SUBCULTURED. Issue 2: Being You - December 2016

DECEMBER 2016

SUBCULTURED. SUBCULTUREDMAG.COM

MENSWEAR AW16 TRENDS UNIVERSITY: the best years of your life?

issue 2:

CHRISTMAS + NYE party looks for YOU

being you 1

SUBCULTURED. DECEMBER 2016

SUBCULTUREDMAG.COM

UNIVERSITY: the best years of your life?

MENSWEAR AW16 TRENDS

issue 2:

CHRISTMAS + NYE party looks for YOU 2

being you

DECEMBER 2016

SUBCULTURED. SUBCULTUREDMAG.COM

MENSWEAR AW16 TRENDS UNIVERSITY: the best years of your life?

issue 2:

being you

CHRISTMAS + NYE party looks 3 for YOU

SUBCULTURED. DECEMBER 2016

SUBCULTUREDMAG.COM

UNIVERSITY: the best years of your life?

MENSWEAR AW16 TRENDS

issue 2:

CHRISTMAS + NYE party looks for YOU 4

being you

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Letter from the editor And so here we are again, 8 months later, releasing our second issue. It’s been a crazy, fun, jampacked journey to get here, but I can’t lie, there were challenges. Like with any journey in life, it’s not going to be easy.

For example, the ‘How to Style the University of Surrey Hoodie’ shoot was never supposed to be on the cover. It was actually intended for the ‘Being You’ shoot, on page 67 where we photographed and interviewed various Surrey students on what makes them unique, as this represents the issue 2 theme. However, after some initial setbacks with the organisation of this shoot, we figured that the hoodie shoot was a better option. And I think it worked out for the best! The four covers represent how each model is themselves through their own unique styling of the hoodie. Two of these covers were actually shot by Tommy Chamberlain who we randomly ran into whilst the shoot was taking place on campus, alongside our primary photographer for the shoot, Marcus Tay. Although each model attends the same university, as shown through the hoodie, they’re each their own unique person.

I hope you’re inspired to be you, whether it be from this shoot or any other content in the issue.

Despite the challenges, this issue was created by some of Surrey’s best talents. Due to our successful recruitment campaign in Freshers Week 2016, we welcomed a variety of talented members to the team. It’s amazing how a single idea can attract so many like-minded creative people. From our photographers, videographers, make-up artists, writers – you know who you are, I just want to say thank you! Thank you for applying to be a part of the team, attending meetings, showing up, editing photos and more.

Also, a huge shout out to our board of directors who manage and organise our content creators!

SUBCULTURED would not be possible without you.

I also want to thank social media as it played a huge role in model scouting! From Ela Prakash, whose YouTube channel (@streetorvintage) I randomly stumbled across in the summer holidays, to Bee Pinyapun Sakunchoknamchai (@ beepinyapun), who I found on Instagram and who happened to be friends with Marcus Tay – our cover shoot photographer! What a strange world!

Overall, it has been a busy, exhilarating term creating the second issue. Sometimes I look back on everything I’ve done so far and think “WOW! You did all this?” But then I remember this is no coincidence. It took a lot of hardwork to get here, SUBCULTURED is something I’ve worked on everyday since I sent out that mass email over a year ago, asking if anyone would be interested in my idea. It was naturally the next stage of my journey as I actually took a gap year prior to my degree, where I interned and fully involved myself in the fashion, art and photography industries. This was the best decision I ever made, and it gave me the knowledge and confidence to start SUBCULTURED. When I was a child, I wanted to be a writer. Then in my teen years, I wanted to be a photographer.

Now here I am both Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director of the University of Surrey’s first fashion, art, music and student culture publication.

This was meant to be! There have been a lot of ups and downs in creating the issue, particularly alongside gaining my degree, applying for placements and somehow maintaining a social life amongst it all. But it is worth it. My university experience would not be the same without SUBCULTURED, I would not be the person I am today without it. So, after all that, I hope you enjoy the issue!

e fi o C a c c e b e

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SUBCULTURED. Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director

REBECCA COFIE Managing Director (Editorial, Art/Design, Videography, Photography) Alice (Vasiliki) Papadopoulou Managing Director (Events, Marketing) Zehra Uluoz Editorial Director Katherine Frances Skippon Editorial Assistants Florrie Reeves, Holly Butteriss Photo Director Setareh Sanjarani Online Director Juliey Pham Marketing Director Olivia Mitchell Events Director Ana-Maria Enache Art/Design Director Dagmar Bernt Ellefsen Street Style Directors Alim Haque, Franchesca Di Tella Picture Researchers/Instagrammers: Donna Darafshian, Jonathan Espiritu Videography Director Niki Ho WRITERS Alice Papadopoulou, Elpida Komianou, Florrie Reeves, Hanan Abdulaal, Holly Butteriss, Jess Madanayake, Katherine Skippon, Maïté Owens, Rachel Wong, Vlad Nicu PHOTOGRAPHERS Christmas Party Fashion Shoot Kathleen Shing How to Style the University of Surrey Hoodie Shoot Marcus Tay, Tommy Chamberlain (covers only) Being You Shoot Sikandar Rana, Kathleen Shing MODELS Christmas Party Fashion Kamilya Issingarina, Bee Pinyapun Sakunchoknamchai, Sophie Bradbury How to Style the University of Surrey Hoodie Shoot Javier Mújica, Rebekah Eva Westberry, Ela Prakash, Joyce Nwagu Being You Shoot Lateshia Howell, Sara Asad, Lara dal Molin, Athanasie Eva Munyaneza, Aditi Pangrekar, Emmanuel Abayomi MAKEUP ARTISTS Christmas Party Fashion Shoot Paige Nakiwu How to Style the University of Surrey Hoodie Shoot Holly Gibbons Being You Shoot Amy Victoria Denton POST-PRODUCTION Christmas Party Fashion Shoot Kathleen Shing How to Style the University of Surrey Hoodie Shoot Marcus Tay Being You Shoot Sikandar Rana, Kathleen Shing

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DECEMBER 2016

SUBCULTUREDMAG.COM

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SUBCULTURED. CONTENTS DECEMBER 2016

FASHION

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Menswear A/W 2016 / Rachel Wong

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How to Style UoS Hoodies

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How to be Yourself / Jess Madanayake Surrey Student Feature: Being You / Alice Papadopoulou

Jaqueline Surriano / Hanan Abdulaal Christmas Party Fashion

MUSIC

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ART Student Creatives: Dance / Holly Butteriss

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I Wanna Be Me / Vlad Nicu

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University - the Best Years of Your Life / Katt Skippon

CULTURE Finding Balance in Fitness / Maïté Owens

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Interview with Tess Clothier / Florrie Reeves

The Metamorphosis of Embarrassment / Florrie Reeves

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“I want people to see the suit, Tartan Prints Once again, tartan is making its comeback in A/W. Definitely try red, copper or emerald green colours this year. As tartan prints are already a statement on their own, pair them with solid colours and spice up your outfit with varying textures.

Burgundy and Navy Checked Shirt, £35 from Topman

Round Sunglasses Though the John Lennon inspired sunnies are making a huge comeback this year, it’s always best to pick up a pair that suits your face shape and accentuates your best features. Ray Ban’s clubmaster sunglasses will always be a classic.

Ray Ban round metal sunglasses, £125 from Ray Ban

Bomber Jackets Haven’t got a bomber jacket? It’s time to invest in one, because the bomber jacket trend is still going strong. With winter round the corner, bomber jackets have evolved to including fur hoods and shearling lining.

Black faux fur hooded bomber jacket, £65 from River Island

but focus on the man.”

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White Shoes Possibly the hardest to keep clean, white shoes are one of the biggest hits this year.

And best of all they go well with just about anything. If you couldn’t get your hands on Adidas’ NMDs or Common Project’s, Converse and Vans have some decent, plain white kicks.

Adidas Originals NMD_R1 Shoes, £109.95 at Adidas.

Statement Jackets Sick and tired of twinning with your friends? Get yourself a statement bomber jacket complete with embroidery and slogans.

Stand out, be you!

Bomber In Velvet With Tiger Embroidery, £60 from ASOS

MENSWEAR A / W 2016 TRENDS FASHION

Text: Rachel Wong

The Military There’s something irresistible about a man in uniform. This year, Burberry and Alexander McQueen featured double-breasted, silver buttoned sailor pea coats and trench coats in the London A/W 2016 show. For the less adventurous, opt for military green or khaki jumpers and t-shirts to stay on track with the military trend.

Khaki Longline Fishtail Military Parka, £110 from Topman.

Carhartt WIP Nimbus Overhead Jacket, £140 from Asos.

Floral Prints

Long-line tee Tall boys, you’re in luck. Finally, clothes that actually end at the right length! Layer with a plain hoodie, camo print jacket, put on some ripped jeans and you’ve got a solid outfit. Experiment with ripping micro holes in your tee to channel that Kanye vibe.

This year, men’s’ fashion has definitely moved tremendously to dissolve all stereotypes of femininity and masculinity. Floral prints have taken over the men’s’ fashion world and very much the definition of subtly sophisticated and bold.

Reclaimed Vintage Floral Party Shirt In Regular Fit, £35 on Asos

Long Line Tee, £12 from Topman

Light-washed Blue Ripped Ankle Grazer Jeans Or any ripped jeans really! Throw them on with your slouchy longline tee or jumper and you’re ready for a day of lectures!

Light Wash Blue Ripped Stretch Skinny Jeans, £40 from Topman.

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Text: Hanan Abdulaal

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aqueline Suriano, the designer of handbags, does not keep just one work satchel.

She has many. At only 24 years of age with knowledge gained from one of the best universities in the world of fashion, she launches her own unique designs in a brand portfolio.

Growing up to be the perfect spawn of an artistic mother and an entrepreneur of a father, Jacqueline Suriano developed a passion for both business and art; she decided to merge both subjects and launch her own company to design handbags. With the dream of having her own company, Jaqueline returned to El Salva-

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dor after establishing her career as a fashion designer at the prestigious University of Parsons.

As the artist says, being born in the US and raised in El Salvador has strongly influenced her designs. For one, her work is greatly influenced by the Salvadoran artist Nicolas Shi, whom she has admired since high school. Her former art teacher said that even as a student she would always produce adaptations of Shi’s work, which is also what she seems to be doing now with her handbags.

Jacqueline Suriano seems to have taken up some sort of social responsibility for the newer

FASHION

Jaqueline Suriano

generations in a country suffering from gang violence. She is trying to break this woeful cycle by creating opportunities for younger age groups and newer generations. Also, within the company’s workshop, Suriano has incorporated a program designed to train and educate young adults on how to create a bag from scratch, and the majority are given opportunities to stay and grow within the company.

Moreover, Jaqueline says that with the vast opportunities El Salvador has given her and her family, it has created a passion in her to someday give back to this beautiful country. It is when

she found her passion for design that she decided to manufacture all her products in El Salvador to show the world what Salvadorans are capable of. The company focuses on promoting Salvadoran art and design and its mission is to create high quality handbags with the best resources. The handbags are then embellished by artisans under the direction of the designer.

Overall, fast-moving trends have many retailers struggling to define their identity, but Jaqueline Suriano has found a place in affluent women’s closets by churning out sleek functional handbags, chic enough for any woman to wear.

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Christmas Party Fashion

The best outfit for a Christmas or NYE party is the one you and only you could rock; so put on a short dress, a bold lip or your favorite blazer and step into the party scene with a ton of attitude!

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FASHION

Left: Jumpsuit - Topshop Blazer - Topshop Shoes - Topshop Middle: Top - Topshop Trousers - Urban Outfitters Lavender boots & sparkly socks - Topshop Rings - Vintage fairs, Covent Garden Leather jacket - Camden Market Choker - New Look Right: Dress - Asos Shoes - Kurt Geiger Long coat - Zara

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Photographer: Kathleen Shing Models (from left to right): Bee Pinyapun Sakunchoknamchai, Sophie Bradbury, Kamilya Issingarina Makeup: Paige Nakiwu Post-production: Kathleen Shing

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Creative Direction: Rebecca Cofie

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Student Creatives: Dance Text: Holly Butteriss

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ver the past few years government funding for the arts has been cut over and over again; effectively suppressing an industry that is vital to society in ways a lot of people are not even aware of. Students who have these creative passions and pursue them at a university level don’t often get a voice; so today Subcultured interviewed just one student who had plenty to say about why she loves her degree and her art.

Courtney is a final year student studying a Ba (Hons) in Dance, at Coventry University. When Subcultured first asked Courtney if she’d like to be interviewed on the topic of her art and the stigma she faces, she jumped at the chance to give students like herself a voice.

How long have you been dancing?

I have been dancing for 17 years, starting Cecchetti Ballet when I was four and then contemporary when I took GCSE Dance when I was 14 or 15.

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What made you want to study dance in the first place?

I never planned to study dance at university! I always thought I’d study law. But when I had to choose my A Levels I couldn’t stop dancing, and later I realised that I never wanted to stop. From then on I decided to do something I love and will have an interest in for the rest of my life and I’ll never look back.

Have you found that there’s a stigma attached to being a dancer, and if so how have you dealt with that in your life?

I think there is a stigma when you study something like dance. A lot of people comment that it’s not a ‘real degree’ and assume that I am unintelligent and that I ‘prance’ around all day; when actually there’s over 20 hours a week I have to be in university, not to mention anatomy lessons and theory covering historical, political and philosophical issues. I deal with it by explaining what it is I actually do. People making these assumptions often don’t have much knowledge about the arts and its importance to society and culture.

ART

How does performing make you feel?

I can’t explain how it makes me feel as there is nothing I can compare it to. The feeling I have when performing isn’t present in any other part of my life.

Do you have any particular inspirations for your own choreography?

Not at the moment, but I have learnt a lot of new techniques that will help me generate material in order to then make choreography.

What is the hardest thing about dancing?

Probably how it takes up a lot of time, determination and hard work! Sometimes it is really unappreciated as an art, especially when there are constant cuts to the funding of the arts; it feels like there is a constant attack on something I love.

What are your hopes for your future in dance?

I would love to dance in a company, but I also love teaching. However, given the way the government is currently behaving, I wouldn’t want to teach in a school, so I’d probably stay in the studio instead. There are so many possibilities; I don’t want to tie myself down to one thing.

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What has dance taught you?

It has taught me a lot of transferable skills, including self-discipline, patience, communication, collaboration and how to work with others.

The ability to meet deadlines and observe keenly as well as how to keep healthy and avoid or treat an injury. Dance is much more than all the ‘prancing around’ most people think we do!

And finally, what would you say to someone who was afraid to start dancing?

I’d say go for it! The dance community is a really open one; everyone is friendly and full of encouragement. Don’t let fear hold you back.

Of course, this is only one small corner of the arts and only one person’s voice. But, hopefully, Courtney’s voice will be joined by many others who are as creative and passionate about their art as she is. Creativity is too important to our lives to be stifled, so even if you don’t think of yourself as a creative person, go out and try something new.

Pick up a paintbrush, dig out your camera, dance, write, sing or design until you’ve made something new.

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How to style UoS Hoodies

University hoodies are a must-have item to showcase student pride. Here are some examples of how Surrey students wear theirs…

Photographer: Marcus Tay, Tommy Chamberlain (cover photos only) Models: (from left to right) Rebekah Eva Westberry, Javier Rodriguez Mújica, Joyce Nwagu, Elakiya ‘Ela’ Prakash Make-up: Holly Gibbons Where to buy the hoodies: Teas and Tees - Students’ Union Shop Post-Production: Marcus Tay Creative Direction: Rebecca Cofie

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Model: Rebekah Jeans: GAP, Jacket: Editors Market, Shoes: Adidas

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Model far left: Joyce Jean: Topshop Timberlands: Office Shirt: River Island

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Model: Ela Culottes: Missguided Chelsea Boots: New Look

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Model: Ela Skirt: H&M

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Model: Joyce Jeans: Topshop Shoes: Adidas

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Model: Javier Jeans: ZARA, Shirt: Ralph Lauren, Sneakers: New Balance

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‘I Wanna Be Me’:

The Sex Pistols, Bad Brains 62

Music

“Make it as someone you wanna be me ruin me A typewriter god a black and white king PVC blackboard books black and white I wanna be me” Johnny Rotten, The Sex Pistols

s, and Punk Individualism 63

Text: Vlad Nicu

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he experience of punk as a cultural phemocracy and freedom? nomenon can be roughly divided into two parts: the purely aesthetical, musical aspect; So where do the Pistols fit in this equation? and punk as a philosophy and as a way of life.

They were neither the first nor the best punk Forty odd years later the discussion about punk band, but in Britain at least, they were the first as a genre of music, however complex and fragact of the punk explosion that gained a tremenmented it is today, partly revolves around its redous amount of visibility. They were the band jection of rock’s excess, pretentiousness and lack that relentlessly attacked almost everything, of affective impact that marked the 1970s. The the queen, the government, the music industry reductionist, back-to-basics approach meant and the corporations – even punk itself. Yes, Sid that everyone could learn a few chords, start a Vicious couldn’t play his instrument and was a band and talk with emotion about something self-destructive. Yes, there was ‘gobbing’ and that mattered. Its accessibility and simplicity was fighting at Pistols shows. However, that is beside key to its appeal as an art form. But when we the point – after the group (and the punk scene take a closer look at punk culture in a more gen- itself) imploded, people started to realize that eral sense, it is rarely the case that questions of ‘The Sex Pistols’ did something more, they feroaesthetics can be completely separated from its ciously tackled social and political issues which role as a social and political force. In fact, these were affecting the working class in a dying segments are inextricably linked and aid us in industrial Britain: abortion, violence and the lack explaining the origins and raison d'être of the of a future for the poor. initial punk movement, which exploded in 1977 (what we now call ‘The Year of Punk’). Without They were labelled a threat to society and the focusing exclusively on the music here; SUBCUL- established order. We should remember that TURED looks at the ethics and politics of punk, the band was adept at manipulating its public and how they image as a ‘moral remain relevant “Don’t need no ivory liquid. Don’t want threat’, perhaps in 2016. even enjoying it, no afro sheen. and while they At the core Don’t need the latest fashions. Don’t were active they of punk philosmade some efforts want my hair to smell clean.” ophy, one can to encourage it presumably in a number of H.R., Bad Brains find an inherent interviews and paradox that was or is the source of continuous appearances at TV shows. The now infamous tension in delineating its values and direction, image of Vicious wearing a Nazi flag t-shirt left rebellious individualism versus the desire for many perplexed, with incoming accusations that group identity. It’s a conceptual push-and-pull, the group supported fascism. This specific brand it means that you define yourself against society of exploiting media prejudices about youth as an individual, but at the same time you also groups, loaded with a serious dose of self-irosee yourself as being part of a group and adherny and biting sarcasm, made ‘The Sex Pistols’ ing to community standards. This coexistence of unwilling champions of individual freedom and almost contradictory tendencies was often the the meaningful refusal of ‘playing by the rules’. target of outside critics, who argued that punk With the Pistols, the negation of anarchy and does not have a unitary character, that it has the liberating impulse of socialist ideas met in no greater purpose other than expressing the the middle. dissatisfaction of young people with something.

But we see this in a different way, most ignored ‘The Brains’ are a different issue altogether. the visibility of acts like Crass, a band which, Across the ocean, in a society where problems behind its chaotic, disjointed facade, propelled of class were and continue to be problems a specific brand of social anarchism that rejectof ethnicity, ‘Bad Brains’ became of the most ed hierarchy and traditional authority such as important and revered punk groups of all time governments and state institutions, believing in as a result of a number of factors: their undeniathe classic anarchist statement that ‘there is no ble talent, their political awareness, their savage authority but yourself’. Or, as activist Jerry Rubin blend of punk brutality and reggae-infused famously quipped, ‘People should do whatevconsciousness, and the fact that they were the er the f**k they want’. Why should someone be first collective of black, Rastafarian musicians compelled to take sides with either collectivism playing with blinding speed, precision and eneror individualism in order to support both degy. For a while, ‘Bad Brains’ were not allowed to

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Music perform in D.C. (an experience reflected in the song ‘Banned in D.C.’) and were subsequently plagued by internal strife and controversy surrounding their lead singer and frontman, H.R., who suffered bouts of mental instability and had violent confrontations with skinheads and fans at concerts.

Nevertheless, their early work in the 1980s remains undeniably influential as a significant document of the times; and they were in the right place at the right time: the Washington D.C. scene at the moment when punk became even faster, harder, and more overtly political and libertarian than it had been at its inception.

In this context, the Brains almost single-handedly gave birth to hardcore punk and turned the ethnicity question into the question of ethnicity and religion by their commitment to Rastafarianism. Though their ideas lean more towards anarchism and libertarianism rather than socialism, their philosophy, as well as their actual performances, represented a perspective of unity through diversity, a place both real and imagined where people of different backgrounds and beliefs could enjoy a form of expression without being concerned about societal norms or preconceptions.

But today, both here and in the US, we are witnessing political and social instability. Near the end of a long and intense year, it is crucial

for us to realize that the potential for action and self-assertion among groups of young people has never been higher since the 60’s. To speak up, to challenge and to be proud of who you are – these trains of thought are deeply embedded in many ideologies, but few are more direct and more audacious than the ones which take shape in punk. The discourse of a unitary character expressed through difference and diversity is at once paradoxical and emancipating because it does not appeal to borders, separation, or a ‘us versus them’ rhetoric which is so common in the current socio-political climate. In the case of the current generation, the building blocks of an alternative vision of society must include the rebellious, cathartic and freedom-loving spirit of punk.

In a broader sense, we have arrived at this: to refuse closed-minded patterns of normality and social interaction is to see the value in multicultural experiences and multicultural environments. We certainly have a lot to learn from each other, no matter how distinct certain groups are from others. Student communities have a privileged position in this structure thanks to the opportunities they provide, as well as the length and depth of interactions. Therefore, it is necessary to move beyond a superficial presentation of the self with the purpose of being ‘accepted’; instead, everyone should embrace their backgrounds, their cultural identities,

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Finding Confidence in Fitness Text: Maïté Owens

I remember the exact day it happened. I think for every girl there’s a turning point; suddenly, it’s hard to ignore it.

©Nola by Addition Elle through

I’m talking about the day you start feeling critical about your body, where food becomes something you might start thinking twice about, when you look at your friends and start comparing yourself to them: how is her stomach so flat? You had the same thing for lunch… maybe you should diet?

Should you do sports? Your stomach is really sticking out today… For a lot of people, especially girls, that feeling can have a major impact on themselves as a person; on decisions about what to wear, what to eat, and how they feel they are seen by others. However, this can also be the start of a journey towards being body confident.

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I was 16 when it happened. It was Christmas time; I was in year 11 and I heard someone close to me comment on my weight. I wasn’t meant to hear but I did, and I distinctly remember looking at myself in the mirror that day and picking apart every part of my body. A new year was coming up and I made it my sole resolution that I was going to become skinny.

At that time, skinny for me wasn’t just the

way I was going to look. Being skinny was going to make me feel good about myself, it would make me popular, and it was going to make me happy.

Looking back nearly five years later, I can tell you that in 2012 I was not ‘fat’ to start with. Losing weight did not make me happier, or more popular or feel better about myself, and to be perfectly honest, it made things worse. I became obsessive and depressed because I was hungry all the time and hunger is not good for the mind; I became erratic and pushed away a lot of my friends, I tried crazy diets in an attempt to lose weight and then broke down and binged because I wasn’t able to follow through.

Statistics show that body confidence issues are more and more prominent in girls and boys from even younger ages. The causes?

Mostly the media. Despite the amount of activists trying to promote body-confidence, it’s still a massive issue and it is affecting girls and boys from ages as young as 7 years old. To put it into numbers, statistics show that 69% of girls describe themselves as ‘not good enough’. It’s heart breaking.

STUDENT CULTURE

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crucial. It’s the point where you decide you’re going to do something about it; when you have to step out of your comfort zone, look at yourself in the mirror and make a decision.

Insecurities and lack of body-confidence issues are common, and university is a tough time in that respect. Meeting new people, going out more and having to fend for yourself can be tough.

But I want to talk about how I personally was able to overcome insecurities, how I became confident… a quality which for a very long time I never thought I could be. After years of struggling, I managed to finally find my balance. As a disclaimer, this is my story, and in no way do I advocate my way of managing my insecurities to be universally applied.

I found my balance in fitness; somewhere in that destructive path I was on, I found my solution. It sounds cheesy saying it, but to be perfectly honest, I can’t stress how much it helped me become the person I am today.

In my opinion, at some point you have to accept yourself or change yourself. There’s no point in being unhappy about something, yet not doing something about it. I spoke about the turning point when you realise you’re not happy with your body, but there’s another point, which is just as

I made the decision to step outside my comfort zone. If I wasn’t happy with the way I looked, then I was going to make a change and stick to it. It wasn’t instant, it wasn’t immediate; I didn’t go to the gym once and suddenly became confident. It was terrifying at the beginning, but I stuck with it. I was sick of not liking the way I looked, I was sick of constantly feeling down when I compared myself to other girls. There was something about putting myself in an environment where I felt so raw that did something to my confidence.

In retrospect, it’s not that I look so dramatically different now to how I did three years ago. Some people feel like they need a dramatic change in the way they look to be happier, but you don’t. I put myself in a scary situation, over and over again, and I came out of it a better person.

Yes, I only changed one habit, but the trickle-down effect from that one change was huge. Three years ago I would never have let anyone apart from my family and close friends see me without makeup, while wearing a crop top was a huge no-no. I never would have admitted that I actually liked the way I looked and was perfectly happy with the way I am.

The gym is not the be-all-and-end-all of body confidence, or the ultimate key to happiness. I’d be lying if I say I didn’t have days where I let things get to me; I still have days where I’m upset, but I don’t solely blame it on my appearance. That’s one thing I’ve learnt to accept. It’s true I’ll never look like Cara Delevingne or some other 6ft something supermodel, but that’s OK. The key is to accept yourself and be the best version of you, not someone else.

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STUDENT CULTURE

Text: Florrie Reeves

The Metamorphosis of Embarrassment

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hink about a time, possibly years ago, when you were so embarrassed all you wanted to do was press your face into a pillow and have a ‘cringe attack’. This is relatable for all of us, at some point or another. Remember that time you, in front of the entire class, accidentally called your teacher “Mum”? Or last week, when you got too drunk and did some stupid, embarrassing things that made you wince when you had to be reminded of them the next day?

Why do we even have embarrassment?

Why does it exist? After all, it is felt due to ‘laws’ created through social conventions. Embarrassment is learned through social norms, a repetition of customs that have no origin. We emulate and enforce these forms of governing from rules learned through interaction at a young age. Indeed, we all, perhaps unintentionally, police these social boundaries. It’s probably something we can’t actually stop, but we just have to know that these creations are present in order to understand the ridiculousness of these ‘rules’.

That being said, recently (since the Victorian period, per se) there has been a noticeable decline in acceptable/ unacceptable social standards and, hence, the potential for embarrassment. This decrease in the threshold for embarrassment, is it good or bad?

Or neither? Our private lives have become increasingly public, what with

the mass population subscribed to multiple different social networking sites. We are left more vulnerable as a result – after all most us have a few of those embarrassing photos still on our Facebook profiles from years ago…

Indeed, with celebrity profiles being extensively flaunted over the Internet and other media, limited details of their lives are kept away from the public. This is more explicitly seen in reality television programmes. The public, through this medium, live vicariously through the lives of others. We all become voyeurs capable of judging others and continually enforcing society’s rules. The epitome of this argument would be the programme ‘You’ve Been Framed’, which makes embarrassing moments comical. The public receive glimpses into the private lives of the general public, perhaps until they are desensitized to what can be embarrassing. That guy who fell over? I’m sure we’ve all done worse.

We are all more desensitized to many aspects of our lives. What a Victorian person would feel is remarkably different from what one would feel in contemporary society in a moment of embarrassment. A modern day individual would, most likely, not feel at all uncomfortable belching in front of their peers, yet a Victorian would potentially feel disgraced.

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whether this evolution of the scale of embarrassment is a positive metamorphosis or a hindrance on society.

What truly matters, however, is the distinction between embarrassment and shame.

Where embarrassment is feeling a sense of awkward uneasiness, shame is embarrassment’s unwelcome older brother who brings humiliation and mortification. Shame is a personal attack on our self-image and beliefs, produced perhaps due to guilt. However, shame is a result of our vulnerabilities being exposed. Often, we would try to avoid and ignore whatever has generated this shame.

Yet, shaming, in actuality, is victimisation. It is used to maintain control. The resulting sense of unworthiness is a poison to society. Especially in this fashion-forward world, to feel unworthy to purchase and astonish in a particular brand or wear a certain garment is brainless. If wearing that bralette or pair of jeans makes you feel good, then wear them! Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise: feel empowered, not embarrassed.

In applying this to our everyday lives, we need to stop being neurotic. Maybe someday society will stop being so negatively judgemental. Wear what you want and be who you want.

Contemporary society has upped the ante on what it means to feel embarrassed. Therefore, we need to always keep things in perspective.

Stop apologising, because, ultimately, perfection isn’t achievable.

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Thus, society has created standards that, inevitably, the entirety of the population can’t keep up with. Ultimately culminating in the feeling of being ‘inherently flawed’, shaming, as an attack on individuality, needs to be removed from society. Disappointment for not fulfilling society’s harsh standards is ridiculous. And so, this article becomes one of those many ‘you do you’ campaigns.

But, this is why there is a distinction between shame and embarrassment. Embarrassment can be good, although it might not feel like that at the time. In fact, embarrassment brings people together. In a way, it’s a healthy alternative to shame, like the soya milk to the full fat milk. Embarrassment is often a product of risk and can bring people together. When you meet someone and they embarrass themselves, you tend to find them more ‘human’. Because, in that little moment of humiliation, we become united. For example, in your lectures you’ll probably have that nutter that doesn’t stop making those silly little remarks that make you chuckle. This risk of embarrassments makes everyone more relaxed.

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How to be YOURSELF Text: Jess Madanayake

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e’re constantly told to never be afraid to be ourselves. As a generation, we’ve embraced this motto and now more than ever are becoming more individualistic, and, as the saying goes, we try to ‘be ourselves’. What a lot of people don’t take into account is that being yourself is not as easy as people think. It can often feel as though there are expectations imposed on us by ‘society’, limiting the ways we can behave.

Here at SUBCULTURED, we decided to look at some of the ways that you can defy these norms, and, ultimately, be you.

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Appearance As both young people and students, there’s a lot of pressure to look a certain way, particularly when thinking about our future careers.

Even with the current surge of people getting tattoos, dyeing their hair, and getting piercings, employers still generally frown upon body modifications - despite the fact that they have no effect on how well you’re able to do your job! In spite of these restrictions, many of us continue to be ourselves, and express our personalities on our bodies.

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Culture In many cases, choosing how to outwardly express yourself runs deeper than just looking a certain way. There was a huge controversy in 2015 when Giuliana Rancic made a negative comment about fashion icon Zendaya’s dreadlocks. This controversy served to highlight the ignorance that still exists today regarding aspects of culture, but the flood of support that Zendaya received after the incident served to show that not everyone is so narrow-minded. Whether you choose to have your hair a certain way, wear traditional outfits, or eat your curry in a public area, no one should be judged for following their culture.

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All in all, although some people may judge others for who they are, you shouldn’t have to be held back by what other people may think. The only way to break these expectations is to continue being yourself, no matter what anyone might think.

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Gender roles Whilst there are expectations that males should be masculine and females should be feminine in their behaviour, there are plenty of people out there who feel that these roles restrict them from being themselves. There has been an increase recently in fashion that breaks these norms; for example, suits tailored for women and crop tops for men. People like Jaden Smith also help to break these gender boundaries, which is particularly important given his level of influence as a celebrity.

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Sport Another way of expressing yourself is to take up a sport, yet for many people choosing to do a sport they love poses problems when they feel judged for their gender or sexuality.

Recently, skateboarder Lacey Baker came fourth in the Street League Skateboarding contest; yet because she chooses not to oversexualise herself, many people in this male -dominated sport look down on her.

This doesn’t stop her from skating. Another example would be pole-dancing, a sport which is judged because of its history of exotic dance in strip clubs. However a society at the University of Surrey is showing how pole dance can also be a form of sport, much like gymnastics!

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Interviews

Sara Asad, Lateshia Howell,

The University of Surrey has a widely diverse student body. Read about what makes some of our students unique and how important it is to be true to yourself, no matter what.

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Sara Asad Text: Alice Papadopoulou

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hat makes you unique?

I think I have a very different perspective in terms of what I do, how I look at life; I am very creative. I always make a point to stand out – whether it is in the way I dress or the way I act… I grew up as an only child, so I am used to getting attention (laughs). Mostly I express myself with the way I dress. You can tell I prefer more exotic pieces – I like the attention, I like people asking me what’s this and what’s that. I think the way I dress shows my creativity and my nature.

I am a painter as well as a fitness blogger; I have that aspect of trying to motivate people and trying to change people’s perspective on life. I am a very positive person as well, so I like everything to be bright, positive, to stand out.

I also really like spontaneous things – I am very impulsive… I tend to travel spontaneously. Last year I didn’t know what to do for the weekend, no one wanted to go out, but I was free, so I thought, I might as well do something. So I booked a trip to Budapest alone (laughs). But when I booked my ticket on my dad’s card, he called me up, asking me where I was and I was like, “I’m in Budapest! – Who are you with?- Ehm, I’m alone!” So he booked a flight for me to go back to uni after two days (laughs). But it was

amazing; I used to wake up at 7 in the morning, sleep at like 6 pm… When you travel alone you see things differently; you see what you want to see and do whatever you want, you pay attention to details, you pay attention to people. I would sit down for hours with my coffee and just watch people walk by; I would notice how people dress, how people act. It’s so interesting to see how people from different backgrounds make up society.

That’s another thing, I’m very in touch with my culture. In terms of woman empowerment, I like to stand out as an Arab woman, show people who might have a certain prejudice that I do this, I do that… that society does not control me, I make up society, I am a part of it.

What advice would you give to other uni students about staying true to who they are?

Don’t be afraid to stand out, because you are not the one that’s different. Everyone is the same, standing out is what differentiates individuals in our society and everyone has an influence on other people in their lives. So don’t be afraid to stand out, even if some people don’t find it nice, it’s just you. It’s just who you are.

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Photographer: Sikandar Rana Models:: Sara Asad Make Up: Setareh Sanjarani Styling: Models’ own Post-production: Sikandar Rana Creative Direction: Setareh Sanjarani,

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Photographer: Sikandar Rana Models: Lateshia Howell Make Up: Setareh Sanjarani Styling: Models’ own Post-production: Sikandar Rana Creative Direction: Setareh Sanjarani, Alice Papadopoulou

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Lateshia Howell

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hat makes you unique?

For me, I do acting; I’m in drama school, in my final year, and it’s a really big part of who I am. People either want to do acting or acting kinda chooses them. I sound really cheesy, but it’s honestly true. I really like acting – it is what I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve wanted to be an actress since I was three years old and it’s never been anything else.

It sounds strange, but my hair is also a big deal.

I used to relax it from when I was 12 until 17; but my hair got really damaged and I decided I don’t really want to do this to my hair anymore.

So I did a big chop, which basically means that I cut all my hair off and started again, and then I grew it out and shaved it off again and then grew it out again… For me, social media is full of girls with weaves – which I am not against, I mean, if it makes you happy and makes you feel good about yourself, then so be it, but for

me I want to be in touch with my culture and my heritage, so why would I want to chemically damage something that I was born with? My hair makes me me.

My tattoo is also part of who I am. It’s a portrait of my mum when she was three years old, because she sadly passed away when I was three.

So I got a tattoo of her when she was three and it’s been there since I was 17. Four hours of pain, but it was definitely worth it!

What advice would you give to other uni students about staying true to who they are?

If there is something inside you that’s screaming, something that makes you different, don’t ignore that! We are all individuals, we are all here for a reason. You are making your mark. Why would you want to water down yourself to conform to everyone else? Be yourself and don’t be afraid of it.

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Photographer: Kathleen Shing Models (left to right): Lara Dal Molin, Aditi Pangrekar, Athanasie ‘Taz’ Munyaneza Make Up: Amy Victoria Denton Styling: Models’ own Post-production: Kathleen Shing Creative Direction: Setareh Sanjarani, Alice Papadopoulou

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Lara Dal Molin Text: Alice Papadopoulou

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hat makes you unique?

I come from Italy, from Milan. When I was sixteen, I did my first semester exchange; I went to the United States by myself for six months and went back for my final year of A levels. That’s when I got my world tattoo done, so I won’t forget that experience. It was quite hard and I was very young to have an experience like that. I was in a host family, I didn’t know anyone, I had never seen the city before… but the tattoo reminds me that, since I managed to stay there for six months, it means I can go anywhere.

And then I decided to come to Surrey, because they had the Liberal Arts and Sciences course, which I really wanted to do. I didn’t want to limit myself to just one subject for my degree, because it was really overwhelming for me to say, ‘OK, I’m gonna do this for the rest of my life.’ So currently I’m studying social sciences and computing; I’m doing mainly politics, so that’s my major, while my minor is math and logic related.

At the beginning, I thought I was only doing to do my minor because it will make me more employable, but I ended up liking it so much that I’m probably gonna end up doing my Masters in something that is computer-related!

I’ve also been skiing since I was 6 years old – which is why I also have my mountains tattoo.

Milan is quite close to the mountains, so my dad and I would always go when I was younger. So when I got here and realized there was a snowsports club, I joined and decided that I wanted to compete, although I hadn’t competed before.

It was really difficult at the beginning, because it was different slopes and there is no snow in the UK, but I stuck with it. And then, this year,I decided to run for the committee, so I am current86

ly the society’s treasurer.

I got my last two tattoos this summer in Barcelona. One is the golden section, which Leonardo Da Vinci used to explain the human body, design buildings, do all the things that he did…

Afterwards, when people started looking at his work, they started finding this symbol in nature, in space... It’s kind of how we explain the world; the world might not be like this, but we like to explain it that way.

The poppy tattoo represents different things; on one hand, it’s a flower that usually doesn’t have many other flowers around it. Artists also used poppies to make opium to inspire them.

I am not planning on doing anything like that (laughs), but I really like the concept of inspiration, of having something that’s going to make you think differently.

What advice would you give to other uni students about staying true to who they are?

It’s very important to me to always be myself and feel comfortable in what I’m wearing. Because if I don’t feel comfortable, it’s hard to get out of the house in the morning. Sometimes I see people around and I can tell they are not comfortable in what they are wearing. I think being yourself is amazing, because it makes you want to do stuff. If you are happy and comfortable, you can have the best day. But if you get out of the house trying to impress everyone, it’s not gonna be a very good day. People judge you more if they can tell you are not yourself. On the other hand, if you are trying to stick to who you are and you discover that you are actually fine with that (which you will), it’s much more inspiring.

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Athanasie Eva Munyaneza

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Text: Alice Papadopoulou

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hat makes you unique?

My parents are from Rwanda and I was born in South Africa, but then we came here, so I am a British citizen now. I do chemical engineering at university and I do acting outside my degree.

I remember, when I was fourteen, I auditioned for Hamlet for the Young Vic Theater. It’s a really popular theater and when they have a main show going on, they hold auditions for young people aged 14 to 21 to take part in a “parallel production,” as they call it. They get professional directors in and we get to use all their equipment, their costumes, the whole sha-bang; it’s a really professional environment. My then director asked me if I wanted to do drama professionally.

I hadn’t thought about it and she was like, you should definitely go for it. Then I looked into it and I was like, I think I will (laughs)! I decided to pursue it, but when I was 17, I didn’t know if I wanted to go to university or drama school.

In the end, I decided university. Every now and then I go ‘uh, I don’t know why I am here’; I have a lot of actor friends, and they are doing so much stuff, and for a small second I may feel very envious. But then I talk about it with my mum and she would say: ‘look at what you are doing, no one can do what you are doing, you are on your way there.’ I go into an audition and tell them I am doing chemical engineering and they are like, wow! So that keeps you ahead.

I am quite unique, in that there are not a lot of other British black actresses; every drama school has one or two black people in a cohort of 20. But at times it’s hard; you tend to compare yourself to others – to the other pretty girl in the room for the audition. But fear is a lie; it is

false evidence appearing real. I try to live my life fearlessly and the only person that can judge me is God. I am very religious and I cling on to that throughout my life... I used to be so obsessed with my body image, how I looked, I wanted to be even slimmer, to wear size 8 jeans, but eventually I let it go. I am made to look exactly the way I am meant to look. All these things about body image that are attacking you from the outside world, they can get to you. To be really happy, I feel like you should live counter-culturally and not hold the same things in such high regard as other people … which is easier said than done, it’s a process. I am not there yet, but I am trying.

What advice would you give to other uni students about staying true to who they are?

To surround yourself with people who really care, who think similarly to you, who you have things in common with. I think there are authentic friendships in life and they are just priceless. Having someone to speak frankly about your life to.

People are always like, ‘Oh hello, how are you? – I’m good,’ but you need someone you can go up to and be like, ‘This happened, this happened, I feel like this.’ Having a good support system in life is so important – whether that’s your friends, whether it is family, whether it’s God. When it comes to being authentic to yourself, choose positivity and remember that the best is yet to come. Life-changing things happen to people 20, 30 years down the line. You have so much in store for you!

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Aditi Pangrekar Text: Alice Papadopoulou

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hat makes you unique?

One thing that will come up if you ask any of my friends about me is that I am very hungry all the time. I eat loads; probably double of what a normal person my size would eat. I love food, I talk about food all the time… I am a dedicated foodie.

I am also very clumsy; I drop things, I break things, I am just embarrassing. My friends have a lot of stories about me breaking or losing things…

I am also loud. If someone wants to tell me a secret, they should probably do it when no one is there, because I’ll scream about it (laughs).

On the bus, my friend and I were talking about something and I was like “Oh my god, no way, he didn’t do that!” and then I said his full name on the bus. She was just begging me to stop!

Usually the way I dress is quite unique. It depends on the day; sometimes I’ll just go very casual, in jeans and a top and trainers, but some days I really want to dress up, so I’ll do the whole look. But if I wanna go all out, I will go all out – and if I am super-casual, I just don’t care. I tend to go for extremes, there is no middle ground!

What advice would you give to other uni students about staying true to who they are?

It is very important to be genuine to yourself, because if you don’t love yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to do it. So whatever you do, make sure you are doing it because you want to do it and not someone else wants you to do it.

When I was younger, I’d always try and be like other people and ‘fit ‘in.’ I mean, a lot of people go through that stage; in middle school, for instance, when you do your hair a certain way because another girl is doing her hair like that.

But eventually you realize that everything works differently for different people and it’s when you realize that it makes you happy. I am having a lot more fun now that I can do my hair the way I want (laughs).

I think the way to realize that you are doing what is true to yourself is whether or not you feel comfortable when you do it. If you don’t feel comfortable doing something, then don’t do it.

I think that your gut instinct usually is right – I mean, if there is something inside you that tells you what to do without you having to think about it, just follow it. .

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Emmanuel Abayomi Text: Alice Papadopoulou

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hat makes you unique?

I am a very friendly person; I love to help people. I feel like it’s my responsibility to help people achieve the goals I feel they are capable of achieving and be the best they can be. For instance, when we’ve got exams or an assessment and I feel like I know the particular subject that’s gonna come up, I try to help other people; there is no value in passing that exam if my friends cannot pass it with me.

I also really enjoy socializing. I like the balance between education and…enjoying life pretty much. Socializing can be daunting in university, but it does become easier. It’s a gradual process; the more you socialize, the more it becomes a part of you, it becomes natural. I am just enjoying meeting new people and making new friends. I am a confident person, and I believe everyone should be. It’s much more enjoyable being yourself around others.

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What advice would you give to other uni students about staying true to who they are?

I believe that confidence comes from within you; people’s perceptions shouldn’t shake you as a person. You should just be happy with who you are and learn to live with it and that’s where confidence comes from. Don’t try to force yourself into a group of people; if you are meant to fit in, it should happen naturally, you shouldn’t have to make that extra effort. Once you start becoming more at ease with yourself and more confident in who you are, it’ll all fall into place.

People will just like you for who you are if you are meant to fit in with them. It’s a fact of nature, it all falls in place.

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i isn't go d versity one an But uni r ever y zing fo nt to be ama importa kay. It’s alone. that's o u aren’t that yo realise

University: the Best Years of Your Life

Text: Katt Skippon

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House parties Cheap nights out Wandering around campus with your perfect boyfriend/girlfriend Spending your free time lounging around with a brill group of mates

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ing to

hese are some of the common ‘university life’ stereotypes you learn about before you actually start your degree. That’s what uni life will be like, filled with alcohol, fun and takeout food. Oh, and you’ll come out of it all with a 2:1 or maybe even a first, and graduate with all your new friends for life.

These experiences are not to be looked down upon, since they are, for many students, core elements to the years they spend earning their degree. But what about the nitty gritty of actual student life? Which can be so different from those picture-perfect images.

At Surrey, the main attraction is Rubix, the nightclub in the Students’ Union, with weekly nights out on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Most societies you join will have a bar crawl that ends in a messy club night there. Although our Union hosts many other events, such as day trips and even holidays, it’s almost impossible to escape the pressure of nights out at university, which are arguably, the biggest part of uni ‘fun’.

just can’t get used to.

But university isn’t going to be amazing for everyone and that’s okay. It’s important to realise that you aren’t alone. Many students really struggle at university, whether from issues which can affect them deeply, like illness or family trouble, or from less catastrophic problems that are, however, difficult to voice, like loneliness or sadness.

Whether you decide university isn’t for you and you drop out, or struggle through to the bitter end to get your degree, then you’ve made it through a tough period in your life, and you’re doing your best. It’s ok if you’re coming to university just to get your degree and not to have “the best years of your life”. At the end of 3/4 years, a degree is what everyone is here for, no matter what our experiences in getting it are like.

If university isn’t the best few years of your life, it probably means the best ones are in your future, waiting for you. The most important thing is to do what makes you happiest in the situation you’re in, to look after yourself, and surround yourself by what makes you feel happy and comfortable. Don’t let the pressure to have fun constantly make you feel like you aren’t good enough. If things get too much, there are doctors on campus, as well as the well-being centre, whose services are free and used by many students. There’s no shame in seeking that extra bit of support to get you through. Simply remember that you are not alone.

However, for some students, their time at university can be tarred with illness, bullying, homesickness, and mental health issues amongst different problems. These students aren’t some niche group who meet up at twilight once a month. They’re everywhere, sitting around you in lectures or in the computer next to you in the library; these students are struggling. Take, for example, those who are quieter, who don’t enjoy nights out or prefer their own company because it’s easier to handle, even though they might crave having a group of friends.

Having problems like these can often lead you to feel like a failure. It can seem as though you’re letting everyone down by not automatically having fun. It’s very hard to watch as everyone around you seems to be having a fantastic time at university, your friends from home seem to have made new, better friends, and your uni friends are all going out and enjoying a city you 105

Interview: Tess Clothier Text: Elpida Komianou

Tess opens up about coming out, being Vice President of the LGBT+ Society at the University of Surrey, and living in a post-Trump world.

When did you realize you were not straight and how?

‘It is not that simple. Things really happened when I was 17. Yes, 3 years ago! That was when I really came out to myself. You are like ‘’Maybe I had a crush on that person,’’ but you don’t really acknowledge it. So when I was around 15 I noticed how things were and then just ignored the whole situation. But 2 years later, as a 17-year-old, I accepted how it really was.

Did you always feel different from straight people? Is ‘different’ a word you would use?

I am guessing you are familiar with YouTube coming out videos, right? You know how they always start with ‘’I always knew I was different?’’

Well, I never felt like that. It just didn’t occur 106

to me. You know, I didn’t have boyfriends but neither did my friends. I just made up crushes and I assumed everyone else did too. I thought to myself: “maybe I am just that nerdy girl that doesn’t have a boyfriend” and went on with my life. I was so chill about it up until the point that I actually noticed it wasn’t really like that. I was basically so busy with life – school and friends – that I wouldn’t really care.’

How can your sexuality empower you?

‘Well, in the same way that anything can empower you. Like, being a woman can empower you and being gay can empower you and being non-white can empower you. It’s just the way you use it. I mean I do work that is basically activism; I occasionally translate articles into Spanish for a website that gives advice to parents with LGBT+ children. That empowers me, because I know I am helping people and maybe I wouldn’t have gone into that if I wasn’t gay. But, at the end of the day, I know that I might be marginalized, because I am a woman, but I still know that I am privileged. I mean I am cisgen-

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der, but I am white and that automatically puts me in a position where I can speak out and raise my voice for other people that are less privileged – I think it’s harder for me to have my voice heard than it would be for a straight person, but still easier than someone who is gay, black and disabled. ‘You have to sort of realise the levels of marginalisation. You always have to check that and go ‘Oh wait hold on! I do have a privilege and I need to use that’.

Have you dealt with any sort of criticism or homophobic reactions towards you?

No, not really. I have been very lucky… but I do know that doesn’t apply for anyone.

How accepting were your family and friends when you came out?

I was initially very worried about letting my family know, because a huge part of it is Christian Catholic. And I have been very lucky, since they all accepted me without question.

How did you bring it up to your family?

First, I had to let all my friends know, so all my friends at school knew before my family. As for my parents, I actually emailed them when I was in the house with them. It’s just that I am better at communicating when I am writing things down. I can get everything out. So I literally emailed my parents from my bedroom. It meant that I could put down everything that I wanted to and needed to say, and sort of push it out at them. I knew this way I wasn’t going to be interrupted in the middle of the conversation, or break down in tears. Their response obviously wasn’t written – my mum cried. But I cried too, so it was fine. She just said to me ‘I’ve been waiting for you to tell me for ages’.

For my extended family….well, I actually told them on Facebook. October 11th is National Coming Out day and so I just made a post related to a picture from the Human Rights Campaign (a movement advocating and promoting equality and LGBT+ rights) and I basically stated that I was gay. My extended family and people form school that weren’t as close to me - as much as my best friends – as well as people from Uni, reached out to me in the comments in the sweetest, most positive way. I am very fortunate.

Trump’s election: Is it going to push things back?

I don’t know if you’ve read this article that’s been going around lately about Mike Pence (new Vice

President), who actively supports conversion therapy; which is basically where you electrocute young gay children until they think they are straight. And, in the majority of States, there are no laws to prevent it! This is the world we live in now and it is awful.

That comes back to me saying I am privileged: yes, I am in this country and not in the US, but I am on the internet; it affects everyone, because everyone sees it. So that’s why it’s important to keep fighting. I know that the LGBT+ community in the US is scared. That’s what they feel right now. Trump is against gay marriage…People wonder ‘’I am here today with my wife, but I don’t know for how longer she is going to be my wife’’…People are scared. In varying degrees, he said horrible things about other groups of people as well, who are more “visible.” For example, people that wear a hijab are obviously more visible than gay people…so they are suffering more.

They are afraid to leave their houses. So that’s why gay people, queer, etc., we have to fight for everyone.

What general message are you trying to convey through the LGBT+ society?

‘The society’s mission statement is to just be a safe space on campus for LGBT+ people, somewhere where they can go and meet people similar to them, with similar interests or similar struggles and just be themselves.’ That’s just it. And obviously we do more (like organising events), but that’s the main goal; just to be a safe space.

What do you do on a regular meeting?

On a regular day, we just sit and just have some biscuits and cake, put some music on, watch films. It’s just short of a pre-made social circle, which you can sort of slip into and feel welcome.

What are your plans for the next couple of months?

We are planning some film nights, a Christmas meal and a sex education talk in collaboration with the Fem Soc. It’s just general society stuff, not LGBT+ specific. Just a normal group of people that likes music, books, films and just happens to have something in common.

If you had a chance to be heard all over the world, what is a message you would like to send when representing the LGBT+ community?

I feel like there are two levels to this. There is the light-hearted level of “we are just like you, we are 107

not ‘’scary’’, we are not possessed by the devil (laughs), we are not abominations”…But then you need to think on a deeper note. This year, there have been the most murders of transgender people in America, as of record …so don’t kill us!!

And also LGBT+ people have disproportionate high numbers of mental health problems. All just because we are in a society that believes we shouldn’t be able to be who we really are. So please don’t hurt us…we are just like you!

What about the people that are already familiar with the concept of LGBT+?

Keep supporting us, raise your voices. Change happens when there are allies. We need allies; otherwise we are not going to get anywhere.

How do you feel about the attacks directed to LGBT people (e.g. Orlando shooting)?

I feel sad, betrayed, hurt …

Can you perhaps understand the motive behind these people’s actions?

It’s just hate. For what possible reason would you have to go to a night club that caters to the LGBT+ people, take out a gun and kill 49 people?

What could possibly motivate that? Certainly not something good.

I am just trying to figure out what happened to these people…maybe something in their past.

How their family brought them up.

I CANNOT empathize with someone who did something like that. I am not making excuses for them …they chose to do that. No excuse for targeting a marginalised group of people and taking out a gun. No excuse!

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Can you give us some reasons why it’s great to be part of the LGBT+ community, and how the community has helped you/ someone you know?

I think I would have answered this question very differently a couple of years ago. And it changes over time. It’s obviously not great to be marginalized and discriminated against, but being part of the community means that you have a group of people that will support you and can build you up. And if you need support, you can talk to someone and they get it. After Orlando, for instance, I was talking to my housemate, who is straight...And she just didn’t get it. She didn’t get why I was so angry; obviously, she could kind of empathize with it as it was a horrific attack…but there is something so raw when you are talking about something like this to someone who gets its and not having to explain it to them…They just know. It’s just amazing when you are with people that are so much like you. It’s great because they just get it. I feel like this is the main thing.

Also, of course, I met some of my best friends, but, in general, it’s just like… they get it. And also the society has given me the chance to help other people...I know how websites helped me and I want to help the equivalent of me when I was 17…These people today.

How do you think the concept of sexuality aligns with the concept of being you and accepting yourself for who you are?

It is a part of who you are. Being queer and gay is a part of who I am and it can be hard to accept it at the beginning, as well as months and years later. It is hard to accept it if you feel different. But it is, for me, a big part of who I am because I choose to make it a big part. I know LGBT+ people who don’t want to be extremely involved with the community and just want to go through life by making it just a small part of who they are. But with me, with all the work I

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do, with the society and the website, I make it a big part of who I am. Because I want to. I have sort of embraced it. That’s why we have pride.

How do you think people who haven’t embraced their sexuality can actually achieve it?

It’s honestly something that you just have to work through yourself. Other people can sort of support you, but ultimately it is something that is internal. And that’s because, for different people, it takes a different amount of time. You hear people (mainly in the past) who, for example gay men, would get married to a woman, because they didn’t want to accept the fact that they were gay. And that can still happen today, with women as well. With all genders. My best advice is (I know that it’s cliché) that it gets better. But again it is something that is individual. It is not a big deal and shouldn’t be a big deal; the fact that I fancy girls and you fancy boys etc. But society makes it a big deal. Although I should say that it is much better today than it was 20, 10 or even 5 years ago.

How do you gain confidence in yourself and your actions?

That’s a tough one (laughs), because it depends on the day and your confidence. For example, I hate speaking in front of people. I’m not chilled about that. It’s about different levels of confidence. I am confident in who I am, I walk around freely and I don’t particularly give a sh*t about what people think of me. But then, there are these days when I am less confident. You know, I have this bracelet that says courage, in order to remind me that I have it in me; that I know I can always do what I have to do. For example, I had to do an hour of speaking in front of a group today; it was awful for me. But I knew I could do it because I’ve done it before. It is just believing in yourself (which is easier said than done) and getting the right support from the people around you.

“You have to sort of realise the levels of marginalisation.

You always have to check that and go ‘Oh wait hold on! I do have a privilege and I need to use that’”

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are my views alone and I can’t represent the whole LGBT+ community; I can’t even represent the whole Surrey LGBT+ Society. Different people go through different experiences and I am just describing mine. Maybe I got some things wrong, but I am still learning.

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REFERENCES Finding Confidence in Fitness: 1: https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/globalassets/docs-and-resources/research-and-campaigns/girls-attitudes-survey-2016.pdf (Accessed: 4 December 2016)

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