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OAKBANK Sixth Form Magazine

ISSUE 2 - JULY 2010


The Year at a Glance


Content

"What a beautiful, sunny morning. It makes you happy to be alive, doesn't it? We can't let the sun outshine us! We have to beam, too!

"

– Takayuki Ikkaku

(Click a page title to be taken to it!)

03 - The New Website! 04 - AS Exams Enlightenment 05 - Snoozzzzzzze 06 - Confectionary Conclusions 07 - Itâ€&#x;s a Breeze 08 - Summer fashion 2010 09 - Author Profile: Pratchett 10 - Internet Picks of the Month 11 - Things to Do 12 - Things to Own 13 - 4 Years Later 13 - Gig Reviews 15 - Music 16 - Film 16 - Games 17 - Random Facts 18 - June Open Days 19 - Contact Us

Dear Readers, So, here is the second issue of the new Sixth Form Magazine. This issue focuses on what you can do in the summer to satisfy your interests and things that you could do which would bulk up your personal statement. As usual, see included: the fashion page, the music reviews, the gig reviews and the things to do page. Also, just a reminder that you can find a list of open days, useful websites and past issues at http:// www.osfm.co.nr/. Hope you all enjoy reading and have a wonderful summer. Your Editor,

Jasmine Camm. Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 02


The big lesson Sixth form is a learning experience, not just in your subject lessons but also in your breaks, lunchtimes and „study‟ (free) periods. Here we have year 12 from the view of two year 12 students and also one of a year 13 student who talks about her whole sixth form experience. By Kieran Clayton When I started Year 12, I admit that I was a little apprehensive; and the silly thing is that I probably wouldn‟t be able to tell you exactly why, because I don‟t even know. But if I had to hazard a guess, I would say there were indeed several factors that most likely contributed: new environment, not really knowing what or who to expect and Year 13. After the first weeks, we had all found our places in Sixth Form (literally in the Common Room), we began to develop relationships with staff and fellow students who we would have never even spoken to before. Yes, I found the work load a bit challenging at first but I soon got to grips with it, even with a long commute. And as for the Year 13 thing, after a while it wasn‟t year 13 and year 12, we are just Sixth Form; one of my very good friends now, was one of the people I was initially terrified of, a member of Year 13. All I can say is I look forward to progressing more in Sixth Form and learning more about myself and others, including the new Year 12 we will welcome in September! (Although, we might get a little protective of our seats in the Common Room.) By Jasmine Camm I've loved being at Sixth Form, and as somebody who wasn't planning on coming here, i'd say that's quite a feat! The year has been filled with things that i'm glad to have experienced, whether I enjoyed them at the time or not. Cake, Cambridge and friends are a few words that spring to mind. Over the past year i've forged friendships with people that I never thought I would. There've been opportunities that have changed the way I look at things. And we've all become comfortable in each others presence; that alone is something that was unthinkable in lower school. The initial period was getting used to being here, then it was settling into your subjects (if you weren't going to change them again!), then it was January exams Panic! After the 'phew! we're still alive' moment, we got our results back, some good and some bad. All too soon, it was the main period of our AS exams when everyone was stressed trying to fit that revision in. And then, quite abruptly, it was the end of the year, now. This year has gone so quickly and it's sad to have seen it fly by so fast; but that's what happens and i'm sure next year will be just as awesome and just as short. Along with that, i'm sure there'll be floods of tears at the end... Then, we must take our first steps into the real world. Strange, isn't it? By Sarah Greenwood

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 03


Helpful University Tips By Nicola Langthorne

W

ith the prospect of University looming, now is a great chance to really make the best use of your

time. It is highly recommended that you visit as many University Open Days as possible, whether it be to see one you are interested in, or just to get a better feel of University life and Campus. Look at the useful list of Open Days in this very issue or on www.osfm.co.nr to see when and where you can visit! A great suggestion from many sources, is to plump up your personal statements, whilst you have free time. Volunteer work, charity events and Enrichment Day activities are brilliant opportunities to do so. However, as time is running out we can't rely on school providing these. To do extra activities in your own time this summer would definitely be helpful for University Applications, particularly if they were sought for by you. Despite how nerve-wracking it is, Personal Statements are your chance to shine when applying. So, to really make an effort now and over the summer would be beneficial in the long run. Plus, not all voluntary work is boring! If you find something that interests you then it'll provide you with a way of having fun, filling up your summer and making sure you have things for your Personal Statement. Have a wonderful summer, readers!

A

By Jasmine Camm s we all know, UCAS has made an entrance and we are all expected to have an idea of the Univer-

sities which we would like to apply to, by September. Throughout the summer you should be researching Universities in a range of ways, afterall, the more opinions you get, the more accurate your overall image will be. Prospectuses are available to view online and can also be ordered from the website of your chosen Universities. Also, attend as many relevant open days and tours as you can, ask the representatives of the University questions, ask past and present students their opinions and always bare in mind what YOU want in your University. Whilst researching, here are some things to consider: Student Satisfaction. Research Assessment. Student-Staff Ratio. Graduate Prospects. Quality of teaching. How much tuition time you‟ll have. The suitability of the local area. Is the course at that University right for you? Campus based? Big or Small? Is the work mostly coursework or exams? Do you/Will you meet the entry requirements? Yes, the rankings of Universities DO vary, however this is just because different organisations assess the Universities in different ways. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/universityguide http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/stug/universityguide.php http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=7281 Also, for students opinions... http://www.whatuni.com/ But do remember that everyone has different opinions, and one person‟s good could be another person‟s evil. So don‟t take it straight to heart.

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 04


Summer Check List >> Print Me <<

HOMEWORK: We have provided you with this check list of things to do throughout the summer holidays... If you could complete the whole list then you are well on your way to making year 13 smooth sailing and obtaining a university placement.

Volunteer work Read a Few Books Work Experience Summer Job Draft Your Personal Statement Have Fun! Open Days Stay Over in Uni Location Narrow Down to 8 Unis Results Day! Be Positive... Attend Summer Crash Courses See Toy Story 3D Read up on Your Future Lessons Don’t Spend All Your Money! Complete This List Return this list completed (including the form below) and hand it into a member of the OSFM and you will be entered into a prize draw to win PRIZE... An there is no use in fibbing because we WILL ask question... And it could be ANYTHING, even Google couldn't prepare you for this quiz. NAME:............................................................................................................................... TUTOR GROUP:..............

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 05


Confectionary ConcluBy Jasmine Camm

After undertaking a number of food experiments that had successful and not-quite-successful results, I decided that they‟d be interesting to share - at least the successful ones. You may be wondering what on earth confectionary has got to do with school? To be perfectly honest, I would say that it hasn‟t got much to do with school. If I had to pick an argument, I‟d say that food is essential to good learning (albeit, healthy food) and that relaxation is crucial to coursework - This is how I relax, welcome!

Sweet Successes The Somewhat Soufflé Contents: Victoria sponge mix (with cocoa), chilli chocolate, double cream and berries.

some

This is something that I discovered on a lazy day. I wanted something chocolate and quick. After cooking the chocolate cupcakes (either in a ramekin or as usual), make some ganache by pouring almost boiling cream into a bowl of equal amounts of chopped chocolate, I used chilli chocolate. Then mix. Cut the cakes as you would do a butterfly bun, but make the cut deeper, then fill the gap with the ganache, place in the oven again to heat the whole thing to the same temperature. This recipe is ready to eat in less than half an hour so it‟s perfect for those chocolate urges or pajama days. Depending on your tastes, I‟d suggest eating with raspberries, black cherries or shortbread. I am in love with this snack, it‟s quick, it‟s easy and it tastes amazing.

Mini Muffins Contents: Victoria sponge mix, food colouring, buttercream and smarties. These were purely and simply, ace. Due to the minute bun cases that the cupcakes were cooked in peeling away, we resorted to this is order to make them presentable for a party. A tiny amount of buttercream in between the mirroring cupcakes sticks them together and then the swirl of buttercream on the top adds flavour and texture to the whole thing. They tasted like a compact version of a butterly bun, and looked really quite fictional, they reminded me of a children‟s fairytale. The downside? They are gone in one

Sweet Disasters

The Cardiac Cake Contents: An awful lot of butter, sugar and chocolate. Improvise. Sure, it doesn‟t look like much, but after only a few bites you‟ll soon find yourself wondering just exactly how much chocolate is in the cake. The recipe is practically butter, sugar and chocolate with a sprinkle of flour and egg. It was coated with a thick layer of Cadbury‟s ganache as we made too much for such a small cake - with Cadbury‟s chocolate, the ganache tastes very caramel-ish, very sickly. Even the largest Chocoholic I know couldn‟t handle another slice. Although the general flavour exceeded expectations, that aspect of the cake was also its downfall; everyone feared for their blood-sugar levels that day, we couldn‟t stomach any junk food, how sad...

Gummy Bear Genocide Contents: Victoria sponge mix, food colouring and gummy bears. This was purely experimental...The analysis? Gummy bears + Cake mixture = Explosion. The rating was given for prettiness and the sheer addictive nature of these colourful creations, stars were taken off because they are sickly and really quite revolting. As you can see in the picture, the pink was the most delightfully cute thing, which boosted the rating a lot. Otherwise, the buns are like extra strong toffee to the teeth, as the melted gummy bears refuse to release their grip on anything they touch. They were certainly unusual, and the gummy bears gave the sponge a very sweet flavour, they may have even been nice if there was a higher sponge : gummy bear ratio. Overall, they were fun to make, fun to watch as the gummy bears explode in the oven but really not fun to bite.

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 06


Fashion

By Olivia Sayer & Michaela Johns

With the summer holidays within our grasp, we‟ll all be jetting off to sunny destinations for a few weeks. In this issue, holiday wear is the main focus: bright print swimwear, hats, sunnies, kaftan cover-ups and statement sandals.

Trend 1 – Swimwear

Trend 2 – Beach jewellery

Trend 3 – Sandals £12

£25, Topshop

All From Topshop £28 £32, Topshop

Riverisland

Riverisland

£55, irregularchoice.com £67, SALE irregularchoice.com

£6, Fatface

Trend 4 – Cover-ups

£6, Boohoo.co.uk

Fatface £14 £28 £10, Fatface £20, Topshop £7.50, Fatface

£31.50

£35, Topshop

£8, Topshop

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 08


Fashion

Cont.

Something for the guys

£17.50, Fatface

£14, Topman

£35, asos.com

£20, Fatface

£30, asos.com

£22, asos.com £85.50, Irregualchocice.com

For the festival go-ers… There‟s a great range of festival wear in Fat Face at the moment, whether it‟s in the sale or full price. Since I work there, I can give you a 20% discount on full price items!

£15

£19

£12

And Elsewhere... £16, Topman

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 08


Internet picks of the By Ruby Whelan Want to keep up with the news, but also fulfil your daily satire quotient? This website is for you! The site basically takes news stories and re-writes them with more of a mickey-taking slant. According to the website; “We strongly believe that all news stories should be considered A Remarkable Special Event (ARSE), and as such each and every story we cover is treated like ARSE.” News ARSE – because they never let the truth get in the way of a funny story.

www.newsarse.com/ I don‟t know what I like most about The Oatmeal; the crazy artwork, the silly comics or the fact that it manages to make learning about grammar both informative and ridiculous! The website consists of comics on various subjects, such as “How to choose a banshee” and “How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you”; quizzes, such as “How many Justin Beibers could you take in a fight?” and “How long you could survive on the surface of the sun?”; and other miscellany, which is basically The Oatmeal‟s ramblings. My favourites have got to be the collection of dumb jokes, and the many grammar-related comics – they greatly appeal to my grammar-Nazi side. Updates are fairly random, and I doubt there is any kind of schedule.

www.theoatmeal.com/ Now, as a person who enjoys cake and doesn‟t make a bad cake herself, this site is most definitely cringeworthy (and therefore hilarious). Think of all the ways a cake could be ruined by a professional baker, double it, and you have come somewhat close to the amazing level of stupidity that is humorously showcased on this website. From misspellings (and OH, there are thousands. Who knew you could spell “birthday” in so many ways?!), to shoddy craftsmanship, to just plain weird designs, this website pokes fun at them all. However, it‟s not all bad – check out Sunday Sweets for some wonderfully made, truly gorgeous cakes.

www.cakewrecks.com/ This ever humorous and ever slightly insane webcomic is the baby of Jeph Jaques – he started it on August 1st 2003 and since then he‟s quite his job and lives entirely from merchandise sales – a pretty cool thing to do with your life. It follows the lives of a group of friends (it was just 3 people and a robot to begin with, and now I can‟t even count the regular characters), who usually hang out at Coffee of Doom – think Starbucks, but more badass. It updates every weekday, and has done for some time – if you want to catch up with the story (which I did) be warned, as there are over 1700 comics to get though. Alternatively, you could just read the wikipedia page and be lazy, yeah! It‟s also interesting to see how the artwork improves over time – shows what 7 years of practise can do!

www.questionablecontent.net/

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 10


Things to do

By Jasmine Camm

Event

Location

Times

Further Information

Victorian Sports Day.

People‟s Park, Halifax.

June, 1pm 4pm, Free.

If you‟re looking for a unique thing to do with your time then this may be for you! It sounds quite hilarious - Victorian costumes, egg and spoon races, whip and top? Hilarity is sure to ensue. Of course, it isn‟t imperative that you dress the part, but why not? Refreshments are also available.

A Tour with Anne Lister

Shibden Hall, Lister‟s Road, Halifax.

13th June/11th Following the release of BBC‟s „The Secret DiaJuly, 2pm, Usual ries of Anne Lister‟, the tour at Shibden Hall aladmission. lows you to find out more about the life and location of this fascinating woman, the first modern Lesbian and mistress of the Hall in the 19th century, and to have a refreshing walk around some awesome rooms and grounds. You could even go on the mini-train or the rowing boats afterwards if you were feeling particularly child-like.

Calderdale Pride. Piece Hall, Hali- 19th June, 2pm fax. - 8pm, Free.

Once again the Piece Hall has the pleasure of hosting the celebration of diversity in Calderdale. Everyone is welcome to bring picnics, blankets and friends to enjoy the day. In the Hall there will be a variety of eating places, a bar, a full programme of live entertainment, and „quality DJ‟s, artists, bands, and speakers‟. Not much missing is there?

1960‟s Weekend.

Haworth Main Street.

19th/20th June, Free.

If you enjoyed the vintage feel of the 1940‟s weekend, why not indulge yourself in another era of iconic things? Take yourself back to the days of fashion from that of Mary Quant‟s miniskirt and Doris Day‟s feminine gowns to Bardot‟s beehive hairstyles and Hepburn‟s skinny jeans. The most popular style associated with the 1960‟s is that created by those who prompted sexual liberation and „peace, love and freedom‟. Groovy...

The Bridge Birthday Bash.

Hebden Bridge.

19th June, 1:30pm start, Free.

A medieval festival celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Bridge. There‟ll be a packhorse procession over the bridge, medieval music, dance and Jesters. It‟s a chance to learn truly fascinating facts and fiction about bridges; some to „fascinate even the unfascinatable‟.

Leeds Loves Food.

Millennium Square, Leeds.

1st - 4th July, Free for browsing.

A festival which shows off the range and the quality of the food in Leeds, including events and promotions. The four day spread of events has a packed calender which can be viewed online. There‟s no shortage of food, as the choice varies from BBQ, picnics and Mexican dishes to the smoothies, the Mad Hatter‟s Tea Party and a selection of master-classes. If food isn‟t your thing, then Angel‟s Share Vintage Fair on the 3rd July may give you a break from the mass amount of edibles. See http://www.leedslovesfood.com/ for specific times and dates.

OSFM, Issue 2

Oakbank School/ www.osfm.co.nr

17th July

The next issue of Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine is released, just as we say bye bye for summer!

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 11


Things to own By Kieran Clayton

This Months Essential Item! Editors Pick

Toy Story 1 & 2 Boxset £16.99, Amazon.co.uk

Cinderella meets Lara Croft

There is no doubting that we are all hyped for the release of Toy Story 3 in UK cinemas 23 July 2010. So, why not re-cap on the gang‟s shenanigans in the much loved childhood classics, Toy story and Toy story 2, together in this new boxset!

Not the best looking shoes, admittedly. They're also not very efficient. But, if you're paranoid about being attacked, then these are the shoes for you! Just break the tip the shoe to reveal a hidden stun gun to shock your attacker. They were inspired by a woman who wanted to "intimidate her intimidators" and wanted to be "empowered without losing her femininity". Sure, the reasoning and the idea behind the shoes are great... Unfortunately, once you've smashed them, you'll have to buy another pair and explain to the police why you have a stun gun in your shoe. Ah well, can't please everyone. You may be thinking... „O, just another student card‟. Well yes it is that but this one offers so much more; not only do you get discount in popular shops such as Topshop/man there is also the added bonus of discount on all the EXTREMELY useful books in the UCAS book shop. Or if you fancy a bite to eat you can get discounts with popular takeaway chain, Dominos Pizza, plus a lot more restaurants. Of course there is more than discounts, you will also be kept up to date with the universities and courses you show an interest in. Best of all its FREE and it only take a few minutes to sign up! UCAS card FREE, UCAS.ac.uk

Changing the TV channel shouldn‟t Alien TV Channel Changer, be boring, and now it isn‟t! Imagine £5.99, SALE hawkin.com this... Your watching a really bad film, for example... Twilight, and you really just want it off your screen; well now you can do this with the added satisfaction of thinking you‟ve shot Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Back on planet earth... Sorry, this handy little gun will make changing the channel so much more enjoyable! Slinky Dog, £14.99, hawkin.com

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 12


By Kieran Clayton

L

eeds Fest 2010 is something that a lot

of you are looking forward to, for me though it was one of the heats for the FutureSound competition in which the winner of each heat gets to play at Leeds Fest that got me excited. The particular heat I attended was on Monday 5th July at the Cockpit in Leeds and I was going full out on support for Hail Animator; a fantastic, indierock, Leeds band. Even going to the extent of producing a t-shirt using an old poster from one of their previous gigs and a pritstick, which I had to take with me for maintenance. Before the music began we ended up meeting a few of the band as they wondering the room and of course ventured to the bar; I must say they were all very much in favor of the tshirt and were all genuinely grateful for our support. We stood at the back of the room for the first band, after all it was a competition and we didn't want to seem too keen on the other acts, although we still applauded... quietly. The first band, Afraid Like You, had a good sounds and lots of energy, but I felt like I'd seen them before, or at least the lead singer. We managed to make our way to the front for the second act, just to guarantee a position there for when Hail Animator took to the stage. This was a bad move though, the room got hotter and hotter the closer you got to the stage, and I felt like I should have been singing along or at least acknowledging that I knew the songs of the second act, when in fact I'd never heard of them in my life... BangBangRomeo. This interesting band had real variety in their act, starting with a acoustic song that really complimented the lead singers voice, and as the act progressed the songs were ranging from Rock to something about more dancy, at times. One thing catching my eye on the stage was the backcombed beauty of a hairstyle that was bobbing round in front of me, complete with colorful feathers and probably a whole lot of hairspray, this really was a hair-do to be desired, 5

Introducing... Band Name: Hail Animator Band Members: Richard // Adam // Bradley // Ste Based in: Leeds Genre: Indie The suspense built for Hail Animator as they set up their equipment on stage, we were all very much possessed with excitement, and we also found that one of the band members names is actually easy to chant unlike to the band name! The band opened with a track from their recently released EP – „We Live In Boxes‟ – „what you did‟ got the crowd limbering up and beginning to pull out the moves, it was time to make some noise! The band seemed on top form and hopeful about the competition even though the other band had masses of marked supporters (All wearing the same t-shirt… how embarrassing!), let‟s not forget, Hail animator had one too! After several tracks from their EP, including that track containing the line “we live in boxes” (Easier Said Than Done), we got to the new stuff, a nice way to end the set. Although, the night still managed to get better with the introduction to the first new song, „Are you Gonna‟, it included a dedication to “the guy down front with the homemade Hail Animator t-shirt” – making the t-shirt, I‟m sure, very much worth his while! The new material including the last song, „Start A Fire‟, definitely had the Hail Animator feel but it continues to be fresh and have something about it that sets it apart from the rest. After their set we resorted to the back of the room where we met the band again, had pictures and a good chat, making me very excited for the next gig! Afraid Like You BangBangRomeo Hail Animator

We Live in Boxes OUT NOW! Available on iTunes or @

www.split.co.uk

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 13


Music Katy Perry - California Gurls By Michaela Johns

'California Gurls' is the first single to be released from Katy's new album "Teenage Dream" and it proves that Katy Perry is one of the best performers in this day and age. With Snoop Dogg's opening, "Greetings loved ones, let's take a journey," we are transported to a California of beaches, bikinis, and the sun so hot it "will melt your popsicle." The song is little more than light, frothy pop, but that may be exactly what you need today when dreaming about the summer and a few months from now, baking happily in www.katyperry.com

B.O.B ft Hayley Williams Airplanes

ALBUM OF THE MONTH Eminem - Recovery

By Michaela Johns

By Michaela Johns

What I love about this song is the moving lyrics. Hitting number 2 after only a couple of weeks, it is loved so many others. Anchored by a powerful, haunting pop chorus, B.o.B. dips into something much deeper and complex than his debut #1 smash "Nothin' On You." Hayley Williams, lead vocalist of Paramore is brought in to deliver the chorus with a slightly fragile, longing beauty, matching the lyrics with perfection. Part II of the song also features a rap from Eminem that only complicates the subject matter. In my opinion, this is one of the most intensely emotional hit singles of the year so far.

After his flop last year with his album “Relapse”, Eminem definitely needed a recovery with a new album. Personally, I think he‟s made a great comeback with this album. He even admits to fans that Relapse was mediocre: 'And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again, I’m back/I promise to never go back on that promise, in fact/ Let’s be honest, that last Relapse CD was eh/Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground/Relax, I ain’t going back to that now.' With fresh beats, and appearances from the likes of Rihanna, Lil’ Wayne and Pink, I believe Eminem has found his feet again and given us a fresh perspective on his music and bars. He proves that he is 'not afraid to take a stand.'

www.bobatl.com

www.eminemworld.com/

Lady Gaga - Alejandro By Michaela Johns

Gaga sets standards high with her catchy dance-pop tunes she's been blasting through our ears for the past year. However this song is a minor slip up for her. I do agree that it is a good song, just not as good as the get-up-and-go tunes she's provided us with previously. I admire Gaga for her clever lyrics in the song and the beat is quite good, but I do feel that she has done better. Maybe it is also the music video she's done for the video that lowers standards too. It's great in a Gaga way, but I did get a bit bored whilst watching the mini-movie of a music video; it was slightly odd and dark, and I am definitely not a fan of her new bowl cut! Video aside, I do like the song, but I expect a little www.ladygaga.com Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 15


Film & Games Film The Prince of Persia

Long ago in land far, far away, there once rose a empire that stretched from the steps of China to the shores of the Mediterranean. The film opens to a land plagued by war as the empire struggles to expand. It's set in built up areas which adds to the excitement, by making sure that all of the fights that occur are intertwined. I didn't expect the film to be true to the games that it was based on, but it was surprisingly full of free running action and acrobatics that made the games so great. The film itself has a gripping storyline and twisting plot which always keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next.

By Joss Cope-Smith

Shrek Forever After I absolutely loved this film! Itâ€&#x;s really funny and extremely entertaining. I saw it in 3-D and I would defiBy Christina Cooper nitely recommend paying that little bit extra for it (it's worth it). Rumpelstiltskin tricks Shrek into signing a pact so that he may relive his old bachelor/Ogre lifestyle for one day; for the small price of one of his childhood days. But crafty Rumpelstiltskin takes a rather important day - the day that Shrek was born. Thus, Shrek is thrown into a twisted reality of Far Far Away, where Rumpelstiltskin is king, Ogres are hunted and Shrek and Fiona never met. Shrek turns himself into Rumpelstiltskin, and in return demands that all Ogres are set free, but as Fiona is only half Ogre she is imprisoned, along with Shrek. About to be eaten by Dragon (Donkeys' Wife), Puss, Donkey and the other Ogres arrive just in time to save the day! Together they all defeat Rumpelstiltskin and his forces. Shrek and Fiona have 'true loves kiss', and her curse is broken once more. All is well, but will Shrek return to his designated reality? You'll have to watch it and see! Games By Joss Cope-Smith

This month we shall not be reviewing any games, instead we shall give an overview of a few of the most anticipated releases which everyone is waiting for.

First up is Call of Duty: Black Ops: This follows on from the previous Call of Duty in the series. However, it is a totally different storyline set in Vietnam. The Gamplay trailer gives the impression that the game is rather explosive as you fly around in an Apache helicopter with no goal. My thoughts? I think that there has been too much hype about it, and it's unlikely to be as well received as it's predecessor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Secondly, Crisis II: This is the second instalment, as the name would suggest, that is set in a world where aliens have taken over and humans struggle to survive. One 'lone wolf' possesses a suit of armour that increases the strength, agility and cloaks of the owner. Obviously, this helps him battle it out with the alien threat. At first glance, the game appears to be a replica of Crisis I... not too sure about what the future holds for this one, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see! Finally, Fallout: New Vegas. Quite predictably, the game is located in the post Apocalyptic world of Fallout... But Vegas has been left unscathed. Not much information is available, but I can tell you that the game begins for you lying in a ditch, dead, after being shot twice in the head. I recommend buying all of these games, or at least renting to experiment. Such hype and build-up must mean some- Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 16 thing.


Random Facts By Jasmine Camm - Apocolocynposis is the fear of turning into a pumpkin. (Been reading a bit too much Cinderella here?)

Fact of the Month

- A cockroach can live for nine days without its head. - The number of people dreaming in black and white decreased after the spread of colour television.

A chimpanzee can learn to recognize itself in a mirror, but a monkey cannot.

- New Zealand is home to 70 million sheep and only 4 million people. - ‟Stewardesses‟ is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand. - In ancient Greece teachers were paid higher wages than skilled craftsman. They also received gifts from citizens. - The average person walks the equivalent of twice around the world in their life. - If the gherkin in a McDonalds burger was taken out, then the burger would then be classed as a dessert due to its extreme sugar content. -A British law was implemented in 1732 which restricted the manufacturing of hats. This was done in order to protect the fibre industry in England. (No hats?!) - The blessing of those who sneeze started when the great plague took hold of Europe. The Pope therefore passed a law requiring people to bless the sneezer. - The phrase „in the dead of the night‟ was first recorded in 1548. Meaning the 'darkest time of night' and was used in Edward Halls‟ "Chronicle". - Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. - Explanations for the meaning of this rhyme differ. From „pretty maids‟ and „silver bells‟ being colloquialisms for instruments of torture used under the reign of Mary I; to relating to Mary Queen of Scots and her unfaithful husband. - Bal du moulin de la Galette is fifth on the list of most expensive paintings ever sold. Painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, it was sold at over £86 million in 2009. - Le Louvre was originally constructed as the fortress of King Phillippe Auguste in 1190. - Deterioration over the years has revealed that a portrait of Elizabeth I holding a bunch of flowers originally saw her clasping a snake. Although, it is not fully understood whether the original painting was a portrait of the Queen, and why the snake was replaced. - The largest gathering of people to wear underpants is 116 - By Pants to Poverty in London. - A mysterious race of ancient Britons who had much in common with people today but belonged to another human species lived in Norfolk almost a million years ago, scientists believe.

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 16


August Open Days

Seminars, Conferences, Workshops

20 08 10

Askham Bryan College – Drop in Day

21 08 10

University of Central Lancashire

21 08 10

University of Sunderland

21 08 10

York St John

25 08 10

York St John

25 08 10

Lancaster University

31 08 10

University of Aberdeen

And some for September...

10 09 10

University of Derby

10 09 10

University of Liverpool

11 09 10

University of Birmingham

11 09 10

York St John

15 09 10

Aberystwyth University

16 09 10

University of Glamorgan

17 09 10

St Anne‟s College, Oxford-University Information

Day 18 09 10

Lancaster University

18 09 10

Newnham College, Cambridge

22 09 10

Harper Adams University College, Shropshire

22 09 10

Aston University

26 09 10

University of Central Lancashire

And a few for October...

02 10 10

University of Lincoln

02 10 10

Newcastle University

02 10 10

University of Reading

If your university isn‟t here, check the Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine Website for a full list of University open days.

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 18


Contact Us Have anything youâ€&#x;d like to say? Read anything that you want more information on? Or do you have a story youâ€&#x;d like to tell? Feel free to get in touch! Editor: Jasmine Camm Email: Jasmine.Camm@student.oakbank.org.uk Everyone in Sixth Form is auto-subscribed to the magazine, if you would like to stop receiving the emailed magazine contact our tech support: admin@oakbank-6thform-magazine.s5.com

Check out our webpage at: www.osfm.co.nr

Or, find us on our Facebook group: Oakbank sixth form magazine

We look forward to hearing from you!

Oakbank Sixth Form Magazine 19



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