DIVERCSITY - October 2015 (Vol. 2 Issue #2)

#DIVE DIVERCSI RCSITY TY RCSI Student run Newspaper and Publications

|October| |Publication Year 2015, Vol. 2, Issue No. 2|

Helping Hands Charity and Volunteering.

We feature two students who volunteered to make a small difference in the world

pg 4

a quick Hello to Halloween

pg 10, 20, 33

Printed at

A Publication by

Editors’ Notes DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CAITRÍN O’LEARY »

« NIKITA RANE

// Meet the team.

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ARIMIE MIN »

« IARLA O’DOMHNAILL

STUDENT LIFE

STUDENT LIFE

SAIED ALI »

« ORLA DONOHOE

ENTERTAINMENT EDUCATION

ZAHRA JUMAN »

« DEXTER SEOW

CULTURE AND LEISURE

NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS

YUSUF JALY»

« AMELIA SOOKDEO

EVENTS

EVENTS

DEENA SHAH »

« JING TING CHEAH

COMMUNICATIONS JEEVANI KRISHNAMURTTY »

COVER ART DESIGNER

ILLUSTRATOR « CATHERINE TENNANT

MUHIMMA SULAIMAN »

AISLINN KILLIAN, REBECCA JAGOO, ANU MENON, NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED, MIA ANDREWS, AMINA MAHMOOD, CATHAL DELANEY, CYRILLE PAYNE, MOYOWA BOYO, SIMIRAAJ POWAR, DINA GHAZAL, CORMAC DUFF, YARA ZAYOUT, SU KYI NG, JIN JI LIM, RUTH EMMANUEL, SEBASTIAN GRACIAS, YASODA SUBRAMANIAN, GEORGE IKPOKOMITOP, SONIA RAMKISSOON, TENGKU NAZIM TENGKU YUSOF, COREY NIXON, MOHIT BUTANEY, STEPHANIE TUNG, CHEW JEN PIN, HONG MING, RACHEL TAN

STAFF ASSOCIATES CORRIENA BRIEN & SANDRA BONNETTO - CONTENT REVIEW, STAFF CO-ORDINATORS PROF CLIVE LEE- WRITER: ANATOMY, TANYA CHAPPLE - WRITER: SUDOKU JANE BURNS - COPYRIGHTS & PLAGIARISM ADVISER

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Editors’ Notes.

// At a glance...

Editors’ Notes

D

ear Reader,

We apologise if we weren’t able to get back to any emails that were sent to us. We have been unable to access to our editor email and until recently the main divercsity email. We hope this technical issue will be solved by the next issue. In the meantime, divercsity@rcsi.ie is alive and back from the dead, so do send any and all emails over there! Our communications officer Jeevani and the rest of the committee will be looking forward to hearing from you!

Most importantly. We are moving all our submission process off Moodle to submitting via email. We will also be accepting answers to the monthly Anatomy Quiz by email now. Check out page 31 on how you can enter!

A TASTE OF THIS ISSUE This month were inspired by the two volunteering stories submitted by Ivana and Luke, we knew we had to make them feature articles. With unfortunate events affecting the lives of millions of refugees we wanted to highlight the subject of charity. We got in touch with all RCSI clubs and societies about charities they might be affiliated with and how students could get involved in helping their causes. We do wish we had more time, since there was so much more we could have explored with this issue, but are thankful to those who collaborated with us for this issue and helped bring together this feature.

Rebecca Jagoo buries the hatchet on “slutoween” in our Opinions section. Our travel columnist Hong Ming and our columnists from Dublindulgence take a munch at Munich. George and Sonia give you the latest in the realms of science. Need a some inspiration for procrastination? Read reviews on music, books, movies, and plays

by Sebastian, Ruth, Cormac, Suk yi and Jin ji. Sharpen your wits with our brain teasers by Yara or have a go at this month’s anatomy quiz by Prof. Clive Lee. JOIN THE COMMITTEE: Missed out on our summer application process? We still have a few vacant spots on our committee!

Vacancies available for: Webmaster (manage posts on Wordpress), Online Editor (manage Facebook), Communications (email deadlines and check mail) and Events (help co-organise DIVERCSITY Wednesdays).

We are also looking for reporter for Staff Q&A and Student News, writers for DIVERSILLY (satire), and Sports.

Drop a quick email to divercsity@rcsi.ie if you are interested! We’d be happy to meet with you and answer any and all questions!

SPECIAL MENTIONS:

DIVE INTO

YOUR U UR AT

This month’s cover art was created by Catherine Tennant. We’d like to thank this month’s collaborators. Last but not the least, a big thank you to Tanya Chapple who is helping us sort out our problems with the email!

- NIKITA RANE AND CAITRÍN O’LEARY Directors and Editors-in-Chief

PASSIONS

UNIVERSITY

To join our mailing list, or for societies or general enquiries, email divercsity@rcsi.ie Read anything you love? Did we print something you hate? Have a great idea or suggestion for the paper?

Let us know how we are doing! editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie Share the excitement online, Like us on facebook.com/DIVERCSITY Join the Facebook Society Group Page for the latest updates facebook.com/groups/divercsitysignup Share and view this issue online from issuu.com/rcsidivercsity October 2015

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Features

// Helping hands - Volunteering and Charity « IVANA LUTCHMAN (CONTRIBUTING WRITER)

// An experience of a lifetime

H

ot, crowded, noisy, exhausting, thrilling, fulfilling and incredible are a few words that come to mind when I think about my volunteering experience. Then a sharp pang of nostalgia immediately follows because I had the best summer of my life.

I spent 11 weeks of my summer in India, 9 of which were dedicated to teaching children in a poor district of Noida where there are limited schooling opportunities. The children were so spirited and eager to learn and enjoy school, that it made my teaching easy. A hearty chorus of, “Good Morning Ma’am!” would greet me every day and I would spend my days teaching them English, Math and Science in fun, interactive ways.

India is a world in itself of flavours and sites steeped in history and tradition, so that it made a unique volunteer experience. On weekends I was able to go site-seeing, explore safaris and temples, go horse riding and para-gliding and make an adventure out of India.

Last day with my kids at school

As a volunteer I became immersed not only in Indian culture, language and amazing foods, but in their overwhelming societal issues. I became aware of crucial global problems that before, I had inadvertently detached myself from. I explored issues of poverty, gender inequality, consumerism, environmental protection and social stratification. It is so easy to forget that everything is connected and all our decisions can impact the world.

The Suas programme was much more than volunteering. From the very start they focused on creating an understanding of global development. It was about changing each volunteer’s perspective so that they could each change the world for the better. That’s what made it so incredible!

When I returned to Dublin, I faced questions of, “Why volunteer to teach kids? How is that relevant to medicine?” I would answer that it gave me life skills; social and organisational skills in ways that being a medical student could never fulfil. My world view has changed slightly and now I think about how global issues would affect my kids. I met many inspiring people who work for social justice and youth empowerment. I worked and lived with an inspiring team of 10 people who were so passionate about their work and volunteering. I became so confident in teaching and bonding with children, that I felt as if I adopted 30 of them by the end of the summer!

Kids at the school

I got a chance to make a difference and I loved it.

When someone asks me, “How was India?” a flood of memories and emotions come to mind that can’t be explained in simple words, so I settle for, “It was grand!” and walk away feeling incomplete because I know that I could never describe the amazing experience I had.

Learn more about volunteering overseas with Suas at www.suas.ie

Lakshmi the elephant

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Suas volunteers at the Taj Mahal

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Features

Rebuilding Nepal //

O

n April 25th 2015 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal . The earthquake shook the small country to it’s core, leaving over 9,000 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless . For me the tragedy struck close to home, because I grew up in Nepal. My parents had been missionaries in a mountain village of western Nepal, my Dad working in a small 40 bed hospital. I left Nepal In 2008 and moved to Vancouver, Canada. In May after the earthquake I had the opportunity to go back and lend a hand in the rebuilding process.

Susmita showed me where we had to walk to get water.

The mission hospital in Besi Sahar, some of the wards had been damaged so patients were staying in tents.

We spent several days in a town outside of kathmandu that had been hit hard, building shelters that would last the monsoon.

A damaged house in Garam Besi and the family

October 2015

I heard about the news while I was studying for exams and it hurt, knowing I was stuck in a different country unable to do anything to help. Thankfully a few days later I got the news that I was going to go back for 2 weeks with my brother and Dad to help out. My old high school track team had raised some money and with it we were going to see what we could do to help.

I left for Nepal 8 hours after arriving in Vancouver from Dublin and 20 hours later I was in Kathmandu. The next day we headed out to Besi Sahar, Lamjung, the end point of the world famous Annapurna circuit trek, which also was the location of a mission hospital we used to be affiliated with. When we got there we sat down with the hospital administrator, and discussed in what way we could help the most. After meeting with the hospital administrator and the mayor we were told about a village 50km away that had been hit hard, 28 houses in the village had been completely destroyed. The mayor asked us for the money we had brought, but we told him we would not give it to anyone, we wanted to make sure that it got to the people who needed it. The money from my track team turned out to be just enough to buy roofing tin and building supplies for all 28 houses. This whole process took several days, Nepal moves slower than the busy western world and although it can be frustrating it is also was relaxing.

On the 4th day we were able to finally get out of Besi Sahar and head toward the village. After several hours of dirt road, in the back of a dump truck we were able to get to the village. That evening after unloading the supplies, we set up our tent in front of the elementary school that was still standing. The locals crowded in wondering who the foreigners were, and what we were going to do. The next morning we woke up to the stifling heat of the valley.

A Newari town that had been hit hard

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« LUKE GIN (CONTRIBUTING WRITER)

We later found out the village was called Garam Besi which literally means hot valley. Someone came up and asked us if we wanted to go for a walk and see the village. It was spread out over a hillside some houses with terraced farms and others clumped together. The destruction was widespread and devastating, and although the newer brick and cement houses had survived almost all the mud and stone houses had collapsed. Leaving families sleeping under tarps, in chicken coops and anywhere that provided shelter.

Fortunately since the earthquake happened at midday almost everyone in Nepal was outside and the number of dead and injured was much lower than if it had happened at night.

After getting back from the tour of the village we arrived to see a large group of people meeting under the local meeting tree arguing. People had come from village’s hours away some in actual need and some who were rich landowners who just wanted some of our supplies. Thankfully there was a local policeman there to calm everyone down and explain that only people in actual need on our list, given to us by the local authorities would get the supplies they needed to rebuild their homes. The distribution took all day, but almost everyone in that village who was in need got enough roofing tin and building supplies to start rebuilding.

The next day we were not sure what to do, but a man came up to us and asked for help building a temporary house that would survive the monsoon and the winter. Until then his wife and 12 year old daughter Susmita had been sleeping under a tarp, since their house had been destroyed. It took us 2 days to put up a 1 bedroom bamboo house that will last several years, until they can rebuild their own house.

After that we spent another week in Nepal helping out in other places. The whole experience was amazing, and it was an incredible experience to be able to help in a small way with the rebuilding of the country.

Nepal still has a long way to go, and it is in rough shape, aid money given to the country still remains unspent and hundreds of thousands remain homeless. Forced to live in tents through the monsoon rains they are now facing the upcoming winter.

The shelter we helped make for Susmita and her family

DIVERCSITY.COM

Features

// Four million refugees, only four thousand welcome here.

« CAITRÍN O’LEARY ( EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

Migrants walking along rail tracks to a collection point in the village of Roszke in Hungary after crossing the border from Serbia. -REUTERS/Marko Djurica

R

efugee camps in Calais recently received the remnants of Dismaland, a satirical imitation of Disneyland created by ubiquitous street artist Banksy. Dismaland which was erected in August in the South of England as a reflection on commercial greed and superfluity, was dismantled and sent to the south of France last month in a contrasting and symbolic act of charity. The pieces of the former tourist attraction will be put to use to house refugees as they await a decision on their final destination, and with more ships trafficking refugees across the Mediterranean every day it is likely that every brick and nail will be needed.

The refugee crisis, which has been growing in intensity in recent months, has seen more than four million Syrian refugees leave their homes to find sanctuary in neighbouring countries or make the perilous journey to Europe in search of safety. The image of drowned three year old Aylan Kurdi washed up on the sands at Calais made the plight of the refugees real to many Europeans in a way that articulate pleas by Amnesty and other organisations had not. The photograph triggered an outpouring of empathy and support for the migrants, leading to pledges to host and accommodate the displaced Syrians.

Ireland has now undertaken to host 4,000 refugees, almost four times as many as had initially been agreed. This figure puts us in a comparable position to other EU states, in terms of the number of refugees we are welcoming relative to the size of our population.

October 2015

However while we hear stories every day of rescue operations in the Mediterranean and as our governments squabble over hosting a few thousand migrants more or less, it’s easy to forget where the real refugee crisis is taking place: many more refugees from Syria, Iraq and other war torn countries have not crossed the sea but are being hosted by neighbouring countries, causing increased strain in a region already suffering from the deprivations of war. The number of refugees fleeing their homes in this conflict is staggering; in September of last year 150,000 refugees crossed from Syria to Turkey in one week ahead of attacks by IS forc- es on the Syrian town of Kobani. Countries in this region have since tightened control of their borders, putting the remaining migrants in an increasingly vulnerable position and forcing more people to make the dangerous crossing to Europe. Of the thousands that have survived the journey, the majority have yet to find the welcome of a new host country, and remain in refugee camps on the continent which struggling to find space and facilities to accommodate them.

It’s clear that we in Europe have not done enough to aid in this crisis; with millions displaced from their homes there can be no excuse for shutting our doors on a fraction of that number, who have been through turmoil to get here.

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Sourced: http://www.thejournal.ie/cabinet-meeting-refugee-migrants-2322044Sep2015/

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Features

UNHCR in RCSI //

« SHAHED TAPPUNI (CONTRIBUTING WRITER)

T

his year Christian Union has decided to donate their fundraising efforts to UNHCR (United Nations for Refugee Agency).

UNHCR is an organization dedicated to coordinating efforts to help all refugees from war torn countries such as Iraq, Syria and many other countries. These refugees were like you and me - they had a home and a country that they loved and treasured with all their hearts but due to the sad destructive circumstances of war - they have lost everything.

Due to the ongoing refugee crises; we will be raising money for the refugees throughout the year, and will be offering information and opportunities to volunteer for anyone who wishes to participate.

Our first event is a bake sale on 15th October, from 11 am to 2 pm in the St. Stephen’s Green campus; be sure to buy our yummy treats from Johnnie’s cupcakes on the day, and feel free to come and ask us about any questions you have about the work of UNHCR. We will be hosting a Christmas party on 21st November, which will have a multi-cultural theme with songs in English, Arabic, Caribbean, Hindi, Asian and many more.

In the second semester, we have a very special event, which is being hosted by the UNHCR organization in Ireland. The children’s festival is an event designed specifically for the children of the refugees who have been traumatized and suffered their whole lives in war-torn countries.

They have lost their homes, their friends and some of them have even lost family members. They have gone through so much from such a young age. We want to create this festival to give them an opportunity to live like children and to put a smile back on their faces.

There will be face painting, clowns, bouncy castles and many more games.

We would love for anyone to get involved and help us with any of our events -if you are interested in volunteering please do email at shahedtappuni@rcsi.ie or christianunion@rcsi.ie .

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Features

// A Cause for Charity

R

CSI Clubs and Societies have long been associated with charities hosting several events and fundaraisers to raise funds or raising awareness. We got in touch with all RCSI Clubs and Societies asking if they were affiliated with any charities and if they’d like to tell us more about their worthy causes.

ARIMIE MIN ( DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

E

nviroSoc is RCSI’s very own student-run Environmental Society, aimed at raising environmental awareness and promoting eco-friendly practices.

We plan a variety of events every year that you can be a part of !

This semester we will be hosting our annual event, Green Week, a five day period of freebies, fun, fundraising and not forgetting environmental education. Each year Green Week raises money for an environmental cause, and in 2015 we will be raising money for the World Wildlife Foundation. WWF is an independent organisation that addresses environmental issues; from species survival to climate change. #GreenWeek2015 hopes to raise funds to donate towards the protection of endangered and vulnerable species. There is the ongoing problem of unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade which proves to be one of the biggest threats to the most threatened species, especially rhinos, elephants and tigers. With an unprecedented rise in poaching, it is possible that we see the extinction of elephants in central Africa if we don’t act now.

IARLA O’DOMHNAILL ( DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

// RCSI ENVIROSOC

Apart from raising money to save endangered species from extinction and promote sustainability, we will also be hosting an Oxfam drive as one of our major events.

Oxfam is a global organisation aimed at reducing poverty and the injustices that it still brings. With many shops located globally, Oxfam accepts donations of clothes, books& furniture to resell and turn into life changing funds to support their projects. Some of these projects include disaster relief, providing education and clean water for the needy as well as the current pressing issue of the refugee crisis.

How can you help this Green Week (Oct 20th -Oct 24th)?

First of all, get involved! >We would love to have your support in our sales as we raise money for a good cause. >We would love if you can take the time to donate items that you no longer need/want as it will not only declutter your space but provide clean water and food for those that can’t afford it. >Lastly, we would love for you to volunteer on our team, doing this much good isn’t easy and we’re always welcoming helping hands.

“If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope” Barack Obama. www.facebook.com/RCSIEnviroSoc envirosoc@rcsi.ie

// RCSI PSYCH SOC

H

i everybody!

A big hello from the friendly, beautiful people at Psych Soc! This month’s exciting update from us is about something we’re really interested in and has a big impact worldwide... Alzheimers! Yay!

Okay, not really yay. Alzheimers is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 44 million people worldwide and causes a host of symptoms beginning with simple memory loss, and eventually ending with the breakdown of personality and death. Fortunately there is a group that combats this very serious and un-funny disease with jokes! Inspired by the struggle of his mother-in-law with this disease, Canadian funny man Seth Rogen launched a foundation called Hilarity for Charity (HFC). This charity raises money for cutting edge Alzheimers research by holding comedy events. There’s even a branch set up directly for that most dashing and witty of people- college students like us! HFCU partners with college groups to provide help in organising fundraisers and personalised advice when it comes to hosting comedy events. Why have we been babbling on about this group you ask? Well, we’re working with HFCU now! Keep your eyes peeled later on in the year for news about our HFCU fundraising comedy event which will unequivocally be the best event of any society of all time. Ever. Also, it will help raise a serious amount of money to fund a cure for a truly terrible disease that likely affects someone you know.

If you just can’t wait to get on board with this awesome cause, visit the Hilarity for Charity page at: www.hilarityforcharity.org and beat us to donation! Like our page on Facebook and watch out for our events to keep informed of all the Psych Soc awesomeness!

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Features

// RCSI ISOC

R

CSI ISOC gravitates towards working with Charity Organisations such as Islamic Relief and Human Appeal. These are both independent humanitarian organisations that work internationally to provide emergency aid and many other services to the world’s most vulnerable people especially in the face of disaster. These organisations are committed to helping the less fortunate regardless of race, nationality, gender, belief or political affiliation, and thus RCSI ISOC immensely appreciates the opportunities we are given to assist them in these remarkable endeavours.

Charity is an extremely important aspect of being a Muslim, hence ISOC attempts to host as many charity events as possible in addition to having weekly collections after the Friday prayer. The usual charity events are the End-of-Semester Clothes Collections and the annual Eid Dinner and Charity Week which consists mainly of lunch pack and bake sales and other donation activities. Past events have ranged from charity contests such as the “Battle of the Brains” (2010) and “Basketball Shootout” (2010) to a “Grand Charity Bazaar” (2013) and “Ice Cream Sale and Orphan Sponsorship” (2014).

Last year alhamdulillah, RCSI ISOC raised over €10,000 for Islamic Relief in one semester! This year the Eid Dinner was also a success alhamdulillah as six orphans will now be provided with food, shelter, an education, access to medical services & facilities, occasional gifts and social activities! Other projects that ISOC Charity Events have helped to fund include Gaza assistance (provision of clothing, clean water, infrastructure and education etc.) and building a girls school in Pakistan amongst many others.

We believe that giving charity is not just about being generous or kind by helping others, but more importantly about the fact that it is a humanitarian right that society has upon us as individuals. Thus we truly support all RCSI societies which are also involved in charity work and encourage you to support them as well.

Sign up for RCSI ISOC on Moodle or like our Facebook page for updates on our upcoming Charity Week in October and all our other amazing plans.

Feel free to pop us an email for more info or to give us any suggestions you may have.

// RCSI CIMSA

I

recently had the opportunity to visit the Enable Ireland Hillside Developmental Clinic in Cavan. Upon opening the door, the first thing that struck me was not the beautiful morals of funky elephants and cartoons, nor was it the smiling nurse ready to show us medical students to the doctors office. It was the screams of joy that could be heard from the roofed outdoor sensory playground, the smiling calm parents sitting in the waiting room, and the happy cerebral palsy patient being wheeled out of the “toy library” with his mother, red plastic car in hand. Immediately, I knew that this was a happy place. A safe haven for families with children who have developmental issues.

When I helped found CIMSA Gives Back last year, I thought I knew what Enable Ireland was all about- but I had no idea that the organization had such a strong impact on families across the country. CIMSA Gives Back, now an annual event, is part of Enable Ireland’s “Bring Back Day” initiative, in which students can bring in old clothes, linens, comforters, cooking supplies, books, hats, belts, gloves and almost anything else you can think of to the school. These items will either be sold at one of Enable Irelands stores, or they will be recycled for monetary value. The money from these funds goes solely to Enable Ireland, an organization which provides free services to children and adults with disabilities and their families. Enable Ireland is funded in part by HSE service grants and in part by donations. Last year RCSI donated 53 bags full of used items, with a monetary value of 1060 euro. If you’d like to donate this year, bring your used items to the concourse on November 10th! If you’d like to donate at other times in the year, Enable Ireland has many stores that accept walk-in donations.

- ZAHRA MERALI

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Happenings

// Opinions « REBECCA JAGOO

SLUTOWEEN: EMPOWERING OR DEGRADING?

W

ith October 31st fast approaching, you maybe looking for a costume for that Halloween Party that you were invited to. Maybe,you even figured that you can just crash, because let’s face it…they won’t recognize you when you’re all dressed as someone else. Sound logic. If you’re a guy, you’ll probably flip through the costume packs… Fully clothed pirate or Sexy Firefighter- hat sold separately. Abs not cut yet? Argh Mateys.

If you’re a girl, you’ll find yourself flipping through costume packs; Sexy Firefighter, Sexy Pirate, Sexy Sheep, Sexy Pumpkin… and dare I say it’s real…

Sexy Elmo! Every store will have the same basic sexy selection. Desperate for something to wear, you wonder which sexy outfit is more for you. Will you be celebrating Slutoween this year?

Slutoween is the notion that Halloween night has lost all its tradition of scary and ghastly and instead has become something rather unconventional; a night where women can take to the streets in minimal and revealing costumes. But why is it such a big deal, that it deserves its own name?

It’s not surprising that this is frowned upon by society.

As a female, you’re more likely to be judged for your excessive exposure of skin. Apparently there’s some sort of link between skin exposure and sexual promiscuity (Are we sluts on the beach?). While the 2004 Mean Girls movie mentioned the popularity of sexy costumes; “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it,” the latter half seems to be far from the truth. Both males and females alike go about actively slut-shaming girls for their costume choices.

They act as if these girls are desperate sheep who have been yearning all year for this excuse to wear practically nothing for attention. Should you choose to be the sexy sheep,you’ll definitely hear the comments, “Why didn’t she wear more clothes?”, “She’s probably really easy”, “look at that slut, her parents must be so ashamed.”

It’s autumn… which means it’s almost winter, but if you take your vitamins and can brace the cold, I say good on you! That’s the thing about society; they’re always trying to conform everyone to a certain standard.

A few more years and the girl that chooses to cover up in entirety will be mocked as a prude. As women we always have to deal with the consequences of our outfits, which is a definitely a double standard. Men and women couldn’t care less about what men wear. If our earlier friend chose to be a sexy firefighter, no one would judge and it would come off as humorous or even appealing.

While there is the constant debate over the evolution of Halloween to something less substantial and the feminist view on whether slutty costumes are empowering or degrading, I say do you! Is Halloween losing its scare factor like Christmas is losing its religious factor? Leslie Bell, author of ‘Hard to Get: Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Choice’ points out, “It’s interesting to consider whether we, as a culture, find ‘sluts’ to be scary and threatening.” Perhaps that can explain the Slutoween explosion and why it has become such a witch hunt of young women.

Halloween, like Christmas, will evolve to suit people’s needs (and businesses& pockets), so do what you need

to do and have fun. Choosing the right costume however, will always depend on the individual; whatever you choose to wear in life should empower you,whether it is your costume or work uniform. How much skin you show, should depend upon how comfortable you are to show that amount of skin. You shouldn’t even be compelled to buy a sexy costume, what the heck! I say make your own sexy costume because ain’t nobody got €60 to throw solely on some cat ears and a tail when you gotta get your Chocolate ball dress just now. (unless you’re ballin’, in that case buy the super cute one).

However that goes to say, no one should feel pressured into dressing sexy for Halloween as it becomes the norm.

October 31st is the one night where everyone can stray from society’s expectations of image. We should embrace it and have fun! If you’re going out this Halloween, choose something that makes you feel comfortable in your skin and don’t be afraid of making the costume leap for fear of what others may say. As women, we are entitled to wear what we want, whenever we want. Just as it is our right to not be cat called and assaulted for our outfit choices.

I fully support women who choose to look sexy instead of scary for Halloween, as much as I support those that choose not to look sexy. The choice is ours to make, and that’s the beauty of it really. But on the topic, let’s not wear costumes that mock or stereotype another’s race or culture, as it’s really disrespectful.

Don’t forget: Have fun & eat as many candies as you’d like!

Students React: Did you feel a jump from high school to university? What was the biggest change?

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Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle

// Humans of RCSI ( Ireland )

« SIMRAAJ POWAR

G

et to know your fellow RCSI Students as they share personal stories and answer insightful questions. Who knows, maybe you could be featured in the next issue?

O

n the day I left home for studies in Ireland, I remember my dad telling me ‘Don’t forget anything, but don’t take everything’. And as contradictory as that sounds, it didn’t make sense until now. It took 5 years of living, meetings and partings to realise the meaning of that statement; it was not about my clothes, books or other belongings. Everyone carries an invisible baggage - stuffed with goodies - particular to them. You never know what to take or what to leave behind as you go through life because you never know what lies ahead or when you might be in need of a memory or an item you’ve chosen to leave. When I left home, I was not sure I took everything, but I was convinced I didn’t forget anything. Five years on, I have added tons of people from various walks of life with a lorry load of memories in that baggage, choosing to treat each as an important entity worth having. What I cannot say is how much space I have left in my bag, but I’m convinced there’s more room to be filled.

– EZEBUCHI NWAFOR – MASTERS YEAR PHARMACY

T

o be honest, I have always remembered wanting to become a doctor. I was very competitive when I was younger. I would often rant to my classmates about how I wanted to the strongest rugby player and the best musician and even the most intelligent doctor. Soon it became apparent that I was neither the strongest nor the best artiste in my class but instead I was just a relatively untalented boy who still wetted the bed occasionally. However, subjects like Science and Mathematics came very naturally to me and thus a future medical career seemed like a reasonable avenue to follow; although it seemed like a bit of a dream at the time.

As I grew older, I remember being around doctors more often. To me, they all seemed so confident and self-assured in everything they did (and they made me feel empowered just by being in their presence). I envied their nerve and poise. My admiration was the one thing that truly sparked my genuine interest in the field.

I became very accustomed to telling my teachers and parents’ friends that I wanted to become a doctor, whenever they asked. The answer always brought out a surprised/impressed look followed by a comment about how hard the life of doctor could be. The comments never fazed me too much though. My nature became less and less competitive as I grew older through Secondary School, although what I lost in competitiveness was replaced with stubbornness, especially during my teen years. So, whenever someone told me that I couldn’t do something, I tried my best to prove them wrong. So I tried very hard during the Leaving Cert to get accepted into Medicine.

My mum worked as a nurse for many years before becoming a primary school teacher. She is still an instinctive carer however and is often first on the scene whenever any pupil is in need of first-aid on the school yard. It wasn’t until long ago after I saw how much genuine empathy she has for and how much effort she puts into caring for each patient that my perspective on Medicine changed. Be it a child who fell in the yard or even her own brother who is a Parkinson’s patient, she feels that it’s her obligation to treat every patient with the same authentic care and vigilance. ‘The Healer’ has always been a role in society affiliated with honour and unanimous respect. I think the reason for this is that a doctor has to ability to make a meaningful change and positive impact on someone’s life. They’re expected to put other people’s wellbeing before their own. That’s the most important thing about the job I feel, and that’s the sort of difference I’d like to make. This is why I think Medicine is a career like no other.

- LUKE HUGHES - 4TH YEAR MEDICINE

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O

ne of the scariest things that have happened is my first, of two, driving tests. The driving test was in Wicklow town, around which I had driven a few times with my instructor. Regardless, of the practice, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. What’s a pedestrian crossing... do I like just drive straight through or..? This was not an ideal thought to go through my mind the morning of the test, given there are approximately 604.75 pedestrian crossings in Wicklow town. Also in Wicklow town: hills. There was this one particular hill that came right after an extremely blind, tight junction, dead centre in the middle of the town, right before a pedestrian crossing. Too many things to try and co-ordinate with a man holding a clipboard in the seat next to you! To my surprise I had done absolutely fine... until the very end. ‘Now, we’re coming to end of the test’, he says as we pull into the car park of the test centre, ‘Please park the car in that space near the end’. Ye no problem, but there was a problem. My guard was down. It was the end of the test. Look at that space... it’s a bit tight but sure look, I’m here anyway. So I fire the car into the space, and that’s probably the moment when the scariest thing happened. I had parked the car so terribly that we were too close the car on the left and the tester couldn’t actually open his door. ‘I..ehm...I can’t actually get out of the car’, he says. Immediate panic overwhelms me and I attempt to reverse the car out of the spot, but I’ve suddenly forgotten how to use a stirring wheel. The side mirrors of my car and the next one’s are millimetres away from each other. I did get out of that space eventually, threw the car sideways into another parking spot, and accepted the fate that I had most certainly failed.”

- RYAN FAHAN - 3RD YEAR PHYSIOTHERAPY

W

hen I was 5 years old, I started trick-or-treating as either a pumpkin or a M&M for years until I was about 15 when I figured out that staying home and eating the home bought candy was much easier and required much less effort. Trick-or-treating was always odd for me as a kid because having a peanut allergy makes it very difficult to keep your candy haul at home. My dad would love my trick-or-treating especially in my earlier years when it was less common and it seemed like everyone handed out peanut candy bars. He got to eat nearly half of my candy every year! Now he just follows my lazy way of buying candy “for the trick-or-treaters” and eating it while watching TV. I make sure to watch the best Halloween television (The Simpsons Halloween Specials and The Nightmare Before Christmas for those that didn’t know). There is so much to love about Halloween, and I hope the next generations will still enjoy Halloween for many years to come - COREY ROBERT – SC1 MEDICINE

Want to be featured? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

October 2015

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Lifestyle

// Humans of RCSI ( Bahrain )

« DINA GHAZAL

A

month is almost over from the start of this academic year. New students – I hope you have met many lovely RCSI-ers; continuing students – you are probably still discovering new things about the people you have already met or are meeting. Thankfully, for the sake of never getting bored, you will rarely stop learning more and more about people. To add to that, check out these four wonderful students who are studying at RCSI Bahrain!

I

have never worn a watch, and I hope I never do. It’s like a handcuff, making you a prisoner of your own world. I don’t like the idea of ‘time.’ Everyone’s in a rush to get somewhere or achieve something at a certain point, and in the process they fail to appreciate the present moment. I just wish people could understand my reasoning whenever I’m late in the morning

L

ast summer, I organized a hiking trip. I got a few friends in on it and we went outside of the city. We were at the bottom of a canyon, surrounded by mountains. We didn’t have any form of technology on us.

No cell phones, no way of communication, nothing. We were moving very slow. Eventually it was night time. We kept going but it was dark and we couldn’t see anything. There were two tour guides: one of them turned out to be afraid of the dark, the other was completely lost. We reached a point where we had no idea where we were, so we started panicking. It’s interesting, because you see a side of people that you would never see in any other situation. You have a friend who’s having panic attacks, another who’s quiet, others who were kind of using humor. Me, I realized this about myself, I was continuously reassuring them that ‘No, everything’s going to be fine!’

Obviously, I was lying. But honestly, I realized it was more reassurance for myself than it was for them. Because I was scared. I was worried. Then one of the girls fainted. She was the youngest one of all of us, and she was my responsibility. Eventually we got to a road, but it took us a long time. We started the trip at 10 am and we finished at midnight. We were lost, running low on water, we were mad worried. But the stars were beautiful. It was the brightest part. The stars were really, really nice.

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I

love change, I love sticking out. Why? Because the norm is boring. I step out of the safe side all the time.

Out of my comfort zone. It is in these moments where I learn most. So wake up every day with your head high, a smile on your face, and walk with the purpose of learning something new about life on that very day.

W

hen I was 9, I was hit by a car. They told me I was thrown 3 meters and my brother was going to collapse because I was sprawled on the road in weird angles and I looked dead.

I only remember clips of it ‘cause I was in and out of consciousness.

I remember trying to tell the paramedics to stop cutting my favorite trousers, but I couldn’t. I fractured my femur and I had scrapes down the left side of my body that were like second degree burns. I needed blood and stuff and surgery. I was in the hospital for a while. But it didn’t really bother me until afterwards when I realized I wouldn’t be able to run for a few months. I love to run. I was back on my feet as soon as I could. I’ve been running ever since.

If you want to see more and stay updated, make sure to like and follow both Facebook and Instagram “Humans of RCSI” pages!

www.facebook.com/humansofrcsi humansofrcsi

October 2015

15

Want to be featured? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle

// White coat syndrome

« NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED

Q.U.I.Z Questions and Understanding Intimidate Zillions The bright screen of your computer blares against your face. Your hands quiver against the keys and your heart is racing.

Questions swallow your mind.

Is it bad?

Is it good?

Did I even get through it?

You stare at the screen ahead.

How did everyone else do?

The answers lay in front of you.

You take a deep breath, and open the email.

Quiz one results.

Y

our journey is about to get more interesting. You have dawned on your thinking cap and survived enough lectures to get you this far. After tackling the trials and tribulations of your first weeks here at RCSI you have finally been given the opportunity to exercise your “little grey cells” in the art of multiple choice. Now it is time to face your next challenge; excited yet?

A quiz is a small exam. Similar to an appetizer, the goal is to familiarize you with the process and to prepare you for what will be on your plate later in the year. In the end the most important part is to learn from the experience. Whether you have already written your first quiz or are anticipating the date soon, you need to use the experience as a tool rather then a source of paralyzing stress. A quiz is more than just shading a few answers for a multiple choice exam. From the moment the quiz is announced, it is an experience made of three stages- preparation, action and reflection.

PREPARATION Despite your expertise in facing assessments you need to be mentally and categorically ready for the challenge you are going to face.

Your first task is to organize yourself. Creating a calendar or check list is a great way to ease yourself and keep on top of the things you need to cover. Figure out how much time you have and what you need to do between now and then to achieve the understanding you want. As you will be quizzed on everything up to the date of your assessment, it is important to make sure your note taking and studying complement each other. Test your knowledge using the learning outcomes and do further reading if you find a topic particularly challenging.

Secondly, you need to prioritize the topics you want to cover. If there is a particular topic you find difficult place it at the top of your to do list. This will give you the opportunity to go over the topic more than once.

Lastly, although it may sound silly, mentally prepare yourself for your quiz. Some stress is good but too much stress is harmful to your performance in an assessment. I suggest making your own practice questions for the exam and attempting them under a time constraint. This will not only help you revise but help you practice answering questions under stressful situations.

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ACTION

REFLECTION

Get a good sleep, wake up early, eat breakfast and remember to breathe. When writing a quiz, remember to keep calm and read the question. Nothing is more frustrating or painful then panicking in the middle of an assessment. Remember, this is for you. You are testing what you know as well as how your studying methods have been working thus far. Start your quiz by making sure you write down your name and student ID. Make sure you are clear on how to use your fill-in answer sheet and have all the tools you need, such as a pencil, eraser, calculator etc. Once the quiz begins, make sure you have the correct number of pages in your question booklet.

Multiple-choice questions can be hard to get your head around and unfortunately quizzes are based on this style of question. The best advice I can give you is to choose the one answer that seems the most right to you. Keep in mind you might see more then one correct option. Marks will be given for the one that is most relevant to the topic in the question. This is a challenge and can be confusing, if you really are torn I tend to go with my first choice or gut feeling. Another great tip is to cross out the answers you know are not correct. This way you narrow down your choices until you find the correct one.

Also try to see what exactly the question is asking you; underline or circle important aspects before trying to answer the particularly tricky ones.

Lastly watch your time and keep going. All multiple-choice questions are weighted the same, so there is not benefit in staring at one for longer than necessary. Try and gauge yourself, if you don’t know the answer after a minute or so, chose your best guess, and revisit it once you finish going through everything else. If you don’t know the answer to the question right away you shouldn’t panic. You might need more time to think about it and revisiting it later will give you the time you may need.

CAUTION: Remember to clearly identify which questions you want to go over again. Some people chose to leave questions blank; however, I find this can lead to accidently filling out your answer sheet in the wrong sequence.

Once you have survived the act of taking the quiz you are tasked with a waiting game. It might be a day or a week until you get the results of your quiz and until then you need to relax and continue your studies. You can achieve no good by fretting over things you cannot change. Reward yourself with some time off to relax and then delve back into your studies.

The day you receive your results can be scary. You will either be happy or disappointed. If you are happy, you know that the way you have been studying is good enough to allow you to achieve the goals you have set yourself. If you are disappointed, remember you will be ok and pay attention to where you went wrong when the answers are taken up. You can find out if you missed something whilst studying or became overwhelmed by your nerves. Try changing your study habits or time yourself whilst doing your practice questions. The more you do these type of assessments the better you will get at the process.

Lastly remember not to compare yourself to your classmates. Everyone is different and it’s short sighted to say that your goals are the same. If you are happy with yourself do not change your mind based on what others are saying. Your grade is your personal information and nobody has the right to know it. If you enjoy comparing yourself to your peers do so, but keep in mind that some people might not want to share that information with you.

After all is said and done you should be proud of yourself. If you have worked hard and put your best foot forward you have succeeded to conquer your first assessment. Even if you find yourself disheartened by your results, as long as you attempt to fix the problem you will increase your chances of succeeding on the next assessment. Quizzes make up a very small portion of your overall mark and although getting 100% may help you, it won’t affect you drastically. Use the opportunity as a learning tool and determine what you need to fix or should continue doing so that you may succeed in your final exam. Learning can be hard, assessments can be scary and people can bring you down but as long as you keep going you will be unstoppable. Good luck!

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Lifestyle

// Ask Himistu!

October (十月) jūgatsu “Kannazuki: Month of the Gods”

H

ey, Himitsu here! Hope you’re all settled in. Can you believe September is over? My, how time flies! Let’s welcome the tenth month of the year!

During, “Kannazuki”, the Japanese believe their Gods gather together to determine people’s fates for the following year. Many cowered in fear imagining the wrath that could be inflicted on them. Throughout history, when imagining the possible forces that control the universe - be it God, gods, or nature - it has certainly elicited fear and awe into the hearts of people. Sometimes we may not know where to turn, so we may place our faith into a mysterious entity, because perhaps we are afraid of the alternatives. But it doesn’t take deep contemplation on the forces in the world to experience fear; fear of the unknown, and fear for the future, can occur in our everyday lives...

Lots of love, - Himitsu.

Hi, everyone! My name is Himitsu, and I’m here to answer your questions, as we delve into life’s secrets. After all, “secret” is what my name means in Japanese!

ASK HIMITSU YOUR QUESTIONS, ANONYMOUSLY. Visit: divercsity.tumblr.com/advice Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

Q

Ohayo, Himitsu. I hope this isn’t too heavy for your column, but I’ve just broken up with someone. It was not a healthy relationship. This person controlled all aspects of my life, and now, I feel quite helpless and lost. I’ve stopped going out with my friends because I distanced myself from them without realising. Whenever my parents call, my conversations with them are reserved, because I don’t want to tell them the truth about this person I once held up on a pedestal. I can’t tell anyone anything. Essentially, I’ve become a recluse. I’m scared of moving on because this person just won’t let go. I’m also worried that my friends won’t accept me after cutting them off and that I’ve lost my chance at love, and this has me feeling quite down. What do I do?

- Sincerely, Broken-hearted.

A

: Oh my, you poor thing. You really have been through a lot, haven’t you? Before you can worry about your friends or your ex, you need time to heal. Your wellbeing is of the utmost importance. I would suggest counselling. This is a wonderful means for you to properly talk things out with a neutral party. Don’t be afraid, many people seek counselling. People go for all kinds of reasons. Start off with meeting once a week and see how you feel after. What’s important is that you give it a try.

Don’t answer any of his calls/messages if this person continues to harass you. If you find that this cannot be avoided, do not hesitate to contact the authorities. Your safety comes first.

As for your friends, I think you should be honest with them. At least tell one or two you feel comfortable with. I’m sure they will understand and support you every step of the way. That’s what friends are for! In a situation like this in which you’ve put in so much time and effort into someone, the best advice is to find love in your friends and the people you know will always be there for you.

This includes your family. Your parents have your best interest at heart, more than anyone else. You may find that the more you open up to them, the less alone you will feel.

I hope this helps you. It’s a long process, but you must never give up on yourself. Once you are healed and strong enough, someone wonderful will come into your life. Just believe and things will work out.

Sending you light and love, Himitsu :)

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The Wellness Wheel // « MOYOWA BOYO

HOW TO HANDLE SETBACKS

S

etbacks are an inevitable part of life that are hard to deal with, but often times we don’t give much thought on how to handle them until we’re nose deep in a difficult situation. They’re worth giving some thought to though, because if you know how to handle a setback well, you’ve already fought half the battle. Depending on our personalities and what behaviour we’ve observed growing up, we all respond to personal setbacks in different ways. Some of us will choose to ignore the problem by distracting ourselves in a myriad of different ways, like overeating, drinking or watching too much TV to avoid thinking about the setback. Others will only think about the problem, focusing and fixating on it in their minds and worrying excessively. Common setbacks students face could be anything from having to repeat an exam to a bad breakup, and since there is no lecture to teach us how best to deal with these types of issues, we must learn on our own. Handling a setback is never easy but here are a few practical steps to help you get through yours: ACKNOWLEDGE THE SETBACK It’s important to fully acknowledge that this is actually a set back and that this is something you are going to have to deal with. Don’t attempt to cover and hide the problem. It may feel natural to slip into old routines of avoidance but do your best to resist old habits. As difficult as it is, make space in your life to acknowledge whatever your setback may be.

TALK ABOUT IT We don’t always like to talk about our problems. It might feel like other people won’t understand or it can be hard to find the words to express exactly how you’re feeling and what you want to say. It takes time to talk comfortably about certain things, so be kind to yourself here! Talk about this setback with a friend or family member. Additionally, RCSI has confidential counselling free of charge if you feel you need to talk to someone who will be more objective. Head over to Student Services on Moodle for more information about this.

TAKE A SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH Don’t focus on the problem, focus on the solution. It’s healthy to talk about our setbacks and not bury them, but be weary of constantly focusing on the negative when you look at your situation. Taking a solution-focused approach means that while you acknowledge the setback, you are focused on dealing with it in an effective and positive way by actively finding and implementing solutions that will help you. The more creative the solutions you come up with are, the better! You know yourself best so think of what would work best and tailor your solutions to you.

REMEMBER WHAT IS RIGHT Oftentimes when we face a setback, we can find ourselves fixating on what is wrong in our lives. However, I challenge you to in the midst of setbacks to remember what is right in your life. Take a couple minutes to write down even just 5 things you are grateful for right now. Appreciating what we have even when we are facing a challenge is key to staying grounded and moving forward with our lives no matter what we’re facing.

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lifestyle

// Double C: Advice you can keep close to your chest

D

D

earest Cyrille,

ear Cathal,

Thank you for your letter. Poor Perry, I feel his pain!

I write to inform you that I almost drowned! All the craziness went down last night in a dream. In the dream my room flooded and I was carried out to sea on the back of a giant salmon. I fell off the salmon striking my head on a bottle floating in the water, rendering me unconscious. Upon waking in my bed, I struck my head again only to find the very same bottle lying next to me, and inside a note that went as follows:

Maybe you don’t recall, but we met Perry on a night out and he handed you his query in an empty Budweiser bottle that you brought home with you. You were probably in such a “dreamlike” state that evening that it all seemed like a nocturnal vision when you woke. The only explanation I have for the salmon making an appearance was that you ordered a fillet o’ fish in MacDonald’s on our saunter home.

Dear Cyrille and Cathal, I am in grave danger. Halloween is coming and I fear I will not be able to find suitable attire to keep the spirits at bay. Please save me.

May the gods guard you well, - Perry Neil.

I remember that Halloween Ball well.

You looked stunning in your black tutu entering en pointe to the ball. You were so convincing as the black swan that people started throwing bread for you from their tables.

Needless to say I was a slightly disturbed. How did this bottle end up in my bed? Nevertheless I have decided to try to help this desperate soul by divulging the story of my first Dublin Halloween costume.

I too had a fiasco trying to sort out my costume that day!

I wanted to go as a truly horrifying and gut wrenching creature that struck fear into anyone who caught sight of me. So I decided I would go as Kim Kardashian. Unfortunately, Mam wouldn’t let me use the sofa cushions as padding so I had to put that idea on hold.

It was my first Halloween in Dublin, I was black and I was beautiful so it only made sense that I would emerge at the Halloween ball as a black swan.

My only problem was how would I create this ensemble! Anyway, I attended college as usual and that very morning you arrived in breathless with tears streaming down your face after being hunted through St. Stephen’s Green by a flock of swans. I was inspired - I knew I had to capture a swan to make my outfit. I immediately dashed out of O’ Flan and started sprinting towards the Green. In my haste I collided with a lady pushing a baby carriage, knocking it clean over. I scurried over to the carriage apprehensive of turning it over because of what I may find lying underneath… a hurt child, destroyed groceries? I mustered the courage to flip the carriage, apologising profusely to the lady, only to discover the carriage had been filled with a plethora of black feathers. The lady smiled at my bewilderment and explained to me that they were crow feathers she had acquired while working in the circus. She was just on her way to take them to the Salvation Army. I quickly explained my costume debacle to her, and being the nice lady she was, she bequeathed the feathers unto me. I returned to class triumphant, smelling like I had walked off a fowl farm, and later that night I crafted my outfit with the feathers, using a black dress and a tutu I came across in a children’s store.

Next I decided that maybe I should go as something that wasn’t as lifeless and morbid as Kim, so I concluded a skeleton would be a good option. I bought face paint and a dapper suit (there’s no excuse for not dressing well, even from beyond the grave), and made my way to your apartment to get ready.

However, when I began to apply the white face paint I was truly left aghost, I mean aghast! My fair, Irish complexion was actually whiter than the face paint.

This would not work! Who has ever seen a skeleton with freckles? Not convincing at all. I was beginning to get a little frantic! But then Cyrille, you saved the day when you pulled out a pot of Dulux paint that you were using to paint your bathroom ceiling. “Dulux: Skeleton-white paint” stated the label. Perfect!

So Perry my advice is that when all else fails improvise! Have a look around the house or ask a friend and get creative and who knows what ghoulish outfit you could make.

That’s all Cyrille! Can’t wait to see your costume this year! Maybe if you could avoid the feathers please because I have terrible allergies!

My message to dear Perry is the streets of Dublin will help you whether it is the people on the street or the stores lining them. That’s all I got Cathal, do you have any more advice for this one?

Le grá Cathal xx

Croí na B, Cyrille Payne

P.S Croí na B is the name of the dining establishment in Beaumont, but hey it’s a start, we can work on your Irish.

P.P.S I guess I owe you a can of white paint too, as well as the chocolates.

I better start a list.

P.S. Hope my sign off was ok? That’s the only Irish I know… did I impress?

Still awaiting chocolates.

« CATHAL DELANEY

« CYRILLE PAYNE

Brought to you by Cyrille and Cathal - Besties who think they’ve seen it all.

Please write to us with any queries or questions that you may have and we’ll do our best to give you some nuggets of advice.

Whether you heed our counsel is entirely at your own risk.

ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, ANONYMOUSLY. Visit: divercsity.tumblr.com/advice

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Lifestyle

« MIA ANDREWS

H Food Diaries //

ey guys, I hope you all enjoyed the last edition! Please remember to send in any requests!

Want to request a recipe from Mia? Email us at divercsity@rcsi.ie

This time around I have a typical easy meal I normally cook at home. We usually do it with potatoes, but for the sake of healthy eating, I’ve twisted things up a bit and making it with cauliflower instead! So here is a list and a breakdown on how to make my €7 Shephard’s Pie with cauliflower. Yum!

Shephard’s Pie with cauliflower STEP 1. Buy your main ingredients: 1.

Steak mince/ minced beef 2.

Cauliflower (substituted for potato) 3.

Cheddar cheese 4.

Onions 5.

Optional: Zucchini and Red Bird Pepper STEP 2. Sauté the onions in a frying pan until brown (I had some zuchinni in the fridge so I cut them into the same sized cubes and sauté along with some chilli pepper for extra spice).

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 9

STEP 3. Separate the minced beef into the frying pan. Season with paprika, basil, black pepper, seasoning salt, ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce; together with any others you may like.

STEP 4. Continue to sauté the beef in the frying pan until it is cooked throughout [i.e. there is no evidence of pink] STEP 5. Boil the entire cauliflower in a separate pot. When cooked, strain the water out of the pan and use a potato masher (or fork) on the cauliflower.

STEP 6. In a baking dish, evenly layer the meat on the bottom of the pan and spread the mashed cauliflower along the top of the beef.

STEP 7. Grate half a block of cheese and spread along the top of the cauliflower.

STEP 8. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes.

STEP 9. Avoid cutting until you have left the pan to cool for about 20 minutes.

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Clubs & Societies

// Clubs and societies.

RCSI ENVIRO SOC Email: envirosoc@rcsi.ie

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Clubs & Societies

OPTHALMOLOGY SOCIETY Presidents: Hussain Khimji Email: ophthalmologysoc@rcsi.ie

T

he Ophthalmology Society is proud to bring to you another year of events that provide information from professionals and experts on ophthalmology and how to shape your path to becoming an ophthalmologist. At the forefront of technology, ophthalmology is an exciting and fulfilling field, and one that should not be overlooked! In addition to last year’s events, we will be holding social events and an essay competition, so keep an eye on our Facebook group page for updates and more ways to get involved! We will be look forward to meeting you all this year!

CHRISTIAN UNION Presidents: Justin Ma Email: christian@rcsi.ie

T

he RCSI Christian Union is a society that unites Christian students on campus. We hold events throughout the year to inform and present the good news of Jesus Christ to our fellow students. Such events include our annual Christmas and Easter services. We also meet weekly to fellowship, worship, pray, and learn more about God by studying the Bible.

It is open to everyone! To find out more, students could join our emailing list, scroll through our Facebook page or simply pop in to our events and weekly meetings! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Hey Societies and Clubs! Want to be share your latest events and victories in Clubs & Socieites sections? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Entertainment

// Scene it! - the word on plays and reviews ...brought to you by an untrained eye

« SU KYI NG

DUBLIN THEATRE FESTIVAL

“D

The Night Alive - credit Chris Heaney

TF”. Three letters which guarantee a good time, especially to those of you who are more ‘Urban Dictionary’ savvy. Jokes aside, the Dublin Theatre Festival is a celebration of theatre and performance. It is one that embodies the liveliness of Dublin in a selection of plays both local and International, and there is simply something for everyone. There are the humourous, the mythical, the musical and the dark, not forgetting, my personal favourite, the hipster plays.

This wide selection of over 25 plays runs its course from the 24th September to the 11th October, with the play “The Night Alive” opening the event on Thursday 24th September.

THE NIGHT ALIVE

J

inji and I were extremely lucky to be able to score (free replacement) front row seats to the opening performance on Thursday, as we had bought tickets to see the preview of this play on Tuesday and missed it (‘DOH).

We sat right in front of the stage. It boasted a set which was at first glance, a messy, kitchen-turned-living quarters, complete with a luxurious carpet …of dirty laundry sprawled across the stage. I was beginning to think that I was spending my evening at home.

Seated where the fourth wall of this cold kitchen should have been, we were bathed in the contrasting warm and ambient glow of theatre chandeliers. Opening night was absolutely buzzing with audience in suits and dresses excitedly getting seated in anticipation for the night to come alive in this messy kitchen.

I soon realised this play was never really about the story. The plot was merely a prop to acquaint the audience with the most beautiful, ordinary of characters through masterful storytelling. Their ‘rough around the edges’ feel at the beginning is sandpapered and refined as we watch events unfold through the eyes of the fly on the wall of the unchanging set. We witness the mundane, the extraordinary events, and perhaps more interestingly, experience how the characters go through them with a full spectrum of human emotions and behaviour that is so vulnerable and so endearing.

October 2015

Image credit Ros Kavanagh

The Night Alive doesn’t scream for attention, and certainly doesn’t beg you to like it.

It presents a timeline that flows swiftly and gracefully through the set, leaving just as it came, answering questions but leaving in its path many new questions, such as the nature of time. It is seamless and so utterly engrossing; you aren’t thinking anything as you ebb and flow with the performance, living a life that is not your own. How could one not love?

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Entertainment

A

fter a (mostly) uneventful collection of tickets and going through the obligatory selfie-taking, I expected to kick back, relax and enjoy the show. That was not to be the case however, as The Night Alive (and I speak for my associate, Su Kyi, too) proceeded to keep its audience hooked on every word.

Plot-wise, the story was fairly simple, with the occasional teasing at some meta-qualities just to keep the audience guessing. It gives us a peek into the life of Tommy, a middle-aged, justgetting-by divorcee who lives in a flat converted from his Uncle Maurice’s kitchen. Tommy works odd jobs with Doc (short for Bryan, go figure) and their adventures begin when one night, Tommy comes to the aid of Aimee, a girl with a past and a bloody nose.

« JIN JI LIM

Contrary to its storyline, the characters were anything but simple, considering the stereotypes they carry. A fine example would be Uncle Maurice, a character who could have been reduced to a one-dimensional, bitter old man. Frank Grimes (who played him) however, made him human and relatable, giving him layers of emotion skillfully peeled back one at a time as the story progresses. Tommy and Aimee were more than believable as struggling survivors of loss, while Kenneth, Aimee’s ex-boyfriend just oozes evil when on stage. Special mention goes to Doc, who, as the designated comic relief character, stops just short of falling into a parody of himself (I’m looking at you, Johnny English). Dialogue was intense, fast paced and well-timed.

Though some of the jokes were mainly geared towards the Irish (with strong accents thrown in as well), we did not have too hard of a time in keeping up, the crowd’s infectious laughter buoying us along.

The set was well-decorated, appearing uncoordinated and messy but really, the props were right where it was meant to be, that’s the only way to describe it. Overall, apart from generic filler music between scene changes, The Night Alive manages to tell an ordinary story, in an extraordinary way.

OTHER DTF HIGHLIGHTS, FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I’ll admit, with an age rating of 6+ years, this seems like a cop-out. Based on a childrens’ novel in 1968, this puppet play is set on showing us all that the best adventurers are the smallest. Cue the Hobbit theme everyone!

“We can’t be at every play, now can we?” - Things we (wished we) had watched to review for you

-------------------------------------------------------------

CORPS DIPLOMATIQUE

It’s a pity that this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival ends before the paper is published. Nevertheless, here are a few plays or musicals we definitely think you should keep an eye out for in the future.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

First impressions: Curious play with a curious title.

If you’ve read the book or done your research, you would’ve definitely anticipated this one. Brought to you by a touring National Theatre of Great Britain, this winner of seven 2013 Olivier Awards and five 2015 Tony Awards is definitely famous for a reason. In this play, we enter the mind of 15 year-old Christopher, as he solves the murder mystery of who killed his neighbour’s dog.

First Impressions: Far-out new age s**t.

What if artists were shot out into space and left there for a thousand years with only one purpose, to produce, rehearse and perform a play, to be passed down for the future generations. Re-reading the previous line yet? Well that’s exactly what Corps Diplomatique is all about. The play will be performed in French and will feature thought provoking questions about what the future will bring, and the tone of theatre when it’s deprived of its most basic raw material - daily life.

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I’M YOUR MAN

First impressions: Angsty and intense.

A fusion of music and dance, the story of a man with a headcase who finds it in himself to, once again, be someone’s man. It appears to have the potential to go big, with 12 original songs and a script by Alice In Funderland writer Philip MacMahon.

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THE TRAIN

First impressions: A chick-flick on stage.

Set in 1971, this musical follows a trio of women trying to sneak into Northern Ireland on train to procure contraception. One would wonder, with all the singing and music from Riverdance’s Billy Whelan, if “marching in full of glory” would be better suited to replace “sneak”.

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October 2015

THE TRUE STORY OF HANSEL AND GRETEL

MANXMOUSE

First Impressions: How are we going to see such a small puppet on stage??

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First impressions: Dark and evil.

This dark and haunting musical endeavours to tell the story of how Hansel and Gretel, as real children, came to be passed down as legend. Leave your happy endings and biscuit houses at the door.

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Entertainment

// Photojournalist: Animals. ÂŤ YASODA SUBRAMANIAN

Photos taken from the following sites: Top right: Swan. Dublin, Ireland.

Middle left: Duck. Ontario, Canada.

Middle Right: Cow, County Clare.

Bottom: Monkey. Tamil Nadu, India.

Do you have a photgraphic eye and are looking to be published? Submit your photography with the subject Photo Submissions to divercsity@rcsi.ie

October 2015

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Entertainment

// Book review: The Chrysalids by John Wyndham.

« RUTH EMMANUEL

W

e’ve- most of us anyway- seen a lot of post-apocalyptic movies and we’ve loved it! I had the pleasure of watching Divergent only recently and was truly blown away by the experience. In recent times, the theme is exploited and thrown about with quite a bit of focus being placed on how humans react to the things that they can’t understand- the ‘them versus us’ theme.

Moreover, these movies depict just how cruel we can be in such circumstances. It is, as I mentioned before, quite a treat to behold on the big screen. However, the concept is far from original.

Well, before Divergent and more recent works with a similar theme, there was The Chrysalids

by John Wyndham. In this classic novel set in a post-apocalyptic 1950’s, Wyndham uses an intricately woven web of words to trap his readers like flies, keeping them wrapped up in this tale of friendship, intrigue, murder, suicide, betrayal… need I say more? The entire spectrum of human emotion is explored in this novel. Perhaps what it comes down to most, is the concept of the necessity of change- rather, its inevitability.

This book is set in a world where being born with an extra toe- much less a cleft lip and palate- mandated a child to be killed. Any plant seen to be abnormal would lead the entire field to be burnt because the motto was: “Keep pure the stock of the Lord; watch thou for the mutant.”

David Strom, the protagonist, was born to what might have been a charmed life. His father, a religious fanatic himself, has significant influence on a society governed firmly by religion where biblical interpretations are converted to law. While the concept of the Fringes- where the mutants lived in exile- is always known to David, it only becomes real to him as well as the reader, when he loses his best friend due to her extra toes. David only then grasps the severity of the divide and the dangers of human ignorance and the fear that it evokes.

As a result, when David and a few others in the neighbourhood begin developing telepathic powers, he recognizes the importance in guarding the secret with his life as his life is what it was worth. As time progresses, the

October 2015

Photos taken by Lauren Dukoff for Rolling Stone.

Artist Of The Month:

Seb Says // 1) Miss Teen Massachusetts - SKATERS 2) My Body - Young the Giant 3) Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch 4) Steve McQueen - The Automatic 5) Rock and Roll Queen - The Subways 6) Seven Nation Army - Ben L’Oncle Soul 7) Come Join the Murder - The White Buffalo (SOA Soundtrack) 8) Sixteen Saltines - Jack White 9) Video Killed The Radio Star - POTUS 10) Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World

I suppose I might leave it for you to find out. The novel is incredibly well-written and overflowing with all the themes that mix, mingle and morph into a scintillating tale. There’s a bit for the sci-fi lovers, the romantic at heart, those who like murder mysteries and thrillers and anyone with an imagination for that matter. Perhaps Wyndham was a bit ahead of his time but his work definitely merits at least a 4 on today’s fiction scale. Have a read! As the Irish say: It’s grand!

Young the Giant

« SEBASTIAN GRACIAS

Tune Picks Of The Month:

group of telepaths grow in their friendship for they were all each other had.

The first sign of trouble comes when David’s baby sister, Petra comes along with power beyond what they could conceive and no idea of how to control it. More danger emerges, however, when a member of the group marries a ‘normal’ person and betrays them all in a fit of depression following her husband’s murder. What happens when David and the others go on the run and fight for their lives, as they are pursued by their own families on one side and the vengeful Fringe-folk on the other?

A

n American rock band hailing from Irvine, California, Young the Giant have truly taken their place among the leading alternative acts of today.

Originally called The Jakes, YTG formed after its members met in high school, and it was not long before they were opening for Tennessee rockers, Kings of Leon, at the famous South by Southwest music festival. A signing with Roadrunner Records soon followed, and the rest as they say, is history.

Success seems to follow YTG, and has done so since their conception as a band. Their tracks ‘Cough Syrup’, ‘Apartment’, and ‘My Body’ reached the top 5 of the Alternative Songs chart in the United States – an impressive feat for their first three singles. Band sessions for their second album culminated in the heavier sounding ‘Mind Over Matter’, their latest work, which was released in January 2014.

With a sound that is derived from a wide range of musical influences and styles specifically of The Strokes and Radiohead, their music has a rocky crunch complemented with positive, summery melodies that are a treat to listen to. Sameer Gadhia’s undeniably unique vocals paired with classic indie guitar chords and a smooth bass line make this band one of the front-runners in the radio-friendly Alternative Rock genre. If you still aren’t convinced, definitely check out their live acoustic ‘In The Open’ sessions on YouTube and prepare to be blown away. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

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Entertainment

// The Corzies: Movie Reviews.

LEGEND

T

om Hardy is a rare breed of movie star: one that can act. A fresh-faced noughties, Hardy can be spotted in everything from Band of Brothers to Star Trek: Nemesis. The thespian met widespread fame playing a trio of thugs: Britain’s most dangerous prisoner (Bronson, 2009), a beastly MMA fighter (Warrior, 2011) and the disfigured terrorist, Bane (The Dark Knight Rises, 2012). This villainous performance was inspired however, failed to overshadow his seminal predecessor - Heath Ledger’s Joker. Nevertheless, DKR grossed over a billion dollars and made Hardy the world’s hottest actor. Hardy wisely avoided these popcorn flicks – with the notable exception of the awesome Mad Mad: Fury Road. Instead, he focused on smaller projects and more challenging roles.

Take Locke for instance. Who would have thought phone calls about concrete could be so thrilling?

Hardy’s latest effort is sadly much more predictable.

Legend is a straightforward yarn about the Kray twins, notorious London criminals in the Swinging Sixties. In a double act, Hardy plays both, the debonair Reggie and paranoid schizophrenic Ronnie. (I imagine Xzibit at the pitch meeting: “Yo, I hear you like Tom Hardy. So I cast Tom Hardy opposite Tom Hardy so you can watch Tom Hardy while you’re watching Tom Hardy.) Tom’s Reggie is charming yet vicious. In contrast, Ronnie is awkward and unnerving. Many other critics have slammed the Ronnie performance as broad and comedic. I actually liked it.

Schizophrenia isn’t all hallucinations and acting crazy. It’s characterised by the absence of normal features. I was convinced by Ronnie’s disconcerting stare and lack of social graces even if we never truly get inside his mind.

The film itself is seriously flawed. There is no ‘rise-topower’ tale. In the opening scene, the brothers are already established as fearless gang leaders. It is instantly apparent that the Krays have enemies - the South Bank’s “Torture Gang” and their tantalising introduction involves a horsehair wig, meat hooks and a car battery. Sounds great, right? Well, within ten minutes their leader is unceremoniously arrested and disappears. A total waste.

Is this at least a ‘cops and robbers’ thriller? Our big bad, Bow Street Runner is played by Christopher Ecclestone, best known as Doctor Who’s cult favourite Ninth Doctor.

But the character actor is, ahem, criminally underused. He is introduced within minutes and is largely forgotten for

October 2015

« CORMAC DUFF

More Corzie Reviews at corzies.com

much of the bloated running time. Barely half an hour to go, he performs a well-worn cliché: sticking the brothers’ photos on a board and announcing “They’re our target.”

But there’s no tension, no build-up during the whole second act. Why couldn’t this scene appear an hour earlier?

Writer-director Brian Helgeland unwisely centres on romance over crime. Reggie’s burgeoning relationship with Frances becomes the focal point. It’s a cynical decision used to presumably boost the film’s box office draw among women. But the Eastenders’ relationship is like a bad Sunday roast: overcooked and flavourless.

Frances (Emily Browning) is the film’s weak link. She is like a meringue: tasty, but lacking any real substance. She is a simpering cliché. Her life revolves around Reggie: whenever she talks, it’s either to him or about him. Her later Madame Bovary impression is unconvincing. Feminists take note – she fails the Bechdel Test. Frances begs Reggie to abandon his life of crime, to ‘go straight’. “You think it’s really that easy?” he counters. Another cliché.

We’re not exactly breaking new cinematic ground, are we?

There’s nothing here that The Godfather Part II didn’t do better four decades ago.

In contrast to the 1990’s epic Goodfells, Legend is everything a voiceover shouldn’t be: expository and superfluous.

It breaks the ‘golden rule’ of cinema: Show, Don’t Tell.

And for some inexplicable reason, Frances is chosen as narrator. I presumed this story was based on her memoirs.

But it is adapted from an altogether different biography, by John Pearson. Frances flatly recounts details about arrests and shady deals. This omniscience makes no sense. Reggie shelters her from this side of his life. How could she have intimate knowledge of gangland affairs? Does she work as a police secretary in her spare time?

Helgeland evidently doesn’t care about this obvious flaw in the storyline. Frances’ personal life is narrated with the subtlety of an anvil. We don’t gain any insight into her mental “fragility”. After a dull, ponderous two hours; she’s just as much of an enigma as ever. Legend’s dialogue is often cringy, and for good reason. Helgeland holds the dubious distinction of winning an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year. In 1998, he won Best Adapted Screenplay for the stellar L.A. Confidential and Worst Screenplay for The Postman, a maudlin Kevin Costner vehicle.

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Brian Helgeland didn’t squander his $25 million budget.

The sets certainly look like London in the sixties. However, it doesn’t capture the giddy thrills and the reckless hedonism. Helgeland’s career will splutter and stall over the coming years. Emily Browning’s roles will fade with her looks. But Tom Hardy will go from strength to strength. He makes Legend watchable. Nothing more.

One day, he will collect his well-deserved Oscar with an Academy-friendly role: perhaps as a paraplegic jockey or a gay veteran. By that time, few cinemagoers will remember the time they saw two Tom Hardys for the price of one.

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Entertainment

FAST & FURIOUS 7

I

NT. BOARD ROOM – UNIVERSAL PICTURES – 12:05 PM Summer 2013. Fast & Furious 6 has grossed a silly amount of money. Not Despicable Me 2 silly. But still quite a lot.

CEO: By Joe, Mr. Director, how do these movies keep making more and more money!?

JUSTIN LIN: Simplistic plots? Exciting set pieces? The easy-going, ethnically diverse cast? A tongue-in-cheek tone?

CEO: Hey, I know how we could make twice as much money! If we bring them out every single year!

JUSTIN LIN: That’s impossible! My series will not be prostit-CEO: Your series?

JUSTIN LIN: I’ve directed four of these. They make five times as much as when I started.

CEO: How DARE you! You’re fired!! Go back to making that paintball episode of Community!

Justin Lin walks away.

CEO: (over intercom) Nancy, get me some other Asian director.

Preferably a horror auteur with zero action movie experience? James Wan, yes! I don’t care if he’s Australian, let’s get rolling!

-------

That exchange is hardly an exaggeration. To say that Furious 7 had a troubled production is an understatement. Its screenplay is like rushed spaghetti: tangled yet half-baked. Jason Statham’s vendetta. Michelle Rodriguez’s amnesia. Vin Diesel’s love. Paul Walker’s ennui. Kurt Russell’s shadiness. Djimon Hounsou’s terrorism. Minions. Indominus Rex. OK, those last two aren’t there… But the others are woefully underdeveloped. For example, every single Statham scene is a fight or shootout of some sort. He was far better utilised in this summer’s Spy. The ambiguous Kurt Russell could have been an incredible ally-turned-villain. But he disappears and his presence has zero pay-off. And don’t get me started on Djimon Hounsou - this guy is an Oscar nominee! He could have easily been replaced by an evil Kurt Russell. And the film would have been better for his absence than his 5 minute screen time.

What did I enjoy? Furious 7’s effects were reliably incredible. All the more incredible when you realise they’re practical - not CGI. Yes, they really did parachute cars from a plane. He really did run

2) It takes between 6 to 8 months to create one episode of The Simpsons.

Brainy Bites //

3) You can’t talk while inhaling through your nose.

(Try it)

CAN YOU SOLVE THESE RIDDLES? 1) What is the longest word in the dictionary?

4) What building has the most stories?

6) An average person will spend 25 years asleep.

5) A surgeon named Hal and a bus driver named Al are both in love with the same woman named Paige.

Al needs to go for a long trip of 10 days. Before he left, he gave Paige 10 apples. Why?

7) White cats with blue eyes are usually deaf.

8) Over 1,000 birds a year will die from smashing into windows.

9) The state of Florida is bigger than England.

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Answers 1. (Smiles, because there is a mile between each ‘s’) 2. (A teapot) 3. (Put it in front of the mirror of course!)

4. (A library) 5. (An apple a day keeps the doctor away)

3) What is the easiest way to double your money?

5) The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters.

October 2015

*As an aside, I would pay good money to watch Fast: Greatest Hits - all the series’ best stunts, minus dialogue, squashed into two hours. If you ever want to make an extra billion, Universal…

2) What starts with the letter ‘t’, is filled with ‘t’ and ends in ‘t’?

4) Charles VI of France (1368-1422) thought that he was made of glass. Therefore, he never traveled by coach in case the vibration caused him to shatter into pieces.

10) Sponges hold more cold water than hot.

The film has the air of an elegy. Straightforward lines developed a newfound poignancy. “Promise me, Brian, no more funerals.”

“Just one,” responds Paul Walker. The theme of family underlines how we support one another following tragedy. And this summer, all young Irish people experienced tragedy. The film’s dedication is simple: “For Paul”. His final send-off is fitting and respectful.

The closing melody speaks to truth rather than fiction.

“And I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.”

« YARA ZAYOUT

DID YOU KNOW? 1) Dominic Calgi of New York, owned a car with License plate 5V 17 32, which spelled out the exact date of his death- May 17, 1932

on a bus roof - right as it fell off a cliff - before jumping on to a moving car. He really did fire a mini-gun in a crowded urban envi- OK, that last one was probably CGI. Yet a nagging feeling remains that the series is past its peak. It’s decent, maybe the third or fourth best in the series. However, it lacks a truly unforgettable set piece, like Five’s bank vault or Six’s runway*. It’s Fast & Furious paint-by-numbers. Fast cars – check.

Exhilarating chases – check. Swimwear models (in Abu Dhabi!?)

– check. Yet James Wan doesn’t have his predecessor’s eye for editing. Too often he cuts too frequently. You lose your sense of perspective while the action loses its impact. It feels like a Bourne clone, minus the shaky-cam.

Of course, there is an elephant in the room: Paul Walker’s tragic death. His real-life car crash shocked audiences and fellow cast members alike. Production ground to a halt for five months. The studio couldn’t cancel the film – they had already spent over one hundred million dollars. I expected his character to be written out completely. I feared that he would be tastelessly killed off.

The truth seemed even more grotesque: he would be replaced by a CGI mannequin. Two Walker brothers would provide his eyes and mannerisms. Stunt doubles would cover for his physique.

Weta Digital would bring it all together - all for a cool $50 million. Yet I was pleasantly surprised that this CGI was subtle and unobtrusive. More Gladiator than Tron: Legacy. It helped that Weta are the best in the business, creating everything from LOTR’s Gollum to Dawn of the Apes’ Caesar.

DIVERCSITY.COM

Science

// Doses of History: Ebola Virus ÂŤ TENGKU NAZIM

TIMELINE OF THE EBOLA VIRUS

A

16 year-old student from the USA won the 2015 Google Science Fair with her innovative project to develop a fast, inexpensive and efficient test for the Ebola virus. Her testing method for Ebola viral proteins provided a result in less than 30 minutes compared to current testing methods that take up to 12 hours. This new method could potentially show results before patients become symptomatic – increasing treatment efficiency and survival chances.

The Ebola virus causes a severe haemorrhagic fever that has a mortality rate that varies between 25% and 90%, averaging at 50% (World Health Organisation, WHO). To date, there have been approximately 30,848 confirmed cases with the Ebola virus and 12,952 fatalities worldwide (WHO).

In 1976, two species of the Ebola virus caused separate outbreaks in Sudan and in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), with a total of 602 infections and 431 deaths. The disease spread through close personal contact and contaminated equipment in hospitals. The outbreak in Yambuku, Zaire was particularly deadly with an 88% mortality rate; 280 of the 318 confirmed cases resulted in death. While investigating the outbreak in Zaire, an international team of scientists struck gold when they discovered this deadly virus that caused the haemorrhagic fever, naming it after the Ebola River nearby. Unfortunately, another serious outbreak of Ebola occurred in Kikwit, Zaire in 1995. 315 people were infected and only 65 patients survived the virus. The outbreak had a 79% mortality rate and spread through families and admissions to the hospital.

In 2000, the Ebola virus struck several districts in Uganda and infected 425 people. Although this strain of the virus had a lower mortality rate at 53%, 224 patients died. People in the region risked infection when attending funerals of Ebola patients, close contact with a family member who is an Ebola patient and when providing medical care to Ebola patients without proper personal protective measures.

October 2015

In March 2014, an outbreak of Ebola virus started in Guinea and continued to ravage parts of West Africa until today. Over the next few months, the virus spread to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, Mali and Nigeria. Isolated cases occurred in healthcare workers from the United States, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. This recent outbreak is the largest in history as it infected a total of 28,355 people and claimed 11,311 lives (WHO).

The WHO declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern in August 2014 and started efforts to help combat and contain the deadly virus. With proper training, planning and execution, Nigeria and Liberia were able to contain the disease and prevent further spread to neighbouring countries. As the outbreak slowly ends in August 2015, isolated cases are still being reported in several locations in Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Treatment for patients with Ebola is supportive with their complications accordingly. These include rehydration with IV fluids and electrolytes, maintaining oxygen and blood pressure levels, treating concurrent infections as well as management of pain, nausea and fever. There is no cure or vaccine currently but treatment options are constantly being explored and new potential vaccines are currently in development.

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Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

DIVERCSITY.COM

Science

Anatomy WITH Clive Lee //

« PROF. CLIVE LEE HEAD OF ANATOMY RCSI, PRESIDENT OF THE ANATOMICAL SOCIETY.

CONTEST QUIZ QUESTION!!!

A

MONTGOMERY TUBERCLES

reolar glands or Glands of Montgomery are sebaceous glands in the areola surrounding the nipple. The glands make oily secretions to keep the areola and the nipple lubricated and protected. The portions of the gland visible on the skin’s surface are called “Montgomery tubercles”.

They are named after Dr. William Fetherston-Haugh Montgomery (1797–1859), an Irish obstetrician who first described them in 1837. His style of lecturing ‘was particularly clear and pleasing and he had a particular facility in communicating to hearers the copious information he himself possessed’.

Mastectomy is the surgical removal of the breast and, during this procedure, a number of nerves are vulnerable to injury.

Numbness or parasthesia over the upper, posteromedial aspect of the arm following mastectomy suggests injury to the: A. B. C. D. E.

BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN OUR MONTHLY GIVEAWAY! Winner will be announced and contacted in the next month’s issue.

Enter by emailing A, B, C, D or E with the subject Anatomy Quiz! to divercsity@rcsi.ie

------------------LAST MONTH’S ANSWER: B. Radius ------------------LAST MONTH’S WINNER IS:

Axillary nerve Intercostobrachial nerve Lateral pectoral nerve Long thoracic nerve Thoracodorsal nerve

Pritheetha Gowthaman, IC2 Congratulations! You win a 15 euro voucher from Clarendon Medical.

We will get in touch with you soon!

Get the quiz question in your RCSI email when you join our monthly newsletter!

Illustrations courtesy of freepik

Email with subject Add to newsletter to divercsity@rcsi.ie

October 2015

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Science

// The Medical Pulse

T

he dance of a cool night’s breeze on your skin after enduring scorching heat in a dry relentless desert would be the most accurate way to describe my unexpected encounter with a book entitled, “ The Brain’s Way of Healing – Stories of Remarkable Recoveries and Discoveries.” It is that type of book that simply makes you wishes you were the author instead of the wonderfully creative, Canadian-born psychiatrist, who goes by the name Norman Doidge.

The way the world thinks about medicine and our mysterious brain is changing and the impressive ideologies outlined in this literary work of art is definitely something to consider. We often hear a lot about ‘miracle cures’ and ‘unlocking the full potential of the human brain,’ however, a clear understanding of these terms is presently quite limited in a clinical environment. Doidge’s book gives deeper clarification into such phenomena. The Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2000 was awarded for demonstrating that as learning occurs, the connections among nerve cells increase. “The Brain’s Way of Healing,” takes those findings to another level and explains neuroplastic healing and neuroplasticity (the discovery that the brain can change its own structure and function in response to mental experience).

The author skillfully introduces his readers to the doctors and therapists involved in this novel method of healing

« SONIA RAMKISSOON the brain without surgery or medication. Neuroplastic healing is truly one of the life-changing breakthroughs of modern science- “mind-bending, intriguing, reality-busting stuff,” The New York Times.

The book goes on to describe natural non-invasive awareness on the brain, such as various forms of energy around us: light, sound, vibration and movement that can pass through our senses and allow our bodies to awaken the brain’s own transformative capacities the excessive unpleasant risks/side effects associated with medication.

Doidge explains how exercise can help to fend-off degenerative disorders, how a blind man was able to regain vision after neuroplastic training, the ability of dyslexic and autistic children to have a better quality of life and even how music (especially the high frequencies of violin music) can raise our spirits and energies to facilitate nervous system strengthening. A clear bright light of optimism shines through every page of this recent publication and it highlights to us that nothing is impossible with the human mind and brain. It makes us seem as though we dream our own limitations. What in essence this book is showing us is that other therapeutic regimens exist; that these findings are an example that to better healthcare in the future, we need to sometimes think outside the box if we would like to find the complex cures for more complex diseases.

//MALARIA – WHAT IS IT AND WHAT IS BEING DONE?

I

reland has third highest rate of imported malaria in the EU. There has been a 13% rise in the incidence of imported malaria last year. Only The UK and Belgium have had higher incidence rates. Malaria is a preventable and curable life-threatening disease that is caused by parasites of plasmodium spp. These parasites are transmitted to people through the bites of infected malaria vectors: the female anopheles mosquitoes.

The illness usually presents acutely with fever, headache, chills and vomiting which can then progress to anaemia, respiratory distress, cerebral malaria, coma and death.

Malaria has been responsible for a significant number of deaths in malaria-endemic regions. The WHO estimated that “a child dies every minute from malaria”. That is 60 deaths an hour! Malaria is a global problem affecting almost 200 million people and is the cause of 800,000 deaths per year. In low income countries where malaria is endemic, particularly Africa, South America and Asia, multi-drug therapies needed to treat the disease is usually too expensive for the general population to afford. Proguanil, for example, could cost you up to €200 for a two-week cover (this amount could feed some families for up to one month in Africa, for instance). High cost coupled with increasing drug resistance shows us why a more effective preventative measure is needed. The WHO recommends three measures to prevent the disease: personal protection (e.g reducing your outdoor exposure between dusk and dawn, wearing long sleeves and other protective clothing), insecticide treated nets, and indoor spraying with residual insecticides. Despite these measures, 97 countries still had ongoing malaria transmission last year.

Contrary to popular myths that taking prophylactic antimalarials can prevent people from contracting malaria; you can still get malaria despite taking antimalarials! These medications only merely supress malarial symptoms by killing the parasite in the liver and bloodstream. Side effects of antimalarials are also something to consider – as many travellers return to Ireland with ‘flu-like symptoms,’ misdiagnosis of malaria can be a problem.

RCSI has developed two new malaria vaccines (ChAd63 CS and MVA CS) which have successfully undergone clinical trials in human. These vaccine were developed by inserting a malarial gene, coding for the circumsporozoite protein, into a weakened adenovirus.

These vaccines were given to 24 Irish volunteers to assess the safety and efficacy. Both

October 2015

“Just as the hand held before the eye can hide the tallest mountain so too can the routine of everyday life keep us from seeing the vast radiance and secret wonders that fill the world,” -18th century saying.

« GEORGE IKPOKOMITOP

vaccines have demonstrated excellent safety profiles and stimulated appropriate immune response to the malaria proteins – inducing a high T cell response (With a priming ChAd63 CS dose of 5×109 vp responses peaked at a mean of 1947 SFC/million PBMC (median 1524) measured by ELIspot 7 days after the MVA boost and showed a mixed CD4+/CD8+ phenotype) and serum IgG peaked at day 14 and plateaued until late follow up after 140days.

Professor Samuel McConkey concluded: “conducting this first in human trial at the RCSI Clinical Research Centre moves Ireland’s research capacity for developing better interventions for human diseases into a new space. All stages of clinical development of new drugs and devices, can now be carried out in Ireland, as well as manufacturing and distribution. This new clinical trial capacity at RCSI in Ireland will enable biotechnology companies and major pharmaceutical manufacturers to carry out the critical steps of moving potential products into human trials in Ireland.” This is a huge step forward for malaria vaccine research and also for translational research in Ireland. The next phase of the trial has been agreed to be done at the University of Oxford.

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Photographed at the RCSI Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin are (L-R), Prof. Samuel McConkey, Principal Investigator and Head of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine, RCSI, Ann Collins, Research Nurse, RCSI, Liz Fogarty, Research Nurse, RCSI, Kerrie Hennigan, Research Assistant, RCSI and Dr. Eoghan de Barra, Research fellow, RCSI.

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Culture & Leisure

// LINGO Festival - Ireland’s Spoken Word Festival

« NIKITA RANE ( EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

Listen. Can you hear it rumbling in the basement bars, the cofee shops, the festival stages, warehouses and theatre spaces in Dublin?

Can you feel the current between a lone voice and a rapt crowd in spaces across Ireland?

Can you sense the bravery of a performer turning the truth into words?

Can you see the audience nodding and whooping as they hear themselves relected?

There is a momentum here in Ireland in spoken word poetry.

It is more alive and vital than ever, and it is growing every day.

They say to “go where the energy is.” Right now, in Ireland, that energy is in live literature.

T

he Lingo Festival is three day weekend celebration of the spoken word scene; be it something with a poetic rhythm, a musical treat or a lyrical beat.

Founded last year, it is Ireland’s first and only spoken word festival.

Lingo 2015 is back with an even more impressive line up of talented performers fueled by the roar of love and enthusiasm of the Lingo founders, volunteers and families of the poets, musicians and writers.

Instead of heading out to have a movie night this weekend or a casual Netflix and chill, I’d urge you to check out the best that Irish spoken word scene has to offer.

Perhaps even start your day with some toast and poetry at the free events that are happening over brunch ( with a specially discounted festival menu) on Saturday and Sunday. The full programme can be viewed at www.lingofestival.com/programme.

Spoken word requires no equipment -- just a voice.

Can you hear the rumble? Come and listen.

RECOMMENDED FREE EVENTS

RECOMMENDED EVENTS SATURDAY (17TH OCTOBER) LINGO POETRY SLAM Doors: 8.30pm | Showtime 9pm - 11pm. The Workman’s Club - Main Stage. Price: 10 euros

FRIDAY (16TH OCTOBER) FESTIVAL CLUB: LOQ Doors: 11pm | Showtime: 11.30pm - late. The Meeting House

Lingo’s annual poetry slam is the real star of our festival. Top poets from Ireland and beyond compete with their best performances to win our 2000 year old bogwood trophy and a slot opening for Saul Williams, our headliner. Certain to be highenergy, raucous, and inspiring, the slam will be hosted by the Lords of Strut, a hilarious, dynamic duo guaranteed to keep the spirits high and the show blazing along. Last year this riotously entertaining show was described by critics as a “Roller-coaster ride of face-melting awesomeness”. You don’t want to miss it this year!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SUNDAY (18TH OCTOBER) SAUL WILLIAMS with MARK GRIST and JOHN CUMMINS Doors: 7.30pm | Showtime 8pm - 10.30pm. The Button Factory. Price: 19.50 euros

A night guaranteed to wallop you with poetry and hip-hop from Ireland’s best wordsmiths, hosted by rapper and poet Andre K’Por and featuring an extended cypher set to beats and music.

Featured artists: Andre K’por (LOQ host and MC) Fergus Costello (Munster Slam Champion), Raven (San Francisco poet and hip-hop MC), Sebi C (Galway hip-hop’s inest), Costello (Dublin hip-hop MC) and TemperMental MissElayneous (Dublin’s first lady of hip-hop).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SATURDAY (17TH OCTOBER) POETRYHUNT by HEADSTUFF * Showtime: 1pm - 2:30pm. Pearse St. Library 138 - 144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. (pre-booking essential: 01 6744888)

The headline feature of Lingo Festival 2015 is the trio of top artists from Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. World renowned poet, rapper, actor, and musician Saul Williams makes his return to Dublin after a decade for a very special spoken word headline performance. Williams has published ive books of poetry and currently stands as one of the highestselling poets of all time. Since gaining global fame for his poetry and writings at the turn of the century, Williams has performed in over 30 countries, in venues as diverse as the White House, the Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, and The Louvre. The multi-talented New York native has also collaborated with Rick Rubin, Nine Inch Nails and Allen Ginsberg, to name but a few. An acclaimed actor, he has featured in countless ilms, including Slam, which won both the Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize and the Cannes Camera D’Or. More recently he played the lead in ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me,’ a Broadway musical about Tupac Shakur. He has just launched his ifth album ‘Martyr Loser King.’

Joining him will be English writer, performer, educator and legendary battle rapper, Mark Grist; creator of the international spoken word video sensation Girls Who Read (1 million views in 48 hours). Mark has taken shows to Denmark, New York & Singapore and has performed on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC2, ITV and BBC3. Rounding out the bill will be the mighty John Cummins, All-Ireland Poetry Slam Champion 2013, featured poet at Other Voices, and Lingo’s 2014 Poet Laureate.

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You will follow the rhyming clues through a world of books to ind your way to the grand prize. Will the clues be hiding in Hogwarts, half way across Middle Earth, or hanging out with Jane Austen? Sure to get the whole family’s brains chugging as we bring you on a winding tour of books. There’s plenty of prizes and the fun doesn’t end there: we’ll keep you amused with face-painting, baked goodies and plenty of stories and laughs. Bring your book smarts and we’ll bring the adventure. *Raising awareness for the work of MS Ireland ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SUNDAY (18TH OCTOBER) REIC MULTILINGUAL BRUNCH* 11.30am - 1pm The Meeting House A specially priced festival brunch (€6.66) with a multilingual twist, hosted by popular Irish language show REIC. Expect spoken word featuring poems, songs, and rap from linguistically dexterous artists in German, Hindi Tamil and Gaeilge. Come to hear the sorts of Irish poems they don’t teach you for the Leaving Cert – yet! Featured artists: Ciara Ní É, Fiona Bolger, Eva O’Connor, Justyna Kosmulska, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, and Sebi C.

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Culture & Leisure

October 2015

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Culture & Leisure

// Game of TRAVEL: Marvelous Munich

« HONG MING

I

t’s the October Issue again! Classes have started, there’s still a few months before the holidays (and finals!) arrive, so October does seem like a really uneventful month (alright there is Thanksgiving and Halloween). Speaking of October, there is one city in Europe which is well-known for October, where its people held its biggest event in October – and that city is Munich! What’s the famous event then? It is an event held in October every year and hence its uninspiring name – Oktoberfest! In this issue, I am going to introduce this awesome city in the state of Bavaria, Germany to visit if you have free time in October.

// MUNCH-MUNCH, GULP-GULP German food is incredibly underrated. It is not as famous as Italian or French food or Spanish food, but they are in fact one of the best in Europe – better than English food, in my opinion.

Germany is a huge country though, therefore every region has their special cuisines.

PRETZELS (Photo on top right) These aren’t the small crispy pretzels that come in a plastic pack and you eat them at movies or parties. These are made of dough, sprinkled with salt. Make no mistake, these are pretzels that have trained in gym and taken steroids - they are huge, and one pretzel can easily be a meal of its own if you have a small appetite. They are delicious, not too expensive, and can be found easily in bakeries.

WEISSWURST Weisswurst literally mean “white sausage”. These wurst are no worse (pun intended) than the sausages you find in Dublin – in fact they are much much better! Unlike the puny small meat sausages you find in Tesco, weisswurst are large, fat sausages made from ground veal and bacon.

Bavarians usually eat them with the aforementioned pretzels for breakfast. You can also buy currywurst, bratwurst and bockwurst from fast food restaurants and roadside stalls – these are delicious as well!

SCHWEINSHAXE (Photo on right) This is probably the most famous dish in Munich, and even the whole of Germany. The fabled roasted pork knuckle. You can also find boiled knuckles, but always go for the roasted one. You have probably noticed this trend by now, but this pork knuckle dish is HUGE! I thought the food portions in Dublin are already big enough – the Germans must have monstrous appetites!

They are really delicious though, with the crispy and oily roasted skin and the hot and soft flesh beneath, coupled with potatoes and sauerkraut as well as a pint of Bavarian beer, it would make a fine and filling dinner indeed. Oh did I mention this dish often comes with a knife sticking out of it?

SCHNITZEL (Photo on right) In Asia, the Taiwanese make the best fried crusted chicken fillets. These are legendary slabs of oily goodness that have found their way to many Asian countries. The Bavarians have produced a worthy competitor – schnitzels. Unlike the Taiwanese version (which contain bones), schnitzels are flattened meat slabs made of chicken or pork (no pork version in Asia). They are often served with fries and slices of lemon. As with the food above, schnitzels are also massive – I have seen one the size of a medium pizza! Man am I getting really impressed with the Germans.

SAUERKRAUT AND HORSERADISH These are usually served as side dishes to main courses such as the schweinshaxe. These are polarising dishes as well – you will either love them or hate them. Sauerkraut is sour (pun!) because it is basically purple cabbage with lots of vinegar. Horseradish is a particularly stinging version of radish. I love the sauerkraut but hate the horseradish – if you like to have stinging breaths for 5 minutes then by all means go ahead and finish that bowl of harmless-looking horseradish.

APFELSTRUDEL (Photo on right) It basically means apple strudel, or German apple pie, and it is extremely delicious! Other must-tries include Bavarian cream, baumkuchen (German spit cake), dampfnudel (sweet roll), topfenstrudle and milchrahmstrudel.

BAVARIAN BEER Germany is one of the countries that produce really good beer. If you drink, you have probably come to one of the best places to drink in the whole world. Even if it’s not Oktoberfest, you can still try out some of the famous beers here such as Helles lager, Starkbier/Bockbier (beer with >10% alcohol content), weissbier (wheat beer), Pils, Radler and Russ. If you don’t drink but couldn’t pass out the chance to try out local drinks, there are non-alcoholic versions of Weissbier too!

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Culture & Leisure

// WANDERING AROUND Munich is an old city. It is also the third largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. It is also a city with lots of things to do as reflected by the population – students, professionals, artists, athletes and many more.

FREE WALKING TOUR Again I can’t stress this enough. Join a free walking tour to get some insider info regarding this wonderful city. Sandeman’s free walking tour is available here – it’s my favorite free walking tour company and I am always constantly on the lookout for them whenever I visit a new city. They have not been set up in Dublin unfortunately, but if you are in Munich don’t miss their exciting free tours! It says “free” walking tour but please do remember to tip a few euros for the poor souls who will guide you around the city for at least 2 hours so that this awesome company can continue to run and flourish.

MARIENPLATZ The city centre of Munich. Marienplatz is a public square which hold large events such as the Oktoberfest and the Christmas Market. The town hall, Neus Rathaus, is also located here. Watch the Glockenspiel tower animated show and visit the numerous cafes, museums and shops around here. Easy access to public transport likes tubes and buses too. The tourist information center here will come in useful too, as you will definitely need a map after you got lost navigating through the small streets in the old town part of Munich.

ST PETER’S CHURCH Not so great if you have visited St Paul’s in London or St Peter’s in Basilica or the Duomo in Florence/Milan, great if you haven’t. If you want to get to the top of the church tower to get a view of the Alps, you will only need to climb 299 steps – easy! If you are claustrophobic, the stairs up the tower gets narrower as you go higher – no problem!

There are lots of people going up and down the staircases too – awesome! In short, only go up if you really, really want to see the Alps.

VIKTUALIENMARKT A combination of a flea and food market, it’s a wonderful place to shop and wander around. Here, you can join the locals in browsing and buying flowers and plants, fruits and vegetables, wine and tea, honey, fish, meat, herbs, cheese. You can also buy pretzels here – wunderbar!

ENGLISCHER GARTEN Nice place to rest your legs after walking around and around in the city (if you chose to ignore my advice and not get a map at Marienplatz). This is a huge garden – bigger than the Madison Square Garden in NY some say. Buy some food from Viktualienmarkt and picnic by the river here. You can also stroll, cycle, play sports, walk the dog and take a nap.

Alternatively, you can watch other people doing these things here.

HOFBRAUHAUS MUNCHEN Oldest restaurant and brewery in Munich. Beer is good, service is decent. Food is not so great though, you can get better schweinshaxe in other restaurants unfortunately. You can even join a tour where you can learn about traditional brewing.

SCHLOSS NYMPHENBURG A really nice castle with a beautiful garden around it. The interiors are also unglaublich if you join a guided tour into the castle. Good place to visit if you have the time. From the outside I personally think it looks even more beautiful than the famous Versailles palace in France.

// DAY TRIPS If you are staying for a longer duration in Germany, and decided to go on daytrips with Munich as your base, consider these options.

BMW WELT This museum displays BMW vehicles throughout the years. You can get into some of the displayed models and pretend you own an expensive futuristic sedan or an antique VW Beetle. There is even an arcade machine that you can play if you push away the kids.

The Welt also displays some really nifty tech stuff – perfect if you are a geek or you are interested in the future of modern vehicles.

NEUSCHWANSTEIN Hop on a train to Fussen and visit 2 beautiful castles there at once. The first castle you see would be Hohenswangau castle. Although not as famous as its neighbour the Neuschwanstein castle, this ex-residence of King Ludwig II is still worthy of a look, at least from the outside. Walking up the hill, you will see Neushwanstein castle, allegedly the inspiration for the Disney logo and Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle. The queue to enter the castle is as long as the queue outside the Dublin GNIB office, but if you manage to get tickets it will be worth it as the interiors are intricately decorated. If you visit Neushwanstein castle during a snowy winter day, you will be able to really appreciate how lovely this castle is. A truly magical place indeed.

ALLIANZ ARENA Football fans would know this place. The home stadium of the mighty Bayern Munich football team. If you go at night, the lights of the stadium will change colours – pretty impressive considering that it is the only stadium in Europe I know that does this. When it is football night and Bayern is playing, the stadium is light up red. If the TSV 1860 Munchen (the other local football team, much smaller though) is playing, it lights up blue. If none is playing, it alternates between red, blue and white.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN In this area, close to the border with Austria, lies the highest mountain in Germany, Zugspitze. The 2 villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen used to host the Winter Olympics, and you can now relive the event by visiting Zugspitze and experience magnificent views as you go to the top of the mountain in the cable car. You can also ski, hike and even paraglide/parasail here! A great day trip recommended to the adventurous ones.

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Culture & Leisure

« COREY NIXON

« MOHIT BUTANEY

« STEPHANIE TUNG

// Dublindulgence Oktoberfest

E

in Prosit! Oktoberfest in Munich is a wonder to behold. While many think of Oktoberfest as simply a drinking festival, there is much more to explore at the Oktoberfest ; such as the amazing food!

From the first steps into the Oktoberfest grounds, everyone can tell the main theme: food, beer, rides and fun! As for the food, where do I begin? Sausages, sauerkraut, schnitzel, pretzels and strudel! Food is offered throughout the entire park, from stands outside selling all sorts of foods ranging from Bratwurst sausage to half chickens to the many classic Bavarian and German desserts.

Oktoberfest Bratwurst sausages are typically made from 3 types of meats: pork, beef or veal. Then many will be spiced to a variety of flavours: Thüringer Rostbratwurst, Currywurst, Fränkische Bratwurst, among others. Each of these sausages has a very distinct flavour which originates back to various cities and towns throughout Germany. Many of these sausage recipes originated centuries ago with some of these foods being referenced in history dating back to as early as the 1600s.

Thüringer Rostbratwurst is a long, thin spicy sausage originating in the town of Thüringia, Germany. These sausages are particularly spicy and filled with heat, and only for those with a taste for heat. This type of sausage is paired well with dijon mustard condiment. Currywurst is a special type of excellent tasting dish composing of fried pork sausage covered with a ketchup and curry powder sauce.

This sweet and mildly spicy sauce, although fairly simple, complements the salty fried pork sausages very well. While this type of sausage is more considered to be fast-food rather than specially crafted, this is my favourite Bratwurst. Fränkische Bratwurst is another long type of sausage that has its origins dating back centuries. Its main ingredient is marjoram, which is a sweet herb with a citrus taste, giving these types of bratwurst sausages a sweeter flavour than the previous two types. And the absolute best addition to Bratwurst is Oktoberfest sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut is made of fermented, finely cut cabbage which may sound like an odd taste but be sure to try it!

Another famous Austrian dish served at Oktoberfest is the schnitzel. These lightly breaded cuts can be made of pork, chicken or veal, but the main type served at Oktoberfest is weiner schnitzel. Weiner schnitzel is traditionally made of veal cutlets made thin by a meat tenderizer, but the weiner schnitzel vom schwein (pork) variation which has recently become popular is equally delicious. It is also typically garnished with lemon, giving it a nice sour flavour.

And what about some Bavarian pretzels? These twisty, doughy treats are believed to have originated in 610AD at monasteries to reward children for learning their prayers. Today, they are served warm and fresh from the oven and covered in large amounts of salt. These salty treats should be consumed with water or you could face near certain risk of becoming dehydrated.

And last on the list, but not the least bit forgotten are the desserts! Apfel strudel is offered at numerous stands throughout the grounds and is incredibly delicious!

These small pastries covered with apple puree and heavy cream make for a refreshing dessert after consuming high salt foods such as sausages. Another dessert that is very familiar to pastry enthusiasts is the doughnut. These doughnuts however are not quite the round pastries served at local cafes, Dunne’s or Tim Horton’s but are flat and doughy with powdered sugar. The closest comparison my one-dimensional Canadian mind can think is the Beaver Tail delicacy of Canada.

These flat pastries are excellent, sweet treats that will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Oktoberfest is sehr wunderbar! This world renowned festival has something for everyone no matter your tastes. But if Munich is outside your reach, remember there is a bit of Bavaria here in Dublin!

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Dublin Oktoberfest 2015 took place from Sept. 17th to October 4th at George’s Dock in the IFSC Docklands.

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Culture & Leisure

// Discover Dublin

« RACHEL TAN

H

ello GUYS! Two weeks of fresher events have come to the end. I am as sad as you guys are, as it is time to get serious with work now.

School work, projects and exams are piling up again but don’t panic, just keep calm and plan your time wisely. We need to have a balance of fun and study time in order to be productive. Therefore, I am here again to let you know what is going on in Dublin and what events or places you can visit while taking a break.

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DUBLIN VEGFEST 2015

T

his is a celebration for the world vegan day, taking place on 1 Nov, Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. There will be a variety of vegan food, products and talks on life as a vegan at the festival. I think it will be an interesting event to attend to understand about how vegan stays vegan. I said that because personally I am can’t live without meat and I believe I am not the only one. However, I love vegan food after trying some of the vegan places in Dublin, Vegan dishes are not as unappealing as I thought and I believe this event will really surprise you with how creative and delicious vegan food can be.

Location: St Andrew Resource center 114-116 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 For more information, you can visit http://dublinvegfest.com.

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THE 5K AND 10K MORUNNING 2015

F

or those who love an adrenaline rush and running, this will be a perfect event for you to attend. Mo Running was started by The Fix UK who support the Movember Foundation. The Movember Foundation is a global charity organization that does fund raising events and raises awareness for men’s health. Their priority areas are prostate cancer, testicular cancer, men’s mental health and physical inactivity. They fundraise for Men’s Health and in particular the Irish Cancer Society.

All entrants for the event will receive full race chip timing, MoRunning Medal, a MoRunning Headband, snacks and drinks on the day, goodies from Movember.

Race Entry fee: 5K Entry- (€21.60) 10k Entry-( €26.40) Location: Phoenix Park Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2015 , 10am You can sign up at : https://www.mo-running.com/dublin.

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October 2015

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