The River Issue 115

LECTURERS VOTE

INDUSTRIAL

By Phebe Williams

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) have voted for strike action which the union warn could bring the higher education sector to a standstill.

Kingston University UCU

in

among a total of 70,000

members

the country in

dispute

the action are yet to

Dates

decided.

History was made as the

College Union

The General Secretary of the UCU, Jo Grady, said: “To day history has been made

members

universities,

numbers have

ion

UCU members protesting. Photo: James Fraser/Shutterstock

Town House strategy set to ensure Kingston University students prosper

By William De Sousa

Kingston University has launched its new Town House Strategy, which looks to en hance student’s future skills and attributes so they can prosper in their careers.

Named a er the award-win ning Town House building locat ed at the Penryhn Road campus, the strategy will look to embed skills such as innovation, enter prise and creative problem-solv ing into the workplace, as the University looks to partner with businesses and other external bodies to support these skills.

At the launch event, Vice-Chancellor Professor Ste ven Spier said: “ e strategy will ensure our graduates, our sta , and the University itself are sought a er.

“Students will seek to broad en their knowledge and skills at Kingston University because it will help them make the most of their higher education.”

He also highlighted how the strategy will also give greater

prominence, visibility and sup port to the research and knowl edge exchange already at King ston University.

Last year, Kingston Univer sity launched the Future Skills League Table, which looked to nd which skills and student capabilities were most valued by Britain’s businesses.

With the help of YouGov, the university surveyed more than 2000 senior gures in rms across the UK.

From a list of skills drawn by 11 businesses and three univer sities, they were asked to select which of the skills should be de veloped to ensure UK workplac es remained competitive.

From the research, problem solving, and process skills were the most sought a er skill with 60% followed by critical thinking with a narrow 55%.

Other skills such as innovation and digital, which the universi ty has promised to embed into university courses also received a 43% and 51% of rating from the surveyed rms and businesses.

Stirling Prize winners shortlisted to design £22m University building

By Charlie Evans

ree Stirling Prize winners are among those named on a shortlist decided by Kingston University to design a new £22 million building near Knights Park campus.

Gra on Architects, who won the 2021 award for the University’s Town House, Haworth Tompkins and Ca ruso St John Architects are joined on the list by Carmo dy Groarke, Hall McKnight and Reiach and Hall.

Vice-Chancellor, Steven Spier, said the chosen prac tice will help to “realise our aspiration to create a building that will bene t generations of students, sta and the wid er borough community.”

e Middle Mill project is to build a 5,000m2, four sto rey studio block to bene t students within the Kingston School of Art faculty.

In addition, there will be a 200-seat lecture theatre, din ing space, studios boasting

“enhanced acoustic perfor mance”, a faith and spiritual ity facility and sta o ces.

Spier said: “At Kingston University, we rmly believe that world-class architectural design helps drive education al quality and innovation.”

He said the project shows Kingston University’s “com mitment to embedding cre ativity, innovation and future skills at the heart of our stu dent’s education.”

There are plans to im prove the landscape at Mid dle Mill to recognise the close proximity of the Hog smill River and its link with Knights Park, which would cost £1.5 million.

e practices must now outline their vision and the winner will be announced in early 2023.

Work on the building is planned to commence in late 2026 and to be com pleted by September 2029 in time for the start of that academic year.

KU’s Town House. Photo: Aimen Rehman

KU research to help improve mental health services

By Munir Sulaiman

Researchers at Kingston University have embarked on a four year study aimed ultimately at helping shape how social care and men tal health services are de livered for children and young people. The study titled Child and Adoles cent Mental Health Servic es (CAHMS) Referrals and Outcomes for Adolescents and Children with Social Workers, will include con tributions from young peo ple and parents with direct experience in mental health services and care services.

The project aims to discov

a young person’s referral to CAMHS is accepted or rejected, which treatments are helpful for young peo what the experiences are of young people with social care involvement.

Rick Hood, Professor of Social Work at Kingston University and member of the research team high lighted the importance of this study: “Access to effective mental health provision is crucial for improving outcomes for vulnerable children and re quires robust evidence to underpin the partnership between children’s social care and CAMHS.”

A Kingston University spokesperson said: “King ston University supports research that better in forms understanding of the mental health needs of children and young people who have had experience of care.”

The award-winning KU Cares programme offers such students additional support with university applications and through to graduation. They said “Going to university can be particularly challeng ing for young people with experience of local au thority care, students es tranged from their parents and young adult carers.”

This latest research is hoping to offer further ev idence to encourage pol icies that will strengthen services for vulnerable young people.

Family of stabbing victim raise funds to save lives in Kingston

By Georgia Howell

The partner of a man stabbed to death earlier this year has start ed a GoFundMe page to raise money to install a potentially life-saving kit in Kingston.

Casiana Wright, who’s part ner was stabbed in Richmond in March, is campaigning for an emergency bleed control kit in the town. Such kits have already been placed in some areas of the UK.

The so-called bleed box es include equipment such as trauma dressings, gauze, chest seals and tourniquets to help stop heavy and cata strophic bleeding.

Wright said: “When some one is stabbed timing is crucial and medical attention must be given instantly. The kit could save someone’s life.”

After her partner Mirko Nar macic was stabbed, Wright, from Kingston, became de termined to ensure that the town’s streets are safer.

Narmacic, a much-loved husband and father, was 31 when he died as a result of a catastrophic bleed caused by the stabbing.

“Getting the phone call, it felt traumatising. It feels like I’ve had to start life again. All of us really miss him, it felt like I’d been ripped apart,” said Wright.

The kits are available from several charities but still car ry a cost ranging from £500 to £900. With no government funding available, it is up to communities to fundraise for their installation.

Wright is hoping to raise £600 to pay for the purchase and installation of a bleed control kit in the community in remembrance of Narmac ic and she has raised around £300 so far.

Wright said: “This is a ne cessity in our community. Of course it would be great if we could just end knife crime tomorrow, but the fact is we can’t, so we have to protect people and these boxes give victims the best chance of survival.”

There is no doubt that these kits can be essential in saving the lives of people facing stab wounds, howev er they can also be essential for injuries from car acci dents, gunshot wounds and any other victims of cata strophic bleeds.

Retired NHS Surgeon, Dr Martin Taylor said: “Cata strophic bleeding can prove

2011. Credit: Plumplot

“With the frequency of stabbing in Kingston it feels like people are just becoming a statistic and I want to do all I can to prevent that.”

minutes, so for victims every second counts. These kits are vital, especially in London where over 70% of all homi cides are caused by stabbing with a knife or a sharp object.”

If you would like to donate to the GoFundMe, search Emergency Bleed Control Cabinet on the website.

University lecturers vote for industrial action

By Phebe Williams

Continued from page 1

On the ballot question on pay and working conditions “Are you prepared to take industri al action consisting of strike action?” 30,088 ballots were returned in favour, meaning 81.14% of UCU member voters said yes to industrial action. The Northern Ireland vote was not far behind with 78.99% voters saying yes.

Grady said: “The vice-chan cellors who run universities have repeatedly and in a co ordinated fashion come after

our members. Well, now it’s 150 bosses against 70,000 university workers, who are ready and willing to bring the entire sector to a standstill if serious negotiations don’t start very soon.”

Following the result each UCU university branch will be holding an urgent branch meeting.

The Kingston branch on Twitter called the result “a historic result in defiance of laws which are designed for such results to fail”. They said of the mandate: “Let’s use it wisely to exert targeted

pressure to steer our sector off its disastrous course.”

ceived a 3% pay rise at a time

As well as halting the de cline in pay in real terms, the UCU is demanding that employers agree to a frame work to eliminate precari ous employment practices and casualised contracts, in cluding zerohours contracts, from higher education; con verting hourly paid staff onto fractional contracts; agreeing national guidance to end the outsourcing of

support services in higher education and to bring staff into in-house employment.

Raj Jethwa, the chief ex ecutive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, said: “While threatening industrial action will not create new money for the sector, UCEA and its member HE institutions and to work with UCU and other trade unions to support staff and students and to avoid disruptive industrial action. However, there needs to be a realistic assessment of what is possible.”

Mirko’s family want to ensure that stabbing victims have the best chance of survival. Photo: Casiana Wright

KU students struggle to cope with cost of living

By Millie Edwick

The cost-of-living crisis cur

is having a major impact on university students, with some having to turn to ex treme measures to get by.

Increased rent, gas and electricity bills are all is sues that many KU students as well as those across the country are struggling with and students are having to cut

Fashion communications student, Amelia Hawes said:

food shop bills and being able to treat myself, it makes me question my purchases more.”

A recent survey by Kantar looking at annual food-shop ping budgets expects a rise of have massive consequences for students.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and while many students have taken on extra paid work, some have turned to alternative incomes.

A student who wished to re main anonymous said: “I’ve had to go to extremes that I thought I would never have to go to. I sell my underwear,

I can get at the moment.

“I never thought I’d have to do it, I feel really exploit ed. I have a full-time job as well. The university told me due to my parents’ income I can’t get any other money, but my parents don’t give me any extra money. I feel let

down by the university and nance, everything.”

The student said what mon ey they do get barely pays for three months’ rent: “It doesn’t take into account food or an ything else.”

Students experiencing stress

cess advice and support on cop ing with the cost of living via the Support tab on MyKingston.

The typical student lifestyle has also taken a hit. Sydney Hemmington, a criminology and sociology student, said: out at least once a week, but I have not been able to do

“I’m worried about money”

that, I haven’t been able to socialise with my friends.”

“I’m worried about money and worrying about money on top of university isn’t good.”

Universities across the country are facing unprec edented demand for hardship funds according to the Guardian. Emails were sent out last week by Dr Hilda Mulroon ey asking students to respond to a short survey asking what assistance they would like to see with shopping and what else they need help with.

In the meantime search ‘cost of living’ on My King ston site for information.

Students complain Town House café too expensive

pharmacology student who had just bought a sandwich and hot chocolate, said: “I think it should be a bit cheap er.”

A sandwich at the Town House costs around £4 with the toasted sandwiches cost ing around £4.50.

A short walk to Sainsbury’s a sandwich, a snack and a drink, a much cheaper deal.

By Wincent Hein

Students struggling with ris ing prices are turning away from the Town House café in search of cheaper options.

Students say prices in the café are noticeably more ex pensive than in other nearby local outlets.

Aqib Fazal, a Kingston

Local chains such as Greggs sandwiches at prices ranging similar price to chains such the Town House charges

students extra for some nec essary changes like having soya milk.

Students also perceive a lack

The advantage of the café, is that it’s easy to get to. Students agreed that the main reason they buy from the Town House café is be cause it is the closest business to where they are studying.

student said: “I often have classes nearby and I can buy

Town House café, like all business is facing a rise in the costs of the goods and servic es needed to run its business.

But with increasing eco

nomic uncertainty and stu dents having to save money wherever they can, is that going to be enough to tempt them to the café?

think it should be a bit cheaper”

Student stressed about rising cost. Photo: Yosi Prihantoro/Unsplash

Town House Cafe. Photo: Wincent Hein

Cost-of-living crisis hits students hard

ings, credit cards, and bank loans.

duces the value of loans and subsidies according to another study of 1,500 students con ducted by the employment website Breakroom, 5% of stu dents had to start working two jobs when classes resumed in September in face of the crisis.

The Institute of Fiscal Stud ies predicts that government maintenance loans for students will be at their lowest level in real terms in seven years. Some students have reported that they have to skip meals or miss lectures because they cannot

International students are also

have families in the UK who can help support them in this crisis.

Two years of the pandemic, online teaching in isolation,

KU support

The Kingston Universi ty wellbeing team offer a number of support servic es which you can access through MyKingston includ ing information about access to hardship funds.

The DARE (Development, Alumni Relations and En gagement) team of Kingston University is also focused on supporting the students in

of Art recently ran a very suc cessful coat drive at Knights and blankets to help students keep warm over winter.

There is another planned for Kingston Hill hopefully before Christmas, and they may try to run one on Penrhyn Road after this Christmas.

They are also planning a

By Mihaela Kirlova

Like many people across the UK students face rising prices and are struggling to manage their expenses and to enjoy

their life at university.

According to a recently pub lished poll by the National Union of Students (NUS) an increasing percentage of uni versity students are struggling

to pay for basic living costs. The survey showed that 96% of students are making budget cuts and more than one in ten are ac cessing food banks, while more students are turning to their sav

fected many students’ mental health and this greatly impact their higher education.

The NUS has called on the government to take action quick ly and develop a tailored cost-ofliving support package for high er education students.

nate old textbooks and other books that students can take for free. The SU also has free sanitary products for female students. If you want to donate or help the DARE team you can contact them at: +44(0)20 8417 3664.

Vaping: Is it as harmless as it seems?

By Elizaveta Shchigireva

Since the beginning of my time at Kingston in 2020, I have no the number of students who are using vapes around the campus.

According to GOV UK, statis tics show that the popularity of disposable vaping products among university students has increased from 2.2% to 15.2% within the last year.

The main reasons given for doing it for fun or to help give up smoking cigarettes. Giving up smoking cigarettes is for sure a good decision but is replacing one addiction with another real ly solves the problem?

Most vapes contain nicotine, the addictive drug in regular cigarettes and other tobacco products. The recent research revealed that 40.1% of vape us ers in England were either ‘a lit tle’ or ‘very addicted’ to vaping products. Also the percentage of people who think that va pes are less harmful than ciga rettes has declined from 66.7% to 43.3%. Vape pens come in

ular. Unlike cigarettes, vapes are sold in attractive colour ful packaging and are openly displayed to consumers rather than being kept out of view.

Since vape pens are so easily accessible, we assume that they are not harmful. However there have been three deaths and multiple reports of vaping-re lated injuries in the UK.

Rachel Howls, the mother of a teenager who died after her lungs collapsed believes vaping products killed her daughter and is calling for tougher legislation.

Vapes contain chemicals such as propylene glycol or vegeta ble glycerine. These are com mon additives in food and are also used to make things like antifreeze, paint solvent and ar

Although both these com pounds are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for ingestion, it is not widely understood if they are suitable

vaping are a relatively new area

dients on lungs is uncertain and the damage may be clear in as much as ten years’ time.

The existing research has linked chemicals in vapes to irreversible lung damage, res piratory issues, changes in the brain and organ damage.

ing include dry mouth, mouth sores, nose bleeds, headaches, chest pains, cough, dry skin, rashes and a sore throat.

It is evident that we do not know enough about the var ious health risks of vaping. More research is required.

Many people claim that quitting vaping is even harder than quitting cigarettes due to a perception that is less harm full to ones health.

Tips to help quitting include exercise, tackling sources of including hobbies and positive changes to your routine

Remember to be mindful of your health and do not take unnecessary risks.

Health warning on vape packaging.

Photo: Elizaveta Shchigireva

A Stressed student sits next to laptop. Photo: Tim Gouw/Unsplash

Dahmer doc leaves families shocked

By Casey Harding

There are very mixed reviews with Vulture and The Holly

a favourable assessment while Variety and Vanity Fair were more harsh in their criticism. Much of the debate has fo cused on how systemic racism

removed with no official com has retraumatised them.

dismembered the bodies of

en 16 life sentences for his crimes and his full sentence equated to 957 years.

three years and four months behind bars as he was beaten to death by a fellow inmate at the Columbia Correctional

men. Critics have also ques tioned the need to revisit the

There was also heavy choice to label the show as Monster was also labelled

crimes that has come out in the third take on his story in the

The limited series comes at a time when demand for true crime

shocked to see a show that Drama over this choice arose on TikTok with one user say

Our love of true crime needs to take account of the fact that these stories are not just

Fireworks in the firing line once again

By Georgia McJannett-Smith

Fireworks are a universal sym bol of celebration. The UK sea

Diwali - the Hindu festival of we have to breathe the day after.

This year Hammersmith and Fulham Council has can

with a more environmentally friendly laser show. For this

of alcohol. This means that the celebrations have concluded but it still leaves 16% unac

recommendations and to do so “safely and courteously to

Fireworks can be deadly if caution is not taken.

home attitude to do-it-yourself

is time to consider that watch celebration tool that does more

Fireworks, Alexandra Palace. Photo: Guy Bell/Shutterstock

have a mature debate and look seriously at alternatives.

use only for licensed events or on certain dates.

sumed at least two to three units

of clean-aired relief.

Is Kingston University safe?

By Hashim Otban

Tis the season for SAD

By Lara Hassan

People walking in Kingston. Photo: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock

Woman looking out the window. Photo Anthony Tran/Unsplash

Can students trust the Tories?

With very little chance of a general election any time soon, the United Kingdom is looking at turbulent Tory leadership until 2024.

By Georgia Howell

With little chance of a general election any time soon, the UK is looking at Tory leadership that could last until 2024.

From raising tuition fees to lowering the loan repayment threshold, many students have expressed distrust with the Con servative government.

There have been rent strikes, demonstrations about the gov ernment ignoring higher edu cation students during the pan demic, as well as protests over fee increases.

Since 2009, UK universities and their students have been stuck in a cycle of industrial action, frustrated students and attacks on the arts.

Student life has become worse under Tory rule. Increased rent prices, and hostile rental market in which student halls are becom

the strains that students face.

In 2020, Dinesh Aryetu, a ge ography student, was studying in his third year at Kingston’s Roehampton Vale site.

As higher education went on line, Dinesh felt “failed” by the government: “It felt like that since I started my course in Sep tember 2018, It’s clear what the Tory government think of uni versity students.”

Universities, in the hands of a Tory government are seen as businesses, instead of places of education or critical thinking.

as “encouraging subversive thought” according to 2020s infamous education secretary Gavin Williamson, arts and humanities students have seen their courses cut, funding di verted to other departments and neglect in the face of a global pandemic and conse quently a national lockdown.

freelance artist at Somerset House who graduated from Kingston with an arts degree in 2018, became very aware that Brexit policies were impacting international students.

“Under Tory leadership, fees for international students have become astronomical, because our fees are unregulated, which means that at some universities, some international students are paying almost four times the amount of a home student.”

Most available maintenance grants have now been scrapped

bursaries for student nurses and midwives in 2020, after scrap ping them in 2017).

This comes despite alarming own Department for Education which showed that the 4.5 mil lion students in England and Wales were amongst one of the lowest income groups in the UK, further disadvantaging al ready marginalised groups of prospective students.

In April 2021, the cuts meant that Kingston announced the closure of the BA politics, Hu man Rights and International relations, and History courses

cuts in the Media Communi cations and Film Studies de partment. Hayden Collins, was studying his master’s degree in international relations when the cuts were made.

Current Tory education policy will make it harder for students to go to university. Should they get in, they will be made to pay back more of their loans. Ac cording to the Spring Policy Statement, students and gradu ates will have to face an overall cost of £35 billion in loan repay

as the policy lowers the cur rent repayment threshold from £27,295 to £25,000.

Tory policy has had a dis tressing impact on international students, who, according to the Higher Education Policy Insti tute, currently brings £28.8 bil lion to the UK economy.

Tory initiatives such as Brexit, and the hostile environment pol icy introduced by Theresa May have resulted in international students feeling unwelcome and forced to look elsewhere.

Tory policy and legislation in the face of the cost-of-liv ing crisis has also failed to acknowledge the unique chal lenges that students face.

Student loans haven’t risen alongside dramatic increases to faced with rising costs for bills, transport, accommodation, and food but no means to pay for them. For many it’s a desperate and precarious situation.

Under the Tories controver sial and increasingly unpopu lar education reforms, King universities that has seen es sential funding diverted away from arts and humanities sub

(science, technology and engi

In an interview with the Guardian, Jo Grady, the gener al secretary of the University and College Union called the cuts “an act of vandalism.”

The ever-increasing cost of living - with no promise of ad ditional support for students during or after their course – is creating a crisis in higher edu cation, with the Tories ignoring students at every oppurtunity.

“The cuts impacted us all on so many levels, it showed us the brutal reality of how the government feels about stu dents, honestly it was disgrace full. And even as students, we ed our lecturers, even after the politics department in tatters.”

Despite a passionate student campaign to prevent the clo sure of the politics department to new students, the closure went ahead, and the politics course no longer exists.

Saima Acton, who was in the

of the government’s lack of re spect, care or acknowledgement of higher education students, but to be honest I think most students who came in after the introduction of the £9,000 tui tion fee has come to expect that from this government.”

A student rent strike in London, 2016 highlighting frustrations over increasing barriers to accessing higher education in the UK. Photo: Tolga Akmen/Lnp/Shutterstock

”

” Universities, in the hands of a Tory government are seen as businesses

HOMESICKNESS: the student struggle nobody talks about

By Sherif Mustafa

Homesickness strikes hard for anyone away from home for the first time and for in ternational students it can be particularly challenging.

There is no way a person could know when or how bad the sickness will hit them.

Homesickness could be mild distress at being away from home and family or, it could be as serious as evolving into physical pain and long-term psychological problems.

Studies have found that around 94% of students have experienced some form of homesickness in the first 10 weeks of university.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE:

Shams Isa was a pharmacy student in Kingston University and fell victim to homesickness.

She said that when she came to London she already knew people here and that could have made it easier, but it just had the opposite effect.

She said: “I often felt lone ly and I had no energy to study or attend classes to the point I was self-sabotaging my studies.” She had friends in Kingston, but found it hard to get used to life in London.

In addition, she said: “I thought studying abroad was exciting and I just wanted a break from family

until reality sank in.”

SYMPTOMS:

-Disturbed sleeping pattern

-Dark thoughts and bottled -anger issues

-Headaches

-Stomach pain

-Feeling lonely or stranded -Feeling low self-worth -Questioning your decisions and moves.

-Often mental breakdowns

-Loss of appetite -Lack of concentration

REMEDIES:

Feeling homesick is not a weakness or something to be embarrassed about but tack ling it early on is the best method to resolve the issue.

Try not to give up on new op portunities when they present themselves to you.

Here are some suggestions of things you might try:

1. Join societies and events at university

At Kingston University there are many societies and clubs students can join to relieve stress and feelings of immense loneliness and sadness.

You can meet new people and make friends, perhaps dis cover new hidden inner talents and skills along the way.

2. Long walks exploring new parks and cities

Follow the towpath from Kingston to enjoy sights along the local river.

Or if you really want to travel and see the sights of the city, you could embark on the London Loop, a long circular path that runs the whole way round London and can be done in stages with breaks.

3. Sports and excercise

The UK offers a huge va riety of sporting opportuni ties either as a spectator or a participant.

You can watch live pro

fessional matches or join student teams.

Whichever sport you pre fer and whatever level you play at there is something for you out there.

4. Healthy Lifestyle Take care of your health, starting with healthy eating.

One of the symptoms of homesickness is loss of appe

Make sure you also get a good night’s sleep and drink

lots of water.

5. Balance your lifestyle

Try to balance the amount of contact you make with your old life with new friends and con tacts in your new life. It might get lonely but try not to rely too much on family.

Go out and explore your envi ronment and make new connec tions with people who can be come a support network in what is now, even if not forever, your new home.

Student’s hobby becomes a five-figure business success

By Megue Bondoki

nance student Issey Kyanda has her side hustle of hair braiding.

Kyanda began her hair braid ing business called Custom Cornrows in 2019 however she did not have much business until the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

of new clients who wanted their hair braided.

She said: “The end of lock down was the kickstart; it made me booked and busy.

I was in demand as my clien tele grew because many people couldn’t have their hair done during the lockdown due to gov ernment restrictions.”

Due to her low cost base, she

helped to fund her living expenses. Since then her costs have increased with the price of petrol, groceries and house hold bills all going up but she

She is a self-taught braider who learned from practicing and watching YouTube tutori als. She works during her time

tures to bring in more revenue.

“I love braiding. I love the feeling of transforming the crown that clients never take off.

I love the look on their faces when they leave the chair; it is immensely grati fying,” Kyanda said.

Custom Cornrows is a reg istered business that pro vides different hairstyles and Kyanda uses Instagram to showcase and advertise her services.

“I welcome all hair textures; I provide a mobile service for clients who cannot travel or prefer to have their hair braid ed in the comfort of their own home.” Kyanda said.

ceeds on a shopping spree but now she has plans to expand.

A female student worrying about what comes next as she embarks on her new journey.

Photo: Angela Compagnone/Unsplash

Owner of Custom Cornrows.

Photo by: Issey Kyanda

Client hair styled with braids. Photo: Issey Kyanda Instagram: Custom Cornrows

Client hair with cornrows. Photo : Issey Kyanda Instagram: Custom Cornrows

Angry students STILL waiting for housing

Criminology and Forensic Psy chology student living in only found out about her room one week before the beginning of term, despite having chosen her accommodation earlier in

Students unhappy with prolonged refurbishments

By Acacia Liu

The £200 million refurbish

another 127 student rooms to However, building work is ongoing and students living in the accommodation are frus trated at the conditions they

The noise from construction work was one issue mentioned even open my windows be dent said

commodation on a waitlist sys tem, with some students being placed higher than others due

By Caitlin Hammill

Kingston University students have voiced their frustrations after many found themselves with nowhere to live at the start

The housing crisis has left students without accommoda tion fearing they may have to

year Law student Divya Pras anna Ramarathnam had to stay weeks of term, due to having “I started looking for housing at the beginning of the year but

agents kept telling us to give

Ramarathnam has now been she feels rushed and unsettled due to moving in a month after

Before getting accommo dation, Ramarathnam com muted from Bristol and had to stay at Travelodge from

In an attempt to help her out, the University accommo

RIVER

SAYS

dation team paid for half of her hotel costs, which came to

versity accommodation team said: “Halls accommodation is not guaranteed and is subject to

advise seeking accommodation privately as we may not be able

Estate agents say they are receiving “thousands” of calls

They also say they have been

sent out to students, stating: “You are currently on the King ston University halls waitlist at present we are NOT able to

If you want to remain on the waitlist, you do not need to tact us if you want to remove yourself from the waitlist or need further private sector

The university said that they aim to accommodate most re turning students by October

dent pointed out that though chines sometimes and having to exchange coins every time

bished buildings will have additional kitchen common rooms and more communal facilities including a student club and multi-use event spac es, as well as the additional

The project is now expected to be fully completed by Janu

RIVER

The River is written, edited and produced by journalism students at Kingston sion statement commits us to raising and addressing the issues relevant to stu

If you have information or a story which would interest our readers, please con have made a mistake, please get in touch with us:

The spookiest recipes for Halloween

Having a Halloween party and want to get creative? Here are some of our favourite quick and delicious recipes for you and your friends to get yourselves in the mood for the spooky season of Halloween.

By Elizaveta Shchigireva

Blood-curdling punch

Preparation time

10 minutes

Ingredients

425g canned lychees

225g jar cocktail cherries

15 dried currants

1 carton blueberry juice

1 carton cherry juice

1 litre cherryade

1 pair of powder-free gloves

Method

Rinse the disposable gloves and fill with wa ter. Tie a knot at the top of each glove and freeze overnight.

Drain the lychees and cocktail cherries, reserving the juices in a jug. Push a dried currant into one end of each cherry and push cherries into the lychees to make eyeballs.

Tip the juices into a large bowl with the lychees.

Peel the gloves off the ice hands, add the fruit punch, then top it up with the cherryade.

Snow White’s apple

Preparation time

10 minutes

Ingredients

2tbs Corn syrup

2tbs water

65g of brown sugar

32g of double cream

2tbs of unsalted butter

A pinch of salt

½ tsp of vanilla extract

2-3tsps of food colouring

Strawberry syrup

You will also need

Bamboo sticks

Method

Heat corn syrup, water and brown sugar on the stove for six minutes. Take sauce pan

cream, salt, vanilla extract and black food colouring. Mix well and stir in butter. Allow caramel to cool for a few min utes, then dip your apples.

Let the excess caramel drip surface such as a silicone bak ing mat or lined baking sheet.

Drizzle strawberry syrup over caramelized apples.

Pumpkin spice crispies

Preparation time

20 minutes

Ingredients

250g rice crispies

75g melted butter

Twirl bites

Crispy green M&Ms

2tbs pumpkin spice syrup

10 drops of orange food colouring

150g melted marshmal lows

Method

Melt the butter and marshmallows in a heat proof bowl in the micro wave, making sure to stir the mix every 30 seconds. Once melted add the food colouring and pumpkin spice syrup and stir until well combined.

Add the rice crispies to the bowl and stir until completely coated. Mould pumpkin shaped spheres out of the mixture.

To decorate, put a Twirl bite on top and lay crispy green M&Ms to make a leaf shape.

Things to do in London on Halloween

By Sherif Mustafa

London Dungeons

The London Dungeons launche this year’s exclu sive Halloween show ‘50 Berkeley Square. It is Lon don’s go-to attraction on Halloween night for many people. This year they in vite you step into the attic of the most haunted house in England, 50 Berkley Square. Actors will bring the terrifying legend of the property to life. Murder, mystery, mayhem – this show has it all.

The Making of Harry Potter

This year Warner Bros Studios is taking Hallow een to another level by giving the Harry Potter set

a total makeover to match the spooky city of London on Halloween. The Dark Arts studio tour returns but there is also a chance to experience Halloween as if you were at Hogwarts with pumpkins floating above a feast as they do in Harry Potter and the Philoso pher’s Stone.

Fright Nights Thorpe Park

The legendary Fright Nights are back for Hal loween 2022. Thorpe Park offer spine-tingling scare mazes, terrifying scare zones and awe-inspir ing shows plus three new rides, which of course you can take in the dark. The nights include many activ ities for all ages but book in advance.

Harry Potter cloaks. Photo: Rhii Photograhy/ Unsplash

Halloween Pumpkin Mar ket Covent Garden

This year Covent Garden is inviting visitors to dis play of over 200 pumpkins, squashes and gourds in the Market Building where you can marvel at their grotesque shapes and buy one to take home, carve and make your own.

Street Family Tour

You can join an outdoor walking tour starting at the Royal Opera House and hear tales of murderous ac tors, creepy theatre ghosts and how a dark criminal underworld develop when the theatres first arrived.

London Ghost Bus Tour

Jump on at Trafalgar

Square for a spooky ride with a ghoulish guide past the oldest, most wellknown sights such as the Tower of London and Westminster Cathedral. Prepare yourself to pass by chilling sites of murder, execution and torture, and learn of the city’s dark, twisted history.

Bloodcurdling punch. Photo: Elizaveta Shchigireva

Thrillers to read during reading week

never have imagined for her self. It Ends with Us is a strong and personal thriller with a thought-provoking tale of love. This is the perfect book to help

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone girl is about Amy Dunne, a woman who goes missing on anniversary. Her husband Nick immediately becomes a suspect and in hopes of proving his in nocence, Nick embarks on a crazy journey as he uncovers the clues as to what might have hap pened. Gone Girl is full of twists at night.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

on earth together. The book takes us through the emotional adventures of these two boys, showcasing the importance of friendships and living your life to the fullest. The novel is much more serene compared to the rest on the list, so if you would like something thrilling but on the calmer side, this is the novel for you.

Eugenides

The Virgin Suicides tells the

is the perfect book to get you thinking.

The Girl on the Train by Gillian Flynn

By Gabrielle Risasi

The best thriller novels have you up until the early morning hours. So with reading week upon us, penseful books that will have you on the edge of your seat for

the whole week.

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

It Ends with Us is a romantic novel which follows a young woman named Lily and her two love interests Ryle and Atlas. Lily’s constant battle between the two lovers pushes her to ward a dark reality she would

Despite the title, this Silve ra novel is more heartwarming than the others. The book is

fus, who both receive a call from death telling them that they will and Rufus did not know each other in the beginning but soon become friends online and de cide to spend their last few hours

through the tales of a group of boys living across the street. The boys live in the same neighbourhood as the girls and are completely ob sessed with them. The story takes place when the boys are much older, recounting the memories they had of the girls. The novel fol lows the men trying to piece together unsolved stories about the Lis bon sisters and what happened to them. It becomes more eerie as

The psychological thriller follows Rachel, an alcoholic who becomes obsessed with a couple that she does not know. Rachel takes the train every day and becomes mesmerised by the couple she often watches in their home during a signal stop. Rachel becomes embroiled in a series of events that draw her in to the couple’s lives. This book is a really gripping thriller.

Black Adam: Another entertaining superhero movie

By Wincent Hein

Costing a huge $195 million to make, Black Adam is hoping to so far it’s doing pretty well.

DC’s Shazam franchise, star ring Dwayne Johnson as the superhero movie.

Black Adam, a slave in 2,600 BC, sees Johnson taking on the role of one of DC’s most wellknown anti-heroes as he tries

Eastern country of Kahndaq.

Johnson does a good job at playing a tragic character who lives with regret and the loss of his family but still rises up to act as the champion for his home country, protecting it from for eign powers.

Isis (Sarah Shahi) is a strong and competent supporting char acter who has good chemis try with her son, Amon Tomaz (Bodhi Sabongui), pushing the theme of strong family relation

The strongest part of Black Adam is its renowned cast of developed characters.

Another highlight from the sup

porting cast are the members of Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and Doctor Fate (Piers Brosnan) as they have good chemistry with each other and the protagonist.

However, the rest of the supporting cast are rather un derwhelming. The other two members of the Justice Society have much less screen time than Hawkman and Doctor Fate and the main villain is very generic.

asking more complex questions about morality and our con ventional ideas of a hero. But

despite having a strong cast, storyline and setting, Black Ad am’s biggest problem is that it does not try hard enough to in novate or experiement with the superhero genre.

It very much is just anoth er origin story with some very cliched elements and does not do much to reinvigorate an au dience who may be tiring of watching superhero movies that are so similar to one another.

The large cast of new charac ters, whilst fun for fans of com ics, does demand that the audi ence already be familiar with characters such as Doctor Fate to understand all their powers

and references.

The ending of the movie also mostly created using CGI. Overall, while not being very innovative, unlike other more recent DC movies such as The Batman, Black Adam is a good watch for fans of the superhero genre and comics. Head over to the cinema and give it a watch if you have not already.

Black Adam cast at premiere in London. Photo: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Sarah Shahi at the Black Adam premiere in New York. Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

It is time to BeReal

By Nancy Lama

If you have not heard of BeReal, where have you been? The ex tremely popular app has been a big hit with Gen-Z. Hitting number one on the Apple store in July 2022 and remaining there until the start of Septem ber. As of October 2022, BeRe al has been downloaded over 53 million times around the world, sparking copycat features on ri val platforms like TikTok.

Every day the app prompts you to share a photo of the mo ment with friends or the discov at random times, announcing it is time to Be Real.

cation you get two minutes to take your photo but the photo is not only taken from the front or back camera, it uses the dual camera feature and takes a pho to from the front and back cam era at the same time.

Being very simple to use in comparison to other social me dia platforms, BeReal has a gen

uine feel to it. Users can only post once a day to show what they are doing at that moment.

After posting friends can re act to your BeReal with a live reaction, again em phasising being real through a raw, authen tic reaction.

This is completely opposite to other social media apps, in which everything is posed and carefully selected and uploaded for everyone to see only the best parts. It wants users to be au thentic and as they say BeReal.

Although you can choose to post later and take the BeRe al photo multiple times before posting, it will show after it has been posted how late the post has been uploaded and how many retakes were done.

However, this doesn’t stop peo ple from posting late and still trying to make their upload for the day perfect. As with everything else as humans we cannot help but compare. If a friend was doing something cool and your BeReal is just of you in bed, it could af fect your self-esteem. Especially if you see friends doing some thing fun, this could defeat the purpose of the app.

Although an app can try and make the experience as authen tic as possible, there will always be a loophole with some users either not posting that day or waiting until they’re doing something interesting and fun. Are you being the most authen tic version of yourself on BeReal and using the platform as it is intended to be used?

Doctor Who: Tennant returns

By Phebe Williams

Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall exited the Tardis with a thrilling ride of non-stop sur prises and nostalgia as the era of the female Doctor ended.

The BBC’s Doctor Who saw the 13th Doctor go out with a bang. Seven Time Lords and the blue box full of compan ions (which is a parallel to a

Jodie Whittaker’s incarnation in perfect style. The episode was a wonderful roller-coaster of adventure for any Whovian. This feature-length special for

the BBC’s centenary, was per haps the best episode of Chris year stint as showrunner.

tor faced an unforgettable showdown with arch enemy The Master (Sacha Dhawan), who teamed up with the Dal eks and Cybermen to try to de stroy humanity and take over Earth. The Time Lord was re united with classic Who com panions as well as Unit HQ. Chibnall brought a confusing plotline of the Master’s plan, which only came together in my mind when I remembered

what was to come next. It was a truly jam-packed episode of a time traveling hop around the globe taking in Rasputin’s hyp notic hold over Tsar Nicholas, art thefts, volcanic eruptions and collapsing buildings. When the Master half-killed her, the her former selves: Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy and David Bradley as William Hartnell. It was absolutely spine-tingling.

When the Doctor was fatally wounded in the process and her body began to regenerate, there was a tearful farewell with companion Yaz in a beautifully emotional moment.

Despite the episode itself, the most talked about part was

Jodie’s place was not the newly announced Ncuti Gatwa, who will now be the 15th Doctor, but the 10th Doctor himself as the new 14th Doctor. The

of excitement with fan favoite David Tennant back bringing a sense of fun and excitement back to the show.

Tennant and Catherine Tate will reunite for three episodes to celebrate the show’s 60th an niversary before Gatwa gives the Tardis a long-awaited spin round the Whoniverse.

The Herman Miller Showroom hosts KU graduates

By Maurizio Kayonjo

Kingston University MA grad uates in product and furniture design had the chance to display their work at the Herman Miller Showroom in London recently.

It provided an opportunity for them to make industry connec tions and seize commercial op portunities.

This is the fourth year that students have had the chance to display their talent at the gallery which has partnered with the University since 2018.

gies company, which has been around for over a century.

Artist and painter Alexandra Baraitser said: “I was passing by the building and I was cap tured by Alex Budd’s work by the window with folded metal products. I also really like tex tiles and Julia Risberg’s work was interesting. The photo where she is hugging her piece is really intriguing.”

The MA Product & Furniture Design course actively engages with the industry and has col laborated with both IKEA and

Graduate MA student and art ist, Alex Budd said: “When I started my course, my aim was to be able to sell my art, so now that I have the products and they are ready, it is all about how to make the world aware that they exist and to have exposure.

“This show brings a lot of in design exhibitions, and you never know who you could be speaking to.”

dents presented their best work over the year at the exhibition.

cased a wide variety of cultures and history.

The event helped to expose the graduates’ work to the many people who admire Miller him self and his multi-award-win ning furniture and technolo

Network Rail this year.

Graduate MA student and art ist, Julia Risberg said: “With this exhibition, I want to show what I have done throughout the year and make some connections. I have already talked to someone about displaying my Messy Or ganiser piece in another show room, and also would like to be able to sell my smaller textile soft furniture to people.”

The graduates also had to take environmental factors into account when they were select ing the materials to use for their unique projects.

Budd said: “I used copper, al uminium, generally pure metal, everything that I have here could be 100% recycled, it is nice to know that in terms of the environment you are keeping it as simple as possible.”

Be quick to capture what you are doing. Photo: Nancy Lama

Product at the design show. Photo: Maurizio Kayonjo

Print at the design show. Photo: Maurizio Kayonjo

Kingston-born players set for World Cup call up

By Charlie Evans

Declan Rice and Luke Shaw, both born in Kingston, are expected to be named in the England squad for next month’s World Cup in Qatar.

Manager Gareth Southgate privately picked a 55-man squad last week and will re portedly announce the 26 play ers who have made the cut on November 10.

favourites under Southgate and were included in his previous squad for the Nations League matches in September.

Rice was educated at Grey Court school, in Richmond but relocating to Dagenham when he signed for West Ham Unit ed aged 15.

He could expect to be Eng

part of Southgate’s team be cause of his leadership and defensive ability.

Rice made his internation al debut in 2019 and has ap peared 34 times for his country as well as playing three match es for the Republic of Ireland before making a controversial switch to England.

experience for Rice. His King

ston compatriot Shaw played in the 2014 tournament.

Shaw lived in Moseley, Sur rey and made his England de but as an 18-year-old against Denmark eight years ago.

The Manchester United leftback scored the Three Lions’s goal in the delayed Euro 2020

land eventually lost on penal ties to Italy.

He faces competition from Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell to start at left wing-back but South gate has previouly preferred Shaw in that role.

England go to Qatar on the

back of a six-match winless run but there is always hope that after 56 years, Rice and Shaw can be part of the team

World Cup this winter.

Euro-winning Lionesses and young Chelsea talents play weekly at local Kingsmeadow

squad defeated Blackburn U-23 in a Premiere League 2 match at Kingsmeadow.

was all Chelsea but it’s fair to say Blackburn captain and goalkeeper Jordan East half making several acro batic saves, keeping Black burn in the game and the opposition at bay.

sea’s number nine Mason Burstow was played in by Omari Hutchinson and calmly tucked the ball into the bottom right corner making it 1-0 to Chelsea.

in added time to hand the

of the season.

This Chelsea win moves

Photo: Marcelo Poletto/SPP/Shutterstock

By Hashim Otban

Calling all Chelsea fans at Kingston University. Did you know the Chelsea men’s

U-23 team and Women’s sen ior team play in Kingston?

Chelsea Women play at King smeadow Stadium and last weekend the Chelsea U23

despite the barrage of chances created by the young Blues.

Blackburn started the sec ond half in greater spirits coming out of the blocks with a few chances on goal. In the 60th minute Chel

Highly-rated Chelsea at tacker, Omari Hutchinson continued to showcase his ability as he glided across the pitch all game until he was taken down in the box in the 90th minute and a penalty was given.

Hutchinson stepped up, took the opportunity, and made it to make it 2-0 Chelsea.

Ben Elliot later put the icing on the cake for the ish to make it 3-0 to Chelsea

League 2, and pushes them within two points of the top spot, while Blackburn re main at 9th in the table.

With both the PL2 sea son and the Women’s Su per League well underway, this is your chance as a fan see talents like Ballon D’or nominated Sam Kerr, Euro 2022 winners Fran Kirby Millie Bright and even Om ari Hutchinson and Ben El liot perform right on your doorstep in Kingsmeadow in Kingston.

Declan Rice and Luke Shaw after England’s win against Ukraine. Photo: Lars Baron/AP/Shutterstock

Kingston University’s men’s basketball 1st team moved up a league to 2A this semester hav

Team captain and coach, players: “I couldn’t be any main in the team this year,

ent ways and everyone is a

“We push each other to do the best, we’ve got to play

two or three days a week and play a game every Wednes

Abucker said: “There’s been many obstacles [that] overcome which allowed

team since last semester but I believe that this team now will

important to adapt to the game and be very vocal

communication, together ness, teamwork, good char Adam Abucker, a team member, said: “Everyone

“Shouting across the court is necessary and you need to be

“Basketball started as a hobby but is now a passion and I’m excited to see where

Their next game is sched

BT Group South Eastern

By Charlie Evans

Kingston Cougars stunning form boosts title chances

Team captain Abigail Woolvin, 19, said: “I feel really proud of them all, they have put in loads of hard work from the start, and

“I’m so excited for the next motivated and will continue to believe in the achievement of

son was a decisive 4-0 win against King’s College in which Woolvin scored two with Lindsay Virgilio and Im ogen Ashby also on the score

Their second win came against the London School of Econom ics, which was a 5-2 thrashing with Woolvin grabbing a hattrick and Virgilio grabbing a brace, one of a stunning 30-yard

ting to know each other better

The Cougars train and play matches in addition to their course commitments and are under immense pressure to

When asked how they bal ance university work and foot ball, Arduino said: “I manage my time really well so I would make sure I keep up with my

of it on the weekends or sep arate the workload throughout the week so it wouldn’t inter fere with my training days or

During reading week, the players will be preparing for their next few games including a crunch match at the top of the table against Royal Holloway

By Sami Betache Kingston Portsmouth

dazzling form with back-to-back

Our very own Kingston Cou gars have started the season in

The women’s football team are aiming for glory this sea

son and are hoping to win the league title and judging their games, they may be on their

Intending to continue their good form, Chiara Arduino, 19, said: “I think if we all keep up with training and making sure that everyone shows up,

University College London on November 12 followed by a clash against Kings College

Kingston mens 1sts lose at home in wasteful afternoon

By William De Sousa

Kingston University’s men’s

game of the season with a two-nil defeat to Portsmouth University’s

Aldi Men’s SouthEastern Con ference Cup at Tolworth Sports

The result sends the men’s team out of the competition

Portsmouth forward Adam Cas tle, caught Kingston on the coun ter attack, as he scored a tap-in

Although Kingston had the larger share of possession for much of the first half, they struggled in the final third as the first shot on target came in the 46th minute from a well taken Charlie Melville free kick that caused the

In the second half the home side were able to pick up mo mentum as they progressed in

disadvantage, Portsmouth Uni versity were able to counter resulting in a penalty in the 70th minute saved by goal

In the 90th minute, the visitors extended their lead as Tommy

Defender Cameron Solly saw red as referee of the match Roger Brown booked the play

er after previous warnings dur nal third we struggled to cre terms of taking shots, but the buildup play was good includ ing playing out from the back added that the team needed to

The result follows the team’s wich men’s 1st team the pre Mitchell said: “After last week, we had to react and they were a lot better with our gen eral application but it’s just the we will work on it as the season

Kingston University Cougars womens game. Credit: Abigail Woolvin

KU football team at Tolworth against Portsmouth. Credit: William de Sousa