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March issue 03
THE TEAM SO FAR... JOIN IN THE FUN!
Alex (18)
Amy (24)
Carolann (22)
Eleanor (16)
Anything to do with computer science
Superstar DJ
Event management/marketing
Lawyer
Dream job:
Role model:
Mark Zuckerberg
Favourite quote:
“Do it for the butterflies” Little Nicky
Pet hate:
Grammar Nazis
Party trick: Voices.
How I chill out:
Watch random stuff on youtube
Dream job:
Dream job:
Role model:
Role model:
Justin Bieber, obviously
Marilyn Monroe
Favourite quote:
“There’s nothing worse than being ordinary”
Pet hate:
False people
Favourite quote:
“‘Live, Laugh, Love’”
Pet hate:
Running late, I hate being late!!
Party trick:
Party trick:
Darts trick shot
I make rhymes & songs on nights out
How I chill out:
Alcohol, good music or both
How I chill out:
Bath, candles and my onesie!
Dream job:
Role model: Kate Middleton
Favourite quote:
“Live every day like it’s on purpose”
Pet hate:
Bad spelling
Party trick:
My fingers are double jointed
How I chill out:
Painting and drawing
Emma (23)
Hannah (15)
Kayleigh (21)
Lauren (25)
Own my own therapeutic wellbeing organisation
Nutritionist
Actress
Wellbeing Guru
Dream job:
Favourite quote:
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” Winston Churchill
Pet hate:
People eating with their mouths open.
Party trick: Mum dancing
How I chill out: Shopping
Dream job:
Dream job:
Role model:
Role model:
Favourite quote:
Favourite quote:
Zooey Deschanel
Lee Evans
“Colour my life with the chaos of trouble”
Dream job:
Role model: Stephen Fry
Favourite quote:
Pet hate:
“ Life is about falling, living is about getting back up”
People pinching your food
Party trick:
“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth”. Oscar Wilde
Party trick:
I can touch my head with my feet
Fitting in ridiculously small spaces
How I chill out:
Pet hate:
Either listening to loud music or Watching films
Sexism
How I chill out:
How I chill out:
Listening to music, reading
Sewing and reading
We want you to react & interact with us!
React in March Here we are again. It’s March and the monthly edition of React is upon us once again. So what have we got to tempt the palate this month? With lots of us getting our exam results this month we are hoping the lucky leprechaun of St Patricks days brushes us with some of his luck. This month’s issue looks at what bring us luck or if it even exists… So whether you see March as the joyous fun of St Patrick’s Day, a time to indulge in chocolate heaven or if it is overshadowed by the dreaded results day for all of you in education; React has got something for you. Don’t forget to check out our regular features bringing you what’s hot and not in the coming month What are you gonna do for St Patrick’s Day? Are you going to be dressing up? Do you have the gift of the gab? Have you kissed the Blarney stone? Or are you going to be joining the majority of Brits who are just gonna be going out as it’s an excuse to party? Are Easter eggs on your menu this month? They come in all shapes and sizes, as do we all. But they’re great fun for all to
enjoy. Do you have an Easter egg hunt planned? Will you be using it as an excuse to gorge on chocolate? Or will you be celebrating the Resurrection of Christ? How about results days? Are you looking forward to it? Or dreading it? One thing is for certain we can’t stop it. However you are feeling about results day, what are your plans for the big day? Tell us at @_React_Mag March’s issue brings you a wealth of information written and designed by the React team. If you like what you read and want to get involved then email emmalord@lancashiremind.org.uk Don’t forget to check out the previous copies of React at www. react-mag.co.uk
Follow us @_React_Mag Like us on Facebook ‘Reactmag’
style vs substance // Festivals // Dimentia // Tech review // Life scale // I should be so lucky // Invigilator season // Our lucky charms // vent
In a world that’s obsessed with appearances, it’s difficult not to get sucked into the shallowness of it all. Does hard work not count for anything anymore? When you go for a job interview, does it really matter if you’re fully qualified with lots of experience, or is it really just about your suit? Work horses
Enter the show ponies
And the winner is....
A bit of hard graft never hurt anyone; well that’s what my dad always said. And I can confirm that putting in the effort and reaping the rewards is definitely a satisfying experience, whatever the project. Remember getting your first Saturday job or paper round and that lofty experience of taking home your first wage? It’s what Alan Sugar’s dreams are made of.
Whether we like it or not, studies have shown that ‘attractive’ people are usually hired sooner, get promotions more quickly, and are paid more than their less-attractive co-workers – 3 to 4% more to be precise.
If you ask me, it’s a combination of both – make sure you wash your face in a morning and put a bit of effort into your work as well.
Ruthless determination and working at something until the job is done is a quality not to be underestimated. All the giants of business have got it – Branson, Gates, Price (Katie that is). Yes, you should always be well presented but there’s no eyeshadow or hair wax out there that can make up for good old fashioned know-how. Knowledge is power as they say.
What do you rekon?
Surely that’s got to be discrimination! I can practically hear the cries of ‘uglys have souls too’ ringing from the pages of YouTube and Twitter. But these lookers must be doing something right. Are they rolling in it purely because they flutter their eyelashes and tense their biceps, or is it down to their overall selfconfidence? Better looking people tend to be more confident yes, thus making them more attractive to potential employers.....I mean it makes sense on paper doesn’t it.
Professor Daniel Hamermesh from the University of Texas had it right when he said....“First, don’t go into an occupation where looks matter a lot. Don’t be a TV broadcaster; be a radio broadcaster. Most important, go into fields that you enjoy, and that you have an advantage in doing. Accentuate your strengths, and try to avoid those things where you are relatively disadvantaged.” - Amy Lucas
Festivals With Spring finally here and Summer on its way, it’s almost time for festival season. Some of the larger festivals are already showing promising confirmed acts, with Leeds and Reading already confirming some great acts such as Eminem and Biffy Clyro. It’s already beginning to look like a great choice for this year with more acts yet to be confirmed, although admittedly tickets are a bit more costly than others, I’d still say it’s worth a look. V Festival have got Beyoncé, Kings of Leon, Rita Ora and Labrinth, as well as a load of other amazing acts that will make for a hit festival this year so check it out, it will be a festival to remember this year! For the rockers and metal heads out there Download has Slipknot and Iron Maiden plus acts like HIM, Papa Roach and Bullet for my Valentine this year looks like they have a bit of something for everyone. So overall, 2013 really is looking to be a great year for summer fun and I, for one, CANNOT WAIT! Here’s hoping that this year we’ll have a proper summer (with sunshine and everything) where we can all get out and enjoy ourselves. That’s great, but being so far away can be a bit of a pain sometimes, especially when travelling costs are sky high as well as tickets costing an arm and a leg! But this year, Blackburn is re-vamping the Arts in the Park festival held at Witton Park, this year simply called Blackburn Festival 2013. Simple, but effective. As well as being easy to get to, it’s also free! Bonus! It’s being held on the 15th and 16th of June but at this time still in the early planning stages, so make sure you keep an eye out! www. blackburnfestival.co.uk - Kayleigh Mciver
My opinion In my opinion, dementia is a nasty illness, and I’ll go as far as to say that it’s the worst illness anyone could have. Not only does it make you physically ill but it strips a person of everything they are, and as a carer on a dementia unit I see some things that are honestly beyond upsetting. Some of the people I have looked after have no recollection that they have children, or that they have ever been married! Yet day in and day out we see dedicated family members and friends visit them to be ignored or shouted at. There are times I wonder why they bother, I would hate to go and see my Mum and have her not remember who I am, yet on the other side of it I understand completely. Just because 9 times out of 10 they won’t remember you, there is always hope that just once, they will look at you and smile and recognise who you are.
If you have ever seen The Notebook, Alzheimer’s isn’t as simple as that, yet at the same time the dedication from the husband is very much realistic. They may visit once a week, or they may visit every day, but they are all waiting for that one moment when they see their relative or friend smiling, because with dementia the happy moments are often few and far between. It’s strange that there is such a high divorce rate today, yet I see husband’s and wife’s visit their spouse’s daily, bringing them cards and presents on special days like anniversaries and birthdays, even though they know that it will not mean anything to them. To these people I take my hat off, well done to you all, because that really is true love.
Brain Reading bunny ears?! For this month’s hot Tech spot, we’re going a little bit bizarre. For those of you that don’t know, CES 2013 (Consumer Electronics Show) has just been and gone. The usual gadgets were there such as computers, phones and cameras. But what stood out? How about swivelling cat ears? Doesn’t sound all that innovative does it? So what actually makes them special and stand out above the rest of the bizarre gadgets at CES? You control them with the power of your mind! Neurosky’s brainwave scanning band really works.
But are cat ears that show your feelings really the best use? Of course they are. So why make them? Who are they for? For the comic-con carnies of course. Whats the best part? wI think it’s quite obvious that you will look oh so adorable. Any tragic flaws? Unfortunately yes. The mass of electronics on the left band and the weird gauge pressed against your forehead can detract from the cute factor. Will you be getting a pair? Let us know @_React_Mag and don’t forget to check this bizarre and wonderful invention out. - Alex Oakland
Weighing up your options School. Boredom. Long hours and short teenage tempers. Ring any bells? It’s so easy to spend so long counting down the weeks until the end of school that you forget to think about what you’re going to do when you’re eventually let loose. There’s so many choices; A-levels, BTECs, Apprenticeships - it’s easy to get bogged down with it all. So here’s an honest guide with some expert advice, just to help you make up your mind. A-levels These are best if you’re looking for an academic university course - like English, maths, or sciences. DON’T let yourself be brainwashed into thinking that this is the route you have to go down - it’s not. However, if you’re still not sure what to do when you’re older then A-levels are a good way to keep all your options open. They’ll give you a wide academic skill set and are great on a university application. BTECs If A-levels aren’t to your fancy or if you’re interested in a more practical qualification then BTECs are your thing. But be careful and choose them wisely - BTECs are great for narrowing in on an already chosen career path such as sport, cooking or agriculture but they won’t give you a lot of options for as many university courses as A-levels will. However they are a fantastic practical qualification - speak to a careers advisor before you make any drastic choices though. Apprenticeships These are a great way to gain some work experience and learn a new skill - maybe even polish up on something you’re already good at and are interested in. An apprenticeship will really help you if you’re interested in a full-time career in a specific area and employers appreciate the work experience and expertise you’ll have gained. Or… taking some time out? There is always the option of doing nothing: whether it’s a good option to take or not is another matter, but staying at home playing Xbox games and slowly festering is, sadly, not a path entirely untraveled. If you find yourself sat at home post September, maybe have a think about volunteering. Big gaps on your CV aren’t too attractive to prospective employers so be aware of this when your focussing all your energies on beating some Chinese guy from Birmingham on your Xbox. Nobody’s saying you have to plan out your entire life right this second, but it’s a good idea to have a rough clue of what you want to do in the near future. If you’re really unsure then the best advice you can be given is to simply keep all your options open. Have a chat with a careers advisor and just see if you make any breakthroughs - who knows, you might even decide to be a teacher and go back to school after all. - Eleanor Kerfoot
Why are some people always in the right place at the right time while others consistently never get that lucky break? Does luck exist or is it all down to hard work and determination? Are lucky people more open and relaxed ready With a ‘bad luck generation’ of young people scarred by soaring unemployment facing years ahead of further unluckiness; I want to know how I can get lucky. According to scores of psychologists luck isn’t a matter of chance but a matter of choice. Are lucky people just ordinary folks making their own luck by taking on new opportunities? Remember the visit of the twitchy illusionist Derren Brown to a park in Todmorden where he created a real stir about a lucky dog? (If you’ve not seen it, it’s worth a 4OD visit) Derren and his team sparked a few rumours within the town that if you patted the head of this canine statue it would bring you luck. Within a month, people were claiming that they had obtained employment, won raffle prizes and been successful in bonus ball competitions after visiting the lucky dog statue. Had Derren’s visit brought the people of Todmorden luck or did people simply feel luckier and were listening more to their guts rather than having a tunnel visioned approach to life? Speaking from my own experience, I know I often get caught up in my mental to do list and I’m not paying attention to what’s going on around me. This kind of explains why I’m never the one who finds the fiver on the floor.
and waiting for leprechauns to come dancing into their lives? I’m not too sure. But I do think there is some sense in trying to be more present focussed and listening to what you gut is saying. We can easily get caught up with what’s happened in the past or worrying about what’s to come in the future; why don’t we all just start paying a little bit more attention to the here and now?
Open yourself up to something new, whether it’s hanging out with new people or taking a shot at a new experience. Yes it is scary and perhaps a little frustrating but what’s the worst that could happen? And when you’re lying in bed at night mulling over what’s gone wrong that day or predicting an F on the nightmare chemistry exam that’s looming; why not take a bit of time out to think about what’s gone well for you that day. Whether you found a quid down the back of the sofa, your bus turned up on time or if you were really lucky and you got the hot invigilator to peer over for the full 2 hours this morning; take a few minutes to take stock of what’s gone well. Let’s revolt against the really helpful acclaim of a ‘bad luck generation’, get ourselves out there and fight against the doom and gloom that fills the papers. If we’re feeling really ambitious, why not start a lucky rumour a la Derren and the lucky dog? - Emma
‘I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it’ - Thomas Jefferson
Invigilator season Clear pencil cases, non-calculator papers and ‘no talking from now on’. The only thing worth looking forward to when it comes to exams is the slight chance that the next invigilator to enter the room will resemble Blackburn’s version of Ryan Gosling rather than another grumpy old woman peering over glasses as the slightest movement. In this article, Hannah and Alex tell us their most recent experiences of invigilators… Over to Hannah: I can’t say a Ryan Gosling doppelganger has ever been present in any of my exams (I haven’t given up hope just yet), but having him or any other equally hot model-type invigilator would have probably been less distracting than ‘the invigilator that fell over’. We should have guessed at the beginning of our unit 2 physics exam that the mystery invigilator was probably going to cause some kind of entertainment given that within the first 5 minutes of the exam he’d already knocked the clock off the wall… The real action didn’t happen until the exam was almost over, most of us had finished/given up and were sat waiting and praying for low grade boundaries. The invigilator was on his 1000th patrol of the hall when he was a little too eager to attend to a question. Hundreds of eyes watched him as he tripped over the leg of a chair, tried to stop himself but fell flat on his face in the remaining minutes. I’d like to say this wouldn’t have been as funny if we were allowed to point and laugh- actually no; it definitely would still be as funny.
Now let’s hear what Alex has to say…Some invigilators are seen as hot, some are seen as geeky, but what about the distracting ones? During my most recent exams in January, there were many complaints of invigilators causing issues in the exams. I thought it was just general dislike of them at first but after sitting my first exam I saw what all the fuss was about. A couple of invigilators clumped together in the middle of the exam hall started talking, at first it was rather quiet, but it gradually did get louder. It did become very distracting so another student sitting the exam got their attention and asked them if they could keep it down, to which they responded with snide looks. Is it fair that students should be asking them to quiet down? A few complaints were passed onto teachers, but nothing was really done about it, until it was nearing the end of the exam period and one of the invigilators mistook a staff member for a pupil and rather rudely asked them to get out of the exam hall. I wasn’t present for this ‘scene’ but I was told by the teacher later on that there was a bit of an argument and the invigilators were reported. Do you think it’s fair for invigilators to treat students like this? Aren’t they the ones that are meant to ensure that the exams are fair and organised? Luckily the majority of invigilators do take the job seriously and do ensure that everything is kept up to standard. - Alex Oakland & Hannah Lord Let us know of your experiences with invigilators @_React_mag -
our lucky
charms Jack St Christopher
Elliot Yoda
Ruby Lucky string
Laura Lucky knickers
DanDan Lucky ring- The motto inscribed ‘Choose the right’ brings me luck
Caroline Bracelet - Passed down through the family
Katie Bald Chinese man- Rub its head 3 times and it brings you luck
Adrian A pen- I use it in every exam and it leads to good results
Sian Quarter Dollar- Found it in some snow and it was glistening and it felt like a magical moment.
Yaseen Dumbbell. Using my dumbbells always seems to lead to a good day
PRINT SOMETHING
08453 054 254 www.lancashiremind.org.uk Twitter - LancsMind Facebook - Lancashire Mind React is funded by the Young Beginnings Grant from Mind
newspaperclub.com
I’m fed up! I have had enough of selfish drivers. I have been driving for 2 years, not had a crash or a speeding ticket, I’ve never been pulled by the police or even had a parking ticket! Now I admit I’m not the perfect driver, such a thing does not exist... But I am a considerate driver. I indicate when there is no one else around in case someone appears out of nowhere. Others however don’t even seem to be aware they have indicators, and I absolutely hate having to stop at a roundabout because the person to my right cannot be bothered to let me know which way they are going.
I will happily stop and let someone out in front of me if they are waiting patiently, if you’re trying to push you’re way out you have no chance. If you want to risk damaging your top of the range Audi/Merc/BMW trying to get in front of my 14 year old rust bucket, then feel free, but I have a feeling you’ll stop before I will.
There really is no need for it, then again nor is there any need to drive within an inch of my boot but so many drivers insist on doing it. In those cases I will slow down until you back off. If you don’t back off then it’s going to be a long ride for the both of us! But at least I’ll be laughing in my front seat because I know that I’ve annoyed you as much as you’ve annoyed me.
I won’t even get started on people who park over two spaces, or people who think using their hazard lights gives them the right to stop anywhere, even if that includes double yellow lines. As I said, I’m not a perfect driver, but I pride myself on being considerate, it’s a shame no one else does these days... Kayleigh McIver
____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ We want to hear what makes you rant! Operational Address , 6A Heaton Street, Blackburn ,BB2 2EF emmalord@lancashiremind.org.uk