you to absorb.

That is not all, creating a simple routine within your makeup is improving your mental health. Simply adding in a routine, big or small, into your lifestyle, creates patterns which will naturally go on to improve your stability. I know many people who will put make-up on their face every morning as a way of waking themselves up, giving them that five, ten, twenty minutes, whatever, to treat themselves, it really sets them up for the day.

Photo Credits: Freya McCabe

“I started wearing make-up to hide myself, it made me feel safe to look different.”

My routine is fairly simply, I think, I love to use make-up to enhance my eyes, so that is where I concentrate the most with my make-up. My skin base is extremely minimal because I prefer to wear a lot of skincare, or tinted moisturisers. Furthermore, when concentrating on my eyes, over time, I realised I just enjoyed creating shadows to define features, therefore I took this practice to learn how to contour my face. Your routine will most definitely be different to mine, and that is exciting, you have your own face shape, likes, dislikes, you know what you want. Creating a simple routine for you, is a great positivity booster for your mental health.

Maia McCabe, a student from Aberdeen, has not had the easiest journey with loving herself, and with her own mental health. At quite a young age, she had suicidal thoughts, and has experienced acting on them in the past.

Maia suffers from a chemical imbalance, ultimately brain chemicals can affect your anxiety, depression and mental health greatly. Suffering from a low supply of transmitters, like Maia, means that you can often have feelings of emptiness, worthlessness, sadness or helplessness. One of Maia’s struggles was feeling worthless.

was soon beginning to feel comfortable in her own skin once agai

There are many misconceptions about wearing make-up, some argue that wearing makeup is wrong and you are naturally beautiful, which to some extent is completely true, we are all naturally beautiful. However, that is a very backwards approach

“I sometimes go into a place where I feel like no one likes me, wants me, that is a bad day for me”, Maia explains as I am invited into her bedroom, where she does virtually all of her makeup. “This is it.” She smiles as she sits down on the stool of her dressing table.

“Learning I had a chemical imbalance, it was strange for me. But in a way made me feel better because I knew it was something I could not help. One day, I just woke up and felt awful in my own skin”. Since being diagnosed with depression in 2019, Maia has seen a massive increase in her mental health since exploring and using make-up. For years, Maia tried a multitude of different activities to boost her mental health. But the only therapy she needed, was sitting down at her vanity table with her tools.

“I started wearing make-up to hide myself, it made me feel safe to look different.” Maia began her journey with makeup, hiding herself. Maia wanted to look different, because she taught herself to hate herself, punish herself for everything she believed was wrong. But, one day, that changed. “However, as time went on, I realised that I was no longer wearing makeup to hide. I think that is when I noticed a huge change in myself for the better”. Maia

to looking at make-up in my opinion. We are not wearing makeup to only enhance ourselves, there is much more to it. People wear makeup nowadays to gain confidence, and express themselves creatively. Maia is one of those people

“Make-up is extremely subjective.” Maia laughs as she looks down at her makeup tools, but looking back up. “I hate when people are judged for wearing too much or too little makeup. You can neither have too much or too little, you can only have the right amount for you”. Maia has suffered prejudice before the sheer amount of makeup she chooses to wear, and wants to fight against this. “I think it is extremely sexist, I don’t understand why we judge, especially, women for how much makeup they choose to wear, or the fact that they choose to wear makeup. If people can openly say that women wear makeup to impress boys, or any other misogynistic sayings, then they are uneducated. I hope this article can educate them to be honest”.

“Makeup has become a creative outlook for me, I love sitting and doing my make-up, taking that time for myself and to focus on myself in a positive light, which is something I used to need a lot.” Make-up became a sole passion for McCabe at one point. After struggling for so long, she wanted to help other people who had the same struggles as her. “I guess, for a period of time, I did want to be a make-up artist, not just because I could be creative, and I love being creative, but because I wanted to help other people who wanted to wear make-up but maybe did not have the experience or skills yet.”

Maia will admit it herself, she is still in the process of healing completely, but credits make-up as saving her throughout this journey. We asked Maia to do a makeup look for Quine, and in doing so, she really felt confident in herself. “The strength you have to wake up everyday and do your makeup for therapy is extremely important because it shows that you aren’t weak, nor does it show that you have given up,” Maia said as she played around with her makeup. “It shows power and it shows the fight you have to survive and stay alive.”

“At least for me, at least that is how I feel. I don’t think it is exactly makeup saved my life, but finding a passion did save my life. That’s the best advice I can give.” Maia laughed before softly smiling at what she had just accomplished within herself.

Wearing make-up is one of the biggest forms of self-love in my book, even if it is just putting on lip-balm, or wearing mascara, it can be a small step for the better.

“I hate when people are judged for wearing too much or too little makeup. You can neither have too much or too little, you can only have the right amount for you”.

“One day, I just woke up and felt awful in my own skin”.

“I sometimes go into a place where I feel like no one likes me, wants me, that is a bad day for me”

The Loss Of Libraries

Cu lture

The Chronicles of a Couch Surfer

A Guide to Clubbing in Edinburgh

By Niamh McCabe

Clubbing in Edinburgh is a rite of passage, an experience like no other. Quine has got the perfect guide to a night out. in Edinburgh.

Whilst living in Edinburgh sticky dancefloors, blaring music and daunting bright lights have become my sweet escape. Utter heaven filled with fun, laughter and regrettable pulls. The thing I missed most in lockdown was spending a night out with my flatmates clubbing, leaving it all on the dancefloor. That does include our keys, phones, cards and overall dignity.

Quine breaks down the perfect guide to clubbing in Edinburgh;

Pres: This is where the tone is set, will you or won’t you walk to the club? Will you use your Young Scot Card and get a free bus? Pres feature, drinking games, last-minute outfit changes and impromptu photoshoots.

Uber Ride: Bless the poor person who books the Uber, everyone will tell you they will pay you back but they never do. Your conversation with the Uber driver will most likely be short and sweet; asking the Uber driver, “driver have you been busy tonight?”. Remember to give out the 5 star rating!

Club: Dump your jacket, you will most likely find it again. That two pounds spent on the cloakroom is

better spent on a shot or VK. If you are really nervous, tie your jacket around your waist and dart to the bar. Personal favourite is a venom at Subway, £5 with a student discount. You only need two or three really to have a good night.

Quine’s favourite club destinations; honestly Finnegans dance floor is unreal with some live music, Subway all the way and Hive, after 1pm for obvious reasons. We do not mind Bourbon, but we only go to make us realise how much we adore a tamagotchi tuesday at Subway.

Toilet Break: You are three venoms deep, time for a trip to the toilet with your friends. A true gem of the night out, it is where gossip is shared, friendships are made, tears are cried and vomit is projectiled, tactically, into the toilet.

End of the Night: Club is closing, do you have any last regrets, are you on the lookout for that person that you drunkenly locked eyes with two minutes ago, or are you sprinting to Pizza Paradise to beat the queue? Or, are you just ready to go home? Whatever it may be, you undoubtedly will probably be up for that 9am class!

The beauties of a night out in Edinburgh. I may have left many rings, my student ID card and my dignity on that dance floor. But, I also left the greatest thing of all, my heart.

Club photos, owned by Niamh McCabe

Sit Down With Máiri McAllan

When did you decide to go into politics? What made you choose to be a politician?

In a way, I have always felt political. Even as a wee girl I remember seeing things in the world around me that I didn’t think were fair. And I remember feeling like I wished there was something I could do about it. As you get older, you realise things in the world are unjust but, thankfully, there is something you can do about it.

That, in part, is why I decided to become a lawyer – because I wanted to help in the administration of justice.

And it’s why, in my teens, I joined the SNP. To me, they were the Party who was standing up for Scotland and for all our people – including those who were far too infrequently heard. So I suppose I became a lawyer – and then a politician – to use my voice to speak for those who, I think, are too often ignored in our systems and who suffer as a result.

You have had many triumphs in politics, what has been your greatest triumph in your political career?

That’s very kind of you to say. Although I’ve been a political activist for 15 years, between being a lawyer and an MSP, I worked as a Special Adviser to Nicola Sturgeon, and in fact I have only been elected for 2 years. But in that time, one of the achievements I am most proud of was helping a vulnerable constituent who had been defrauded by rogue tradespeople and who had been left with tens of thousands of pounds of damage. Together, we took on the companies involved and we

won – securing a financial refund for her so she could have the problems sorted. That’s something I’m proud of in my work as a local MSP.

As a Minister, one of my proudest achievements so far is being part of the team pushing for the inclusion of Loss and Damage within the COP27 Agreement. The idea behind Loss and Damage is that developed nations must accept that we have been enriched by the industrial processes which are now causing climate change – and, that those suffering first and worst from the impact of Climate Change have often done little or nothing to cause it. Campaigners have been fighting for many years to have this recognised and to have rich nations financially support the Global South and low lying countries who are suffering. At COP26, working with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, we became the first global north nation to ever pledge funds directly for Loss and Damage. This broke a significant taboo and others soon followed suit. One year later at COP27, a Loss and Damage Agreement was finally reached by State Parties. There is much work still to do, but I’m very proud to have stood with the Global South on this urgent issue and that Scotland led where others soon followed.

Image Credits: Mairi McAllan

What are your personal goals in politics?

I suppose it is to advance the issues I care most deeply about. Just some of these are the eradication of child poverty; the ending of violence and abuse against women and girls; the protection of our precious natural environment; the removal of immoral nuclear weapons from Scotland’s shores; and the return of independence for Scotland.

Being (currently) Scotland’s youngest government Minister, I also take my responsibility to young people very seriously. I grew up in the internet age which not many of my counterparts can say. I feel very strongly that laws must urgently catch up with the extent to which people’s whole lives are lived through social media – and the enormous pressure that can put on young people in particular. I want young people to be safer navigating the online world – and be supported to cope with the ways it impacts our life in the real world.

Ultimately I want to help create a Scotland that is fairer, greener, more equal and capable of playing a helpful and peaceful role in the world. We need independence to achieve that.

As Minister for Environment and Land Reform, what are your next steps for making Scotland more greener and sustainable?

I recently took legislation through parliament to end fox hunting once and for all and I’m about to begin a Bill which will regulate the use of our land for grouse moors. I’m also working on a Land Reform Bill which will aim to have more of Scotland’s land owned and used by more communities so they can benefit from all it has to offer.

Have you ever felt any setbacks as a woman in politics? How did it make you feel, were you able to overcome it?

Image Credits: Mairi McAllan

Definitely. Sometimes I feel as though people are pre-disposed not to take me seriously because of my age and my gender. But I tackle that by working harder, gaining more knowledge and being more prepared – so they have no choice but to take me seriously. It shouldn’t have to be that way, but I’m not about to let them get away with it!

There are pressures beyond this bias though – and I have encountered a lot of overt sexism and misogyny already in my years as an MSP. I can’t say I have overcome it yet, but I have developed coping mechanisms including, for example, taking time away from Twitter or simply not looking at the unpleasant comments that a woman daring to speak often attracts.

The scale and pace of the climate and nature emergencies demands wholesale change right across our economy and society. Everything from how we travel and what we consume, to how we heat our homes and deal with waste products, needs to change. We must change. But we must change fairly, taking people with us and not leaving anyone behind. There is work to be done right across the board and I’m working with colleaguegs in government on these many angles.

As Minister for Environment, I have responsibility for the natural world. So I’m working on increasing forest cover in Scotland and on restoration of our incredible peatlands. Both of these will absorb carbon from the atmosphere and support biodiversity and I’m working to some very ambitious targets on both.

I’m also currently working on marine protection and designating parts of our waters which will be free from all destructive and extractive activity. Again, this will be a significant step for climate and nature.

Ultimately, I have to overcome it. Because the alternative is not having young women in public life – not having our experience and needs heard and using this to help to shape decisions. That would be intolerable, so we have to keep pushing.

Do you have any advice for women wanting to go into the world of politics?

My advice would be - go for it! Women have something to say. Women deserve to be heard. And by speaking up, being present and forcing the establishment to listen to us, we can help change people’s lives.

The truth is, decisions which affect us will continue to be made whether we are there or not. We can’t let others get away with that because we know best what’s right for us.

And look out for each other. Society tries to pit women against one another – let’s reject that and support each other. My door is always open for any woman seeking advice. Others did that for me – including Nicola Sturgeon – and I am eternally grateful to her for that and for the incredible example she set for us all.

When You are Male and a Midwife

By Niamh McCabe

Currently in the UK, there are barely over 100 male midwives. Male midwives are only making up a small part of the profession, making the midwifery profession the most gender-segregated ones. We speak to recently graduated midwife, Stewart McClaren about his experiences in the Scottish NHS, and being male and a midwife.

How would you feel if you were giving birth, or your partner was giving birth, and a man was delivering your baby? Or, by chance, did you always assume that the midwife was going to be female? It is not a bad thing if you did, that is just what you are made to think by societal standards.

I thought it was normal, men being midwives, I thought it was a bustling profession. I was delivered by a male when I was a baby, he was actually at my parents wedding as well. When I was told about the story of my birth, my parents always emphasised that I was delivered by a man. I think they did that so I knew about deconstructing gender roles and making me understand that you can be whatever you want to be.

It has been over forty years since male-identifying people have been able to study and practice midwifery, however, it is the complete opposite of what I thought. In comparison to the amount of female-identifying midwives, maleidentifying midwives make up the tiniest group.

Through a BBC conducted study, I found out that in March 2017 there were 43,168 midwives registered in the UK, only 188 were male-identifying. 0.4% of registered midwives in the UK were male-identifying. Whilst looking into this issue, I found out that there had barely been a change.

On a Monday Afternoon, Stewart McClaren, a recently graduated midwife from Robert Gordon University, joined me on a facetime call to chat about his experiences as a male midwife. Stewart was the only male-identifying person on his course, and is now out on the wards. “It didn’t really make a difference to me,” Stewart said as the connection on the call started to strengthen. “When I’m in a room, everybody’s the same as each other, so I do not feel different. I don’t feel like anyone has treated me different”.

Despite feeling this way, Stewart did touch on the fact that people were naturally curious about why he was doing midwifery. “Whenever I go out into placement and stuff, there’s always extra questions. Everyone seemed to want to know why I was doing it. It’s a bit like girls, it’s kind of obvious why she is doing midwifery, but for me, it was like, ‘oh, why are you doing this?’ Not coming from a bad place, but coming from a place of interest.” Stewart understands the challenges that come with this job, and is willing to break the stigma. Growing up with Stewart, I realised when we were young that he was going to be pioneer of sorts, and speaking to him, now, I felt the exact same.

“People come into a room and go, ‘okay girls, let’s do this!’ And I never want to call them out, because I never want to mention it. Then somebody goes, ‘what about Stewart?’ And then they apologise. I mean I don’t care, because people walk into a room and say, ‘hi guys’, and that sounds normal. It doesn’t bother me in that sense, but I think people are still getting used to it’. But, there is now a sort of ‘bond’ between Stewart and the other male-identifying midwife in the hospital.

“There is one other male midwife in our wards, and there’s always that sort of when we see each other, it is like okay, let’s have an unspoken, sort of, I know you and you know me. We’ve got one thing in common above everybody else’. Delving more into this, Stewart felt there was some level of respect between him and the other male midwife, that someone on the wards was like him and had similar situations to him. We would all feel that, we always gravitate to someone like us when we feel somewhat isolated. But, we are urging for more, we need to do more to make midwifery less segregated.

Stewart mentions how people feel apologetic towards him when they mention their periods, or other typically more ‘women’ things, but Stewart does not want them to apologise, as this is the profession he chose.

My job is female oriented. It’s not just I am working with women, I’m working for women, and I represent health, so it does not bother me.

“They’re talking about their periods or whatever, and they’ve got cramps, and they are talking about it amongst the group, and then say, ‘sorry you needed to hear that, Stewart’.” Stewart wants people to understand that he doesn’t mind talking about these things. He studied this, he worked so hard for this, he wants to be a part of these conversations.

“Because this is my job. My job is female oriented. It’s not just I am working with women, I’m working for women, and I represent health, so it does not bother me. I’ve done three years of training, I’ve heard all about this sort of study. Just because I don’t experience it does not mean I’m not interested in what you’re trying to say.” Stewart does not feel the need to shy away, he is breaking down boundaries for the better.

On the wards, Stewart is currently working with pregnant people with pre-existing conditions,for example, one of his patients

has had both a heart and lung transplant. It is an incredible job, but another incredible thing happened to him before he graduated, a baby was named after him in honour.

“Their middle name is Stewart, which is lovely. I was not expecting it, some patients I have and I think, we could have been friends if we met differently, but the mother and I were not like this. We just didn’t have that sort of connection. Then, she told me her baby’s middle name was Stewart, and I asked why his middle name was that. She said that they had someone called Stewart in the family, but mainly named after me. It was completely unexpected but meant a lot.”

Stewart has been using his public instagram account to document the entirety of his midwife journey, giving people an insight to a male on the wards as a midwife.

Despite only just starting out as a male-identifying midwife, Stewart has already assisted on delivering over forty babies, his first qualified baby was at Christmas time. He has so much more to give and is truly cherishing his time. This is a small step in breaking the stigma in midwifery, but Stewart may just be one of the trailblazers.

“My patient said that they had someone called Stewart in the family, but mainly named after me. It was completely unexpected but meant a lot.”

Image Credits: Stewart McLaren

Boob Cupcakes

Step 1:

Roll out your fondant icing, and start creating circle shapes. Pair them up into two, pinch one to create nipple tip, and make one circle for the base of the nipple.

Using the food colouring, mix them together to create the perfect skin tone for you.

Step 2:

After mixing the frosting together, to create a skin tone, decorate you newly baked cupcakes with the frosting. The grab your nipple pieces and place the on top; to create the perfect boob cupcake.

Ingredients:

400g of Fondant Icing

Vanilla Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

Pink, Red, Yellow Food Colouring (Quine likes Dr. Oetker)

Silver Ball Cake Decorations (optional)

Step

Now that you have your boob cupcakes, you need to remember, no boob is the same. Make your boobs different, some will be bigger than others, some will havee nipple piercings, have some fun with it!

3:

My Dream is to Others, but Who Will Protect Me?

By Freya McCabe

Ioften get asked the question, ‘why do I want to join the police?’. I have no connections to the police, no one in my family was ever in the police, no one that I surround myself with wants to become a police officer. Yet, I do. I want to be in the police to help people and keep our communities safe but I’ve started to wonder who will keep me safe in the police. I’ve started to look into the crime that’s come out of the police against women in general including women police officers. The main reason I want to join the police is to make a difference in this occupation and to show other young girls that your gender should not play a role in what career you choose or scare you away from certain jobs like the police.

There was a publicised recent crime in the UK, a man was charged with a shocking total of 49 crimes. Roughly, half of these committed crimes were rape. Do you know who committed these abhorrent, cruel crimes? David Carrick carried out these unthinkable offences, an ex-police officer for the Metropolitan police. For seventeen years, during the span of the crimes, Carrick was a serving police officer. He was the person who was meant to protect us, but in actual fact, was the worst out of all of us.

What am I as a young, hopeful woman wanting to make her dreams of becoming a police officer a reality, meant to think of this? I’m coming to realise that maybe making a difference to the force is not starting with the local community but within the jagged walls of the UK’s police force. I want to be a contribution to the change, a better police officer who is here to protect you and your loved ones. Yet, I cannot help but trail back to my thoughts about people like David Carrick, the dangerous people who are supposed to protect us. force?

I’ve started to wonder who will keep me safe in the police. I’ve started to look into the crime that’s come out of the police against women in general including women police officers. There was a recent crime where a male was charged with

forty-nine offences, twenty-four of them being rape, abhorrant. Do you know who committed these crimes? David Carrick, an ex-police-officer for the Metropolitan police, committed all of his unthinkable acts over a span of seventeen years. He was a serving police officer through this time. What am I meant to make of this as a young woman hoping to enter the police force?

Young girls aspiring to be future police officers, like myself, should share the same worries that most male police officers have going into the job. This could be concerns about safety on the job, or what they will have to deal with on a daily basis, but they should not worry about their safety around fellow colleagues. You can say that I am over-reacting, but it is simply the truth, I’ve spoken to my female friends in my Youth Police Volunteering, they are apprehensive as well. It is not fair that women have to live in fear due to violence against women, and that sometimes the perpetrators of these unthinkable acts are there to protect us.

I could run, hide away from everything bad in the police; drop my dreams and move onto another, safer career. Maybe that would be the best option for me as a young woman were the whole world in front of her.

However, I do not like to give up. I have never shied away from my dreams before and I will not start now. When I become a police officer, I will be the change that they have been waiting for, I will be a protector like I have promised to do, I will do my best to become a police officer the public can depend on and support.

Women for years have allowed men to dictate their opportunities, careers and general living, but I will not be one of those women.

For seventeen years, during the span of the crimes, Carrick was a serving police officer. He was the person who was meant to protect us, but in actual fact, was the worst out of all of us.

Chronicles of a Couch Surfer

University is meant to be a time of education, to make memorable memories, to have the best experience of your life; not surfing from couch to couch because you cannot find a flat. We speak to young people in Edinburgh who have different experiences in the student flat crisis.

By Niamh McCabe

Photo: Greg Wemyss

From the moment I discovered what University was I just knew that I wanted to move away. Counting down the days in school until I could apply for University, patiently waiting for that acceptance email. Moving to a different city, experiencing a new way of life, meeting new found friends, were the main reasons for me wanting to go away for University. Thankfully, this did happen to me.

I packed my bags, loaded the car with my family and drove across the country from Aberdeenshire to Edinburgh. Almost four years later now, I have the perfect, central flat with my best friends, living a life I could only dream of. However, this is a pipe dream for many, nowadays.

We have not seen a student flat crisis like this since the seventies, there have been stories of students sleeping on bunk beds in University common rooms, students sleeping in cars, camping in tents or being forced to live in another country and commute daily. Students are being forced into homelessness and dire living situations out of pure desperation.

Living in a flat with my best friends in a new city has been the greatest experience in my life, so far. I make sure to never take it for granted because I know that many people cannot afford this luxury in the time of the student flat crisis. During the peak of the crisis, Greg Wemyss, at the time, a third year Business Student at Edinburgh Napier University was struggling so much with finding a flat that he had to revert to couch surfing as his living accommodation.

“It was difficult finding a flat, the people around me were giving up, I felt so alone.” Greg explains as we sit down at the table of the Jack Kilby Computing Centre. “You would look and look and look, but everything was being snatched up.”

Greg lived on two separate couches during his time couch surfing, he lived out of a bag, with just the bare necessities for three months. “I enjoyed the experience, just carrying all my things on my back. I guess, it gave me the freedom to go wherever I want, do whatever I want to do.” Greg enjoyed the ways of being a couch surfer because it gave him the ability to whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. But, he soon realised that this lifestyle was not good for his mental health.

“I was out every night, partying. Drinking constantly, just living that student lifestyle. I feel like I did take it too far, but I was just enjoying myself.” This really affected his sleeping pattern, wearing out his mind, body and soul. “I would sleep whenever I could, really. I would come back from a night out in the early hours, and be up by nine or ten sometimes, because people would be making noise in the kitchen.” Greg explains as remembers his past life.

“The more I lived with my friends on their couch, the sooner it was that I had to start helping with paying bills. I would resort to doing dishes to contribute to them letting me stay.” He would often have to chip in towards bills and rent. “It would cause some

arguments because I would get blamed for things, like dishes lying around or the flat being a mess. I think it was because I was essentially, ‘free-loading’.” This really got to Greg’s mental health.

“Couch surfing is fun, and an experience I will be grateful for, it taught me many things, but I will never want to do it again.” Greg explained that due to how detrimental it was to his mental health, and how different his life is now, he would not want to go back to his old ways. “I have matured as a person, I don’t feel as if I would fit into my old life.” “Something I learned from living as a couch surfer?”

Greg ponders the question I gave him, but bursting out in laughter. “I’ll tell you a skill I learned, or maybe a hidden talent, I can sleep anywhere and everything. I could be in the middle of a club and fall asleep.” Greg chuckled. “Or maybe, the excitement of living from place to place.”

Greg turned to his University for advice and support, however, he was met with none of the sort. They practically closed the door on him when he messaged them, he kept on messaging them until he eventually gave up. Turning to the life of couch surfing. “I don’t know, I guess I thought my University would help us students, would help me. But I sent out some messages, if I could get into any of their student accommodations, but they said I had to be first year.”

We asked Greg, the advice he would give to anyone currently looking for a flat in Edinburgh at the moment. He thought over it carefully. “The advice I would give to someone looking for a flat right now, start as early as you can, have connections and don’t be too particular.” Greg gave before shrugging his shoulders, smiling. “That is the best advice I can give.”

The student flat crisis is dire, we have people like Greg, who was forced to find any living situation he could in order to keep attending a University that was not giving him any support or advice. These are trying times for students, students who just want to be students, have fun and get a degree. Students do not want to be worrying if they will have heating or a roof over their head, all in the name of getting an education.

“I enjoyed the experience, just carrying all my things on my back. I guess, it gave me the freedom to go wherever I want, do whatever I want to do.”

Jennifer Gibson and Carly Shanks

“We just love living in this flat,” Jennifer announces as we walk through the hallway of their two-story flat, making our way into their living room. “It has been a great flat for us to start our twenties in,” Carly adds as we all get seated. “We have been here since November 2020, so almost three years,” Jennifer explains. “Once we found this flat, it was pretty straight forward, we got this flat pretty fast when we found it. Before this, we viewed other flats before but just never heard back, et cetera.” Carly added.

“We lived in a flat before this for a few months”. Jennifer announced as they delved into their past experiences with different flats. “It was August 2020, we were desperate to find a flat and there were only a few left to choose from. However, the flat we moved into was a mess, our renting company did not look after us, or help us in any way. Therefore, we decided to move into our new flat”.

The flatmates both agreed that as they got their flat through the pandemic it made their flat renting process easier. Carly explained that even though there were very few flats left, it was a lot easier to rent flats. Jennifer sets it down to when they got their first flat in the summer of 2020, she explains that because the Fringe wasn’t on and people were still confused about COVID-19 and moving out in the summertime was the least of their concerns.

“Yeah, but the second time looking for our current flat now was difficult because it was during term time. It was a bloodbath searching for flats, we were just so lucky to get this one.” Carly reminisces.

“I don’t know if the student flat crisis will even get better. There have been situations where people have been struggling to get flats so they move in with strangers, sleep in remade cupboards practically, or live out their cars”. Jennifer opened up about how extremely grateful she feels to have missed the student flat crisis, but still recognises the struggles that University students have been through. “I’m very fortunate that I’m not stuck in it right now because I think it is horrific. With the already pent up stress because of course work we face, students cannot deal with the added stress of where they will sleep,” Carly explains in agreement.

“Connections, messaging everyone for a room, or a flat.” Carly thinks that having people you know, who are ready to give up flats when they move out, are the best solution for finding a flat. “But, you have to be safe, though.” Jennifer laughs as she really wanted to emphasis that your safety does come first. “Yeah, make sure it is people you know and you are being safe when doing it”. Carly agreed, chuckling. “Start really early as well, try to move in as early as you can. Financially it might not be the best idea, but to secure a flat it may be your only option.”

By Niamh McCabe

The Loss Of Our Libraries

A great form of self love for me growing up was taking a trip up to the local library. All through my life I have had my head stuck in a book, absorbing a completely different world to my own. Books have been my haven through thick and thin, a guiding light when I was stuck in the dark, and a source of eternal creativity.

Every Thursday, after school, I would let my eyes wander around the school playground to find my Dad and then we would make our way to the local library. I vividly remember spending all my time after school swinging around the aisles upon aisles of books, reading the blurb of every book I could get my hands on and, finally, picking up my weekly supply.

This was such a formative part of my childhood, spending hours in the local library, chatting to the librarians, and dragging my friends with me to find the perfect book for each of them. I would even force my novice reader sisters alongside me, but they were not as enthusiastic but we still had the best time at the library.

However, now with many libraries facing their last chapter,

Famous for the Logan McRae series of Aberdeen-set crime novels, Logan McRae spoke out about shutting the doors on such happy places. In a recent interview with the Press and Journal, he said that, ‘sacrificing libraries on the bonfire of cost-cutting might save money, but it impoverishes us all.’

Aberdeen resident and frequent library-goer, Ailsa Hanson, turned to Quine as a way of getting her voice out to rally people together into trying to keep these libraries open. “Many local residents are older people, myself included, and the issues we face can cover lack of internet or devices or related skills, loneliness, low finances with knock on effects with heating and the ability to buy books. As well as, difficulties with physical exercise. The library is a place to walk to regularly for exercise; to browse and borrow books; to meet and chat for some social interaction; to bring grandchildren to start them on the journey of learning and enjoyment; just a warm, quiet place to be physically and emotionally safe’.

These future generations will never get to experience the wonders of a library if we keep on allowing these people to close them. Hanson believes that there is more than just borrowing books in a library, there could be weekly book clubs for local residents to enjoy, a small toy drive for younger children who may not have any, and holding themed events. I know my favourite part about the library was the summer events they would have every year. You would get a punch-it card and with every six trips to the library, on your seventh go, you would get a free toy, or book, or something like that. It was a great time in my life, and for many others as well. ‘Closing the library will be a missed opportunity to enhance the lives if the local community - young and old,’ said as she got emotional about the dire situation us Aberdeen residents are in.

Reading that libraries in my hometown were closing hurt a lot

from the community around them again.

More and more libraries are being closed across the UK. But what does that mean for the local community, the job market and avid readers? Three people share their thoughts on the closure of their safe space.

The library is just a warm, quiet place to be physically and emotionally safe’.

more than I would have thought. I felt like my community and home were being attacked, just like in the fairytale books I had read library. These libraries are more than just buildings, and turning them into empty buildings will prove that. The Council will gain closure of these libraries each year, but they will never gain back the trust and support

Modern Dating is Rubbish

Emotion

Passing the Burden

Passing The

Burden

Contraception was once a way for women to have control and power over their bodies, however, over time it has morphed into an onus, a burden. But, now with the soon arrival of contraception for men, times may change. What will this mean?

By Niamh McCabe

Ihave only wanted to go on the contraceptive pill twice in my life, I was fourteen and plagued with heavy periods, and unbearable pain, being forced to take a week off school every month. Then, I was seventeen, preparing myself for University. But I couldn’t help but wonder, when my male friends went to University they got a box of condoms, from their parents if they were lucky, but my only option was a IUD coil stuck in my arm for five years, or having to take a pill every morning, every day at the exact same time.

The contraceptive pill began as a progressive movement that allowed women to decide when they wanted to be pregnant, and if they even wanted to be pregnant and have children. It gave women the power and control that they may have never had before. But, throughout the decades that once power and control has reverted to women being responsible for birth control.

It is expected somewhere in the near future that a new male contraceptive will become available and easily accessible, passing some of the responsibility to the men. Currently, vasectomies and condoms are the only contraception for men and people with penises. Whereas, women have a plethora of contraceptives to choose from, implant, contraceptive injection, the mini pill, et cetra.

As we progress as a society, naturally, contraception should progress too. It is about time men were given the opportunity to take contraception, just like women. However, will men actually use this contraception?

What is Male Contraception?

This new contraception is still very much in the test phase, but the research is going strong as part of a US Government-funded study. The most recent results in February 2023 have been nothing but promising. Thirty minutes before sex, the man or person with penis will take the drug, and within the first two hours the drug has a 100% effective rate at stopping pregnancies.

The drug works by targeting the men’s sperm swimming towards the eggs, stopping them in their tracks. As well as, halting the sperms from maturing to the certain stage where it is able to fertilize an egg to create a baby.

The contraceptive is aimed at an enzyme- adenylyl cyclase (sAC), this particular enzyme makes the sperm swim through the female reproductive system and fertilize an egg. This is the particular enzyme that is naturally missing from the small number of men who are infertile.

Whilst doing the study, mice were tested first, during this they found that there were no negative health impacts when the drug was given to the mice continuously for six weeks. The study also found that the mice were infertile in just 30 minutes of taking the drug, however, it did not impact their mating behavioursno pregnancies occurred whilst the male mice mated with the female mice.

Nature Communications published the findings, and in which, Dr Melanie Balbach, a postdoctoral associated stated that, “this innovative, on-demand, non-hormonal strategy represents a previously untested concept in contraception, which has the potential to provide equity between the sexes and, like the advent of oral birth control for women, revolutionize family planning’.

As well as this, Balbach clarifies that the sAC inhibitors wear off within hours, therefore, men would only have to take the drug when they need it, unlike women’s contraception. This could allow men to make decisions about their fertility, however, they will have more choice than women will.

male

For centuries, women have been carrying the burden of contraception alone, now there is a chance our male counterparts can join.

78% of men, worldwide, would take the contraception, but they are scared of what the side effects could be.

Will Men Use The New Contraception?

Many people have conducted multiple studies asking men and people with penises if they would be happy taking a contraceptive pill for men, Quine even took it upon themselves to delve into the issue.

In my search to find out what men really think, the majority said yes, one person asked what contraception was and a few would want to know the side effects first before taking it. However, all I could think was about how women and people with uteruses did not have that same luxury. It is bred to us in sex education classes that women should go on the pill, we are told from a young age what the pill is, we are told about the pill before condoms, and we have to take this pill despite the heinous side-effects.

The author of the study found that the vast majority of men wanted to share the burden of contraception, and in the future, the chances of this is very high because the increased need for contraception is booming the research to new levels. However, in order for contraception to work and become accessible, we need, “ a significant cultural change in which men demand and want to use contraception and women are willing to give some of the responsibility away”.

Why Men Just Got Contraception Now?

It has been reported that a majority of the side-effects deemed unacceptable in the male pill, have been troubling women for decades. Multiple male contraceptives have been redacted because they have several bad side-effects, but these side-effects are extremely common in female contraceptives. Where will the double standard end?

The Conversation held in-depth interviews with 44 young men at a University in the United States, the study found that men were confused about contraception and believed that it was expected of women to communicate with men about men wearing a condom or not. Some men were worried about ‘disrespecting women’s bodily autonomy by bringing up the issue of contraceptives’. Whilst, other men did not want to take the privilege away from women, as it was their choice if they wanted to use contraception or not.

Men have been tasking women with the communication of contraception, women need to initiate the conversation, women have to go out of their way to get contraception, using their own time, money and initiative.

Furthermore, a study published by WeVibe, a sex toy manufacturer, and a research group from the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs, found that 78% of men, worldwide, would take the contraception, but they are scared of what the side effects could be.

41% of men interviewed in the study stated that, “they would not tolerate any side effects,” from the drug. In particular if they thought it would impact their libido badly. Yet, some women in the study were found to believe they would not trust their partner to use contraception regularly.

Male contraception may be taking a while to pass safety checks because there is less of a rush, men, and people with penises cannot get pregnant. If they were to have unprotected sex there would be less consequences than for women, so they have a longer time to create a safe and suitable contraceptive.

There have been tests and trials for decades on giving men and people with penises contraception, however, only now have we had a real breakthrough.

It should be your own choice, whatever your gender, if you want to take contraception or not. Making a safe and informed decision on what you want to do on your body is your own human right. But, women should no longer be the only ones who carry this burden alone.

In order for contraception to work and become accessible, we need, “ a significant cultural change in which men demand and want to use contraception and women are willing to give some of the responsibility away”.

When my male friends went to University they got a box of condoms, but my only option was a IUD coil stuck in my arm for five years, or having to take a pill every day.

By Niamh McCabe

Modern Modern Modern

The Jazz Bar is the perfect place full of eclectic souls, eccentric music and excellent cocktails. Highly, highly recommended for date night. I think it is heaven on earth, but everyone thinks I am pretentious, so take what you will from that!

Frankenstein, during that disastrous date.

Modern Dating is Rubbish Modern Dating is Rubbish Modern Dating is Rubbish

By Niamh McCabe

You could call this a prologue, it is more of an introduction to the series; the unraveling of my failed dating life.

Going back into dating, and talking to men again after such heartbreak and shame has been a lot less empowering then what I thought. I used Tinder, Bumble and Hinge like I was scouring for anyone that deeply resembled my type, however, all I found was despair, misogynists and terrible pick-up lines.

Dating apps were always safer to me; safety in a relationship was something that I needed a lot. Talking to someone via an app for a few days, then meeting in person in an environment of your choice is a lot safer to me than being off my face in a club chatting to anyone, potentially going home with them.

On the upside, some of my friends were finding success on these dating apps, and at this moment in time, I don’t particularly see myself meeting anyone in pubs, clubs or whatever setting really. Maybe it is insecurities, hiding behind a phone makes me feel more together, and secure, or maybe it is because I turn celibate anytime a guy walks up to me. I feel nothing, and it’s frightening to me.

Therefore, I thought going out into the dating world would ignite my romantic drive. However, it has only dampened the flame.

I had been practicing the celibate way of life all through January, February and most of March, however, I ended up breaking it on St Paddy’s day. Luck of the Irish and all, I had too. But, no luck for my dating life had come from that sloppy kiss outside of a Yum Yum takeaway.

I re-downloaded hinge, and ended up matching with three journalists, without knowing their occupations. I guess you could say I had a type.

seeing them in person. Yet, that is leaving me with a bare few potential candidates, I like to call them unattainable. I have such bad luck, everyone who wants me, I don’t want them and if I do want them, I suffer heartbreak and rejection. A twisted fate, a painful game, my dating life.

If the heartbreak and narcissistic flattery I was experiencing on hinge was not enough, on my way home from University; bearing in mind I had spent twelve hours staring at a computer screen, I ran into a one-night stand at the end of my street, well our street; we both are technically neighbours. Staring at each other in a complete awkward silence was just not the vibe at that moment in time.

As I tried to walk away, he awkwardly ignited a small talk conversation, the worst type of conversation. I was looking like a bloated drowned rat, and he was looking like a perfect gym rat. How cruel is this world I wonder sometimes? This conversation of catching up on life as if we had been friends for years, was just weird, when realistically, he was an alright shag from December. Awkward bumps on the street is as far as our future will go.

I ended the conversation before asking them what type of journalism they specialised in, that would be make or break on steroids. I should have known they were journalists from the get go, they were equally complimentary as they were narcissistic.

I’m trying to do this thing, I will not message someone if I do not think I will be

As of right now, March 2023, modern dating is rubbish. I mean, when I want a boy they do not want me, and when a boy wants me, I certainly do not want them. Is it my need for celibacy, my unlucky kiss with an Irish boy who possessed a mullet and a stereotypically awkward name, or the fact that the universe just wants me to be in my hot girl era a little longer? I do not know! All I know is that I think I need to stay away from journalists on dating apps, I should know, I am one of them.

I need to stay away from journalists on dating apps, I should know, I am one of them.

By Jamie Pearson

IS NOT SELFISH W

hen you hear of self-care, your mind wanders to selfishness. You see yourself being pampered, you smell spa oils, you hear waves gently gliding on the shore, you feel peace. Then you think of how ridiculous that sounds, as if you were to win the lottery. What if I told you that’s not what self-care is about, at all.

Too often we think of self-care as some unobtainable, expensive, time-consuming luxury that just is not a part of your life. However, it’s not a hopeless desire. It’s a necessity. You want to do it all, it seems like everyone is, it feels like even a day off is a luxury at this point. The world nurtures a hustle culture where everyone is working three jobs and working on their next project, making self-care seem even more selfserving which must be saved until you’ve ‘made it’.

Your mental health and stability hugely depend on the lifestyle you lead and taking time to do the things you enjoy builds a protective barrier around your mentality in the age where burnout is the new normal. Your mindset is everything, mind over matter as they say, and you must start to see self-care for what it is. Allow yourself the worthiness of time to reflect and re-energise. Too many people believe that by indulging in care for oneself, they are then less able to care for others, or put their 100% into their work – this again, is untrue.

You can incorporate self-care into your everyday life. For example, I wake up around 7am, have a blissful breakfast, head to the gym, get home, shower, and get on with whatever I must do that day. It chills me out and sets me up for the day and whatever it may throw at me. Routine is everything for me, even having a regular routine is self-care in itself!

Anyway, here are my suggestions for you to try:

Walk to/from work or uni with your headphones in and listen to music which makes you feel good – get your daily exercise and clear your mind with one stone.

Find a quiet space and get stuck into a new book – reading is the ultimate form of escapism, a place where anything is possible.

Stop in at a coffee shop on your way home and people watch –vacate your mind and appreciate people living around you.

Head to the gym on a regular basis – the gym works wonders for your mind, body, and soul – maybe try a new class.

Engage in tasks which make you feel calm; cooking, cleaning, writing.

Visit your family members and spend time laughing with your friends – very big on the live, laugh, love lifestyle.

Try something you’ve always wanted to but never have had the chance to try – you might find your new favourite thing.

A perfectly curated self-care playlist, just for you!