BADGER ·
thebadgeronline.com
·
21st September 2020
THE
Official free fortnightly newspaper by and for Sussex students · Printed on recycled paper
A slightly different big Badger hello
The start of this accademic year may feel a bit unusual but The Badger’s back and the team want to hear from you! Joshua Talbot Editor-in-Chief Hello readers- wherever you’re reading from, whatever you find yourself doing, after being displaced by an international crisis that is radically changing the world. I sincerely hope this exciting and featurepacked Freshers’ Edition finds you well. In times of such uncertainty, when the world seems to be falling apart, we cling on to the constants, run with them and fight for them. Whilst, empirically, some battles are bigger than others, lockdown has, I think, demonstrated in ways that have been raw at times, that struggle is very personal and comparisons, fruitless. With this said, solidarity is of utmost importance, and it is important to all at The Badger that the paper continues to critique, incite change and hear the voices of all Sussex students. Obstacles have likely been popping up in all corners of your life; from travel bans preventing you from experiencing Sussex in person, to the rule of six, cancelling your long-planned birthday gatherings. The Badger has not gone untouched by Coronavirus,
either. What is perhaps the elephant in the room, if you have been on campus recently, or, perhaps not, if you haven’t and are reading this edition in blissful ignorance online, is that the paper is exclusively online for the foreseeable future. Restrictions to the distribution of print material on campus have meant that we have made the very reluctant decision to focus our energies entirely online, and this is where you find us. In all honesty, not a huge amount has changed and print will return, but this way we endeavour to have an outreach more in line with the distribution of the student body that we are here to serve. Without further ado, to inspire, excite and entice you, a preview of this bumperpacked edition! And please, if you’re reading this and can’t wait to get contributing yourself, do contain your excitement, read on, and once you’ve finished, message us at the next possible interval @thebadgersussex on socials or send us an email: badger@ sussexstudent.com- we’d love to hear from you! Kicking it off with our brilliant new news team who, in this edition, have covered
22-23
Libyan front lines & Campus and COVID-19 3
Comment
#LiveLaughLove, Cancel culture & Churchill 8 Joshua Talbot stories from the international, with news of front line developments in Libya, to the local with stories on Sussex and Covid-19. Comment, in a time when there is just so much to discuss, tackles the Churchill debate and, in ‘THE BIG DEBATE’, whether ‘cancel culture’ has become toxic. The Features team are talking uni-routine, the importance of sleep and the state of Brighton’s music scene- a must-read for freshers finding their way in their new home. Arts is brimming with content: from lockdown film watchlists to the introduction of a regular column penned by the new main section editorsexciting! Our Travel and Culture team
have been busy trekking the South Downs Way- a five-day 80 mile hike that runs through campus. There’s a how-to guide for that, as well as Sussex Ranger’s recommendations for lockdown eating out! Science and Tech are questioning whether the time is right to pop the male contraceptive pill and also take us on a journey to Mars with the launch of a new NASA rover. Finally, last but certainly not least, a spotlight on a local nonleague football club’s battle to survive in the current climate with Sport, and insight into the UFC’s exciting new signings. All this and much much more is just an (albeit virtual) page f lick away! You know what to do.
Societies insight
for a Q and A at the end where you can challenge the ideas you’ve heard. We have a wonderful community of regular members that make you feel at home from the get-go and you’ll have the chance to get to know us all at any of our pub crawls, karaoke nights or other socials organised throughout the term! So, don’t feel like you need to be an expert in any topic to come along, we guarantee that you’ll learn something new every week and we look forward to seeing you! Continued on page 24...
LTD:
Eden Clifton
News
Liberate the Debate is the largest political society on campus. We meet every Wednesday in Bramber 255 where we split off into small groups and discuss anything from current affairs to philosophy, politics and social issues. As well as this, we get interesting speakers in to give talks on topics that they’re passionate about, always with time
Features
Uni life priorities & Sleep patterns
Arts
12
Online Hamlet & Lockdown watchlists 15
Travel & Culture South Downs Trekking & Eating out 26
Science & Tech
Sleep deprivation & Male contraception29
Sports
Lewes F.C.’s COVID survival & UFC signings 31