Student Rag Issue 18 edinburgh

Student Rag edinburgh Edition

Issue #18 Spring 2014 FREE

NINA NESBITT £50

GIFT

CARDS

SCAN

ME

WE’VE GOT TICKETS

TO WIN

LAURA JACKSON

SANDWICHES l SALADS l SOUPS l COFFEES

75 Clerk St

(next to Queens Hall – 2 mins from Edinburgh Uni/Pollock Halls)

0131 668 1055

contents 4-11 TREND SETTER

Spring fashion.............4-11

A SITE FOR SORE HEARTS Rise of Tinder dating.....12-13

GIVE US A MINUTE Nick Mulvey..................14

LET’S GET OUT OF HERE Summer travel tips........16-19

COVER STAR Nina Nesbitt..............20-21

MUSIC & MAYHEM Our festival guide........22-26

END OF AN ERA Graduation Pullout........27-38

BOYS ON FILM Cardinal Burns............40-42

IT’S A DATE! Laura Jackson.............44-45

WHATEVER NEXT Coming up live near you...46-47

OUT THE GAME Gap Year guide............48-51

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE Badults’ Matthew Crosby...52-53

YOU’RE HAVING A LAUGH Joel Dommett..............54-55

14 2226

ON YOUR BIKE Cycling tips.................56

FULL HOUSE Be a property guardian....58-59

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Editor: Debbie McInnes. edinburgh@student-rag.co.uk Design: Calvin Douglas.

Contributors: Alice Cruickshank, Alice Murray, Richard Jones, Susie Daniels, Stephen Butchard, Katie Campbell, Daniel Cole.

www.student-rag.co.uk Published by Track 10 Media. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Student Rag Magazine takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisements in this publication.

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fashion

Come out of the Rejoice: spring/summer 2014 is here!

And as well as the better weather, this time of year also sees in a range of new fashions to brighten up your wardrobe.

This season, a softer, ladylike look is the overarching trend – a definite shift from the edgier punk style that dominated the past few seasons.

If in doubt, wear something pink and throw on a sandal – these were the key trends on the catwalks.

ALICE CRUICKSHANK keeps you right...

ice cream queen AS we see in the new season, shake off your dark, autumnal colours and say hello to spring/ summer’s essential pallete of pastels and sorbet colours.

Think candyfloss pink, chilled mint, lightest lilac and lemon yellow.

One of the best new-season makeovers involved the humble biker jacket. Instead of opting for black, go for pastel shades instead.

This is a highly wearable and versatile trend

that will be a wardrobe staple for a long time to come.

While these colours traditionally evoke a vintage-kitsch look, this spring/summer these shades were given a classy, feminine makeover.

Burberry absolutely owned this trend with Miss Delavigne and her model companions rocking delectable pastel midi skirts and updated trench coats in this season’s must-have colours.

STAR BUY

Light blue floral embellished crop @www.riverisland.com £40

How to wear STAR BUY

Froya midi skirt with scuba contrast panel @ www.misguided.co.uk £12.99

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How to wear l To uni: invest in a pastel-coloured jacket to throw over a pair of light acid-wash jeans and an embellished tee l At a family dinner: a nude pencil skirt paired with a sorbet-coloured boxy blouse to emulate Burberry’s ladylike look

e

fashion

Dark Ages bohemian rhapsody Awaken your inner festival princess in this season’s global traveller trend.

Take inspiration from Africa, Asia and Latin America as you indulge in exotic prints, fringing details and rich orange hues.

Think Isabel Marant’s signature designs, mix in a bit of gap-year fashion, throw in an Aztec print or two and you’re there.

STAR BUY

Gold enamel Aztec tassle necklace @www.newlook.com £7.99

Orange and other sunrise colours were a big deal on the catwalks.

If you just can’t stomach pastel-pale shades, then this zingy new-season edition is an excellent alternative.

The bohemian look is perfect for lazy summer days and foreign holidays but for a more weather-practical look, try layering.

Kimonos are a must!

How to wear l Going for coffee with friends: a killer kimono over a tribal-print dress and parka, finished with some slouchy cowboy boots.

Very Isabel Marant! l On a night out: complement a sequin Aztec mini skirt with strappy sandals

STAR BUY

Isla metallic & embellished strappy sandal @www.boohoo.com £30 five

fashion

STAR BUY

Graciela dogtooth spaghetti straps crop top in baby blue @www.misguided.co.uk £9.99

crop it like it’s hot Nothing says summer like an exposed midriff and cropped lengths just refuse to go away.

For a 2014 update, keep the look boxy or try a curved-hem crop.

Matching crop tops and bottoms are also a big deal right now, with designers such as Michel Kors and Dolce and Gabbana pairing a bra top with a coordinating pencil skirt.

If you’re not quite prepared to be that exposed, a 60s-inspired A-line

STAR BUY

Petricia dogtooth A-line skirt in baby blue@www. misguided.co.uk £14.99

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How to wear

skirt with a matching boxy blouse or cropped jumper is a more modest – but still glamorous – option.

Surprisingly, this look suits most body shapes.

However, if all those crunches (ha!) haven’t quiet yielded results yet, opt for the ‘hidi’ look: team a high-waist skirt or leggings with a waist-length crop so only a flash of skin is visible.

Fashionable and flattering!

l On a night out: a white curved-hem crop with a leather high-waist skirt is an edgy, monochrome look l Having lunch with the girls: a cut-off tee with a maxi skirt and chunky sandals is effortlessly stylish

fashion

say it loud Slogan tees? Yes please! This season wear your heart on your sleeve (or chest, or round your waist), as words have never been more fashionable than now.

Imitate Ashish’s catwalk look in a vintage Coca-Cola tee, or choose something with chunky lettering for modern street style, à la DKNY. Why not buy a plain white top and some fabric pens and share your own message this spring/ summer?

STAR BUY

Lola #Celfie slogan oversize tee @www. boohoo.com £10

STAR BUY

Preach It baggy knit sweater @www. batoko.com £35

How to wear

l To uni: throw an oversized slogan tee over some luxe joggers; accessorise with a chunky chain l While studying: a slogan sweatshirt with leather-look leggings is a super-comfy way to wear this trend

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fashion

luscious lace Lace was central to Burberry’s spring/summer look and other designers had the same idea.

Nothing adds a touch of instant glam to an outfit than a touch of lace.

At Burberry’s show it was all about pastel lace but the great thing about this fabric is it is so versatile and looks great whatever the colour or garment.

If you’re feeling adventurous, why not go for a lace jacket or skirt instead of the usual dress or top?

Lace is also a great way to wear this season’s sheer trend.

If you’re not quite prepared to show it all, lace provides enough coverage to keep it polite yet shows enough skin to make it sexy. #Winning.

How to wear

l To Graduation: a delicate lace dress with pointed court shoes is effortlessly sophisticated l When going out for dinner: a sheer lace tee with skinny jeans and some metallic shoe boots is casually cool

STAR BUY

Light pink lace crop top @www.riverisland.com £35

STAR BUY

Blue geo lace pencil skirt @www.newlook.com £24.99

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fashion

white and bright Prepare for a hefty laundry bill this season, as the men’s must-have shade for spring/ summer is white.

White chinos, white shoes, white jackets… anything so long as it’s pure and crisp. If you really want to invest in this look then an allwhite ensemble is sharp and sophisticated.

Play about with different textures, e.g. cotton and linen to keep it current.

However, if the sun isn’t shining (or you’re just too messy to maintain a white on white look) try stone or light khaki instead.

STAR BUY

Commodity chino shorts@superdry £39.99

How to wear

l To uni: try matching a white tee to some pristine sporty shoes l To a family dinner: invert the classic suit by wearing a black shirt with a white jacket and trousers

STAR BUY

White two-tone tux blazer@riverisland £110

captain america Designers are looking to the 40s and 50s for style inspiration and thankfully this is a smart, easy style that will suit most people.

Think Ray-Bans and a sharp side parting to complement baseball jackets and tailored trousers or vintage Levi’s. Whether your look is Rat Pack suave or American road trip, the High Street is sure to be full of vintage US influences.

STAR BUY

Cream college flag t-shirt@new look £12.99

How to wear l To uni: team a baseball jacket with a casual shirt, jeans and some Converse for vintage cool l On a night out: wear your trousers high with a relaxed shirt and mandatory side part for a classic look

STAR BUY red Converse All-star @schuh £48

fashion

be nautical Stripes, stripes, stripes… horizontal lines dominated shows for spring/ summer.

It’s hard to go wrong with a classic Breton tee, especially in summer, but to give the look a 2014 update, aim for thicker stripes.

Moschino had an interesting take on the trend and made each stripe a different fabric.

For a more wearable version of this, look for tops with different coloured stripes.

STAR BUY

Blue stripe short sleeved shirt @topman £28

How to wear l To uni: a bold striped top with neutral chinos and a navy blazer is smart and comfortable l To a summer BBQ: team a Breton stripe top with cut-off denim shorts and a pair of gladiator sandals

STAR BUY

Breton stripe t-shirt @Superdry £24.99

club tropicana Dig out those Hawaiian shirts, boys- floral prints are back in a big way.

Don’t think florals have to remain on the top half: designers such as Dries van Noten also featured these prints on trousers.

STAR BUY

floral print chukka boots@river island £65

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Will you be bold enough to rock this look?

If flower power is not your thing, be ironic and save florals for your summer swim shorts.

How to wear l On a night out: a floral blazer over a neutral shirt and trousers is a smart nod to this trend l On a casual beach day: a floral shirt with rolled sleeves and twill shorts is the perfect lazy summer look

STAR BUY

tropical print short sleeve shirt@topman £30

fashion

American beauty Made sweatshop-free in the USA, American Apparel’s vast assortment of versatile basics combine perfect must-have essentials with classic styles to complete any closet.

Designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, American Apparel is the one-stop shop for finding effortless classics and nabbing your new favorites for the season.

Scalloped Edge Heel £94.00

Stone Wash Oxford Long Sleeve Button-Down with Pocket £62.00

Houndstooth Long Sleeve Crop Raglan Sweater £38.00

Twist Scarf £15.00

Plaid Circle Skirt £48.00 Houndstooth Mid Length Pencil Skirt £36.00

Leather Everyday Bag £158.00 Ponte Sleeveless Skater Dress £60.00

Lambskin Leather Circle Skirt £125.00

Fiona Ponte Skater Dress £60.00 Peach Skin Lola Dress £58.00

WIN

Floral Print Cotton Spandex Off-Shoulder Top £26.00

a £50 american apparel gift card We’ve got FOUR £50 WHO IS THE American Apparel gift cards to CURRENT give away. For a chance to win PRESIDENT OF a gift card answer the question: THE USA?

Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ Closing date April 15. student-rag.co.uk

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tips for happy Tindering

DON’T be cheesy in your bio.

No one wants to read your life story straight away. Something witty like ‘if anyone asks we met in a bar’ is much more attractive than your favourite Shakespeare quote.

Choose your pictures wisely.

Most girls are put off by a picture of a guy snuggled up to a girl who looks like she could be his girlfriend, and vice versa.

Don’t be disheartened.

It’s hard to not be put off if you don’t get any matches straight away but remember that while it may be internet speed dating, just like in real life it can take time to reel in a catch.

Know what you want.

Are you on Tinder for a hook up or a relationship? Concentrate on your goals and chose your matches accordingly.

BE safe.

If you decide to take the step to meet your Prince Charming or Tinderella, do so in a public place and always tell someone where you’re off to.

Have fun.

That’s what Tinder is all about – carefree flirting from your own home.

A date with t A photo of a smartly dressed business man with dark wavy hair pops up on Grace’s phone.

“Hell yes, I would definitely pull him,” with one motion she presses the button on her smart phone screen marked with a green tick.

Seconds later a celebratory message appears on her screen. ‘‘It’s a match’’.

Welcome to the age of Tinder, the fastest growing sex/dating app that is taking Britain by storm.

Simply sign in via Facebook to browse through pictures of other singles in your area. Once shown a photo, Tinderers choose to give someone an “X” for “no” or a heart for “yes”.

If both parties tick yes the messaging twelve

can begin. Whether the premise freaks you out or floats your boat, Tinder is making headlines with its UK membership growing by 25% each week.

The speed of its interaction is rewriting the dating game “It is so much fun,” coos Grace in between judging men on the angle of their jaw or how far their hairline has receded. “My flatmate and I do it all the time, we can spend hours every evening trawling through profiles, meeting new people, all the while sitting in our s watching X Factor, this morning I met someone before I had even got out of bed.”

Say hello to the age of convenience dating.

Meeting people through social media is no new notion. Back in the 1800s the singletons among us would have simply popped an ad in the local paper’s lonely hearts column.

In the 1980s we moved with the times and party lines sprang up. The noughties saw the rise of online dating sites such as match.com.

So is Tinder a strange phenomenon or a natural evolution of the dating scene?

According to Harry Reis, Professor of Psychology at the University of Rochester, who co-authored a 2012 study on online dating our outlook on the craze has changed over time.

A decade ago online dating was

feature

BY ALICE MURR AY

the future?

regarded as the last chance at romance for the otherwise hopeless.

The once stigma-ridden world has been completely revived in the past few years, becoming a bastion of busy twenty-somethings in demanding jobs.

At one time it was assumed that the person advertising themselves on screen was there due to social ineptitude.

Now it is much more accurate to assume that they are working 12-hour days in an underpaid graduate job.

Who has time to trawl bars and wait for a guy to approach them?

Who can be bothered dropping their books in the hallway and waiting for

someone to pick them up? Not generation Y. Gone are the days when you would need to be a few glasses of Merlot in to join up for such a site.

Recently Miss USA Nina Meriwether proclaimed her love for tinder. “I think when you’re single you should try all avenues, and now there are so many new apps for dating – this one is just really fun,” she said.

According to Reis, before the rise of online dating and apps like Tinder the chance of meeting new people would go down dramatically once we had left university.

“Online dating is definitely a new and

much needed twist on relationships,” says Reis.

“The internet holds great promise for helping adults form healthy and supportive romantic partnerships.”

Tinder has raised questions over whether or not it’s moral. Is it right to judge people solely on looks? Is it demeaning, disrespectful even objectifying?

Grace thinks not. She explains: “Everyone who joins knows they will be judged by their picture, how is it different from going to a bar and wanting to talk to the good looking guy in the corner?

“It’s just quicker and to be honest more fun.” thirteen

interview

give us a minute Quickfire questions with: NICK MULVEY Your new single Cucurucu was released in March. It sounds like a pleasurable and peaceful ballad to play.

What was the influence?

I think of it as an adaptation of DH Lawrence’s poem Piano. My friend sent the poem to me on the back of an envelope. I was always touched that she sent it to me.

I placed it on my noticed board on my desk and for a couple of years I thought it would make a nice song.

I wrote a chord sequence that scanned well with the rhythm of words. I made it another thing, though – not that I think the original poem could be inspired.

DH Lawrence spoke of ‘the boom of tingling strings, and pressing the small poised feet of a mother as she sings’ and I moved into the song to see what she would sing.

Are there other adaptations you have written?

There is another song Juramidam (from Fever To Form EP out 2012) I wrote which is an adaptation of the poem Feast by Edna St Vincent Millay.

It’s a beautiful poem about the origins of hunger and desire.

My song is the setting of the poem and I couldn’t help frame it in my own way.

You were in a jazz collective, Portico Quartet who were nominated for a Mercury award alongside Radiohead, Elbow and Adele in 2008. Why leave the band on such a musical high?

You know how it is when you’ve got to be true to your creative urges. If you don’t they dry up and you don’t have anything.

It was coming and if I stayed on the other path I was going nowhere.

Before you joined Portico Quartet you studied music in a guitar school in Havana, Cuba. That must have aroused the senses?

I always had quite a broad taste in music from different continents and different centuries.

A mate of mine came back from Cuba and told me about this music school. I knocked on the door and that was that.

It was very much a culture shock.

Within Cuba there are two strings of influence; the African element and the Russian element from Communism which informed an attitude in the school.

There were very strict teachers and

In Scotland the Ullapool Guitar Festival is the Mecca for serious guitarists. Are you part of that scene?

I love my guitar but I’m not that into guitars and I’m not into makes of guitars. I’m not a geek about guitars and couldn’t tell one from the other.

I don’t have a pet name for mine!

Your first album ‘First Mind’ is out in May. Do you feel like a proper artist now?

I certainly feel like an artist and believe a lot in my practice. With an artist the PR and hype comes and goes. I love to play and write.

I take inspiration from anywhere it comes. Each song has its own story of how it arrived. I really believe in the agency of music and let it do what it wants.

though I took it seriously I was selftaught so they were very strict with me.

Did you have a strong musical influence in your childhood?

My mum sang classical music and my dad played informal guitar but I grew up very musical. I listened to The Beatles, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Bob Dylan – a lot of songwriters.

I listened to early classical Baroque and a lot of Steve Reich, a minimalist composer. He was a big influence on me as a 16-year-old.

I think my household had an informal approach to music and I still don’t know how to read music.

How did your music and style change after Havana?

I have always been influenced by my rhythmical side with an African origin.

My right hand is picking and strumming my textures and harmonies so it’s quite interesting.

I do Latin-style finger picking when I play the guitar. As a young musician it broadened my horizon with unfamiliar sounds that were wild.

What’s happening this year and how will you wind down after it?

I’m excited to put a band together for all the music festivals over the summer and there’s the release of my album.

I’ll put my guitar away after the festivals. I’ll do other things. I like drawing and swimming and films and I’ll see other people and hang out with my girlfriend. First Mind is for her and it’s about instinct.

ITARS AND “I’M NOT A GEEK ABOUT GU E OTHER” couldn’t TELL ONE FROM TH

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THE EDUCATOR Delving fearlessly into the lives of the people what learn you stuff...

Sandra McDowall is a lecturer in shorthand at the City of Glasgow College. DANIEL COLE is asking the questions.

What university did you attend and what course did you study?

I attended Glasgow Caledonian University and I studied business management What options were available to you after you completed university?

There weren’t many options when I left university. I actually took a job in this college as a PA so that I could use my admin/ business skills and that’s where I started.

Did you enjoy your course?

Thoroughly. I think the shorthand part of the course was probably, no definitely, my best subject.

I didn’t know at the time I’d teach it but it was a skill of mines like a duck taking to water.

I also enjoyed the business management side of it but proba bly not looking on those aspects to going of the course that I was be involved in management.

Whe re does shor thand take its place in a business management course?

It was just part of the whole business course and a module I could take was shorthand so I did.

What made you want to pursue a career in teaching shor thand?

I was doing the PA job in here for years. I started teaching parttime computing and then the HND Broadcast and Print Journalism course was being re-evaluated and the powers that be were looking for someone who could teach Teeline shorthand.

There’s not too many out there who have those skills and I sup-

pose I happened to be in the right place at the right time.

IS there a massive difference between teeline shor thand and other forms of shor thand?

I know there’s a Gregg shorthand system but I have no idea of its background.

Pitman’s advanced shorthand is completely different. It’s all about dark strokes and light strokes, meaning completely different things for the same character just in the way they’re written.

Teeline is more logical as it derives from the long hand alpha bet and every letter has it’s own symbol making it much easier to learn.

Has teaching shor thand improved your own skills?

Definitely. I have thoroughly enjoyed shorthand even since I was behind the desk. I’ll go as far as saying I was the teacher’s pet.

I thought my knowledge when I started teaching was really good but I found out quickly it wasn’t.

Now, though, I have a shorthand brain and it’s there all the time and I can’t get away from it.

I know that sounds pretty sad but I just can’t get away from it.

DO you find yourself writing in shor thand all the time, even to folk who don’t know teeline?

All the time. I actually start writing the outlines and think ‘what am I doing here?’ I think because a big part of my teaching is strict ly shorthand, I do it everyday.

It’s constantly coming up to me during the day every day. I’ll look at registration plates on cars and turn them into outlines. I use it all the time.

Wou ld you say shor tland is like another language to lear n like French or German?

What I would say is that it takes that dedication to learn a new language, like most students did when they were at school. What I have found in the past, and stua dents agree, is that if you studied at language at school and excelled it, shorthand becomes easier due to the familiarity of learning a new language. a Doe s shor thand still have place in today’s jour nalism?

I would say. Shorthand will never go away. Every single journalist out there says you need to have the full package to make it as a professional journalist.

The biggest testament would be to go court, you can’t take in a recorder. You have to use your ashorthand skills to get the inform tion down.

What advantages of being a skilled at shor thand gives jour nalist?

Say you are required to go to a gig. You get there and interview the band and you record it. You play e it back to type it up for your articl and you keep having to start and stop your recording to keep up with the recording.

Using shorthand, you may not get every word but if used along with the recording you can sit with your laptop, your recording and your notes and type it up and send it quickly.

DO you encourage students to use shor thand outside of the subject?

When learning shorthand I’d go to ASDA and put the logo into shorthand and then do the same with a loaf of bread.

I encourage the class to even go as far as when in the pub asking in for drinks to put it into shorthand their minds as they ask for it.

fifteen

feature

1

There’s huge scope for going abroad, having an amazing time and keeping costs to a minimum.

One of the best ways to pack all that into one adventure is to do some au-pairing. As an au-pair, you work as a live-in child minder with a family that you choose.

You’ll get paid, which means you’ve got to get abroad yourself, although

it is common for the family simply to cover your travel costs instead of paying a wage.

Depending on your hosts, you may need to know at least a little of their language, unless they speak English.

Don’t know anyone abroad? Don’t fret!

Websites like Workaway or AuPairWorld help you plan all the details and

KIDS’ STUFF

even put you in touch with hosts all over the world.

You contact them and work out a plan that suits you both.

Be careful, though, my friend’s sisters routinely ran out of money while au-pairing in Madrid, so it might be worth while taking some savings with you.

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IT’S GOOD TO TALK

IF you’re looking for more of a cultural learning expedition, then why not spend your summer teaching English? It’s an option a lot of people are off doing.

Not only will you get to travel and learn a bunch of new skills, you will also get paid for your sterling efforts!

Programmes like TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) make it very easy to get involved, and many countries don’t even require you to have extensive knowledge in their language: they’ll teach you!

There are also lots of charitable organisations, such as Project Trust, that’ll set you up with placements round the world and you raise the money yourself.

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feature

THIS ONE TIME, AT BAND CAMP...

WE all want to travel. It seems like everyone wants to get out there and explore the world.

Thank god for that! It’s about time we all broadened our horizons, ventured out beyond our borders and had the collective time of our lives.

It can be tricky, though.

You may well be reading this from under a huge pile of assessment schedules or you’ve stumbled upon this magazine

2

while sorting through letters from Scottish Power and the TV licensing people.

Never fear! Student Rag is like that friend you have who never gets too drunk and always helps you home after buying you chips: we’re here to help.

And on that note, RICHARD JONES suggests the 10 best travel ideas (that you can do in cheap-ish fashion) this summer.

Just remember to send us a postcard...

MAKE IT OZ-SOME!

IF you’re partial to stunning beaches, tropical reefs or untapped wilderness, then why not head Down Under for the summer?

Australian working holidays are popular mainly because the visa process is pretty simple and there’s a heap of websites, such as Smaller Earth, that help set you up with jobs, visas etc.

Just think, in a few short months you could be picking grapes in

Western Australia’s vineyards, busting a gut on a ranch in the outback, or serving cocktails in Sydney.

Another plus is you’ll be earning money the whole time.

You will, however, have to spring for Visa costs and flights before you leave.

(Student Rag is not responsible for the sharks, snakes, spiders, crocodiles and scorpions that call Australia home)

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CAMP IT UP

Camp America is a non-profit organisation which links you up with an American summer camp, which you work at for the summer.

What’s an American summer camp, I hear you ask?

I could tell you all about it, although I’m pretty lazy so I’ll probably just copy it from their website: “Every summer, children look forward to spending anywhere between 1-9 weeks at camp and, for many, this is their time to break loose from every-day life, try new activities and really enjoy themselves.”

If you’re an outdoorsy, sporty, enthusiastic kind of person then CA is almost certainly for you.

It costs about £787 for the whole experience (which is pretty cheap considering the time you’ll be abroad) but everything is included.

For the fee, you’ll get help with visas, flights to New York, food, accommodation and all the free pens you can nab from the camp.

Oh, and possibly the time of your life as well.

It all starts from an application you can download from CA’s website.

seventeen

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JAMAICA, MAN! Alright, this one might not be to everyone’s liking, although if you’re willing to take a leap of faith it could be incredible.

Yerba Buena Farm (and others) in Jamaica offers limited internships beekeeping in the Caribbean.

If successful, you’ll learn a whole host of new skills and get to see some of most stunning destinations in the world in your spare time.

Not only that, you’ll be given all the necessary equipment for free and get to meet other travellers doing the same job.

There’s a catch, though, you’ll have to pay $1,500 per month for food and board.

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CHARITY BEGINS...

THE world needs your help, badly.

If you’d like to raise money for charity while having an experience you’ll never forget, there’s a host of organisations you can apply to.

International Citizens Service will set you up with

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GET RADICAL

IF money is an issue (What’s your problem, money? Why must you always be an issue?) then you might be concerned about the cost of heading abroad.

There’s no guarantee of getting a job, so why not get creative and invent your own?

I’ve not gone crazy, so here me out.

One of my friends took a chainsaw course (paid for by a government scheme) and now gets paid a very handsome figure to clear old trees from millionaire’s estates.

Chainsaw-ing is perhaps extreme, but my sister managed to blag herself over $1000 for painting someone’s house while travelling in Australia, with absolutely no experience or qualifications.

Whether you’re planning on staying at home or fancy a trip abroad, get creative with capitalism.

Word of advice though, make sure you know the law wherever you are and don’t bite off more than you can chew, it took my sisters ages to paint that house.

eighteen

a placement in Africa, Asia or South America working with locals.

You can also get involved with wildlife conservation or environmental projects based in impoverished nations.

Most are charitable organisations, so you raise the money yourself by doing bake sales, car washes and the like.

It can take a lot of planning, but in the end you could have an incredible experience while making a real difference.

Sun, sand, vodka.

Feel the excitement growing?

How does Ibiza sound?

If you want to be the life and soul of the party for a few months then apply direct to companies like Thomsons or Club 18-30 for repping jobs.

Alternatively there are sites like Air-Pro that will help you organise jobs in resorts such as Tenerife, Aiya Napa, Magaluf and Zante.

It all sounds too good to be true and my old grandad always used to tell

7

feature

HORSE AROUND

MY friend can attest to this being a seriously fun way to spend your summer.

If some serious adventuring is right up your street, then strap yourself in and head to North America.

In US states like Montana, Colorado and Arizona there are hundreds of dude ranches where you can try your hand

9 10

THIS IS PARTY TIME

me that means it probably is.

It will be a constant party, but don’t be fooled by all the glamour.

Reps spend most of their time organising the party rather than getting involved.

You will, however, get paid, around £400-£800 per month with commission on top, and you might even learn some Spanish.

at wrangling horses and cattle drives, there’s even jobs based indoors as chefs or housekeepers.

Further North in Alaska and Canada, there are hundreds more that offer activities like mountain climbing and hiking.

You’ll learn new skills, meet new peo-

WE’RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER

ple and get to marvel at some seriously natural beauty.

The downside is that there’s a lack of exchanges programmes that will set it up for you, but nothing stops you from sending out a few CVs. You’ll have to spring for the flight and visa as well, but it might just be worth it.

IF you really want to go on a proper adventure and do something seriously different, then this is the one for you.

A kibbutz is a traditional community in Israel where everyone involved works, farms and gets stuck in.

In return, they’re given free food, board and sometimes a modest wage.

John Carson, an English backpacker who spent two years in a kibbutz, says on his website “I have been a kibbutz volunteer four times on three different kibbutzim in the Negev Desert region and by the Dead Sea. Having lived in Israel for just over two years, I can attest to this being the best experience of my life.”

There are a great deal of websites that’ll help you organise your trip but kibbutz life isn’t for everyone.

You spend most of your days working hard and the conditions can be extremely basic.

You will, however, get to meet incredible people and experience something truly unique.

Picture: Alex Lake

SHE RECENTLY gigged with The Kooks at the largest music festival in the world, gets clothes shop launch requests and has duetted with Lily Allen.

But whatever you do, don’t mention music videos to Nina Nesbitt!

Nina gladly popped up at the recent launch of the new Warehouse shop in Oxford Circus, hob-nobbing with other celebs and artists.

And she’s equally at home losing herself on stage, but acting herself while being filmed somehow seems…unnatural.

Nina explains: “Yeah, it’s cool turning up at things like the Warehouse launch. I’d never met a lot of the people who were there and these things are fun to go to but I prefer having a night out with my friends.

“I’d love to bring out my own clothes range and I’d love to do a film though I don’t know if I’m any good at acting.

“I wasn’t any good when I did lessons when I was younger. I think the worst part of bringing a new song out is acting in the music video. Acting yourself is not very enjoyable for me.

“It’s fun putting it out and voicing your idea I like...but not being in the video, it would be great if I wasn’t in it!”

The 19-year-old half-Swedish singer from Balerno recently returned from South by South West, (SXSW) the largest music festival in the world and a mecca for singer/songwriters.

So Nina, who has been writing songs and playing guitar since she was 15, felt right at home.

Nina says: “I played at South by South West in Texas and met a few of my friends that I knew from small acoustic gigs. I played a gig with The Kooks while I was there. I go out in twenty

interview

I don’t want to get in on the act London quite a bit and I don’t get recognised there but I got more recognised when I was doing South

by South West in Texas!”

Her appearance at the festival was very timely, a few weeks after the launch of her debut album Peroxide and her single Selfies.

Unlike some artists who lock themselves in a studio for months and churn out some hits, Nina’s album was the culmination of four years of writing and playing in her Edinburgh home.

So it seems apt that the videos and duetting for one of her songs should also take place in the family home.

Nina says: “I did a duet with Kodaline on the track Hold You, we sang it in my kitchen in Edinburgh and I did a duet with Lily Allen with the song Mr C. “I’ve been writing Peroxide since I was 15 and it’s been on the back burner for a few years. I write almost every day.

“The album’s like a musical diary about growing up and breaking up. All these songs come from a very personal place and when I sing live it all comes back to me so the emotions and feelings I’m giving are real on stage.

“Selfies wasn’t about something that happened to me. Selfies are very now and I wanted to get people to get the fake reality living online though I think the internet can be great.”

The pretty peroxide blonde’s debut single Boy was released in 2012 but reached only number 139 in the charts.

Following on from that she released the more impressionable single Stay Out, which hit number 20 and last year her Don’t Stop, Fleetwood Mac cover was the John Lewis advert soundtrack.

Selfies was released in February this year with Peroxide reaching number 11 in the UK album charts and topping the Scottish charts.

But it was Nina’s online presence prior to the debut album release that had tongues wagging and bank balances heating up.

She allegedly coined in £100,000 from download sales. The savvy Scot with a shrewd business head reveals a few home truths.

Nina says: “The article about how much I made was very weird – what people don’t understand is you make the money but you reinvest it constantly into your career.

“This year I’m going to keep promoting myself in the UK and I’ve already started writing my next album. It will probably be less pop-py because

I was writing Peroxide for so long ago so it’s a little less me now.

“Things have changed in my life, lots of things change as you get older like relationship-wise. As you get older they become a bit more serious.

“I know a lot of my songs have

been downloaded illegally and that’s bad for musicians but at the same time if someone’s enjoying your music you can’t really complain.

“A lot of time, effort and money goes into making a single or album but in one way it is flattering.”

So with such popularity before she’s even officially released her music will Nina follow in the footsteps of other Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald and buy a warehouse-sized number of sports cars?

Nina insists: “I’m not materialistic.

I don’t drive. I like travelling and I would love to do things like travel round Asia.

“As things move on I’d like to buy a house – one in Edinburgh and one in London and I’d love to buy a studio!

“I do know how to relax. I went on holiday in December, I usually go at Christmas and I went to the Caribbean and it was so hot and the sea was so clear and I went swimming with the turtles. It was amazing!

“My birthday’s coming up on July 11th and I don’t even really do birthday presents.

“I play T in the Park on the 12th and my dream on my birthday is to see Biffy Clyro. I would love to see them!

“For my birthday I’ll go for a few drinks. When I get back to Edinburgh I usually like to go to a chippy and get cheese and chips at three in the morning.

“London doesn’t make chippy chips as good there.”

Just don’t film Nina if you bump into her with stringy cheese hanging from her chin – remember, she doesn’t like appearing on video!”

GADGET

nina plays edinburgh usher hall on march 23 twenty-one

festivals

Crank it festival Who doesn’t love festival season? It’s all about great music and great company while partying it up in the great outdoors.

With so many festivals this year across Britain, the hard part is choosing which one to go to.

ALICE CRUICKSHANK brings you the definitive guide showcasing festivals for every taste.

WHAT: T in the Park ross-shire WHERE: Balado, Kin WHEN: July 11-13

What’s the vibe?

AS Scotland’s biggest and most famous music festival, there’s something for everyone here.

With a mostly chart focus, you’ll find some big names who normally only perform south of the border, but there are also tents for various other genres, including up-and-coming musicians showcasing their talents.

Who should I see?

The headline acts this year are Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris and Arctic Monkeys, which is representative of the festival’s mixed music scene.

Other big names include Ed Sheeran, Bastille, Paolo Nutini, Twin Atlantic and Disclosure.

However, T aficionados will tell you it’s the small tents that are the place to be. King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent and the BBC Introducing stage are the best place to listen to future talent so you can say ‘I saw them first’.

What else?

There’s panoramic views of the site atop T’s famous Big Wheel or take part in other fairground activities such as dodgems and waltzers.

Then, when all the rough and ready gets a bit too much, check into the Refresh area to enjoy a proper toilet or to wash your hair.

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tan Heart WHAT: Belladrum Tar ess-shire WHERE: Beauly, Invern WHEN: August 8-9

What’s the vibe?

There’s a huge emphasis on family at Belladrum, yet it’s anything but bland.

Separate family, quiet and general camping areas mean the Tartan Heart Festival can be whatever experience you want it to be, although we can’t make any promises about the weather!

Despite not releasing the line-up until the last minute, Belladrum has completely sold out in the past few years so be sure to grab your tickets quickly.

Who should I see?

Past acts have included Ben Howard, Tom Odell, The Boy Who Trapped the Sun, Newton Faulkner and Ed Sheeran… before they were famous.

Yep, Belladrum is the place to go if you love discovering new music.

What else?

Due to its quirky nature, there are surprises to be found round every corner, such as the piano graveyard.

Like most festivals, the real fun occurs when the sun goes down.

Be sure to check out the DJs at the wreck of Mothers Ruin, or take part in one of the after-hours headphone discos.

ch WHAT: Knockengorro WHERE: Galloway WHEN: May 22-25

What’s the vibe?

IF you want a truly global experience coupled with the beauty of rural Scotland then Knockengorroch is for you.

Music from all continents is performed alongside the best in Scottish and European talent to showcase Celtic and World music.

Who should I see?

‘The Hendrix of the Sahara’, Vieux Farka Toure, will be wowing audiences with his otherworldly guitar skills, while the pioneers of electronic dance music, Cold Cut will be playing old hits and tracks from their new album.

What else?

Past attractions have included The Stand Comedy Club tent, fire shows and a cinema.

Who knows what’s next? Only one way to find out!

WHAT: Loopallu WHERE: Ullapool 27 WHEN: September 26-

What’s the vibe?

Who would have thought that this little festival, located in a rural village held at the end of summer, would pack such a punch?

Beautiful views and the best of Scottish music and indie acts make Loopallu an excellent way to round off the festival season.

interview

up! It’s o’clock!

Who should I see?

Past acts include big names like Paolo Nutini, Franz Ferdinand, The View, Frightened Rabbit and The Feeling.

What else?

Make sure you arrive in time to hear the traditional opening ceremony from the Ullapool pipe band.

In between acts, sample real Scottish ale from the beer tent.

WHAT: Glastonbury m, Pilton WHERE: Worthy FAr 29 25e Jun : EN WH

What’s the vibe?

SO you think you know festivals? This is where the big kids go to play. Britain’s biggest and most famous festival promises another smashing year of great music and an even greater atmosphere.

Glastonbury caters for all ages and music tastes so if you can manage the trek down there, it is an essential event to tick off the bucket list.

Who should I see?

SO far, Kasabian, Arcade Fire and Lily Allen are confirmed acts for 2014.

With over 100 stages, the problem won’t be finding an act you like but choosing which ones to go see.

Plus, be sure to check out the winners from the emerging talent competitionyou’ll probably be hearing them on the radio soon enough.

What else?

Glastonbury is its own village of activities.

Bring plenty of spending money to enjoy some of the wares from the 250 different food stalls or to buy unique handmade gifts.

If the music all gets too much, then why not relax in the cinema tent or watch the theatre and circus performances? There’s always plenty going on at the daddy of the festival scene.

To make the most of the experience, be sure to pick up a copy of The Glastonbury Free Press, a site newspaper printed using vintage letterpress technology.

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festivals WHAT: Creamfields Cheshire WHERE: Daresbury, WHEN: August 22-24

What’s the vibe?

Creamfields is THE ultimate dance music festival. It’s like clubbing… but outside in the sunshine (hopefully).

Who should I see?

THE line-up this year is top-drawer. All the current big names in dance will be there, such as Avicii, deadmou5, Tïesto, Calvin Harris and Steve Aoki.

Then there are the well-established kings of dance, such as Fatboy Slim and Eric Prydz to teach the newcomers a lesson in raving.

#4

THE CROWDS WILL BE HEEEUUUGE!

Obviously, the bigger the festival, the bigger the crowds are likely to be.

This means that for the headline acts, you’ll be lucky to get close to the front.

If you do manage to wedge your way forward, expect a serious lack of space and oppressive heat.

People will stand on you, faint, throw cups of pee over your head and get way too close with their cigarettes but these can be small prices to pay in exchange for getting right up close to your favourite artists.

What else?

Don’t plan on getting too much sleep as the beats keep on coming until 4am. The alcohol limit is one crate and one bottle of spirits per person so expect to spend a lot of time at the on-site bars.

Leeds WHAT: Reading and and Leeds!

WHERE: Eh, Reading WHEN: August 22-24

What’s the vibe?

Reading and Leeds share a line up and if you’re a fan of guitar music then you’ll feel at home at these two festivals.

There is a definite rock/ indie focus, although a few chart and dance names manage to sneak in.

Reading and Leeds are arguably the most famous UK festivals after Glastonbury and T in the Park so it is definitely worth visiting one of them.

Or both.

Who should I see?

Blink 182, Arctic Monkeys and You Me at Six have been announced amongst other stellar acts.

For a more chilled vibe, check out Jake Bugg and Metronomy or if you really want to party, see top dance act Disclosure.

What else?

During the day, browse the rows of food stalls before checking out the comedy tent. Later you can chill out in the cinema tent.

WHAT: Download Park, Derby WHERE: Donnington WHEN: June 13-15 What’s the vibe?

Calling all rock and metal fans! This is your idea of heaven.

Rock gods old and new gather to create one loud weekend.

Who should I see?

Headlining this year are Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park and Aerosmith. Other acts include Bring Me the Horizon, Bowling for Soup and Fall Out Boy. Seasoned rockers Status Quo will also be making an appearance. Whatever your rock genre, you’ll find bands you’ll love.

What else?

Amongst the usual food and drink stalls, you’ll also find be able to get piercings and tattoos. Why not get something to truly remember be weekend by? twenty-four

#5

KEEP SAFE & HAVE FUN!

Always keep track of your money and belongings.

Leave your iPhone, favourite scent and designer sunnies at home and instead take things you won’t miss, just in case you are robbed.

Most importantly, look out for your friends. As long as you’re there for each other, the week-

end should go without a hitch.

I hope I’ve not put you off. If you can handle the weather, dirt and crowds, festivals can be one of the best experiences of your life.

Expect the unexpected and go with the flow: this is the recipe to making the weekend a success.

FESTIVAL sur vival GUIDE Ahh, it’s coming to that time of year again – the festival season.

With hundreds of music festivals coming to Britain this summer of all sizes and genres, there really is one out there for everyone.

In fact, festival-going is almost an essential rite of passage these days for young people.

But are they worth the hype? Will you really spend your days merrily

#1

drinking in the sunshine and your nights getting up close and personal with your favourite bands?

Or will you have a freezing, wet, uncomfortable weekend of no sleep and unsanitary conditions?

ALICE cruickshank feels sure that the odds are it will be the latter. Here’s her guide for all you newbies about what to really expect...

YOU WILL LOOK MINGING!

Every girl envisions herself to look like a boho princess at a festival, with natural beauty emanating from every pore.

Don’t get your hopes up.

Yes, there will be the odd denizen of nature who will saunter past you with her immaculate wavy hair and Daisy Duke behind but in reality everyone will look like they haven’t showered in a few days…because they haven’t.

My advice is to invest in a lasting liquid eyeliner, a good concealer, tinted mois-

#3

turiser, gallons of dry shampoo and a pretty floral headband to try and salvage the wreckage that will be you after three dirty, drunken, sleepless nights.

Clothes-wise, don’t plan for anything too spectacular. Chances are it will be cold and/or wet so your lovely little shorts and cropped top will be hidden under a cagoule or your favourite jeans and designer t-shirt will get covered in mud. A waterproof jacket is essential.

#2

PACK LIGHT

But not too light. This is where some guys trip up.

Seriously, lads – if you’re hoping to take girls back to your tent, PLEASE pack a different pair of boxers for each day!

And a change of jeans is also essential incase the weather gets really bad and you’re soaked through.

Conversely, there is nothing worse than having to trek for what feels like miles to your campsite under a bag that weighs as much as you do.

After I had to be virtually towed up the big hill at Rockness with all my stuff last year, I regret nothing more than bringing too much.

A way to improve this is to be savvy with your alcohol choices: crates of beer and cider will weigh much more than pouches of spirits.

expect to get filthy

You can never go wrong with baby wipes and hand sanitiser is a must.

A little warning: however bad you expect the portaloos to be, they will probably be worse.

First thing in the morning is often the best time to use them as they normally get cleaned around this time.

The portaloos in the arena will be the worst; if you can hold until you get

back to the campsite, I would do so.

You should also anticipate serious queues for toilets and, if there is any, the showers.

One of the best ideas my friend ever had was to bring a pee bucket with her. That way, once the alcohol was flowing and we all needed to go every 20 minutes, we could take the pee bucket into our tent before emptying it outside.

It sounds gross but this tip is an absolute lifesaver.

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WIN festivals

TICKETS FOR READING AND LEEDS FESTIVAL!!!

reading and leeds tickets

READING AND LEEDS is the daddy of the festivals – and we’ve got a pair of tickets for each venue to give away.

Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age and Blink 182 share top billing, ably backed up by the likes of Jake Bugg, Disclosure, Chvrches, Courteneers and Bombay Bicycle Club.

The August bank holiday (22nd-24th) wouldn’t be the same without it – and you could be there thanks to Student Rag. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, just answer the following question:

WIN

sophie Ellis-Bextor will be performing an intimate gig at Oran Mor in Glasgow on Sunday, April 20 – and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away.

To be in with a chance

ON WHICH DATES WILL THIS YEAR’S READING / LEEDS FESTIVALS TAKE PLACE? Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@student-rag.co.uk Closing date April 15. Editor’s decision is final.

Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ student-rag.co.uk

SOPHIE ELLISBEXTOR tickets of winning a pair of tickets, just answer the following question:

Closing date April 11.

Editor’s decision final.

ON WHICH TV DANCE SHOW DID SOPHIE APPEAR LAST YEAR?

For gig news from King Tut’s to T in the Park and everything in between visit www.gigsinscotland.com

WIN

THE sensational Beatles-based musial Let It Be is coming to Glasgow’s King’s Theatre from April 28 until May 3 – and we’ve got TWO pairs of tickets to give WHAT ARE THE FIRST away for April 29.

NAMES OF THE FOUR To be in with a chance of MEMBERS OF THE winning a pair BEATLES? of tickets, just answer the following question: Closing date April 15. Editor’s decision final.

let it be tickets

Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ student-rag.co.uk

GRADUATION SPECIAL

GRADUATION SPECIAL The party’s over – time to get real!

You’re graduating! Congratulations! Hopefully, the four years you’ve spent slogging away in the library, sweating over assignments and pickling your liver with cheap alcohol will have prepared you for the disappointment of adulthood.

Did you really think you’d walk out of university and straight into your dream job?

Did you believe you’d be paid buckets of money to do what you love and be able to return home every night to your beautiful studio apartment?

And did you honestly think you’d get to hang out with all of your uni friends, who will remain in the same area with you and live quiet and contented?

You did? Then KATIE CAMPBELL has some bad news...

It Ain’t All That The reality of your situation, graduate, is not so fun and exciting.

Surely you’ve heard the word “recession” being bandied around like it was going out of fashion while you were at university?

Maybe it was while you were searching for a part-time job to sustain all the partying you were doing – maybe you heard people

talk about how difficult it was to get a job in the recession?

The same applies to the full-time job you’re about to throw yourself into getting.

You’re not going to hear any fewer cries of “you’re just not looking properly” or “there are loads of jobs, you’re just not trying.” If anything, it’ll only get worse.

That degree in journalism you just

got that you assumed would allow you to walk into a great position at The Sun with awesome pay and masses of fringe benefits? Nope.

That’s not happening, I’m afraid.

Maybe after a few years of temping, working in bars and begging you’ll get that dream job, but the assumption of immediate success has set you up for a fall. The whole thing won’t be helped by your parents, either.

It wasn’t like this when they were 21, they say over and over again. At least you can blame them for the situation you’re in, because it was their generation’s fault that we ended up in this mess.

Thanks, Mum and Dad. The Parent Trap Speaking of Mum and Dad, I hope you’ve missed them, because the likelihood is that you’re going to find yourself back in their home, in the cramped den of nostalgia that is your childhood bedroom.

Because it’s only total losers who live with their Mum and Dad in their mid-twenties, right? Nope, it’s losers and broke graduates! You can’t stay in halls anymore;

Graduation Special Pullout Page Two

GRADUATION SPECIAL you’re no longer a student. Living with your parents is going to be a blast, though, because nothing beats moping around in your pyjamas all day, watching Jeremy Kyle re-runs and scouring Gumtree for jobs until you can’t bear to look at another ad looking for someone to distribute catalogues for next-to-no money because it’s starting to look like a really lucrative job offer.

All the while, your Dad is gently trying to convince you to sign on for Jobseeker’s Allowance because the job market is terrible (your fault, Dad) and you need money because you can’t keep living in his house rent free (thanks Dad).

Accommodation Frustration Maybe, just maybe, you’re one of the lucky ones who have managed to find a part-time job over the course of your university career, and just maybe you’re one of the even luckier ones who have squirrelled away some money.

Time to put a deposit down on that beautiful bohemian apartment you’ve it, the housing market is just as been dreaming about getting, right? bad as the job market. Better call Wrong! Hope you like your living the parents and get them to clear environment damp, and with the you out some wardrobe space. You lingering aroma of weed, because might be home for the long haul. that’s the sad reality.

Even then, you may still find How Did I Get Here? yourself back in with Mum and Dad. Let’s say, hypothetically, you are That’s the thing about money – it’s a one of the lucky ones. The very, pain to get and even more of a pain very lucky ones. to save.

Let’s say you manage to get yourYou might find you just didn’t save self a job, part-time or full-time – enough because, would you believe

well done if you do, truly, well done – how are you going to get there?

Remember all the commuting you did in university? Remember all the rush hour trains packed with commuters and buses so full they just drive straight past your stop, ignoring you?

Did you think you could escape that? Did you dream of having your own car now that you’re a “proper adult”?

Sorry, but you’re still going to find yourself pressed up against a train window on the way to work with someone’s briefcase trying to break through your ribcage.

Better yet, you’ll still be able to enjoy the overpriced and cramped adventure that is taking the bus at rush hour.

You may want to sign up for a (free) Tai Chi course in between all that job hunting to help you with your balance, because it is an inevitability that your bus will make an abrupt stop in traffic and you’ll find yourself being flung off balance and into commuters at the other end of the bus.

You could always turn the whole thing into a game. Commuter ten pin bowling.

Enjoy at your peril.

Graduation Special Pullout Page Three

GRADUATION SPECIAL Job’s a Good ‘Un? Jobs aren’t usually fun. Unless you’ve got something particularly cool, the likely reality is that you’ll be stuck in an office from 9 to 5, staring blankly at a computer screen and trying to work out just how you ended up where you did.

If you don’t start hating your job by the third week, then you’re one of the lucky ones.

What about all those friends you made at uni?

They’re probably going to flake off, one by one,

finding jobs, moving away, or moving home, just like you.

So don’t expect to have the social life you had while you were at university. Your friends will be trying to start their own careers and relationships.

Remember how you felt when you were in your first year, trying to make friends? Welcome that feeling in once again, because it’s coming back with a vengeance.

At least this time, the

Your expectations were high, graduate. But you’ve grown up in a generation much different to the last – a generation to whom those high expectations were often a reality.

PROFILE:

setting will be different, eh?

After all that, the making new friends, finding somewhere to live, and trying to find a job, do you think you’ll even have enough time for

It’ll take a bit of looking, calling in favours, volunteering and waiting, but it will be worth it.

This is time you could take to explore the world, or go back into

a social life? Just pass on trying to make friends.

You’re going to be spending your weekends from now on with Netflix and Horlicks!

education and gain more skills that will make you twice as employable.

It’s scary, graduate, but you can do it. Just remember that real life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Shirley Easson Managing Director, Brewstore.co.uk

Describe your job.

I’m the managing director of Brewstore and my role is to make sure the company runs effectively.

I aspire to create a company that people are proud to work for and make it a great experience to shop with us.

With a busy shop which is open seven days a week, the Brew School where we teach people how to home brew and our online shop which delivers all over the world, I never have a dull or quiet day.

There’s a huge amount of work and responsibility – it helps to understand every job and process in the company inside out to be able to manage it well, it’s relentless but also great fun.

Did you imagine you’d be doing this 10 years ago?

Not exactly, but my folks brewed at home since I was seven years old and growing up and learning it myself, I never understood why more people didn’t brew.

My dad had his own home brew shop with a small and loyal following tucked away behind Easter Road, and I always thought if anyone saw how easy it was to brew and how good it could taste they’d get into it.

After a career in IT Sales and then a previous business which was a creative agency – representing musicians and photographers, I wanted to do something where I could combine my interests and my skills. Brew-

store started as a web based company and it just grew wings.

What do you love about working at Brewstore?

I love seeing people’s reaction when they first taste home brew – they never believe it’s homemade. We’re more than a place people buy stuff from.

Brewing is a hobby – a passion for some. You can brew things at home that just can’t be made in mass production, and it’s so much better and cheaper than anything you can buy.

In the lab at the back of the shop we are constantly inventing new recipes for everything – beer, wine, cider, liqueurs, craft sodas, you name it we’ve brewed with it, as have some of our customers.

The people who come to our shop and our Homebrew Club bring the most amazing stuff for everyone to try and they love to share their ideas and experiences.

When people start out brewing with home brew kits, which are so easy and quick to do, sooner or later they’ll do something to give it their own unique twist and it’s great to see people get hooked.

Graduation Special Pullout Page Four

Terms & Conditions: Valid with student ID 7 days a week. Voucher entitles the bearer to 25% off the total food bill. Discount valid on tables of up to 6 guests. One voucher per bill table transaction. Valid only when ordering from the main menu. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer or set menu. Subject to availability no substitute available, no cash alternative. Valid at all Chiquito restaurants excluding Cardiff, Greenwich, Printworks, Sheffield and Salford on event days. Expires 31th December 2014.

S

GRADUATION SPECIAL Get a job!

Dream on

es,

15%

to start looking to find a job. In light of this, KATIE CAMPBELL offers some options – some dream jobs and some more practical – to give you some help at the beginning of you quest to find the career that’s right for you.

Teaching abroad

IF you’re bored of your current surroundings and have an innate desire to see the world, why not use your degree to teach abroad?

Teaching is a rewarding job, teaching abroad even more so.

As an EU citizen, you could easily look into teaching in places like Spain, of if you’re looking for somewhere a little further afield, China and Vietnam are popular choices.

Just remember that these jobs are extremely sought after, meaning it may be difficult for you to find a place working abroad.

ing as.

AS a new graduate, you’ll probably be looking to start a career in the subject you studied so hard at university.

The world of work is a huge, confusing place.

Maybe you’re not so sure where

But just think about it – you get to live in a beautiful new country, make new friends, learn a new language and teach what you know to help improve the lives of others. How could that be anything but rewarding?

The position is not a permanent one, though, so you may find yourself looking after a year for another position teaching, or it may be time to return home from your dream job abroad.

As an experience, however, teaching abroad is an unbeatable one.

STUDENT DISCOUNT on presentation of ID card

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GRADUATION SPECIAL I Spy MI5 Did you grow up watching spy movies and thinking, that’s the life for me?

Luckily for you, MI5 offer graduate training schemes, which set you on a path to become an intelligence analyst, digital intelligence analyst, foreign language analyst or intelligence officer, amongst other things.

MI5 deals with national security, so in a job with them you’d be helping to keep the

country safe from threats of terrorism, sabotage, espionage, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

It’s not quite the same as MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service where James Bond worked.

If you’ve got a talent for languages or problem solving, it could be a great place to start a career.

Just be warned, you might not get to travel quite as far or get as many cool gadgets as Bond had.

European Space Agency IFyou’re just about to finish a Masters degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) subject, you have one of the coolest job opportunities in the world available to you – a graduate position at the European Space Agency.

This is a graduate program that’s notoriously tricky to get into, but if you’re one of the lucky few who does manage to get a one-year placement with the European Space Agency, you’ll be working under one of their engineers in one of the fastest growing sectors of employment in Europe.

Over the course of the year, you’ll gain valuable

knowledge in planning, developing, and undertaking missions in space, and take on a responsible support role in one of the ESA’s space missions.

This could involve making or launching satellites into space, or extrapolating data from satellites already in orbit.

The graduate scheme is open to students of physics, biology, engineering and medicine, but business and law graduates are also welcome to apply.

Graduation Special Pullout Page Seven

GRADUATION SPECIAL Games Designer

Get a job!

Get real...

OF course, not everyone is going to sail straight into the sort of job they’ve been fantasising about since forever!

For the rest

of us, a more practical outlook on our immediate prospects might well be what keeps us sane as we enter the job market.

Most people who love video games dream of making them.

Some get to as part of large companies like Rockstar or Ubisoft, but many decide to release games on their own, as indie developers.

It’s the dream of most computer science students who love video games to be a member of the team that made Grand Theft Auto, but game development is a difficult business to get into due to the high number of applicants to so few positions, hence the rise in the number of indie developers making their mark on the scene.

Game Design or Computer Science graduates who land their dream job as a programmer, editor or designer at a company like Rockstar can expect long, but rewarding hours working on triple-A titles.

If this is your calling, developing your own games is an option. With the rise in digital distribution platforms like Steam, it’s easier than ever to publish your own games.

With any luck, it could be you who publishes the next big thing in gaming.

IT Support

Adminstrative Role

For Computer Science graduates, the likelihood is that you’ll find yourself coming out of university and into a job helping people with their PCs. In your day-to-day life, you’ll be bombarded with requests every day from friends, family and strangers to help them fix their computer, so the step from manual labour to career might not be too large.

This will mean sitting at your computer all day, waiting to get called out to whoever needs your help in the office, or waiting on people coming to see you with their problems.

You may also find yourself working as an information systems manager, who is responsible for buying, maintaining and upgrading the programs and PCs in your place of work.

As someone who really understands the way a computer works – much better than most, anyway – you’ll have a huge responsibility, as you are essentially the person who keeps the place running.

DESPITE spending years getting yourself a degree, you may find yourself taking on a job that doesn’t actually require one!

This could be work in a call centre or, more than likely, an administrative role.

A job as an administrator involves answering phones, sorting post, filing and typing work.

While it doesn’t sound like the most interesting line of work, as an administrator you’ll learn how the company works from the inside out, making you a great candidate for promotions, meaning an administrative role could be the first step in your career.

To work as an administrator, you’ll have to be able to keep calm under pressure, be an excellent multitasker, be organised, have excellent attention to detail, and be a great team player.

It’ll also be helpful to be social, as you’ll be interacting with everyone in the office from the big bosses to the office junior.

Retail Manager IF you’ve had a part-time job throughout your university career, many companies offer graduate training schemes that allow you to progress further in the company, often up to the level of manager or assistant manager.

These graduate schemes ordinarily don’t look for a specific degree, just that the candidate has one.

Other areas of study, such as business management, can lead you into the same area.

Retail is a fun, fast-paced work environment, where customer interaction and satisfaction is key to doing a great job.

People who are outgoing, polite, and adept at problem solving may find their calling as a manager in retail.

It can be an extremely satisfying job for those who enjoy helping people.

Graduation Special Pullout Page Eight

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GRADUATION SPECIAL Keep calm and graduate.

THE Graduation Ceremony is one of the last big events in student life, and is a huge, traditional celebration of your achievements as an academic.

Some people don’t care much for it, but others see it as the terrifying last hurdle before the inevitable transition into adulthood.

Really, there’s no need to panic.

Graduation is exciting, but you may not be so excited about the prospect of leaving university.

It’s ok to be freaked out by the future; the future is scary. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by thoughts of what you’re going to do when you leave university, or any uncertainty that lies in your future.

Your graduation is a celebration, and you should celebrate. You’ll have lots of time to worry later, but for now, take a day to enjoy yourself and revel in your achievements.

KATIE CAMPBELL presents a guide that will help you keep your cool at your graduation.

Something a little E bit special ven those who haven’t ventured inside the lovely shop at 66 Morningside Road will probably have admired the window displays at Kudos Couture – Edinburgh’s friendliest bridal and evening wear boutique.

It’s not just the impressive facade that draws the attention of passers-by – the Kudos team make sure they have an ever-changing parade of fabulous dresses to admire.

Anyone looking for a dress or outfit for that very special occasion – graduation ball, prom night, party or wedding – need look no further.

Kudos pride themselves on customer service, so their experienced staff will do their utmost to find you the perfect gown.

Whether it’s a brand new dress made spe-

cially for you, a stunning “off-the-peg” item, or an amazing bargain from the Sale Rail you’ll get the same high standard of personal attention (or be left alone, if you prefer to browse unaided!).

And with their own workshop and seamstress, there’s no need to take your dress elsewhere for alterations – it will leave the Kudos premises fitting you perfectly.

Kudos owner Michelle Scott says: “For special occasions, people like to feel confident that their outfit will be unique and that it will be comfortable to wear whilst also looking fabulous.

“So we choose our collections with care, and we are mindful of the fact that many people are working to a budget. Customers are often surprised to find a bargain in Morningside!”

GRADUATION SPECIAL What to Wear Your university or college will have a dress code for your graduation, which you’ll be able to find online.

This usually comprises of a dark suit or tux for men and a blouse and dark skirt for women.

If you are or were a member of the armed services, you also have the option to wear your military uniform under your gown.

It’s a good idea if you’re wearing a blouse to make sure it has buttons on it, as this will give you something to attach your graduation hood to.

It’s also wise to have some safety pins to hand, as you may need something to keep your hood or gown in place in case it slips off.

Light make-up is advised in case your ceremony gets

a bit warm – there’s nothing worse than going on stage to receive your degree with your heavy eyeliner slowly making its way down your face towards your chin.

Sensible footwear is an absolute must. If you elect to wear heels, make sure they’re heels you can walk in.

You don’t want to trip in your heels going to accept your degree and end up taking a tumble in front of all your fellow students – very embarrassing!

You don’t need to dress up for your graduation ceremony. Remember you’ll have your gown on, so dress smart but comfortable.

Many universities will not allow you to go to your graduation ceremony wearing jeans or trainers, so avoid wearing those at all costs.

“Perfect graduation evening wear to celebrate in style”

66 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4BZ

0131 447 8800

www.facebook.com/kudoscouture

GRADUATION SPECIAL

Friends and Family Your graduation ceremony is likely to be the first time your parents will be with you at university for an extended period of time.

Remember that you’ve been there for a few years and are likely all-too familiar with the university’s layout, but your family are not.

Be prepared to answer a lot of questions and chaperone your parents

around for the day. They’ll want to see the place you’ve been spending so much time over the past few years, so indulge them for at least a little while.

Be prepared also to pose for a lot of photos with your family and answer calls from far-flung relatives wanting to wish you well.

Your family will likely be very excited all day, and

want to get involved in proceedings as much as possible by talking to the faculty and your university friends.

That’s the lovely thing about your graduation it’s the day when these three aspects of your life will come together and merge.

On the other hand, this may well be the last time you are together at university with the friends you The Ceremony

The ceremony is, of course, the most important part of your graduation. It’s where you receive a tangible copy of your degree in front of all your friends and family.

It’s best to know beforehand where you and your family are sitting, and the times for both the guests to be seated and the ceremony starting.

The ceremony takes quite a long time, so it’s a good idea to have a big lunch before you go in.

There’s also a pretty good chance that you’ll be having some alcohol at your graduation ceremony, and

it’s not wise to drink on an empty stomach.

Above all else, remember that the ceremony is a celebration of your achievements at university.

Everyone there – your parents, the university’s faculty and your fellow students – are immensely proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself.

So enjoy yourself. Accept your degree with a smile, and think of all the wonderful opportunities that lie ahead of you, and of all the great times you’ve had at university.

made there, so be sure to spend as much time as you can allow soaking in the last of your time there together.

After graduation, you’ll still see each other, but your lives may be moving in different directions away from university.

Remember, however, that like you they will also need time with their family, so plan accordingly.

When it’s Over

When Whenit’s theover ceremony’s finished, you will likely want to celebrate in style.

You may not have eaten in a while, so a celebratory dinner with family or friends might seem like a great idea.

There’s a possibility that you might even be invited to eat with your old faculty, which would be a lovely last-hurrah to your university career.

Like the ceremony, this day is all about you. If you want to spend it eating in a fancy restaurant or in a bar with your friends, it’s completely up to you.

Just remember that it’s a celebration for you, so you should celebrate however you see fit.

Don’t worry about doing anything too fancy with your friends if you want – you have your graduate ball to look forward to, where you can dress up to the nines and have a great night with your uni pals.

Graduation Special Pullout Page Twelve

Movie guide keeps us on track C

ardinal Burns have looked on as their hero Alan Partidge hit the big time with Alpha Papa.

Now the sketch show mavericks are themselves desperate to make the daddy of all comedy movies.

Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri Burns have lapped up the Hollywood success of Steve Coogan’s alter ego.

The duo – whose show’s second series has made the leap into the comedy mainstream of Channel 4 – would love to continue their progress all the way to the big screen.

Seb reveals: “Eventually we’d love to make a film. Being given a chance to do that would be amazing or do a long narrative.

“We’ve spoken about choosing some of our sketch characters but because some of them are big characters they don’t often translate to film.

“My favourite guys would be Jones and Metcalfe, two guys from Stoke.

They’re a bit like the characters from Dumb and Dumber travelling across America.

“The other one would be the paranormal investigators which might work as a horror.”

Seb’s comedy partner-in-crime Dustin has had his first taste of working alongside his comic idol Coogan when he starred in massive number one hit comedy film Alpha Papa.

The film reprised Coogan’s eighties radio DJ character Alan Partridge.

Dustin says: “I grew up liking Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge, Eddie Murphy, Harry Enfield, Cheers, The Cosby Show and Mash.

“For me Steve Coogan’s a really good example of how to navigate this industry with his subtle shows and one-offs like The Trip sitcom.

“He’s got a lot of integrity. He had his time in the press as a wild boy and maybe he’s indulged that but he’s great at what he does.”

It’s been a busy year for the boys who started out as good friends studying

interview

forty-one

together at college. The second series of their hit show Cardinal Burns will hit our screens in May. The boys won an award for Best Sketch Show at the British Comedy Awards in 2012 and Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards last year.

But the best thing about the awards ceremonies apparently isn’t the winning...

Dustin explains: “The first time the fact we were recognised amongst our peers like The Peep Show guys and getting introduced to Steve Coogan was amazing.

“The terrifying part is making your speech in front of all of them. I don’t think awards make you feel more pressured. There’s pressure anyway from ourselves.

“If you get an opportunity for another show then you know you’ve got a lot more work to do.

“You know some characters work and in the second series want to take them further. You can’t put pressure on yourselves you just do it though it does give you confidence if you get an award.

“When we have a character we do it in character before we write and before you know it you’re role playing and show it off to each other and if one of us laughs we say ‘that’s funny!’ or let’s take that idea and make it fit there.

“We gig a lot. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same for stage and telly. forty-two

There has been a lot on. I was in Alpha Papa and we’re writing sketches for (League of Gentlemen screenwriter) Jeremy Dyson and we’re gigging.”

Seb adds: “The awards are in my living room on a shelf so that I can show them off. You pretty much walk in and they’re right in view.

“They help because for people who might not have seen the show, the awards give it kudos. People seek it out now so it’s got a second life.

“It’s fun to go to awards ceremonies.

We met Steven Pemberton from League of Gentlemen and he was very sweet about the show. Since the awards I was in The Mimic and a series called Spy so we’ve been busy. lpha Papa was a good job for Dustin to get and I’m happy for him. I managed to get over him getting it otherwise you go crazy.”

Being a comedian means friends and family are always wary of conversation or traits being used as material.

The boys are forever trying out their material and sometimes go as far as to dress as well as act the part.

Dustin says: “The odd parent or family member is worried or looks at us and say ‘that’s going to go in your sketches, isn’t it?’ (laughs).

“We had an idea to do sketches of all the bad suggestions. We get ideas that are organic. It’s moments that have happened or someone you see in a street.”

A

Seb adds: “Our families get bored of hearing the silly voices. When I’m gigging I’m constantly raiding my girlfriend’s stuff like mascara!

“I guess I could be a cross dresser in real life and this is a very elaborate ruse to pull it off. You just say, ‘I’m a sketch comedian’ and no one asks any questions if I get caught wearing a dress.

“There are people you can get back at through sketches. There was one person who I worked for when I was an assistant director and he was pretty horrendous.

“I always found him quite amusing the way he got worked up and angry.

“I wrote him into one of the scenes and since it’s been on television I bumped into him in the street but I didn’t tell him it was him!

“If I was to do a sketch of Seb it would be difficult. Seb’s such a chameleon I probably never think of him as one personality because he’s acting as so many.

“He’s got little short steps. He’s like a pigeon and a geezer and sometimes he’s got a still face and it’s just his eyes that are moving. He’s like a thunderbird!”

Seb retorts: “Dustin gets quite camp when he’s excited. He becomes quite high-pitched and has a limp hand!”

Cardinal Th e second series of on 7 Burns starts on May Channel 4 at 10.30pm.

Enjoy the best local produce for your graduation meal

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interview

S

HE’S hosting a Streetmate-style dating series but appearing as one of the would-be dates is the last thing on Laura Jackson’s mind!

Laura reveals: “I’m the host of a new dating programme and I’m in charge of the boys trying to get a date from girls.

“The filming is up north and it’s a bit like Take Me Out on the road. I get to chat to the girls too.

“I’m not sure I’d go on a dating show, I’d be too nervous.

“I’ve got a boyfriend but if I didn’t I’d probably go to a singles night instead.

Imagine after being on the show you got rejected – I couldn’t cope with that!”

Luckily Huddersfield lass Laura doesn’t have to worry about singles nights.

She’s very grounded with her photographer boyfriend and perhaps self-consciously has never dated anyone in the industry though she admits if any artists have ever chatted her up she wouldn’t have a clue!

The stunning TV presenter says: “I have interviewed Snoop Dogg and lots of other artists but I’ve never been chatted up. No never!

“If someone chatted me up I don’t think I’d know unless they spelt it out and said, ‘would you go out with me?’

“My boyfriend keeps me grounded because when I get back from work he says, ‘have you done the washing up?’

“I’m usually in the flat with him and my dog just chilling. As long as you keep working you feel you’ve really earned it. I’ve got a lovely family, flat, boyfriend and friends and it’s all great!”

And the girl who looks like she would be at home sipping chocolat chaud in the Quartier Latin in Paris appears to have earned it and worked it in such a short space of time. rom radio to presenting music show Freshly Squeezed with ‘Grimmy’ (Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw) on Channel 4 to red carpet and festivals interviews, working on London Fashion Week, hosting an XBOX channel, hosting and presenting style awards, Celebrity Big Brother’s Little Brother and a 24-hour panel show for Comic Relief.

There seems no end to the amount of guises Laura can pull off switching smoothly from role to role!

The Events Management degree graduate admits: “It’s been a whirlwind.

Am I aware of what’s been happening the last year? Yes and no.

“You know when you’re not working and thinking ‘am I ever going to get anything?’ and when you are you’re so caught up in everything you don’t even realise how busy you are!

“Everyone’s super-friendly who I’ve met or worked with. I’ve never interviewed anyone and thought ‘what an idiot’.

“The people you build up in your head to be the divas are usually the opposite and the ones who you don’t usually let you down!

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Dating game’s not for Laura “The non-stop Comic Relief show was so stressful but really good fun too. Four hours non-stop with Greg James on a 24 hour panel show. It was hilarious and nothing terrible happened!

“I hosted IQ with Jessie J recently and it was all women in the audience.

I made everyone get up and Jessie showed us how to do squats.

“People encourage being spontaneous as long as you can rope it back in if anything goes wrong. It’s good to watch!”

The chic presenter’s first taste of celebdom was the famous Sylvia Young Theatre School.

She recalls: “I remember bumping into Myleene Klass once in Top Shop and my sister was wearing the Sylvia Young t-shirt and she stopped to say it was a great school and it was cool she was going.

“I’m one of five siblings so my mum would be like, ‘go and do things for the holidays’ and she booked us into summer school or camp. “I only went to the Sylvia Young summer school

and I came down to London because my dad was there. I’m absolutely rubbish at singing. I enjoyed drama and dancing. It’s so competitive. I did ballet and I would get told things like ‘you need to put your bum in’.”

Fast forward a few years and who needs to sing or dance when you can host dinner parties in your flat?

Last month Laura began hosting a pop-up dinner club in her warehouse flat in East London. he idea was pitched by Laura and her good friend, Radio One DJ Alice Levine.

“I’m very good friends with Alice. She does Grimmy’s old spot from 10pm-1am on Radio One .

“Alice and I pitched the idea while we were doing a column for a magazine. It was set up a few months ago.

“Although the emphasis is on the food and cooking we’re not chefs but it’s very good home cooked meals we offer.

“I’ve got a big inner space in my flat for 16 people to eat. I have a little vegetable patch so it’s great for the

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show. I love the design and interiors and we design the menu ourselves.

It’s an experience!

“It’s £20 for three courses and a bottle of wine and we don’t make any money from it.

“Jimmy’s Farm gardeners have contacted us about a collaberation.

The food world is amazing, I love it! In the food world it’s like a family.

“On the first pop-up dinner show we had some people we knew and others we met through Instagram and Twitter.

“It’s not even just people in the industry, just anyone who contacts us!”

And the other good thing about Laura’s pop-up dinner is it could be seen as a great alternative to a singles night…so you go girl!

Laura Jackon’s new dating show will air on Channel 5 in the summer. forty-five

COMING SOON TO A PLACE NEAR YOU...

Looking for a gig and don’t know where to go? Never fear, STEPHEN BUTCHARD has a quick look at what’s a goin’ on...

Chance the Rapper FOLLOWING the critical success of his mixtape Acid Rap, Chance is currently one of the hottest acts in the Chicago rap scene.

His woozy, tripped out beats and off the wall personality have both proved very successful. Not just that, but Chance’s lyrical ability and sharp flow are equally ear catching.

He has been teasing NME recently by suggesting that he is working on some new material, and so all we can do is wait.

In the meantime, we have the pleasure of knowing that he’ll be in the UK for a string of gigs this summer.

Chance’s hyperactive rapping style will no doubt prove a treat in a live capacity, and joining in on the call and answer shouts on the song ‘juice’ should prove to be a memorable experience.

Chance recently announced that he and electronic producer/singer/songwriter James Blake share a flat in LA, and according to the rapper, will be working on new material together. He says: “We’re probably going to make a bunch of sh*t every day. I don’t know what we’re going to do with it. We might give some sh*t to other artists.

We’re getting a compound so we figure we might invite people round to the crib and make some music in the house, then kick them out and bring in some new people” This comes after the pair released a remixed version of Life Round Here from Blake’s Mercury Prize winning album Overgrown.

Chance will play at T in the Park and Wireless in the summer.

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Chvrches Chvrches churned out some of the best pop singles of 2013, with tracks like Gun and Mother We Share which have addictive replay value thanks to their infectious synth leads, bright tones and the cooing vocal of frontwoman Lauren Mayberry.

Not only this, but their blissful, darkly tinged debut album The Bones of What You Believe hit the Top 10 and was placed on numerous year-end lists by music publications.

The light Glasgow twang in Lauren’s vocal delivery adds colour to the group’s make-up and has set them apart from their contemporaries.

As well as receiving praise for their debut, the band has

been highly regarded for its live performances, in which Mayberry can pull in an audience of hundreds with the soft, intimate delivery.

Her two bandmates Iain Cook (guitar, bass, synthesiser, sampler) and Martin Doherty (synthesiser, sampler, vocals) have clear musicianship and blast out their anthemic synth pop with all the energy you would hope for.

Chvrches have a clear musical talent, and witnessing that seems more important than anything else about them.

Chvrches will be playing at the Reading and Leeds festival, T in the Park and Bestival in the summer.

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Tame Impala Australian outfit Tame Impala have been hailed as among the very best in the genre with their head spinning, densely layered sonic guitar jams which hail back to the glory days of 1960s psychedelia.

The richly expressive playing on the albums Innerspeaker and Lonerism is something to marvel at.

These albums have been

critically hailed in the process, with the latter going on to see mainstream this year with a nomination for Best Alternative Album at this year’s Grammys.

Their live shows have been equally lauded.

Nearly all of the writing, playing and production work was undertaken by frontman Kevin Parker.

The band does not

preview

St Vincent Art-pop queen and virtuoso guitarist Annie Clark, 31 – better known by her stage name St Vincent – said in a recent interview that she tries “to live at the intersection of accessible and lunatic”.

Her new self-titled album was a real testament to that idea.

The album acts as a quirky, hyperactive shot of adrenaline right into the bloodstream.

Clark’s offbeat brand of pop music is both addictive and wonderfully odd.

Using a jarring, experimental sonic pallet, Clark has created one of the most praised albums of the year so far, and with that, fans anticipate her upcoming live performances.

Clark is a true showman, her dramatic performances harking

back to the golden age of pop (I’m talking Bowie here, not Britney…).

Her unique blend of pop blissfulness and experimental oddball soundscapes is something to be witnessed in the flesh.

St Vincent’s appeal has proved to be wide spanning, with Clark opening shows in the past for Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie and Television.

She also collaborated with music legend David Byrne, formerly of Talking Heads, in 2012 for the full length album Love this Giant.

St Vincent is set to play in the UK in May, with concerts in Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds.

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Disclosure become Tame Impala until they play live, when the bandmates jam for real.

The five-piece replicate the feel of these albums well in a live capacity.

The band recently collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on a reworking of their song Feels Like We Only Go Backwards for the soundtrack for the film Divergent.

Tame Impala will play a string of headline dates this summer as well as a slot at T in the Park. The band is also set to support the Arctic Monkeys at their Finsbury Park dates in May.

With their debut album’s success in both the charts and with critics, this house duo has been placed high as one of the best dance acts out there, and it’s not hard to see why.

Their hypnotic, detailed beats, bouncy playful synths and irresistible vocal melodies have proved impossible not to move to, and this feeling will be turned up to the max in a live capacity.

The duo’s energetic live sets are heightened by their incorporation

of live instrumentation, epic extended mixes and surprise vocal guests such as Eliza Doolittle, who has popped in during sets to perform You & Me, to the delight of fans.

Disclosure’s list of collaborators has grown into quite an impressive list.

As well as performing with rising stars Sam Smith and AlunaGeorge, they’ve also worked with R&B legend Mary J Blige recently on a remix of F for U as well one of

their personal heroes Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest.

They also performed alongside Lorde at the Brit Awards this year where they were nominated in four categories; British Album, British Group, British Single (for White Noise with AlunaGeorge) and British Breakthrough Act. Disclosure are confirmed to be at T in the Park, Reading and Leeds, Parklife and Bestival.

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forty-seven

feature

MISSOURI

SCOTLAND

I

forty-eight

Get

spent my second year of university abroad in the US. More specifically I went to Columbia, Missouri (or CoMo if you’re one of the cool kids), in America’s Midwest.

Firstly, it’s probably important I share with you some nostalgic thoughts I have about bonnie Scotland.

About four weeks before Christmas I found myself feeling a way I had not remotely expected.

As I was speaking about Britain, Scotland and more specifically Glasgow, I realised quite how great our little island is.

Our bunch of pale explorers have been all over the world and influenced almost everything in the western world.

Not only that, when I remembered

me out of here It’s easy to develop a ‘go for it’ attitude and listen to all the Spotify ads telling you to take a leap/skip/jump into the unknown, but taking a gap year is something you need to consider – carefully.

Somewhere in the stodgy mixture of clichés and buzzwords is an important message: taking a year out can be astonishingly fun and good for you, too.

If it is something you’re considering, then allow richaRD JONES to share his story and (hopefully) send you packing with some solid, proper advice. how wonderfully grey Glasgow is I swelled with pride.

Now that doesn’t mean that since I’ve returned I’ve started wearing a kilt and began every morning with a tone deaf rendition of ‘Flower of Scotland’, but I do see things differently.

And this, my friends, is exactly why you should start eating nothing but tinned food and sell everything you own to afford an adventure.

You’re world view inevitably changes.

Before going away, I was neither thankful for what we do have in old Britannia, nor did I know quite how great the world really is beyond our borders. n a serious note, there are real challenges involved.

It can’t all be emotional voyages and finding yourself, but if you’re prepared and dedicated it doesn’t need to be a minefield.

O

My parents helped me financially a part of the way. My family is far from rich; however my parents were able to pay for my accommodation while I was there.

To afford it, I spent most of first year indoors solely shopping in off-brand supermarkets.

It was a sacrifice, but one I was willing to make. I realised quite some time ago that material possessions just don’t do it for me.

Sure, I’d love an iPad and more than four t-shirts, but no amount of shiny new Apple products will ever equate to getting to see the world.

As one of my flatmates put it to me recently “travel is the only thing we buy that makes us richer”. Now, that forty-nine

feature being as soppy and clichéd as it is, and even though I spent the next 10 minutes trying to prove him wrong, I couldn’t agree with him more.

Also, interest-free student overdrafts help. A lot. I wouldn’t advise anyone to go about willy-nilly taking out bank loans from the cash-4-gold people, although if you’re careful, and have a plan to pay it all back, then it’s a great system.

In my case, I maxed out my HBOS account to -£999.93 to pay for the flights and left it there for a year.

When I got back, I immediately got a job and worked full time during summer to pay it all back. hen I went back to Edinburgh in September I had paid it all off and was back in the positive end of the scale.

As a disclaimer, it is worth saying that you have to be very careful with overdrafts and such.

That doesn’t mean you should be terrified of ATMs for the rest of your life, just make sure you plan everything out to the penny. If you do, then you’ve got nothing to worry about.

We should also talk about visas. A visa is basically what you need to have permission to stay in a foreign country for a certain amount of time under certain conditions.

W

For example, my J-1 Visa allowed me to be in the US or Canada from the beginning on my studies until three months after they finished.

It had to be signed by my uni here and the one in America. As a side note, they have nothing to do with the credit card company, something I found out in the American embassy in London to my embarrassment.

If you’re planning a big trip, the best way to find out about visas is either by phoning the

country’s embassy in Britain (America’s is in London) and straight up ask them.

They’re very helpful and talk you through the whole process. Alternatively, go into a travel agent and ask them – a lot of their agents have been on gap years themselves and should know the ins and outs.

It’s not easy, I know, but some other advice I’d give is have some form of budget for unexpected costs.

I say that from experience because I didn’t really have one. I planned everything out perfectly, and therefore

assumed that everything would be fine, which of course it wasn’t.

The American healthcare system is very different from ours.

Basically, everything costs money and you can have insurance – as I did – but that doesn’t cover everything.

How a modern country can be like that I’ll never know, however I do know that X-rays in Missouri cost $175.

Yeah!

I also know that crutches cost $40 per week and that the health centres shut at 9pm and if you injure yourself after that time then you have to wait until the morning.

Not only did I have to pay for all that when I sustained ankle ligament damage playing football, but I also had to spring for neck scans and an MRI when I fell off a building.

So budget for these silly things that you’ll probably do when abroad. My flatmate almost died in Asia trying to swim after whale sharks in a tropical storm, and I’ve got another friend who realised he had nowhere to stay after arriving in Hong Kong for New Year.

I think he may have slept rough. But we’re young, aren’t we? It won’t be until you get out there and make these untimely decisions that you’ll learn not to make them in the first place.

Once you’re out there, in the wild, away from your family and friends, you’ll learn exactly who you really are, and you’ll probably be in love with the

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person you return as. I managed to get an extraordinarily good education out of it, too. Americans have to pay thousands for an education, (not that I did, cheers SAAS) so many US universities are spectacular.

There are 40 of us in my year at Napier. In Missouri, there’s over 2,000. I got to get some hands on work experience and use state-of-the-art facilities.

You may not be planning to go to uni in a different country, however you will probably find something bigger, better, or at the very least different whatever your gap year plans. ou will miss your friends and family. Or maybe you won’t, I don’t know your friends and family. Either way, you’ll probably still miss them.

I did, but that’s what Skype, Snapchat, Viber, Whatsapp, GroupMe, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are for.

If you’re planning to go somewhere that’s not renowned for high speed internet or the law prohibits social media, you’ll find a way around it.

My mate spent a year in Uganda and routinely travelled to an internet café in Kampala to speak to his friends for a few hours.

One of my best friends has been in China for the past few years and he’s learnt a great deal about internet proxies that bypass Chinese web restrictions. It is difficult to pass go and start planning a big trip like the one I

Y

went on. I can’t lie and say it was easy to plan. It took a lot of spreadsheets, to-do lists and jars filled with coppers.

I cannot imagine the person I would be if I hadn’t gone. But maybe that’s not quite the right description, because I don’t want to give you the wrong impression and have you panicking about coming back with a personality transplant.

It’s not that I felt like a different person when I came back, it’s more that I felt like a better version of myself.

Richard 2.0.

Chiefly, I suspect all this personal growth was down to the people I met and became friends with while away.

You’ll do the same, for sure, because that’s what it’s all about. Whether you’re backpacking, hostelling (pretty sure that’s a word) or staying in the same place, you meet peo-

ple. I guarantee you’ll meet interesting, surprising, different, exciting people from all over the world.

only

£10

feature I made a handful of lifelong friends in Missouri, but I also met people from a variety of countries, cultures and backgrounds. You’ll have conversations and learn things you’ll never forget.

It’s because of this us gap year-ers (made that one up) will come back with a 100 hilarious stories to tell.

I’ll never get tired of telling my flatmates about the Spring Break I spent in Florida or the 10-hour trip it took to get there, however tired they have gotten hearing them.

I’ll also never tire of talking about my time abroad because when I’m talking about it, I’m thinking about it. And thinking about it makes me remember quite how great it was.

In short, go. Just go. Pick your destination(s) wisely, though. Do some research, speak to embassies and find out what suits you best.

If you hate humidity, for example, then Cambodia probably isn’t for you.

Make sure you consider what you want to do, as well.

I know people who have built houses for people in poverty, and others who have taught English or been live-in child minders. Or maybe you want to study abroad.

Whatever you decide, lunge at it with everything you have. It’s not the kind of thing you can do half-heartedly.

But that’s exactly the point.

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Stop press: Matt eats a sandwich

H

E WRITES crazy storylines for his comedy sitcom characters but given half the chance Matthew Crosby would have ordinary stories grace the front cover if he ever became a tabloid editor.

This insight follows the Badults writer/actor’s discovery that there is a Liverpool newspaper with his surname, the ‘Crosby Herald’.

So if Matthew was a media mogul for a day what would be the newspaper focus?

Matthew, who is one third of Pappy’s comedy trio, ponders: “What I really like about newspapers and magazines like Heat or the Daily Mail is they will have someone from TOWIE and the headline is the person narrowly avoided tripping over and that might even be the front cover!

“If I ran a newspaper I’d like to see more stories like that. A headline like, ‘A Bloke in Kent Plays a Keyboard With a Teacosy on His Head’ or ‘Alan’s Got a New Jacket’. A bit of light and shade, that’s what I’d like to see.

“The headings would be a far cry from our storylines. Some of the episodes I have written with my Pappy’s partners Tom and Ben are inspired by things that have happened to us.

“In one of the Badults episodes Ben becomes a vegetarian inspired by Tom who decided to become a vegetarian in real life.

“Ben goes mental and like a scene from Trainspotting starts crazily chasing a frozen chicken.

“We always write coming from a true starting point and then go off the rails. Our director tells us, ‘walk people across the room, then up the wall and then along the ceiling’.

“Basically start from a point of normality then become more and more insane and spin off to flights of fancy in the episode but always start from a point of sanity.

“We occasionally address the camera. We play stand-up a lot so we know you have to address the audience so we want to talk straight down the lens like ‘Allo Allo’ or ‘Morecambe and Wise’ used to do. We don’t take a bow like the ending in Miranda or Mrs Brown.”

The Pappy’s boys – Ben and Tom are childhood friends – met Matthew at university and started off doing stand-up in 2004 and then what was initially a hobby began to spiral upwards

and onwards. They have written six Edinburgh shows and 12 episodes of their sitcom Badults.

In 2012 Pappy’s got nominated for the Fosters Awards and in the same year Badults was commissioned and then re-commissioned last year.

It’s their 10th anniversary in comedy in May and apt that they have just finished filming their second series of Badults.

Matthew has also written for shows like The Kevin Bishop Show on Channel 4 and Ask Rhod Gilbert for BBC2.

The 34-year-old reveals: “I was a staff writer on these TV shows. It’s not quite the same as writing the comedian’s actual material.

“In Ask Rhod Gilbert writing was a strong term for what we did. There was six of us including Rhod and we were in a room during the Festival and we would ask silly questions like ‘could a horse be trained to do the actions from the YMCA song?’ And then that might be used!’

“For Badults the kind of thing we wanted to do is create the same atmosphere as if you are hanging out with your mates, like your funny mate down the pub. When Tom, Ben and I write together we hope that it will turn into a show that makes the audience laugh. Comedy was always something we did as a hobby and we saw our first show in Edinburgh as a hobby.

“A producer saw us and paid for the next Edinburgh show.

In comedy when you first get into it it happens quite

slowly you’re not going to suddenly break into TV. The good thing about doing a sketch comedy show with your mates is that if you forget or do something wrong from being generally inept, because it’s three of us it looks like it’s planned.

“We did a sketch show for the Olympics and it was a parody of the opening ceremony with us dancing dressed as Morris dancers.

“We did the dancing and the audience are meant to think what’s going on here and we hold up a sign at the end of the dancing saying ‘Worst Olympics Opening Ever’ – that’s the pay off at the end.

“Thing is when we turned up on stage one night to do it and we’d forgotten our sign for the end so after Morris dancing we just said ‘that’s the end’ and left the audience puzzled.

“We’re so useless that we didn’t even think to say the words ‘worst Olympics opening ever’ and we ended up cracking up and laughing.

“It’s one of those things if a gig goes badly wrong you have each other to share it with and if it goes really well you have each other to share it with.

“When we started out in one of our shows in 2010 we all came out in business suits and after the opening song we had everything confiscated, our props, costumes and even Tom’s wig he’d been wearing for the sketch.

“We were doing the summer festivals just after that and Tom, who’s bald, decided he liked the wig and he pretty much wore one the whole time.

“You know when you wear a wig and you think it looks real and we’re walking along and Tom never noticed people nudging and staring but I could see it and finally his girlfriend intervened and told him ‘you can’t be 29-years-old and wear a wig!’

Badults Series 2 is coming to BBC Three this summer @bbcbadults fifty-three

competitions

WIN

A LUSH FUNNY BUNNY

Tied up inside this organic cotton Knot-Wrap is a selection of limited edition Easter treats. The organic cotton KnotWrap is from re-wrap, a women’s co-operative in India.

By choosing the Lush Knot-Wrap gift options, instead of traditional paper wrap, you are helping us save 11.6 tonnes of waste per year. We’ve got FOUR to give away.

CONTAINS: two Bunny bubble bars; A Bunch of Carrots reusable bubble bars and a Fluffy Egg bath bomb

FOR a chance to win a Lush Funny Bunny, answer the question: HOW MANY TONNES OF WASTE IS SAVED PER YEAR USING LUSH KNOT-WRAP GIFT OPTION? Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ student-rag.co.uk Closing date April 15.

Editor’s decision is final.

WIN This decadent hamper is the perfect treat for chocolate fans. A beautiful selection of produce from Devon is sure to be the perfect picnic indulgence.

With chocolates made with Torquay’s finest local liquors, Lyme Bay’s award winning chocolate orange cream liqueur – perfect for

CHOCOLATE

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pouring on desserts, shortbread made in Tiverton and Willie’s Venezuelan Gold chocolate – packed full of natural ingredients.

There is something for everyone in this super chocolatey hamper.

Includes: Box of 12 Chocolate Heaven chocolates – handmade in Torquay using local liqueurs. Lyme Bay Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur 50 cl, Teoni’s Chocolate Chunk Shortbread 150gm and Willie’s Chocolate Venezuelan Gold 80g.

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We’ve got THREE hampers to give away. For a chance to win one, answer the question: FROM WHICH COUNTY ARE THE HAMPER CONTENTS SOURCED?

Text your answer FREE along with your name, contact phone number and email address to 07746-792724 or email competitions@ student-rag.co.uk Closing date April 15. Editor’s decision is final.

fifty-four

You’ve booked a log cabin in the middle of the woods miles from anywhere.

You enter, sit down on a chair and find you’re superglued to it.

Your hands and the rest of your body are stuck. What do you do?

I’d resign myself to the fact I am going to die alone, then like in the film Gravity have a burst of hope – try and save myself, topple over in the chair and then die alone.

The lead in Fifty Shades of Grey, Jamie Dornan, needs some tips on how to be sexy on set.

He contacts you – what advice do you give him?

Wear a t-shirt and nothing else.

When women see you dangling from below the shirt they go crazy for that shit.

You get a part in a drama about a much older woman (87 yr-old) who falls in love with you.

It turns out the woman is your nan’s best friend and you have to snog her on set.

Do you do it and if so what do you say to her afterwards? If not how do you bow out gracefully?

I’d really drag it out until she dies.

You start a dance craze on your birthday that goes viral on Youtube.

Fast forward twenty years and anyone you bump into is still asking you to perform it.

What’s your reaction and do you believe it’s karma for all the practical jokes you’ve done?

I won’t be here in 20 years. I died in a log cabin. Alone and naked. Did I say I was naked? I was naked.

You notice a celebrity you’ve fancied for years in the front row while you’re performing stand-up.

What do you do to impress her and what would work as an impressive joke/story?

I tell her of the time I pooped myself on a megabus. Works every time probably.

You win a million pounds and split it between giving it to charity and buying every seat on a megabus.

Who goes on the megabus on

interview your trip and which charity gets the other half?

I would combine those efforts and start a charity that helps people get from A to B on a Megabus alone with me.

You turn up at a yoga class with jeans and forget your

You are arrested in Los Angeles for a crime that may see you imprisoned for five years or become a new Z-list celebrity.

What have you done?

I started a reality TV show called ‘Literally Keeping up with the Kardashians’ where you have to lurk outside their house and chase them when they come out.

I got arrested but now I have subsequently become famous.

My Show ‘World Dommett-nation’ comes out soon’ on the E exclamation mark channel.

YOU’RE HAVING A LAUGH

Your parents get a fake adoption certificate and leave it in the kitchen for you to find.

They let you search for your real parents for a week before telling you it was a joke.

How do you react?

I would put myself up for adoption.

with JOEL DOMMETT kit so decide to strip to your boxers....only you’re wearing speedos.

Do you do the class in them and what do you say to everyone who stares at you to make them laugh?

I would do the class in them and then walk home in them.

The only way to address ridicule is to scare people with your conviction. Did that make sense?

It felt like I just said something well deep.

You decide to turn up at a school reunion prom.

What do you want to let everyone know and do you pick on anyone for an impromptu routine while you are there – what do you get them back for?

I would take a paintball gun and shoot everyone in the neck who ever punched me.

Then film it and put it on twitter.

Mainly Chris Hodgeson. He was a proper bell end.

You’re on a dream date and bring her home for a nightcap.

She gathers all your nunchucks for your Wii and says ‘it’s either me or them’ and prepares to throw them in the bin.

How do you react?

I would chose her. Then nunchuck secretly while she was at work.

You have an amazing secret and decide to share it with the rest of the world. What is it?

I nunchuck while my dream girlfriend is at work.

You go back in time to get back the bully who picked on you in school. What’s the ultimate revenge?

Come and see my tour show and I discuss this at length with an interval and regular laughs.

JOEL DOMMETT will be appearing at Blackfriars basement as part of the Glasgow Comedy Festival on March 28.

For tickets call 0844 395 4005. twenty-five fifty-five

Get on yer bike...

Cycling is now the third most popular recreational activity in the UK. Not just that, but with the expanding range of bikes, clothing and accessories, there are products to fit every person’s preference, meaning there really is no better time to get into cycling.

Amateur cyclist Kirsten Ross is a first year, studying architecture at Herriot Watt University. As she says, it is the freedom and relaxation cycling brings that has drawn her to it.

She explains: “When I’m home I try to cycle three to four times a week, mostly to get outside, relax and to

stay fit.” These are three of the most popular reasons people get into cycling, and cycling does certainly bring with it these benefits.

Cycling is one of the best ways to fit exercise into your daily routine as it doubles up as a form of transport.

It is also a low-impact exercise, so workouts are less straining on your joints than running or other types of intense aerobics, but it still helps you get into shape.

If you weigh 12st 9lb, you will burn more than 650 calories with an hour’s riding and tone your legs and bum in the process.

If you ride up hills or offroad, you’ll also work your

GADGET #1

Bike Spokelit AT £7.99, these inexpensive LEDs add an invaluable amount of visibility to the side of your bike, meaning you’re more likely to be seen by passing motorists, increasing the safety of your ride.

The lights fit on to most standard spokes in the common three cross pattern, and come in a range of colours, including a colour changing ‘disco’ light.

upper body in a way you couldn’t in the gym.

Gavin Shuttleworth is an engineer student at the University of Strathclyde.

His cycling hobby has turned serious over the past few years, with competitive road racing proving successful for him.

He says: “I got into cycling because of my dad and my brother.

“Every year we would watch the Tour de France on TV, and that’s what got me hooked.

“I started beating my brother and my dad. I started taking it more seriously.

“I began racing and got selected to ride for Scotland

GADGET #2

with stephen butchard

at under-16 level. At this point it sort of became more than a hobby.

“Now I’m in my first year as a senior rider and I train nearly every day for four or five hours.”

Gavin’s passion for the sport is inspirational to a lazy student like me.

If you want to get into cycling, it can be hard to know what type of bike to go for.

Leisure bikes are good for short rides around town, and can start at around £50 for more basic models, and are ideal for novices.

More advanced bikes can go into the hundreds for their streamlined models and light aluminium frames.

GADGET #3

IceDOT Crash Sensor Scosche boomBottle This sensor adds a cutting edge feature to any helmet by sending a message to your emergency contacts in the event of an accident.

It works by pairing with the Bluetooth on your phone. After detecting a high impact collision the sensor sends a message to those closest to you in case you’ve been hurt.

It costs £139.99 and will mount onto most helmets and can pair with iPhone 4S and above. An Android 4.3 version is in development.

A Bluetooth speaker that was made specifically for outdoor activity, it fits snuggly into a bike’s water bottle cage, and is IPX4 splash proof.

The boomBOTTLE also has a built-in microphone, so it can work as a speakerphone.

As well as this, the rechargeable lithium battery offers 10 hours of use. It comes in blue, green, pink, grey and yellow.

Oh, and it costs £119.99.

SPOTLIGHT: Soul Cycles Bikes With Soul. Soul Cycles is one of Edinburgh’s largest, independent bike shops run by a team of expert bike mechanics ready to help you find your perfect second-hand or affordable ride.

Our customers like our chilled, friendly approach to selling bikes and we usually have a healthy stock of rides to suit all tastes, from old school, vintage style bikes, to the more contemporary city hybrids.

We pride ourselves on giving used bicycles a second chance! All our pre-loved cycles are fully serviced and

come with a 3 month warranty because it’s cool to recycle a bicycle! For the eco-conscious, buying one of our second hand bikes you are effectively saving one from being scrapped and the environmental impact of another being manufactured.

We have great bikes for every budget and can help Edinburgh Students maintain their bikes while they are in town and buy them back when they move on.

Visit us on Brougham Place just off the Meadows to check out used bikes that don’t cost the earth.

fifty-seven

feature

HOW NOT TO BE FLAT BROKE...

SO you’ve just secured your graduate job – great! It’s located in your favourite city – great!

But the average rent in that city swallows up your entire monthly salary – not so great.

But what if there was a way you could live in a beautiful building in a prime location for around £60 per week, bills included. Sound tempting? Welcome to the world of a property guardian. Let ALICE CRUICKSHANK show you round...

What are property guardians?

With the number of empty buildings all over Britain higher than ever before, many owners these days are turning to agencies, such as Ad Hoc, Camelot and Dot Dot Dot to find house sitters, or ‘property guardians’ as they are known, to look after their properties and prevent squatters.

The principles of property guardianship are fairly simple. Anyone who is employed can apply to stay in an empty property.

In exchange for very low rent, the guardians are tasked with minding the building until the landlord needs it back- this could be for a month, six months or even longer.

Of the students we asked, all said they would consider it as an option if they got a job in a city where rent prices were high.

Some had even lived as a property guardian already.

Lucy (20) from Linlithgow stayed in an empty house with her boyfriend. “It was generally a really positive experience,” she says. “The owner extended our stay twice, and we had no issues with them at all.

“The only negative for me was the house we lived in was very old, and it needed a lot of attention. The owner also had chickens that became our responsibility too and were very hard work at times!

“But overall, I would do it again if I was asked.”

Be the King of Your Castle Who wouldn’t like to live like royalty for a few months?

Ad Hoc Scotland says so far they have had a mansion with its own lake, a pub, a care home, listed buildings and a leisure centre amongst the quirky residences on their books, while Camelot’s properties include a pink castle in Holland.

Property guardian schemes are becoming increasingly popular.

This means that from Glasgow to London to Paris, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to benefit from this scheme.

Save Money and Change Lives One property guardian community that is really making waves is Dot Dot Dot, based in London.

Their goal is to provide cheap accommodation so residents can spend less time working and more time helping the local community.

To be a guardian with Dot Dot Dot, you must do at least 16 hours a month volunteering.

This could be litter picking, tutoring underprivileged kids, working with animals… anything that makes you feel good and benefits others.

Considering the average monthly rent in London according to The Guardian is £1,118, this is a deal definitely worth

GUARDIAN S

BY NUMBE RS

23,000 The nu homes in Scot mber of empty land according to Shelter 150,000 Th e number of pe ple in Scotlan od list for local au on the waiting th or ity ho using in 2013 631 The aver for a one-bed age monthly rent 566 The aver flat in Aberdeen of a one-bed age monthly rent fla 618 The aver t in Edinburgh of a one-bed age monthly rent fla 72 The numbe t in Glasgow across the UK r of properties currently has that Ad Hoc available to ne guardians w

considering. Jasmine (25) is a property guardian with Dot Dot Dot and says the financial and social benefits have been huge.

“I was paying over £700 a month to live in a small privately rented studio flat and I was skint, lonely and miserable,” she explains.

“There were times when I had to choose between paying a bill and buying food. I would lie awake at night stressed about money and hating my flat because the landlord wasn’t answering my calls about all the problems with the building.

“As soon as I became a property guardian I was living in a much bigger flat and part of an amazing community of people. I was actively encouraged to become a part of charitable work

in my area. I was able to pay the bills, rent and put money aside – something I truly thought would never happen living in London.”

Too Good to Be True?

Being a property guardian may not suit everyone. Ultimately, guardians are only ‘borrowing’ a property and don’t have the same rights as tenants.

The owner may want the property back at any time and most agencies offer a very short notice period, usually a few weeks.

So to be a guardian you have to be flexible and open to change.

There are also some extra costs to bear in mind. Most companies require a damage deposit, ‘processing’ or ‘administration’ fee and the purchase

of a fire safety pack. In most cases, properties will be shared by other guardians.

University has probably already taught you about the joy of sharing with strangers! And wild parties? Not a chance.

“Being a property guardian isn’t for the faint hearted,” says Jasmine.

“It can be tough. My flat was completely gutted of everything – no oven, no carpets… and it needed some TLC. But I have learnt a lot about DIY and Dot Dot Dot sign-post you to great places you can get cheap paint and furniture.

“If in doubt there is always one of the other guardians in the block who is likely to have a screwdriver or the technical know-how required!” fifty-nine

travel

I’ve been on the journey of a lifetime

An International Volunteer Project off ers the chance throu gh charity work abroa d to gain valuable, rich and rewarding experience and en joy many types of frie ndships throughout the journey.

Shelly explains why everyone is a winner when the y get involved with an IVP.

I first met Xchange Scotland at a summer opportunities fair at university.

I have always wanted to do international volunteering, but money is always an issue, to which Xchange Scotland can supply value!

This was my first international project in a non-European country, and I expected it to be quite different, and it was, but in a great way.

The Project was 15km away from downtown Hanoi, it was a charity project founded by an American Veteran and run by an international committee dedicated to children with disabilities whose parents where affected by toxic chemicals used in the American War. As for the Project, I learned about the country’s attitudes to disabilities, the service concepts they provide and the funds they receive.

The organisation in Vietnam was friendly, encouraging and innovative in its ideas to help those with disabilities.

The activities I got involved in along with other international volunteers were a good mix; we made our way to the village to play with children, organise games in the classroom and make embroideries with the children.

We also cleared sites, prepared soiling, weeding, and plant flowers. sixty

I realised when on the project that this is my calling, my career, and my vocation.

I love working with people with disabilities and this experience made me realise just that.

Learning the language as I went along was one of the highlights, and to find myself saying phrases without thinking about is was always a high five moment!

What made it amazing was the people and the other volunteers from across the world who were on the International Volunteer Project with me, I made amazing friends and they gave me the idea to shape my life from here on in, so to them I am forever grateful.

If I have a message to pass on to those thinking about going on an IVP with Xchange Scotland, it would be this: Traveling to a project is not scary!

There’s always someone looking out for you and the project leader will make you arrive safely.

And if you’re scared of making friends, you just have to remind yourself that everybody has come there to meet people, an IVP is one of the most open atmospheres I’ve ever experienced.

Have fun and see the world in a different way!

Inspiring volunteering opportunities around the world and around the corner...

Tanzania to Austria, Xchange Scotland would like to start you on your International Volunteer Journey!

We offer exciting International Volunteer Projects from 2 weeks to 1 year with a range of projects.

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DUBLIN: DID YOU KNOW?

The average winter of some 45 square miles.

Dublin covers a land area There are over 1000 .

19oC is age aver er the summ r 25. Conclusion temperature is 4oC while unde are s dent resi ’s the city . pubs in the city. 50% of home ht flig your miss t don’ dress warm, party hard and Atha Cliath”, which Irish language is “Baile The name for Dublin in the get it either. t don’ we No, s”.

Reed means “Ford of the Hurdled

1 2 3 4 5 6

in in 988.

The Vikings founded Dubl

rt Burns was born. 10 1759, the same year as Robe Guinness was founded in around the world. Burns y dail uced prod are million glasses of Guinness that sterling stout in r enjoying five pints of wrote Tam o’ Shanter afte 1790.

There has been a pub on is Dublin’s Brazen Head.

The oldest pub in Ireland this site since 1198. ’s Head because he refused a pint at the Stag Quentin Tarantino was once didn’t work. He probably am?”

I who know you ’t “Don pitched up after hours. door. erds” as he was shown the yelled “Inglourious Bast

OK, you already know that Dublin is Ireland’s capital city, that you can fly there daily with Ryanair from

7

Prestwick in 45 minutes and that the pubs are really rather good. All true but hardly rocket science.

So here are 16 things about Dublin you might not know…oh, and one of them is total mince.

locations including The ral Dublin pubs as filming The Commitments used seve .

Hairy Lemon and Whelan’s Windmill Lane Studios. their albums at Dublin’s gs, U2 recorded a number of h means, among other thin whic in, Dubl of dom free The band were given the hens Green.

Step St. in free for p that they can graze shee Matsue and San Jose. elona, Liverpool, Beijing, Bridge is the only Dublin is twinned with Barc l nnel in the city. Oh, and O’Co And there are 46 rivers long. it’s as wide as is h bridge in Europe whic ic bike scheme with 450 s of cycle tracks, a publ The city has over 120 mile ions around the city. stat bike 40 and use ic bikes for general publ ty. ses in Dublin City and Coun There are over 50 golf cour ick’s Cathedral where arm” originated in St. Patr e The phrase “chancing your the Medieval Chapter Hous open to hole a into you had to put your hand door. in Whitefriar Street e are contained in a cask The remains of St Valentin et.

Stre ier Carmelite Church in Aung designed by Dubat the Academy Awards was The “Oscar” statuette used to ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. tion rela no ons, Gibb lin-born Cedric s from the Irish words tarf-born Bram Stoker, come ”Dracula”, written by Clon “bad blood”.

“Droch Ola” which means shed them. in because St. Patrick bani There are no snakes in Dubl

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

etite to visit soon. And hope this has whetted your app IF you haven’t been before, we from Prestwick. nair Rya with rn e reasons to retu if you’re a Dublin veteran, mor Number 4 is slightly inaccurate. Burns certainly wrote Tam o’ Shanter in 1790, but so far as we know he wrote it in a field while ploughing. No Guinness was consumed at the time but maybe a fine single malt was! Sláinte!!

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