September 2015
LATITUDE
lookout
Freshers,
ARE YOU READY? twitter.com/UoGMagazine
facebook.com/latitudelookout
FRESHERS EVENTS TIMETABLE 2015 STUDENTS’ UNION UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH SATURDAY 19TH SEPT welcome to uni all halls / 10am - 5pm
TUESDAY 22ND SEPT comedy showcase
bar latitude, greenwich / 7pm -11pm
preloved
avery hill freshers fair
the dome, avery hill / 12pm - 5pm
avery hill campus / 10am - 4pm
welcome party
the lion king
bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm - 1am
£25 / meet at bar latitude / 11am - 10pm
freshers launch party
playdate & games night
sparrows bar, avery hill / 5pm - 2am
sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 1am
local area & supermarket tour
WEDNESDAY 23
12pm, 2pm, 4pm avery hill: meet at the dome greenwich: meet in halls
icebreaker sessions 12pm, 2pm, 4pm avery hill: meet at the dome greenwich: meet in halls
SUNDAY 20TH SEPT local area & supermarket tour 12pm, 2pm, 4pm avery hill: meet at the dome greenwich: meet in halls
welcome to uni all halls / 10am - 5pm
preloved the dome, avery hill / 12pm - 5pm
welcome bbq sparrows bar, avery hill / 12pm - 12am
icebreaker sessions 12pm, 2pm, 4pm avery hill: meet at the dome greenwich: meet in halls
freshers bbq bar latitude, greenwich / 3pm - 7pm
welcome party bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm - 11pm
MONDAY 21 SEPT ST
dev (radio 1) live sparrows bar, avery hill / 5pm - 8pm
ikea trip book your transport ticket online 3pm - 7pm
pool league
sparrows bar, avery hill / 5pm - 8pm
playdate bar latitude, greenwich / 6pm - 10pm
RD
pool league
SEPT
macmillan worlds’ biggest coffee morning bar latitude, greenwich / 11am - 1pm (RAG) avery hill campus / 11am - 1pm (netball)
london dungeons
medway freshers fair
pub quiz
bar latitude, greenwich / 7pm - 1am
SATURDAY 26TH SEPT
outdoor film screening
mini golf
edible garden day
£5 for 18 holes / 11am - 4pm
stephen lawrence building, greenwich / 1pm - 4pm
vibes sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 1am
table tennis & badminton
behind david fussey building, avery hill / 4pm - 8pm
karaoke
world of golf sidcup greenwich: meet at cooper building avery hill: meet at gatehouse
dr bike surgery
garden party free pool afternoon
medway campus / 11am - 3pm
behind david fussey building, avery hill / 12pm - 2pm
bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm - 7pm
with the history society. book your tickets online £25 / meet near the cutty sark / 2:30pm
southwood site, avery hill / 7pm - 10pm
bar latitude, greenwich / 1pm - 5pm
try it sampling
movie soundtrack night sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 2am
MONDAY 28TH SEPT
cocktail masterclass £30 (six drinks included) / bar latitude, greenwich / 6pm - 8pm
cocktail/mocktail night
sports hall, avery hill / 2pm - 4pm
bar latitude, greenwich / 8pm - 11pm
try it sampling
pool league
sparrows bar, avery hill / 5pm - 8pm
hosted by the history society bar latitude, greenwich / 8pm - 11pm
vibes sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 1am
THURSDAY 1ST OCT tony lee x-rated hypnotist sparrows bar, avery hill / 7pm midnight
pool league £1 / bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm 10pm
bluewater shopping trip book your tickets online £1 / meeting location tbc / 6pm
camden bar crawl £1 / bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm 10pm
whole earth expo launch
bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm - 7pm
bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm - 10pm
avery hill campus / 4pm - 6pm
free pool afternoon
shuffle
games night
sparrows bar, avery hill / 5pm - 8pm
sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 1am
bar latitude, greenwich / 7pm - 11pm
pub quiz
wicked show
FRIDAY 2ND OCT
bar latitude, greenwich / 8pm - 11pm
THURSDAY 24
TH
coffee crawl
SEPT
meet at bar latitude / 2pm - 6pm
greenwich freshers fair greenwich campus / 10am - 4pm
games night bar latitude, greenwich / 7pm - 11pm
comedy central comedy showcase sparrows bar, avery hill / 7pm - 12pm
house of burlesque book your tickets online £15 / meet at bar latitude / 8pm
FRIDAY 25TH SEPT soap: freshbook
sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm 2am
book your tickets online £25 / meet at bar latitude / 6pm - 11pm
TUESDAY 29TH SEPT
pongathon tournament bar latitude, greenwich / 1pm - 5pm
wine and cheese night bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm - 8pm
cocktail masterclass bar latitude, greenwich / 6pm - 8pm
cocktail/mocktail night sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 12pm
WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPT freshers fun festival
southwood site, avery hill / 12pm - 6pm
pool league £1 / bar latitude, greenwich / 5pm 10pm
food & drink festival sparrows bar, avery hill / 7pm midnight
acoustic bar latitude, greenwich / 7pm - 11pm
soap - foam party £5 students / £7 guests sparrows bar, avery hill / 8pm - 2am
SATURDAY 3RD OCT
brighton day trip
book your tickets online meet at bar latitude / 10am - 8pm
SUNDAY 4TH OCT
picnic & nature walk book your tickets online greenwich park / 10am - 3pm
harry potter studio tour book your tickets online £30 / meeting location tbc / 11am - 5pm
BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE: WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/FRESHERS2015
editorial Hey folks, my name is Cal. I’m your Editor-In-Chief for the 2015/2016 period. It’s going to be an exciting year for Latitude; we’ve got a completely new editorial team in, all of whom spent last year writing for the magazine, and we’ve already recruited a new collective of up and coming University of Greenwich writers to showcase, so things are kicking off to a flying start.
Callum Sharp Editor-in-Chief
This year is going to be about increasing the community that exists around the magazine. As you settle in for your first term, you’ll find many different pockets of people around the place, mainly through sports and societies. You’ve got Latitude Radio, Hockey, Badminton, Performing Arts and many other societies to try out, all of which are home to different groups of people to meet, Lookout included. If you’d like to be a part of our community, make sure you keep an eye out for the Lookout tent at the Freshers Fair, and be sure to drop by our meet and greet on September 29th at 6pm in Bar Latitude, we’d all love to see you there.
join us!
contents 4. YOUR SU NEWS 6. MEET THE TEAM 7. THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENT GROUPS 8. 5 THINGS TO AVOID DURING FRESHERS FORTNIGHT 9. 5 BEST PUBS IN GREENWICH 10. STUDENT FASHION ON A BUDGET 11. A GUIDE TO FRESHERS ONE-NIGHT STANDS 12. MOVING FORWARD 13. UNEXPECTED THINGS YOU LEARN WHEN TRAVELLING 14. WHY YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE UNI OF GREENWICH 15. COMING OF AGE IN THE CAPITAL 16. SPACE, NOT SPIKES
September 2015
LATITUDE
lookout
Let’s cut to the chase. Writers, readers, enthusiasts and thinkers, we want you. We’re going to be quite straightforward about this: we want you to be a part of our growing team. This magazine is made for the students, by the students and we want your voice to be heard. If you have a controversial topic you’d like to express, an interest you’d like to expand on or you just fancy honing your writing skills, Latitude Lookout will happily take you on board, give you all the advice you need and fuel your social life, no matter what your subject choice. No previous experience is needed, all we need are your opinions and ideas and you’ll be free to write about them,
getting published on the website and in the publication. Without bragging, the Latitude Lookout team are all pretty cool individuals. We host regular socials and welcome everyone with open arms, and everyone on the team is from all areas of university, so you won’t be short of like minded people. We also have some cool incentives, like free gigs, free cinema tickets and the occasional booze up with the editors! Give it a go and join us at our first meeting on the 29th of September at 6pm, in the Cooper Lounge, Bar Latitude. There’s no need to talk about memberships yet, come along and meet us! For more information on this, check out our Facebook page.
UoGMagazine latitudelookout www.suug.co.uk/media
17. GO SET A WATCHMAN 18. SINGLE REVIEWS 19. FROM GREENWICH TO GRIME 20. MOVIE MAYHEM 21. WRITER’S SHOWCASE 23. WHAT THE FAQ?
your su news STUDENT CONSULTATION
WELCOME. ONCE AGAIN. Even though, as your Students’ Union, we should be wiser than to throw our voices into the rising hullabaloo surrounding the first few weeks of term, we hope you’ve caught atleast a glimmer of information that has sparked your interest or piqued your attention, more than enough is available via Facebook, Twitter or on our website if not.
Hello! That is the very least you will have received from Your Students’ Union and your University over the frantic few days that have marked your beginning at or return to Greenwich. However this is yet another opportunity to repeat the same words and this being the first edition of your Latitude Lookout, it would be a travesty not to say it… again. Welcome to Greenwich, and welcome back to all you returning Students! For those of you settling in and for those of you trying to find your feet and favourite haunts once again, we hope you have had a lovely summer for the real fun starts now. You are going to, or have already been, bombarded with information, leaflets, safety drills, academic regulations, procedures and more than enough free stuff to keep you going for a while!
Inevitably the take-home message, is we are YOUR Students’ Union, no one else’s and we are here to offer you the best service possible and to ensure that everything about your time at the University of Greenwich is as good as it can be. And if we’re not up to scratch, tell us. We welcome every bit of feedback. We’re not perfect, but neither are you, its those imperfections that make us unique and what makes my job so exciting and challenging. The very least we can do is to learn from our mistakes and build a better experience here at Greenwich and that is where you come in. You, the students! Every service we offer and every opportunity available, is either designed by students or for students and as many as possible we have made free. Like seriously free, not ‘1000% Apr. in a months’ time’ kind of free.
I honestly cant wait for this Year and now you’ve become #oneofus and everyone is tweeting, facebooking, instgramming and yik Enjoy it, because we all know the dark times of yaking #hellogreenwich, all there is left to say is good luck, get stuck in and don’t hesitate to exams and assignments aren’t too far off the horizon. Use the next few weeks to find yourself say hi. once again, find out about all the other stuff Cant wait to meet you. available to you alongside your studies and commitments, try something new! In the words Harry. of Shia LaBeouf “Just do it”.
Before you stop reading after the words ‘Priority’ and ‘Student Consultation’ are mentioned, this isn’t just about surveys and emails (although apologies, there will be both), student consultation is about ensuring that you the students get direct input on the decisions that impact you! One of my key priorities as President this year is to work with the University to create a framework which will be applied to every project and decision making process that is deemed to significantly impact on students. There are so many examples of where this is already being carried out and unfortunately an equal number where its not. For those familiar enough with the University to know whats in store for Dreadnought building on Greenwich Campus, you will be excited to hear that the key decisions are being opened up for students to say what students want, fancy that! Not simply ‘You said, We did’ style consultation, but full on popular voting on what you want the interior to look like, how you want to use the space, the kind of décor and format that will make YOUR new Student Hub actually yours! If you take the example of the recently launched University Mobile app.* this was created with extensive input and consultation by students, with the ‘computer availability’ breakdown being something that was created and implemented because students wanted it and asked for it. We believe this successful collaboration should be expanded to all majorly influential projects, and so far we are making good progress! So, please watch this space. We will be looking for students to get involved in helping us create the framework itself, because what is a student consultation framework without students!
*The University of Greenwich Mobile App is available for free for Apple and Android from the app store. Search University of Greenwich.
your sabbatical officers Each year, students have the opportunity to vote for your four Full Time Sabbatical Officers. These Officers are students just like you, whom you elect to serve for a one year term. They represent you in all official ways and don’t forget – YOUR voice is what matters, so don’t wait for Elections to make yourself heard! www.suug.co.uk/studentvoice 4 FOUR - WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA
Harry Hodges
Roisin Dunne
Scarlett Dempsey
Tony Whitehead
President
VP Education
VP Welfare
VP Student Activities
president@gre.ac.uk
vp.education@gre.ac.uk
vp.welfare@gre.ac.uk
vp.activities@gre.ac.uk
@PresGreenwich bit.ly/GreenwichPres
@VPEGreenwich bit.ly/GreenwichVPE
@VPWGreenwich bit.ly/GreenwichVPW
@VPSAGreenwich bit.ly/GreenwichVPSA
Black History Month
With the year ahead jam packed full of liberation campaign months what better way to start it than Black History Month! Our Vice President Welfare Scarlett will be bringing you the chance to get involved in debates, showcases as well as a wide range of trips, events and activities run by the Students’ Union for you to get involved in. The whole month is sponsored by Lewisham’s Cummin’ Up so there will be some authentic Caribbean food on offer at our events, get involved early to avoid disappointment!
Get Active The Students’ Union has hired a new Sports Participation Coordinator who is focused completely on sport at the university. This does mean organising fixtures and supporting current sports teams, however the main focus would be on providing non-competitive sports for people to have a go at and try. He is looking into sports like Archery and Rowing to see if students like them and want to start full time clubs. The Get Active team will also be putting on regular taster sessions in a variety of different sports over Freshers and throughout the year so make sure you keep an eye out for those!
Sell my textbooks!
TEAM/SOCIETIES
@ GREENWICH This year the Students’ Union has decided to restructure the ‘Team Greenwich’ initiative started in 2013. It now focuses entirely on sport, with no membership fee needed and a Facebook page set up for all to follow the latest sports news from the Union. Similarly ‘Societies @ Greenwich’ has been created as a parallel initiative focusing solely on societies. It too has no membership fee and has a Facebook page for all students to keep up-to-date with everything societies. So let’s get behind our societies and our sports teams, like the pages and share the love and see if we can make this year’s activities the best they’ve ever been!
STUDENT-LED TEACHING AWARDS LAUNCH Your VP Education Roisin is looking to launch the first annual Student-Led Teaching Awards! A glamourous evening for students to celebrate with their lecturers and support staff just how much of an impact they’ve had on their time at Greenwich. Often is the case that students will have staff members who have made a difference and there hasn’t previously been a way for the students to show their gratitude. This also means we can highlight some of the good practice shown in the faculties and hopefully motivate other lecturers to do the same. It’s something Roisin would love lots of student input into so please expect lots of opportunities to vote on the voting criteria, nominate members of staff, and to be involved in the planning and running of the event!
Through conversations with students, your VP Education Roisin found that people wanted a platform for students to buy and sell textbooks between each other. She spent the summer working with the lovely communications team and they’re on their way to providing that for students so by the end of term two you’ll have a webpage to advertise your old books for sale! If anyone would like to get involved then please get in touch with the SU and you can be involved in its creation!
‘WHY NOT ON WEDNESDAY’ There will be an awareness campaign released towards the end of July talking about the University’s Wednesday afternoon policy and ways students can use their free time then. It’s not just for sports! If you would like to get involved with the campaign please contact Tony at vp.activities@gre.ac.uk
Accommodation Our Vice President Welfare and the Students’ Union will be working on providing students with more advice and information on how to rent off campus accommodation, so if it’s something you are thinking of for next year this is the perfect campaign for you. With an online Housing Horrors forum coming up in October and a Housing Fair in term two you should have all the knowledge you need to be ready to rent!
HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HOUSING AT THE MOMENT?
Housing is really on our agenda for this year so if you are having any problems please remember that our Students’ Union Advice team can help with a range of problems from fighting for your deposit back to student homelessness. All the information you need can be found at www.suug.co.uk/advice WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA - FIVE 5
meet the team MEET & CONTACT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE LATITUDE LOOKOUT EDITOR IN-CHIEF
MUSIC EDITOR
CREATIVE SUBMISSIONS EDITOR
Callum Sharp
Ana Marta
Hannah Davies
I started writing for Latitude a year ago as a music journalist, interviewing up and coming artists including Circa Waves, Lonely The Brave and Coasts, and I was sent to review live shows across London, which is always great for a student because it usually involved a couple free tickets. Besides writing I am an avid music lover and I currently drum for a band called Blackwell, performing regularly at various London venues. I’m also a bit of a coffee snob too, and I’ll usually head over to East London with a book on my days off to get in some downtime. I think it’s safe to say that all the editors this year are on top form, and we’d love to build a great community of writers who enjoy having fun at socials, writing together, proofreading together… ah heck, lets just hang out! Drop me an email at sc366@greenwich.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Hello! I’m Ana Marta and I’m Latitude Lookout’s Music Editor. What does that mean? Basically, I’m the one you need to talk to for the chance of getting to interview cool bands and go to their concerts for free afterwards. From the guy who only listens to bands no one has ever heard of, to the one who forces everyone to listen to that one banjo playlist on Spotify – yes, it exists and it is glorious - you are all more than welcome to join us and the diversity is most definitely appreciated. No need to be an expert in the field nor an experienced writer, just commitment to the work, enthusiasm and the desire to join the hottest-baddest-coolest magazine team ever. Write me at anamartaml@gmail.com if you have any queries, or just come along to one of our meetings and get to know everyone!
ASSISTANT EDITOR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
PR
Rob Henderson
Georgi Bonev
Jake Thomas
Hello everyone, my name is Georgi and I am your entertainment editor for the year. I am a highly enthusiastic, third-year Media and Communications student who has a love for sports, music, art, books, travel and different cultures. I also take interest in journalism and the creative industries. I have been writing features and news stories for two Bulgarian newspapers and after being a part of Latitude Lookout for a year, I’ve now moved on up to become part of the editorial team. I am looking forward to getting involved with you all.
Hello friends, I’m Jake the PR guy. Last year I was waxing poetic about my desire to become a journalist and going about becoming one in the laziest manner possible. Sat on my arse, the greatest of my journalistic adventures was to look up the local Chinese’s closing times on google. Then I got myself down to a team meeting. Suddenly my words were on paper and strangers were reading them. No one’s asked me for my autograph yet and I’m still poor but it’s only a matter of time… right? You can contact me on Facebook if you want to know more about the magazine, just write on the Lookout page and I’ll get back to you.
I’ve always been a writer and words have always been my strong point, and as an Advertising and Marketing student I strongly believe that you don’t need to study literature to entertain and engage a reader. I’ve been lucky enough to work for publications like NME and Guestlist, and I intend to give my all as your assistant editor this academic year.
6 SIX - WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA
Hi everyone! My name is Hannah Davies and I’m the Creative Submissions Editor for the magazine. This basically entails choosing creative pieces – poetry or short stories – to feature in each issue of Latitude. As a student of English Literature and Creative Writing, I know that there are some tremendously talented individuals at Greenwich – not just on my course, but throughout the university! I’m passionate about encouraging writers, nurturing talent and giving those who want to the opportunity to share work.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIETIES WHEN I FIRST CAME TO UNIVERSITY, EVERYTHING I KNEW ABOUT SOCIETIES WAS BASED ON A PLETHORA OF (TERRIBLE) AMERICAN COLLEGE MOVIES AND IF THAT’S NOT ENOUGH TO PUT YOU OFF, THEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS. THANKFULLY, I HAVE FIVE GOOD REASONS FOR WHY JOINING A SOCIETY WOULD ACTUALLY BENEFIT YOU! BY HANNAH DAVIES
BALANCE
SOCIAL
Your degree is important and while it should be your main focus, balance is equally as vital to your university experience. You know that expression – all work and no play? Sometimes you need to take your mind off your essays and work by taking part in something else. Societies are an easy way to take that pressure off and find a happy medium between study and fun.
It’s kind of an obvious one but societies play a huge part in bringing together individuals who are like minded. If you’ve moved far from home to attend university, societies are an easy way to make friends and extend your social circle. Some of these people will be your friends for life, some just for a season, but one thing is for certain – you’ll never meet anyone if you don’t leave your flat.
ACTIVE
No one forces you to do P.E. here (thankfully, I hear you all groan). But between the late nights, Domino’s pizzas and Netflix marathons, sometimes students don’t live as healthily as they should. However, joining a sports club or even just attending sports social meets can keep you fit and active. Healthy body, healthy mind.
NEW EXPERIENCES
I don’t know about you, but before I came to university, I was never given the opportunity to be a cheerleader, to sing in a choir or play for a polo team before. Where I came from, they just weren’t options available to me. Societies can be a doorway to new experiences; maybe you won’t enjoy them or maybe you’ll love it. The important thing is to try.
EMPLOYABILITY
I couldn’t write an article like this without pointing out that being part of a society looks great on your CV. I know, I know – it’s Fresher’s and you do not want to be reminded that in three short years (and believe me, they’re short) you’ll be tossed out into the Big Wide World and have to find a job. However, showing that you can be part of a team, work with others and even lead them, all while balancing study and extracurricular activities goes a long way in impressing your future employers.
STUDENTS’ UNION UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH
Sports & Societies SOCIETIES - African Caribbean - Amnesty International - Anime & Games - Avery Hill Christian Community - Bengali - Bulgarian - Catholic - Charismatic - Chinese - Christian Union - Climbing & Mountaineering - Commercial Awareness - Comp Soc - Conservative Future - CoppaFeel - Creative Film - Creative Writing - Criminology - CSSA-Greenwich - Cutty Sark Special Appreciation - Dance - Disabled Students Network - Economics & Business - English - Ethical Hackers - Events Society - Feminism - Ghanaian Students - GLaS (Landscape & Architecture) - Green - Greenwich
Join one now!
International - GUMSSoc (Malaysian & Singaporean) - Hindu - History - HRM & Psychology - Islamic - Italian - Jammin’ - Latitude Lookout - Latitude Radio - Law - LGBT+ - MathSoc - Mature Students Network - Mauritian - Mental Health Nursing - Midwifery - MikeyP Appreciation - Model United Nations - Multi-lingual Café - Northern Appreciation - Palestinian Solidarity - Paramedic Science - Performing Arts - Photography - Pluralism in Economics - Polish - Politics - Pool - PR Fraternity - Psychedelic - Psychology - RAG (Raise & Give) - Real Ale & Cider - Real Estate - Rock & Indie Music
- Romanian - Russian Speakers - Sikh - Sociology - St John Ambulance LINKs - Table Tennis - Tourism - Trading and Investment - UNICEF on Campus - Women’s Hub - Yoga SPORTS CLUBS - American Football - Athletics & Running - Badminton - Basketball (Mens & Womens) - Cheerleading - Cricket - Cycling - Equestrian - Football Mens - Football Womens - Hockey (Mens & Womens) - Judo - Netball - Rugby Union (Mens & Womens) - Self Defence & Combat Techniques - Snowsports - Swimming - Ultimate Frisbee
If you want to know more about student groups, check out the Student Union page. Societies and sports ceams will be represented at the fairs during Fresher’s, so look out for them there too!
www.suug.co.uk/activities
WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA - SEVEN 7
5
THINGS TO AVOID DURING FRESHERS FORTNIGHT BY ROB HENDERSON
STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR HOUSEMATES (even the strange ones) because these guys are going to be your term time family and if you piss them off now, they’ll eat your food! This means, be welcoming, create a social area where you can all hangout and most importantly, don’t exclude anyone. If you make an effort with your housemates, it can make your university experience far more enjoyable.
BE. AWARE. OF. FRESHERS. FLU. SERIOUSLY. It’s almost inevitable that you’ll come down with freshers flu at some point, but don’t panic. For many, Freshers is a week of boozing, meeting new people and a series of hangovers, it’s only natural that you’ll feel rundown at the backend of the two weeks. Register with a GP, it’s worth it in the long run.
8 EIGHT - WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA
PLEASE, DON’T LOSE YOUR KEYS. If you’re moving out for the first time, it may be a new experience looking after your house key or swipe card so always keep it in a safe location; this will save you from those early morning phone calls to your housemates, asking them to let you in as you drunkenly fumble with a plastic fork from the kebab shop that you’ve convinced yourself is a suitable device to open the door with.
AVOID BEING LATE FOR YOUR FIRST LECTURE. This is not to say, don’t go out the night before. Freshers and university in general is all about balancing your lifestyle and if you want to get into the uni routine; this is a great opportunity to do so. If you know you have a 9am lecture the next day and you want to go out, do both. It’s really not that difficult to soldier on through the ‘day after’; just make sure you show your face. It’s more than likely that your lecturer, at one time in his or her life, dragged themselves near unconsciously from the sticky floor of a night club to make their early lecture the next day. They understand, don’t worry.
DON’T BLOW YOUR LOAN IN THE FIRST WEEK, we’ve seen it happen. Freshers is obviously not a normal week and hopefully you’ll put some savings aside to enjoy the fortnight to its full potential, but even so, go easy on the spending. London is an expensive place but there’s always the opportunity for a cheap pint, you just need to know where to look. Be economical with your food shopping, we know that M&S’ avocado and handgrown red bean salad looks nourishing but in reality, Asda’s home brand beans will tide you over just the same. Remember, term is thirteen weeks long...
5 BEST PUBS IN
Greenwich
YOUR FIRST YEAR OF UNIVERSITY IS HERE. CONGRATS, YOU’VE MADE IT! WE THOUGHT WE’D TAKE THE TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE THE TOP 5 PUBS IN GREENWICH. GO AND GET DRUNK, LATITUDE STYLE... BY CALLUM SHARP
1. Cutty Sark Tavern
Number one on the list has definitely got to be the Cutty Sark Tavern. Situated east of campus along the water, this nautical tavern offers superb craft beers from breweries including Camden Hells and London Fields. Although not one to get wrecked at, it certainly hits the mark in quality and comfort, and if you’re looking to splash some of that student loan, it’s got the best fish and chips in South East London... Check it.
2. Belushi’s
Belushi’s is by far a favourite of ours. Located next to Greenwich station, it’s a perfect stop off before your train home, for those living outside of Greenwich, and an excellent place to get trashed for those who live only a walk away. It’s equipped with a pool table too at £1 a go, so entertainment is always available if you’re friends aren’t living up. This is a great bar for sports club socials too, so get to know your staff. Also, be sure to pick up a guitar pick from the bartenders, it’ll give you access to student rates on alcohol... Crucial.
1.CUTTY SARK TAVERN
2.BELUSHI’S
3. Richard The First
Similar to the Cutty Sark Tavern in both style and quality, Richard The First is up on the list for one reason only, its beer garden. Although summer is now tailgating, this pub has an array of summer infused beers beyond belief. I’d recommend sampling some fine Meantime ales here under the September sun, abusing their garden space as much as you can... The sun won’t last forever.
3.RICHARD THE FIRST
4. Admiral Hardys
Admiral Hardys is the official dive bar in Greenwich. This is the live music hotspot for UoG students, and with student deals constantly going on you can’t afford to pass it up. Be sure to check out the impressive collection of images on the walls, chat to the cute bartenders and don’t sit down if you use their loo... Trust us.
5. Wetherspoons
Cheap and dirty, just the way it was intended. As a student you’ll come to love and hate this place. You’ll throw up in the toilets, get into a fight or simply just enjoy a £2 pint with your friends before lectures (I myself have achieved all three). You won’t find prices like this anywhere else. Located next to the DLR, McDonalds and close enough to both Daniel Defoe and MacMillan halls (as well as Cutty Sark halls), it’s a real student hangout pad.
4.ADMIRAL HARDYS
5.WETHERSPOONS
WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA - NINE 9
student fashion ON A BUDGET BY SAMIA DJILLI
Having worked in retail for the past five years, I’ve secured a few tricks up my sleeve on how to grab a decent bargain even on a student budget. We all know how hard it is when your money is divided up between how many extra tins of baked beans you can buy on Monday and how many drinks you’ll be able to afford on Friday, leaving that £55 pair of jeans you’ve been craving from Urban Outfitters a near impossibility. However, there are loopholes to be found, you just need to head in the right direction. If you’re looking for decent vintage; avoid the flashy shops of Shoreditch and become friends with your local charity shops. They’re always filled with hidden gems, areas of London like Mornington Crescent and Clapham are full of second hand bargains, and it makes a pretty decent break from the 3000 word essay you’ve been glued to for two days.
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If the second-hand life isn’t for you, hunt for cheappurchases on the high street. Most of the high-street shops will normally have a sale room, these can be found hidden amongst the new ranges. Don’t be fooled, have a little look around, and you’ll find it filled with amazing finds for a quarter of the price! However if you’re a tad lazy like myself, the internet is your fashion-haven. Ebay is your trusty companion for all things cheap and cheerful and believe me you can find just about anything for 99p. Or if you’ve let two weeks of washing pile up and you need something to wear for your Saturday night out, head over to the Unidays app where many shops offer extensive discounts. You’ll certainly save yourself a few pounds and you never know; you may just have room for a few extra tins of baked beans in your basket.
A GUIDE TO FRESHERS
one-night stands
ONE-NIGHT STANDS. WE ALL KNOW IT HAPPENS DURING THOSE FIRST WEEKS AND IT’S A HABIT THAT MANY CHOOSE TO CARRY THROUGH THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR UNIVERSITY LIFE. IT MAY BE THE FIRST TIME IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU’VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SOMEONE HOME WITHOUT YOUR PARENTS KNOCKING THE DOOR DOWN, OR IT MAY JUST BE THE FIRST TIME YOU CAN BRING SOMEBODY BACK TO YOUR FLAT WITHOUT TIP-TOEING AROUND! PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION SURROUND YOU, AND LETS BE HONEST: BOTH YOU AND YOUR PARTNER MAY HAVE HAD A FEW TO DRINK... BY HANNE MARIE NORD
There’s often a stigma in Britain around sex, especially with students but we have to face the truth; it happens! So it’s best that we talk about it and if you were completely honest with yourself, as the commencement of freshers approaches, it’s on your mind. It’s important to remember that it’s easy to be tempted, but it’s not so easy to forget it, especially if you end up regretting it. So here are a few ‘rules’ to those considering a one-nighter during freshers. Let’s start with the obvious:
1 . Protect yourself
Seriously. It doesn’t matter what way you’re doing it, just be safe. University isn’t half as fun with a baby or chlamydia clinging to you.
2. Stay away from your flatmates
You really don’t want to risk making the rest of your year awkward, do you? I’m going to answer that question for you, no you don’t, you really don’t. Also stay away from next-door neighbours and anyone else you could end up sharing the lift with...
3 . No social media
There’s no need for adding them to all your social networks, at least not until after you’ve seen them with no clothes on, because their face popping up on your Facebook feed might be the last thing you want to see the morning after. Besides, respect your privacy!
4 . Don’t get THAT drunk
If your one-night-stand turns out to be a bad decision, it helps being able to blame it on the alcohol. However, if you really are that drunk, there’s a bigger chance you’ll end up doing something you’ll regret.
5. Kick them out or leave
Sure, you can have a nice cuddle afterwards, and there’s no need to be rude about it. But do you really want to wake up to smelly alcohol breath and smudged makeup? That is, if you’ve even managed to sleep crammed into those narrow beds in halls...
6. There’s no reason to expect a lot
You’re probably not going to perform your best if you’re drunk and if it’s your first time together, neither are they. But as the saying goes: sex is like pizza – even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good. So go and have some fun if you feel like it, but don’t blame me if something goes wrong and you regret it afterwards! WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA - ELEVEN 11
moving forward GOING INTO MY SECOND YEAR AT UNIVERSITY, I REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE BIG REGRET ABOUT MY FIRST; I DIDN’T GET TO KNOW PEOPLE EARLY ON. THE UNIVERSITY IS FULL OF AMAZING AND INSPIRING PEOPLE, AND FRESHERS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A LOT OF THEM, SO MY BEST ADVICE IS TO DIVE IN HEAD FIRST! HERE’S A FEW POINTERS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FIRST YEAR AND FOR THOSE RETURNING FOR THEIR SECOND: BY HANNE MARIE NORD
It’s likely you’ll meet some really great people within the first few days, but avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Weeks down the line you might realise they’re not as cool as you initially thought or your interests may no longer align and you want to have a few other options of who to spend your time with. Flatmates are a sensible place to start, and having some of them as close friends can be great. However, you don’t want them as your only friends, it’s important to branch out from where you live and explore every social aspect of university life. If you meet ‘someone special’, don’t hang out only with them and their friends - you want to have someone else there to fall back on if it ends badly. Make sure you’re social without them sometimes, even if all you want to do is be with them.
Make some friends you can have a good night with, without drinking. So much about the social life at university has to do with alcohol, it’s nice being able to take a break from it.
Find someone that you can have lunch with - more than one person - so you don’t end up lonely on those days with a big gap between lectures and seminars. Talk to the people in your lecture and seminar groups too, even if you don’t hang out with them outside of university it’s nice to know people on your course, even if it’s just to have someone you can ask lecture notes from when you miss out. Join at least one society or sports club, this is the best way to get to know someone who shares your interests. It can be nice to feel like you’re part of a group, and a lot of the societies arrange events throughout the year where you can have fun and meet other interesting people.
Lastly I’d say try to make some friends who don’t necessarily go to university, especially if your friends from home are far away. This applies to those entering second and third year, it’s a sensible plan to build some contacts outside of Greenwich, you never know who you may need when you graduate. It’s also a useful way of escaping the university bubble occasionally, this can be especially true around deadlines, when it may be easier to detach yourself from your regular friends and grab a coffee with someone in the city.
want to meet other students? JOIN THE FRESHERS FACEBOOK GROUP bit.ly/grefreshersfacebook 12 TWELVE - WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA
HAVE YOU GOT YOUR
travellers checks?
TRAVELLING IS TRULY SOMETHING THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD ASPIRE TO DO. IT IS NOT SIMPLY MOVING AROUND THE GLOBE SEEING THINGS, IT IS EXPLORING, FINDING BEAUTIFUL CITIES AND FINDING A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN JUST SIT AND SAY ‘I WOULDN’T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD’. YOU FIND PLEASURE IN COMPANY AND SOLACE IN THE FEW MOMENTS YOU HAVE ALONE. THE FOLLOWING LIST IS ONE I’VE COMPRISED THROUGH MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND THAT OF THE PEOPLE I MET ALONG THE WAY: BY ESIN D’AMERY
you research where you are going because not many places do more than a salad. If not, stick to chain restaurants where you can, they will most likely be able to accommodate you.
5
Make packed lunches. Food is expensive and can often take up a large percentage of your budget. Lunch is an easy way to save money if you prepare it beforehand. Find a supermarket and stock up on cereal bars and ready to eat food; think sandwiches!
6
Nothing is free! That free walking tour? You are expected to tip at the end, at least 5-10 euros a head. Free alcohol on a boat party? It will taste so disgusting that you will optionally drink Fanta all night so you don’t get sick. Be careful. Remember, these companies need to make a profit.
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Bring headphones. As silly as it sounds, they are vital. For long journeys, awkward moments, loud evenings in the hostel and most importantly those times where you just want to be alone. Headphones were my go-to when I needed some alone time.
2
Smartphone/tablet. Most places have WiFi. It is sad how technologically dependant we are as a generation, but when you’re in a foreign country with no idea where to go, it is a life saver. Download handy apps like City Mapper and Hostel World.
3
Be outgoing. It’s so beneficial to be able to just talk to a stranger. If you’re staying in a hostel, make an effort to meet your roommates. Hostels are normally full of other people travelling just like you. Take the first step and say hello.
Travel Money Card. You can get one from your local Post Office. I downloaded an app and transferred money from my bank account to the travel card (MasterCard). Very simple and free for transfers over a certain amount. You can use this card for free wherever they accept MasterCard’s. It saves the risk of taking your debit card, and offers a way to keep track on your spending.
8
4
9
Being a Veggie is difficult! I’m not vegetarian but I know many of you reading this will be, so can I be the first to say that based on experience travelling with veggies, it is really hard. Make sure
Budget! You need to sit down before you leave, work out how much money you have and set a daily limit. Make variations for more expensive places such as famous cities. Try to incorporate meals, experiences and extra spending money into this. It will allow you to travel with ease, knowing you have money the entire way. Finally, record it all. You will be doing so much everyday; it will be difficult to remember all of it. Keep a diary or even just take as many photos as your phone will allow, just don’t make them all
WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA - THIRTEEN 13
WHY YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH
YOU’VE ARRIVED AND FIRSTLY, A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT TO UNIVERSITY! IT’S OFTEN AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT IS JUST EXPECTED OR OVERLOOKED BY MANY AREAS OF THE OLDER GENERATION BUT THE TRUTH IS, YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY TO GREATNESS AND WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. BY ROB HENDERSON
A welcome is in order, a welcome to one of London’s most exciting boroughs and one of its most promising Universities. To really make the most of the University of Greenwich, we thought we’d write you a low down of its best areas, most beautiful spots and those places to escape the crowds of students. Pride is important, utilised properly and it can become a motivational tool that can carry you to the top of the academic ladder; a position that will translate into some impressive employment traits, but we don’t want to jump the gun too quickly. It’s worth mentioning Stockwell Street, the university’s latest instalment, is an £84 million project that houses many of the creative degrees but provides a unique and inspiring environment to manage your studies, engage with creative side projects and gives you guys a cheap place to grab coffee! Personally, I’ve used this space so much over the past year that it’s become a second home.
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I couldn’t write an article about our University without mentioning the Old Royal Naval College. A world heritage site, an emblem of the capital and your new university campus. If you’re lucky enough to be studying on the Maritime Greenwich site, make the most of the opportunity. There’s plenty of hidden spots within the old walls, like quiet reading rooms, computer labs and scenic courtyards. Also, keep an eye out for the array of movies and TV shows that are filmed here. Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman and Chris Hemsworth are just a few of the A-listers to have spent time here to shoot in the last few years. This is your time and it’s up to you whether you grab this opportunity by the balls, or just drift into cruise control. We’re not here to promote the university, that’s not our job, but Greenwich has a lot to offer. Student groups are crucial; whether its sporting or not, a student group is an ideal way to
meet people who share similar interests or skills and it’s an automatic group of friends. The hockey, football, netball and rugby teams are going places respectively and it’s never been a better time to join one of the university’s main sports teams. I can’t recommend highly enough that engaging with activities outside of your degree, no matter what subject, is a must. Check out our article on how to join the paper, any written work that gets published can go towards your portfolio! Greenwich is in a great location to utilise the best of London, so whether you’re interested in the finance industry or marketing, the capital is your Oyster... pun intended. You’ll quickly realise that the spirit at this university is a communal one and you can’t help but be drawn into caring about this place. Make the most of your first year and Greenwich will give it back to you in spadefuls.
COMING OF AGE
in the capital
WELCOME TO LONDON, ARGUABLY THE GREATEST CITY ON EARTH. THIS IS THE FINANCIAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL HUB OF THE WESTERN WORLD. GET EXPLORING, YOU’LL SEE ALL LONDON HAS TO OFFER, IT’S CONSTANT STATE OF EVOLUTION KEEPS YOU ON YOUR TOES SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEW SCENE TO INVOLVE YOURSELF IN, ACTIVITY TO TRY OUT AND MUSEUM TO VISIT. BY CALLUM SHARP I’ll start with the East. This is my favourite section of London because it consists of the culture infused, artistically driven creative types. Shoreditch is the centre of this, with areas like Old St, Bethnal Green and Brick Lane bringing together a sense of art, music and general worldly culture. You can pick up a salt beef bagel (bygal) for a couple pounds on Brick Lane, experience some of the best curry dishes in Britain and hit up some cool pop up events, most notable is the Urban Food Festival, which features different dishes from all over the world. Be sure to drop by The Killer Cereal Café too and experience the 90’s all over again with your favourite dose of Sugar coated Frosties. Besides this, the east is bustling with independent coffee shops, playing host to the best coffee in England. Check out Tap Coffee, Ozone, Fix, Workshop, Prufrock, Monmouth... the list goes on!
Lets move over the the west. This is the wealthier section of London including areas like Chelsea, Hammersmith, Clapham, Battersea (South West) and Kensington. As a student, I tend to avoid these areas because I can’t afford them. Also, in terms of tube connections, they are surprisingly hard to get to from Greenwich, you’d think for a wealthy area they’d be better connected, but in reality its only the district and circle lines that cross through. With that said, there are some excellent spots to bear in mind. Hyde Park is a definite winner in terms of parks, located next to the Royal Albert Hall, which is home to some of the best performance pieces in the world. Around the corner you have both the Natural History Museum and Science Museum, which are donation only entries so it’s relatively inexpensive to visit. It’s also home to one of two ‘Whole Food’ locations, which is a Canadian/American food chain store focused on naturally sourced, organic foods. Drop by the food court for a cheap and healthy lunch. Their other location is on Regents Street.
The North is gaining a spot on trendiness too. Areas including Hackney and Camden are home to the best markets in London and consist of music venues including The Roundhouse and The Camden Barfly (where Ed Sheeran made a name for himself). Grab dinner at The Diner, an all out American food experience and drop by the Camden Locks or London Fields Brewery (Hackney) for a pint of locally crafted IPA’s and ales. North London is also home to Hampstead Heath, which is an amazing park with a view similar to the one from Greenwich park, just from the opposite end. Be sure to check out George Orwell’s house as you enter too, theres a plaque with his name on, always an inspiring spot for writers.
Alright, lets cut to the most important area, where you’ll spend a lot of your time over the next three years. The South, or South East I should say. Greenwich is home to so much including the park, the Old Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark, Meantime beer and, well... time itself. Look for the green laser that cuts through the sky at night from the observatory, signifying GMT. You can jump on the 177 to New Cross and Peckham too, which are good spots for nights out around this area. If you’re into clubs, check out The Venue, a large complex of multiple dance rooms and home to various club nights that’ll put you in a state of complete delirium. Also in the area is Bar Story a cool dive bar and Franks Café, which has a unique rooftop bar that still resembles the disused carpark it once was. If you travel further south you reach Brixton, home to The Brixton Electric and the O2 Academy Brixton, both of which are eclectic music venue that house some of the best current artists including Circa Waves, The Vaccines and Arctic Monkeys.
London is f**king amazing. You’ll have a blast here, just be sure to keep your wits about you, you never know what’s around the corner... oh, and wrap it up, yeah?
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SPACE, NOT SPIKES RECENTLY, A GROUP OF ACTIVISTS IN LONDON DECIDED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE SO CALLED “ANTI-HOMELESS SPIKES” BY TURNING THESE INTO SOMETHING AS WELCOMING AS A BED. LATITUDE LOOKOUT TALKED TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS PROJECT. BY ANA MARTA city, hollowing out any difference and helping to make the social life of the city homogenous by making the reality of living in it unaffordable for most and impossible for many.
Do you feel there are some misconceptions regarding the homeless population? Absolutely. And the one thing detractors of the homeless forget is that because we are all in precarious positions in life, homelessness could happen to any of us. We just don’t realise that we are all living on a knife’s edge when we are living under a system that can only survive through the exploitation of many for the benefit of the few.
What needs to be done in order to efficiently tackle the issue of the rising number of rough sleepers?
How did this project begin? So-called ‘defensive’ architecture was an issue for us some years ago when a number of us were part of another art collective that addressed public and private space. Then one day I overheard some women in their sixties or seventies who were laden with shopping complain that they couldn’t sit on a ledge because of all the spikes on it. A person who later said he was homeless [though he didn’t ‘look’ it] called them anti-homeless spikes and said they were put there to stop people like him from sleeping there. And so the seed was laid for an idea to play on the notion of bed....to counteract the bed of spikes with an actual bed. It developed into a bed and library pretty organically and when we came into a bit of money to make it happen, the rest of the gang chipped in the time etc.
These spikes are quite a flagrant example of defensive architecture but most certainly not an isolated case. What exactly is this? Defensive architecture and design initiatives are more and more a common part of the urban environment. Back in the 1980 and 90s Mike Kelly called it ‘strategic armouring’, most often directed at the poor and the homeless. They seek to exclude people from public space. This kind of architecture is much more a part of our everyday urban life than it was 30 years ago. Slanted or divided benches in bus shelters and in public space, the removal of benches in public spaces, surveillance, metal studs on outdoor surfaces, anti-climbing paint, barricades and bollards in front of buildings and spikes in 16 SIXTEEN - WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA
front of doors are all examples of this kind of hostile architecture. They are used to make sitting, sleeping, and moving in particular ways impossible. Poor doors are another example. Essentially they police social and spatial boundaries and send a very clear message that public space and the urban environment is not for everyone. This does nothing to address the social inequalities of the city; in fact it only helps to reaffirm them by separating out those who have from those who don’t. Making the city ‘safe’ for those who can afford it at the expense of other human beings ability to be in the city is not the sign of a humane or vibrant space.
That is a question that might be best answered by organizations and individuals who have been doing work on rough sleeping and homelessness. Jon May has also been doing some important work on this, including the Homeless Places Project. That being said, rent control and the protection and building of council housing throughout the city would definitely help to address the rising number of people who find themselves without shelter.
Are there any plans for the future of this project? Yes. We aim to install more beds in strategic places throughout the city and to engage with planners, landlords and architects to find out the rationale for installing hostile architecture. Our aim is to make these spikes unlawful.
Over the past few years, there has been an ongoing debate on gentrification. Yet, it seems that, at times, people tend to dismiss it. How seriously should we take this matter? Gentrification that does not benefit existing residents, and indeed helps to push them out of their homes and neighbourhoods, is a serious problem for London and other urban centres. Entire parts of London are being economically and socially cleansed. The destruction of council estates are a form of ‘creative destruction’, embroiled in a process of capital speculation and circulation, with the very real consequences of forced mobility on communities and the transformation of spaces into desirable places for global elites. Property developers and the state are destroying the
Do you believe people are aware of their power to engender change? Yes. You can read the full interview on our website, www.suug.co.uk/media
book
GO SET A WATCHMAN LET ME START BY SAYING THAT, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD WAS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE HIGH SCHOOL READING BOOKS, SO WHEN I HEARD THAT A BOOK FOLLOWING THE SAME CHARACTERS WAS SET TO BE RELEASED THIS YEAR I WAS BOTH EXCITED AND TERRIFIED. THERE IS SOMETHING EQUALLY WONDERFUL AND HORRIFIC ABOUT BEING ALLOWED A SECOND GLIMPSE LIKE THIS; YOU GET TO HOLD ON TO THE WORLD JUST THAT LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT AT THE COST OF READING SOMETHING THAT MIGHT TAINT YOUR OPINION OF IT FOREVER. BY HANNAH DAVIES
the opening few chapters where I loudly exclaimed to whoever happened to be in the room ‘That is not Scout!’ Many of the characters are similarly changed or absent entirely and Atticus disappoints most of all. The only time I connected completely with Scout was when she told him he had betrayed her ‘publicly, grossly and shamelessly’. It was a feeling I completely agreed with. We follow Jean Louise (now a twenty something, living in New York City and no longer going by the moniker Scout) as she returns to Maycomb to visit her family, and comes to realise the extent of the bigotry in the community that she grew up in. If I could summarise this book in one word, it would be conflict. Most of the characters deliberate about tensions within the community, argue amongst themselves throughout, and most of all; the novel left me with torn emotions upon finishing. Is it well written? Yes. Did I really enjoy Watchman? That’s another answer entirely, and it’s not as straightforward. I wanted to like Go Set A Watchman as much as I liked Mockingbird, but the truth is when I sat down to read it I struggled to reconnect with the world of Maycomb. I found Jean Louise distant, abrasive and despite Lee’s writing, a tricky narrative to reacquaint myself with. There was more than one occasion in
I kept waiting for that feeling of coming home to hit me, but the novel seemed too far removed from what I was expecting and looking forward to revisiting. The difficulty in reading and enjoying Watchman therein lies in separating it from its predecessor – a near impossible task considering Watchman was Lee’s first draft of Mockingbird and shaped much of it. Even my copy had the words ‘TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD’ looming behind the title, lingering like the ghost of Boo Radley. I’m abundantly conscious that this review has yet to avoid comparing the two either. As I read it, I had to ask myself whether it was possible to untangle Watchman from the controversy of its publication, the success of the first novel, and to take it at its own merit. If I was ever going to get through it, I had to do just that: shake off my knee-jerk horror at the alteration of characters I thought I knew so well and read it
as a standalone. I can’t say I ever fully managed it, but the second attempt was a very different reading experience. I could never look at it through the eyes of the editor who saw it as a first draft that was ‘more a series of anecdotes than a novel’, but the true message became a little clearer; it’s a coming of age story – growing up and realising the world and the people you once worshipped are full of flaws – which is something I feel many, if not all, go through. As a reader, it’s easy to empathise with Jean Louise’s shock and confusion at seeing her idols broken down. And Lee’s style and tone is still beautiful and distinct, and her dialogue is often whip-smart so reading this novel was, at times, a genuine pleasure. Overall, it reads like a passionate semi-treatise of the Southern issues of the time and the tensions of a world changing; it’s clear that these are the problems that were important to Lee and drove her to pick up a pen in the first place, but Watchman has so little of the heart that makes Mockingbird compelling and that’s where it falls short. Upon finishing, I felt like this one undermined everything that made Mockingbird appeal to the reader; there’s intolerance instead of acceptance and apathy when there should be change. Ultimately, the question arises of whether the novel was necessary in order to add to the world Lee created. For me, I was left with a feeling that something had been taken from me, but perhaps that loss is exactly what Lee was striving to highlight.
info Title: Go Set A Watchman Author: Harper Lee Publication Date: July 14th, 2015 Publisher: Harper Collins Genre: Fiction, Literary Pages: 278 Rating: 3/5
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music
SINGLE REVIEWS BY ROB HENDERSON
Foals
Disclosure ft Sam Smith
Calvin Harris
WHAT WENT DOWN
OMEN
HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE
Foals have returned with their thumping new single, What Went Down. In typical brooding style, Foals latest track commands attention, utilising a series of power chords, a thunderous bass line and Yannis’ powerful vocals, combining to achieve that unique Foals sound. Thanks to the success of their previous album, Holy Fire, Foals have rocketed to the core of the new-age indie movement and along with bands like Tame Impala, Peace and Slaves, pioneer the cause of alternative music. What Went Down perhaps signals a change in sound for Foals, as they enter a darker, grungier stage, seeing them shake the shackles of the more melodic hits of Holy Fire.
Disclosure reassert their dominance of the UK dance scene, with their latest track ‘Omen’ featuring the empowering Sam Smith. Having previously collaborated on the chart topping ‘Latch’, it seemed a wise choice from Disclosure to hook up with Smith again. There are plenty of signature hooks in this, complimented by the sickly smooth Disclosure production; it’s impressive how the duo have managed to create a completely unique sound within such a congested genre.
The latest forgettable track from Calvin Harris has arrived, predictably named ‘How Deep is Your Love’. This guys game is so obvious, his tracks are so blatantly manufactured that commercial incentive is the only way to justify such one dimensional production. Even from an EDM viewpoint, this track is shockingly bad. The production is out of focus, the drop is bordering on pathetic and the lyrics are beyond shallow. Harris’s earlier tracks showed promise but as we enter a musical era where the mainstream crave a simple, electronic beat, Harris hasn’t even put up a fight. Disappointing.
The visual lexis of the lyrics carry this track. Yannis talks of ‘burying his guilt in a pit’ and ‘the rest and the vultures and the trash downtown’. It’s an edgier Foals and we’re bloody grateful for it, What Went Down thunders to a roaring climax that leaves you reeling. A certified banger. The new album, titled What Went Down, is due to drop on the 28th of August 2015. Stay tuned.
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Omen doesn’t show us anything new from Disclosure but proves their consistency in producing floor fillers, their crisp sound is now immediately recognisable and the formula is once again in full flow.
music
“Say my name, J.M.E...”
FROM GREENWICH TO GRIME BY ROB HENDERSON
You may be aware of rising Grime artist, JME; brother to the ever controversial Skepta and pioneer of contemporary British rap. You may not be aware that JME was in fact a graduate of the University of Greenwich and has since gone on to achieve popular and critical acclaim in the music industry. In October 2008, Jamie Adenuga, otherwise known as JME began touring with legendary DJ Tim Westwood and embarked on an unsigned tour of Europe and New York. He graduated with a First Class Degree in 3D Digital Design and embarked on a Grime career that combined his street upbringing and taste for creativity. Born in North London, Jamie Adenuga is also the co-founder of record label and crew, Boy Better Know. JME’s presence in the industry has significantly risen in the last eighteen months and his track ‘Man don’t Care’ now boasts several millions views on Youtube. Thanks to the paralleled rise of his brother Skepta, whose tracks like Shutdown, That’s Not Me and It Ain’t Safe
helped push grime music back to the forefront of mainstream sound. Perhaps this signals a transition from the shallow popularity of the Electronic Dance Music scene, where producers and DJ’s use formulaic lay downs to achieve chart success; Skepta and JME are reviving a controversial but extremely raw form of lyrical performance, where rappers and MC’s often draw inspiration from hardened backgrounds, creating a powerful voice for young people who are often deprived, mislead and mistreated by the Government and society. Interestingly, JME seems eager to detach himself from the cliches of American rap or R&B, choosing to avoid the arrogant swagger that is so often associated with successful MC’s. He’ll often preach that the music originates in the streets and no amount of designer brands will change that. The UK’s most cutting edge MC went to our University, be inspired.
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movies
MOVIE MAYHEM BY JAKE THOMAS AND GEORGI BONEV
In The Heart Of The Sea
The Good Dinosaur
The unstoppable force meets the immovable object in Ron Howard’s splashfest re-telling of the events aboard the Essex, which inspired the writing of Melville’s Moby Dick. The Essex was brutally destroyed by an enraged sperm whale, no doubt aggravated by the attempted killing, skinning and general harvesting of its vital organs. In the Heart of the Sea stars Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase, no pun intended, a man so fearless his make-up never runs despite being submerged in icy water. Dolphins ain’t got nothing on this whale’s aquabatics, giving us a thrilling display of the power of nature. See it if you liked Jaws. Release Date - December 12th
What if the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs simply passed on by? What if they never became extinct? Would they have gone on to invent fire, discover the atom and build rockets to reach the moon, leaving their three-toed claw-steps in the dust? Would there exist the nations of T-Rexia (compulsive meat-eating disorder) and the Democratic Republic of Triceratopia? Cast such visions from your mind, Pixar is here to answer these questions with The Good Dinosaur, a cute and perilous tale of the friendship between man and beast. See it if you’re not too embarrassed to enjoy child friendly films. Failing that, you can always pull a kid off the street to go see it with... Release Date - November 27th
The Martian
The Revenant
Didn’t we get enough of adventurous, sci-fi, outer-space movies in recent years? Well, apparently not. After the undeniable success of the likes of Moon, Gravity and Interstellar, here comes Hollywood’s newest space saga – The Martian. It is Ridley Scott’s fourth sci-fi movie after his breakthrough 1979 horror Alien, the neo-noir dystopian Blade Runner (1982) and Prometheus (2012). The Martian is based on Andy Weir’s 2011 novel that goes by the same name. It stars Matt Damon as the astronaut Mark Watney who is presumed dead after being caught in a fierce storm and left behind by his crew who head back to Earth. If you’re one of those that find the aforementioned movies thrilling, you should definitely give it a go. Release Date - November 25th
All eyes are on Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu and his upcoming epic western thriller The Revenant. The colourful Oscar-award winner has set his sights on delivering us the incredible tale of Hugh Glass, the 19th century American fur trapper who got mauled by a grizzly bear and then set out on his legendary 200 mile trek to get revenge on his former companions who robbed him and left him to die. Of course, we just can’t ignore the star cast. Leonardo DiCaprio together with Tom Hardy, that should be something special. Will the collaboration between Inarritu and DiCaprio finally win the long-awaited Oscar award for the 40 year old actor? Or is he going to be left emptyhanded for another year, we’ll have to wait to find out. Release Date - December 25th (US release)
Watch the movies in comfort and style courtesy of the Greenwich Picturehouse [ www.picturehouses.com/cinema/Greenwich_Picturehouse ] 20 TWENTY - WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA
WRITER’S
showcase Hey everyone! First of all, I just want to say a huge thank you to the writers featured here for sending in their work for this Fresher’s Issue – I hope everyone reading this enjoys their submissions as much as I do. There’s a crazy amount of talent at Greenwich University and as this year’s creative submissions editor, I’m so excited to have the opportunity to share some of that talent in each issue of Latitude. If you’re reading this and thinking that you’d love a chance to get your work out there, don’t hesitate to email me your poems or short stories for consideration at llcreativesubmissions@gmail.com. I’ll try to feature as much as I can in each issue, but look online in the near future too! In the meantime, keep writing! HANNAH DAVIES
Inspiration BY ANNE MULLENERS How hills green like running horses next to mine a flashlight sun the shimmering blueness of its footprint on the inside of my eyelid influence my being Clear-headed jolly me Where jolly I was but now more, different A turning of a page Still the same book the same fond but how different its content No pen has touched paper in the land without edges, where no misplaced tree or stone is to be found
Fantasy BY ROXY MCNESS I dreamt of you blowing kisses at my face, so hard that bubbles whizzed out of my ears. As each one popped, my thoughts dissolved on the tip of your tongue. I wish that we could step inside of those bubbles and float above the sinking earth. Bouncing around the solar system, partying with the raving stars. I know that I would shake hands with the man who inhabits the forgetful moon. He with the iridescent mind who replaced our hearts with starlight.
25 Matilda Street
But here
BY TOMAS NARMONTAS
gruffy driver Ben with swallows on the L-shapes of his hand A man’s ear intentionally stabbed Utter inefficiency disguised by reliable and modern machinery
framed photograph visible from the outside parents and three brothers lined up on a lawn their lips are smiling and they all dressed up in black
Life Home is for me the travelling in between My split personality
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An excerpt from ‘Episodes’
Dusk
BY HANNAH DAVIES Far down, down through the city’s great, gaunt gut. Jim’s thoughts whisper the McKay poem to him as he climbs into the tube carriage. He takes a seat, keeps his eyes closed and his headphones on, but his own thoughts scream louder than the music and turn constantly, like an old vinyl, scratching away. The same words on an endless loop. Far down, down through the city’s great, gaunt gut. In the end, he lets them come and recites them like a prayer in his head for seven stops, until the cackle of a girl in a sequin dress cuts through his reverie. Just as soon as it has drawn his attention, her laugh is swallowed up by the screech of the tube car racing down into the depths of the city. Sometimes he thinks about leaving it all behind. The job, his friends, the city. Most of all London, because it demands something of him that he never felt growing up in a small town in the North. It drains him, saps his energy. The city is a beast, and it is always hungry. He notices it more on the tube; a million souls at rush hour crammed into steel coffins, hurtling into the darkness like sacrifices to an ancient god that lays waiting under the Thames. Waiting and feeding. He imagines that London is infected with a kind of vampirism, but instead of blood, it craves ambition, progress, and misery. Jim rubs his temple and turns up his music, tries to drown out his morbid thoughts. He’s being too dramatic, too poetic, but it’s been a long day. A long week. A long ten years. He tries to divert his focus and his eyes find their way over to the girl in the sequin dress again. It’s impossible not to be drawn to her – aside from her dress, her hair is a shock of ginger curls that bounce every time she laughs. Long fingers with nails the colour of scarlet grip an energy drink, which she knocks back without ever taking her eyes off the boy standing beside her. She passes it around to her friends and they all sip – a communion wine for the New Generation. They’re giddy, excited, and pulsing like small stars waiting to supernova. He wonders how long it will be before the city takes that light away from them, or they collapse in on themselves and become cavernous black holes. Judging by the raking look the boy gives the redhead, he’s already given in to the dark. For a while, Jim remembers what it felt like when he first came to the city as an undergraduate. London was like a dream then - a place of sprawling adventure and promise, with its behemoth towers and a long standing history that made Jim feel like he was joining something bigger than himself. Everywhere he looked, he saw potential, most of all in himself. Now all he sees is grey; grey concrete, grey steel, grey skin. A world and its people sapped of colour. Dark figures shuffling sadly on. Back home, his family told him that he was made for the city, as if he didn’t belong to his mother and father, but instead was put together out of old parts. An automaton made to be one of Eliot’s undone, trudging over London Bridge. At the time it felt like a compliment – a sense of being meant for something better. Now, he isn’t so sure. His life is measured out by the swipes of an Oyster card, endless escalators and the gusts of wind as the tube pulls in and he is tired, so bloody tired, of the same old thing every night. The girl in the sequin dress catches him looking, frowns, whispers something to her friend. He thumbs the edge of the Metro that someone had left behind on his seat, focuses his eyes on the headline without reading it, but still he feels the burn of her glare. He can’t stand it. Her silent admonishment makes him feel too much like the city; like some perverted beast, feeding off her image like a fool in worship. He doesn’t know how to explain that he pities her, and envies her, or that it really isn’t about her at all. Jim stands abruptly at the next stop and alights. The girl’s cackle follows at his back before the doors shut and carry her away. He takes the escalator two steps at a time, sprinting up the left hand side. He goes through the motions once more. Swipes. The green dot winks at him. The gates open. The distant whine of a busker playing Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor carries through the foyer of the tube station. Jim walks against the tide, through the throngs of people clamouring to feed the beast, far down, down, and breaks into the early evening air with the gasp of a starved man.
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WHAT THE
f.a.q
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY YOUR OWN STUDENTS’ UNION ADVICE SERVICE
Help! I’ve just started at Uni. I’m waiting for my student loan to get paid, and I’m living on beans and lentils. This isn’t the student life I was promised! Although no two students’ situations are exactly the same, we’ve got a 12-point plan based on past experience that can be a useful starting-point. And, as always, if this isn’t enough, then contact your Campus Students’ Union Advice Service for free and confidential advice and support. 1. You can find most of the information you need online, through the University Portal and on our website! The A-Z is the most practical way to find information on the Portal. Check your University email account daily. Links are at the end of this article to the Advice pages on the Students’ Union website and to the Student Services A-Z. 2. Every student should have a tutor assigned to them for the length of their time at the University. Your personal tutor is here to help support your learning – don’t be embarrassed about asking for help if you need it. If you haven’t met your personal tutor, or don’t know who your personal tutor is, ask your programme leader (or, if you don’t know who that is, ask in your School office). 3. Waiting for your student loan to come through? The University’s Student Finance team can offer a £300 bridging loan to Home students, to be repaid once your funding arrives. Later in October, Home students can start applying to the University’s Access to Learning Fund if they are in financial difficulties for any reason. Money Doctor pages on the University Portal offers more information. Also if you need help budgeting or dealing with debts, the Students’ Union Advice Service is licensed to provide FREE debt advice to students.
4. Study Skills. No one was born knowing how to write essays, do research or sit an exam! Find out about support available online and in person from the Uni Study Skills Tutors. If you are disabled, or have a long term health problem affecting your studies, get in touch with the University’s Disability and Dyslexia teams, based at the campus Student Centres. You may be entitled to extra support. 5. Got your accommodation sorted out? We’d hope you’re settling in with no problems. But if you’ve got a problem, look at the information on our website on housing, and contact the Advice Service. 6. Got a local doctor? Register now, while you’re healthy! It’s a bit of effort, but you don’t want to leave this until you get sick. For free condoms if you’re under 21, register with Greenwich Sexual Health. More details on our website. 7. International students? Remember that your visa may be at risk if you don’t attend University or fail to report in as required. If you’re sick or there’s some other reason why you can’t come in to University, keep the University informed. For help and advice on visa issues, contact the International Student Advice Service at the University.
10. Look at the Students Union website to find out Whats On, and come to the campus Freshers Fairs to find out about the wide range of sports clubs and other societies on offer to students, as well as grabbbing some freebies. And if you can’t make it to the Freshers Fairs, contact information for the groups is available online. 11. Got your NUS Extra Card? The Advice Service is not here to sell you anything, but there are a lot of discounts available to students with an NUS Extra Card. It will cost you £12 but saves you 10% on shopping at the Co-op, among others. More details online, just search for NUSExtra. And don’t forget to get a student Oyster card for 30% off regular fares. 12. Any other questions? Come and speak to a Students’ Union Adviser. We’re here for any University of Greenwich student, whatever the problem, whether it’s big or small. Even if it’s just needing someone to talk through your situation with, we will listen and we won’t judge you. Our service is free, independent and confidential.
8. Got a bank account? Most students won’t have a problem with this. Contact the Students Union Advice Service if you’re struggling to get a bank account sorted out. 9. Know who your programme rep is? Find out about student representatives, and our elected officers, on the Students’ Union website in the Student Voice section. And why not think about volunteering as a representative for students on your course? WWW.SUUG.CO.UK/MEDIA - TWENTY THREE 23