The HYPE Issue 6 by The College View

Vol. 1. Issue 6. 12th December 2018

Music

Hip-hops latest generational fad, SoundCloud rappers

Ciara O’Loughlin uncovers the controversial world of SoundCloud rappers.

rom face tattoos to coloured hair, criminal convictions and misogynistic lyrics, SoundCloud rappers are the newest addition to the hip-hop family and they are taking the charts by storm. The sub-genre, SoundCloud rap, comes from the online distribution platform SoundCloud. Artists can post their music on the site for free, which has led to many musicians gaining huge recognition without being signed to a music label. The genre is also known as “mumble” or “emo” rap. These terms have expanded to include rappers that put little emphasis on lyricism. Every generation has a new music genre that the one above them does not understand. For teenagers in the late 00s early 10s this was electronic music. For teenagers today it is SoundCloud rap. As of August this year three out of the 10 most streamed songs on Spotify are by SoundCloud rappers. This includes 6ix9ine, Juice Wrld and XXXTentacion. Post Malone, although not defined as a SoundCloud rapper, also started out on the online streaming site. His 2017 number-one song “rockstar” is the fourth-most streamed song ever on Spotify. A rapper that has “Lil” at the start of their rap-name is also a tell-tale sign that they are a SoundCloud rapper. The most popular of these are Lil Xan and Lil Pump. But what is the biggest thing that they all seem to have in common?

They are controversial in one way or another, with most holding serious criminal convictions. Last February Lil Pump, aged 17, was arrested for a firing a handgun outside his home in California. The rapper is most commonly known for his No.3 Billboard Hot 100 hit

“Gucci Gang”. In 2015 6ix9ine, known for his infamous “69” face tattoo on the right side of his forehead and for his song “FEFE” featuring Nikki Minaj, pled guilty to felony charges of “use of a child for a sexual performance”. He has also served jail time for assault and selling heroin as a minor. The rapper is now 22 and current reports say that he could be facing a minimum of 32 years in prison. According to E! News he has most recently been indicted on six counts: conspiracy with others to commit racketeering, committing a crime of violence in aid of racketeering, discharging a firearm while committing a crime, with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a firearm. XXXTENTACION had accusations of several violent crimes, one of those being the alleged kidnapping of his then-pregnant girlfriend at the beginning of 2017. On June 18th of this year the SoundCloud rapper community was brought to shock with the death of the 20-year-old star. His real name is Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy and he was shot and killed in an apparent robbery in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The day after his death Taylor Swifts’s single-day streaming record for her hit “Look What You Made Me Do” was broken by XXXTENTACION’s “Sad!”. The single received 10.4 million streams on June 19th, 2018, the day after his death.

The unpredictability of Ms Lauryn Hill

Orla Dwyer reviews Lauryn Hill’s 3Arena performance for the 20th anniversary of her album The Miseducation of Ms. Lauryn Hill

uying tickets to a Ms Lauryn Hill concert is a risk many fans are clearly willing to take. Hill is renowned for being late to performances and sometimes not turning up at all. So far on the 20th anniversary tour of her album ‘The Miseducation of Ms. Lauryn Hill’, the singer has issued an apology for her shows in Brussels and Paris after showing up two hours late. In Paris, she only performed for 30 minutes. Luckily for Irish fans in the 3Arena on Friday 30 November, Hill dominated a set lasting 90 minutes and filled the stage with nostalgia and love. The concert was part of the European section of the 20th anniversary tour for her award-winning soloalbum, released in August 1998. Hill is now 43 and the crowd was roughly in the same range. People in their 30s and 40s who had presumably listened to the album during their formative years. Hill discussed this at the end saying people tell her this album shaped them growing up,

which

received a huge reaction from the crowd. featured “Mystery of Iniquity”. The album may be 20 years The show opened with Cory Henry & The Funk old, but its songs and message have continued to remain Apostles. Their soul and R&B songs about love and relevant. sadness perfectly set the scene for what was to come A skeptical mindset after hearing horror stories of short when Hill took to the stage shortly after. She sounded the sets and late beginnings was difficult to avoid, but Hill same as she did 20 years ago on the record, hitting every blew it out of the water. She performed hit after hit to a note and rapping every beat with soul and meaning. crowd hanging on to every note. Hill is not one to shy away from a bit of preaching. She For those who grew up with this album, who were closed the show with a reminder to “spread that vibration formed by its lyrics, Hill’s excellent performance would with love,” a sentiment echoed various times throughout. have satiated their adolescent dreams of hearing such “We can resonate the frequency of love,” she said earlier formative music executed beautifully. in the performance. Hill was a member of the Fugees, a hip-hop band from the early 1990s best known for their hit songs Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not, both of which Hill performed to a wild reaction from the crowd. Her outfit stood out dramatically from that of the simply dressed backup singers and the minimalistic set. Pairing a leopard print coat with a bumblebee Hill is not one to shy away from a bit of striped jumpsuit is a bold choice. Much like her outfit, her work still stands out 20 years after its inception. preaching. She closed the show with The album was partially inspired by her romantic a reminder to “spread that vibration relationship and pregnancy with Jamaican love,” a sentiment echoed entrepreneur Rohan Marley. It is a blend of soul, with hip-hop, R&B and reggae and it broke a record various times throughout. “We can for first-week album sales by a female artist at the time. Hill was nominated for 10 grammy awards resonate the frequency of love,” she and won five including album of the year and best said earlier in the performance. new artist. Many people would recognise one of the album’s songs “Ex-Factor” from being sampled on “Nice For What” by Drake earlier this year. Hill performed her own version of this near the end of show saying: “My sh*t is classic, here’s an example.” Hill has been sampled on numerous other songs including “All Falls Down” by Kanye West which

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Best album of the year: No Shame by Lily Allen

Cáit Caden decides that the number one album of the year is Lily Allen’s “No Shame”.

ily Allen returned from her four-year absence from the spotlight this year with her new album No Shame, which resuscitated her dying music career back to life. The album differs from her previous work as it acts almost like a diary and provides a raw insight into Allen’s life, unlike the album she released in 2014, Sheezus, which seemed more like a platform to portray a stage persona. The electropop album touches on controversial and universal themes such as marital breakdowns, the difficulties of being a working parent and substance abuse. What differs from every other ‘artist’ that tries to do this, is Allen’s connection to each of these themes. She treats every song like a personal testimony. Allen lures her listeners in even more with the soft childlike tone she uses throughout the album which juxtaposes the strong adult topics she is singing about and the subtle electronic dance sound in the background, making her latest collection of music truly unique. Allen greets her listeners with ‘Come on then,’ the opening song to No Shame which immediately sets the mood for the following 13 songs on the album. In those 3 minutes, 11 seconds she confronts those who “scrutinise” her “every move” on social media, the strain it has on her mental strength and the loneliness she faces in the real world. In her song “Apples,” Allen sings intimately about the relationship breakdown with her ex and the lack of sexual connection between them. This song is then immediately followed by her emotive song “Three” where Allen translates the mindset of one of her daughters watching her mother “always off on tour” when she was only an infant. This beautifully sung song about a child’s innocence in a difficult situation is then followed by one of the most personally explicit songs ever created by Allen: “Everything to Feel Something.” Here she invites the public to understand her mindset where she pushed the boundaries with people and substances. The contrast between songs on No Shame, such as the mellow melody in “Three” to her reggae pop duets with Burna boy in “Your Choice” and “Waste” with Lady Chann, audibly illustrates to listeners not only the evolution of Allen’s music style but also her own mindset during the four year gap between albums. Not only was Allen dealing with the everyday difficult situations associated with family life , she also had to mix this in with everything that fame brings with it. This included having a stalker for seven years who broke into Allen’s home as her two children slept. Allen spoke about how she “cut herself off” from people and “slept a lot” and “cried a lot.” These emotions are palpable in her latest album. From prom dress and runner wearing street queen with hits like “Smile” and “Alfie” (about her younger brother who is more commonly known as Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones) which catapulted her to fame, to the dark persona of Sheezus which dragged her career back down to earth, it is clear Allen is back. Although, there are still remnants of her old music career heard in No Shame such as “Pushing Up Daisies” which bears similarities to “Air Balloon” in Sheezus, a song Allen said was her least favourite on the album,’ it sounds like we will be hearing a different sound from Allen from now on. Lily Allen is performing in the Olympia Theatre in Dublin on the 11th of December as part of her No Shame World Tour.

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Allen lures her listeners in even more with the soft childlike tone she uses throughout the album which juxtaposes the strong adult topics she is singing about and the subtle electronic dance sound in the background, making her latest collection of music truly unique.

Music

Mumford and Sons new album impresses fans at exclusive listening party

Róisín Cullen reviews the new Mumford and Sons album, “Delta”, at an exclusive listening party.

umford and Sons recently previewed their long awaited new album “Delta” in Rathmines Omniplex. The British fourpiece comprising of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane has experienced unprecedented success since their formation in 2008. The band’s biggest hit to date “I Will Wait” garnered huge commercial success and Grammy nominations despite the complaints that their music was bland and unoriginal. Liam Gallagher voiced his particular distaste for the folk-rock group “Everyone’s f***ing Don McLean- far too many acoustic guitars, no style. They look like they shop at Oxfam.” Despite constant criticism the band have always had a loyal fan base and their meaningful lyrics have led to them often being mistakenly branded as a Christian band. After a ten year recording break, a day out at Glastonbury and of course a visit to Marlay Park, a new album was well overdue. Described by Rolling Stone’s Chris Floyd as their “wildly experimental fourth album”, Delta showed a new side of Mumford and Sons, a side that was not playing for chart approval or for validation from their fans, a band willing to sing about meaningful topics that are often neglected during the race for fame and fortune. The album was previewed to a privileged few in Rathmines Omniplex the night before its release, an intimate venue for what would be an enlightening and enjoyable experience. It was a sophisticated event with gin with fruit, and fancy finger food. Staples like Ditmas and Babel played in the background of the VIP Lounge of the cinema. Phones were sealed into plastic bags at the door to avoid the new music being leaked, adding to the atmosphere of the occasion. It was easy to see the lure of a world devoid of social media. It encouraged conversation.

It gave everyone a chance to soak in the atmosphere and to appreciate the music. Everyone was able to live in the moment and appreciate the album stripped down and blared through the speakers of a cinema screen. The band were inspired by National Geographic documentaries while writing the album and had chosen the visual accordingly. The visual helped to explain the need for this experimental album. Wilder beasts ran across the big screen. Predator chased its prey. Wild animals were an extremely appropriate topic considering the nature of this album- to play according to the band’s instincts and disregard critics’ opinions- to venture into “The Wild”. Some tracks will never venture into the charts or mainstream listening although they were powerful and emotional. Darkness Visible was based on an extract from John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Here we saw a completely different side of the band, a band with no aspirations to mimic Don McLean or go clothes shopping in Oxfam. This was a Mumford and Sons still trying to decide what Mumford and Sons means and what it can become. This was not a plea for a Grammy, it was a piece of art. Two of the artists arrived “on-stage” as the screen went black, visibly nervous and anxious to hear what fans thought of their venture into the unknown. Presenter Stephen Byrne conducted a questions and answers session on what he believed was the band’s “best album to date”. The band believes that they are in the best form they have ever been and left the crowd with promise of more music still to be released. We will have to wait and see if this new music will venture further into literary descriptions of hell or return to the land laced with acoustic guitars and catchy choruses.

Film and Television

The not so-secret lives of celebrities under scrutiny Amy Louise Donohoe uncovers the truth behind the world of fame

or many years Tabloids have built their reputation on “exclusives” and “scoops” involving celebrities’ private lives. Although celebrities complain about the press, they cannot exist without them. The question is whether pop artists should be judged on their work, or on their behaviour and lifestyle. Some think that artists should be judged based on their work alone, but it is almost possible for a celebrity to separate their work from their personal life. Whilst many artists are celebrated for the work they produce, for many artists it is the support act to their many personal dramas. Michael Jackson once stated in an interview that, “becoming successful means that you become a prisoner.” And his death in 2009 opened up the discussion over how the pop star should be remembered. He was labelled as “Wacko Jacko” in the tabloids due to his erratic behaviour, extreme plastic surgery and accusations of child abuse and the newspapers never really focused on his extraordinary musical talent. Even before social media, the public have always had an interest in the personal lives of celebrities. Marilyn Monroe’s life was ruined by the press; her career had been going downhill and it was being splattered all over the magazines. And despite her attempt to fix her public image by giving interviews to high profile publications up until the last day of her

life, pressure from the paparazzi proved to be more than she could handle and her death was ruled a suicide. Shingai Shoniwa from The Noisettes said, “the more problems you have, the more records you’re going to sell.” She added that the media “don’t seem to want artists to do the job of entertaining and emancipating people, but are more interested in making them suffer.” But do we as humans have an interest in pop stars if they don’t have an interesting personality or background story? Many pop stars have their private story spread across the pages. Take Britney Spears for example, who was once under a 24-hour watch by the paparazzi and press which was in order to fill the bloated pages of internet gossip and celebrity magazines. Ariana Grande’s life has been under the microscope since the Manchester attack and since then, she has released songs such as “Thank you, next” and “no more tears left to cry.” Not only are these great songs, but it’s also her giving an exclusive to the press about her personal life. Her personal story is accompanying her continued success. Social media was created with the intention of bringing people together, to allow them to share life events, happenings and just about anything else with friends and family. For celebrities, it has become a way to connect with fans. They can advertise their albums and films. However, some can advertise bad role models for children, as they promote the use of drugs and alcohol on their social media accounts. Beyoncé announced her pregnancy on Instagram and Kim Kardashian’s Snap showing that Taylor Swift allowed Kanye to rap about her in “Famous” were both were major pop culture moments that required fans to go to the apps to see firsthand. As humans we are naturally interested in the lives of

others and to read about and see what celebrities are doing is something very hard not to do. Whether it’s reading the newspaper or checking social media, it’s difficult not to keep updated.

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Even before social media, the public have always had an interest in the personal lives of celebrities. Marilyn Monroe’s life was ruined by the press, her career had been going downhill and it was being splattered all over the magazines.

The Sinner series two is challenging our perceptions of crime once again

Aoibhín Meghan delves into the estranged world of The Sinner for its second series.

he Sinner: Julian, matches the intensity and mystery of the series first instalment and manages to create the same depth and intensity of characters in every episode as the series focuses not on who did it, but why they

did. The long awaited second season of The Sinner came to Netflix November 9th, after airing in the US during the summer and proves that the show was not just a one hit wonder, as we find another chilling murder that is not quite what it seems on the surface. In The Sinner season two, Detective Harry Ambrose, played by the incredible Bill Pullman, returns to his hometown of Keller to solve the extremely unusual murder of a couple by a thirteen year old boy. There he meets Vera Walker, a fiery and formidable woman, played by Carrie Coon. It is revealed that the couple and the young boy Julian Walker (Elisha Henig), were all part of a commune called Mosswood located just outside Keller. They were supposedly going on a trip to Niagra Falls when they had to stop in a motel overnight and it is here that Julian kills the couple using poisoned tea. Ambrose is called in to help with Julian’s case by Heather Novack (Natalie Paul), a very young and inexperienced detective as well as the daughter of an old friend. Together they launch an investigation that reveals dark sides of Mosswood and the town of Keller. Throughout this season we also learn more about Ambrose, as he revisits his childhood. The detective forms a close relationship with Julian and through their and flashbacks we discover his troubled 4 discussions past.

The Sinner with

first

season of The was met great

critical and audience approval. Based off a novel by the same name, written by German crime Writer Petra Hammesfahr, the shows appeal is the way it leads the audience in one direction only to reveal at the end that their assumptions were wrong all along. Ambrose is introduced to us when he overturns the murder verdict of Cora Tannetti, played by Jessica Biel who is also an executive producer on the show, who murdered a man on the beach while picnicking with her family. The show’s creators have managed to create yet another storyline with as much intrigue and plot twists as in the first season. The detective returns this time to create a link between the two seasons which lets the audience know that

although this may seem a black and white case, the question of motive is no straightforward matter. Coon is definitely the star of this season, the actor who has also starred in The Leftovers and Fargo is Julian’s mother and appears to be the figurehead of the commune. She is a protective and formidable woman and loving mother and when Julian is arrested the audience are immediately suspicious of her because of their unusaual way of life. It is this prejudice towards alternative lifestyles that allows the show’s creators to guide us down a completely different narrative, one that blames Julian’s upbringing and the people around him, therefore distracting us from the truth. The Sinner is the crime drama that we have been waiting for as it challenges our perceptions of who people are and how they should behave. It is reminiscent of old school crime stories but with a modern edge.

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It is this prejudice towards alternative lifestyles that allows the show’s creators to guide us down a completely different narrative, one that blames Julian’s upbringing and the people around him, therefore distracting us from the truth.

TV & Film

The atypical portrayals of autism on TV

Joseph O’Gorman looks at how the media usually portrays people on the autistic spectrum.

sperger’s syndrome and autism has been in the headlines lately with The Chase’s Anne Hegerty, in the jungle for this year’s series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Hegerty, known as the Governess on the TV quiz show, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in 2007. Hegerty believes that her condition has furthered her tv career and quiz knowledge. She said: ‘When you’re on the autistic spectrum, one of the things you do, it’s what’s called perseverating... You get interested in something and you just get really interested, you just have to know everything about it. You go completely down the rabbit hole, you can’t think about anything else, you have to learn everything there is to know about this particular subject.” This is a trait we see in the Netflix series Atypical. This heartfelt comedy follows Sam, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who has decided he is ready for romance. Sam’s ‘specialist topic’ is Antarctica and penguins. While considered by many to be one of the better attempts at portraying someone on the spectrum, the show is not perfect. It clearly wants to help the world understand what it’s like for those on the autistic spectrum, and to deliver that lesson with comedy and warmth. Deeply well-meant and probably

illuminating for those who don’t know much about the condition, the show is unequivocally a good thing and it’s hard not to applaud both the intention and the effort. A show that comes up time and time again in the discussion about autism on television is The Big Bang Theory, and whether or not Sheldon Cooper is autistic. Sheldon Cooper doesn’t have autism, or that’s what The Big Bang Theory writers have always claimed. Speaking on behalf of the show, Mayim Bialik (who plays Sheldon’s girlfriend Amy) told Neil deGrasse Tyson that the show’s writers refuse to pathologize their characters, because everyone should be loved and accepted without

labels. Sheldon himself denies being autistic, stating “My mother had me tested.” And yet: Obsessive behaviors. Social dysfunction. Regressive tendencies. Inability to grasp subtext and sarcasm. Avoidance of physical contact. Anxiety. Scientific savantism. Many viewers have decided that Sheldon is on the spectrum based on his many spectrum type behaviors, and of course they love him for it. Jim Parsons, who has won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Sheldon, admitted that avoiding the label takes away a certain “social responsibility” to play the character true to that diagnosis. Without the label, the writers can have their autism jokes and avoid being accused of stereotyping. They can be on trend while skipping the “very special episode” a diagnosis might have necessitated. But when it comes to autism, it is impossible to please everyone. There is a saying amongst some autism groups; “When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism” There is such scope for differences between traits of autistic people, and subtle nuances in behaviour, that is almost impossible to give a 100% accurate portrayal of a person with autism, and still make an entertaining tv show.

Creating a good villain is no joking matter

David Kelly reviews and compares movie villains from the greats to the not-so-greats.

antastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald had great potential. The title alone would lead you to believe it would centre on Grindelwald, and his crimes. However, Grindelwald as an antagonist fails on almost every level, as does the film. Grindelwald’s motivation is intrinsic to his ethno-fascist ideology. He views non-magic people as lesser and seeks to subjugate them with force. He is a fine orator and uses manipulation to gain support. He is relatively interesting as a character, yet inconsequential as an antagonist, which is why the film feels so empty. Look at the Dark Knight, The Joker is not so much a character as he is a malevolent force of nature. He is the evil aspect of chaos incarnate. However, the reason he works so well as an antagonist, and hence why The Dark Knight works so well as a film, is because he is direct opposition to the protagonist; Batman. “A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them” said Robert McKee, author and story-consultant. The Joker constantly forces Batman to make difficult choices that reveal his true character. He exploits Batman’s strengths and morphs them into weaknesses. Batman must learn to overcome this, and his character grows as a result. The Joker has a direct effect not only on the protagonist, but on the story. Compare this with The Crimes of Grindelwald. Newt, our story’s protagonist, has no direct connection to Grindelwald. There is no relationship to speak of, he merely acts as a proxy for Dumbledore. Newt doesn’t even want to get involved with the story, he is just pushed into it by Dumbledore. Newt’s arc is that he realises he needs to fight against Grindelwald, but he only has this epiphany because he was forced to by those around him. His journey is not profound because he is not in direct opposition to the antagonist.

The second approach is the one taken with the creation of Thanos and would have perhaps suited Grindelwald better than The Joker approach; make him relatable by explicitly examining his motivation and background. Infinity War is Thanos’ movie, the story of a man going on a spiritual journey to complete a task he believes to be just. We empathise with Thanos because we understand the direct reasoning behind his motivations. He doesn’t manipulate or hide behind a façade, he views himself as the only person with the conviction to do what he believes is for the greater good. A writer of Infinity War, Stephen McFeely, describes Thanos’ as a ‘sociopath with a messianic complex’. He doesn’t view himself as a villain, he views himself as the hero, and his actions are consistent with these beliefs. Compare that with Grindelwald, another villain driven by ideology. Why does Grindelwald hate muggles? He presents a very one-dimensional, poorly reasoned argument at a rally to his followers. He justifies muggle subjugation with a vision of World War Two; the violence of muggles, and the wizards who would protect them. Yet, only a moment later he attempts to murder not only his opponents, but all of Paris. He undermines his own character and

his articulated beliefs lose all credibility. It’s as if J.K Rowling wanted to write a greyer Voldemort but ended up with a blander Voldemort. The Crimes of Grindelwald had the potential to do so well. Had it centred on the character of Grindelwald, and developed him into a layered, fascinating character, it would have enhanced the film immensely. But, it didn’t. The film might as well have been called ‘The Crimes of Who-Cares?’.

Film

What exactly is Oscar bait? Aoife O’Brien discusses the trend of Oscar bait

eople love to hate the Oscars. And why shouldn’t they? It marks the end of a season where studios have rolled out one movie after another in the hope that it will become the next ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Films that see big name actors playing tragic historical figures, struggling against adversity or showcasing man’s inhumanity to man. Oscar bait can take many forms but these movies, reverse engineered to win awards are easy to spot and rarely what the audience want to see. The ‘Oscarbation’ trend developed in the 1970s and 1980’s with the decline of New Hollywood. Until this point the most popular films were almost always the best and the most likely to win Oscars. However the emergence of the summer blockbuster with directors such as Tim Burton, led to the production of beloved and well-received movies which were not hard hitting enough to win the “important” categories. ‘Serious’ movies that did win those categories, such as the biopic Dallas Buyers Club, which tells the story of a homophobic man who overcomes his homophobia after becoming friends with ‘queer’ people, became known as Oscar Bait. In a possible effort to placate audiences, the film Academy have announced that the 91st Academy Awards in 2019 will see the introduction of a new category for outstanding

achievement in popular film, presumably favouring movies that have grossed over $100m. It is difficult not to compare this with the introduction of the category award for animation when they began pushing into the big leagues, but the emergence of new archetypes at the 2018 awards could mean this marks a turning point for what makes an Oscar worthy movie. One of the most notable differences was the prominence of low budget films, which invite risk and fresh ideas because the cost of investing in traditional Oscar bait is too high. The American horror Get Out which received four nominations was made for $4.5million and went on to gross $225million. This is in comparison to the more traditional Oscar bait film ‘The Post’ which cost $50million and yet received only two nominations. Horror and fantasy movies which have long since been treated as second rate by critics for their apparent lack of cultural significance, also received acclaim in the form of ‘Get Out’ and ‘The Shape of Water’. Another notable theme has been to take an original Oscar bait concept and throw it a little off balance.

The 2018 awards saw this in films such as ‘The Shape of Water’ which told a tale of forbidden romance between a woman and a fish and ‘Dunkirk’, a war movie told in three separate timelines. ‘The Favourite’, a historical drama which sees a young scullery maid worm her way into the Queen’s inner circle and back to aristocratic roots, is a notable candidate for the 2019 awards on this premise. Despite this traditional Oscar bait has not died out entirely and there’s still plenty of room for biopics, period pieces and remakes. ‘First Man’ fits the criteria to the last as both an astounding technical feat and a biopic of a major historical figure. The fourth remake of ‘A Star is Born’ also seems likely to dominate, with two of its three predecessors having won Academy Awards and all of them having received multiple nominations. Love them or hate them, the lure of the Academy Awards compels artists to tell stories that need to be told and might not be heard any other way. Whether they are Oscar bait or not, who doesn’t love a night at the movies?

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The ‘Oscarbation’ trend developed in the 1970s and 1980’s with the decline of New Hollywood.

The best Christmas films to feel the festive spirit

Eoin Harte discuss Christmas classics and ones to take a look at

hristmas movies are an essential part of the festive season and thankfully there’s no shortage of heart-warming films to put you in the mood. Films like Home Alone, Elf and How the Grinch Stole Christmas are modern classics that both children and adults alike can enjoy. While you may have seen each of them ten times over, they’re always well worth a revisit and help you achieve that nostalgic feeling that will have you believe you’re a kid again. They’re easy to watch and don’t require any great amount of attention, so they’re perfect to watch when doing the traditional Christmas tasks of decorating the tree, preparing Christmas dinner and stressing over whether you have enough money to get your loved ones something other than a home-made card. However, if you’re yearning for a film that offers a little bit more and encapsulates the true spirit of Christmas, Frank Capra’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ could be what you’re looking for. Released in 1946, the tale of a

man who is on the brink of suicide before being shown what life in his small home town would be like without him, is sure to stick long in the memory of anybody who has watched it. There is no Santa Clause, no mention of 6

presents or Christmas dinners, and even snow only makes an appearance near the end of the film, so it’s not immediately obvious that the film has anything to do with Christmas. Yet the film has everything to do with kindness and giving, which is what Christmas is supposed to be about. The film is centred around the life of a man named George Bailey, played by James Stewart, who has put the needs of others above his own for his whole life. He has big aspirations, such as travelling the world and going to college, but his plans are

scuppered by one disaster after the other. He is not without fault and takes his anger out on his family and those around him when confronted with the

one issue that he can’t solve on his own. The reason for his despair is serious financial difficulty, something he has struggled with for most of his life. Plagued by money problems for so long, Bailey is unable to see what really matters in life. A dim witted but deceptively wise guardian angel is sent down from heaven to show Bailey the true meaning of life. While Bailey may not have amassed the fortune that was within reach for a man of his talents, the angel shows him all the good he is responsible for in the small town of Bedford Falls. In his hour of greatest need, the people in the town who he helped throughout the years come to his aid. This shows both him and the audience that there is more to be gained from a life spent helping others than a life spent trying to make as much money as possible. It might not be as charming or as funny as some of the modern classics mentioned earlier and it probably won’t captivate many children this Christmas time, but ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ delivers an important message absent in many Christmas films. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying the family friendly Christmas films we know and love, if you haven’t seen it, do watch Frank Capra’s masterpiece. It’s a fantastic film that gave people reason to pause and think back in the 1940s and still does so today.

You’re a nice one, Mr. Grinch

Film & Music

Carrie McMullan reviews the animation of The Grinch

he Grinch is a lovable anti-hero compared to his successors in Illumination’s rendition of the classic Christmas film. The film opened in cinemas on November 9th and will run over the Christmas period. It was animated in France by Illumination Mac Gruff and released worldwide by Universal Pictures. The film opens with a reveal shot of the quirky town of Whoville as the Narrator (Pharrell Williams) introduces us to the ever joyful Whos as they prepare for the holidays in the week leading up to Christmas. The whole town is full of Christmas spirit much to the exasperation of The Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch), a solitary green figure who lives at the top of Mount Crumpit north of Whoville. We first meet The Grinch as he is preparing for hibernation to avoid the Christmas period when he discovers he has eaten his way through his food stockpile. Much to his chagrin, he is forced to venture into Whoville with his dog Max (Frank Welker) to replenish his supplies where he is chased in a somewhat zombie apocalyptic style by a number of Who carollers before finding safety inside a supermarket. In another part of town, we meet Donna Lou (Rashida Jones) who runs to catch her bus home after working a night shift. At home, her work continues as a single mother raising her three children, daughter Cindy Lou (Cameron Seely) and twin boys Buster and Bean. Cindy Lou’s mission throughout the film is to request a very important wish

from Santa Claus – her mother’s happiness. After his traumatic visit to Whoville and bumping into Bricklebaum (Kenan Thompson) who tells him of the Mayor’s (Angela Lansbury) plan to make Christmas three times bigger this year, The Grinch returns to his cave with a new plan – to become Santa Claus and end Christmas once and for all. Benedict Cumberbatch portrays a more sympathetic version of The Grinch whose dark and sad backstory makes his hatred of Christmas seem justified. The only thing that seemed to make him the antagonist was the fact that he was the only character with any depth. Throughout the film, he is shown on several occasions

to have a heart, although ‘two sizes too small’, and a deep-rooted love for Christmas which is only overshadowed by his overwhelming sense of loneliness. He shows affection to Max who in return sees through The Grinch’s grumpy exterior and remains loyal to him during all his antics. Illumination’s preferred use of non-speaking characters for comedic effect was showcased during the segment where The Grinch is putting together his Santa Claus persona. From Fred the overweight reindeer’s fascination with eating everything, to Bricklebaum’s angry guard dog who chases The Grinch up the house as he tries to steal the sleigh, to that one screaming goat who appears for less than a minute of the film, the studio proved once again that oftentimes actions are funnier than words. The animation style was almost identical to the studio’s other films. Cindy Lou was almost a carbon copy of Edith from Despicable Me and Max could easily have an unnoticed cameo in The Secret Life of Pets. However, there was a nod to other Dr Seuss animations like the Who character model from The Lorax and The Grinch’s similarities to the Whos in Horton Hears A Who. This version of The Grinch was certainly not laugh-out-loud but will give a good giggle every now and then especially towards the animal characters. It’s a simple and fun film which doesn’t completely revamp the original story but makes enough small changes to give it a fresher feel.

The significance of album artwork for music

Aine O’Boyle talks about the importance of album artwork and how it can skyrocket a band to an “iconic” platform.

s the physical CD dies a death and gets replaced by streaming services and social media, does this mark the end of album artwork and its significance for music? In the last decade, the concept of physically holding a CD in our hands and looking upon a piece of artwork representative of the contents of the disk has died a death. Long gone are the days of spending hours in a music store, flipping through rows and rows of CD’s carefully examining the artwork on the front, waiting for one particular image to pop out and grab your attention. Ever since music has been sold as a commercial good, the cover art on the front of a vinyl disk or a CD has been the consumers first interaction with the artist themselves, essentially meaning that the artist had to sell their music through their album cover. Today the same consideration is not put into album artwork, it is no longer viewed as the first point of contact between a consumer and an artist, it is a mere formality that artists must adhere to when posting their music on streaming services, something to fill all the blank space on a phone screen or to screenshot onto your Instagram story to show off your amazing taste in music. For many artists that existed and made their mark on music before entering into the sphere of streaming, their brand and image is synonymous with the album art of a particularly iconic album of theirs. Today people will wear the album artwork on t-shirts and tote bags but very few will actually own the physical

CD that the album artwork was first sold on. Most people will be able to recognise white squiggly lines set against a black t-shirt and instantly know that it is a piece of Joy Division fan merchandise, or even just a t-shirt you wear to make people think that you know that

you have a superior taste in music to them. But the fact that people even still wear this t-shirt, with its artwork from their album, Unknown Pleasures, stands

as testament to the power that album artwork once held and its longevity in representing the brand and image of an artist. “The Yeezus album packaging was an open casket to CD’s” tweeted Kanye West back in March 2016, referring to the album cover for Yeezus that featured a small piece of red tape over a jewel CD case. The artwork itself was fitting for a minimalistic album, but on a grander scale acknowledged the impending death of physical music and started a conversation about what the role of album artwork would be in a world where music was no longer viewed as much of a commodity as streaming services came to the forefront of the industry. In today’s world, as our attention spans get shorter and the availability of music gets greater, its more important for album artwork to grab our attention than to make a lasting impact on the world. “We process information a lot faster and we process music a lot faster. Making something that’s going to catch people’s eyes within seconds is important” said Mihailo Andic, cover designer for Lil Yachty, Gallant, Fetty Wap, and 6lack. “You have to either grab their attention or you lose them right away” he continued. It’s not to say that album artwork is dead, but instead that it has been born again as something different. A strong visual identity gives fans something tangible to grasp onto during a time when most music consumption happens digitally.

Books

Michelle Obama tells her inspirational story in new book

Sarah Barrett reviews the former first lady’s new autobiography, “Becoming.”

eleased on November 13th 2018 is an intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir. The book tells us how Michelle became who she was and who she is. Split over four chapters, we are brought on a journey by a woman who started her life on the Southside of Chicago and lived at the most famous post code on the earth, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, USA. Growing up on the southside of Chicago, where she lived in a upstairs apartment with her mother, Marian Shields, father Frasier Robinson III and brother, Craig. Michelle’s parent’s raised her to be outspoken and fearless. As a child she excelled academically and spoke back to adults. She began playing piano, taught by her strict Aunt, who was always rigid and grumpy. In this reflective memoir, Michelle humbly details the struggles she was faced with in a life filled with accomplishment, juggling family life, her work, and her husbands political career. The book, narrated wonderfully, provides the reader with a vivid account of her families ascent into international limelight as well as her eight years resident in the White House and all the lessons and knowledge she gained along the way. Without revealing too much, chapter one, Becoming Me helps us understand the world little Michelle Robin-

son lived in and all the characters who played a part in shaping her into the powerful and compelling woman she has become. Michelle, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, tells us in chapter one “I was ambitious, though I didn’t know exactly what I was shooting for”, she has been a lawyer, a vice president in a hospital, a director of a non profit organisation and the first lady of the US. She reluctantly stepped into public life and has been held up as the most powerful woman in the world. Her grandfather a vibrant man, with a love for jazz, influenced Michelle in way like no other. Herself and her brother Craig, nicknamed him Southside. While working for a Chicago based law firm, Sidley & Austin, she met her future husband, Barack Obama. She describes the early days of their relationship of how she would refer to him as an “exotic geek” and later described him as a unicorn. It is evident they formed an unbreakable bond from their initial meeting. Michelle has worked in a variety of roles including the Chicago Mayor’s office, at the University of Chicago and she founded the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, and organisation that prepares youth for careers in public service. She

has used her platform as an advocate for women and girls in the US and around the world. She tells us how she managed to raise two down to earth daughters, ploughed through carpool Karaoke and how she wanted to contribute to creating a more inclusive society. Michelle has shared her inspiring story with her readers leaving us wanting to know more. She tells us what she really thinks of current US president, Donald Trump. A powerful, eloquent and moving book, her intellect and candid humour shine through each chapter. She is currently doing a tour “An intimate conversation with Michelle Obama”, to support the memoir, touring across the US and Europe, while donating 10% of each ticket to community groups and charities. The Obamas currently reside in Washington with their daughters, Malia and Sasha. The autobiography serves as an opportunity for us to get to know another side to Michelle Obama. A strong work ethic and a desire to make other people lives better, hopefully we are gifted with a sequel to Becoming.

polar disorder in the Illustrated Mum and domestic abuse in Lola Rose that, in turn, helped children empathise and have a greater understanding of the world. Not only is Wilson is teaching children about other, difficult situations they might not have been privy too before but she is also giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds a character they can relate too. Children who may have felt voiceless in the world of fiction ere now given a voice, made them feel less alone. This stemmed fom Wilson’s own unhappy childhood back in the 50s, where she felt books presented an idealised world. “Children’s books back then presented a world where parents didn’t argue,” she said in an interview with the Guardian,“My parents argued every day, about practically everything.” Her characters are always relatable to children, having two distinct archetypes in her novels. There’s the shy, quiet girl or the plucky, mischievous girl although fitting those archetypes, each character had its own layers that made them unique. By having the two archetypes, people could find aspects of themselves and fit themselves into either one. This helped bring the emotional impact that happened near the climax of their novels home as the reader would almost feel like the events happening were happening to them too. “I cried at the end of My Sister Jodie,” said Róise McGagh, an avid Jaqueline Wilson reader back in the day. “It made me really appreciate my sister”. My Sister Jodie ended with the aforementioned Jodie falling to her

death from a castle. Apologies for spoilers but do you really want to a child’s book? Jaqueline Wilson is an inspirational author who will continue to open the minds and hearts of young readers for decades to come.

The story of Jaqueline Wilson

Aoibhín Bryant reflects on the huge impact Dame Jaqueline Wilson left on young readers.

very girl (and a handful of boys) who was raised in either Ireland or Great Britain in the last twenty seven years knows the name. It lined every bookshelf, from libraries to schools to homes. Nick Sharrat’s illustrated black dot eyes haunt all of our memories. The name is Jaqueline Wilson and she did not come to play when she started writing children’s books back in 1991 with The Story of Tracy Beaker. Now her legacy is to stand the test of time, awarded an OBE in 2002 and becoming Dame Jaqueline Wilson in 2008. Four of her books appear on the BBC’s Big Read Poll of the “100 most popular books in the UK”. She is still releasing children’s novels to this day, opening the gateway to the joys of reading for a younger generation. Although, Jaqueline Wilson is not exactly like your typical children’s author. She deals with darker subject matters than other children’s books, straying away from fantasies about fairies or stories about a troublesome child who torments his younger brother. Wilson’s stories explored themes such as broken families, domestic abuse, mental illnesses, and the foster care system. Wilson opened an entire new world to young readers, it was the first, tepid step into adulthood where the rose-tinted glasses were snatched off your face and suddenly the world in all its bleakness was finally revealed to you. It helped children with more privileged backgrounds learn about what life is like outside of their cushy home in the suburbs. Wilson delved into the lives of children whose biggest problem was not that they didn’t want to do their homework. She educated them on the ef8 fects of classism, mental illnesses such as bi-

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Although, Jaqueline Wilson is not exactly like your typical children’s author. She deals with darker subject matters than other children’s books, straying away from fantasies about fairies or stories about a troublesome child who torments his younger brother. Wilson’s stories explored themes such as broken families, domestic abuse, mental illnesses, and the foster care system.

Them brains, them brains need cannabis Have you been struggling with anxiety? David Kelly may have found the answer to easing your worries.

nxiety is an issue that plagues much of today’s youth. Over the last decade, anxiety has overtaken depression as the most common reason young people seek counselling. The American College Health Association reported that those reporting having overwhelming anxiety rose from 50 per cent in 2011, to 62 per cent in 2016. The World Health Organisation ranks anxiety as the sixth largest contributor to disability worldwide. How does one combat this? Supplements can be useful. Cannabidiol, or CBD, has become a popular choice for those seeking to ease their anxieties. While the typical pharmaceutical drugs, such as benzodiazepines, have the potential to afflict the user with unsavoury side effects, and are addictive, CBD oil appears to be free of these consequences. CBD is one of the chemicals present in marijuana. It’s not the psychoactive one, that’s THC, rather it’s the chemical that tends to chill people out. While the research is still fresh, the results seem promising thus far. One study gave 24 people with social anxiety disorder either 600 mg of CBD or a placebo before a public speaking test. Those that took the CBD had significantly less anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort in their speech performance, in comparison to those who received the placebo. CBD has also been shown to be an effective treatment for children with anxiety. Animal testing has proven its antidepressant effects too. Overall, CBD appears to be an effective alternative to prescription, pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medications. However, it is expensive in Ireland, standing at an average of €60 for a rather small bottle in the pharmacy. There are other over-the-counter products such as ‘Kalms’ that claim to have relaxing properties, but their effects are substantially less than that of CBD. This discussion poses a rather interesting philosophical question. Should anxiety be treated with medication? The answer is complicated. Of course, medication is a

reasonable solution. However, perhaps a better solution lies within the field of psychology, specifically, depth psychology. The problem with medication, as far as I can tell, is that it is an avoidance-based tactic. It doesn’t address the issue, but merely suppresses it. The clinical literature on anxiety doesn’t suggest that people should avoid that which makes them anxious. It doesn’t suggest that people become less afraid when dealing with anxiety. It suggests that people get braver. Addressing anxiety is an incredibly difficult thing to do. However, a metaphysical approach can be rather illuminating when discussing anxiety. Think of anxiety as chaos and think of chaos as when you are in a situation where what you do does not produce the results you want. A common example may be this; you decide to go out with your friends for a few drinks. You have a few pints in the pub. You get drunker than anticipated. You decide to go the club. You pay into the club and buy more drink. You get drunker. Afterwards, you get food and pay for a taxi home. You arise the next morning with a severe hangover. You try to think of how much money you spent but can’t remember. You know it was more than you budgeted for. You need to know how much you have, but you can’t bring yourself to check your bank balance. In this scenario, your bank balance has become a manifestation of chaos. You avoid checking it because if you do, you will have to confront the consequences of your actions. However, if you ignore it, it will continue to gnaw at your psyche. In essence, you are relinquishing your control to chaos. In this example, the solution seems simple, but often isn’t. Check your balance, own up to your mistake and figure out a path forward. Ideally, you may realise you should ease off on the drinking. However, that’s easier said than done, especially in college, where drink culture is prevalent. This exemplifies the point; dealing with anxiety is not easy, but it is possible. The person who chooses to voluntarily confront what makes them anxious exhibits

what depth psychology refers to as an ‘internal locus of control’. This is the belief that the individual has the power to influence what happens to them. The internal locus of control is associated with less stress and better health. The psychophysiological literature aligns with this idea. It shows that when exposing two groups of people to a stressor, the group that confronts it voluntarily activates a completely different neurological circuit. Confronting your anxieties involuntarily activates the system associated with defensive aggression and withdrawal. This stress circuit releases both cortisol, a stress hormone, and adrenaline, the flight-or-fight chemical. The activation of this system is resource consuming, and can be detrimental to one’s mental health. However, if you confront your anxieties voluntarily, a whole other circuit is activated, one that is associated with approach and challenge. When you confront your fears voluntarily, your brain begins to produce new proteins, unlocking within you the potential to be stronger. The idea of confronting the unknown and fearful is not just a psychological idea, it is an ancient, mythic idea. The Hero’s Myth is the individual who voluntarily confronts chaos and creates order from the pieces. Confront what makes you afraid, break it down into manageable steps and solve the problem. “We each have an appointment with ourselves, though most of us never show up for it. Showing up and dealing with whatever must be faced in the chasms of fear and self-doubt, that is the hero’s task” said James Hollis, a Jungian analyst. There is immense hope in the confrontation of anxiety. Avoiding it may seem easier, but you’re merely running backwards. Adversity is the best recipe for growth. People have the potential to become so much stronger than they currently are. Your anxiety need not define you. You can’t solve a problem if you can’t bring yourself to look at it. Looking at it involves bravery. You might falter, but that’s okay. Even the great heroes of myth, such as the Egyptians’ Horus, ran when first confronted with the unknown. Bravery is not a lack of fear, it’s the willingness to feel fear and move forward anyway. That’s what a hero is, and everyone has that potential.

Health & Beauty

Eat fat to lose fat?

Are you looking to burn fat in as short a period of time as possible? Mikey Walsh is here to tell you how to do just that.

at burning diet. The words everyone looking to lose weight wants to hear and the ketogenic diet is exactly that. Whether this is a diet fad or here to stay, the science behind this high fat diet is proven. Keto is a word used to describe the state in which the body releases ketones from the liver. These ketones are used when blood sugar (glucose) is not readily available to use as a source of energy. The idea of the ketogenic diet is to eat very few carbs, a form of sugar, and moderate amounts of protein so the body will convert from using sugar as a fuel source, to using body fat. After the correct controlled diet, the body goes into a state called ketosis where it can access fat stores easier and burn them off. Ketosis turn the body into a fat burning machine and there two ways to get the body into this state. One way of getting into a ketogenic state is by fasting. Not eating will turn the body into survival mode where it does not have any fuel source in the blood to run off and therefore starts metabolising the fat stored in the body, essentially eating away at itself. Although fasting is the quickest way of getting into a state of ketosis, it is not recommended to do it this way because the reality is nobody can fast forever. It can also be dangerous to starve the body of vital nutrients and it can increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes. It may seem simple but without medical supervision on a fast, the body may begin to shut down. It also slows the metabolism down so that when someone does begin to eat again, they can end up gaining more fat in a shorter time frame. The second way of getting the body into the ketogenic state is to eat a diet of restricted carbohydrates and avoid forms of glucose. Generally try to keep an intake of under 50 grams of carbs and no glucose per day but if possible, keep it below this.

Instead of eating high carbs food like bread, pasta and potatoes, eat meat, fish and eggs with natural fats like butter and oils. Along with the meats, its important to eat green vegetables like spinach and asparagus to get all the nutrients the body needs. Avocados are a great source

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Its not an easy process by any means to turn the body into the fat burner that everyone wants. A lot of people entering into ketosis report symptoms of what is known as the keto flu, its symptoms include stomach aches, nausea and diarrhoea, but don’t worry its only temporary and there are remedies. The keto flu happens when the body is finally starting to turn to ketosis, the last of the glucose in the bloodstream is getting used up and the body starts to panic a little. The severity and length of this flu varies per person and usually occurs in the first few days of starting the diet. There are several ways to lessen the symptoms and get fat-adapted quicker. Staying hydrated will get rid of any headaches or fatigue. Replenishing electrolytes by taking mineral supplements like potassium and magnesium will help adjust quicker. Exercise will boost the metabolic rate and speed up shaking off the keto flu. Taking an exogenous ketones supplement is recommended to help the body adjust to the new fuel source faster. Do not fear the keto flu or be tempted to start eating carbs again when experiencing it. Its normal and its natural to feel different after a massive change in diet. Pull through the far side and people that have done it report increased focus and energy along with healthy amounts of weight-loss. This diet isn’t for everyone but it can fit some peoples lifestyle very well and can massively help with weight loss. The key thing to remember when starting a diet is that everybody is different. Everyone doing it experiences it differently, the time taken to switch into ketosis, the symptoms of the keto flu, if there are any symptoms at all, and the weight loss rate.

One way of getting into a ketogenic state is by fasting. Not eating will turn the body into survival mode where it does not have any fuel source in the blood to run off and therefore starts metabolising the fat stored in the body, essentially eating away at itself. of fat, they are one of the few plants that has a high fat content and can help fuel the body while in ketosis. Adding natural fats like oil and butter is incredibly important in the process. The more fat and less sugar that is put into the body, the more the body see’s it as fuel source. Switching the body’s fuel source during development is exactly what needs to happen for ketosis to work.

Health & Beauty

Loneliness in winter

Christmas time can be a lonely time full of sadness and stress for some people. Aoife Horan talks about what you can to do to beat these winter blues.

As the temperature changes, nights become longer, mornings darker, some can tend towards falling into a slump. & With the inevitable return home and respective counties, not long after the rush of being home and seeing family comes, does the feeling of sadness follow when it’s realized you won’t be seeing your friends until exams happen in January and loneliness appears For some, the return to home may not be welcoming either and that’s also something worth bearing in mind. Beating this can seem impossible, for many Christmas is not the most wonderful time of year and despite best intentions, keeping a facade of yuletide joy is near impossible at times. With all of these factors in mind, these are a few ways to keep your mood up and subside the isolation that appears in winter months. Sleep regulation is something that is so important to keep on top of during winter time if you thought your pattern of nights out and early mornings during semester were rough, now is your time to get on top of things. Set alarms and get to bed early, this will help to regulate your mood and bring you up if you feel nothing else will. Make evenings a ritual of snuggling up with a good book, a face mask and going tech-free for the evening, which leads on to the next point; Books! Books can be some of the best friends you could ever have. Getting lost in a piece of fiction can be the most gratifying, enjoyable and easy way to spend your time. If you feel far too busy to take the time to read nowadays, it’s time to tap into those D.E.A.R time skills you picked up as a kid and drop everything and pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read. Books also can lead you to an array of online forums and help you meet like-minded people with similar interests, Goodreads is a wonderful online community of bookworms who review and discuss different novels and it can be a great starting point in figuring out what book you want to spend your time with. Bringing us to time, when heading off for the winter break, the amount of time that frees up (which should be spent studying for those winter exams) melds into a period of procrastination and one major way to beat that is by making plans and sticking to them. Those friends

who’ve all ran off to college in their respective counties as soon as September hit, those work colleagues from who you haven’t seen since the summertime, that one friend who you make half plans with but never pull through, now is the perfect opportunity to make time for these people. Reconnect with your respective social groups and see who’s up for a catch-up, even if it’s been a while, bite the bullet and send them a message, make a definitive plan and promise yourself not to flake. Seeing these people will bring you such a sense of comfort during these darker months and despite the ice outside getting out is worth it for your head. Make the effort to commit yourself to two to three hours outside every day when you’re at home during the break, invest in some thermal clothes if needs be, but make sure you leave the house. There’s nothing worse than sitting on your computer of an evening and realising this is your third or fourth day of doing the same thing and not leaving the house. It happens, the weather makes it easy to excuse yourself from the outside world but getting out into the open air makes a world of a difference to the head, whether done alone, with a friend or a family pet as a companion. Evening strolls are a grade A mood booster when it comes to feeling low and are something everyone does with implementing during the colder months, they help regulate sleeping patterns and give even the laziest among us our 30 minutes of exercise.

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Remember to spend as little or as much time with your family over the holidays as you need. For a lot of people Christmas can be a rough time due to familial relations and for this alone, let it be said that you are not obliged to spend entire days and weeks with your family if it is emotionally draining and hurtful for you, know when it’s okay to allow yourself out of a situation and if you are someone in an unsafe or uncomfortable home environment do your best to organise spending as little time in the home as possible Keep in touch with your college mates, despite how easy it is to get wrapped up in the world of DCU during semester time, when everyone leaves for winter it is as easy to forget to check in with your friends there until exams. If you’re feeling lonely and missing faces, organise a group call on messenger with your friend group to catch up with each other and dedicate time to checking in on those who you’ve spent the past 12 weeks or so running into every day, chances are if you’re feeling lonely they are too. Lastly, remember to check in with elderly relatives, family and friends; as we all know winter is a very difficult time for those people in your life and checking in and having a cup of tea and a chat with the older people who live around you can be a wonderful way of brightening someone’s day and bringing some light to what can be for a lot of them the loneliest time of all. What better way to alleviate your own loneliness and low mood than to spend time with the most vulnerable around us 10 and lift their spirits too?

For a lot of people Christmas can be a rough time due to familial relations and for this alone, let it be said that you are not obliged to spend entire days and weeks with your family if it is emotionally draining and hurtful for you, know when it’s okay to allow yourself out of a situation

To bulk or not to bulk?

Health

Considering either bulking or cutting to try and achieve your goals? Eoin Harte is here to help you find out what’s best for you.

ulking and cutting is now a common practice among people interested in sports such as power lifting and bodybuilding. ‘Bulking’ is when you purposefully gain weight, while working out, ideally building a nice amount of muscle but inevitably gaining fat as well. The ‘cutting’ takes place when you purposefully lose weight, ideally losing the fat but maintaining the muscle you built in the ‘bulk’ phase. Third-year Physics and Astronomy student Sean Goodwin has found the method to be particularly useful when it comes to achieving personal bests in powerlifting and particularly enjoys the bulking element. “Bulking is way easier (compared to cutting), 100%, so that’s why everyone loves doing it in the winter. When you’re bulking, I’d be on 3000 at the moment, you can eat pretty much whatever you want, as long as it’s not too much.” Although Goodwin is fond of ‘bulking’ he is well able to cut weight as well, losing 14 kilos in the space of six months when he first started going to the gym. “I used a fitness plan, so I was tracking all the food that I was eating, and I was eating a lot more than I thought I was. I was eating maybe 1700 calories a day for ages, like six months or something. I lost a good bit of weight doing that.” “The heavier you are, or when you first start in the gym the faster you’ll lose weight, then you’ll start to plateau after a while, so I tried out cutting just to lose weight. I got down to 72 or 73 kilos. So I lost that weight and then I went up from 72 to build muscle and stuff, so I bulked up to 78 or 79.”

While Goodwin lost a lot of weight when he first joined the gym, he did say that cutting isn’t necessary for beginners looking to get into better shape. “Starting off in the gym you don’t need to bulk or cut, to be honest. If you eat around maintenance calories what you’ll do is your body will go into a composition where it will burn fat and build muscle. You’ll see results really quickly when you’re starting off.” Some ‘bulking’ enthusiasts like to take bulking to the extreme, with a method that is known as a ‘dirty bulk’. Participants would usually eat around four or five thousand calories a day (around twice t h e

recommended amount for an average man). When asked whether he’d consider doing this, Goodwin was certain in his response. “Definitely not, like you’d feel awful. I’d never do it, I don’t think it’s a good idea at all. It would be fun, for maybe a few days but then you’d start to feel awful and you’d just gain a load of fat really and nothing else.” A measured approach to ‘bulking and cutting’ is thought by many to help improve people’s body in both appearance and strength. However, know that eating a huge amount of calories, while not worrying about the nutritional value a s you would in a ‘dirty bulk’, is certainly not the healthiest way to go about achieving your personal goals.

Exam cram

Caitlin Laird tells us how to avoid crashing during exam season

It is coming to that time of year again when students are trying to get all their last assignments done and also cram in whatever study is needed to get them over their exams. It is these times that are quite stressful for students as it feels as if the workload is never-ending. Any student would feel overwhelmed by all of the work and last minute deadlines but it is good to just take a step back, slow down and just breathe. After a long day at college that will then turn in to a night of working on assignments and studying, it is only right to just take a break. It can be very tiring going all day and then coming home to do more so lie down and take a nap, even if is only for twenty minutes. You will wake up and be more ready for what you have to do and you will be

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more refreshed. Instead of cramming, plan out what you have to do. Write it down and check it off as you go along. It can be very overwhelming trying to think all the time about what needs to be done next and it causes a lot of panic and stress. If you write it down and come back to it every so often to check it off and see what else has to be done it becomes much easier to cope with it and you feel like you are on top of what needs to be done. The smaller tasks the better, it’s much better to have a small task to start with and tick it off to get the momentum going. Write a list of realistic achievable small goals that will eventually lead you to completing the assignment or study. Go out and get a bit of exercise, even if it is just going for a walk for thirty minutes it is a really big help. Being inside all day with your head

The smaller tasks the better, it’s much better to have a small task to start with and tick it off to get the momentum going. Write a list of realistic achievable small goals that will eventually lead you to completing the assignment or study.

in books is not the way to go. Getting out in the fresh air will help ease the stress and awaken the mind. During the exam period, many students resort to the caffeinated drinks to give them more of a buzz to keep them going on all-nighters of cramming and their diet takes a nasty turn. This is not good for the stress levels and it does not work. Try and keep healthy and eat well and also drink a lot of water. By doing this it keeps the energy levels going instead of coming to a complete crash with all the high caffeine drinks. A lot of student’s time is dedicated to studying and assignments around this time of year but it is important to make time for friends and family. Going out with your friends whether it is just to the cinema or for a coffee can really help you de-stress. You may think it is impossible to get the time to do anything else other than work but you have to make time as staying in and being surrounded by books and work is not good for the mind. Sitting down and having a talk with your family can also help a lot. It is good to get away from the workload for a little while and just relax and have some fun. You will find it much easier to work through your to-do list after you’ve had a small bit of a laugh. One last tip- believe in yourself. You have to believe that you will get it done and that you will excel at anything that is given to you. Do not sit and stress and put yourself down as it will only make things worse. Have a positive mind and you will get through it. 12

Christmas Wishlist

Lorna Lawless gives you the tips you need to read before panic shopping this Christmas.

hristmas is just around the corner which means panic shopping is beginning. It can be a notoriously expensive time of year, especially when your still a student. When we are all busy trying to prep for exams and handing in our final assignments for the end of the term, the last thing you want to be thinking about is what to buy for your loved ones. It can be really difficult to think up a good present that won’t break your already low student bank balance. When we are discussing gifts for loved ones it’s essential to first write out who you need to buy for. Cut it down to a concise list of people, and then write beside each an estimate of how much money to spend. Now it’s very important to be realistic for your personal budget. You may want to treat this person, however, sometimes your bank account can’t handle it and smaller more meaningful gifts are always better. So be real with yourself and eliminate expense which could potentially put you in debt come January. It’s time to be smart with your money and not get overwhelmed with the retail frenzy that comes with Christmas.

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The mother, the best friend, the sister, the girlfriend, the godmother... You need to narrow it down and again set a realistic budget, it can really help if you research how you can get value for money Fathers, brothers and boyfriends can be extremely challenging to buy for. It is hard to know whether they already have the cologne or if they need the new beats etc. It is always a good idea to try an original cost-effective present that will be meaningful or just funny. One idea is getting a book, every year some of the top sports people in the world just before Christmas launch their latest biography which shops can’t keep on the shelves. Last year it was Paul O’Connell this year it looks to be ‘At All Costs’ by Davy Fitzgerald which comes in at a reasonable €19.99 in Easons. Also, something which is noteworthy about Easons is they offer 10% off for students, you can get this discount storewide, all year around. If sports isn’t their thing why not look into some comedy Tommy Tiernan’s new book ‘Under the Influence’ is guaranteed to give them a good laugh and they can read it over the Christmas break. This book comes in at just €14.99 in Easons or on Amazon. If this guy loves a hot whiskey during the Christmas season and is a McGregor fan, why not get a bottle of ‘Proper Twelve’ for €35. Some guys don’t focus on skincare and sometimes it’s nice to treat them to a few nice prod-

ucts they can use every day. Bulldog is always a solid favourite for guys. Bulldog has a range of products to suit all skincare times. One Christmas set they offer is the full-sized original moisturiser, face wash and face scrub which all comes in a washbag for just €20. A very inexpensive idea is to print wallet size photos of you both and give it to them in a Christmas card for them to stick in their wallet. Not only is it a meaningful idea, but it is really inexpensive if your scrapping this season. If you have the money, why not buy a nice wallet from River Island and put the photo in it. Lastly what guy doesn’t like to smell great? Boots this time of year offer some really great value on cologne. Another place which is amazing for scents for guys is The Body Shop they offer some great scents for great value. It worth shopping online for these fragrances because when you shop around you tend to get better value. Its proving difficult these days to buy good gifts for women without spending a small fortune. When making a list of who to buy for, it can become never-ending. The mother, the best friend, the sister, the girlfriend, the godmother... You need to narrow it down and again set a realistic budget, it can really help if you research how you can get value for money. A simple but very cute idea is to make a scrapbook. Most bookstores do multiple

scrapbooks at a range of prices. When printing photos there is a fantastic site called fotostore.ie which allows you to upload your photo, decide on the size and design. Then these photos get them sent to you by post in no time. This really helps during study weeks when you just don’t have time to stand in the chemist waiting for photos to print. A can’t go wrong gift is a planner. Planners are handy and can always be used by everyone, plus if they have a cute design who could refuse? Myshiningarmour.com an Irish online retailer offers some of the best value on these. The ban.do planner classic size sells for €25.00 and their designs are very cute and nicely laid out. This website also sells Kate Spade planners too if you are willing to splash out more cash. Another can’t go wrong gift is a jewellery box, on this website, there are so many options. One of the best sellers stating “Random Crap” costing only €20.00 will provide a good laugh and comes in handy for any woman who leaves her jewellery hanging around the place. A thoughtful gift for any woman would be to make a box of her favourite things. You buy the gift box in Hallmark from €7.99 and fill it with her favourite bits. For example include her favourite chocolate, a new pair of pyjamas and fluffy socks along with a nail varnish and maybe some skincare like a face mask. It shows you put the effort in, but you didn’t have to overspend. Lastly the obvious one the makeup sets. Benefit offer amazing deals this time of year, with some great sets including some of their best selling products. Mac also offers sets of mini lipsticks and eyeshadow pigments for €30. Shopping online for these gifts is advised, you have the option of shopping around many different stores for the same item and see the markup in some stores. In all cases, it’s better to plan and budget before shopping. Make the list, yes it’s simple but you will have more money for the night-out if you are more careful. Be mindful people will remember the gifts you put effort into rather than the price tag.

Grub Guide: Wishbone

Food

Are you a big fan of chicken wings limited to a student budget? Mikey Walsh may have found the perfect place for you.

or the lover of chicken wings, this Dublin restaurant is the go-to destination. Opening 7 days a week and situated on Montague Street, in the laneway that everyone uses to get from Coppers to Ryan’s on a night out. This cosy restaurant is the place to go for possibly the best wings around. The pungent smell of vinegar and chilli smacks you right in the nose as you go in the door, gripping a hold of the senses. Initially it is a little hard to look past but as the body adjusts, customers settle in to the warm friendly atmosphere. A fully stocked bar and the option of cocktails come with the experience, adding that extra dimension to the meal, varying the option of just having the bog-standard coke or a pint. The friendly staff are more than welcoming and are more than happy to chat about anything, and are just generally a bit of craic to talk to. You can see from their social media accounts that they have a sense of humour in the place and often share comedic posts on their Facebook page. With odd and different flavoured wings, Wishbone gives the hungry customer a chance to try something new and exciting. Salted toffee apple chicken wings being a flavour they offer to change up the buffalo wing norm. They have also “spiced” up the bird world with zesty spiced orange coating as an option. For those that are a fan of the norm, the punchy buffalo flavour brings all it can to the table. The crisp, and yet somehow moist, coating surrounding the tender meat will not disappoint as it works its way to every corner of the mouth, setting off the pleasure receptors. Not everyone enjoys meat on the bone, and for those people there is no need to worry. Wishbone also offer

chicken tenders in the classic buffalo sauce and also plain old southern fried, but remember, they are not known for their chicken wings or for their chicken tenders

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With odd and different flavoured wings, Wishbone gives the hungry customer a chance to try a something new and exciting. Salted toffee apple chicken wing being a flavour they offer to change up the buffalo wing norm.

slightly soggy and could do with a bit longer in the fryer to add that bit of crisp, that works so well on the hipster-esque snack. Overall this fashionable, very Instagram friendly restaurant, lives up to the hype and is a great place to go for lunch with workmates, a catch up with some old friends or date-night with a partner. Atmosphere 8/10 Food 8/10 Service 8.5/10 Location 7/10 Value for money 9/10

so take that into account when ordering. At €11.95 for wings, it seems a tad bit pricey for one of the cheapest cuts of meat on a chicken, however, if you are looking to get value for money, they do offer a lunch deal. Until 3pm, its possible to get wings, fries and a dip for just €9.95, perfect for anyone on a budget looking for a tasty midday meal. Classic rock songs like Queen play lightly in the background. The background of the wood cabin styled upstairs as the hungry patron’s tuck into their food. They don’t skimp on portion size either, a massive bowl of meat that will not leave you hungry arrives at the table and forget about having dessert if fries come with it. The sweet potato fries are the only thing to criticise,

Cheap and cheerful Christmas cooking

Are you tight on cash but want to share a Christmas dinner with your college mates? Mikey Walsh has found affordable options for you and your pals.

hristmas. The time of year when everyone comes together. A time for students to meet up with friend’s they haven’t seen all semester because of different timetables, to drink as much as humanly possible in a month, and a time to eat as much food as they can afford to put on paper plates. Yes, the holidays are an expensive time for anyone but especially the low-income students, but fear not, here is the low budget guide to Christmas dinner. First things first, shopping on the day of the meal is a huge no-no as it will not give enough time to prepare vegetables and defrost meat. Preparation is the key t0 having a delicious meal and not stressing on the day. Forget about Tesco, SuperValu and Dunnes; Aldi is where it’s at. The low prices can guarantee saving those extra few bucks to spend in the pub on some other night.

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Let’s be honest here, students don’t have the time nor the effort to prepare and cook a whole roast turkey. A boned and rolled roast turkey can feed up to 10 people, although its recommended about eight.

A quick and simple starter is delicious, bacon wrapped asparagus. The only preparation involved in these is wrapping the asparagus in streaky bacon, and then whacking them under the grill for 5 minutes until the bacon is nice and crispy. Roasting vegetables is easy, although most ovens in student households can be unpredictable at the best of times. The day before the dinner cut the tops and bottoms off, and peel a bag of carrots and a bag of parsnips then throw them into a bowl of water, ready to use the following day. Let’s be honest here, students don’t have the time nor the effort to prepare and cook a whole roast turkey. A boned and rolled roast turkey can feed up to 10 people, although its recommended about eight. It also comes stuffed already and will save the hassle and cost of making extra stuffing. The directions are on the packet so read them before starting. Leave the turkey out the night before to defrost thoroughly. To save time, don’t be afraid to buy pre-made roast potatoes. They’re handy to cook and require no preparation. All there is to do is place them in a roasting tray, bang them into the oven and leave them there to crisp up until they’re delicious and golden. Sprinkle over some salt and finally you have roast spuds. When it’s time cook the vegetables, dry them thoroughly with a tea towel and put them in a roasting tray. Cover them in a generous helping of olive oil, melted butter and salt, making sure that everything is covered. Throw over 4-5 smashed cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of rosemary and place them in the oven at the same time as the roast potatoes. The last thing and possibly the best thing about the dinner has got to be the gravy. It’s like the icing on top of a cake and Christmas dinner just wouldn’t be the same

without it. There’s nothing wrong about someone on time constraints and minimal cooking experience using powdered gravy. It’s got to be Bisto, the biggest brand that’ll give the best taste with the least effort. Finally, for dessert, Aldi’s festive chocolate wreath from its specially selected range will suffice nicely, and round up the festive celebration at the more than likely overpacked table. Its packed full of seasonal flavours like honeycomb, candied orange peel, cranberries and almonds.

List: Turkey - €20 Asparagus – €1.30 Streaky bacon - €1 Carrots - €1 Garlic - €0.60 Bag of pre-maid roast potatoes - €0.70 Rosemary - €1 Parsnips - €1 Butter - €2.20 Bisto - €2.50 Olive Oil - €3.30 Festive Wreath - €13 Overall all price of €47.60 or €5.95 p/p

New Year Gear

Fashion

Out with the old,in with the new. Nicole Cassidy tells us how to stay bang on trend coming into the New Year.

ime to get your wardrobe ready for the new year, as brands are beginning to drop their spring summer 2019 collections. We all want to feel and look our best over the holidays and starting into the New Year. The best advice that can be given for creating a spring/summer wardrobe is to buy several good statement pieces that you can build your looks around for both day and night. A key piece to every wardrobe is a good denim. If you are into jeans, dresses or skirts denim is always a great piece to have in your wardrobe. You can wear in a million different ways while feeling comfortable. Denim can be expensive but paying that little bit extra for a good fit that will last is worth your while. Go for something that suits your shape and makes you feel good. A piece of clothing that makes you feel confident about your body can do wonders. The top three brands on a student budget for jeans are River Island, Top shop and Good American. All of these brands cater to all shapes and sizes they range from €50-€170. The most highly recommended River Island jeans are the Harper and the Molly’s, they are great for day and night wear. The harper is a super high waist skinny and comes in four different leg lengths like the Molly. They come in extra short, short, regular and long. This is great as the variety of leg lengths means that you won’t need to get them altered. Although the Topshop and River Island jeans are more affordable the brand good American is an amazing option if you are looking to spend that little bit more. The Good American come in a standard leg length which is the only negative about the jeans. They cater for all sizes from a 00 to a 24. The collection includes a lot of fashion denim with different features to them such as fringe, rips and buttons. They can be really fun to add to your wardrobe for next season. Before purchasing a pair of Good Americans it would be advised to try them on as

the material is extremely stretchy and many people drop several sizes as a result. If you do wish to try them on for fit or to purchase them in store as opposed to buying online they can be found in Brown Thomas stores. Spring/summer collections always bring fun and colour, for the upcoming season strong and vibrant blues and reds have been seen throughout collections form Rixo London and Ganni. Colour is exciting to add to your closet. All black can be very classy and sophisticated but in the new year why not be bold and add some colour. Wearing the right colour for your skin tone can completely change any look. The great thing about fashion at the moment is that you can create designer looks for a lot less. If you see something in a store but the price is that bit too high shop around. Most shops have the same style of clothing just at different price ranges. Fashion websites such as Misguided and Pretty Little Thing are great for creating your look for less. They tend to use similar prints and designs from designer ranges and make them affordable for everyone. The other three statement pieces that every girl needs in her wardrobe for a new season are a

good jacket, shoes and a bag. A new jacket for a new season can help bring your outfit to the next level. Something with a nice structure and cut can really change an outfit and can be worn again and again. If you are a trainers or a heels type of girl finding the right pair of shoes to wear every day is so important you want to be comfortable and look good. The craze for black and white old school vans took over in 2018. An alternative to these such as converse can be great to throw on going to college every day. Finally the handbag, sadly we don’t all have the latest Gucci or Louis Vuitton handbag but a cute handbag is another way to funk up an outfit for the spring/ summer season. A pattern and or a bold colour is always a good choice, be different. Trade in your black tote bag for a cool backpack, go for something different on a night out. Why not swap your trusty clutch for a little belt bag instead. Although Christmas is only around the corner and everything sequenced and sparkly is filling the stores, if there is that dress or pair of shoes you have wanted from any brands autumn-winter collections keep an eye out for them in the sales. St. Stephens Day sales can be manic but the secret to all sales is that the brand discounts down their stock from the previous season. This is a very expensive time of year for everyone but if there is something that you have really desired over the past few weeks that is not in your budget at the moment have a sneaky look to see what season it is from. If it is autumn/winter 2018 there is a high chance that it will be in the January sales. Don’t be afraid to be different when it comes to fashion, try the colourful dress, wear a skirt instead of your jeans and buy the colour instead of black. Be yourself and show your personality through what you are wearing instead of blending in with everyone else.

EXPOSURE

Starry Night: Stars and snowflakes projected onto the G.P.O in Dublin City. Credit: Sabrine Donohue Patiently waiting for Santa: Gizmo does not understand Millie’s festive mood. Credit Cáit Caden.

White Christmas: Snowy night in Drumcondra, Dublin. Credit: Alison Clair

Snow is fallin’: Taken in Kilkenny. Credit Mikey Walsh.

Credit: Sonja Tutty

Image Credits

Waiting on Santa: Emily-Anne and Elliot look out the window for Santas sleigh on Christmas Eve 2017. Credit: Alison Clair.

Page 1: Pexels, The Verge Page 2: Heavy.com, Flickr Page 3: Mumfordandsons.com, Variety.com Page 4: Pixabay, Wikimedia, Variety.com Page 5: Hellomagazine, Rachel Halpin Page 6: Megan Hannan, Youtube Page 7: Pantalozzo.com Page 8: Wikipedia Page 9: Youtube Page 10: Everydayhealth.com Page 11: Blogs.nottingham.ac.uk, Livehealthy.chron.com Page 12: DailyStar Page 13: 123rf.com Page 14: Opentable.ie, Mikey Walsh, Sonja Tutty Page 15: Artstation.com Page 16: 123rf.com.