The Seaside Standard - the Student Magazine - Issue 1

The Seaside Standard ISSUE 1 AUTUMN 2020 The magazine of the students

CHRISTMAS 2020 ACTIVITIES WEEKEND

By Thea Redmill With Christmas fast approaching the inevitable question of how to spend this time of freedom has arisen- unless of course you’re in Year 13. Normally the weeks would involve a range of activities, along with the usual assortment of trips and gatherings, but this year a more thoughtout approach is needed.

So we have put our thinking caps on and thought up some fab and Covid-proof ways to spend your hols.

MUSEUMS

At her presidential campaign launch in 2019

KAMALA HARRIS: Path to Vice-Presidency POLITICS By Jane Simmons

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fter inauguration, Kamala Harris will make history being the first female, first Black, and first Asian-American vicepresident ever in US history. She will be breaking one of the world’s highest glass ceilings, which is symbolic for many of us, especially women of colour; her path to power has involved grappling with controversial issues, and it wasn’t as straight forward for her as some might assume.

Kamala was born in Oakland, California, to her mother, Shyamala, a

biologist specialising in breast cancer research, who had immigrated to the States from India, and her Jamaican father, Donald, who would later become a professor of economics at Stanford University. Her mother chose the name Kamala, which has the meaning of “lotus” and also gives a nod to her Indian roots as it is another name for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Even though she was born in 1964 when the civil rights movement was at its peak, from a young age Kamala experienced discrimination on the basis of her race CONTINUED »

At the moment the majority of museums are taking booked entrances and whilst the typical connotations of boredom and school arise with this activity there is always some sort of exhibition to look into.

My personal favourite is the Victoria and Albert museum in London, which beautifully showcases an eclectic mishmash of 19th century culture.

Alternatively, the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne provides local and imaginative art, with a very ‘Instagrammable’ rainbow painted wall on its exterior.

I would recommend a visit to its climate change exhibition, which was curated by our queen herself, Caroline Lucas. Both of these activities are totally free and a fantastic day out.

TELEVISION Next we have the weatherproof heaven of box-sets.

With the return of Bake Off I have been thoroughly occupied by watching and attempting the different dessert created.

Nevertheless, I have recently discovered that Bake Off is not to be watched to such an extent where one spends Lockdown re-watching older series to relive the absolute thrill of domestic challenges and so have ventured to recommendations beyond my socially proclaimed addiction.

For dramas I would recommend Homeland, an American TV drama about the CIA, which provides a visceral insight into Middle Eastern conflict and helps CONTINUED »

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From page 1 KAMALA HARRIS

and parent’s immigrant status. As part of an effort to desegregate schools, Kamala would be bussed from her predominantly Black, lower-middle-class neighbourhood, to an elementary school in another district, where the majority of pupils were white. This is something she said made her feel like an outsider.

At the age of 12, Kamala’s parents divorced, causing her to move with her mother and younger sister, Maya, to Canada where she completed elementary school. Despite this uprooting, she went on to graduate from Westmount High School. Kamala then moved back to the US and studied Political Science and Economics at Howard University, one of the longest standing historically Black colleges, where she participated in the debate team, and was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first African American sorority. Her education then continued onto a law degree at the University of California, where she was president of its branch of the Black Law Students Association.

After graduating, Kamala spent eight years working at the prosecutors’ offices as a deputy district attorney, and in this position she would prosecute ‘threestrike’ cases. The concept of the Three

‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’ - over hyped, or our new handbook?

Many have praised Given’s debut book as their latest feminist Bible, and it does not fall short.

BOOK REVIEW

By Jane Simmons

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lorence Given, the 20-yearold Instagram powerhouse, 2019 Cosmo Influencer of the Year, and British illustrator’s debut book and Sunday Times bestseller, Women Don’t Owe You Pretty, opens conversations that have been begging to be discussed in mainstream media, from topics such as slut shaming to microaggressions, and fatphobia to body hair. But is this book really

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Strikes Law enforces a life sentence for repeating violent offenders, which has proven to be an area of controversy.

Critics have said that this law has been wrongly applied to non-violent crimes, such as drug possession, creating disproportionate repercussions for the Black people who make up 43% of California’s prison system. By prosecuting with this law, Harris would be complicit in “the systemic racism that has plagued our country since its earliest days,” as put by her.

Another controversy that has arisen during her career was her plan to get “tough” on truancy, which severely contradicts what we might expect of the “progressive prosecutor”. As San Francisco’s first Black district attorney, in 2011 she supported a state-wide initiative to arrest the parents of children

worth the hype it has received, or is it just a zhuzhing of what has already been said?

A couple of years ago, when I begun to take an interest in social equality, I hit a brick wall; I had reached the end of the very limited non-fiction that actually appealed to most pre-teens, and before I knew it I had been spat out into the overwhelming realm of work by the likes of Germain Greer and Simone de Beauvoir. I had suddenly gone from reading Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls (a classic) and my tattered, 64-page copy of We Should All Be Feminists, to attempting to digest concepts I had barely heard of and slog my way through pages of text that was so small you were bound to get a headache.

I wish this book could’ve fallen into the hands of my younger self.

It’s filled to the brim with powerful messages and slogans, and offers a refreshing change from the ‘smash the patriarchy’ and white feminist material that dominates the echo-chamber of feminism, which can even drown out important calls to action, like the ones mentioned in Given’s book. Her candid and passionate expression of her personal views can have

who consistently missed school without a valid excuse. Once this plan had been implemented, she then introduced harsher penalties of either a fine of $2,500 or more, or one year in prison. On the surface, it appears this policy could encourage higher attendance for schools and, as Kamala argued, an aversion for future criminals, but upon closer inspection there have been concerns, supported by evidence, that low-income people of colour would be affected by these laws the most. A public defender who represented parents in San Francisco’s truancy court has said that most of the families that were prosecuted were dealing with circumstances out of their control. It could be said that Harris was willing to jeopardise the security of those who she so wanted to protect.

Along with the more criticised areas of her career, on balance, Kamala’s rise to vice-presidency is inspirational and should be celebrated. However, it remains important to recognise the flaws of politicians along with their successes. I am excited to see how Kamala Harris and Joe Biden change America for the better, and how their policies of more affordable healthcare, tackling climate change, and criminal justice reform are implemented.

the effect of making people feel uncomfortable to the point where the reader is forced to face up to their internalised standards.

Warning: an existential crisis will likely ensue. Her message strikes the nuanced balance between holding people accountable, whilst also allowing a space for self-growth. Given acknowledges the privileged position she is writing from as a white, ablebodied women, who fulfils western beauty ideals, whilst also speaking on issues such as the ambiguity of queer dating and racism, which pushes the agenda of intersectional feminism further

into mainstream media.

It can’t be ignored that Given’s brand of feminism can come across as oversimplified and naïve at points when she preaches to “dump him” and “get therapy” (an unviable option for most, given the NHS’s 18 week waiting time).

Saying this, Given expands the limited voice of mainstream feminism, and even if her calls to action are not as implementable as some, they set a clear standard that feminists can strive towards.

It is fair to say that that this book doesn’t express anything radically new, but the way Given’s opinion is presented alongside zany illustrations and eye-catching typography makes this book so beautifully readable.

It is for these reasons that you must pick up this book, whether you are a feminist literature veteran or fledgeling.

Also, not to judge a book by its cover, but name a book with more groovy cover art.

I’ll wait.

WOMEN DON’T OWE YOU PRETTY By Florence Given £12.99 Hardback Octopus Publishing Group

CULTURE By Thea Redmill

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n 1919, Germany was in a dire and destructed state following the First World War. A new government had been formed as a result of Germany’s failure in war and great tensions and instability followed. However, from this sprung the Bauhaus Institute–one of the most revolutionary artistic movements in recent centuries. Throughout its lifetime (1919-1933) the concept of art was revolutionised with a new style and genre emerging that has become fundamental to art history today. The Institute itself was an art school. Walter Gropius, it’s creator, aimed to amalgamate all styles of design. He wanted to phase out the barriers between fine art and crafts to create the study of art as a whole.

Practicality was another feature, with a focus on allowing light into buildings and creating to accommodate rather than impress. The aim was an active education, where students could sculpt, shape and build, rather than passively draw and paint.

The concept of the school was one of minimalism (which was culturally echoed throughout Berlin in the 1920s) and had futuristic ideas. It was radicalboth then and today. The fundamental concept involved stripping back from detailed and elaborate works and focusing on pure art. Shapes became more important, as opposed to colours and intricate patterns in previous styles. Geometry and precision were favoured. There was no reminiscing in this period, art was new and had no familiarity with previous decades, creating its unique prominence. Some of the more famous examples of work include the Fagus Factory (above), exhibiting a precise exterior with a

From page 1 CHRISTMAS 2020 ACTIVITIES The Fagus Factory in Alfeld

modern contrast between large glass panels and exact brown-bricked walls.

The minimalist attitude shines through here, showing a perfectly ‘toned down’ piece of architecture that nevertheless demonstrates an exciting and appealing piece of art. The Zentrum Paul Klee once again shows these features, with vast sweeping curves forming the building that show originality with simplicityonce again.

Whilst not everyone enjoys the emergence of minimalism, this new concept that the Bauhaus Institution pioneered became fundamental to the foundations of the aesthetic and ethos of IKEA. The minimalist genre of items it sells and the practicalities of such represent the principals of Bauhaus in a modern way. Whilst a world without the Zentrum Paul Klee can be imagined, an absence of IKEA is harder to comprehend. From this the sheer impact of Gropius’ simple but revolutionary aim for art can be seen.

As well as art, the Institute applied it’s ethos to philosophy too. Art had previously been for those from higher classes, only accessible to the educated. A lesser approach allowed for a similarly lesser element of elitism in the arts and an appreciation of art for all evolved. This was particularly important in a time where the class system was becoming less important and concepts of social responsibility and inclusiveness were becoming popular (especially in Berlin). The upshot is that not only did the Bauhaus revolutionise art, but it revolutionised social attitudes simultaneously. It provoked an appreciation for simplicity in life and thus was one of the first normal representations of life in design, whilst pioneering the genre of minimalism.

Image: Günther Bayerl

WHERE DOES IKEA GET IT’S INSPIRATION? MEET THE BAUHAUS MOVEMENT...

to bring a more realistic understanding of what these intelligence agencies are all about (I suppose). It is fast paced, informative and incredibly unpredictable.

For comedies I would recommend Motherland, a hilarious depiction of middle class ‘mum-wars’, which has been one of the few comedies to keep me entertained in a post Fleabag world- I’m not sure if I could quite recommend it to the Year Sevens amongst us, though.

Finally, for the more academically inclined amongst us I would recommend Royal History’s Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley. Lucy is one of my favourite historians, being both incredibly intellectual and fabulously quirky. In this series she evaluates our perceptions on important historical events without boring an audience; we see myths being busted and gain an accurate understanding of the British royal family and their influence.

ARTS AND CRAFTS During lockdown I rekindled my love for knitting and have since made many, many scarves- other patterns have proved to be a little bit too much for me (I think I’ll stick with straight lines).

Nevertheless, I managed to enjoy my time through an artistic medium, a surprising event for someone who has always struggled to even colour in between lines (literally, I know it sounds like a metaphor!). I also began quilting, whilst that can be added to my list of things I thought I’d be good at but definitely wasn’t, I began to graciously explore the intricacies of the quilting world and found a new appreciation for different fabrics and how they complement one another.

Yes, I’m aware I sound like something you’d find written next to some Art GCSE coursework. Frankly, there is a craft for anyone and once you produce a good piece of art a very good feeling can be found, you just need the right Pinterest. From drawing to sculpting, stitching to maskmaking I would thoroughly recommend giving arts a go.

The truth is, Christmas does not need to be boring in our new circumstances. There so many ways to spend time now and I hope that this article has proved to be useful in creating a 2020 appropriate itinerary.

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HOW TO HAVE PINTEREST-WORTHY NOTES STUDY By Marina Bowden

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e’ve all seen those aesthetic notes on Pinterest, you know the ones with the perfect handwriting and pastel highlighters. And honestly, when it comes to recreating these, it usually ends up in disappointment and 3 hours wasted.

Well, that’s why I’m here to help you to achieve these beautiful notes whilst still being as productive as possible with your time.

Before I start, it must be acknowledged that pretty notes are not the key to academic success, however, they will make studying lots more enjoyable!

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First things first, the title can make or break your notes, but don’t spend half an hour trying to write the perfect title. It’s easy to write an aesthetic title in no time, the best and fastest way is to write the title in block capitals with a normal pen, then simply highlight one swift line through it (preferably pastel highlighters, you know the ones).

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Next up is to categorise the information into subheadings.

Subheadings are important in organising the page making it easy to locate specific information on the page. To make these subheadings stand out on the page, simply write the subheading in a different colour, then write over it with a highlighter. It’s quick, simple and looks aesthetic (of course).

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Another tip is to highlight the key words and phrases in a sentence, stop highlighting sentence after sentence as this will only result in the key information getting lost on the page. If it’s for science, I recommend writing any equations in a different colour, so they really stand out on the page, maybe even give them their own line if you’re feeling generous.

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Diagrams, diagrams, diagrams. I cannot say this enough. For a non-essay-based subject this is the key trick to those pleasing notes. They don’t have to be neat, trust me on this one I am no a-level artist, but I do known that a labelled diagram is a definite yes, academically and aesthetically. Just make sure you don’t spend hours trying to perfect your picture of a plant cell by colouring in every single chloroplast, that isn’t so productive.

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Another time saving tip is to stop covering your mistakes with Tippex, just simply draw a neat line through your mistake.

I know this can be hard as it can ruin the look, however when it comes to the exams (not that I have any experience in that) you’ll find you aren’t allowed to use Tippex, so you may as well start now.

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My final and most important tip is to never just copy the textbook word for word. This is such a waste of your time as you won’t be retaining any of the information and you’ll only end up with hand cramps. A great way to remember the information is to rewrite it in your own words (horrible phrase, apologies for that one) and in brief bullet points including only the key information.

This will not only save time, but it requires you to actively use your brain and process the information you are writing down.

So that’s all for my advice on achieving the perfect Pinterest notes.

I hope this helps you and if anyone does use this advice it would be great to see how your notes turn out!

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WHY SHO YOU CAR The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

What do you think the outcome of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be? If your answer is “what even is that?”, have a read of this.

WSYC? By Lara Sellins

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he conflict started between the countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan, following the breakup of the Soviet Union, in 1991. The disputed territory has a majority Armenian ethnic population; however, it is recognised internationally as Azerbaijani territory.

There was a war from 1988-1994, where 25,000-30,000 troops were killed. The war was ended by a ceasefire, but since then there has been recurrent unrest, with this particular conflict starting on 27 September, being the most significant for thirty years. Ceasefires are a temporary solution to a permanent problem, which are often not resolved, for borders are nearly always a source of contention.

This recent escalation of violence is worrying because of the involvement of foreign powers and the potential for it to become yet another proxy war in the region. Currently, Russia is calling for a ceasefire, as are the US and France, although, Russia is providing weapons for both sides, though this could just be ‘good business’, rather than purely a politically motivated move.

Some international commentators are predicting a Russian intercession because of the increasing role of Turkey in the unrest. President Erdogan has given his full support to Turkey’s allies, Azerbaijan, whereas, Russia’s alliance lies with Armenia, even though Putin is so far unwilling to fully partake in the fighting. Some are saying that Turkey are provoking Russia by sending mercenaries from Syria to support Azerbaijani forces, though President Erdogan has denied this.

Turkey have said they are seeking a permanent solution to this problem, however, to many observers it appears clear that aggressive Turkish rhetoric in support of Azerbaijan, is escalating the conflict. It also looks suspicious that Azerbaijan brought $77m worth of arms

Y OULD U RE? from Turkey, just a month before the fighting broke out. In their defence, Turkey, have said that the other powers have neglected the situation for too long and should therefore not have a say in dealings. Russia and Turkey have been locking horns in the region for some time in a quest for international influence and to increase their populist leaders support at home, including often unhelpful interventions in both Syria and Libya. Many see Nagorno-Karabakh as their next battle ground and if the current state of Syria and Libya are anything to go by, the consequences for the people of the two countries involved and the region in general are likely to be catastrophic.

Following talks in Moscow, a temporary ceasefire was agreed on the 9th October.

This proved to be reasonably pointless, as the ceasefire collapsed three days later. Though in reality never started to begin with, as fighting continued during this period. Turkey has used inflammatory language about this attack, labelling it a ‘war crime’. The Armenians deny any such violations and crimes against civilians.

The October 9th ceasefire was only meant to be short-lived and aimed at allowing the Red Cross to mediate the swap of prisoners and war dead. Therefore, when even this short-lived ceasefire could not be maintained in the longer term, we need ask the question, what should be done to peacefully solve territorial disputes such as this one? Some argue that a vote should be held, but what if I told you one was held thirty years-ago and nothing came of it? This is unlikely to be solved democratically.

This ‘system of alliances’ is all very familiar, with one country giving an ally an almost ‘blank cheque’ of support and an opposition attempting to de-escalate tensions and ultimately failing. That is not to say that we are about to see a repeat of World War One, which came about in the main due to the conflict between system of alliances in place across Europe at the time, but it has a familiar feel to that disastrous pattern of events. This conflict is

Wreckage of Armenian missiles on Azerbaijan city

Azerbaijan

Armenia

Nagorno-Karabakh

being played out in arguably the most unstable region in the world, hence it is reasonable to be concerned.

However, if you are interested in who has the higher moral position, a straightforward answer cannot be given. From the media it seemed that the Azeris and Turks had taken extreme action, which is largely mistaken as the Armenians have invaded Azeri territory surrounding NagornoKarabakh. In terms of the most legitimate claim to the land, the land being fought over is situated inside Azerbaijan and is currently recognised internationally as their territory. Therefore, you could argue the Armenian’s are in the wrong.

British and American media are sympathising slightly more with Armenia, which may not just be based on their actions, but because of their 97% Christian population, whilst implying that Muslim Azerbaijan, are meeting the citizens of Nagorno-Karabakh with increasing brutality.

Realistically, both sides are using long-range missiles, targeting both military and civilian populations, whilst also this play on the possibly Islamophobic attitude of the West, to villainise Azerbaijan is wrong to start with as the country is not particularly Islamic, to the extent that their government are completely secular and a lot of the people are too. Three ceasefires have now failed and both sides are using increasingly more violent force, whilst Armenia formally called Russia to its aid, with the aim of it playing a larger role in the conflict.

There is no ‘good guy’ in this conflict, although in my opinion Azerbaijan have the better claim to the land. Also, the OSCE Minsk Group, who are the only internationally agreed body to negotiate conflict resolution for this dispute, have failed in their duty. The Madrid Principles, which are the peace settlement agreements for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are not exact enough to stop any challenges and also cannot easily be enforced.

Territorial claims are at the heart of most conflicts. Raw materials, labour, security and political authority have arguably caused the majority of wars. I recommend looking on Wikipedia at all of the disputes between UN member states; the amount is ridiculous. It is evident that these types of conflict flare up periodically and either result in a shouting match, or an exchange of blows, with few casualties (there have already been over 1,000 in this conflict), and usually with the end result of the two sides going back to their squabbling.

These two sides are pretty evenly matched, meaning the result is more unpredictable and thus potentially more dangerous and drawn out. This will likely pass, but there is always the possibility something more consequential will come of it. With the world distracted by Covid related problems this is a tricky conflict to predict. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

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WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? The US is leaving the Paris Agreement WSYC? By Molly Maclean

The attention of the world is currently fixed fully on what the outcome the US election will be, but a possibly more long term problem that needs to be brought to light is the atrocity of the US leaving the Paris Agreement.

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IPCC = Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

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ust one day after the US presidential election, on the 4th of November this year, the United States will officially withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Set up in 2016, it is the world’s first comprehensive climate agreement, it has been endorsed by 190 countries, with the aim of controlling rising global temperature and financially supporting the communities worst affected by the impact climate change has already had on our world. All members of the agreement are obliged to report their carbon emissions and commit to reduce them and the majority of developed countries have pledged an amount of money they will contribute to projects, which mitigate the effects of climate change on the parts of the world most vulnerable to it.

The USA’s exit of the Paris Agreement is an issue for two main reasons, the first being that it will leave the USA under much less pressure to reduce carbon emissions because the country’s emissions will no longer be regulated.

This could make it much harder for other countries around the world to attempt to attain carbon neutrality, because while the US

emissions are able to increase, other countries’ carbon emissions will have to decrease even more drastically in order to reach the goal of a global temperature only 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This will benefit the US economically as the rest of the world’s carbon price increases, whilst America’s decreases.

The second is that the US is one of the biggest contributors both financially, funding $3bn to the Green Climate Fund during Obama’s administration, as the country was responsible for over 50% of papers references for climate change in 2015. Once the USA has left the Paris Agreement, this funding will no longer be available for countries desperately in need of it and may reduce our chance of reaching the Paris Agreement goals. The loss of funding will also impact America’s contribution to future IPCC reports, potentially limiting their quality and extensiveness.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas – it accumulates in the atmosphere and keeps the earth at a liveable temperature by creating a heat-reflective layer to trap warmth. However, too much of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere will lead to the enhanced greenhouse effect, warming our planet too much and contributing to climate change driven by human activity rather than natural processes. This causes issues such as increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, and more extreme natural disasters.

Some of the Paris Agreement’s funding has helped build resilience to climate change in Sri Lanka, a country which has become increasingly vulnerable to flooding

SWEDISH MEATBALLS, VOLVOS, AND IKEA– BUT HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU KNOW IS FICTION? TRAVEL by Olivia Taggart

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weden. You probably know it as the country of meatballs and Ikea, of fika and ABBA. However, how much do you really know about this Scandinavian country? In this article I will discuss the truth (or fiction) behind some typical Swedish stereotypes, and hopefully help you to get to know this wonderful country a bit better.

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Swedes are all tall, blue-eyed blondes

Global Carbon Dioxide emissions by country in 2015 (%) China USA EU India Russia Japan Other

29.5 14.3 9.6 6.8 4.9 3.5 29.5

The USA is the second largest emitter of carbon globally, responsible for nearly 1.5 times what the entire European economic area emits.

Although Sweden may contain a larger than normal concentration of blue-eyed blondes in its population, not all Swedes have blonde hair or even blue eyes.

In fact, you will now find many brunettes, and most other hair colours, in Sweden, including redheads. Although a large proportion of Swedes are born as blondes, they may become darker in hair colour in adulthood, although this may not be obvious at first glance as some may dye their hair in an effort to maintain this Swedish stereotype. However, there is no recent data to credit or discredit this theory, with the most recent study from the 1960s finding that between 50 and 80% of Swedes are light haired, but not necessarily blond. This may have some grounding in science as research has found that those with lighter pigmentation are able to acquire vitamin D more easily from the light available during the dark winters of Scandinavia, thus producing a population that has a higher percentage of light haired and pale eyed people.

As for height, Sweden is ranked roughly in the top 20 of the tallest populations in the world, with Britain sitting in about the top 30, so there may be some truth in that part of the stereotype at least.

24 hours. This makes a Sweden a relatively popular tourist destination, especially due to its many forests and lakes, and its lack of people.

Everyone drives a Volvo The Volvo is a very popular car choice for Swedes and was in fact the most popular car brand in Sweden in 2019, due to its safe and solid nature. Volvos can be found on many driveways in Sweden and are even included in the aspirational ‘Swedish Dream’ of villa, Volvo, vovve (meaning: house, Volvo, dog). However, many Swedes own other car brands and models, especially now that Volvo is no longer Swedishowned, making this quite an out-dated stereotype.

Everyone eats meatballs and herring all the time Meatballs (köttbullar) are a very popular meal in Sweden, among both kids and adults, and are traditionally served with a cream sauce (gräddsås), lingonberry jam (lingonsylt), mashed potatoes (potatismos) and thinly sliced cucumbers (pressgurka). Although

meatballs are normally found on every smörgåsbord, or buffet, and at every special occasion, such as Christmas and Easter, they are not eaten every day and mostly owe their perceived status as the most popular Swedish meal to the Swedish chef of the Muppet Show. Similarly, herring is also a very popular food, and is most commonly eaten with a variety of flavours, including mustard, garlic and dill. It is served with boiled potatoes, sour cream, chopped chives, and crispbread (knäckebröd), normally as part of a smörgåsbord at lunch. This is probably eaten more commonly than meatballs, though it is still not eaten on a daily basis, and therefore discredits this stereotype. Swedes do however eat a lot of herring, and at the end of August many even eat a type of fermented Baltic herring (surströmming) which is infamous among visitors due to its overpowering and rather unpleasant smell.

So hopefully this article has shed some light on the truth about Sweden and its people and has possibly convinced you to come and visit this beautiful country in person someday to experience its culture first-hand. Just remember to book a flight for a summer vacation (unless you enjoy the cold and dark), expect to receive a Volvo if you hire a car for the trip, don’t assume you will be eating meatballs for dinner every night, and only try surströmming if you have a strong stomach!

Blonde hair, blue eyes, Volvos and fish

Sweden is always cold and dark Sweden is situated in northern Europe, giving it winters that are indeed very cold and dark.

During the depths of winter, Stockholm only has around 5 hours of daylight in a day, and further north this figure decreases further to about 4 hours, with temperatures more often than not below zero. However, this is not the case all year round as summer in Sweden is the opposite, with temperatures up to 30 degrees, and daylight hours reaching 18 hours a day, with some places in Sweden experiencing the midnight sun, or daylight for a full

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WHAT TO WEAR OUR RESIDENT STYLE GURU AND MINOR PINTEREST CELEB, SOPHIA, IS HERE TO EDUCATE US IN THE WORLD OF FASHION, OBVIOUSLY AWAY FROM LONG WOOLEN SKIRTS AND OVERSIZED BLAZERS (KIDDING, WE LOVE THAT YEAR SEVEN ENERGY!)

Brown

Shoulder bags

Bella Hadid in Flares

STYLE

By Sophia Clyde

Grandad style

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Jackets

Brown

Shoulder bags

Brown is the new black - it is the perfect colour for the transition from Summer to Autumn. Brown tank tops are very in at the moment and pair perfectly with white, black and blue denim. Although brown is my favourite, oversized hoodies in any colour are also in right now.

Here is a picture of Bella Hadid sporting a brown on brown leather co-ord, a look that I believe will catch on this season. Usually I don’t like solid colours layered on top of each other, but I love the way she styled this. The tapered fit of the blazer looks so good and accentuates her hourglass figure. I also love the way the leopard print bag compliments the outfit and the contrast between the brown in her suit and sunglasses, and the bag, makes this outfit stand out for me.

Shoulder bags are an item which have been around for a while now, and I think this trend is going to stay in for even longer. Bags are a staple in a wardrobe as they help to tie an outfit together. Bold colours and animal prints are very trendy, but also simple black or white shoulder bags ooze classic beauty.

In particular, at the moment, fluffy animal print bags have been the in thing. These bags, like the shoulder bags, are the perfect complement to a basic or monochromatic outfit.

Grandad style

Necklaces

Surprisingly, grandads have the best style at the moment. Three of my current favourite trends which we have stolen from the grandad community include sweater vests, argyle print, and cricket vests.

A sweater vest looks great layered on top of a white t-shirt or shirt. If you are looking for the perfect argyle print jumper, then Subdued is the place to go. More affordable versions can be found on websites such as Aliexpress and Shein. Soon, I suspect they will be seen on the racks of many fast fashion stores. As for the cricket jumpers, they can be bought at any sports store.

Flares The next item of clothing on my ‘what to wear’ list is flared jeans.

More recently, flared juicy couture velvet joggers have come back into fashion. That is part of a trend called ‘Y2k’ which is the wearing of 2000s clothing, whether this be vintage, or the recreation of 2000s outfits.

Flares are an item of clothing which I didn’t used to be a fan of, but now they’re one of my favourite things to wear. I love denim flares in particular. You’re probably starting to notice that all of these trends are perfect as the weather starts to get colder. In particular, I love brown corduroy flares.

Necklaces Currently, I prefer silver jewellery to gold, as silver can look good with a cooler skin complexion during the winter months, as you lose your tan. Silver necklaces create a polished look alongside pearls, and in particular, the popular Vivienne Westwood necklace. Butterflies have also been big recently, mainly due to Kylie Jenner’s Stormi brand, and her use of butterflies.

Jackets Finally, we have jackets. You will all know that black leather jackets are all the rage at the moment, a trend which has been popularised

by TikTok. And, Northface puffer jackets are still a big thing. These jackets were both originally repopularised by celebrities like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner (two of my biggest fashion inspirations) and have since been a hit. Big black blazers are also a great thing to wear right now, with a hoodie underneath or a cropped top.

Of course I couldn’t share everything with you, but if you are looking for more inspiration for what to wear you can check out my pinterest @sophiaclyde.

Some influencers I draw inspiration from are @deavdulla, @rubylyn @josefinehj and @amaliestar on Instagram.

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Illustration by Aubery Beardsley for Salome, Oscar Wilde’s play

AUBREY BEARDSLEY: SHOCKINGLY BEAUTIFUL OR BEAUTIFULLY SHOCKING? Ever heard of Aubrey Beardsley? Maybe the name rings a bell? Or possibly not? Either way, this 19th century artist has much to be celebrated about.

CULTURE By Megan Turtle

A GLOSSARY OF TERMS Tuberculosis (TB): An infectious disease that generally affects the lungs and if left untreated, kills about half of those affected.

Fin de siècle: A French phrase meaning ‘end of century’ which is most often applied to the end of the nineteenth century.

Decadent: Luxuriously self-indulgent. The Decadent Movement of the late-19thcentury celebrated artificiality over that which is natural and sophistication over simplicity by embracing subjects and styles that their critics considered morbid and over-refined.

Dandyism: A literary and artistic style of the latter part of the 19th century characterised by the love of artificiality and excessive refinement.

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Superficiality: A lack of thoroughness, depth of character, or serious thought.

Idiosyncratic: Peculiar or individual.

Sinuous: Having many curves and turns.

Pyschedelic: Art or graphics related to or inspired by psychedelic experiences and hallucinations known to follow the ingestion of psychedelic drugs such as LSD. The word “psychedelic” means “mind manifesting”.

Art Nouveau: A style of art popular between 1890 and 1910 inspired by natural forms such as the curves of plants and flowers and characterised by a sense of movement, often created by the use of asymmetry and modern

materials, particularly iron, glass, ceramics and concrete, to create unusual forms and spaces.

Pop Art: An art movement that emerged in the United Kingdom and the United States during the mid 1950s that challenge the traditions of fine art by including imagery from popular culture and mundane mass-produced objects.

Caricature: A picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated to create a comic or grotesque effect.

ubrey Beardsley was an English illustrator who yielded unbelievable creative power and whose drawings explored the grotesque and the decadent. His intense career, in which he produced over one thousand drawings, spanned just seven years, as it was cut short by his untimely death from tuberculosis at the age of just twentyfive. Beardsley’s rejection of anything natural and his burning desire for absolute originality was what made him, in my opinion, one of Britain’s greatest nineteenth-century artists.

Since his death in 1898, Beardsley has come to personify the elements that shaped the fin de siècle 1890s: a desire for decadence and delight in dandyism. Critics at the time however, dismissed both, claiming dandyism would ‘exhaust itself in its own superficiality’, yet Beardsley was able to unite the supposed paradox of artist and dandy to create idiosyncratic and utterly unforgettable characters.

Beardsley’s manipulation of line is remarkably elegant in its sinuous simplicity and is not only used to define contours but is also an integral element of his drawings in itself. Beardsley chose to abandon the use of perspective, instead focusing on the contrast created when black meets white, which

A note from the editors

A 1967 poster

by Wes Wilson advertising The Byrds

Peacock Skirt by Aubery Beardsley

allowed him to harness the impact of vast areas of blank space, when accompanied by densely packed detail.

For me, Beardsley was not only a great illustrator but also possessed an inspiring attitude to creating art.

From the age of seven, Beardsley knew he was going to die. Victorian representations of tuberculosis focused almost solely on the death bed, suggesting that those with the disease were ‘dying’ people. Beardsley was the exception to the rule, living to see his twenty-fifth birthday. From childhood, he faced an impossible question: how can I build a life for myself when my culture doesn’t know what that looks like? His awareness of his approaching death led him to work quickly, laying down the ink at lightning speed and thus developing a decisive use of line and a steady hand. One of Beardsley’s closest friends described him as working with the ‘fatal speed of those who are to die young’.

Remarkably, Beardsley still managed to conceive a completely new style of drawing which has been echoed and referred to in art since his death in 1898. The artist Wes Wilson was one of America’s earliest psychedelic poster artists and drew on Art Nouveau, Victoriana and

Gloamglozer by Chris Riddell

Pop Art as sources of inspiration. His 1967 poster advertising The Byrds features a peacock reminiscent of the ornate and highly decorative Art Nouveau forms that both Wilson and Beardsley greatly admired.

His use of black and white and detailed patterning on the peacock is obviously heavily influenced by Beardsley’s graphic style.

The illustrator, Chris Riddell, is also influenced by Beardsley’s work.

This can be seen in Riddell’s clever use of caricature and inclusion of fantastical elements. Riddell described himself as ‘struck by [Beardsley’s] characterisation [and] the simplicity of his line’, claiming that ‘no one composes pictures quite like Beardsley’.

Aubrey Beardsley may have influenced countless artists since his death, but no one will ever be able to create characters and compositions quite like him. I have no doubt that Beardsley will continue to startle, delight and inspire artists and viewers alike for many years to come.

For me, Beardsley will forever be both shockingly beautiful and beautifully shocking, never one without the other.

At school, we are never short of newsletters, bulletins, and reviews; although these provide a chance for us to celebrate individual and community achievements, we wanted to create something utterly different with The Seaside Standard. We wanted a fresh, international, and opinionated collection of articles, with elements that deviated from the usual one-sided agenda of many news sources (no mention of corona). We wanted a variety of topics to engage with interests from sports to politics, music to fashion, and we aim to create a platform to voice diverse experiences and open discussions that are not as accessible in mainstream news. We couldn’t be happier with the submissions for our first issue.

In the following months, we are excited to see this half-termly publication to flourish with the voice of the wider community, so we will be accepting submissions from all year groups with more details to follow in the Student Bulletin. We also strongly encourage reader participation- let us know how you found the playlist.

Do you agree with us and believe Brandy shouldn’t be supported? Have you tried Lucy’s brownies? It would be fab to hear from you. Finally, credit must be given to Lucy for giving us the name for the paper.

We hope you enjoyed issue 1 of The Seaside Standard.

Lara and Jane EDITORS: Lara Sellins ls40@roedean.co.uk Jane Simmons js37@roedean.co.uk JOURNALISTS: Marina Bowden - mb37 Sophia Clyde - sc40 Molly Maclean - mm41 Lucy Petit - lp38 Thea Redmill - tr37 Olivia Taggart - ot37 Megan Turtle - mt38 SPECIAL THANKS: Ms Keller

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TAKE A LISTEN TO OUR TOP SONGS

INDULGENT BROWNIES RECIPE By Lucy Petit

MAKES 32 BROWNIES INGREDIENTS: 250g of soft salted butter 250g of best quality dark chocolate 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 330g of caster sugar 150g plain flour METHOD: 1.

Preheat

the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4.

Line your brownie pan- the base as well as the sides.

2.

Melt

the butter and chocolate together in a large heavy-based pan. In a separate large bowl or wide-mouthed measuring jug, beat the eggs with eggs and sugar and vanilla. Measure the flour into another bowl.

3.

When

the chocolate mixture has melted, let it cool a bit before beating in the eggs and sugar, and then the flour. Beat to combine smoothly and then scrape out of the saucepan into the lined pan.

4.

Bake

for about 25 minutes. When its ready, the top should be dried to a paler brown speckle, but the middle still dark and dense and gooey. Check your brownies regularly as it’s only a few minutes between gungy brownies and gooey brownies!

WIN CHOCLATE! Can you answer these fiendish questions? The first person to email the 10 correct answers to Lara at ls40@roedean.co.uk wins a bar of Dairy Milk!

QUIZ By Lara Sellins 1.

What

is the second most spoken language in the UK?

2.

If

California was a country where would its economy rank in GDP?

3.

Who

is the Vice President of the USA?

4.

What 5.

Who

is the capital of Switzerland?

was the last king of France?

6.

What

is the largest solely European country in Europe?

7.

Who

painted ‘The Night Watch’?

8.

Which

country has the third largest population?

9.

Where

is Machu Picchu?

10. What

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are the four Great Offices of State in the UK?