44: RELEASE

RAZZ University of Exeter’s Arts and Culture Magazine

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RELEASE

CONTENTS 3 5

Editor’s Notes

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Society Spotlights: Sports Series!

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A Cheese-Lover’s Dream: Our Visit to Quicke’s

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release the chimp

9 Question for the Culture: Releasing Technophobia Farm

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TIPS FOR RELEASING STRESS

From Suppress to release

Photography: Meina Sumida

RELEASE 18crossword

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what’s the diss?”!

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releasing some new year’s resolutions

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Review: “A REAL PAIN”

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poster

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Releasing Stereotypes: Changing My Perspective

Academics Against Assault

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recommended releases

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CREATIVE WRITING: POETRY

CREATIVE WRITING: FLASH FICTTION

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QUIZ

POSTER

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RELEASE PLAYLIST

41 SOLUTIONS 2

Editor's Notes While at university, it’s hard not to get swept up in the business of life; sweating the small stuff and losing perspective. In order to release my everyday stressors, I’ve learned to take a step back and return to the basics: spending quality time with loved ones (as well as withdrawing to recharge my batteries alone), getting an early night, nourishing myself with good food, and getting out into the real world.

There are things in all of our lives that we have to choose to RELEASE; holding onto the past and maintaining unhealthy habits stops us from learning and growing. The more we practice releasing what is holding us back, the better we might become at contributing our best and genuinely connecting with others.

I hope you can relate to some of what has been written in these pages, as contributors have shared their experiences and insights into ways they experience RELEASE. Thank you so much to all our brilliant writers, editors, artists and designers who have brought this edition to life; for your inspiring creativity and vision in helping us bring it all together. A particularly big thank you goes to our Deputy Editors, Em Hamblin and Elena Ingram Medina; our Copy Editors, Nathan Steward and Lucy Verdier; our Creative Directors, Dharma Austin and Phillipa Bailey; and our Assistant Creative Directors, Lillian Gibbs and Katie Matthews. Each one of you is invaluable to our team and what we do!

Isabella Wartski, Print Editor-in-Chief and Co-President I am always impressed by the ways our writers bring our themes to life, releasing their talent and creativity in endlessly inspiring ways. This edition sees “RELEASE” as the new, the exciting, the calming, the lost, the unknown - I hope it inspires you too.

Elena Ingram Medina, Deputy Print Editor Breathe in, breathe out. “RELEASE” to me is about letting go.. learning to release your inhibitions. As final term looms and the stress mounts, I’ve found it increasingly important to ground myself in the real world, while trying to relish those experiences before we have to release university forever! I hope these pages bring some solace and inspiration - allowing you to let go too.

Em Hamblin, Deputy Print Editor 3

The word “RELEASE” evokes movement and powerful meaning. Through our designs, we hope each page transforms you in its essence. Once again, I am so grateful for this creative team – co-directing with Phillipa has been incredible, and this edition was made possible by the amazing talents of Katie Matthews and Lillian Gibbs too.

Dharma Austin, Creative Director “RELEASE” is about letting go – of fear, expectations, or anything holding us back.

This edition explores stories of surrender, growth and the freedom found in moving forward. Through these pages, we hope to inspire you to embrace change, trust the journey and step into a renewed sense of possibility.

Phillipa Bailey, Creative Director

Contributors Alice Frearson Alicia Salmon Amelie Bidston Dan Loveless Dharma Austin Elena Ingram Medina Ella Burke Em Hamblin Emilly Lewis-White Hannah Clark Isabella Wartski Isabel Williams Katie Matthews Kitty Carter Laura Williams

Lillian Gibbs Lily Smith Lisette Reed Lucy Verdier Maisha Horsman Martine Mendoza-Boyd Mattie Gazzard Megan Thomas Meina Sumida Mila Pascolini Nathan Steward Olivia Lyes Phillipa Bailey Rosie Lynch Sadhbh Holden

Cover Competition winner: Meina Sumida 4

Illustrations and Photography: Dharma Austin and Phillipa Bailey

Sports Societies Spotlight!

RAZZ writer Mila Pascolini investigates how different sport societies help their members find release at university.

It is a well-known fact that exercise is an optimal way to release stress, due to the ‘feel good’ chemicals our brains release, allowing us to feel less anxious and more connected. So, I took on the job of interviewing three amazing society presidents about how their societies allow their members to be released from university life.

Hazel was kind enough to share the joys of a Sunday morning swim with Open Water Swimming Society (EUOWSS). Every Sunday, between 50-150 members gather to dive into the cold waters, forming connections not just within their own society, but across others, thanks to collaborative efforts with groups like BodySoc and Be the Change Society. The concept of this society is truly one of a kind and the mental health benefits from cold water immersion are proven to increase endorphin levels and 5

make you feel more calm – a perfect escape for the body and mind. They host therapeutic socials like candle painting and movie nights, and provide both drinking and sober events.

With their free membership that welcomes everyone, there is no reason not to join.

Hazel also shared that in 2023, EUOWSS achieved the Guild’s Wellbeing Award, proving that this society consistently supports their members and positively influences students’ mental health. This is definitely one to join to ensure your week starts the right way.

The Benchball Society was another society that really intrigued me, and I feel it is imperative to include them in this piece, especially with this year marking their 10th anniversary!

There are various sessions held each week where members can learn the game or or try and take it to the next level and try for Varsity – who have won the Benchball Varsity for two consecutive years. Benchball offers the basics like any other

mainstream sport, with annual Christmas and summer balls and pub quizzes. But I think the most special thing about this society is the connection Jasmine showed with all the members in her society. Jasmine told me that she joined Benchball in her first year, and thanks to the welcoming environment, she could finally play a sport where there was no pressure on having a specific sporting physique or being a popular one. She took on the president role to ensure her members felt that same feeling. Jasmine is – of course – very approachable, but if you didn’t feel comfortable speaking with her, Benchball society also has an elected welfare secretary giving members 1-1 support. They really do cover it all when looking for a release from university life.

for women in a more male-dominated sport. Muay Thai Society offer womenonly sessions to remove the “all eyes on you” feeling, and they have also started joint self-defence sessions with other societies - expanding the people you can network with as a member. Emma’s principle aims are to create a place where women can express their emotions, whatever they may be, and offer a safe and healthy place for women to contradict societal expectations of femininity.

What more perfect way to release frustrations is there than kicking a pair of pads? Emma said that Muay Thai allowed her to access the confidence and empowerment she needed as someone who was a victim of bullying; an inspiration to anyone who might be struggling to settle at university and looking for a release from routine.

The final society I wanted to spotlight was Muay Thai Society. They welcome all abilities and the most stand-out factor of this society is their emphasis on creating a welcoming environment 6

A Cheese-Lover’s Dream: Our Visit to Quicke’s Cheese Farm RAZZ Online Editor-in-Chief/Co-President Lily Smith journeyed to learn more, from behind the scenes, about the fantastic cheese-making processes that go on at the beloved Quicke’s Farm.

If someone told you a cheese farm makes for a perfect university trip, you might be sceptical. But our visit to Quicke’s Cheese Farm, just 15 minutes from campus, proved otherwise.

Quicke’s isn’t just another artisanal cheese brand, it has been around for over 14 generations. The farm’s history dates back to the 1500s when Elizabeth Luscombe inherited the land from her father, who had received it as part of Henry VIII’s redistribution of monastery land. Originally a dairy farm, it pivoted to cheese-making in the 1970s and has since become a major player in the British cheese scene. Today, the farm is run by Jane Quicke, who patiently guided us through their processes, answering all our cheese-related questions.

Most of us eat cheese without ever thinking about what goes into it. At Quicke’s, we learned that it starts with 7

their herd of dairy cows, carefully selected for their ability to produce the perfect milk. The process begins when starter culture is added to the milk to develop acidity and flavour. Natural rennet is introduced to separate the curds from the whey, before the curds are “cheddared” (cut), stacked, and turned by hand to drain away excess liquid. Cornish sea salt is then added to enhance the flavour before the cheese is wrapped in muslin, rather than plastic, allowing it to breathe as it matures.

Tasting the cheese in its early stages was an experience in itself. The texture was somewhere between jelly and cottage cheese, with only a vague hint of cheddar. But after ageing for up to two years in Quicke’s “Cathedral of Cheese” – a dark, cool storehouse lined with towering truckles – the cheese develops a rich, nutty, and slightly spicy character.

The natural rind grows its own unique

mould, which sounds unappealing but is actually what gives Quicke’s its signature depth of flavour.

During our visit, we even tried our hand at grading the cheese, learning that professional tasters use descriptors for it such as “earthy,” “caramel,” and even “cow’s breath,” which, oddly enough, isn’t a bad thing.

After all that science, it was finally time for the main event: the tasting. Quicke’s vintage cheddar was sharp, nutty, and intensely flavourful, while the goat’s cheese was creamy and tangy – nothing like the supermarket versions we were used to. The real surprise though, was the whey butter, made from the leftover whey. Rich, golden, and full of depth, it was so good we considered sneaking some home – though thankfully, the farm shop had plenty for sale.

Beyond its commitment to producing incredible cheese, Quicke’s is also deeply invested in sustainability. The farm’s woodlands, hedgerows, and soil naturally absorb nearly half of the carbon emitted by their dairy production. Solar panels provide renewable energy, and the farm uses its own sustainably-grown wood for heating. With a goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030,

they practice regenerative farming to restore soil health and increase biodiversity.

Even methane (yes, cow burps) breaks down in the atmosphere within a few years, meaning the farm’s carefully managed land helps offset much of its environmental impact.

A cheese farm might not be on your student bucket list, but it should be. Quicke’s is far more than just a farm or a shop, it’s an experience.

Whether you book a tour to watch the cheese-making process up close, curate your own hamper from the farm shop, or even order a wedding cheese tower (yes, that’s a thing), it’s well worth the short trip from campus. So, if you ever find yourself craving an escape from city life, or just some really good cheddar, Quicke’s is the place to go!

Photography: Dan Loveless Illustrations: Phillipa Bailey

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Question for the Culture: Releasing Technophobia It is a widespread human fear that AI will take over our jobs, and even take over the world one day… but I think that this perspective really overlooks the possibilities that AI creates for both personal and professional growth. I think we need to realise that AI is not all bad. By integrating it into our jobs and personal lives, we can use AI to upskill and enhance our efficiency, while also improving the quality of our work. Instead of a replacement, I think that AI can be seen as a way to tackle mundane, repetitive tasks, whilst also allowing us to become more skilled in digital literacy and using AI machines and software. As AI is constantly evolving, we can stay ahead of the curve, learning alongside the developments.

Many people believe that the human skills required for certain jobs will no longer be needed with the rise of AI technologies able to do the required tasks instead. However, instead of replacing workers, it is important to highlight that artificial intelligence tools are in fact creating new job roles for humans too. The rise of AI is leading to professions within AI ethics, engineering and AI-assisted content creation, and so many more!

There is a sudden need for professionals in AI, in order to develop AI, check its ethical use and optimise its integration into businesses.

AI tools can speed up the process of mundane tasks that can now be automated, meaning that humans can focus on much higher-value tasks that are still unique to them: emotional 9

RAZZ writer Rosie Lynch explores how we can teach people who fear the rise of AI to view it instead as a springboard for new future opportunities.

“AI is not all bad.”

intelligence and critical thinking. We need to beat the fear around AI by educating people on the opportunities that AI creates, which would not have been possible before its existence.

For jobs in the creative industry, AI’s role can enhance jobs, not replace them. AI tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly and design assistants like Artiphora and Uizard are not intended to replace human creativity, they are there to enhance it.

For professionals in jobs like journalism, marketing and design, AI tools can collaborate alongside humans to improve clarity of work, assist with brainstorming ideas, or provide alternative, new perspectives on certain issues. AI tools can create content which is tailored towards certain target audiences, or help writers to refine their articles for clarity.

When it comes to enhancing everyday personal life, AI can be great for planning, being productive and making conscious lifestyle choices.

AI is becoming an essential tool in managing day-to-

day tasks and offering new ways for us to optimise our time and make life more manageable. Especially for a university student, AI can help with a plethora of things, from meal planning to study schedules. At the end of a busy week, being able to ask ChatGPT to plan a meal for you based on the ingredients left in your fridge saves time and effort. AI can help with creating timetables for revision, or dissertation work, making realistic weekly plans for you based on your goals. My favourite use of AI at the moment is the AI-powered DJ on Spotify that creates a personalised radio station for you based on your listening activity. This shows how AI can simplify and improve everyday life, allowing for more balance and less stress.

Releasing fears about AI and replacing them with opportunity is something that, in my opinion, unlocks so much more creative potential within us, and learning how to optimise its use can have such a positive effect, both in a work environment and in our personal lives.

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RAZZ Online Editor-in-Chief/ Co-President Lily Smith reviews the new release of Better Man, dissecting its relevance to our contemporary audiences in the UK and US.

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‘Better Man’ Review

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reputation and infamy of Robbie Williams is not what interests me about this cultural movement, but rather the passion it is inspiring in establishing Britishness. This call to arms to protect him, and subsequently British culture, comes at a time of low morale. British pride in 2025 has severely negative connotations thanks to unnamed political parties. But what is there to be proud of anyway? A worsening mental health crisis among young people, with one in five affected, is projected to cost the economy £1.1 trillion in lost earnings due to reduced education and job prospects.

Meanwhile, environmental concerns are rising, with extreme heatwaves leading to record-high deaths and future projections warning of a sixfold

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Despite the perception that Williams is a UK-exclusive phenomenon, his success stretches far beyond British borders. He is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with over 75 million records sold worldwide, and has earned more Brit Awards (18 in total) than any other artist in history. However, the

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The divide over Better Man has quickly become a microcosm of a broader cultural rift between British and American online communities. Williams has become an object of lighthearted ridicule. But, British users have framed this as yet another example of American cultural arrogance; their tendency to dismiss anything that doesn’t fit neatly into their own frame of reference.

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It seems there is a limit to American cultural imperialism. That limit is Robbie Williams. A year ago, if anyone had told me TikTok (and the wider social media universe) would be locked in a bitter discourse about the Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man, I would have said that this was a lie, as no one could possibly care about Robbie Williams’ life enough to have any thoughts on it at all. Yet, here we are.

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Illustrations: Lillian Gibbs

increase by 2050. Housing affordability is also at a crisis level, as government support fails to keep up with soaring rents. Can we celebrate anything as a British triumph?

Yes, we can… with a CGI chimp. I, among others, have never felt the need to defend a middle-aged, problematicish, pop star so strongly in my life. The question, “Who is Robbie Williams?” prompts the immediate response, “You have not lived until you sing “Angels” at the top of your lungs, drunk, as the club is closing, and therefore we have the best culture in the whole world” in me, despite not believing that myself.

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Yes, there are a lot of things not to be proud of as a Brit, but music is something we have always had, a feeling I’m calling “pop culture patriotism.” It is finding things that unite us in a divisive nation, whether that be complaining about the men’s football, or swearing allegiance to (potentially) the

second most talented member of Take That.

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Pop culture patriotism reflects a growing exhaustion with the cultural homogenisation brought on by American media dominance. British youth, long raised on a diet of US television, music, and internet discourse, are finding themselves suddenly protective of their own cultural exports. This shift isn’t about nationalism in the traditional sense; it’s not about Brexit-fueled isolationism or some desire to reject foreign influences.

Rather, it’s about reclaiming a sense of cultural pride that isn’t rooted in outdated ideas of empire or politics, but in the arts: music, TV, and humour – the things that have historically set Britain apart. At its best, pop culture patriotism isn’t about shutting out the rest of the world; it’s about making sure British culture still has a seat at the table in an increasingly Americanised landscape.

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“It seems there is a limit to American cultural imperialism. That limit

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is Robbie Williams.”

” 1 “Robbie Williams Live 2025.” Robbie Williams. https://robbiewilliams.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopb-lsQfExBsjrWhLx76t5N_qyWik9_iSaRGcGj9MGkTKLzteJA 2 Meg Bawden. “UK childhood mental health crisis to cost £1.1tn in lost pay, study finds.”The Guardian, February 2025.

3 Kate Abnett. “Warning of more deaths as 2024 set to be hottest year on record.”The Independent, July 2024.

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TIPS FOR RELEASING STRESS Two RAZZ writers share how they go about releasing stress, as university workloads heat up toward the end of Spring Term and the beginning of Summer Term.

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Photography: Dharma Austin and Phillipa Bailey Illustrations: Dharma Austin

Image: rawpixel

1.

Menu

When I need to destress, I’ll often head to the kitchen. Taking the time to cook and eat a proper dinner marks an end to the working day, and something about cooking can transport you somewhere entirely removed from whatever it is you were stressed about.

Beyond this, cooking and eating can be such loving things – if you’re feeling overwhelmed or a bit glum, choosing something familiar to cook for yourself, and remembering the moments or people associated with that dish (a hearty vegetable curry cooked with a friend after a heavy weekend, for example, or the spicy tuna pasta sauce my mum would make when I was little) helps you feel connected to those people, even if they’re not there. Cooking those dishes again, for yourself, is a continuation of the love which first went into them. Making time to look after yourself with a good meal is a very loving thing to do.

Our relationship with food is so personal, and everyone engages with it differently.

But cooking something delicious for yourself can help you feel a bit more human, and better able to cope with stress. So put on some music, clock off from work, and get cooking!

Alice Frearson

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Exam stress is a difficult but consistent part of university. If you struggle with it, you’re not alone. As someone who’s struggled with anxiety for most of their life, it can particularly manifest around academic work and exams, so I’ve picked up a few methods of coping along the way that are helpful. My top three tips concern sleep, task management and rewards.

Firstly, though people operate in varying ways at night, I find that sticking to a routine that prioritises early nights and early mornings works best for me. This means that you can rely on good sleep and a whole day to be productive, instead of sleeping in the early hours and losing whole mornings.

Secondly, organisation is your friend! My personal favourite is Google Calendar; I try to make sure that I schedule everything from study periods and where I want to study, to periods of rest (whether that be FaceTiming my family, or just lying in bed on TikTok).

This ties into my third tip, which is deciding on rewards for completion of revision periods or exams – is there a sweet treat you want to bake with your house, or a movie you want to see? Whatever works for you, remember to focus on your wellbeing during exam season, as well as those locking-in sessions!

Kitty Carter

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From SUPPRESS to RELEASE: EXPRESSING EMOTIONS

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RAZZ writer Laura Williams opens up about her university experience of learning to express emotions with trustworthy friends.

As the clock struck midnight to signal the beginning of 2024, I was surrounded by friends and family, who brought with them an abundant amount of love and happiness. Never in that moment did I imagine 2024 would be one of my most challenging years yet. However, the painful experiences that I faced unexpectedly guided me towards life lessons I never realised I needed, and which I now live by.

This past year has shed light on some of the unspoken sides of university life. They say these are “the best years of your life,” where you “find your people,” but what is often glossed over are the difficulties you can experience when you encounter the wrong people. In times like these, it can feel easier to suppress your emotions, or “fake it until you make it”.

Ideals of perfectionism, permeating heavily through our society today, have undoubtedly played a role in this. It can therefore be difficult to open up if you feel as though there is an

expectation to seem flawless. My personal experience with this is that there are more constructive ways to heal than suppressing your emotions. So, how do you transgress against this narrative in a culture that seeks to promote perfectionism?

Learning how to navigate your emotions is not necessarily covered in the school curriculum and academia, yet it is an invaluable life lesson that grows with experience.

When times are difficult, remember that it is alright for you to feel the way you do, and that there is always another side for you to reach.

Try to recognise the cause of your feelings and allow yourself to talk about it. Do not be afraid to walk out and release yourself from

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situations that are hurting you, as hard as it may be to do so. Live by peace over drama and distance over disrespect.

Almost everything I have learned about love and happiness, I have been gifted through the friendships I have formed with my girls. 2024 opened my eyes to the true value of platonic love. I genuinely do not know what I would do without my friends. When others brought me down with their words, my friends lifted me back up with theirs. When other people’s actions were hurtful, they showed me kindness. The support that they gave me was unparalleled. I felt comfortable being candid with them and expressing my emotions. They helped me navigate my feelings, and I shifted from suppressing my emotions to releasing them.

everything I have learned about love and happiness, I have been gifted through the friendships I have formed with my girls” s 17

The people you surround yourself with at university are important. A good circle of friends can make all the difference. Do not worry if you do not “find your people” straight away – this can take time. Acknowledge that not everyone has the same heart as you, and that is part of life, but recognise those whose morals do align, those who are kind, and those who are compassionate. It is the quality of your friends that matters, not the quantity.

Being with the right people will feel like a release of all negativities. They are what truly make you fall in love with life and admire the world again.

Never allow someone else to write your story, or let their opinions define you. I encourage you to be comfortable with your emotions. Be the reason people believe in kind hearts and pure souls, and refrain from becoming like those who have hurt you. You are capable of defining your own university experience.

Photography and illustrations: Dharma Austin

Release Crossword

by Megan Thomas

ACROSS 2. Singer who debuted with ‘Release Me’ in 2009 (5) 6. Home to the Mona Lisa (6) 9. Alternative medicine based on treating misaligned joints (12) 10. Often sculpted on a wheel (7) 11. Being released from the hospital (10) 12. Hormones released during exercise (10) 14. To be freed from confinement (9) 15. To save someone (6) 18. Meaning of a white flag (9) 19. Three-line poem with 17 total syllables (5) 20. Hormones released when you pet a dog (8)

DOWN 1. Giving up ownership (10) 3. Found not guilty in a trial (9) 4. Release a book, music or film to the public (7) 5. Outside the box (14) 7. First public showing of a film (8) 13. Best day of the week to release music (6) 16. Artist who creates three-dimensional pieces (8) 17. Bring back to life (6)

llustrations: Dharma Austin 18

What the diss?!

Final year is a stressful time for all university students, culminating in the ultimate academic challenge: the dissertation. This project is more than just an essay; it’s a test of intelligence, willpower, and wiles.

As students navigate this academic rite of passage, their experiences range from rewarding to downright terrifying.

Here, final-year students from various disciplines share their thoughts on the dissertation process, from their ideal historical supervisors to the lastminute panic of an impending deadline.

RAZZ Print Editor-in-Chief/CoPresident Isabella Wartski and Creative Director Phillipa Bailey ask fellow final-year students some fun questions about their experiences researching for and writing their dissertations.

History

How would you describe your experience of the dissertation process in three words?

Challenging, stressful, daunting.

If you could choose any historical figure to be your supervisor, who would you choose?

Abraham Lincoln.

What would you do if your dissertation was due tomorrow?

Throw up a few times and then do loads of Adderall, lock myself in a room for 24 hours, and hope for the best.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back to the beginning of term 1?

Stop sleeping in until 2pm and do some work.

Don’t wait until March to start your dissertation!

Image and illustrations: Phillipa Bailey

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Art History & Visual Culture

How would you describe your experience of the dissertation process in three words?

Daunting, nerve-wracking, tantalising.

If you could choose any historical figure to be your supervisor, who would you choose?

Pope John XXIII. What would you do if your dissertation was due tomorrow?

Isolate myself and make sure I’m stocked up with snacks and drinks for an all-nighter.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back to the beginning of term 1?

Go with your first instinct—trust yourself!

Drama

How would you describe your experience of the dissertation process in three words?

Challenging, fulfilling, independent.

History (Another Perspective)

How would you describe your experience of the dissertation process in three words?

Long, hard, rewarding.

If you could choose any historical figure to be your supervisor, who would you choose?

Martin Luther King Jr.

If you could choose any historical figure to be your supervisor, who would you choose?

Shakespeare.

What would you do if your dissertation was due tomorrow?

Panic, then lock in so hard—I can only try my best!

What would you do if your dissertation was due tomorrow?

Panic.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back to the beginning of term 1?

Be open-minded about your topic. Just because it’s your first choice doesn’t mean you have to stick with it. Keep reading and enjoy the freedom!

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back to the beginning of term 1?

Do a little work often.

Keep momentum going throughout each term and really utilize your supervisor!

Art History & Visual Culture (Another Perspective)

How would you describe your experience of the dissertation process in three words?

Frustrating, long, tedious.

If you could choose any historical figure to be your supervisor, who would you choose?

The artist I’m studying— an Italian painter.

What would you do if your dissertation was due tomorrow?

Cry hysterically.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back to the beginning of term 1?

Change your supervisor.

The dissertation process is a marathon, not a sprint, and while experiences vary, one thing remains consistent: it is a defining academic challenge. Some students face it with sheer determination, while others crumble under the pressure. The common takeaway? Start early, stay disciplined, and trust your instincts. And if all else fails, keep a stash of snacks and caffeine on standby.

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Releasing Some NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS....

RAZZ Treasurer Lisette Reed shares a realistic take on how New Year’s resolutions don’t always go to plan, but how they can be modified to become more achievable and encouraging.

When the New Year rolls around, a whirlwind of hyper-idealised versions of living and wellbeing flood the January season, all allegedly intended to encourage us to better ourselves while simultaneously doing the complete opposite.

“Try this new green juice”, “How to lose weight in 60 days”, “Welcome to my New Year reset” – an endless stream of healthy living fills the For You Page of every TikTok user, allowing the doom-scrolling to begin. As you sit in your bed, all cosied up, an influencer appears sharing how all their New Year’s

resolutions of the previous year were successful and are now habits they take up every single day of their life – good for them, by the way. But as you watch, suddenly the cosiness of your bed lessens and that sinking feeling of failure settles in. You perhaps didn’t fulfil all your resolutions and have set even higher, and frankly unrealistic, expectations for yourself this year. You didn’t take up yoga, ran out of time to start crocheting and promised you would start loving yourself more, despite now beating yourself up over these small things. It is completely normal to not fulfil New Year’s resolutions – life happens and gets in the way of the perfect, structured routine social media tells you to have, and that’s okay. There’s so much pressure to perform and fit into society’s glorified expectations of what wellbeing and health should look like. Good health and a good life aren’t solely down to diet and if you wake up

“hyper-idealised “Welcomeversions of living to my New and wellbeing Year reset” flood the January “How to lose season” weight in 60 21

“Try this new green juice”

days”

Images: Olivia Lyes Illustration: Mattie Gazzard

at 5am consistently; but the time you spend with those around you and the time you take for yourself contribute to a good life.

When setting resolutions for yourself, it’s important to remain realistic toward both your lifestyle and capabilities, and to not put pressure on yourself. Of course, these things are easier said than done, but when deciding on goals it’s important to be confident that these milestones won’t make you feel guilty in the future if you can’t complete them. Yes, a New Year’s resolution is intended to be completed within that year but it’s also normal to not have started a goal until later on in the year. It may get to December and you haven’t started or you’re nowhere near your goal – regardless, your worth isn’t diminished.

Personally, when setting my resolutions this year, I have ensured that I’m not being harsh with myself. I’ve set myself goals based on things I enjoy, such as reading – I’ve been in a reading rut since Term 1 what with the neverending workload of my degree; I limited my reading for pleasure and I

missed it so much. To get out of my slump, and to enjoy non-degreerelated literature again, I’ve begun reading in the evening after dinner.

Whilst I sit and digest, I enjoy a book without any milestones I need to reach; I don’t make myself read more than I want to. I’ve also made sure that the books I’m reading for pleasure are more relaxed and ones I definitely will enjoy. I’m a massive sucker for a romance book so needless to say that’s been the main genre I’ve been going for and it’s super light-hearted in comparison to what I have to read on my course!

“Set myself goals based on It’s things like keeping my resolutions light and guilt-free things I that have helped me keep them. It often feels as though unnecessary enjoy” pressure steers me away from completing my goals and therefore I find erasing that pressure incredibly beneficial. Nevertheless, New Year’s resolutions do not determine your value, and whether you’re successful or not in them, in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t matter!

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“A REAL PAIN”

“Kicking social norms and politeness to the curb at every given opportunity...”

Reflections on

RAZZ writer Maisha Horsman reviews the recent cinematic release, “A Real Pain,” and shares its moving, heartfelt relevance.

A Real Pain follows American cousins: Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) over a weeklong tour in Poland that they are undertaking to memorialise their grandmother, who survived the holocaust.

Kicking social norms and politeness to the curb at every given opportunity, Benji jumps between heart-warmingly kind to thoughtlessly hurtful. He may selfishly claim the shower after their long-haul flight, but every now and then he engenders a joyfulness in David that for a few moments eclipses his anxious twitching.

Simultaneously, Jesse Eisenberg (writer and director) crafts scenes that teeter on the boundary between comical and white-knuckle second-hand embarrassment, as Benji expresses his pain through inappropriate outbursts. David is Benji’s polar opposite; a crippling awareness of social acceptability pervades his every 23

step, as his most intense emotional response seems to be embarrassment from Benji’s rude behaviour.

The film hinges on a choked monologue from David, in which he expresses the nagging sense that his pain is ‘unexceptional’ and therefore he has no right to burden others with it.

At the same time, he confesses a deep resentment, even jealousy, of Benji.

Despite having no more than the same ‘unexceptional’ pain as him, Benji has the audacity to feel, and express it.

How can he be so entitled to pain when their grandmother needed ‘a thousand miracles’ to survive the holocaust?

While David bemoans Benji’s uninhibited expression of pain, Benji mourns the child that David was, ‘who cried at everything, who used to feel everything’. With this briefly conjured image of unimpeded childhood sensitivity, comes the suggestion of a tortured metamorphosis. How else could a child who ‘felt everything’ become the man that is David, so conscious of social convention that he has stopped expressing almost anything, and finally stopped feeling at all.

Both cousins struggle to connect with others. While David peers out through the inflexible iron bars of social convention, Benji’s uninhibited emotional fluctuations also fail to foster connection with others. His emotional

Layout by Katie Matthews

little group of seven mainly smile and small-talk their way through the tour.

That is, outside of the moments when Benji’s spontaneous and unfettered emotional responses create a space for the other six to discuss that which goes beyond the usual rota of polite conversation.

“How can we presume to express this nasty, numbing combination of emotions, when others are suffering at the hands of such evil?” outbursts at first elicit censure from the tour group, which quickly softens to contemplation. And yet, Benji seems unaware of the effect he has on others; with unimpeded vigour he lets his emotions loose on the world, forgetting them only moments later, unable to empathetically reckon with the effect he has on those around him.

But it is through Benji’s unregulated externalisation of emotion that the tour group even partially have the space to emotionally engage with the holocaust.

It should be a painful topic, yet the 23

Images: Unsplash

A Real Pain focuses on how ‘unexceptional pain’ can rot and die, buried deep inside of someone too paralysed by social acceptability to express it. By muzzling expressions of personal, ‘unexceptional’ pain, honest responses to instances of barbarism are prevented. In the contemporary western world, we are constant witnesses to violence, war and genocide – both present and past. We fester in a strange stew of numbness, painful empathy, powerlessness and guilt at our own privilege. We cannot ever really understand what it is like to be a victim of the Holocaust, of the Rwandan genocide, or of numerous other atrocities. How can we presume to express this nasty, numbing combination of emotions, when others are suffering at the hands of such evil?

And so, we repress it, ignore it, push it down: and thereby quash the few seeds of solidarity within us.

“We cannot ever really understand what it is like to be a victim of the Holocaust” 24

MAKE ME LOSE CONMAKE ME TROL LOSE CONTROL

— “Ragdoll,” Dora Jar

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Illustration: Hannah Clark

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Releasing Stereotypes: Changing My Perspective Three RAZZ writers share what they’ve been creatively inspired by, challenging them to release both conscious and unconscious sterotypes in popular culture.

Image: Phillipa Bailey

Arrangements in Blue by Amy Key Emily Hamblin As a teenage girl, my life orbited around the ideal of romantic love. It felt so elusive to me – always there, but just out of reach. This desire followed me into university, where I felt like I had a self-imposed time limit to find “love” – or the rest of my life was doomed. It was on a crisp winter morning that I began listening to the audiobook of Amy Key’s memoir Arrangements in Blue, and I was so enamoured that I bought a physical copy later that day. Framed around Joni Mitchell’s legendary album Blue, Key candidly meditates on her time

spent without a romantic partner, and the sadness that comes with feeling alone. But the memoir is also incredibly empowering, detailing how to curate a full and loving life without our culture’s overemphasis on romantic love. The book is a radically vulnerable meditation on loss and grieving, but is also full of hope.

My perspective of how I viewed myself in relation to love and relationships shifted, emphasising that romantic love, or my lack thereof, does not define me. As Key writes, ‘I deserve to dream a good dream of the future. I’ve stopped waiting for it to begin.’

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Francis Bacon Sadhbh Holden Throughout my time as an art student, my mum would tell me about an installation she found inspiring: Francis Bacon’s studio. His space, like that of many artists, was messy, entirely dedicated to the release of creativity – but I think to call this studio messy is an understatement.

This studio is the epitome of chaos, the birthplace of his work. Mess, I feel, is associated with unproductivity, lack of success and shame.

However, after Bacon died, his studio was left exactly as it was, in disarray; the space fell into the possession of John

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Edwards who donated the studio to the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, in 1992.

Image: WIkimedia Commons, Pedro Meier

In answer to the question most likely in your mind, “He donated this mayhem to a gallery?” – yes. Each object and mark on the wall was numbered and photographed, and carefully rearranged in a gallery in Ireland.

The studio now sits as a proud exhibit of a great Irish artist. This space represents everything I understand about creative liberty – the chaos and freedom of it. Something that, upon first glance, seems a messy disaster but, on second glance, is really a mark of true artistic release.

Vivienne Westwood Westwood Vivienne Alicia Salmon Often celebrated as the “mother of punk,” Vivienne Westwood’s iconic designs changed everything I once perceived about couture fashion.

The audacious style of Westwood’s collections, as well as their underlying political statements, made me rethink my assumptions surrounding fashion’s purpose.

Westwood’s designs reflected contemporary societal issues underpinned by a rebellion against the status quo. Through seemingly unconventional designs, Westwood blended punk aesthetic with traditional tailoring, opening my eyes to what couture fashion truly signifies: that to embody the raw beauty of fashion, you have to break free from the mould.

By making political statements through

her clothes, Westwood revealed that fashion could be more than just “pretty dresses on a runway”; fashion can be utilised to represent both art and politics.

Surrounded by micro trends and ever-changing fashion ideals, Westwood – to me – was a release from the narrow conventions of “trending style”, shaping how I use fashion for my own enjoyment and expression. The Westwood brand exemplifies a release from the stereotypes of dictated desirability and demonstrates how fashion can be used as a form of thought-provoking art, forever changing my outlook on punk in the couture world.

Image: Graphic by Alicia Salmon

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cademics Against Assault Exeter’s Newest, Necessary Campaign TW: Mention of sexual violence/rape culture.

RAZZ writer Amelia Jones sheds light on the work of Exeter’s newest, necessary campaign against sexual violence.

Student life is AAA is quickly becoming a nationwide notoriously challenging. Leaving the campaign. comfort of home and stepping into adulthood means navigating budgeting AAA’s mission is to make consent on a loan, desperately trying to secure education mandatory for students in TP Wednesday tickets, and learning university, believing that sexual violence to cook something other than pesto can be reduced by organised, informed pasta. Our time in higher education discussions on sex. In 2020, The Tab is described as the most memorable reported that Exeter was one of 22 years of our lives. However, for many, universities not providing time at university can be compulsory consent unforgettable for all the classes for its students. wrong reasons. In 2018, “AAA’s mission Other major universities a survey conducted is to make featured on the list

by The Student Room consent include Birmingham, found that 62% of education York, Manchester, Cardiff students and recent and Oxford. Compulsory graduates experience mandatory sexual education usually sexual violence. In 2019, for ends at sixteen, with the BBC reported that students in many young adults sexual assault in UK university...” reporting their last universities had trebled memory of any kind of within three years. sexual education as being Academics Against between the ages of Assault strives to change 12-14.

For most attending university, sex this horrific reality. education is not accessible - abandoned on the syllabus - even though many AAA is a campaign led by students students are sexually active. AAA is for students, that advocates for the tackling this issue. prevention of sexual violence in academic environments. The initiative was founded in 2022 by Molly Hanning, Although Royal Holloway was one of the 22 universities in which consent a passionate activist, undergraduate, training was not required, AAA has and sexual assault survivor. Her work been collaborating with societies to was initially implemented in Royal educate members of various sports Holloway but, following its success, 29

“[A survivor’s experience] is valid no matter what they choose.”

Image: Academics Against Assult

teams on consent. Workshops explore the importance of enthusiastic consent, delve into the prominence of rape culture (and how people may unconsciously be contributing to it), and offer solutions to the “bystander effect,” by exploring methods to diffuse potentially dangerous situations. Created and delivered by AAA in person, the workshops are interactive and impactful, allowing a space for open and honest dialogue about consent with peers.

Students are enlightened on the role we all play in contributing to a safer university environment. We plan to deliver such workshops in Exeter.

We additionally aim to support students who have experienced sexual assault.

Resources provided by AAA demonstrate the various methods of help that survivors can access, such as information on local and online wellbeing services.

As a campaign, we want to reduce the stigma around sexual assault and create a safe space for survivors. Survivors should be aware that they have the personal choice and complete power

whether to report their assault, or not, and should understand that their experience is valid no matter what they choose. AAA additionally provides resources for the loved ones of sexual assault survivors, offering advice on how they can best support friends, relatives, or partners who have encountered sexual abuse.

We aim to continue what AAA has started, implementing its resources and values within Exeter. AAA is expanding its journey, and to make a difference we need your help. The need for volunteers is ongoing and greatly appreciated. If you are passionate about creating a safe environment for all Exeter students, please do not hesitate to contact us to see how you can contribute to the future of our university.

Expect change. Demand change.

For more information please email exeter. team@academicsagainstassault.com or follow @academicsagainstassault_exeter on Instagram.

“Expect change.

Demand change.”

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Recommended Releases Three RAZZ writers share some new media releases that have given them food for thought and offered new perspectives.

TV Series: “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”

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Almost ten years after the release of the first season, “Wolf Hall” returned at Christmas to conclude Hilary Mantel’s historical reimagining of Thomas Cromwell’s rise and fall. Mantel, who recently passed in 2022, was a rarity for the simple fact that her historical fiction – an often-overlooked genre – was awarded the Booker Prize twice. If past recipients are anything to go by, the Booker is reserved for gritty literary fiction, dealing most prominently with simmering political and cultural controversies. “Wolf Hall” broke the mould, but not entirely; the novels and the TV show are without a doubt gritty – at times, even pessimistic – but more importantly, they are universal. That is what is most extraordinary about the show, especially in this slower-paced final season. The audience watches characters known only through portraits and dates; yet under Mantel’s imagination, and the actors’ skills, they see them become human. Mark Rylance and Damien Lewis as the combatting

Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII are a wonder to behold. Through multilayered dialogue, lowered eyes and shifting body language, we witness a masterful investigation into human relationships and ambitions. History classes often serve to make dead figures deader still; “Wolf Hall” drags them back from the grave and makes its audience cheer for them, even though they are always destined to return to the grave in the end.

"“Wolf Hall” drags them back from the grave and makes its audience cheer for them"

Nathan Steward, Copy Editor

Film: “Conclave” Edward Berger’s Conclave, which came out in late November 2024, addresses and reflects upon stereotypes of the Catholic Church, acknowledging tainted aspects of its history, and offering a more intimate, nuanced take on the people who run it.

While the trailer piqued my interest, I had my doubts about Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, and Stanley Tucci, among others. I wondered if it would be another monotonous depiction of old men operating within a huge institution.

However, the director of All Quiet on the Western Front did not disappoint. The film follows Cardinal Lawrence as he attempts to carry out his duties with integrity and diplomacy, after being begrudgingly tasked with leading the conclave in their selection process for the next Pope. With striking visuals – such as the scene with all the cardinals flooding the courtyard space in their identical uniforms – and a thrilling sound score, Berger applies a poignant curiosity and sensitivity to his examination and unravelling of the flawed characters that make up the conclave in his fictitious story, subtly allowing the audience to understand and perhaps even relate to the humanity of the Cardinals at times. It is an excitingly tense watch, with many twists and turns, and a thought-provoking ending, which I would recommend anyone to see.

Isabella Wartski, Print Editor-in-Chief/ Co-President

Image: Still from“Conclave” (Focus Features)

"With striking visuals and a thrilling sound score, Berger applies a poignant curiosity and sensitivity to his examination and unravelling of the flawed characters" Illustrations: Lillian Gibbs

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BOOK: “INTERMEZZO”

BY SALLY ROONEY

After the huge success of her previous works, including Normal People and Conversations with Friends, there was heightened anticipation for Sally Rooney’s new novel, Intermezzo. The book was released in September 2024 and has been far from a disappointment; I have even heard it declared to be Rooney’s best yet.

Intermezzo follows the lives of brothers Peter and Ivan Koubek. The story is woven around a web of their relationships: with their recently deceased father, their unconventional romances, and most centrally, with each other. It is simultaneously a stunning love story, as well as a moving piece on mental health, and how we feel about the people in our lives as things are taken away from us. It is also about how we navigate strong feelings about the people we see often, whether those feelings range from affectionate to hostile.

The way that Rooney writes her characters is vivid, and I am perplexed by the way that she creates such real and complex emotions and characters, in so few words.

Every line she writes is vital, embellishing the story into a comforting and beautiful masterpiece. I would recommend this book to everyone and urge you not to feel intimidated by the length – Rooney’s writing is silky smooth and totally addictive.

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Ella Burke

Illustrations: Lillian Gibbs

POETRY Watch Me Inhale Watch me inhale, deeply, slowly, but never breathing out.

The air slides down my spine into open jars in the pockets of my lungs, sealed shut, safely secured or caged by my pearly white ribs.

There are many of these jars, precariously stacked on top of each other.

Be quiet to hear the glass clinking.

Another breath, another jar; inhaling or sinking?

You see it’s safer to lock these things up, tidy them away.

While you notice the jars, don’t let anger hit you as it zips through my veins.

I swallowed my shouts so now they echo and bounce off my bones.

My tears too are sucked back in before they can spill, I feel them trickle down past my heart, pooling in my centre.

Mind the floor there – it’s particularly slippery.

But love I cannot capture or contain.

It springs free, slipping out in sighs, hijacking a glow in my eyes.

See how it leaps from me, the reckless fool.

Maybe you’re like me too, an emotional ecosystem, clamouring and claustrophobic.

Maybe one day you’ll find that a lid can be eased open.

That a jar can release an exhale.

And you can loosen your grip.

Isabel Williams

Surrendering its an uplifting, a dissolving, a sifting, you don’t have to be perfect anymore, mark that on your forehead so that you can see it when you go to pick at your pores. unfurl the infantile fists inside your mind even just for a beat of this song that goes on long after you die and before I was born. there is something more than mathematical perfection letting life win, in opening the door. you can’t force the horse to drink, but you can dive into the water, you can let go of the reins. and no, you are not free of sin, but you’re allowed to dance, i think.

Martine Mendoza-Boyd

34 Illustrations: Mattie Gazzard

CREATIVE WRITING: FLASH FICTION old film reel, and she was being spun through the motions again. What did it mean? A question not prompted by philosophy or existentialism, just a bouquet of flowers sitting on the table and the empty space before her growing emptier still…

Release is the back of the white bus to Gatwick gleaming under the bright sky of a sunny Valentine’s Day, watching your face at the window melt away against the hastening reality of the too many months until I see you again.

She watched the word in her mind as it morphed into the shape of moments passing. An empty space opposite and the lingering sweetness of everything encompassed in the previous forty-eight hours. Costa, sitting in the aftermath of it all. A single verb. Almost a form of catharsis.

She tested it quietly like how one tests the exhalation of air after a long sigh.

“Release. Re- lease. Releasssss…”

A hiss through her teeth as the “s” fell away and all that remained was silence. Silence and a sense of unwitting surrender. All at once the word was 35

Release is the breath I did not realise I was holding. Holding you whilst the Romcom credits roll, the tea is cold and you are saying words to me that could rival poetry.

The glisten of the 4th century BC inspired earrings, gold and pearl, lost amongst dark curls because you know I love the classics and you call me your Greek goddess.

Release are the moments that made up the short-lived visit now lost to a chasm of loneliness. I hate that I am already forgetting them. Portobello Road, Primrose Hill, Camden Market. These places reserve spaces in well-loved movies and still all I can remember with any clarity is the way it felt when I leant my head against your chest. How, amidst the noise of the

Northern line and the industrial groan of tired machinery, I felt as if I was letting go of the things that used to matter, scattering them across the map of the tube. I remember looking at you.

The way the world fell apart, and whether I was taking the underground or passing by pastel houses with white porticos and flowers in the front garden, my surroundings did not fail to dissipate into nothing.

I release your hand after jumping onto the white bus to Gatwick.

I kiss you in spite of previous promises to avoid public displays of affection. I let go. I breathe. I face the prospect of seven months without you like the barrel of a loaded gun. If love can paint the world in vibrant colours then the absence of it can rob the world of colour altogether. Art looks ugly without you. The sun’s glare is garish and the cold is not romantic, it is just cold.

She checked her phone; the train home would leave very soon. The word had been strained of all meaning and now sat senselessly in her notes app. The coffee was growing cold. Later she would release the cup into a mixed recycling bag.

She would release tears into the bouquet of roses and irises he had bought her before he left. She would release all of this into a Word document because she did not want to release the thought of him.

Release. I have released you like Penelope released Odysseus after the feigned madness backfired and he was forced to leave with the rest of the fleet. She watched the horizon swallow up the boat as I watched the traffic swallow up your white bus, facing the prospect of so many oceans between us with the resilience that can guide a ship back home.

I have released you on your odyssey. All I have left is the waiting.

Amelie Bidston, Social Secretary Illustrations: Phillipa Bailey

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How much time can you give yourself to relax right now? Remember to be kind to yourself! If you don’t take enough time to relax and clear your head, you won’t do your best work anyway.

I can only take a short break, half an hour at most.

Do you feel like you need time to sit and decompress, or to feel a bit more awake?

Make me move and I will scream.

Seeing as you don’t have much time available and you want to remain as stationary as possible, I would suggest you...

1. Make a cup of tea or coffee and listen to music or a podcast as you do so.

2. Make a mug brownie (Recipe below!) also while listening to music or a podcast.

3. Do some simple stretches—nothing strenuous which requires a lot of movement.

All three of these processes will give you time to unwind while giving yourself some sort of reward to keep you going.

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If I stay in this room any longer, I cannot be held accountable for my actions.

I could take an hour at a push.

Are you feeling more creative or productive right now?

With little time available but the desire to feel productive in your break wstudies, you could...

1. Make a flask of tea/ coffee and go for a short walk. Listen to music or take in the sounds around you.

2. Do some yoga or just dance, both are on YouTube and moving releases endorphins.

3. Phone a safe person for a short chat—maybe your parents or a friend from home. This is also a nice thing to do while on a walk or doing any cleaning/tidying.

I need to feel accomplished.

A productive way to spend an hour could be...

1. Having a long bath or shower.

Have a concert or boil yourself red in bubbles, either way, you will feel refreshed and accomplished.

2. Do a longer version of any of the options in the box to the left, maybe with one of your housemates.

I think I could spare an hour… or two.

How sociable are you feeling?

I need human interaction before I start talking to inanimate objects.

Lucky! You have loads of time AND you’re feeling sociable...

1. Do something you wouldn’t usually do that requires a Call me Van companion. You could go to Gogh.

Dartmoor, I’ve heard the Lydford Gorge trail is really pretty. Or perhaps you could choose a random town on the trainline. I did this with 3 different towns in my first year and To get those creative juices found that the flowing in a non-stressful most uneventful manner, you could... town was also 1. Do some arts and crafts, fun. this could be drawing or even starting a new knitting project if 2. Something nice and simple, you’re into that.

2. Read/ write. OK, reading may go for a café and not be specifically creative, but it shopping date does stimulate the imagination with a friend. and gives a break from reality.

3. BAKE!! An easy past-time that comes with a work/ worth while reward. Did you know the perfect Victoria sponge can be made by weighing however many eggs you want to use, and then adding the same weight of butter, sugar, and self-raising flour?

If someone approached me right now, I’d bark at them :)

Because you have a significant amount of time but no desire to be sociable, I would...

1. Do something you wouldn’t usually do. Nothing too crazy, something like going on a solo trip to the beach or the cinema.

2. Work-out. With this time, you could easily get in a good work-out which means time to get out and go to the gym and shower when you get back.

Emilly Lewis-White

Mug Brownie Recipe!!!

2 tablespoons of hot chocolate powder 1.5 tablespoons of flour 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter Chocolate chips (optional) Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together before microwaving for 40 seconds. This will leave your brownie gooey. If you want it firmer, then microwave for a further 10–20 seconds.

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RELEASE PLAY LIST RAZZ Deputy Print Editor Emily Hamblin shares which songs she’s had on repeat, as this term comes to a close.

As deadlines draw closer and the end of the university year looms, I find myself retreating to those wellworn creature comforts, and, like many of us, I end up listening to the same five songs on repeat until I get sick of them. Thankfully, the music world is always evolving and churning out brilliant new artists and songs, if you know where to look. I have collated some of my favourite recent discoveries that should be on your release radar too.

“T&A” - Blondshell 39

Cutting lyrics and a moody, angsty backing track that swells and builds to a brilliant climax, Blondshell is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Illustrations: Dharma Austin

“Alesis” - Mk.gee

I thought that I had struck gold with Mk.gee, only to learn that he is actually already viral (I even heard his song play in Tesco’s the other day), but this does not diminish his brilliance, and if he is an artist not already on your release radar – what are you doing?!

“Ragdoll” - Dora Jar

About to support Gracie Abrams on her The Secret of Us tour, Dora Jar is a refreshing sound in the alternative sphere. She creates a unique, ethereal, synthy sound that completely washes over you in the best way.

“Pieces Of You” - 070 Shake

Trench coat buttoned to the top? 070 Shake’s collaborative projects, such as Raye’s “Escapism.”, have cemented the American rapper and singer as a musical genius, and her solo album is worth a listen.

“Forward To The Kill” - Sydney Ross

After going viral on TikTok for all the right reasons, Sydney Ross Mitchell is deservedly becoming the new face of indie sad-girl music, with her melodious voice and gut-wrenching lyrics.

“SHELL ( OF A MAN )” - Saya Gray

I’m still not over the revival of indie twang music over the last year, and Saya Gray hits the mark with her new album, SAYA, and “SHELL ( OF A MAN )” is a brilliant, fresh take in the genre.

“Besties” - Black Country, New Road

In my opinion, Black Country, New Road has become one of the most underrated indie-rock bands of our time, and their new song “Besties” only cements them in my books as enliven40 ing and exciting – bringing pure fun and experimentation to their sound.

Solutions

Illustations: Mattie Gazzard

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Illustrations: Hannah Clark

42 41 Artwork: Dharma Austin, watercolour

Funded by the:

Issue 44 www.razzmag.co.uk instagram: @razzmagexeter gmail: razzmag@gmail.com 40