The Hype Issue 9

THE HYPE Palaye Royale concert

DCU Drag Race

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4

Aoife Meade

Sugar baby culture Dublin

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Parasite

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Ethics in the media

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What’s on this week RAG Relief Mar 5th

RAG’s famous comedy night is back!!!!

For an evening of great and not so great jokes come on down to the Venue onThursday at 7:30pm. Tickets are just €5! Aavailable at dcusu.ticketsolve.com/shows

Let’s Get Quizzical Mar 19th

ELSA DCU are hosting a table quiz in aid of Pieta House, a charity close to our hearts. Teams of 4-5 welcome at €25 per table. All welcome so bring your friends and family for a night of competition, craic and lots of prizes! Venue: The Back Page, Phibsborough

Clubs and Societies Awards and Formal Ball Mar 27th

Our annual awards ball will be taking place on the 27th of March in the Crowne Plaza Northwod to celebrate the success and outstanding of achievements of all of our clubs and societies and the individuals involved in each and every club and society.

Secure your ticket for €20. Full tickets €50.

CREDITS

Editor-In-Chief Brendan Fernando Kelly Palenque Deputy Editor-In-Chief & Arts Editor Áine O’Boyle Deputy Arts Editor Aoibhín Meghen Deputy Arts Editor Peter O’Neill Lifestyle Editor Róisín Maguire Deputy Lifestyle Editor Niamh Quinlan Deputy Lifestyle Editor Kevin O’Meara Images Editor Sonja Tutty Deputy Images Editor Joy Nwagiriga Hype Production Editor Jonathon Lynam CV Production Editor Sally Dobie Pg 3 & 4 Áine O’Boyle Pg 5 Tadgh McNally Pg 8 Brendan Fernando Kelly Palenque Áine O’Boyle Pg 9 Rachel Power Pg 10 Aoife O’Brien Pg 11 Rachel Power Pg 12 & 13Roisin Maguire Pg 15 Sally Dobie Exposure Sonja Tutty

Music

Tame Impala make their eagerly awaited comeback Aoife McMahon explores Tame Impala’s new album, The Slow Rush

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ive years since the last album and almost a year since we heard new singles, Tame Impala have finally released its highly anticipated album “The Slow Rush”.

Contrary to their song “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”, Tame Impala seem to be improving with each album. Some fans have said “The Slow Rush” is the best of theirs to date. It’s the perfect combination of that electronic upbeat feel that the album “Currents” has while still embracing the psychedelic rock that “Lonerism” perfected.

Kevin Parker, the man who writes, records, performs and produces all of Tame Impala’s music has really outdone himself with this new record.

You have to marvel that on every single track Parker makes every noise, he sings, plays every instrument and twists every knob.

When you think about the work Parker had to put into the album it’s no wonder it took him five years to release it. “The Slow Rush” was supposed to be released in April 2020 before Tame Impala headlined Coachella but Parker felt the album wasn’t ready yet and delayed the release until February 14th, 2020.

The recurring theme in the “The Slow Rush” is time. Parker explores the concept of time throughout the record right down to the title of the album itself, which is a stunning oxymoron on how Parker must have felt writing the songs.

The album opens and closes with the songs “One More Year” and “One More Hour”. “One More Year” is a relatable song that has a certain sense of dread about it, it talks about living like a free spirit

but only for one more year.

Whereas, “One more Hour” closes the album in a more upbeat fashion. The impressive sevenminute-long song ends the record with a positive look on life and takes a look at love, happiness and the future.

One of the best songs on the album is “Lost in Yesterday”. This song wouldn’t be out of place on the album “Currents” and could possibly be the “The Less I Know the Better” equivalent on “The Slow Rush” album. It’s sure to be a favourite for both huge fans and those who only know a few songs.

In this song with its hypothesizing bassline, Parker sings about letting go of the things that hurt us and tells everyone to take bad memories and experiences and lose them in yesterday.

Another great song on the album is “On Track”.

According to Parker, this is a song for the eternal optimist. “On Track”, is a stunning ballad with powerful keys, dramatic drums and lyrics about getting up and dusting yourself off.

The album is most like their previous album “Currents”, any hardcore fans of that album or Tame Impala in general are sure to love this latest addition to Parker’s library. Fans will be pleased to know Parkers knack for crafting the perfect tune is still intact.

The best albums grow and develop the more to listen to them, this certainly applies to “The Slow Rush”. With 12 songs that take just under an hour to enjoy, you’re bound to find some hidden layers and meanings after each listen.

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Parker explores the concept of time throughout the record right down to the title of the album itself

King Krule offers alternative outlooks with latest album release

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Áine O’Boyle reviews King Krule’s third album, Man Alive!

rchy Marshall offers a glimmer of hope guised under cement mixer tones and rhytmic blues in latest album.

“Man Alive!” is Marshall’s third album released under the moniker of King Krule, earmarking nearly a decade in music for the 25-year-old artist.

Set against the backdrop of parenthood without directly addressing it, the album retains the same intensity as Marshall’s previous work, but offers moments of relief that are uncommon to the predecessors.

Marshall teased fans with the news of an upcoming album back in December when he released a grainy video, recorded on film, entitled “Hey World!”.

The video featured the tracks “Perfecto Miserable”, “(Don’t let the dragon) Draag On”, “Energy Fleets” and “Omen 3” that feature on the latest album.

Both the tracks and video are synonymous with Marshall’s signature style and make the viewer feel as though they are living in a different time frame altogether.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Marshall said that he wanted people to feel the music of his latest album “deep in their bones”. He has certainly achieved this ambition, with the theatrical nature of his bluesy tones offering dreamy feelings of optimism, highlighting that even during difficult times music can offer a glimmer of hope and relief

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Like its predecessors, the album was produced at night, with Marshall working closely alongside saxophonist Ignacio Salvadores and co-producer Dilip Harris

from reality.

“Alone, Omen 3” highlights the busy and volatile nature of life, with Marshall saying “these things will come and go” against scratchy guitar strings, offering the advice “don’t forget you’re not alone”. The song serves as a stark contrast to some of his earlier, more sordid work such as “Lonely Blue” from his album “The OOZ” that laments the loneliness of existence.

Marshall welcomed the birth of his first-born daughter while recording “Man Alive!”, highlighting a softer side to the artist that unintentionally shines through on this album.

Like its predecessors, the album was produced at night, with Marshall working closely alongside saxophonist Ignacio Salvadores and coproducer Dilip Harris.

The album was inspired by the changing surroundings of his life as he moved from London to Chesire to be with his partner as she was heavily pregnant with their daughter.

The song “Airport Antenatal Airplane” is dedicated to his daughter and features moments of wholesomeness, with Marshall singing “you’re so small from up here”, offering a different view of reality than he usually expresses and highlighting the fact that life can look different from alternative perspectives.

Marshall told The Guardian: “I see a beauty in everything that I knew was always there, but I can understand it a lot more now, “I really like the beauty in the lows, the highs, the hatred and the love, I appreciate humanity, the people around me and the conversation. I’m more open, accepting and interested.”

“Man Alive!” highlights the changing direction of King Krule as an artist that occurred following the release of his last album “The OOZ”.

The perception of the artist is changing from the London outlaw we associated him as being back when he first emerged onto the scene, developing into a maturing and well-rounded artist with a unique world view. the college view The Hype |3

Music

Palaye Royale amaze fans with Dublin performance Sally Dobie reviews rock band, Palaye Royale’s Dublin concert

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alaye Royale is one of the few bands that I’ve listened to consistently throughout my final year at college, so when I discovered they were starting their world tour in Dublin I was eager to go.

The art-fashion rock band were formed in Las Vegas in 2008, changed their name from Kropp Circle to Palaye Royale in 2011, and signed to rock label Sumerian Records in 2015. The band call their fans “Soldiers of the Royal Council”.

I only really found out about them last year when, like most of my new music, Spotify recommended them to me. My first introduction to them was the song You’ll Be Fine, which I quickly got addicted

to and led to me downloading all their albums. With tickets at the amazing price of €23, of course I was going to go!

The group performed at The Button Factory in Temple Bar last Sunday, and really managed to make every single person in the small venue feel valued.

Brothers Remington Leith, Emerson Barrett and Sebastian Danzig, along with guitarists Daniel Curcio and Andrew Martin, came to the stage at around 9.15pm, after some great support from Kerry-based band Greywind and the New Pagans from Belfast.

The band have such an awesome stage presence,

The band have such an awesome stage presence, they manage to make the whole audience feel like they’re noticed and appreciated

they manage to make the whole audience feel like they’re noticed and appreciated. Front-man Remington Leith probably spent more time in the audience than on the stage with his band-mates.

At one point he walked to the centre of the audience and asked everyone to sit down with him. The crowd quickly obliged, and sang one of Palaye’s slower songs, Ma Cherie, along with Leith. It was a really heart-warming event to watch.

It’s easy for a band to stay separated from their fans, both physically on the stage and on a deeper level. But Palaye Royale really managed to include every one of their fans in their performance, with Leith doing much more legwork than most lead singers. He actually got up on the bar at the back of the venue at one point, and also jumped from about two metres off the top of the set onto the stage.

Palaye are very energetic on stage, with Leith and Danzig spending little to no time standing still, and even drummer Emerson Barrett came to the front during Ma Cherie, sitting high on the side of the stage to play tambourine.

Highlights of the performance were definitely the performance of Dying in a Hot Tub, and two of the songs from their latest EP titled: Massacre, The New American Dream. The title track is a commentary on gun violence and school shootings in the US, and is also just a great song.

The energy may have just been due to the excitement of the start of their tour, but seeing the reaction on social media after other concerts, other fans all seem similarly overwhelmed by the amazing performances. I honestly can’t wait until I have another opportunity to see them live.

Miss Anthropocene marks a new era for Grimes

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Kevin O’Meara examines Grimes’ latest album release

laire Boucher, an artist under the stage name of Grimes, has come a long way since first exploding into the wider public consciousness with 2013’s indie-electro-pop breakout album

“Visions”.

The genre-defying “Art Angels”, released in 2015, propelled her even further into the public eye.

She became a fashion darling and fell foul of the Twittersphere for her ever-changing, easily twisted, and soundbite-worthy opinions. She also experienced the death of some close friends, including her long-time manager.

It wasn’t complete doom and gloom though; She also fell in love, got pregnant, and closed out the 2010’s as Vice’s Artist of the Decade With her latest album, “Miss Anthropocene”, Grimes entirely self-produced the record (with a couple of exceptions). Gone are the surf-guitar, sunshine, and k-pop-infused melodies of “Art Angels”, this time replaced by a vast, cinematic soundscape featuring a palette of deep-tech and 1990’s breakbeat inspired drums, club synth and bass, nu-metal, prog-rock, and even a little country.

Touching on themes of suicide, death, drug abuse, artificial intelligence, climate emergency, war, hatred, pregnancy, apocalypse, and in the end a glimmer of hope, Grimes filters these ideas “through her worst thoughts and impulses” into a loose concept album about a post-modern pantheon of villainous new-gods led by the greatest threat of all, the titular Miss Anthropocene, Goddess of Climate Change.

Lead single, “Violence” (a rare collaboration), is a pulsing club-track about the abusive relationship between humanity and the planet.

4| the college view The Hype

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The stripped-back production allows Grimes to showcase two aspects of her artistry that rarely receive such focus

“My Name Is Dark” is a grunge-infused middle finger to the keyboard warriors who twist the meaning of her words on social media. “4ÆM” meanwhile, interpolates a Bollywood sample and infuses it with a frenetic Bomfunk MC’s-style breakbeat plucked straight from the 1990’s.

The surprising highlight of the album, however, is perhaps the most un-Grimes track of the lot; newsingle “Delete Forever”, a guitar-led rumination on the loss of friends and peers to drug overdoses and the self-hatred ensuing from following similarly destructive paths.

The stripped-back production allows Grimes to showcase two aspects of her artistry that rarely receive such focus; her songwriting and singing ability, both of which she wields to devastating effect. None of it should work, and in a less deft set of hands probably wouldn’t. It’s a true testame to Grimes talent and artistic vision that the album never loses a moment of cohesion from beginning to end, no matter how varied the inspiration.

The Grimes facing into the beginning of this new decade is not the Grimes of old.

Channelling her most misanthropic and nihilistic views into her art has not only led to her producing her best work to date but in conjunction with impending motherhood, helped to purge those demons and give her a new outlook on the world If “Miss Anthropocene” is what was borne from her worst impulses, I cannot wait to see what she produces when surrendering to her best. If the artificial intelligence overlords haven’t taken over by then, that is.

Music

Aoife Meade, the Laois songwriter that is breaking boundaries

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Peter O’Neill sits down and chats to Aoife Meade on life as a musician and songwriter

at in a bathrobe and pyjamas in her kitchen getting ready for her show tonight in Limerick City, Aoife Meade ponders the question of why she uses so many different instruments by herself on

stage.

“It kind of stems back to secondary school where I thought I’d never reach that level of comfort with an instrument. For me and myself, I just take an instrument and write a song.”

Aoife delivers this line like everything else she does. Honestly and with a lust for life.

Secondary school is where her desire to perform for people also comes from. A close friend of hers who knew her then, Hannah Scott, recalls the moment she realised Aoife would always have music in her life.

Before a school talent show, their Home Economics teacher asked Aoife to sing acapella after finding out she was entering. When she obliged, Hannah said her immediate thought was “Holy sh*t, that girl can sing.”

Aoife then won the competition singing Valerie

by Amy Winehouse. “I didn’t want to hear her for a long time after that, I’d always be asked by relatives to sing ‘that song from the show,’” Aoife laughs.

Cut to present day and she’s come a long way from that Laois home economics class. Her debut album “Bird of Prey” released in September last year touches on multiple genres and influences such as jazz, spoken word and folk.

One poetic number, “Slumber”, is a stand-out.

Conjuring elements of Jim Morrison’s “American Prayer” and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem in the themes of the song, she delivers an emotional spoken-word rebuke of societal pressure on young artists.

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The torrent of thoughts sprawled over a looming landscape of sound announce Aoife’s fears and frustrations in devoting her life to music

The torrent of thoughts sprawled over a looming landscape of sound announce Aoife’s fears and frustrations in devoting her life to music. This holds further sway when you consider the fact that Aoife’s Bachelor’s degree is in Voice and Dance, which she completed last year.

“College seemed so natural, it was like the next step,” Aoife said. “I’m so glad that I had music in secondary school cause I know a lot of people didn’t.”

Although she says she knows that they didn’t mean it, she admits that her song “Slumber” was partly written as a response to jokes from friends in STEM courses about her not doing a real course.

“They make that joke constantly, and most of the time it brushes off… but sometimes it’s hard not to think about it,” she divulges. “Also I was graduating soon when I wrote it so you know.”

Like most great artists, this isn’t apparent when Meade is onstage. Performing at a venue below a bar, she commanded the stage brilliantly despite the challenge of being the opening act of three different indie artists.

A member of University of Limerick’s drama club, her stage presence from acting, along with natural talent, shines under the small spotlight.

Although this a pub show, she’s playing as if it’s the 3Arena.

Another highlight of the album and her live shows is ‘Juniper’; a smooth, relaxing, beat-driven track, which has the power to relax the most excitable of Labradors or even an addict dying for their fix.

“I wrote that in about a half-hour,” she laughs, “but it was the first time that I let myself make a pop song.”

“I had a friend from years ago that was way into music who was very against electronic sounds, so I

had that ingrained in me. But when I went to write Juniper, I thought well the sounds are there so why not!”

This is even more impressive when it becomes apparent that she plays all of the instruments herself for her show, swapping between the ukulele and guitar, before finishing with three songs with a backing track to provide rhythm.

“I am the type of person to pick up an instrument and be like cool! I’m going to do something with this” she says with a hint of self-deprecation. “I’ll take any instrument and write a song.”

The highlight of the set is a song written about Aoifes’ dearly departed childhood dog that ensures the full attention of the crowd. The chorus’s refrain of “I’m so sorry”, speaks of the simple sadness of losing a furry best friend.

The storytelling and emotion in this song evoke a strange mixture of Randy Newman and Lana Del Rey. An odd combination but much like her other genre-bending numbers, it works.

“More often than not it [the songwriting process] just kind of starts from nowhere, but when it gets going I put the intention to it and then I know where it’s finally going.”

It’s this honesty she brings to her music that those close to her highlight as her strongest attribute as a songwriter. No pretension, just expression.

Although she’s realistic about how hard it is to be an artist, like most musicians she is a dreamer, and one that strives to resist being boxed in to one genre and to celebrate her uniqueness. “I think she doesn’t believe enough in herself sometimes, but I think she’s on her way to that,” says Scott.

With the sheer talent onstage and the intelligence and enthusiasm displayed in conversation, it’s hard to imagine that she won’t. the college view The Hype |5

Film & TV

Parasite offers a roller coaster insight into the world of subtitled film Isabella Finn looks at one of the most talked about films of the year

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ong Joon-ho’s four time Oscar winning satirical comedy, “Parasite” is a modern masterpiece that mirrors something similar to a Shakespearean tragedy.

The story follows the unemployed and desperately poor Kim family that undertake the opportunity to leach off of the wealthy Park household. Through deceit and scamming, the Kim family wiggle themselves into a comfortable lifestyle by employing themselves in the Park home.

It’s the classic tale of a lower class uprising like we’ve never seen before. Set in South Korea the film portrays the class discrimination between the ultra-rich and those they employ to manage their lives. The Kim family also figuratively live beneath the Park family, the Kim’s home is a basement apartment while the Park’s mansion is perched on a hill.

A metaphorical “line” is mentioned throughout the movie and it tempers with the hypothetical consequences of what should happen if it is ever “crossed”. However the employer and employee

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Set in South Korea the film portrays the class discrimination between the ultrarich and those they employ to manage their lives

tightrope is tethered from beneath all those involved.

In contrast to most modern movies, “Parasite” uses a minimal score throughout the film. It’s forgetful song is lost while the tale plays out, the timing of the storytelling keeping to a steady beat all by itself. It is common for films to use music and dramatic scores to help develop a storyline or to create tension. Its notable absence in “Parasite” proves that it is not a necessity but a crutch.

Director and creator Bong Joon-ho’s use of basic costumes, makeup, props and shots allows for the characters to breathe and develop. This strips the viewer back to the most fundamental asset of a film, the story. The story is cunning, gritty and best viewed with very little prior understanding of what the film is actually about.

A bit of advice for the first time foreign language movie viewer is to allow yourself time when adjusting to subtitles. More familiar European languages like French or Spanish are somewhat easier on the ear due to holidays abroad, but Korean can take a minute to adapt to if you’ve never listened to it before.

Within 20 minutes of viewing, reading the inch tall subtitles will become second nature to you and you will have found the balance between studying the script and keeping an eye on the action.

Parasite swept a total of 31 awards since it was released at Cannes 2019 claiming various titles including Best Director, Best Actors and Best Original Screenplay. Bong Joon-ho’s work is described as being “genre fluid”, this is appropriate as the theme and emotions are constantly changing, putting the viewer through dramatic turmoil of the mental state. To put it bluntly it’s a roller coaster.

Parasite is the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and has strengthened the possibility for more foreign language films to be recognised by the awards board. In his multiple acceptance speeches, Joon-ho spoke of his surprise to be recognised amongst big budget movie makers he admired, Martin Scorsese included. He also granted us the comical line, in broken English, “I will drink til next morning”.

Drink well Joon-ho, Parasite deserves it.

Harley Quinn returns to the big screen with Birds of Prey

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Roisin Maguire reviews Harley Quinn’s solo venture

ood guy films are officially out the window after DC’s spin off, “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey”.

The movie sees Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, return full swing after a break up with the Joker. We first met the couple in “Suicide Squad” which grossed a total of $746 million worldwide.

The whole purpose of the movie is for Harley Quinn to find her place in the supervillian world after her split from the Joker and to show everyone that she wasn’t just a great woman behind a successful man.

Robbie keeps to the true character of Harley Quinn, armed with glitter bombs, her trusty baseball bat and her signature eye catching and colourful look.

The narrator is Quinn herself who tells us the story through loops, rewinds and plot twists. It is similar to a child trying to bake for the first time without a recipe which results in a mess but it just seems to work as the storytelling matches what it must look like to live in Harley Quinn’s mind.

The film moves from villain to villain as Quinn finds herself hated by what seems like everyone in Gotham and now doesn’t have the protection

6| the college view The Hype

of the Joker. The biggest villain in town, Ronan Sionis, played by Ewan McGregor, whose signature move is to peel the faces off his victims, sends Quinn on a mission to find a diamond. If she is unsuccessful, his signature move will be applied which results in Quinn teaming up with the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), the black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), a police officer (Rosie Perez) and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco).

The director, Cathy Yan, did a fantastic job of nailing the stunts. In fact, she revealed in a recent tweet that one of the stunts was so intense that it left one of the camera men unconscious.

What makes this movie is the humour and the background to all of the characters. The humour is mostly because of the main character, as it seems that every time Quinn is on screen, something funny is happening. While Ronan Sionis isn’t the most

threatening of villains, his humour also works well in the movie because of his eccentric personality.

The character of the Huntress is seeking revenge for childhood trauma that she witnessed and spent her life growing up fighting to make sure she gets it. The Black Canary’s unusual talent is revealed towards the end of the movie and the Birds of Prey team work well together thanks to each character’s individual skills.

The only problem with the movie is possibly the fact that the only character that has an actual superpower is the Black Canary, the remainder of the team are just very skilled fighters.

However, something that possibly didn’t need to be included in the movie is the scene which would have resulted in Harley Quinn being sexually assaulted until the Black Canary saved her. This could be the reason for the movie being R-rated.

All in all, the movie is definitely worth the trip to the cinema as the action and the humour was on point.

Film & TV

The Poppy Enigma

Sally Dobie looks at YouTuber turned musician, Poppy

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ouTube is a platform that can take average people to stardom in a split second, but it is also a haven for odd and disturbing online content. Since its conception in 2005, YouTube has created celebrities like Justin Bieber, Bo Burnham and Carly Rae Jepsen; it’s no wonder people use the platform to launch their careers.

One such celebrity is Poppy, although she started out as anything but average. What began as a series of strange, robotic videos featuring a cute, blonde girl became a music career spanning genres and record deals.

Many of the early videos on the channel were Poppy doing nonchalant things, such as eating cotton candy, talking to a plant, or saying “I’m Poppy” over and over again for ten minutes straight. Often with a faded pastel background and eery music in the background, it made for weird viewing.

It only got weirder when this strange, androidlike girl released a four-track pop EP with Island records. Poppy, also known as Moriah Rose Pereira,

started her partnership with director Titanic Sinclair in 2015, and worked together on her videos, in part as a promotion for her music.

The promotional content worked, with the videos gaining millions of views. Poppy continued her AI persona in interviews and in concert, creating a reputation in both the YouTube and music industries.

Her videos had a theme of Poppy’s character being controlled by her “handler”, Sinclair.

Sinclair previously partnered with artist Mars Argo, who actually filed a lawsuit against the pair for copyright infringement. During her collaboration with Sinclair, Argo portrayed a very similar character to Poppy, and claimed she had suffered “severe emotional and psychological abuse and manipulation” while working and in a relationship with Sinclair.

The case was eventually settled, and Poppy continued to produce music with Sinclair. After leaving the Island Records label, Poppy signed to Diplo’s label “Mad Decent”, and produced two studio albums, titled “Poppy”. “Computer” and “Am I a Girl?” in 2017 and 2018.

These albums were once again mostly generic pop songs, however a few of the songs on the album took on a more rock, metal theme. In interviews, Poppy called it “post-genre”, but she said her favourite tracks on the album were the heavier ones.

She once again left this deal, and in 2019 an EP called Choke was released on her own label, “I’m Poppy”. Choke honed in more on the rock genre, and although many fans wanted her to go back to her original spritely pop music, it seemed to a lot of people that Poppy was finally showing her authentic self.

In January 2020 Poppy released her third studio album, “I Disagree”, under record label Sumerian Records, famous for artists like Black Viel Brides and Sleeping with Sirens.

Around the same time, she parted ways with Titanic Sinclair, also claiming to have suffered emotional and psychological abuse like Mars Argo years before her. Poppy told Loudwire in December that although this is her third album it feels like her first.

The Netflix show proving that love really is blind

Isabella Finn looks into Netflix’s latest release, Love Is Blind

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etflix’s latest reality show “Love Is Blind” launched on the streaming service on February 13th as part of a three-week event where the contestants are on the mission to

find a spouse.

“Love Is Blind” tested the theory of the longterm motto and questioned whether “is love actually blind?”. The show assessed its hypothesis by having singletons date each other in visually compromised pods to find their future partner without ever seeing them. The singletons then form relationships and connections with their potential partners based solely on conversation.

For ten days the singletons mingled through the

pod walls and quite quickly began to develop very seemingly real feelings for their hidden partner.

Love was confessed and proposals were made.

The pods produced six proposals meaning that six couples made it to the big reveal, seeing their fiancé’s for the first time.

“Love Is Blind” is basically the blend of two pre-existing romance reality programmes: “90 Day Fiancé” and “Married at First Sight”. The “experiment” uses different elements of each show to create a drama filled series with high emotions that usually promote tears, be that happy or sad.

“Love Is Blind” borrows the visual anonymity concept from “Married at First Sight” except the couples get to meet each other after their

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For ten days the singletons mingled through the pod walls and quite quickly began to develop very seemingly real feelings for their hidden partner

engagement and not at the altar. Although a wedding date is automatically set after the engagement the couples are not yet legally bound to one another and can opt out of the experiment.

The engagement period where they vacation together, move in, get physical and meet each other’s families is similar to 90 Day Fiancé. 90 Day follows the stories of couples in the process of completing the K1 Visa in the US, where the nonUS citizen must marry in the US within 90 days.

This trial tests whether the couple’s real lives are compatible and reality sets in.

The show is highly entertaining as it is equally nauseating, it can be hard to watch strangers claim they love someone after talking to them through a wall for two days. A line that contestants are fond of using is “I can’t imagine my life without you”, a very unusual claim to make to a voice through a wall, again after just two days.

There’s very little fear that the contestants won’t find their blind fiancé attractive because all those involved are conventionally good looking. The contestants are between the ages 24-34, are in physically good shape, all dress pretty smartly and have professions such as health coaches, content creators or scientists.

Even though its mushy, cringe inducing and sometimes stressful, it is the pinnacle of quality trash television. The intensity of the relationships is frightening and a possible hypothesis to add to the experiment could be “is this experiment unique to Americans?”.

This is in contrast to “Love Island UK” where after six weeks of living together couples are still hesitant to drop the L-bomb. Nevertheless, adjust your scientist cap, let the drama unfold, observe the experiment for yourself and test whether love is truly blind. the college view The Hype |7

Culture DCU Drag Race Comes Home

Aoibhín Meghen reviews DCU Drag Race now back in DCU

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he sixth annual DCU Drag Race came back to its home ground on Thursday, February 20 as students celebrated Rainbow Week 2020.

Organised by DCU’s LGBTA Society, the sold-out DCU Drag Race took place in The Venue on the Glasnevin campus and was hosted by drag queen Davina Divine.

Six queens participated in the drag competition, each of them performing in three categories, which included a runway, a talent category and lip-sync.

After those three performances, the judges chose Dr. Count Evil and Donna Tella as the two finalists in the competition and they went head to head in a final lip sync battle.

In the end, it was Dr. Count Evil who took the Drag Race crown, although the level of talent from all the competitors was at a new level for DCU Drag Race. All of the queen’s looks were extremely polished however Dr. Count Evil’s feminine yet grotesque style as well as her high energy performance stood out.

This competition showcased an extremely bright future for Irish drag. The judging panel consisted of prominent drag and LGBTQIA+ figures, Pixie Woo, Phil T Gorgeous, Paul Ryder and Regina George.

Artists are being paid with “exposure” rather than money Shauna Power reports on the Arts Council of Ireland’s criticism of freebie culture 8| the college view The Hype

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Over €5,000 was raised during Rainbow Week.

Drag Race contributed a large part to this through ticket sales as the event sold 300 tickets. Voluntary donations could also be added on to the ticket price which was €10 euro as well as a raffle.

Last year they managed to raise €3,000 during Rainbow Week. According to Chloe Rooney, Public Relations Officer with the LGBTA Society, moving the venue back to DCU helped to get more DCU students going to the event.

“It definitely played a part in how many DCU students came,” said Rooney. She said the committee received many messages asking if people from outside the university were welcome, which they were.

Events like this are particularly important in universities because they “highlight what the LGBTQ+ community is in to,” said Rooney. “In university, showcasing any LGBTQ+ things I think is so important because they used to be in a minority and now we are thriving.”

Despite this being an entirely DCU run event, none of the queens participating in this year’s competition were students in the university.

There were, however, performances on the night from DCU Dance as well as former DCU Drag Race winner Maura Darragh who entertained the

he culture of underpaying or not paying artists is unfair and unsustainable according to the Arts Council of Ireland, who have recently launched a policy to ensure artists are paid fairly.“With this new policy we are asserting the importance we place on improving pay and conditions for artists,” said Arts Council Chair Prof. Kevin Rafter. “The Arts Council wants to bring an end to the idea that it is acceptable to get artists to work as a ‘freebie’ or to offer work without proper payment because it might somehow enhance an artist’s career.”

He said, “The Arts Council is the development agency for the arts in Ireland and in this role, it is proper that we want artists to be able to earn a living for the work they create.”

“Artists should be paid fairly and equitable for their work. The best way to deliver on this new policy, Paying the Artist, is more resources for the arts,” continued Rafter. “As Chair of the Arts Council, I would encourage the new government and the new Minister for Culture to be ambitious for the arts, and to let that ambition be seen in the Arts Council budget for 2021.”

In the music industry, the biggest controversy of the paid streaming era is the situation with Taylor Swift in 2014. She pulled all her music from streaming platform Spotify after stating that artists

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Over €5,000 was raised during Rainbow Week.

Drag Race contributed a large part to this through ticket sales as the event sold 300 tickets

only receive a tiny royalty per song play.

In an essay for The Wall Street Journal Swift wrote, “Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It’s my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album’s price point is.”

The issue of nonpayment is not only confined to the music industry and filters through to most creative professions.

Twitter page “For Exposure” chronicles instances where people expect artists to work for free and for exposure.

After discussing the budget of a piece of art, one artist was met with the reply, “I’d totally do it because you’re offering a really good price but I don’t think I have the budget, my original vision was to make art and support you as an artist by

audience during the interval.

All the proceeds from Drag Race and any fundraising over Rainbow Week went towards Dublin Lesbian Line (DLL), a confidential helpline offering support to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Each year the LGBTA Society chooses a charity that represents a letter of the LGBTAI+ community.

Emma Loo, Events Officer with the society told The College View why DLL was this year’s charity of choice.

“We kind of have a higher number of lesbians now on the committee and in the society and we felt we weren’t represented,” said Loo. She also explained that “when we started looking and we found out they had no state funding whatsoever, we knew this was the right charity for us.”

Rooney also praised DCU for being so accepting.

Rainbow Week was hosted with great support from the Students’ Union.

Other events hosted by the LGBTA Society were a hangover hub and coffee morning hosted alongside Sober Society, Mental Health Society, and Erasmus Students Network. There were also several talks and workshops throughout the week.

Rainbow Week ran from February 17 to 21.

spreading the word and posting about your work.”

Other artists were called “entitled” for declining unpaid work whilst another was told, “You should feel privileged I want to have one of your paintings on my wall.”

In a society where cheap and sometimes even free art is readily available, many people expect artists to do original work for free.

Former National College of Art and Design student Niamh O’Brien believes peoples’ unwillingness to pay for art comes from people’s ignorance surrounding the work and effort put into the artwork.

“People don’t recognise being an artist as a real job,” said O’Brien. “They don’t realise the amount of hard work and effort put into the artwork and the ability to access art so freely is affecting our livelihood.”

Lifestyle

Our energy drink craze

Rachel Power discusses the increase in sale of energy drinks and the health risks associated with them

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hile energy drinks can definitely give us the kick that we need to get through the working day, whether it’s an eight hour shift or a tough assignment.

They have been around on the shelves of shops for years, but in recent years their popularity is growing rapidly with brands like Monster creating a huge variety of different flavours.

So why exactly are they as popular as a morning coffee or a cup of tea nowadays?

The first known energy drink was called Glucozade, and was made in 1927 by William Owen, a chemist in the UK. Originally, he had made the drink to provide energy to people suffering from the flu and was offered to hospitals as a medicine of sorts. It wasn’t until two years later when the name became something we all

now recognise on a daily basis as Lucozade.

Wall Street Insanity reported that between 2008 and 2012, the energy drink market grew by 60 percent, and generated an estimated $12.5 billion in the United States.

Within the last 24 months, Monster have peaked in popularity as they continue to release different flavours. The original Monster, produced in a pure black can with the electric green claw logo on the front held a fizzy, apple taste but the brand has developed a variety of flavours from peach to coconut.

Sally Dobie, a student in DCU says that she first began drinking energy drinks in secondary school around the age of 13. The long commute led her to a shop where she spent most of her pocket money on them “Energy drinks were kind of a tiny rebellion for me I think, because I wouldn’t dare drink or smoke as a kid.”

“I think in moderation they’re just like coffee

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Wall Street Insanity reported that between 2008 and 2012, the energy drink market grew by 60 per cent

or any other caffeine drink. But they definitely shouldn’t be consumed too much,” she said.

As with most things in life, energy drinks are a double-edged sword with both benefits and risks involved in their consumption.

The biggest health risk posed by energy drinks is cardiac arrest. Everyone’s caffeine intake is different and reactions vary, so the amount of energy drinks you can handle could be different to that of a friend.

A 2019 study by Journal of the American Heart Association found that after drinking 500ml of an energy drink within an hour, the heart rhythm changed and blood pressure increased significantly.

However, they give us a rush of energy from the caffeine in them as well as giving us vitamins like vitamin B which is an ingredient in a majority of the drinks.

They’re cheaper than most coffees and they can be far more convenient to get as most shops supply them. They also contain a lower calorie count compared to our coffee or tea, which increase in their amount of calories once we add in milk and sugar.

One thing is for certain about energy drinks: they’ll continue to remain popular among certain demographics, such as college students who often rely on the hit of caffeine to get through to day.

Druidism: an ancient spiritual religion

Roisin Maguire talks about the lesser known religion of Druidry

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ruidry or druidism is a religion taught by the Druids who were members of the priestly class of Celts around 2000 years ago.

It is a religion that is based on nature which means that many elements of it are similar to modern Wicca in which Wiccans worship the earth to a certain extent.

However Druidry focuses more on ancestors.

Like Wicca, it has no spiritual text or God compared to other religions like Islam which has the Quran and Christianity which has the Bible. Druidry is more about adopting spiritual beliefs so it is free for anyone to join. There are different types of druids: monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic and animistic.

According to Carm.org, “Monotheistic Druids would believe in a god or goddess. Polytheistic Druids would affirm gods and goddesses.

Pantheistic and animistic Druids would deny a personal God and would instead affirm the presence of God, as a force, that would exist in all things.”

Druidry teaches people to tolerate a range of different philosophical and spiritual traditions.

It also teaches people that everyone is on an individual path so everyone is following a unique spiritual enlightenment. In this way, it can be said that Druidism is similar to Buddhism as Buddhism teaches us that our suffering is different and we must all follow a path that will better us as human beings.

In Druidism there used to be teachers; bards, ovates and druids. The bard was like a professional storyteller. They went through intense training to learn stories and keep the oral tradition alive.

They were also music makers, historians and they were often employed by a patron who gave them the task of keeping their family history alive.

Ovates were known as healers, seers and diviners.

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Druidry teaches people to tolerate a range of different philosophical and spiritual traditions In today’s world, they would be the ones who practise herbalism and divination within Druidism.

The English word “ovate” comes from similar meanings used by classical writers. For example, the classical author Strabo, described an ovate as an interpreter of nature. Druids were teachers and counsellors. They often attended a Druid training order and some could spend 20 years in training.

Ireland has one Celtic Druid temple in county Roscommon. It is Ireland’s only Druid school and it is also a registered charity. On the schools website, you can access Druid courses, celtic spirituality weekends and training courses. They also encourage people to volunteer with them for a day and lunch

will be provided. They state that no one will be asked to do any work they are uncomfortable with and volunteers must have an appreciation of nature.

What is possibly of most interest to people is that they invite people to celebrate the full moon ceremony, to celebrate the eight folds of the solar year and to participate in a pilgrimage to Crom.

Druidism is still misunderstood as the religion where they burned human sacrifices inside a giant wicker man however there is no evidence of sacrifice of any kind in Ireland.

the college view The Hype |9

Lifestyle

Sugar baby culture in Dublin rising

Aoife O’Brien documents the rise in sugar baby dating in Dublin and universities across Ireland

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ublin colleges and universities account for the top five fastest growing sugar baby schools in Ireland, according to annual rankings from a US based dating website.

The sugaring site Seeking Arrangements links potential “sugar babies” to rich clients, in a “mutually beneficial relationship.”

Over 23,000 students in Ireland have signed up as sugar babies on the site with a large proportion of them being international students who pay much greater fees than Irish applicants.

Trinity College Dublin was revealed to be the fastest growing ‘Sugar Baby School’ in Ireland with 675 students signed up according to the company.

University College Dublin follows with 490 students, and Dublin City University comes close in third with 360 students.

Now in its fifth year of operation in Ireland, the number of college sugar babies in Ireland is rising steadily.

Seeking Arrangements saw a 4 per cent rise in the number of college Sugar Babies seeking Sugar Daddies in 2019 compared to 2018.

As rent prices continue to soar across the capital and students struggle to afford the highest tuition fees in the EU it appears that sugaring is only set to get more popular.

Research conducted by Bank of Ireland in September of last year found that students have on average less than €10 in disposable income per day.

The Irish League of Credit Unions also found that more than half of students in Ireland skip lectures for paid work. This was up from one in five

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Seeking Arrangements saw a 4 per cent rise in the number of college Sugar Babies seeking Sugar Daddies in 2019 compared to 2018

Being alcohol free in university

students in 2017.

However, seeking arrangements said the Irish sugar babies earn an average of €2,150 in monthly allowances making it an extremely desirable option for the cash strapped student.

While some students might be content to earn enough just to pay their bills and get by others will seek out multiple sugar daddy’s in order to experience a life of luxury and to be pampered with fine dinners and exotic trips.

According to public relations specialist at Seeking Arrangements, Kimberly De La Cruz, the sugar lifestyle has empowered women to date men outside their socioeconomic status.

“Sugar babies set their own boundaries, come to the site of their own volition, facilitate their own dates, and make their own decisions,” she told Image.ie.

However, men can set out specific terms of their arrangement surrounding finance, sex and conversation and therefore still assert some control.

Despite this, opportunities for mentorship with a potential sugar daddy is an attractive factor for many sugar babies according to the website.

Very often students will be living away from home for the first time in a new city or even a new country with no idea how to provide for themselves.

Sugar Daddies mentor these students on how to manage their finances and elevate their typical college lifestyle, they said.

With the Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O ’ C o n n o r advising students last year to use their SUSI grant to cover the cost of rent it is clear that the Irish government do not understand the extent of the financial struggle facing most students.

The maximum monthly stipend a student can receive from SUSI is €600 while the average rent in Dublin has surpassed €2,000.

The lack of supports provided to students to fund their higher education means that many more students will soon be making sugaring their reality.

Daniel Phelan talks to DCU students about being alcohol free in university

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he word ‘challenge’ comes to mind when thinking about the proposition of going ‘alcohol free’ whilst studying at university.

What can seen like a laborious effort, particularly when alcohol is a pillar of socialising and ingrained in student life, it can be challenging to stay away from the allure of going out with your friends and indulging in the odd alcoholic beverage.

Some things seem to go hand-in-hand. Like fire needs the air, university students seem to hold a similar dependency on alcohol to exist.

However, for one student I spoke to, alcohol doesn’t seem to have the same powers of enticement it once did.

Tiarnán McGonell, third-year primary teaching student, spoke to The College View, “so far, this college year I’ve been alcohol free. I don’t really feel like I’m missing out on anything and I’ve definitely seen the benefits of not going out and drinking”.

For McGonell, this is not even a sacrifice as for him it hasn’t come at the expense of his social life, “I don’t really think it affects my social life, I still go out with my friends but I’d just get a non-alcoholic beer or a pint of water. It’s still nice to be out in that

10| the college view The Hype

environment but it definitely doesn’t stop me from socialising or inhibit me from enjoying myself at all”, he said.

McGonell accredits much of the success of this alcohol-free endeavour to his friends, “they’ve all been supportive, they haven’t tried to persuade me to drink with them or pester me to go on a night out so the people that you have around you definitely makes a big difference too. There’s no peer pressure”, he said.

“The choices your friends make and the people you surround yourself definitely have an impact on the decisions that you make. I suppose I’m lucky that I’m surrounded by people that have a similar outlook to me and at least they can respect my decision not to drink. I suppose the saying ‘birds of a feather flock together’ is fitting and one that’s true in my case anyway”, said McGonell.

Tiarnán didn’t always have this attitude regarding alcohol and he remembers there were times even last year that he would over-indulge, “I used to be going out two times a week, if not three times.

That’d have a considerable effect on the outcome of my week. Looking back, I genuinely do not know how I used to do that, it was just excessive”, he said.

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Like fire needs the air, university students seem to hold a similar dependency on alcohol to exist

What might seem like a drastic change was not all that radical, as McGonell said he cut out his intake “bit by bit”. The change itself was almost brought about coincidentally as upon returning for his third year at university he found himself “disinterested” with the drinking culture that comes with being a student.

“It genuinely wasn’t a conscious decision I made, it just sort of happened and I’m grateful it did. I suppose the start of the turnaround came from putting on a bit of weight which was definitely to do with the needless calories I was consuming from alcohol. I wasn’t performing how I’d like to in my sporting life and I’d attend college and just feel absolutely drained from the exploits of the night before. Whereas now, I actually feel like I’m just making the most of my potential. I enjoy going to the gym and going to college isn’t a chore like it used to be”, he said.

McGonell believes that alcohol isn’t a necessary element of student life and encourages others to try and curtail their intake, “even if you just try to go a month without alcohol, you’ll see the benefits for yourself”, he said.

Lifestyle

Social media platforms that actually deserve our attention

Jessica Woodlock talks us through the social media apps that are worth our time

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t has never been harder to find that perfect balance between work and play. In an age where social media can be synonymous with both terms, it is important that you’re not wasting time with frivolous apps. So, what social media platforms actually deserve your time of day?

Naturally, Instagram is in the mix. It’s fun, versatile and exactly what you make it to be. Instagram is a muse, a positive rallying platform, a marketplace, a news medium and place to connect, all in one fun little app.

Insta stories, which once received a lot of hate, are now an elite feature. I for one love seeing people’s coffee spots, holiday locations and the current artists their listening to. It’s easy, it’s cute and it won’t get old anytime soon.

Instagram is useful no matter what you want to use it for. Say you want to check the latest score of a match, you can simply check that teams insta story and more likely than not there will be live updates there. If you want to share what you’re wearing you can easily provide the link for people, making shopping for trends you like ten times easier.

Fundraisers can be shared and support gained for issues. For instance, the Australian

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wildfires were shared all over Instagram and millions of dollars were raised to help tackle the problem. Undoubtedly, Instagram is, for the time being, deserving of our attention.

TikTok- the relatively new, video sharing app is also worthy of our precious time. One of the main reasons for this is because the videos are, for the most part, hilarious. What harm is there in adding a little humour to our lives? You can be both a viewer and performer (for want of a better word), and while it may be a bit time consuming, there are worse things to be addicted to.

In terms of usefulness it does fall short, you’re not really going to found out the latest news from it, but it will put a smile on your face and sometimes that’s all you want.

Twitter will always be a rallying force on the social media platform list. It is not for everyone but for it to have informative, witty and educational content you need to be following the right people.

Useful as both a source of news and free therapy platform. Block the people you don’t want to hear from and have fun viewing love island memes, keeping up to date with your favourite news organisations or tweeting your

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If you want to share what you’re wearing you can easily provide the link for people, making shopping for trends you like ten times easier.

thoughts and feelings to your hearts content.

VSCO, while still somewhat small compared to the other dominating apps, is very deserving of consideration. I would classify VSCO as Instagram’s little and perhaps more relaxed younger sister app.

You can post whatever you want, without the pressures that Instagram can hold. There’s no one on the app promoting brands or goods so the only thing you’re likely to fall victim to is a cute black and white filter.

Again, it’s not quite as helpful as Instagram and Twitter but it’s simple, uncomplicated and perfect for when you just want to get away from all the things happening in the world.

Snapchat and Facebook of course have to get a mention, and while they are both useful, they fall short of being innovative. Neither app boasts new, fun features and both apps are really only useful for staying connectedIn In saying that, without them (Snapchat in particular) we would probably have to go back to connecting with people via actual text messages.

God forbid.

Affordable mid-semester relaxation methods Anja Zauers tells us the best ways to de-stress this season

s the semester halfway mark begins to creep up on us, so does the never-ending supply of workload.

Sounds like a well-deserved break from the books is needed. So pack away the electronics and take a day for yourself, exploring some of Dublin’s finest hidden gems.

Why not take a trip out to Dublin’s finest Tea Garden?

The perfect sanctuary away from the bustling city, this haven consists of six quirky rooms and 40 varieties of tea from all around the world. As well as tea, they also offer homemade milkshakes, cakes and some say the best-tasting hummus in Dublin.

With its modern oriental decor, dimly lit and cosy rooms, you can allow yourself to completely unwind and escape the stress of college life. Besides, who doesn’t love a good cup of tea, after a long hard day of work?

If yoga and dogs are what takes your fancy then you absolutely have to check out “The Space Between”, a dog-friendly yoga studio located on Fenian Street. Yes, you read that correctly, dog-friendly.

With two contemporary studios on show, one which basks in natural light and the other, a darker more contemplative space, there’s something for whatever mood you’re in. The studio offers classes in yoga, hot yoga and meditation, with classes in guided meditation starting at just 8 euro. Where could you go wrong?

Feeling a bit run down, but still want to get out and do something? Well then “Salt Cave Halotherapy” in Balbriggan, might be just what you need. As salt is a natural antibiotic

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As salt is a natural antibiotic and antiviral and anti-inflammatory product, when inhaled it can have a positive impact on various skin and respiratory system disorders

and antiviral and anti-inflammatory product, when inhaled it can have a positive impact on various skin and respiratory system disorders.

With sessions starting at 15 euro for adults, you can experience all the caves have to offer such as medicinal grade salt, ambient light, Four VidaXL massage chairs equipped with back heater function, a water fountain, therapeutic nature sounds and optional medicinal and aromatic salt sachets for your chest. Sounds like an absolute dream.

If a dreamy massage is what you’re looking for, then “Late Night Beauty Salon” has you sorted.

Located in one of Dublin’s oldest buildings in Temple bar, this colourful and quirky salon has massages starting at 35 euro. Not too bad for a little

pick me up treat. With their super accommodating hours, (7am-10pm), you’ll definitely find the time to fit it into any hectic schedule.

Finally, what better way to relax and destress then going to the great outdoors for a beautifully peaceful walk? In Dublin, we’re surrounded by incredible hiking trails, one of which was named one of the most scenic trails in the world.

This, of course, is the famous Dublin Mountains Way hiking trail, a 43km stretch from Shankill to Sean Walsh memorial park in Tallaght. Pack yourself a little picnic and take in the breathtaking sights. An added advantage, it won’t even cost you a penny.

So give yourself a break this semester, you deserve it. the college view The Hype |11

Lifestyle

Best cocktails in Dublin Aoife McMahon tells us where we can find the best cocktails, perfect for chilled weekends

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ocktails are undoubtedly the tastiest way to consume alcohol. Whether you’re a vodka, gin, rum or whiskey person, there is a perfect cocktail for everyone. Here are the best places in Dublin to get the tastiest and best value cocktails.

The first place is Capitol, located on Aungier Street in Dublin City, it’s the perfect spot if you’re in the mood to try lots of different drinks. Capitol has over 60 different cocktails, their cheapest group of cocktails start as low as €5 and their most expensive one, a gin one, is still only €14.

The group of cocktails that cost €5 include the classics like a Woo Woo, Sex on the Beach, Cuba Libre and Irish Mule. However, if you’re willing to spend an extra two euro and you’re a fan of whiskey, I highly recommend the Irish Applejacks or the classic Whiskey Sour, they are delicious.

Capitol is a cool spot, with a young crowd and

is the perfect place to hang out if you want a night out where you can sit and chat or have a wild night.

It’s also the perfect place to bring friends who don’t drink as they have a delicious mocktail menu as well.

Token is arguably one of the coolest spots in Dublin these days. Located in Smithfield, this restaurant, bar, retro arcade and pinball parlour is the perfect place for nights out with your friends or even for a lively date. According to Token themselves they have “one of the more interesting cocktail lists around”.

With unusual names and far from ordinary combinations, you’re guaranteed to try something unique if you go here. They also make an effort to make some of their cocktails, that would usually contain egg whites, vegan friendly.

You can enjoy your cocktails in Token with a delicious meal, while playing one of their arcade games or even engaging in a pinball competition in their downstairs pinball parlour.

Pygmalion is another great spot for cocktails, or should I say “Pygtails”. Seven days a week, Pygmalion does a two for one deal on all their cocktails, so it’s the perfect spot for a girly cocktail night.

They even have one cocktail called the Activist, it does not contain any added CO2 and 50% of its profits are donated to the fight against climate change. It contains Jameson, melon and lime liquor and orgeat syrup and is very tasty.

A cheap and cheerful place close by to Pygmalion is Alfies. It’s a restaurant/cocktail bar that’s perfect for a few drinks with your friends. The cocktails are on the more affordable side with the cheapest one costing only €5 and the two most expensive ones, Long Island Ice Tea and the delicious Espresso Martini, still costing only €12.

While I wouldn’t consider their cocktails to be as tasty as the likes of Capitol, Alfies is the perfect place if you don’t want to spend too much money or if you’re pre-drinking and heading out somewhere in the city afterwards.

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With unusual names and far from ordinary combinations, you’re guaranteed to try something unique if you go here

The viral power of memes

Shauna Power discusses the viral power of memes and their impact on society

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Anything and anyone can become a meme and sometimes being a viral meme can turn you into a celebrity

12| the college view The Hype

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n the surface memes may seem like nothing more than mindless diversions. In reality they are powerful units full of cultural and generational wealth, that can be used to promote politics, companies and numerous agendas.

It’s easier than ever to create and share content which has resulted in a vast amount of professional and amateur content available for everyone’s consumption. This makes it difficult to catch your audiences attention and many people have turned to visual content for this purpose.

It’s hard to describe what a meme is. Generally the definition of a meme today is anything that provides iron, sarcasm or laughter, according to complex.com. Memes can be an image, video or text based and can be reproduced or reinterpreted by others which sometimes leads to a completely different understanding of the message.

As recent as the meme trend may seem, the term ‘meme’ has actually been around for a long time.

The term meme first appeared in Richard Dawkins’ first book, “The Selfish Gene” in 1976 and was an attempt to understand behavioural patterns in humans. The word ‘meme’ was taken from an ancient Greek word, “mimeme”, meaning imitated thing.

According to the Richard Dawkins website, Dawkins also referred to memes as “mind viruses”.

The point he was making is that memes, like viruses, are indifferent to the welfare of their hosts and the only thing that counts is that they persist.

Everyone loves a laugh and in the internet world there are few things that cause more laughter than memes.

Anything and anyone can become a meme and sometimes being a viral meme can turn you into a celebrity.

Look at the ‘Roll Safe’ meme as an example.

This meme comes from the 2016 BBC minidocumentary on the Hood Documentary series which seen the character Simpson pointing to his head and smiling after he says he finds a woman beautiful because she has good brains.

The ‘Success Kid’ meme began in 2007 and features a baby clenching a fistful of sand with a determined facial expression. Even though we feel like we know the subject of a meme, we know nothing about their life or who they are but we still feel connected through it. That’s the viral power of

memes.

Politicians have also started using memes in an attempt to become relevant amongst young voters. Memes work politically if they are widely shared and if they make a compelling statement about a public figure or political issue.

During the 2016 US presidential election, the internet was rampant with memes. Memes surfaced about Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails, Donald Trump making faces which continue to be brought to back to life through reproductions or recaptioning.

As more and more time is spent online, memes have become the perfect way for spreading humour, information and opinion. Evolving from basic edited images to make people laugh into images capable of providing information to millions, memes have made their climb up the social ladder and are here to stay.

Lifestyle The importance of reusing old clothes after the Victoria’s Secret dumping scandal Joy Nwagiriga discusses how you can reuse old clothes and save some money at the same time

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Electromagnetic hypersensitivityis technology killing us?

Shauna Power discusses the effects technology has on our health

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or some time now, people with unexplained and recurring headaches and skin conditions have been blaming their discomfort on sensitivity to magnetic field sources such as wifi, a condition called Electromagnetic Sensitivity (EHS), according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As society and technology progresses there has naturally been an increase in the number and diversity of electromagnetic field (EMF) sources from computers to mobile phones. While these devices have made our life easier, they have been attached to concerns about possible health risks due to their EMF emissions.

In recent years people have started to report a variety of health problems related to the exposure to EMF with some people so severely effected that they cease work and choose to change their entire lifestyle.

The symptoms from EHS include dermatological symptoms (redness, tingling and in some cases burning), neurasthenic and vegetative symptoms (fatigue, tiredness, concentration, dizziness, heart palpitation and digestive disturbances). However, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the collection of symptoms is not part of any recognised syndrome.

A survey of medical centres by the WHO estimated the prevalence of EHS to be a few individuals per million in the population with approximately 10% of these cases reported to be severe.

In the UK in 2015, the family of 15-year-old Jenny Fry who died by suicide, said the girl had suffered from an allergy to Wi-Fi signals. According to an article in the Daily Mirror, the girls’ mother told

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While these devices have made our life easier, they have been attached to concerns about possible health risks

the inquest that they believe that their daughter was made ill because of the WiFi signals at her school.

Her parents are now campaigning to remove WiFi from schools and nurseries and have urged the government to look into researching EHS. “I am not a bit against technology but I do fell schools should be aware that some children are going to be sensitive to it and reduce its’ use”, Mrs Fry told the Daily Mirror.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on ‘Electromagnetic hypersensitivity’ 2015 advised that substantial research is ongoing to understand the problem and its causes. Their previous investigation in 2013 stated “Overall, there is evidence that exposure to radio-frequency fields does not cause symptoms or affect cognitive function in humans”.

The EESC also noted that new evidence still concludes that radio frequency exposure is not casually linked to any symptoms and that often the belief that the subject is being exposed, when they are not, is sufficient to trigger symptoms.

According to the British Medical Journal experiments suggest that self diagnosed suffers from EHS cannot distinguish between exposure to real and false(zero) electromagnetic fields, meaning they do not know when or where they have been exposed.

However EMS suffers continue to argue that action on their problem falls short of what they believe is necessary.

EHS has no clear diagnostic criteria and there is no scientific basis to link EHS symptoms to EMF exposure. However the symptoms are real and whatever its cause EHS can be a disabling problem for the affected individual.

Victoria Secret store has come under fire for dumping bras in trash.

The branch, which was closing down, threw hundreds of what they described as “sample products” into a bin close to the lingerie store.

According to the Waste and Resources Action Programme, 300,000 tonnes of clothing were sent to landfill in the UK in 2016. It takes about 80 years for clothes to break down in landfills.

With ‘fast-fashion’ at an all-time high, the fashion industry has come under fire for generating significant levels of waste every season. The fashion industry is the second largest polluter of clean water globally after agriculture. It also produces 10 percent of the world’s emissions.

According to an article from Environmental Health Perspectives, fast fashion leaves a pollution footprint with each step of the clothing life cycle generating potential environmental and occupational hazards. The EPA, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, considers many textile manufacturing facilities to be hazardous waste generators.

There are many creative ways for fashion lovers and regular consumers to reuse old clothes.

Thrifting is one of best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. It is a great way to find high quality,

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If it can be worn often and with different outfits, it’s worth buying unique garments at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

When you’re buying something, try to picture how often you’ll wear it. If it can be worn often and with different outfits, it’s worth buying.

Online sites like Depop, eBay and Poshmark are good places to sell your old attire and also pick up some preloved pieces. From limited edition shoes to vintage jeans, you can find them online for a decent price. Sometimes you have the option of haggling the price to suit your budget.

If you love the feeling of searching through endless clothing rails, charity shops and vintage stores are the stop for you. Charity shops are a haven for old toys and vintage bags for extremely low prices and most of the money is put towards a good cause.

Vintage shops, however, tend to be more expensive as they sell collectors’ items and limitededition garments. But the quality of the clothing is usually higher.

Another way to safely get rid of your unwanted clothes is to host a car boot/garage sale. You could use the money to buy more thrifted pieces or simply donate it to charity.

Upcycling and redesigning your old bits is not only cost- effective but fun. You can turn your old jeans into a ‘draft stopper’ and save energy in your home. Cut up an old t-shirt to create a scarf. Sow unused jumpers together and make a blanket.

“I used to spend hours on the high street looking for new clothes, then I became conscious of my spending habits and the environment, so I started thrifting. It’s so much better than buying clothes from shops like Penney’s” -Kim Smith. the college view The Hype |13

Lifestyle

Summer 2020 festival guide

Rachel Power gives us the low down on this summers biggest festivals and why you need to start prepping now

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ver recent years, festivals have been increasing in popularity and numbers alike, but with so many on during a short few months it’s hard to know which are worth going to.

Festivals are the best way to have fun with friends and make great memories. We all see the photos and videos uploaded to Instagram each year of Coachella and Burning Man and of course we all want to experience the fun of those huge festivals.

Equally, our own little country has some of the best festivals that will save us money and guarantee the worth in enjoyment.

At the top of the list of the best Irish festivals you should definitely visit at least once in life is none other than Electric Picnic.

Tickets sell out within minutes every year, including this year already. Tickets last went on sale in December, but in the usual pattern of the organisers, a last batch of tickets are released before June so you have another chance at experiencing

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They don’t come cheap though, with the expected cost being close to and possibly €300

the chaos and celebration that is found in one big field in Stradbally from September 4th to 6th.

They don’t come cheap though, with the expected cost being close to and possibly €300. But for three days worth of amazing headlining acts that are yet to be announced, a huge variety of different acts, a rave in the woods to finish each night and not to mention the great food and drinks available, it’s undoubtedly worth every cent.

Longitude is another worthy three-day festival held on July 3rd to 5th in Marley Park. Tyler the Creator, AJ Tracey, Kendrick Lamar, Mabel and more will be on stage and packing the park to its capacity. Tickets are nearly all sold out, but Sunday tickets still remain at €90 each.

This is a festival that has been getting better and better each year with Marley Park being sectioned into four different parts that separates genres of music and atmospheres. While the variety of acts and things to do doesn’t compare to Electric Picnic, it’s still worth a visit to see a favourite musician

or two.

Life Festival is another event that’s quickly on the rise. This festival is less varied in terms of artists, as the main genre of music for Life is techno and house. Tickets have been on sale for a few months, but you’ll be sure to have a chance at getting some as they don’t sell out entirely because of how specific the genre is.

Acts like Carl Cox, Fisher and Eric Prydz will be filling stages in Belvedere House from May 22nd to 24th. The festival itself is well-known for its unique atmosphere and its incredible setting. The lake is a major factor for this distinct atmosphere with most people opting to chill beside the lake watching the sun go down with some good music in the background. If techno isn’t your cup of tea it would be wise to give this one a miss, but if you’re open to anything then definitely give Life Fest a worthwhile visit.

Ethics in the media

Isabella Finn talks about the violations regarding privacy in the media

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rish TV presenter and radio host Laura Whitmore has criticised a paparazzi for not respecting her privacy as she reunited with her boyfriend Iain Stirling at Cape Town airport.

Less than a week after Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling’s friend and colleague Caroline Flack took her own life, the pair were left to defend themselves during an altercation with a paparazzi at the South African airport.

Whitmore posted a video of the confrontation on her Twitter with the caption “I asked the photographer to please stop taking pictures as I hadn’t seen my boyfriend since my friend passed away and we wanted some privacy”.

The video, recorded by Iain Stirling, shows Whitmore asking the man to stop taking pictures of her and her partner, the man says he is taking a picture of them because he assumes that they are talking about Caroline.

While it is perfectly legal to photograph someone while they are in a public setting, intrusion into grief or shock is a violation of the Independent Press Standards Organisation Code of Practise.

14| the college view The Hype

While IPSO only handles complaints about publications that are members of the organisation they do represent popular gossip magazines Chat and Hello!.

Tabloids and gossip magazine have circulated into the public interest following Caroline Flack’s suicide. Many people believe these intrusive magazines may have derailed Caroline’s life, resulting to her sadly taking her own life.

Shortly after Flack’s passing the hashtag #BeKind starting trending worldwide on various social media platforms. The hashtag was inspired by one of Flack’s more recent Instagram posts that read “In a world where you can be anything, be kind”. This is linked to Flack’s response to the media that were deciding her guilty before her domestic abuse trial she was to face against her boyfriend.

Reality television personality Jade Goody also received similar treatment from the press before she died of cancer in 2009. While contestants on Channel 4’s Big Brother, Goody faced criticism for her racist behaviour towards Shilpa Shetty.

Goody, and two other contestants who participated in the racist bullying, were slammed by the media for their behaviour and were found on the cover of the most popular gossip magazine for months after the incident.

This hatred continued all the way up to and including Goody’s diagnosis of terminal cervical cancer. Goody attempted to recant her hurtful statements numerous times but the media didn’t forgive her until she died from her illness on Mother’s Day 2009.

While it could argued that Laura Whitmore’s video was to raise awareness about the invasive behaviour of the media, her video has had the opposite effect of #BeKind towards the paparazzi. Comments below the Twitter post show celebrities and various members of the public cursing out the man involved and questioning his mental capability.

While the paparazzi’s justifications for taking pictures of Whitmore and Stirling were extremely insensitive towards their state of mourning, the video has had the adverse outcome of spreading kindness.

the college view The Hype |15 Across: 1. The Edge 4. Phil Lynott 6. The Corrs 8. Dustin 9. Bob Geldof 10. Grian Chatten 12. Niall Horan 13. Enya 15. Sinéad O’Connor Down: 2. Dolores O’Riordan 3. Westlife 5. Luke Kelly 7. Johnny Logan 11. The Coronas 14. Hozier

EXPOSURE FLOWERS

Jonathon Lynam

Sonja Tutty

Sally Dobie

Joy Nwagiriga

CREDITS

COVER: Charlee-Jane Kelly ARTS Page 3: Tame Impala album cover, King Krule album cover Page 4: Sally Dobie, Grimes album cover Page 5: Peter O’Neill Page 6: Chloe Rooney, CJ Entertainment Page 7: Charlee-Jane Kelly, Leeannah McNew Page 8: Wired, Netflix LIFESTYLE Page 9: WikiMedia, Roisin Maguire Page 10: Lifetime, PxFuel Page 11: PxFuel, Flickr Page 12: Joy Nwagiriga, Flickt Page 13: Pixnio, Joy Nwagiriga Page 14: WikiMedia, WikiMedia