My Life Issue 44

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ISSUE 44

Lifestyle Magazine

by Young People, for Young People

COVER IMAGE ETHAN MCWALTERS @eskmcphotos See the latest news from HQ on page 7

produced in association with

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EDITOR’S WORD

9 ENTERTAINMENT

Music, movies & more

17 GAMING

Hello and welcome to another issue of My Life!

The Gaming Drought

18 ART

SNAP Competition

27 FASHION

Fashion in Society

31 BEAUTY

Summer hair removal

It’s been an interesting few weeks navigating our way through the end of lockdown restrictions and it’s totally normal to expect the transition to take some getting used to. ‘Freedom Day’ has been and gone but let’s keep respect at the centre of our interactions with each other. Kindness goes a long way!

33 TRAVEL

What NOT to do

35 MY PLANET Photo album 39 SEXUAL HEALTH

Advice and awareness

Awareness

50 PHYSICAL HEALTH & SPORT COVID-19 Vaccine

56 FOOD

Ruby Chocolate

60 MY LIFE

Your thoughts

41 MENTAL HEALTH

In this packed edition, we explore how we can love our ‘Summer self’; what the hype is with Ruby Chocolate and introduce a couple of new Student Life team members to you!

As ever, our publication is open to new and existing contributors so if you’ve got a story to share, article you’d like to write, photography to submit or review to publish, please get in touch!

01473 353512

Contact us

67 LGBT Diverse Reading

Stay safe,

Rachel

Recommendations

Best wishes,

Director of Editorial

07943 605468* rachel@studentlife.org.uk www.studentlife.org.uk

Search us on social @studentlifeorg *NOT CHECKED 24/7

Meet our CO-EDITORS Our magazine wouldn’t be possible without our Co-ed’s but we are always on the look-out for more!

ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR FRAN MULVEY

Hello! I’m Fran, your Entertainment Co-Ed! I’ve recently finished an English BA (Hons) and have plans to undertake the Masters in Critical and Creative Writing in September. I am a huge bookworm with a love for fantasy, and run a personal blog where I review books called Katharina Sinead’s Book Blog, and have been a Studio Ghibli nerd since I was young.

ART CO-EDITOR KAY SABERTON

Hello – I’m Kay, your Art Co-Editor! I am returning to study at the University of Suffolk as an MA student. My interests include: the arts, graphic novels, literature, and film. I am a firm believer that reading and creativity are vital to us as, ‘To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow.

So do it’ – Kurt Vonnegut.

MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR GLORIA DARGATZ Hi I’m Gloria! I am a student from Germany and I have been visiting a British school for a year. In my freetime I do competitive swimming, dance ballet and work with aid organisations. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunities Student Life gives me and I’m looking forward to talking to you and reading your articles.

BEAUTY & MY PLANET CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON I’m Libby, an English Literature and Media Communications graduate, working with Student Life to gain experience in Marketing, Business Development, Social Media Management and now, work in Editorial! It is a great platform to be involved in.

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CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL Hi I’m Rachel and I am the current co-editor for Sexual Health, My Life, Tech and Careers!

However, I would love to find some students who are interested in being a co-editor and taking on some of these areas! Let me know if that’s you!

GAMING CO-EDITOR LOUISA SADLER Hi, my name is Louisa.

I’m the gaming and physical health co-editor and also currently an English Student at the University of Suffolk. I love reading and writing and looking forward to pursuing a career in publishing whether as an author or as someone who helps publish new books!

MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR MIA PATIENCE Hello! My name is Mia. I’m currently studying Musical Theatre at college and hope to become a fulltime actor eventually! I enjoy writing and one day would love to release a book of my own. I feel strongly about mental health as people close to me have suffered and I believe it isn’t spoken and taught about enough and I’d like to change that!

BEAUTY & TRAVEL CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON My name is Elise Dixon and I’m one of the co-editors for the Beauty and Travel Sections. With a passion for makeup, I love learning about new products as well as exploring the world around me, and look forward to bringing you new and exciting products and places to visit.

FOOD CO-EDITOR AARON BEAVIS Hi, I’m Aaron, your co-editor for food. I’m a budding writer who aspires to be a media and film journalist. I take English Literature, Language and Film Studies and additionally have been posting on my blog since February 2019.

ART CO-EDITOR CHLOE SHAWCROSS Hiya! I’m Chloe And I’m An Art CoEditor! I Enjoy Reading, Writing And Painting! I’m Currently In Year 11 And Have Hopes Of Moving On To Med School Later In Life! I’m Also A Huge Animal Lover With Two Furry Rabbit Babies Of My Own!

LGBT CO-EDITOR CELESTE SPAIN Hi, I’m Celeste, the LGBT co-editor! In my spare time I love writing poetry, reading (particularly LGBT fiction), playing guitar and spending time with my three cats.

I’m looking forward to studying Creative Writing next year at Uni and hope to one day publish/self-publish my own novels.

I’ve loved writing articles for Student Life and I’m thrilled to bethe LGBT co-editor. I look forward to reading your articles!

FILM CO-EDITOR CAMERON LUSTY I have recently graduated from the University of Suffolk where I achieved a 2:1 in Screenwriting. My passion for film and writing about film is what led me to Student Life magazine.

PHOTOGRAPHY CO-EDITOR SOPHIE DEBENHAM Hi, I’m Sophie! I’m the the co-editor of photography! I’m a level 3 photography student at Suffolk New College! I have a strong interest in photography and social media. Outside of Student Life I’m a massive football and rugby fan! I’m looking forward to publishing content in the future and finding new photographers to work with.

Want to see your bio here?

Get in touch to find out more.

Details below.

Co-Editor Vacancies Roles available across:

SUFFOLK

NORFOLK

KENT

Get in touch with Rachel at rachel@studentlife.org.uk to find out how to get involved!

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CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS AND WRITERS

SEE YOUR PHOTOS OR ARTICLES IN PRINT! If you have an interest in writing or photography then we need you!

No experience required Have your say and share your stories Looks great on CVs and applications Receive a writing and photo credit Take that first step today and email:

rachel@studentlife.org.uk

COVID-19 awareness project

We are so proud to have been selected and funded by Public Health Suffolk to expand our exisiting project work through the COMF initiative. The Contain Outbreak Management Fund provides funding to local authorities in England to help reduce the spread of coronavirus and support peer-to-peer content in print and online around covid awareness amongst young people and produce a documentary film for countrywide distribution, using our in-house film production company ‘Unity Films’. We will also be expanding our Mental Health Ambassador programme to include Covid Ambassadors and this work will continue to expand into alternative provision settings.

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ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR FRAN MULVEY & CAMERON LUSTY

AN INTERVIEW WITH

ANNIE SCHERER

BY FRANCESCA

FRAN: Annie why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself; your background and ...everything ANNIE: Right., well I’m an independent singer songwriter, I do a lot of alt-pop music, and I got my start through classical piano which I started when I was six years old. And I performed that for thirteen years, and then, uh my very first experience recording was when I was fifteen years old, and

I worked with a professional national producer; we recorded an EP together and then I went to school for music, I studied Music Industry, and I just graduated, and I just released this album; that was my very first album and I wrote and produced all of it. I’ve produced all of it apart from one song, so yeah, it’s been very exciting.

FRAN: That’s very impressive, recording and producing it all yourself.

Do you have a recording room where you live?

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ANNIE: Sort of [Annie and Fran both laugh]. I have a very unorganised set-up, I used equipment that I’ve gathered over the years to record it, in my house here and it works for me, it’s very unprofessional looking [she giggles], but it was hard to use other locations because of Covid so I kind of just relied on my own stuff.

FRAN: So, have you been working on it for the past year, or did it start much earlier than that?

ANNIE: Actually, I well, I’ve written the songs over the years, so I-I think all these songs were written over the last three years, but I actually just started recording it back in September I think so it was a really quick album - but I had a lot of time ‘cause of quarantine, so, FRAN: That makes a lot of sense. I’m sure everyone else has had a lot of time to do a number of things if they wanted, and in relation to another element of your background, a bit about where you were born and your family heritage, ‘cause I know in - yeah [laughs] ANNIE: Yeah, so I am from Upstate New York, and I have grown up here my entire life. I am half Chinese and half German, and like Northwestern European. So my mom’s family is from China - my mom was born here but my grandparents immigrated from China, and on my dad’s side, his grandparent- or my grandparents are, they’re from Pennsylvania and their parents were from Germany so, I’m

half-and-half and yeah now I’m just here in New York.

FRAN: Ah you’ve got a mix ANNIE: Yeah [laugh] FRAN: And I wasn’t sure about asking this question because I don’t know how comfortable you would be askanswering, but in light of the Asian

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hate that’s come off Covid, what’s your experience and response to that sort of thing, have you experienced it yourself?

ANNIE: I mean people have definitely made some stereotypes and said some things before. I mean I don’t really think they were with the intentions of being offensive, but I

think there are a lot of things that people tend to say and it’s kind of become normalised when it’s really not okay, so I think it’s good, that there’s been a lot of light brought to these things. I mean fortunately where I am here, I haven’t experienced anything beyond that, but it is really... it’s really upsetting and I think it’s

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important to acknowledge those things and I also think that, in things like entertainment there’s not really a lot of Asian-American voices. So, I hope that in the next years that’s something that’s recognised and there’ll be more diversity amongst Asian-Americans.

FRAN: Yeah, I mean, I personally, I can’t even imagine what you and other Asian people, members of the Asian community and other people of colour go through. Being a white woman I haven’t experienced any of what you guys experience - and that’s actually part of the reason that I jumped at the chance to interview you, because it’s bringing another Asian musician into the limelight, to get you - and get you more exp- well exposure’s not maybe the right word in this [she and Annie both laugh] current state of the world but in the you know, getting you more notice sense.

ANNIE: Yeah, I feel like, I feel like the UK has had a lot of emerging Asian artists which is really, really amazing but I think we’re a little bit behind in America here, there’s not really a lot of Asian-Americans performing and acting and just...in entertainment.

FRAN: Yeah...I mean, I say yeah as if I know what you’re talking about -[they both laugh] I - but I have, I mean, noticed you can’t always tell someone’s nationality or their accent by their singing voice, because I know a lot of - I know of a lot of British artists who sing with an American accent and I always wonder [Annie

agrees] why they’re doing that [they both laugh]. I would imagine it’s an artistic choice, because there are also a lot of British artists who use their native accent [...] you have native language but I don’t know if there’s a native accent. But I thought I’d ask you what got you into music in the first place, ‘cause I know in our little at the beginning of the interview you mentioned that you started in classical piano at six years old?

ANNIE: Yeah- well growing up even before piano my parents always played music for my sister and I, we listened to a lot of classic rock-’n’roll like a lot of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks, uh groups like that so I always loved music and then - my sister actually had taken piano lessons when she was six, and I was four at the time. And she didn’t last very long, she wasn’t very interested in it but I would use to go with my mom to drop her off and I always wanted to take piano after seeing her take it so I used to ask my mom like “When I’m older, can I take piano lessons?” and eventually I did so that was it for me and I love playing piano-I mean I don’t perform it as much now ‘cause I am doing more singer-songwriter music but, yeah I definitely credit a lot of my skills and writing, to the classical background.

Come back next time for Part 2 of the interview!

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THE BEAUTIFUL WEIRDNESS OF LISA, A RÓKATÜNDÉR (2015) Lisa, a rókatündér (2015, English title: Liza, the Fox-Fairy) is a relatively obscure Hungarian black comedy with fantasy elements, directed by Károly Ujj Mészáros. I came across it a few years ago and immediately fell in love with it. You need to see it to believe how brilliant it is.

It is a unique blend of weirdness, dark humour, romance, and Japanese iconography that makes this an instantly memorable experience.

Set in Hungary, the film follows Lisa (Mónika Balsai), a lonely, naive nurse obsessed with Japan. She takes care of an elderly woman, while singing catchy songs with a ghost of a long-dead Japanese pop singer that only she can

FILM OF THE MONTH

BY DANIEL FEKETE

see. However, this ghost, Tomy Tani (David Sakurai), is not what he seems.

And as he sets his plans in motion, people around Lisa start to die, while she comes to the realisation that she might be a cursed demon know as a Fox-Fairy.

So, when Lisa starts to date, her dates start dying. Some of the film’s humour is based on these deaths. Most of them are not particularly gruesome (there is a different reason for the film’s age restriction, nudge nudge wink wink), but most of these are definitely fun. The film even helpfully introduces title cards for the victims, so you know that these characters are about to die. This type of body count draws the attention of the police. Here

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we are introduced to sergeant Zoltán (Bede-Fazekas Szabolcs), the quiet and very odd detective, trying to get to the truth about all of these damn deaths.

I will not spoil much, but Zoltán is probably one of the most badass characters I have ever seen, not just in film, but in all media.

nudity in this film. But it is definitely not nudity for the sake of nudity. All of the sex scenes include Henrik – he is literally characterised by having sex with every woman he meets - but that is all set up for something simple that makes him suddenly seem like quite a complex character.

The film takes place in a fictional version of Budapest in the 1970s. But somehow, Hungary in this period is shown to be a capitalist state, with references to Cosmopolitan magazine, and Mekk Burger, a goat-themed parody of McDonalds. This gives the film a sense of uncertainty – it seems to just exist somewhere, somehow. It feels odd and timeless, which helps to underline its stylised aesthetic. It can be likened to films like Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (2001) or Lola rennt (1998), heavily stylised European films about a quirky female protagonist and her adventures in a romanticised version of a famous capital. However, Lisa, a rókatündér leans more heavily into the fantastical and comedic than the other two.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the music of this film. It is brilliant, especially Tomy Tani’s songs - “Dance Dance Have A Good Time”, “Doki Doki”, and “Believe To The End” - that were composed by Erik Sumo. They feel like something that a Japanese Elvis-like character might sing, but they are also extremely catchy.

Although, describing Lisa as “quirky” seems unfair – everyone in her world is weird, in their own special way.

They are characterized through their weirdness. They love uncomfortably weird food combinations, they are extremely horny, they enjoy Finnish country music, or they are unable to say a complete proverb. Great example of this is the character of Henrik (Zoltán Schmied). As I implied earlier, there are scenes of sex and

I hope I convinced you that it is worth your time to look this film up and watch it. It is such a great, unique movie. If you like weird films, want to watch something different, or are just interested in fun European films in general, do yourself a favour – give Liza, the Fox-Fairy a chance.

Daniel Fekete is a screenwriting student from Czech Republic studying at the University of Suffolk.

He likes movies, comic books, TV shows, and books. If you say his name three times, he will appear and tell you that it is pronounced [‘fεkεtε].

SEND YOUR THOUGHTS AND ARTICLE IDEAS TO: CAMERON .LUSTY@STUDENT-LIFE.CO

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The

OSCARS CHOOSE WHAT YOU WATCH

BY ALFIE AYRES

Will the Oscars consider a film without a campaign? No. Which is odd really when you consider that those with the task to pick the nominees should quite like films and you know, watch them without being told to. In short, the Oscars no longer serve to shine a light on the myriad of creative minds responsible for the evergrowing and differentiating cinelandscape; and its list of best picture nominees is all you need as proof of that.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if any of the nominated films are bad, there aren’t any head scratchers but at least that would have been interesting. I’d just like to know why a company has to move heaven and earth to get the Academy to have a look at a Kajillionaire? If they’re truly for the art, then a great film should be enough for it to be considered. Hell, even in it’s white-washed rudimentary

days (which arguably it’s never left) a category was tailor-made for the likes of Shoeshine (1947) to get the award it deserved.

They’re never going to please everyone and that’s fine; not everything can be

nominated, Bacarau and Saint Maud (both 2019)

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aren’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. That is as much leeway as I’m willing to give though. Some things are objective – in what world does The Trial of The Chicago 7 (a film with a screenplay I’m quite fond of), deserve a nomination for cinematography if we can’t make room for the likes of Da 5 Bloods, His house, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, or First Cow. Thankfully, we live in an age of Letterboxd where people who have access to them can tell us about the indie films stuck in a cycle of festival runs, only really accessible to those already in the industry and the nominators that won’t nominate them.

That’s another problem – these films aren’t accessible to anyone because the Western film industry simply doesn’t care. Parasite (2019), a film by an already legendary director that had even won the Palme d’Or, didn’t even really get distributed to theatres nationwide until it won an Oscar.

Without the pandemic shoving the hard craft of last year’s creatives onto our laptops, making it easier to view these films by other means *ahem*, I wouldn’t have seen half the films of 2020 that I did. It’s a vicious, unfair cycle of distribution; without heeling over to piracy how is a regular film fan meant to see the likes of Kill It and Leave This Town? Even a year and a bit later I still couldn’t tell you where you could watch Black Bear.

Covid shoved everyone into the same sinking ship, the upside of that (you

would have thought) would have been film festivals would no longer be restricted to random cities that really, only the elite can make time to attend, but brought to us all virtually.

That didn’t happen obviously because TIFF, Sundance, and the rest somehow managed to keep ticket numbers finite – what? How is the screening of The Assistant possibly sold out? The event is glorified Netflix at this point. That’s the problem at its core – no one can complain about the Academy’s choices because they haven’t been given the opportunity to see the others; It’s infuriating to stand, shaking my money at The Father but no one will let me see it.

Distribution of film is a tricky one because if you chuck everything into the cinemas, we aren’t going to get a Never Rarely Sometime Always, because whether or not it gets made will depend on how much it can compete with the Avengers. So yes, it’s a blessing that we get a second option, but it also alienates so many potential buyers as well as leaving a host of excited fans to find the films by their own methods. There’s never going to be filmic Bandcamp equivalent, there’s too many mitigating factors, but whether or not someone who knows about a film gets to actually see it shouldn’t depend on if the Oscars appreciate it or not.

Alfie Ayers is a Year One Screenwriting student at the University of Suffolk.

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GAMING CO-EDITOR LOUISA SADLER

END TO THE GAMING DROUGHT?

BY TEEGAN ARICIOGLU It’s fair to say that gaming news has been a little on the slow side since the pandemic hit us back in March 2020. We have seen games delay their release dates multiple times throughout and it has left us wondering when will gaming get back to normal?

Well with E3 officially happening, is this the end of the gaming drought?

Well, the short answer I think to that is yes. E3 has always been the biggest platform for gaming companies to announce new titles and showcase upcoming games. There’s been much excitement among the gaming community about this year’s E3 and what might be announced this year.

This article will be published after the event has ended but nevertheless let’s see what’s coming up during E3.

We know that Xbox will be showcasing upcoming games which will excite all Xbox fans. Many will be wanting updates on the potential release date of Halo Infinite as well as seeing potentially more news on the much-awaited new Fable instalment. For racing fans, they will want more news on the new Forza Horizons game.

Square Enix are also hosting a showcase with many Final Fantasy fans wanting more details on Final Fantasy 16 and if Square Enix will add to the Marvel franchise. Tomb Raider fans will also be anticipating Square’s showcase to see if it will reveal any more details on the 25th anniversary of the Tomb Raider franchise after, in my opinion, the poor celebrations that were announced earlier in the year. As always, Square Enix is always one of the most anticipated showcases at E3.

Nintendo are also hosting a showcase at E3 this year. We know for a while now that there have been rumours of Nintendo producing a Switch Pro and E3 is a good time to announce a new console as well as new games they have been working on. Zelda fans will be watching to hear news on Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.

With all this happening during June, I think it’s safe to say that our gaming drought is potentially coming to an end and we will have lots of new games to look forward to during the rest of 2021 and beyond.

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ART

CO-EDITORS KAY SABERTON & CHLOE SHAWCROSS

Interview with

SNAP RUNNER UP

SARAH CLARK English Undergraduate

‘The Student New Angle Prize ‘SNAP’ is an annual event and offers all students of the University of Suffolk the chance to enter by submitting 500 words of original writing as prose or poetry. All entries must either be set in or clearly influenced by our East Anglian region.’

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF SUFFOLK’S WEBSITE

How does it feel to be the runner up of the 2021 SNAP Award?

I’m thrilled! It’s really boosted my writing confidence, as I’m really interested in both reading and writing historical fiction. Coming this far has meant I’ve proved to myself that I can do it.

Why did you choose the Anglo-Saxon Queen Aelfthryth as the focus of your story?

I picked the name after I had been researching old Anglo Saxon witch names – Aelfthryth was the name of a queen from the 10th century who was accused of witchcraft and I thought the name fitted perfectly with the themes of my story. The real Aelfthryth was accused of murdering the Abbot Brihtnoth of Ely, so there was a good local connection to the name as well. The Aelfthryth in my story isn’t intended to be the real Queen Aelfthryth, but it was a good way of linking all the elements of the story together – the location, subject and historical setting all fitted.

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INTERVIEWED BY ROSE GANT, ENGLISH UNDERGRADUATE AND LIFE AT SUFFOLK STUDENT BLOGGER. https://www.uos.ac.uk/ content/student-new-angle-prize

What was the planning process like for your entry?

I already knew that I wanted to set the story in and around the Fens, and that it was going to be witchcraftrelated. I spent a lot of time living and working in Cambridge, Soham and Ely so the area was familiar to me and had always intrigued me. I came up with the idea of Agamede, a young pregnant village girl, terrified and looking for the witch to help her out of her predicament, as the starting point.

I tried to make it as geographically and historically accurate as I could.

It helped that I could already picture Wicken Fen as it is now - I tried to imagine how eerie it would have looked and felt all those years ago and my imagination took me from there.

Does the writing experience vary depending on each story?

Definitely. Although I always start with an idea, sometimes as with Aelfthryth, the idea is influenced by a theme like East Anglia. Other stories I’ve written come from a germ of an idea I have

that won’t go away. I love historical fiction and I think that’s because if you have some information about an event, time or person, you can weave a completely different story around them, but the historical element always gives you a point of reference.

It also means you get to find out a lot of interesting things when you’re researching a story!

What advice would you give to future entrants of SNAP? Just enter. It doesn’t cost anything and it’s just 500 words. I’m sure everyone says that, but I’ve found entering writing competitions is great for my creative writing practice and I certainly don’t win everything – this is the first time I’ve come close to winning any of the writing competitions I’ve entered.

It’s also fun. If you take an area of East Anglia for inspiration that holds special memories for you, or has always fascinated you (like the Fens) – or perhaps something that is there already like folk tales and myths that you can explore - I think that is a good starting point

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BY SARAH CLARK

AELFTHRYTH

The never-ending, darkening sky that stretched Wicken Fen into sunset brought with it the promise of another cold autumnal night. The rooks were beginning to quieten, the harvest mice scurried back to their nests and the scent of ripening onions filled the air.

A murmuration of starlings dived and curled above, heading towards the reedbeds.

There was no soul about, except Agamede.

Agamede crept quietly through the long grass, looking around her anxiously as she headed towards Monk’s Lode. She carried with her a basket in which she was concealing her salvation. Small bundles of Herb of Grace and Pennyroyal and a handful of ripe Juniper berries were concealed underneath a selection of autumn fruits; ripe plums, sweet apples and plump blackberries. She could not be seen here. She looked around, warily, crunching the long grass and feeling the give of the marshy ground as she trod.

she lived alone on the Fen, was at least 200 years of age and spoke regularly with the Devil. Aelfthryth was barren, and it was said that if she came upon a woman with child, she could bring on her courses just by looking at her. Agamede had been afraid of Aelfthryth’s fearsome reputation, but the first time she saw her sitting by the Lode, fishing for pike, she was not afraid of her at all. Aelfthryth was but a tiny, kindly woman with grey-brown hair that reached to her shoulders.

She smelled of lavender and mugwort.

She spoke softly, and only spoke as much as she needed to.

Agamede saw movement by the ash thicket set back from the water’s edge, changed direction and picked up speed to walk in the direction of the trees. The sun had dropped fully beyond the horizon, and the oncebenign Fen landscape became a hiding place for the demons and monsters in Agamede’s imagination. Her heart began to pound, and she could have sworn that she felt the child quickening. No, she thought, it cannot be, I cannot be so far progressed.

She felt her belly. It was beginning to swell and if anyone had stared at her for too long they would be able to see the outline of her shame against the material of her dress. She did not have long. It had taken her weeks of visiting the Fen at dusk to find Aelfthryth.

She reached the thicket. There was no sign of Aelfthryth. The trees groaned in the breeze. There was a scent of lavender; Aelfthryth had been here.

Agamede felt the quickening sensation again, then was gripped by a pain so intense that she gasped and fell to the ground. The fruit scattered as Agamede groaned. She lay under the trees until the pain subsided and then, made her way home.

Agamede had been warned about Aelfthryth ever since she had been very young. She was not to be trusted;

Aelfthryth watched her from the shadows, smiling as she stroked her pregnant belly.

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DARK EYES AND A DARKER FACE

A Poem

Through dark eyes and a darker face, I bow to the winking moon on bent knees, and smile as fire hearths and tangerines paint the skies, and laugh when waves beckon and take and tempt, and dance to the red robins rhyme of allure, ignoring whispers that spout from the quick sly fox.

Through dark eyes and a darker face, I see mirthful giggles bubble past pink lips, and balk at sinful words that linger on sharp tongues, and yearn the lovers embrace and caress and quarrel, and long to bleed love right down to my exposed bones, the closest to magic in our frail human lives.

Through dark eyes and a darker face, I cry as dogged lines are carved into sands, and fear when those as I, are chained and restrained and kept, and flinch at violent frothing words, that claw and corrode my being, and break as bullets pelt chests that have seen a thousand kisses.

Through dark eyes and a darker face, I greet the whispers of the wind, and the secrets of the skies, and welcome hummings of hearts and the glare of doom.

We aren’t so different you and I, We spit the same drool and bleed the same crimson.

Through dark eyes and a darker face, Listen to me when I say, I see the lush and cruel and delightful world, just as you.

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BY EVIE

How to

READ MORE

BY ROSIE WEDGE

No matter how much we may enjoy reading, some of us struggle to physically sit down and read a book without getting distracted. Many people find that silence is too discomforting, but then get distracted easily if they put music or the TV on in the background.

Then there is the issue of the mobile phone: the classic procrastination device. I’m very fortunate that I am able to sit down, switch off, and read for hours at a time. But I do occasionally struggle to read, so I thought I would share some advice on how you can make the most of this really relaxing activity and participate in it more!

With everything going on in the world right now, a lot of us have more spare time on our hands than we originally would have, which gives us an excellent opportunity to read more.

If you aren’t much of a reader, but would like to be, then take this time as a great chance to give it a try, without worrying that it will be cutting into time usually allocated to other things.

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a set amount of time, and penalises you if you go on it during your set time.

Next, if you are someone who prefers to have sound on in the background, but then always ends up getting distracted by it, try putting on some audio that doesn’t have words. I know that Lo-Fi is really popular right now and can help you relax as well as offering you some audio-relief.

However, my personal favourite is to play a video from the ASMR Rooms YouTube channel! It’s a series of beautiful, hour long audio tapes that are designed to sound like different fictional locations, such as The Burrow from Harry Potter, or inside of Howl’s Moving Castle, or Rivendell from Middle Earth. They also have very subtle visuals within the screen picture, that help set the atmosphere, but also aren’t too distracting.

Firstly, if you find that your phone is too much of a distraction, leave it in another room. Just don’t take it to wherever you are planning on sitting down to read. That way it’s out of sight, out of mind. Or, if you really want to take it with you, then try utilising an app like Forest, which allows you to grow your own forest each time you stay off your phone for

Who said that reading has to be limited to sitting down and physically reading? Audiobooks are often an overlooked branch of media, but they are beginning to increase in popularity. You can get a month free on Audible, and a free book if you fancy giving it a try, or there are lots of classics available for free on YouTube or Libby. I also love using the Oodles Book app, because it’s free and has a huge selection of both audiobooks and eBooks. This can be a really great way of reading if you have a busy schedule where you are constantly moving around, as you can listen to it whilst doing chores or on your daily walk!

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Finally, I discovered that what really motivates me to read more than anything is having a Goodreads account and partaking in the yearly Goodreads goal. If you didn’t already know, Goodreads is a free social cataloging website dedicated wholly to books. Every year you can set a goal of how many books you want to complete. Millions of people take part

and at the end of the year, Goodreads will calculate your yearly page count, your percentage of books per genre and so forth. I personally find it really rewarding and motivating each time I tick another book off towards my challenge. It is not a case of who reads the most, and you can change your goal at any time, but being able to see a physical representation of your progress which can be super motivating!

Try and make it your goal to read something this month: even if it’s just one book, a graphic novel, or an audiobook. Reading can be so rewarding, and a fantastic form of escapism, especially during these uncertain times. Stay safe, and happy reading!

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TRAIN RIDE

A SHORT STORY

WRITTEN BY JOHN N . HARPER

My eyes are not my own. People frown at me when I tell them that. The eyes on my person are not the eyes I was born with. I rub them. Thinking about it makes me itch all over. Thinking about where I got these eyes unnerves me. They’re dead eyes. Eyes from a cadaver.

We pull to a stop at Gillingham train station. It’s dank. It’s dingy. And someone probably earned a great deal of cash from some unsavoury substances last night. Gillingham train station can be attributed as the perfect place for a murder scene. Thinking about it, I swear I heard something on the news.

The train takes off almost immediately after stopping. This always happens.

Trains around here never seem to

want to stay still for too long. As if they are afraid of what might happen to them. I can empathise with that fear.

The announcement for the next stop plays out from ruined speakers. Six minutes to Rainham. This train has been on the tracks for many years and has dealt with drunks and students alike. Each of those being hand-inhand. I hate to admit it, but I also fit into these categories. When you deal with alcohol, you’re filled with a false sense of freedom. You have shackles at your feet. I feel free to do as I please, as long as I conform to the metre boundary these shackles dominate.

We’re picking up speed. Towns full of people rush past me before the train

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escapes into a tunnel of orange light.

Movement is relative to ourselves.

My train is travelling yet I am in a fixed state within it. Therefore, I’m not moving at all. Merely waiting.

This might be why some of us feel unproductive. Even when we work ourselves to the bone on our computers all day, we still feel lazy.

It is near midnight and I return home this summer to visit family. Just family.

Family that I’ve been distant from for the last few years. I wish I could warn them that I’m nearly there. I did away with phones a long time ago. Pesky things. Full of voices that nobody listens to. Filled with emotional baggage and bitter souls.

It’s dark out.

I’m hesitant to look into it. Mainly because of the reflection. I can only see myself. What I am and who I’m not, where I’ve been and when I’m going. Not being able to see outside means that what exists in the world is in here. I’m in a bubble of fantasy.

The outside isn’t real when I’m in here.

I will keep that fantasy going for the remainder of this train ride.

We pull into Rainham. As dead as can be. A man in a grey hoodie gets on and shuffles past without a word. Although he hovers ever-so slightly when he smells me – passing judgement. He has no idea who I am. I think that in my head not out of vanity but out of a plead for forgiveness. Whatever brought me down this path is not his business. But if it was…then I’m sure

he’d look at me with sorrowful eyes.

The train carries on moving. A slower start than usual. I pay it no mind.

The man is sat at a chair two rows behind me. I wonder why he’s here so late. Not a single other person has passed me by this last hour. Maybe he’s as lost as I am. I doubt I could find anyone so damned.

Let’s draw attention back to my eyes.

I’m colour blind now.

The eyes that are not my own are colour blind. I see grey where there is green. Black where there is red.

And a tinge of smoke in the dwelling of yellow. My world is black and white. And that’s fine by me. For it has allowed me to look past things.

People concentrate on colour too much. When you have the ability to see no colour it becomes irrelevant.

When you have that privilege, you see how pathetic it all is. You can’t hide anything without colour.

Sometimes I feel blessed to have this.

And others I question my place in society and whether I can function as any other man or woman should. My life got turned to ash the day I lost my eyes. The accident was not so much that. People like to tell me otherwise.

I merely did what I’ve done today – meanwhile someone was plotting.

That’s it. You don’t need to know anymore…

And…oh. I wasn’t paying attention.

We’re already at the next station.

This is my stop.

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BY ANONYMOUS

EFFECTS OF

FASHION

FASHION STANDARDS

CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON

IN SOCIETY

From fashion runways to photoshoots, we always tend to see the same kind of people that are favoured in society… thin, white, and conventionally attractive people. Though recently there are brands who are looking to be more inclusive and actually attempt to represent the diversities seen in the world, the majority of the population on the globe (and still to this day) have grown up or are growing up with these ‘ideals’ of being valued on our thinness, whiteness and attractiveness (if you fancy reading more about how this ideal affects us read Florence Given’s book called Women don’t owe you pretty!). The fashion industry influences the culture in how we perceive features of our bodies and faces, through the use of using models which tend to be of one race, one body shape, and have facial features which are desired.

Many girls grow up with the notion to be ‘like these models’ and will aspire to change their appearance in order to meet the standards that have been set. These ideals are so 26 • FASH I ON • S TUDENT LIFE

harmful to individuals and large portions of society who don’t fit into these categories that are favoured.

Especially when we start to look at examples of how society puts different levels of pressure on different groups.

Features that are associated with being white such as straight hair are favoured and desired in society, but for black people there are different pressures on them to change their natural hair and will even be punished or even rejected in the workplace for being ‘unprofessional’. My own experiences will be very different to those of black, Asian, disabled and all minority groups as I am a white individual, many of these pressures I will never experience purely due to my skin colour. As a society we can do so

much better. Especially to those who are marginalized. Whilst I cannot be the voice for all, maybe you can relate to feelings of not feeling valuable and just feeling worthless because you don’t look good one day or experience situations in where people will treat you very differently though seems on the surface as nice… is usually always for other negative intentions. We are all affected differently by these pressures, and we need to change narratives and I believe it starts in the fashion industry. When brands have a group of models which is diverse and representative of society, pressures on people to appear feminine or appear masculine enough, will fade away and truly make way for happiness in society.

FASHION STANDARDS for Young Individuals

BY ANONYMOUS As the pandemic arrived and still hasn’t left… the country is noticing the extent to how important mental health is in young people. As well as disorders like eating disorders within the young population on the rise. Reasons behind this may be due to growing up with social media. Since the rise of social media, we have access to see people’s lives (fabricated and carefully selected moments of their lives may

I add). We see photos of ‘perfect’ people who seem to be flawless and have amazing clothes and are living their best lives. Before social media, in primary and secondary schools, we start to realise that what we wear and how we look can produce negative and positive reactions from people and sometimes is how we are valued.

Or when we look at older people’s reactions to the youth by believing they should dress up or

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look good because they still have their ‘youth’ and will complain at how they have lost their ‘youth’. But to not dress to flattering as young people won’t look their age. So, when we combine these together, with kids in high schools having access to social media, the pressure to look good is immense.

Therefore, with this immense pressure, there subsequently is an impact on mental health. Pressures come from everywhere and everyone,

even if it’s not intentional. But it still affects the mental health of young people. I believe when we break down our surroundings like this, it can be a lot easier to understand and reflect on our own experiences, and the ways we can look ourselves and not collapse under these pressures. So, take from this what you will, and love yourself. Take care of your health and happiness.

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PAIN IN FASHION

BY ANONYMOUS I think we all have experiences of some discomfort when it comes to fashion. For girls it’ll be items like corsets, heels, and tight clothing, and for boys it’ll be such things like uncomfortable jeans and suits. Being a girl, I can only voice my own experiences and cannot speak on behalf of boys and their pain in fashion. When I was younger, I used to dance, and the outfits and dresses I would wear would be heavy and not to mention some of the fabrics

would be itchy and just overall uncomfortable. Let alone the hours it would take to get ready. Wearing heels to events to feel more confident, though would destroy your feet and potentially still hurt days after. As well as tight clothing that would feel like its strangling your body; with my body feels like it is being suffocated as I go to eat dinner or any meal. I think many people go to great lengths in order to feel and look confident to the extent that it pushes and pulls their body in all directions in order to look ‘perfect’.

But none of it is healthy… it’s healthy to feel confident and have self- image confidence. But when it gets to the point of becoming damaging to your body is when we need to evaluate our habits and beliefs. The examples I’ve listed are some of my own experiences and I say it’s unhealthy because I’ve been in the position to where I am constantly checking my body and checking makeup and clothes; and I let it be how I valued myself. At the end of the day, our bodies’ job is to keep us alive, and pushing and pulling it to fit in a dress or withstand heels for hours on end can be damaging.

Pain in fashion can be seen everywhere, but we need to love our bodies first before we try to fit into fashion ideals that expect us to do these painful activities in order to look ‘perfect’.

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BEAUTY CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON

SUMMER HAIR REMOVAL

BY LIBBY DAWSON

The warm weather has FINALLY arrived and my shorts and dresses are back in the wardrobe. Whilst this is one of my favourite times of the year, something I do love about the Autumn and Winter months is not feeling like I need to shave my body hair; it’s easy to throw on some jeans and feel comfortable. Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy in the summer.

I envy the girls who can embrace their natural body hair and prickly-ness, it saves a lot of money, time and stress… the dream. But for me personally, I much prefer being silky smooth, and together with having super dark hair and super sensitive skin, this time of year is not an easy one.

Shaving is the most popular form of hair removal but it isn’t for everyone, me being one of those people. My skin cannot put up with the constant razor rash and ingrown hairs. I’m also very 30 • BE A UT Y • S TUDENT LIFE

SUPPORTED BY

lazy and cannot keep up with the rapid regrowth. However with that being said, it is a cheap, easy, quick method of hair removal that can be done at any time. Just remember to keep your skin moisturised and your razor blade sharp! TOP TIP: I’ve sometimes found that men’s razors have a much sharper blade, so if you’re not getting along with your one, it might be time to switch it up!

Using an epilator isn’t a popular choice for many but it is incredibly successful, especially as you can use it with any hair length. There will be less bumps and ingrown hairs as the hair is removed from the root, and this also means that the regrowth time period is longer too! Braun’s Silk Epil 9 retails at around £100 which seems a lot, but remember that buying an epilator is a one off expense. For me, it’s just that bit too painful!

Removal creams are another good option, especially because it’s budget friendly, easy, and you can do it at any time. I think it’s a good balance between shaving and waxing as it lasts a little longer than shaving and the hairs grow softer. With that being said, if you have sensitive skin you need to be careful and buy the correct product. Also, because of the chemicals, you cannot use it on all areas of your body so you may need to use it alongside another method.

Thankfully, Veet have many different options for different areas of your body and for different skin types.

Waxing is an incredibly popular form

of hair removal and one that I favour.

People are sometimes put off by the pain or embarrassment that waxing endures. However, you need to remember that our waxers do their job every day; they’ve seen millions of pairs of hairy legs and they do not care about yours! With regards to the pain,, after a few appointments, you really get used to it and realise it’s not bad at all. It is a little pricier in comparison to a razor or cream, however the results are much longer lasting, with less ingrown hairs.

Finally, we have laser hair removal which is my personal favourite form of removal. It’s the only form of removal that permanently removes the hair so for me, it’s already a winner. It’s not completely pain free but the sessions are quick! It can be expensive and you do have to wait six weeks in between sessions; it’s not a fast process. But with that being said, you do see results immediately and it is a permanent change!

With all hair removal methods you need to make sure you’re taking care of your skin. Some methods do not allow sun exposure prior to or after removal and other methods make it difficult to absorb skincare products (including sun cream, tanning products and moisturiser). Therefore you need to do your research, speak to the experts (if going to a salon) and do what’s best for you and your aesthetic preference! Remember what works for somebody else may not suit you and your skin.

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TRAVEL CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON

What NOT to do

WHEN TRAVELLING

BY ANONYMOUS

When we are travelling we tend to know the basics like being organised and all the other boring bits like paperwork. Though what things are included that actually makes you organised? Well, that’s what we’re here to talk about!

Before you get to the airport if you

have a suitcase and an extra bag to take with you on the plane. Make sure you either have no liquids whatsoever in your rucksack or handbag when you go through security! Or if you must have liquids like sanitiser (which in this day and age is a must) then make sure its already in a little plastic bag before going through security. By doing these, you save time going through the airport security as well as saving stress of being stopped just purely because you forgot you have a lip balm rolling around in the bottom of your bag!

If you have a lot of technology and need quick access to chargers etc,

make sure they can be easily accessed rather than having to empty a suitcase or bag just to find it. Or even better, if you have the money, find a smart suitcase that has a portable charger on it in which you can charge your phone and everything else. In this case, make sure you have that portable charger charged before you leave the house!

Last and not least is to have a checklist! We’ve all heard this before,

and all at some point or another underestimated its potential. Having a list of items to pack and ticking them off as you go along or even certain jobs to be done can be so helpful. The general stress of travelling can be better managed if you have a checklist of all the necessities, which clothes you need and any essentials like chargers and toothbrushes!

These are all things commonly known, but sometimes we could all use the reminder or just encouragement to be better organised!

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MY WORST TRAVEL STORY

BY ANONYMOUS Being an athlete, I’ve competed for my country on a few occasions. But my worst travel story was when I missed a flight back home on my first ever time representing Great Britain abroad in a world cup for my chosen sport. Needless to say, I did not leave a great first impression on those around me, let alone the reasons for why I missed the flight back home. It was a very rushed trip to the airport and running around with suitcases etc, though once our

luggage was sorted and had gone through security; the team had gone to McDonalds to eat as we had left early and didn’t eat breakfast, in which I was last and left to finish my food.

After two minutes there was a phone call saying, ‘where are you?!’ through a very panicked voice of urgency. Subsequently there was a lot of running around the airport, in which I ended up at the wrong terminal, which wasted a lot of time. I had to run across what felt like miles and miles of airport to get to the right terminal. However even after all the running there was no hope as I had missed the flight by ten minutes (though I would still argue it would have been perfectly fine to have allowed me onto the flight! Though the staff refused). With many around me being shocked I had missed the flight as well as many phone calls of being disappointed. As well as an extra telling off when I got home. I wouldn’t say the trip was five stars, though I was certainly remembered for missing the flight and being one of the first in the sport to miss one! That was the story of how I missed a flight due to eating at McDonalds… may or may not have had the wrong priority that day!

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MY PLANET CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON

OUR PLANET Photo Album

It’s super important to be reminded why our planet is so special.

Sometimes we take our amazing surroundings for granted so we’ve decided to share some photographs to remind you that where we live is worth taking care of. These gorgeous photos are taken by our photography co editor Sophie; she can be found on Instagram at @sophsinfocus.

If you have any pictures that you think would fit in our new Our Planet Photo Album series, please email them to libby@student-life.co

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FELIXSTOWE PIER, Felixstowe Beach, Suffolk

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THE ORWELL BRIDGE Ipswich, Suffolk

CHRISTCHURCH PARK Ipswich, Suffolk

THE WATERFRONT Ipswich, Suffolk

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ECO FRIENDLY PICNIC

BY LIBBY DAWSON

Now that we are able to spend time enjoying the outdoors, it’s important to remember that we can all try harder to incorporate greener lifestyle habits into our daily lives. I want to share some of my tips to help you help to preserve our planet.

DITCHING THE PLASTIC STRAWS

It shouldn’t need to be said but unfortunately there are still copious amounts of plastic straws being thrown around. If you haven’t already, pick up some metal or bamboo straws!

USE ECO FRIENDLY TUPPERWARE

LIFT SHARE

Sharing the journey is one of the most sustainable ways to travel. Most of the time it’s incredibly unnecessary for everyone in the group to be driving towards the same location.

THINK LOCAL

Using local produce for your picnic and supporting small businesses is always going to be a more sustainable choice.

Why not pick up some food from your local farm shop instead of driving to a big supermarket. As well as this, try to enjoy the natural surroundings on your doorstep. These are often taken for granted and it saves you wasting those carbon emissions driving to an over populated touristic spot.

USING LEFTOVERS

Often, traditional picnic food is packaged in a lot of plastic which is usually left behind. Why not try making something out of what you already have in the cupboards. If you’re having pasta for dinner, make extra for a salad the next day! You won’t only be reducing food waste by using what you have, but you’ll also save your pennies too.

TAKE YOUR RUBBISH

Similarly, ditch the plastic plates, cups and cutlery too! Using picnic ware that you can reuse is much better for the environment and you can buy some really cute bamboo sets too! They’re definitely becoming more popular and it’s really important to make these simple changes to reduce the amount of waste.

We all know that at the popular picnic spots the bins can get VERY full. I’ve seen awful examples of rubbish being left unnecessarily, why put it on the floor next to the bin when you can take it home? It’s important to try and reduce the amount of waste you produce, but when you do have something, take it with you and dispose of it appropriately.

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SEXUAL HEALTH

CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL

38 • SE XUA L H E A LT H • S TUDENT LIFE

A short message about your sexual health: During the Covid-19 pandemic we are encouraging you to follow Government social distancing advice to make sure you keep yourself and others safe.

Tips to keep safe: n keep your distance from people not in your household (2 metres apart where possible and at least 1 metre otherwise) n wash your hands regularly n don’t meet people outside for activities where you can’t safely socially distance, this includes for sex.

2m

Now is a good time to think about your sexual health.

What you can do 1 Stock up on condoms You might not be able to access normal Terrence Higgins Trust services for a while but you can get free condoms posted to you at an address you choose. See links below.

2 Make sure you haven’t been passed on an infection during sex You can get tested for sexually transmitted infections for free by ordering an STI testing kit online to be sent to an address you choose OR by calling the iCaSH sexual health clinic on 0300 300 3030. iCaSH clinics are still open but by appointment only.

Don’t worry, anything we send you is delivered in discrete packaging by Royal Mail.

Get more information or support: n To get free condoms by post visit tht.org.uk search for “free condoms” n For free chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing tht.org.uk search for “chlamydia” n For contraception and other STI testing icash.nhs.uk/suffolk or call 0300 300 3030. n For short videos on how to use a condom, consent and other sexual health advice - youngandfree.org.uk n HIV and sexual health – tht.org.uk

CONSENT: When things start to get back to normal we understand that you might want to hook up with someone. Please remember that it’s important to make sure you have got clear consent, an enthusiastic yes.

Check out our video on consent at youngandfree.org.uk

Thanks very much and we’ll see you at some point in the future. Stay safe.

MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR MIA PATIENCE AND GLORIA DARGATZ

My name is HeatherMae (often go as Heather) and I’m a 22-yearold cis female living in Ipswich. I have 3 pet birds and was an owner of a baby corn snake (and very quickly not… but that’s a story for another time.) But anyway, I am delighted to be introducing myself to you guys as the new Mental Health Development Lead here at Student Life.

As Mental Health Development Lead you’ll be seeing me in regard to the Mental Health Ambassador programme and on-going and new mental health projects going on here. I knew I had to get involved with all the amazing charity work that Student Life

do with young people, as from when I was 15, I have struggled with mental ill health such as anxiety & depression. I tell you; it hasn’t been an easy journey to recovery and I’m still learning more about myself, other people and mental health as a whole. But I feel very lucky to stand here on the other side and say it does get better and that I’m here to help.

I’m so excited to be starting this new journey with Student Life and to be working closely with you guys to spread mental health awareness; through your voice and creativity.

Together I’m passionate we can break the stigma and work together to make society kinder to us and others.

If making a positive difference in mental health sounds like a bit of you, then please consider becoming a Mental Health Ambassador here at Student Life. You’ll be working in a young person’s working group with regional & national mental health organisations to steer their young people’s work. All I need from you is an email with your mobile phone number for more information and I’ll add you to the WhatsApp group to get started.

Alternatively, if you have any ideas for what you’d like to see us do for mental health awareness, want to find out how I lost my pet snake Noodle or just want to say hi – please send me an email at heather@studentlife.org.uk.

For now, keep safe and thank you for reading!

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DRUG MONOLOGUE WRITTEN BY KYLE OVENS I’m sorry. I’m so-so sorry. I should have seen the signs right from the start, but I didn’t. I was too angry, too hateful, and now you lay 6-feet under the earth with only a stone slab as your last mark in history.

We used to be so close. What happened? I guess it all changed once mum died. You couldn’t cope and you needed something to keep you afloat in life. I thought that role was mine… not the substance that you injected into your arm.

Your eyes used to be a source of light and warmth during winter nights – so how come I didn’t question when they began radiating despair. We used to be so close like Han Solo and Chewbacca – so how come I didn’t question when you began splinting away. I should have seen the signs right from the start.

What happened to the nights we spent lying underneath the stars?

When the only thing that mattered was each other. You closed yourself off and the person who was once my

friend – became another face in the crowd.

With every puncture of your skin, you felt guilt – I know that now, I just wish I knew it sooner. You needed love and compassion, but I didn’t give. I was too angry, too afraid that I’ll lose you… just like we lost mum.

If I could go back – I’ll tell you that it’s ok. I’ll grab your hand, just like I used to and while staring into the eyes of the person that I love… I’ll say that I don’t blame you. You were my light, my guardian, my hero – and I should have been yours. I tried to, but all I did was enable you.

When you were financially broke – I had the cash. When you were starving – I had the meal. I thought I was your protector, not the wall between you and the consequences.

Helping you felt like an impossible task on my own and I hated you for it. To help you, I needed to help myself and be a positive light in your darkness. But I didn’t do that, instead I focused on you and now I lost you.

I guess what I’m saying is… I failed you and I’m sorry.

IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

MENTAL HEALTH in Fiction WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH TURNER

How modern media’s attempts to combat the taboo surrounding mental health may be more damaging than it seems.

In recent years mental health has become a largely discussed topic throughout all forms of media, especially in film and television. As we are seeing a rise in representation of characters struggling with these issues, it leads many of us to question both the motives and impacts of these stories being told.

This explains how disorders such as depression and anxiety can be glamorized and made to seem nicer than they are in order to fit the storyline of the film. This can mean that the characters in these fictional pieces who are struggling with disorders tend to find them being resolved by the end of the narrative, creating a false idea that mental health issues are easily dealt with and things can become normal straight after. This can be harmful as it makes viewers feel as if they are weak because they are constantly seeing stories of others handling the same issues as them in a healthier manner. When in reality that is not the case; mental health

There is no doubt that as a society we have adapted hugely in comparison to decades ago in terms of attitudes to mental health, with there being so many positive changes including more open discussions, support groups, and charities to combat these issues that everybody faces. However it is just as important that we pay attention to not only the amount of coverage that is being given to mental health, but also the ways that it is portrayed through the storylines and characters seen.

Most would agree that it is important for films and shows to be entertaining for the viewers but this raises issues with mental health issues being depicted in the ‘Good Story Problem’.

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is much more complex than that, as dealing with and recovering from mental health issues can be messy and complicated. It is never as easy as when we see the television characters realise they are struggling with poor mental health, seek help, and resolve it within the same time period of their life. Mental health doesn’t commedate to a ninety minute feature film.

to receive any help for the struggles you face which is not true. Despite what is being shown to us through our television screens, there is no correct way to act as a person with mental health issues. The only priority is attempting to work through it and learn how to take care of yourself, which projects itself in many ways for different people.

There is also a huge issue with the way the character is presented and as a result of that how their mental health is portrayed. For example a protagonist will be placed in the position of a hero and survivor because of their mental health issue whereas the antagonist of a story will be villainized for the struggles caused by their mental health. The approach to somebody with mental health issues should never be determined by their likeability as a person and this is a stigma perpetuated by modern media. It creates a myth that you have to act a certain way to be able

So, it is important for people to remember that the way mental health is illustrated in modern media is in no way an accurate representation of reality. To conclude there is no correct way to portray mental health in fiction as it manifests itself in so many different ways for different people.

The key thing to remember is to not rely too much on film and television for information on mental health. If you are looking to find out information about mental health issues there are many other outlets for facts and support.

IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

4 4 • M E NTA L H E A LT H • S TUDENT LIFE

LOVE YOUR Summer Self WRITTEN BY GLORIA DARGATZ

It is getting hotter outside, the sun lights up your room longer at night, and your friends keep asking you to go out for ice cream. Summer is here and it is here to stay. But with the weather getting warmer and the clothes getting thinner and shorter, often times our personal insecurities rise. Especially when it gets to our body and the way we look.

Some of us might regret to not have been on a diet or to not have been working out those last months. Usually summer hits us faster, than eating up a cup of ice cream, doesn't it?

The things we feel insecure about often fade away in winter, when we hide them under big jumpers and baggy trousers. We cover our pimples in makeup and go home early at night.

There is no time to think about the things we do not like about ourselves, there is no space to feel self-conscious.

IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

But as soon as we get to the (in my eyes) best time of the year, summer, the time where we are free to go out, when time feels endless, that seems to be the time, we remember our insecurities and with that, most of us, lose the love for enjoyment. We center everything about the way we appear to be. About the pimple that gets washed off from your sweat, about the skirt, that only in your eyes makes you look bad or the thought of having to hang out with people, you do not feel good around.

Why is it, that in summer, the brightest time of the year, a lot of us, tear ourselves down? We should not be worrying about the things that we think make us look bad, that we might or might not be able to change. It is not worth it, if only you see it.

You are you, you are perfect the way you are.

the tight fitting skirt you bought, won't slimmer your worth.

The only thing that you should do, is start enjoying your summer! Start enjoying being and feeling free. Go out with people you want to be with, wear the outfit you like, embrace yourself, love yourself.

Because nothing can take the beauty away from you that comes within you, nobody and nothing (not a single thing) can take you away from you!

Life is too short to worry about the workout you have missed. It is too short to feel self-conscious about what you wear.

And let me tell you, it is okay to feel insecure about something, to not feel comfortable in everything. But it is your responsibility to not let the thing you feel self-conscious about take over the love of your (summer) self!

And the pimple on your forehead or

4 6 • M E NTA L H E A LT H • S TUDENT LIFE

IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BROUGHT UP ANY EMOTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE REFER TO OUR CONTACT LIST AT THE END OF THIS SECTION

Support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse

07765 052282

survivorsintransition.co.uk

Arts in mental health and wellbeing

insideout community.com

For confidential suicide prevention advice contact

0800 068 4141 papyrus-uk.org

Advice, guidance and practical support

01473 252607 4yp.org.uk

The mental health charity offering support and guidance

0300 111 6000 mind.org.uk

depressionuk.org Run by people with experience of living with anxiety and stress

03444 775 774 anxietyuk.org.uk

We’ve got lots of advice about looking after yourself

0800 1111

childline.org.uk

Improving teenage mental health by stemming commonly occurring MH issues at an early stage

www.stem4.org.uk Whether you’re stressed, anxious, low or depressed, we can help

0300 123 1503

wellbeingnands.co.uk Advice for those affected by low mood, depression and suicidal thinking.

studentsagainst depression.org Support people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide

0300 111 5065 uksobs.org

NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL

A national self-help organisation helping people cope with their depression.

NATIONAL

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turning-point.co.uk

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lighthousewa.org.uk

Providing a wide range of health and wellbeing services

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01473 228270

giveusashout.org

NOR/SUFFOLK

Supporting women who have suffered or are at risk of domestic abuse

Text 85258

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thecalmzone.net

In a Crisis? Anxious?

Worried? Stressed?

Shout for 24/7 help

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0800 58 58 58

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Campaign against living miserably

SUFFOLK

samaritans.org

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116 123

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When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year.

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www.familyfirst-uk.org

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0300 772 7715

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Supporting families through change

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IN AN EMERGENCY PHONE 999 FOR NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROBLEMS CALL NHS 111

PHYSICAL HEALTH & SPORT CO-EDITOR VACANCY

JAB, TEST, PROTECT THE REST Everyone in Suffolk is being asked to test twice a week and to take their vaccine as soon as it is offered to them.

Here’s what you can do to protect yourself, your friends and your family from catching and spreading COVID-19.

Of the Suffolk population of 761,350, a total of 629,889 are eligible to receive the vaccine.

GET YOUR VACCINE

NHS vaccination figures show that of those eligible, many have had two doses, but almost 40% have only had one dose - or no vaccine at all. That figure does not even include children who are not eligible for a vaccine but can - and do - get infected.

This means that almost four in ten people in Suffolk have had either one or no jabs at all and therefore risk catching the virus or passing it on to other people.

Everyone over the age of 18 in the UK can now book their COVID-19 vaccination.

You do not need to wait to be contacted by the NHS. Vaccines help: • reduce your risk of getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 • reduce your risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 • protect against COVID-19 variants Book your vaccine at nhs.uk/ coronavirusvaccine

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Although the vaccine is highly effective - more than 80% after two doses – one dose is only around 33% effective.

Make sure you book both doses to get the maximum protection the vaccine offers.

TEST REGULARLY

Everyone can do their bit in curbing the spread of COVID-19 by testing regularly. The more cases of infection that can be identified and isolated the harder we make it for the virus to spread throughout Suffolk.

Used regularly, lateral flow tests can help pick up the presence of the virus in a person. It is important to test regularly even if you have no symptoms, as 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 do not show any symptoms.

If you are regularly attending school, college, or further education, you can test regularly to help keep yourself, your friends and your family safe.

The more people either with the virus or who have been exposed to it that we can identify and isolate, the less chance there is of them passing it on to others who may be only partially vaccinated or who have not had the vaccine at all and are at risk.

Lateral flow kits can be ordered online at GOV.UK, by calling NHS 119, you can get them from any library or pharmacy in Suffolk.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, including a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, you must isolate immediately and book a PCR test online at GOV.UK.

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• on public transport • in shops • when you go to hospital appointments or visit someone in hospital

SPACE

Stay at least 2 meters (3 steps) apart from people you are not meeting with.

The fewer people you meet, particularly over a short space of time, the lower your chances are of picking up and spreading COVID-19.

Remember: Hands, Face, Space and let fresh air in!

There are simple things we can all do to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

HANDS

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or use a hand sanitiser.

Wash your hands for 20 approximately seconds. Some good times to wash your hands are: • When you arrive at school, college or University, and when you get home, • before and after you eat or prepare food • after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing • after using the toilet

There is a chance you might still get or spread COVID-19 even if you have a vaccine, so it's important to continue to follow all social distancing guidance.

FRESH AIR

Let fresh air into your home by opening windows, doors and air vents as much as possible.

An infected person releases COVID-19 particles into the air by coughing, talking or simply breathing.

FACE

If you can, wear something that covers your nose and mouth in places where it's hard to stay away from other people.

There are some places where you must wear a face covering, such as: 51 • I SSUE 44 • S TUDENT LIFE

When you are in enclosed spaces the infected particles can build up over time and remain suspended in the air, so those in the room are more likely to breathe in the infected particles, especially if there is no ventilation. As we begin to meet others inside, it’s so important we open windows so fresh air can disperse and blow COVID-19 particles away.

or ask someone to bring it to your home • do not have visitors in your home, including friends and family – except for people providing essential care • do not go out to exercise – exercise at home or in your garden, if you have one Visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus for more information about COVID-19

Remember: when you let friends in, let fresh air in too.

Isolation – if you have symptoms of COVID-19, or come into contact with somebody who later tests positive, you must isolate immediately.

This means you: • do not go to work, school or public places – work from home if you can • do not go on public transport or use taxis • do not go out to get food and medicine – order it online or by phone, 52 • P H YSI CA L H E A LT H & SP OR T • S TUDENT LIFE

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2m

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FOOD

CO-EDITOR AARON BEAVIS

RUBY

CHOCOLATE: FAB OR FAD?

BY AARON BEAVIS There’s this thing called chocolate. You might have heard of it. Until recently, it came in three major different forms, namely milk, white and dark. Friends can be made and lost over which chocolate you like the most or least.

My sister won’t speak to me because I defended dark chocolate. The discussion became quite different for me when I first tried ruby chocolate however. Kit-Kat released a ruby chocolate edition a few years ago and this was before most people knew about it so I was amused to see a pink Kit-Kat assuming it was just coloured white chocolate. I was shocked to learn it was in fact something much bigger than that.

Ruby chocolate is just hitting the mainstream market. You can now quite easily find it in many forms: bar, ice lolly, hot drink and more. Many

big brands have released products incorporating ruby chocolate which means Kit-Kat was ahead of the curve I guess. However, it’s hard to know whether this is just a trend or in fact a new mainstay of the chocolate world that the next generation will be shocked to learn wasn’t around when we were young kids.

It started being developed around 2004 and was first unveiled about a decade later in 2017. In the 4 years since, it has quickly risen in popularity.

It has an almost sour flavour which is oddly reminiscent of berries and I guess you could say it takes up a new corner of the flavour quadrant.

Milk is the standard, dark represents bitter, white represents sweet and ruby represents sour. I guess we’re just waiting for the discovery of salt chocolate now. Anyway, it’s also distinct for its colour which is a pretty vibrant pink considering its all-natural colour.

I personally enjoy the taste, especially in hot chocolate form, but I theorise that the chocolate’s presence as an aesthetic treat for the eyes is also a big contributor to success. In an age of social media moguls and Instagram stars, how pleasing something is to look at is extremely important for any

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product on the market. Companies can sell a million T-Shirts if they look really cool but actually don’t have very impressive workmanship or fit.

What is perhaps most impressive is this chocolate’s acceleration in popularity. It’s still not part of what I call the collective knowledge of society, for example that the three primary colours are red, blue and yellow, and I do know people who are unaware of it but Costa has released a whole new line of drinks with ruby chocolate as the key ingredient.

Magnum has released multiple ruby chocolate products recently. It shows definite progress from when I was offered a ruby Kit-Kat and just stared back at my friend in confusion. Side note: don’t be surprised if that product sees a re-release now that it’s on trend.

It’s hard to predict whether this new product is just a fad. We could currently be at its peak with a steady decline around the corner. We could also be at the beginning of its slow but sure ascent toward being just as known as the original chocolate

trifecta. In terms of flavour, it definitely offers something new. Its fruity sourness is quite unique and you can now remake any existing chocolate product but with an entirely new flavour. Ruby chocolate brownies are something I need to try as well as chocolate puddle cakes which is what my family calls those things where there’s just melted chocolate in the middle that oozes out as you tuck in.

I want to see ruby eggs on the shelf at Easter too with those pink noses on the chocolate bunnies made out of it also. I think that, as simple as it might seem, the novelty of a chocolate that is naturally pink is extremely fun and I don’t expect that to wear off for a while.

Arguably, a more important question is this: does it matter? And the answer is: no! Popular foods, drinks, clothes always come and go and then come back again and on and on. Most things these days see a revival only a few decades later such as the 80s which has been in fashion for what feels like a decade. Ruby chocolate is a fun new thing that might not be popular for long but is popular for now. They may not always sell ruby chocolate products in droves like they do now so let’s enjoy it while we have it.

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A Multi-Purpose

FRUIT SAUCE RECIPE

BY AARON BEAVIS

Fruit is a mainstay of the food world. Like lots of other food groups though, different foods within it have drastically different appearances, flavours and textures.

It often helps to lift a dish with a sense of freshness and sometimes a tartness or tang, like lemon sauce on top of a very rich cheesecake.

However, it can be intimidating knowing what to do with fruit when cooking or baking, especially if you’ve never worked with it before.

This ‘recipe’ is for a fruit sauce that can be used with any fruit but is also extremely easy to tailor to each individual’s preference that can be used with a plethora of dishes, for example scones which I personally love to pair with this sauce.

ALL YOU NEED FOR THIS SAUCE IS: • • • • • •

Fruit (as many different kinds as you want) Cornflour Water Sugar Additional spices and flavouring Saucepan

You can really use any fruit you want.

I’ve personally enjoyed cherries, raspberries, blueberries, mangos and combinations thereof. You can make a more traditional strawberry sauce or you can make a fruit cocktail of unconventional fruit pairings. Make sure to chop up your fruit into small pieces about the size of a blueberry

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so anything that size or smaller can be left as it is. This recipe can also be done with frozen or unfrozen fruit although it will take longer if the fruit is frozen.

First, place the saucepan on the hob and turn it to a medium heat. Put all the fruit you want to use into the saucepan – I would recommend at absolute most filling the saucepan half full of fruit but even then you probably would want to use less unless you’re cooking for a lot of people. From now on, the fruit will need semi-regular attention and stirring to make sure none of the fruit burns. Next, put two tablespoons of cornflour in a small bowl and add a little bit of cold water, then mix. You can use anything to mix it but I admit I take the manual approach and use my finger so I can make sure that the cornflour is dissolved in the water which usually takes about 3 seconds of mixing. After this, add the mixture to the saucepan.

The cornflour is this recipe’s prime ingredient because it’s what makes the sauce thicker. Without it, you’ve got warm fruit with juice.

From this point forward, the recipe is basically in your own hands. After adding cornflour, the liquid coming out of the fruit should start to thicken slowly but surely. If after 10/15 minutes, you don’t think it’s thick enough then repeat the cornflour mixture step – depending on the fruits you’ve used you might have to do this 3 maybe even 4 times. The consistency I personally like is when you can wipe

your finger on the back of the wooden spoon and it leaves a clear line. Sugar is also something you have to decide for yourself. For example, I once made a blueberry sauce that I found needed a lot more sugar than what I usually put into my previous fruit sauces.

Tasting is key! I also recommend adding spices and seasoning like cinnamon.

This sauce can really be anything you want it to. You could add less cornflour and make it something to drizzle over a dessert. You could really thicken it up so it’s almost like a jam.

You could serve it warm with fresh scones or you could refrigerate it and later spread it over toast. You could cut the fruit up less, or you could chop it up into incredibly fine pieces to make something much smoother.

If you really wanted to change the base recipe, you could try making something akin to a cherry and chocolate sauce by grating chocolate into the saucepan toward the end of the recipe.

I am no confectioner and I really struggle sometimes in making food that doesn’t amount to mixing everything together and putting it in the oven for half an hour because I get over-stressed but this is one of the few recipes that I can whip out of my back pocket and use with any fruit I have in the kitchen. It’s a multi-purpose fruit sauce perfect for when you have leftover fruit you’re unsure of what to do with.

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MY LIFE CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL

Intro to

SOPHIE DEBENHAM

Hi! My name is Sophie and I’m the new co editor of photography at Student Life! I am also a first year photography student at Suffolk New. I have been doing work experience with Student Life taking photos and writing a few articles for a few years now! I have done a few articles recently which were meet the artist and interviewing Wendy Gurvara!

Outside of Student Life I have my own photography page I mainly run on instagram called @sophsinfocus which I have been doing for 5 years now! I show my work mainly of landscapes of Suffolk to my 4k+ followers on instagram along with nature,portrait, product and whatever I find interesting to photograph. I have taken a wide range of photos in and around Suffolk

including Orwell Bridge,Felixstowe seafront, Bury st edmunds and more. I also take portraits of my friends but I’m always looking for other people to get involved which is one thing I am looking to expand in the future. I felt during the lockdown it was a hard time for creators as a whole but this gave huge opportunity for creators of all types to have a space to show their talents off.

And I found that with my own content personally I was able to do things in a more creative way. Im always looking to expand in my work so if this is of interest to you then please email me which you can find on my instagram.

My interests outside of photography are sports and music. I love to watch football and rugby both at stadiums and at home. I also love music too I listen to a lot of rap and rnb but I especially like to listen to more 90s/00s songs too. I am a very creative and bubbly person which I think really reflects in my work and what I do. In the future I’m hoping to get back to shooting exciting and creative content with things returning to some what normality and I’m excited for future projects with Student life and within my own work.

I am so excited to embark on this new journey with Student Life as i love to search for up coming and aspiring talent across different areas of the uk within the photography industry. If you are an aspiring photographer looking for a platform to showcase your work apon then please send me a email. If your interested in seeing more of my work then follow @sophsinfocus :)

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INTERVIEW with SUFFOLK

COUNTY COUNCILLOR

NATHAN WILSON

BY RACHEL MITCHELL

Nathan Wilson has recently been elected as a Suffolk County Councillor in Ipswich. At just 18 years old, Nathan is one of (if not the) youngest County Councillors in the country. Our editor Rachel, met with Nathan to find out how the opportunity came about and what plans have been made for the year ahead.

Hey! Please introduce yourself, who you are, where you studied at school and where you’re studying now I am Nathan Wilson. I studied at ‘The Willows’ which was a small primary school within Chantry (The area which I now represent) for most of my primary school years.

I went to Stoke High School and then Suffolk One. I studied and have always had a passion for both History, Politics and the humanities section of education as a whole.

I was thinking about going to Canterbury or Essex for University before lockdown happened. Everyone said lockdown would be over by October but even back in March I thought I would switch to Suffolk for a year and see how it goes. However, I don’t think I’m going to move as I really enjoy this University – my history course is number one for student satisfaction and it really shows.

Have you always had an interest in politics?

It really started in 2015. Beforehand, like most, if you had had asked me the difference between Cameron and Clegg, I could not have picked them out of a line-up even if they had name tags!

Though during that election was when the first beginnings of an interest in politics came to me, I was watching debates and was really fascinated by it, an anarchic battle of wits and words.

When the Brexit referendum came around, it was the biggest campaign this country has ever seen. The whole campaigning, the whole drive and passion fascinated me, not to mention showing the power of the everyday person to make such grand changes

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and that is what first kicked it off.

I started delving more into it, keeping a close eye on anything and everything to do with politics, helped along by a certainly not dull US election campaign and started reading into history, political philosophy and key political figures both modern and historical stretching up from the likes of Augustus, Churchill to Obama to name just a small few.

During work experience back in high school, I had arranged to go and work with former MP Ben Gummer but then an election was called, and my work experience was going to take place in Parliament after the election.

I was due to go but then he had unfortunately lost his seat so I could not but ended up working around different departments of the county council instead.

At what point did the idea of standing for election happen?

Well, elections were meant to be held last year and I would not have been old enough. When they moved it around this was my opportunity, the idea had always floated about but it was not till 2019 that I actively got involved on the political scene, for the first time openly campaigning locally for both local and general elections, Thanks partially in part to a certain blonde bumbler for, for all his wiff waff, shares a passion with me about this country and getting things done.

I always hear people complaining about how things are done, that their voices felt unheard, so I thought might as well jump into the game

that is politics for them, you may get admiration for it, you will undoubtedly get hate for it but that does not matter as you don’t get anything If you just wait for it to happen on its own, its down to you to get what you and they want done.

There was a lot of seats to choose from, but I chose Chantry because that is the area I live in and I know it best.

To many it was a surprise that I chose Chantry because it was not a winnable seat for Conservatives for the past 12 years, but you must take that bombastic step into these things which paid off, in all it ended up being my first-time voting, first time standing, first time winning.

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a day, and I think that is what pushed it because it was sheer visibility. It was a non-stop intense campaign. Usually, you would have six months to do this, but we had roughly a month.

Was there any part that you found really rewarding?

People said ‘Oh, be careful. Because you’re a young candidate, some people are not going to vote because of your age.’ I did not see that at all.

The older people were my biggest supporters, they were like ‘Oh, it’s fantastic, someone your age’. They were ecstatic about a young person standing as were people my own age.

Another thing was on the door that there was genuine good feeling from the community, so many were passionate and were happy to speak their mind freely to us, traits that have not been dulled in the slightest by the pandemic, which is fantastic to see.

What was the process of standing for election like?

I had to do an interview with the local association, which I was nervous about, you always think the best thing to say about an hour after you need it, but it obviously had gone well in hindsight. That was back in November I was selected but I could not talk about it publicly until February/March which was when we knew the elections were going ahead and not be pushed back again. As soon as the first easing of lockdown began, I went out almost every single day, door to door, talking to people, canvassing or delivering.

I was doing tens of thousands of steps

Can you share what your goals are for the next year?

One thing on the door to door was always roads, roads, roads so for my local campaign that needs to be a priority for me. There are two personal ones that keep coming up. One is around environmentalism and the other is encouraging the aspirations of young people. many have aspirations but are losing them and their falling into drugs and/or drug gangs. So that is a priority for me, making sure young people aren’t getting pushed into the cycle of drugs and violence.

Thanks so much Nathan. We wish you every success in the year ahead.

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LGBT

CO-EDITOR CELESTE SPAIN

DIVERSE READING RECOMMENDATIONS; AUTHORS OF COLOUR AND LGBTQ+ REP

BY ROSIE WEDGE

Diversity and representation in books are so important and is something that I have strived to meet this year more so than ever. Not just during pride month or in the light of recent events, but always. I think it’s really important to try and engage with ownvoices literature, and to read about the experiences of others so we can best educate ourselves. So, I wanted to share with you some of my favourite books with LGBTQ+ representation, books written by and sharing the experiences of POC, particularly black authors, and even a few that capture both!

CLAP WHEN YOU LAND BY ELIZABETH ACEVEDO

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Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my favourite contemporary authors, full stop. She has such a wonderful way of telling deep, poignant stories full of real experiences that also capture

the beautiful, diversity of her culture, as well as the hardships she has faced. Like The Poet X, Clap When You Land is told in verse. I used to be quite apprehensive about reading a book told fully in verse, but Acevedo absolutely nails it. Her latest release is possibly my favourite of her work so far, and as the verse makes for such a quick read. I think its best going into this knowing as little as possible, and just letting Acevedo’s powerful narration tell this heartbreaking yet inspiring story. If possible, I would highly recommend picking up her work in audiobook format; she narrates her own books and does so fantastically. You can really feel the passion she puts into her stories.

THE BLACK FLAMINGO BY DEAN ATTA

Also told in verse, The Black Flamingo is one of the boldest stories I have ever read, and I have nothing but

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good things to say about it. The story follows a teenage boy who is at first struggling to come to terms with his identity as a mixed-race, gay teenager.

However, when he goes to university, he finally begins to learn to embrace his uniqueness and self-identity when he becomes The Black Flamingo; a drag artist. This book was awarded the Stonewall Book Award (2020) and was a Carnegie Medal Nominee (2020).

Atta is known for his inspiring, ownvoices fiction; however, I think that The Black Flamingo is an excellent starting point if you want to support his work.

FELIX EVER AFTER BY KACEN CALLENDER

Callender is another Stonewall awardwinning author, and for a very good reason. This beautiful story follows Felix Love, a transgender teen who is trying to come to terms with their self-discovery and identity, whilst also experiencing love for the first time. What I especially love about Felix Ever After is that our protagonist is already proud of his identity, all of them in fact. However, what he struggles with is whether he is ‘one marginalisation too many’, as a black, queer, transgender teen. Callender perfectly captures that the experience of being self-accepting not always

being the end of the journey; there is more beyond that. This book takes on a lot, but I feel it is one of very few YA novels that manages to deeply discuss everything it covers in a heartwarming, poignant manner.

A SONG BELOW WATER BY BETHANY C. MORROW

If you’re a fantasy lover, then this book may be the ideal one for you.

Two best friends, TTavia and Effie, are sirens in a world where being a siren is something you should keep under wraps, especially in Portland, where there are only a small number of black community members, let alone black community members with magic powers. However, when their favourite internet fashion icon reveals that she too is a siren, the community becomes torn apart. Soon, their community faces tension in the form of racism, politics, and social injustice. This book is powerful, thought-provoking, and a great reflection on problems in today’s society, with an awesome magical twist.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson, and The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar.

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