Spring 2015 NC Magazine

Issue No.3

THE

NEW COLLEGE MAGAZINE FOR STUDENTS, BY STUDENTS.

Bridget’s back! page 6 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS PAGE 2

Geek Culture Rocks!

Fashion and Fragrance Page 8

Page 10

ENJOY ACTIVITIES PAGE 7

Another 365 days have passed and the month for the ‘new you’ is upon us. The Christmas decorations are back in the attic and you’re probably feeling a bit blue after the festivities of 2015 have passed by; but for the majority of us, the start of the year is the time for refreshing your lifestyle, becoming better than last year, and making improvements to your lifestyle. However, not many of us find this an easy thing to do. Many people are writing lists as long as their arm, setting unrealistic goals, biting off more than they can chew, and the end of January will be nearing and they’ll still be considering whether it’s worth buying that gym membership (whilst dipping into the left over box of Celebrations). Don’t despair! It is possible to conquer your New Year goals, you just need the willpower, the energy, and a positive attitude.

Start as soon as possible! Monday’s are the most popular days of the week for starting afresh and deciding that it’s the time to change the way life is lived. Don’t get into the typical ‘January habits’ of eating all the chocolate and putting off doing anything about the list of resolutions, and then suddenly saying “it’s too late to start now, I’ll wait ‘till next year”, otherwise you’ll never get anything done.

So, write your resolutions down, stick them somewhere visible and start improving your life as soon as you possibly can.

Do not pick unrealistic resolutions. I know the thought of creating a ‘new you’, comes with excitement and eagerness and a list the size of a small novel, but slow down, take a deep breath, and consider which resolutions are actually realistic and can fit in around your current lifestyle. If you pick a lot of resolutions, the stress of trying to complete them all as soon as possible, creates negativity and the lack of energy for completing anything. However, if you decide upon two or three realistically easy choices, such as dieting, exercising and being less stressed, then you’ll find that it’s quite easy to juggle them at the same time.

Understand that you won’t become a new person straight away.

Sticking to your New Year’s resolutions comes with time and effort, you can’t just exercise once and eat your vegetables and suddenly feel like you’ve completed the resolution and it’s done with. You have to steadily work towards making it a permanent part of your lifestyle, and after a few month you won’t class it as a resolution, but as a daily or weekly habit. After all, according to scientists it takes the majority of people 21 days for something to become a habit!

Visual reminders can help. Think about getting a reminder board or a weekly timetable that you can place in your bedroom or kitchen, somewhere you’ll see it, and remember to write on it every week the things you need to complete such as going to work, going to college, going to the gym, remembering to drink more water or spend more time with family, and after a while you’ll get into the habit of looking at the reminder.

Humans are programmed to find new things compelling and exciting, this is why we find it difficult to stick to our New Year’s resolutions, at first we are excited by the idea of improving our lives and making a change, but after a while sticking to this routine becomes boring and tedious. So as long as you have the willpower to be able to make the change in your life, and the motivation to stick to it, then you should have no problem at all using those New Year’s resolutions to create the ‘new you’.

By Sophie Burns

Having trouble sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions?

2

From the moment you pick up the book, to the final chapter, you will be transported to the wondrous and mystical land of Alagaesia, to battle with dragons, dwarves and dastardly villains.

The tale begins when Eragon, a 16 year old farm boy, discovers a blue stone whilst hunting in the forest. In his naivety, he believes that the stone will be worth enough money to get him, his uncle and cousin through the winter. However, to Eragon’s utter astonishment, the blue stone is revealed to be a dragon’s egg which hatches for him. Eragon subsequently names his dragon Saphira and amidst hiding her from his family, learns that the tyrant ruler of Alagaesia, King Galbatorix, desperately seeks Saphira. Eragon is plunged into a world of destiny, magic and power with only an ancient sword and the village story teller, Brom, to assist him. It is an action packed adventure with countless wonders such as a fearful shade, Durza; a mysterious elf-maiden, Arya and a legacy as old as the Empire itself.

Unfortunately, “Eragon” falls under an extremely cliché genre type and is painfully similar to the works of JRR Tolkien. However, Paolini gives the tired old genre a new lease of originality in the way that he depicts the relationship between Eragon and Saphira. Although Saphira ages much faster than Eragon, they effectively “grow up” together and the relationship between them (which is one of the main aspects of the book) develops in a realistic and believable way, until Paolini achieves the portrayal of true affection and companionship between boy and dragon.

Christopher Paolini wrote Eragon when he was just 15 years old, which makes it a tremendous accomplishment on his part. His style of writing is mature though not overly complicated, furthermore, he writes as if he truly loves and cares about the world that he has created. Speaking as someone who read this book after having read works such as Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “the Fellowship of the Ring,” it is easy to derive the origins of Paolini’s inspiration. However, I found this book much more suited to an audience of young adults than Tolkien’s work and in some ways, I think that this book could almost be construed as a “stepping stone” to Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy for any young person who is interested in the genre.

To summarise, while some may categorise the storyline of “Eragon” as derivative, I believe that it is an embodiment of Christopher Paolini’s abiding love of the “high fantasy” genre. Not only does he embrace typical clichés with enthusiasm, he manages to maintain the reader’s interest throughout the story by focusing as much on character development as plot and storyline.

So, for now I will leave you to return to Alagaesia in the second, third and fourth instalments of the Inheritance Cycle. Good luck and may your swords stay sharp!

By Jessie Ray

‘Eragon’ by Christopher Paolini Book one in the ‘Inheritance Cycle’ review

3

Huddersfield New College prides itself in its commitment of promoting equality and diversity for the college, educating individuals on the fundamental aspects of treating others with respect and dignity. Diversity Champions, New College Diversity Club (NCDC) and the College’s Equality & Diversity Manager, Erika Montgomery collaborated for Anti- Bullying week to present a thriving event of unity and acknowledgement on the subject of bulling. The impact of bullying was highlighted through inclusive participation by welcoming charity donations and writing a message of optimism on ‘The Tree of Kindness” to support those who may have been affected by malicious acts of victimisation and oppression through bullying.

Starting off with a drumming flash mob from the music department and an introductory speech from Principal Angela Williams, the event was underway with a musical atmosphere. Students engaged and approached the area with a sense of reflection on the subject, writing messages of universal support to those who are experiencing or have been deeply affected by the torment of bullying.

To gain a greater insight into the intentions of the event, I personally interviewed Principal Angela Williams on the awareness of bullying and how HNC has created a safe environment by embodying its inclusive values by further educating the student body on this fragile topic. Angela commented that “It’s all about mutual respect and tolerance of difference, we are all unique and we all deserve to be respected for who we are”. The Tree of Kindness is about how we think about others and how we interpret and exemplify that in our behaviour. “Highlighting individuality is key, it would be a boring world if we were all the same”. Students showed respect and were happy to express their ideas and opinions on the promotion of the antibullying message. All the responses were positive. Asking students how this event will help victims of bullying in college, I received comments like “It will send a message out to the bullies to tell that as a community and a college, we are all connected”. “The awareness of victimisation and bullying was important through this event, I think it has brought individuals together to show their opposition to those that inflict pain on others”.

I also spoke to Teri-Anne Watson, an HNC student, who is also an Ambassador for the ‘National Children’s Bureaux’ working with national charities to stand up to the bullies and help those affected to speak out to someone. It was interesting to get her perspective.

In her role as an ambassador she “creates a series of mottos to encourage people to reflect on the topic of bullying”.

The event also highlighted the facilities available in college where students feel secure in a trusting environment. Megan Shiels is the ‘Open Door’ Manager and specialises in student welfare. ‘Open Door’ is open five days a week, where you can just drop in and receive guidance on personal situations or inform her of anything that may be of yours or another’s concern, the Stay Safe doors are also a significant part of HNC’s aims to create a safe environment where students feel comfortable.

As a result, the Equality & Diversity and NCDC teams raised £91 during ‘Anti-Bullying Week’. This has been divided between ‘New College Diversity Club’ (NCDC) and sponsoring an ‘Anti-Bullying Ambassador’ at the Diana Award charity.

By Olivia Russell

Another success for HNC, promoting respect, tolerance and harmony

4

Best Films for 2016!

Comedy: Ghostbusters - This Paul Feig adaptation of the 1984 success is a controversial remake to the already successful original; in this comedy coming to screens on July 21st we see an all-female leading cast. The four main protagonists in this feature are played by the critically acclaimed Kristen Wigg, Melissa McCarthy, Kate Mckinnon and Leslie Jones. Feig has been known for his use of comediennes in hit films such as Bridesmaids 2011, The Heat 2013 and most recently Spy 2015.

Fantasy: The Jungle Book - Here we see another adaptation of a previously successful film; The Jungle Book. This live action remake of the 1967 animation will hit screens on the April 15th with cast members such as Scarlett Johansson (Kaa), Idris Elba (Shere Khan), Lupita Nyong’o (Raksha), Bill Murray (Baloo) and Christopher Walken (King Louie).

The much anticipated film follows the original storyline of an orphan boy that is raised in the jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear, and a black panther.

Family: Finding Dory - In this sequel to the extremely successful Finding Nemo 2003, the much anticipated Finding Dory sees the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish reunite with her loved ones, and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way. Starring the popular comedienne and chat show host Ellen DeGeneres, audiences have been waiting for a sequel to the childhood favourite for up to 13 years now and this family comedy is set to be a box office hit and tent-pole release.

Action/Adventure: Suicide Squad - Arriving to cinemas August 15th, Suicide Squad is anticipated to be one of the biggest films of 2016. The all-star cast is bringing plenty of attention to the film, with faces by the likes of Margot Robbie, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Jared Leto and Will Smith. In the film, a secret government agency run by Amanda Waller, named A.R.G.U.S creates a task force comprising super villains, the “Suicide Squad”. They are assigned to execute dangerous tasks in exchange for shorter prison sentences. The film is directed by David Ayer whose credits include successful films such as Fury 2014 and Training Day 2001.

By Cecelia Kerwin

Action/Adventure: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Announced in 2013, this film has had comic book fans in a daze. Coming to screens 25th March, this Zack Snyder creation is expected to be a box office hit and top Snyder’s previous Man of Steel 2013. In the feature, fearing the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on Superman, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.

With Batman and Superman fighting each other, a new threat, Doomsday, is created

by Lex Luthor. It’s up to Superman and Batman to set aside their differences along with Wonder Woman to stop Lex Luthor and Doomsday from destroying Metropolis. The much speculated cast will have Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

Horror: The Boy - This horror sees an American nanny shocked that her new English family’s boy is actually a life-sized doll. After violating a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive. The thriller will be released on the 19th February relying less on star power and more on traditional horror film norms to impress the box office. However, fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead will be pleased to hear that Lauren Cohan leads the film. William Brent Bell directs this piece, whose previous films include The Devil Inside 2012 and Wer 2013.

5

Twenty One Pilots fly through UK tour In terms of originality, twenty one pilots are a band that never fail to deliver something new. The musical duo from the states came to the UK on their second tour of the year, celebrating the success of their billboard number one album: blurryface.

Witnessing first-hand the pair’s performance was something that I myself- and I know many there- will never forget.

Creating an intimate atmosphere even in the smallest of clubs is difficult to achieve for some of the greatest of artists, yet the second the lights went down and the band took the stage I immediately felt like I was the only one in the room. No longer concerned with the mass amounts of people surrounding me.

A band with that amount of power in the first note is a rarity to find, and one that deserves all levels of appreciation, but then again the intimacy of the music is something the band was very much founded on.

Opening up with a new song definitely took nothing away from even the earliest of fans, it was a very energetic start… very much reflecting how it would go on. The whole night had everyone dancing around and singing ‘to the skies.’

Lead singer Tyler Joseph voices his insecurities through such personal songs, each of his lyrics able to create a sea of imagery to the listener. Hearing such raw, open confessions sang with such passion in songs such as ‘goner’ and ‘car radio’ give the audience something to relate to, the stage presence of both members is something that never faltered. Despite the alternative style and ‘pop culture’ not being in their favour both men keep battling for what they believe, and singing personal tales. Their efforts resulting in a cult like following and branding them ‘one of the biggest bands no one’s heard of.’

From costume changes to singing from balconies the show was always hitting the uncharted, and unexpected. From

Joseph sporting a flowery woman’s kimono, and playing a ukulele to drummer Josh Dunn playing his instrument on a small island, on top of the audience.

It was interesting to see how almost the identities of the members changed from song to song, the effort and energy put into each song was different to the last. Yet you never lost the feeling you were a part of the show, as the band so rightly end with ‘we are twenty one pilots, and so are you.’

When playing songs such as ‘trees’ the band creating a haunting emotional communication between them and equally make the audience feel like they’re all together in singing along.

Compared to the fun upbeat ‘tear in my heart’ that was played with Joseph stood on top of the type of piano we may all remember from school assemblies.

The way the show ended was by far above and beyond any other concert I have witnessed. If a drum line on stage looks good, lets imagine a drumline played with the audience holding up members and drums, to say the security were exchanging slightly worried looks would be an under exaggeration.

Audience participation is key to a good show, and what better way to gain it? As the song progressed pyrotechnics were used in time with the beat, every time a drum was hit a cloud of smoke, light, and confetti would shower the audience. This light-hearted display contrasting with the lyrics completely… but in the best way possible.

When all was finished and the time had come to get the train you left in such a euphoric state, that even now listening to songs I connect them closely to my experiences that night, such lively performers are hard to come by. But twenty one pilots are a band that check all the boxes.

By Niamh Fairs

Bridget Jones is back in action, but will she impress?

A charming unconventional love story is reprised once again though a film production inspired by Helen Fielding. Bridget Jones returns for the third installement with a modernised element to distance the original aspects of the dominant concept, establishing the enhancement of her years to deliver a new side of the protagonist. Immense success of the previous motion pictures have given identification and prosperity to the franchise. As many women can relate to the realistic portrayal of rejection and the alteration of materialisation in an attempt to impress. Bridget Jones is truly humorous, a representation of an ambiguously unpredictable singleton living in the metropolis of central London.

Director Sharon Maguire is expected to deliver a unique adaptation of Fielding’s novel through constructing our expectations with the overall frontage of our initial idea of Bridget Jones. As the depiction of Daniel Cleaver will not be present in the production, I fear that the originality of the reputation within Maguire’s work may be damaged if the new approach of a mature and reinvented protagonist doesn’t engage with the traditional consumer platform of the franchise. Maguire’s profitable triumph with Fielding’s realistic perceptions will hopefully deliver and elevate the humorous element that runs throughout the novel. The touch hasn’t entirely abandoned Fielding’s most recent publication with ‘Mad About the Boy’ , although she has excluded the centralisation of the influential womaniser Mr Cleaver, she has stopped self-consciously trying to replicate the old Bridget but has instead allowed her to grow into the woman she might have been at 51.

Nurturing qualities are still highlighted through Jones’s descriptive portrayal in the fictional work, modifications have been to her character to establish the development of potential experiences in her life, defining her attributes today. With the release of the book in October 2013, there was speculations that the sequel to the Edge of Reason would be released the following year. However, the alleged rumour was false, filming began on October 2nd 2015 and there is a current set release for September 16th 2016. Being a huge Bridget Jones fan does increase my anticipations, if new comer Patrick Dempsey does not excel and play a predominant character in the cinematic project, I will be “v disappointed” as Bridget might say.

6

Noughts & Crosses Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if history had been reversed? What if British/American Afro-Caribbean people had been rich, powerful and superior to white people?

Author Malorie Blackman explores this concept in her amazing book Noughts & Crosses which she wrote as ‘a desire to tackle the subject of racism head on, and the burning anger I felt of Stephen Lawrence’.

The novel follows the story of Sephy, a Cross - a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. However, the story is constantly jump-cutting with Callum, a Nought -- a “colourless” member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since infancy, but society dictates that that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses just don’t mix. This is also intensified by the constant prejudice and distrust, powerfully emphasized by vicious radical action, a romance grows among Sephy and Callum -- a romance that will cause them a lot of trouble. When they fall in love it really is a formula for catastrophe. Slowly, Sephy’s and Callum’s families start to split. When Callum’s dad is condemned to death, Callum chooses to change. Little did he know that making a change could destroy his relationship with Sephy and endanger

his own and his family’s lives. Gradually everything starts to disintegrate but will it change anything?

I had been advised to read this book many times; it always ended up on my ‘to read list’ but I never got round to actually reading it. However, on a photography shoot in Manchester I stumbled across the book and thought to myself ‘the book’s right in front of you just pick it up and get it’. Now, having finished the book I can confirm that that was the best decision I’d made - I found it so captivating that I finished it in three days! What I liked so much about this book was, not only the concept but also the fact that I was able to view the same story from both Callum and Sephy’s perspectives. The gives the narrative so much more depth as I found myself feeling the emotions along with the characters. A review by the Guardian also praised the book and said it was ‘Epic … Dramatic, moving and brave’.

So if you’re interested in a young-adult fiction novel involving action, adventure and romance that will make you laugh, cry and gasp in shock, then this is the perfect book for you. As for me, I will definitely be putting this book on my re-read shelf and will be starting the second thrilling story in the sequence ‘Knife Edge’.

By Darcy Butt

Enjoy Activities Keep fit and energised between classes by joining one of our 'Enjoy Sessions', where you can take part in playing badminton, tennis or volleyball between lessons.

Monday

GYM: 12:15 - 1:15pm ENJOY: 1:15 - 4:15pm

Tuesday

enjoy: 10:45 - 1:15pm gym: 12:15 - 1:15pm

Wednesday enjoy: 10:45 - 11:45Am

By Olivia Russell

Thursday

enjoy: 10:45 - 1:15pm gym: 11:15 - 1:15PM

Friday

GYM: 12:15 - 1:15pm

girls only 12:15 - 1:15pm

enjoy: 12:15 - 2:45pm 7

Fashion & Fragrance In the back of my head I always think about fashion, and heaven forbid if there was ever an emergency or I needed to go somewhere quickly, I need to be wearing clothes that aren’t unattractive.

So, today I will be sharing some essentials and tips on how to be comfortable, how to edge out, but still be classy. It isn’t as difficult as you’d imagine, you don’t need to be in heels and a full wedding dress whilst watching TV because that would be ridiculous. Although there are some people who wear make-up and their best clothes until the minute they get into bed, there are some clothes that are suitable and some that aren’t.

I’ll start with the garments that I do like, a classic cardigan is a must for relaxing or even shopping too. The thing with a cardigan is that you can use it to elevate your outfit if necessary, meaning you can dress it up to a more formal event, or dress it down and keep it casual.

Next is a loose fit white t shirt; a staple in anybody’s clothing collection. The classic white t-shirt is so easily pulled off that both males and females can wear it effortlessly. To elevate your outfit whilst wearing a white t-shirt, simply overlay it with a blazer and accompany it with a gold watch or chunky bracelet; a must have in anybody’s wardrobe.

Another must have item is a pair of dark wash jeans (not black), a pair of the classic coloured dark jeans are a MUST. They can be worn with a blazer and a

pair of boots/brogues to wear to a more formal event or paired with a fitted t-shirt and some pumps to keep it casual, either way your attire will still look well put together.

I prefer outfits to be as minimalistic and as clean as possible, in order to achieve this, try to keep jewelry to a minimum. The next time you think you’re ready to go out of the house, look in the mirror and ask yourself if there is one item/layer you can remove, if you do it right, you’ll be surprised that it elevates your attire and gives a cleaner and more put together look.

Now onto something that isn’t necessarily fashion related, but I think one of the best things you can do to boost your aesthetic is to wear a good quality perfume/aftershave, you’d be surprised at how much more attractive somebody becomes when they are followed around by an aroma that smells great. For summer, try and wear something that is clean smelling and has a lot of citrus fruits in it. Whereas for winter, you’ll want to wear something a bit warmer/spicier, try to go with fragrances with vanilla, cinnamon and woods in; these ingredients smell great on both men and women. For the ladies in summer, I recommend Olympea by Paco Rabanne, for men, I recommend Aqua Di Geo by Giorgio Armani. For men in the winter, my all-time favourites are Spicebomb by Viktor and Rolf and Valentino Uomo - for the ladies in winter, I highly suggest you try Black Opium (parfum)

by Yves Saint Laurent or Marc Jacobs Decadence.

A Generation of Gaming

By Kallan Hughes

A brief guide on what current-generation console is the best value for money.

If you’re in the market to buy a gaming platform, you’ve come to the right place. In this short article I will be breaking down the best places to buy gaming platforms and hopefully settling the debate on which console is better; the Xbox One or the PS4.

With about 10,500,000 units sold worldwide nobody can deny that the PS4 is a hot contender for gaming in this generation. With improved graphical performance over the Xbox One and an array of Play Station exclusives, there is no doubt that the PS4 is the obvious choice for your dedicated console. Right? Well, there are some redeeming features of the Xbone (Xbox One) that Play Station may need to catch up on. Microsoft announced that their also highly successful console, will soon be featuring backwards compatibility; which means that you will be able to play your old Xbox 360 games on your new console. With around 101,000 consoles per day being sold the Xbox One is also a serious contender for the top spot in your console war.

So let’s look at prices. Xbone has been priced currently at: £256.55 for a 500 GB console without Kinect. So what about the PS4? Well the PS4 has been priced at £314.24. Both of these prices were taken from Amazon and are both listed to be sold by their respective developers. Looking at these statistics it seems as though the Xbox One is the obvious choice when looking at cash, however, it all comes down to personal preference when buying consoles. It is about what you are used to and what you have owned before. The best thing to do is look at reviews and ask your friends to get the best advice and maybe head to a store and see if you can see some gameplay and maybe hold the controller; really get a feel for what you’re about to dump your precious moneys on.

If you’re looking for a personal opinion then I will say this: I am a PC gamer through and through, consoles have always been behind PCs from a technological standpoint. In terms of value for money, gaming computers are typically more expensive with a current generation PC costing around £800 pre-built. On the other hand if you have a technical mind and you feel as though you can follow a tutorial, you could build your own computer costing around £100-200 less than a prebuilt computer at the same quality. Computers also have more longevity than consoles as parts within a PC can be interchanged with newer ones to keep it running at a current-gen level. For disclosure, I advise that those who don’t have decent technical knowledge and ability avoid building their own PC as repair bills can be costly and if something goes wrong there is no company to blame and get a refund from.

On a lighter note all of the platforms mentioned above are excellent and are all worth the money, so if you have enough money, why not buy all three? You get all the benefits of the exclusives and have an empty bank account as an added bonus. How Fun!

By Corey Whitwam

8

5 Ways To Reinvent Yourself 1. Style & Fashion 2. confidence

An easy and very effective way of changing yourself, without being too dramatic, is to wear something different. Dare to go out of your comfort zone and have your own personal style!

To begin with, spring clean your wardrobe. As ‘un-teenage’ like as this sounds, decluttering your wardrobe is the first step to changing your style. With that being said look at the clothes you have and think to yourself, ‘have I worn these in the last 6 months?’ If the answer is no then it is time to get rid of them! For the items that you haven’t worn why not do a good deed and donate them to a local charity shop?

Next take it back to basics, gather a small collection of basic clothing items that can be worn and mixed with other pieces. This enables you to wear statement items that truly highlight your NEW style! Why not: mix patterns, follow trends or make a statement. Clothes should express your personality!

Easier changes to make are to update your everyday makeup routine, there are several ways to effortlessly do this: go for a bold lip, master the art of winged eyeliner or wear coloured eyeshadow but if you’re trying to avoid looking like you just stepped out of an 80’s music video, then go for neutral colours instead.

Finally, why not change your hair? Such a simple thing that can change your attitude. Go for it shorter, grow it longer, dye it crazy colours or try a different hairstyle. There are endless things that you can do with your hair that can easily alter your look.

Be bold, be outgoing, be vibrant!

Another way to alter yourself is through gaining confidence. This can be a long process, however the outcome can lead to amazing opportunities. There are many simple ways to boost your confidence: • Surround yourself with people who make you happy and unafraid to express your opinion. Maintain a positive support network, this will allow you to see how other people act and use this to generate an outgoing and ‘vibrant’ personality.

• Aim to have a positive outlook on life. Positivity is key!

• Be passionate about what you believe in, what you want in life and what you would like to say.

• Understand that we all make mistakes and embarrass ourselves. With that being said don’t accept failure, take criticism as a learning curve not as a time to stop.

4. give back to the community

3. learn something new To reinvent yourself you could also acquire a new skill or hobby. Try something new like: climbing, hiking, dancing or skiing. It doesn’t have to be sport related you could also try doing art, design or pottery. Just try something new!

Finally there are a variety of things that can be done in the local area, to name a few: • Netball or basketball • Zumba • Bodyattack and Bodycombat (available at sports centres in the area) • Pilates • Parkrun - this is becoming increasingly popular and provides fun, exercise and friends.

You could also achieve more by volunteering, this is something that can help you gain new experiences and new friends, while still giving back to the community.

Even more, this could help you get a sense of independence which is vital for the life of work and maturity. Through doing this you will be able to put this on your CV, which increases your chances of getting a job or getting into your chosen universities. This extra quality that you could have is something that is being looked for by employers and universities. So what are you waiting for, make yourself stand out today?

5. set a goal I believe that setting a goal for yourself is very important as it gives you the motivation and dedication that is needed to achieve high and achieve more. Therefore, through setting a realistic goal your determination will allow you to change yourself. At our age the most common goals are to be healthier or get fitter or get better grades. Even though these are the best goals, we shouldn’t just limit ourselves to these types of goals. We could be aiming for our desired career or our dream car.

Goals should express our individuality, fuel our motivation and give us determination.

So what are you waiting for, what’s stopping you? Reinvent yourself today!

By Amy Newton 9

Geek Culture Rocks!

A brief exploration of MAJIKKON and other conversations Do you enjoy anime, manga, games, film and learning about other people’s culture? Do you enjoy buying things? Well if you do (or don’t) then come to MAJIKKON! This convention is held at Huddersfield University and has something for everyone! MAJIKKON has been running in association with the Huddersfield Literature Festival for 4 years, since 2011. It started out small with around 80 people coming in 2011 but the number of attendants has been rising and since 2014 over 1100 people have been loving MAJIKKON. Visitors range from the age of 5 to 50.

What is MAJIKKON? It is a convention that celebrates all things Japanese, Sci-Fi and Fantasy. This includes anime, manga and comic con and it is all part of the Huddersfield Literature Festival.

MAJIKKON was previously known as Huddersfield Manga Con but was changed to MAJIKKON to switch it up. It is a celebration of Japanese pop-culture, fashion, games, Western comic book heroes and Sci-Fi also provided in the Student Central canteen area, here you can shows. Fans of all genres come to meet people find all sorts of different snacks and drinks. who have similar interests within MAJIKKON. It is a Tickets for MAJIKKON are £10 per adult and is free for a child brilliant way to meet new people who like the same under the age of ten accompanied by a paying adult. Additional things as you. children under the age of ten are £2 a ticket.

What happens at MAJIKKON? Well, lots of things Now after telling you all this I bet you would like to go? Well too but mostly MAJIKKON is where quirky and exciting bad because this year, because of construction, MAJIKKON things are sold. This can range from merchandise has been cancelled, but they will return in March 2017. Don’t be from popular franchises to snacks and food from sad there are still many other conventions such as Manchester other countries, from wigs and clothes to rings and Comic-con which will be held in July this year. Manchester cat ear headbands (my personal favourite).

Comic-con is held at Manchester Central (Formerly the GMEX) If you’re a fan of games then you can also play in Petersfield, Manchester. If you want directions and ticket against other gamers in the game room, and when prices then check the websites and find them on Facebook. you are tired and hungry from smashing the buttons

By Courtney Farley on the controller, then you can stroll over to the Lolita lounge for some cute cupcakes. Refreshments are

10

What is body shaming and why do people do it?

Body shaming is defined as negative statements and attitudes toward another person’s weight or size. These negative attitudes are shown in the media and elsewhere, demeaning and hurtful, even to well-established celebrities and models who are “too fat” or who have models as such as Cara Delevingne not got rid of their “post-baby weight”. Body shaming and Gigi Hadid. People shouldn’t be affects well-known women in the spotlight, who are dragging down young women whether hugely criticised on the way they look by people they they’re in the spotlight or not, as even don’t know on social media. Would you think they’re a very confident person can be badly affected by it? The common answer would probably be affected by hate and nasty comments no, but they are, as some of you would be surprised to made about them. Maybe the main know. A lot of celebrities hit back against the hate. cause of body shaming is jealousy?

Recently, body shaming has been gaining more and This could be because these women more attention as people are firing back. Gigi Hadid, are very successful and popular, the 20 year old American model, took to Instagram people would rather drag them down to voice her opinion back in September, gaining over than praise them because they wish 300,000 likes. Singer, Selena Gomez, also responded they were like them. to hate via Instagram back in April receiving over 1.5m We as a society should look at what likes. If you’re not sure what “hate” is or the kind these we post online and if we are being celebrities receive, then they are usually the victims of offensive or rude to others, even being judged on the way they look or people thinking celebrities, as they do have access to they know them personally enough to comment on their these comments we post and it can personalities or the lives they live. potentially put them down, we assume Social media is one of the main causes of body shaming they have a thick skin and probably can as people feel they can post malicious things whilst handle the odd rude word but when it hiding behind a screen, which is extremely demeaning becomes excessive it needs to stop.

Also, what do these people get out of being nasty to people? In my opinion, I don’t see how it can be beneficial for these people to be so negative to people they don’t even know, what they need to know is that words hurt and everyone has feelings no matter their status.

By Lauren Chadwick

11

What does it mean to be Gender Fluid?

Several public figures, such as Miley Cyrus and Ruby Rose (Orange is the New Black) have recently chosen to identify as “gender fluid,” meaning that they alternate between presenting themselves as a male sometimes and a female at other times.

The concept of “gender fluidity” might be relatively easy to understand, for someone who has met several people who identify as gender fluid, transgender or agender (lacking affiliation with any gender). However, to someone unfamiliar with this, it may be difficult to understand and they may be unsure as to how to broach the subject of gender identity.

Firstly, it is important to understand that “biological sex” and “gender” are two separate things. A person’s biological sex is determined by their sexual anatomy, whereas gender refers to the characteristics and personality traits that our society defines as either male or female. This means that while a person may be “biologically” a male, they can still identify as being a female. In fact, recent research conducted by scientists in the US shows that the traditional belief that gender was determined during prenatal development, and that within a few days of birth, the brain’s gender was set in stone may be untrue. In reality, gender is an interchangeable concept and all comes down to how you view yourself, how you want others to view you and how you choose to be defined.

It might also be confusing to understand how someone can feel like male or female if they do not conform to typical gender roles. Ruby Rose, known for her role on “Orange is the New Black,” has been particularly outspoken about her gender identity, saying “I have a lot of characteristics that would normally be present in a guy and then less that would be present in a woman, but then sometimes I’ll put on a skirt.”

It is important to think of gender as being a spectrum, not two

distinct boxes; male or female. I spoke to Ebon, who identifies as agender and who is also outspoken on this particular issue, saying that “it is important to remember that a person’s gender is not defined by the clothes they wear or the colours they like, and no one should feel like they have to prove their gender to anyone else.” Another person from the gender fluid community, Alex, who is a male despite his biological sex, said that “it’s understandable if people are confused,” but that “it’s okay to come out and ask” about it.

I asked Alex and Ebon about how they feel if people refuse to comply with the pronouns they prefer (“he,” “she” or “they”) and don’t make any effort to understand them. Both agreed that it made them feel disheartened and like “people don’t care” about who they are. However, they both also stressed that confusion was understandable and the subject of gender identity needs normalising and needs talking about more so that trans and other non-binary people are not differentiated from other people.

Some gender terms explained: • Genderfluid; alternating between feeling like a male and female • Genderqueer and non-binary; relating to neither, both or a combination of male and female genders (not exclusively a man or a woman) • Trans/Transgender; anyone who’s gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth • Transvestite; Someone who dresses in the clothes usually worn by the opposite sex. Transvestites may be bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual. For example, Eddie Izzard and Grayson Perry.

https://www.genderspectrum.org/quick-links/understanding-gender/http://www.med.monash.edu.au/gendermed/sexandgender.html http://www.sciencealert.com/brain-gender-is-more-fluid-than-originally-thought-research-reveals https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-makes-us-human/201307/where-gender-spectrum-may-be-taking-us http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/patients-waiting-three-years-for-gender-identity-clinic-consultations-a6770971.html

By Jessie Ray

References Front Cover www.etsy.com Pg 4 Own Images Pg 5 http://www.imdb.com Pg 7 noughtsandcrosses.wikia.com // www.glogster.com // hellogiggles.com // www.people.com Pg 8 http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=smart+dark+wash+jeans&view=detailv2&&id=ECDFF12AA333E5AC6FE810CED95B5F07BA8F1084&selectedIndex=0&ccid=RhabJt1b&simid=608014739716572364&thid=OIP.M46169b26dd5b9284b5a4914f61a7355co0&ajaxhist=0 Pg 10 Own Images Pg 11 Own Screenshot Images

12