Join our team!
We are entirely student-led, from writing and editing the articles to designing them, everyone is a student! If you’re interested in a career in publishing/journalism, this is a great CV builder and a great way to get your thoughts and visions out to the campus create new friends. DM The Magdalen Magazine on Facebook for more details.
The Magdalen Mag az ine
@t hema gdalenma g
@t hema gdalenma g
The Magdalen Mag az ine
ww w.themagda len.co.uk
Editor In-Chief
Dear Reader,
This month at The Magdalen has been a fun one. Our theme is ‘Transience’. We asked our writers to consider the fleeting trends in culture, entertainment, rapid progress in science and technology, as well as the simple universal fact of change that has always governed the world. Would our lives even be possible without this flux? And, in such a world, how do we find stability, or peace?
Big thoughts for a funky bunch.
As always, please enjoy!
Xoxo
Hannah & Arianna
Creative Directors
Dearest readers,
The theme transience dives into stories that capture change and the beauty found in impermanence, which is why this issue feels especially close to our hearts as we navigate the pressures and uncertainties of fourth year— looming deadlines, big decisions, and constant change.
Through these stories, we hope to offer a little comfort, some inspiration, and maybe a reminder that the journey itself, with all its highs and lows, has its own value.
As always, thank you for being a part of The Magdalen. Happy reading!
Warmly, Afia & Luna & &
‘Hardcore never dies’- a statement that has never been more true, especially for Dundee. The underground dance music scene has certainly had ups, downs, and setbacks in recent times, however, the small yet mighty hardcore scene has remained strong in these times of venue closures and diminished interest in nights out. Started by Daniel Vaughn (TWOCANNDANN), Dundee’s hardcore scene went from sweaty illegal raves in Stobswell to closing out a stage at DemsFest, a true achievement when you consider it only really began 2 years ago. The hardcore scene has only grown compared to other sounds in the underground and has even expanded its
influence to Edinburgh, where Dundee DJs have played club nights that have gone on to sell out and become a staple of nightlife.
It’s important to remember where the scene came from though, I have my own memories seeing the scene become what is today from its early days: TWOCANNDANN’s first events. I first remember seeing a poster for the Hardcore Heaven events around town and in shops. They had caught my interest with the cheap entry price and the BYOB, and the simple poster was also eye catching. I turned up on that November night to find myself in a small room with an incredibly loud and cheap speaker blasting hardcore-
Words: Tom Gachagan
the room was dark, and I could only just make out other people’s faces. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was the beginning of a movement. A movement that brought new people together and built friendships and relationships, with thumping kick drums in the background. Another common venue I found myself at was the Hunter S Thompson basement (now The Lowdown). Things would start off a bit calmer at this venue compared to other nights, but it would always end with hardcore. These nights were called ‘Serotonin’ and would go on until the Hunter S Thompson was sold, with the final party being in June 2023. That night was a night like no other with completely unmatched energy and excitement. It was bittersweet, but an incredible experience. Joined by Edinburgh’s ‘Scottish Gabber Punk’, it was a night packed with hardcore and gabber, the spirit was there, and we knew that hardcore would never die.
Gabber is the sound that often leaves a lasting impact and dominates the latter part of the nights. It’s powerful, aggressive, energetic and almost euphoric in some ways. Gabber was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands out of the rave scene in the early 90’s. Rotterdam, an industrial city, pushed its character into the music creating a raw and aggressive sound. Throughout the years it has become very popular in the Netherlands and since the mid 2010’s it has been rising in popularity again. Many people view gabber and its associated events as part of Dutch culture now hosting large music festival raves like Thunderdome being a major example where people travel from many different countries to attend. Many people in the Rotterdam scene call themselves ‘gabbers’.
When venues were closing or moving into new ownership, many staple nights in Dundee stopped happening or took a hiatus. Since hardcore never dies, it found that it was able to stay strong and stable at its current
home, Roots (formerly Conroys Basement). Home to TwoCannDann, the venue has seen a bunch of different nights from a DDE event playing the likes of Clubland Hardcore or the various bookings from the Edinburgh underground scene such as Ali Overdrive, KY8 or stepping out of hardcore for the ‘Jungle Mania’ event with Lara Sinclair. These events have always been successful and fill out the well, building on the community as more people start to attend.
What does the future hold for the hardcore scene? It’s what we make of it. With the likes of DJ Dunter building a name for himself in the scene and newcomer DJ JC moving into hardcore territory, it can only grow. Hardcore is an important scene here in Dundee, it has produced some of the most unique events in the small city and has built a close community of DJs and punters alike. Venues may close, change owners and ruin the nights or DJs may change residency, but one fact will always remain true: Hardcore Never Dies.
An interview with TWOCANNDANN:
When and how did you get into DJing?
“I got into DJing because my godfather passed away and he always wanted me to do it, and he was going to teach me. After he passed away his son taught me how to DJ and that’s how it began. My family have always been involved in music and I was always wanting to do something with music but was unsure what I wanted it to be but then I discovered DJing, and I realised that is what I wanted to do. I started off playing minimal techno and disco. I first heard 90s dance music like breakbeat when I was out with my mates and we were all on it and that really made me want to do this, especially after the passing of my godfather. Electro was another big influence and Public House (DJ Collective) were an influence.”
What got you into hardcore?
“When I was 16, I came home one night under the influence and was blasting happy hardcore in my room. My stepdad heard me listening to it and came in. He wanted to show me all the music he liked and listened to in the genre with record labels like Mokum, Industrial Strength, Terrortrax (my favourite lable) and Thunderdome and also showing me the Rezuection events he
used to attend which heavily influenced me in putting my own nights on. I also got shown DJs like Paul Estak, Lenny D and Nasenbluten. Hearing proper gabber for the first time blew my mind, how fast it was was incredible. It was music at my speed, the energy was so intense, had such an offensive f*ck-offness energy to it. It was truly an eye-opening experience. My love for happy hardcore comes from the fact that it is so euphoric, and it just boosts my serotonin.
Best night you’ve played so far?
“The one I enjoyed the most? That’s a difficult one, maybe the final Serotonin or closing the cave stage at DemsFest? Nah it has to be CTS vs Inkoherent at the Mash House. It was my first time putting on a night in Edinburgh which was one of my goals for the year and to sell it out was a major bonus. The crowd was intense, everyone was in clown paint, taps off, the floor was physically bending and bouncing, and it was a total sweatbox with the sweat dripping off the roof and walls onto the decks, the Inkoherent boys were having to cover the decks to stop it from getting too wet. Smoke machine on full pelt too, everyone was loving it. It was a true milestone for me to hit and it meant a lot for me to have it sold out.”
Started by Daniel Vaughn (TWOCANNDANN), Dundee’s hardcore scene went from sweaty illegal raves in Stobswell to closing out a stage at DemsFest."
Favourite DJ/producers?
“Paul Elstak, he’s the GOAT of hardcore, simple as that, he’s just the GOAT man...
Locked Club, their energy is unreal, tunes never miss and are so unique, how industrial and heavy their electro is, just so fun. Really want to see them...
Ali Overdrive, easily one of the best makina producers of our generation, with such a unique sound and getting their tunes played a bunch is so good to hear.
Bodylotion, most of my favourite gabber tunes are by him and they’re on my favourite record lable, Terrortrax...
Scott Brown because he’s done so much for the Scottish hardcore scene going way back in the day to the genres early days...
Joey Beltram, he massively pioneered techno and overall just has some really good tunes.”
Celtic Terror Squad (CTS) has been very successful, how did it begin?
“CTS started because I was doing hardcore events in Dundee and Caleb (amhailt.xox) was living there at the time. I saw Caleb playing at Dems open decks, we met up and got along really well. One day at Freya’s I had to go pee and asked Caleb to take over but they couldn’t figure out to get behind the booth. We decided that we should do it and started ‘Irish Scottish Hardcore Defence Alliance’ (Calebs idea by the way).
That name was a mouthful so I changed it to Celtic Terror Squad. We wanted to include our celtic roots in the name, me being Scottish and half Northern Irish and Caleb being Northern Irish. The Terror Squad part is from Dutch gabber groups.”
Why the clown paint?
“We were at Freya’s Wish and there was face paint and for a laugh we went as Insane Clown Posse. After seeing the photos, we realised how hard it looked and just looked so much better than some baldy and a goth.
“The success of CTS has been insane, barely been going for a full year and we’ve already played a festival, have residencies with some of the biggest nights in Edinburgh with Overground and Inkoherent. We also have our own nights with Cowgate Fight Club and Kult na Kloun. 2024 also marks the year CTS makes their international debut with our first international gig being in Korea.”
Words: Holly Flynn, Design: Mariia Kravchenko
The Br ief L ife of Songs on T ikTok
TikTok is undoubtedly one of the most popular forms of social media, with the app’s algorithm carefully placing videos on our ‘For You’ page that keep us entertained with every swipe. It is an app that is, as I am sure we all know, famous for its various trends, whether they be dancing or lip-syncing to a particular song, and it is not long until everyone wants to get involved. As a result, the songs that accompany these trends end up going viral as we constantly hear them on the app boosting the profiles of the artists behind them as they gain new fans and have a surge of popularity within the music industry. Some examples of this include artists like Mae Stephens whose song ‘If We Ever Broke Up’ (2023) became a dance hit and featured on over 13.9 million videos, along with d4vd’s ‘Romantic Homicide’ (2022) and ‘Here With Me’ (2023) which users often lip-synced to as they shared their stories and interpretations to the songs.
However, as these songs start to take over the app, it seems a new trend is always ready to emerge with another becoming popular and replacing the last. This constant cycle of trends is what seems to keep people entertained, but as they shift their attention it becomes increasingly difficult for songs to have lasting relevance. Many artists are pushed out into the
limelight, but not without the next viral sensation overshadowing the musical appreciation we should perhaps sustain for them. It is only this viral moment TikTok’s creators wish for as they use the latest sounds on their videos which succeeds in making TikTok an app that decides what music will be a hit for the day and then background noise the next.
“This constant cycle of trends is what seems to keep people entertained, but as they shift their attention it becomes increasingly difficult for songs to have lasting relevance”
This short-lived mo-
ment for music shows not only how popularity comes first on the app, but how TikTok overall is based on briefness. Just like any social media app there is always something new that replaces the old, showing how we are used to things that only last a short time. This highlights how the app has a role in creating a culture of brief engagement, as we prioritise immediate entertainment over a sustained musical appreciation. TikTok is a reminder that we are constantly searching for the next thing that will get our attention—even if it is only for a moment.
‘Thou Shalt Kill’
Fiction’s Future with AI?
Imagine a world with no hunger, no sickness, no war. No misery. Neal Schusterman created this in his 2016 trilogy Arc of a Scythe. This world is ruled by ‘Thunderhead’, a benevolent artificial intelligence that supplies all of humanity’s needs, so much so that society has progressed past sickness and death. To control the population, people are chosen to be ‘Scythes’ who ‘glean’ a certain number of people every year. The protagonists, Citra and Rowan, are chosen by a senior Scythe, Faraday, to be part of their next generation.
Interestingly, the antagonist of this ‘utopian’ series isn’t Thunderhead—it is a group of Scythes who ‘glean’ to an excess. Donned with jewelled capes and a lack of respect for human lives, they go on gleaning sprees and justify it by saying: ‘These happened back in ye olde days!’
Making AI the tender-hearted Big Brother of this series is a twist for the sci-fi genre, as most books make AI the nemesis of the protagonist. Perhaps the world of fiction will see an increase of stories telling of benevolent AI as it becomes more integrated within our society. With software like ChatGPT and Google Assistant, it is almost impossible to escape these types of computer systems, and their integration into the world of sci-fi and dystopia is inexorable.
Like most people, I have also read the famous Hunger Games (2008–2010) and Divergent (2011–2013) series. The dystopian genre has had a very tight grip on the Young Adult book category for many years now, but no dystopian series that I have read is quite like Arc of the Scythe. With limited romance for a YA trilogy, the series questions human morality and mortality on a much deeper level than I have seen in the category. With the two main protagonists rebelling against the ‘child soldier’ plot (seen in most book series featuring a child protagonist), the characters seem to be much more fleshed out in the short time we get to know them. Citra and Rowan are on the same level as the teenagers reading the books, especially as they are living in a world that is so different to ours.
With fluctuating book trends, one thing is certain: the dystopian is here to stay. My only question is, how much will the fictional dystopian worlds evolve with the constant change happening in the world we are living in now?
How do you feel when you look at a breathtaking painting? Is it awe, curiosity, a completely overwhelming feeling you can’t quite describe? A desperate need to stay in the moment and never leave it?
Although all physical interactions with art are fleeting and transient on some level, I do believe that the experience of viewing a masterpiece leads to something lasting in the mind.
Art and transience have a complicated relationship because, on one level, we consume a piece, it is over, and we continue with an awareness that all experiences are ephemeral. However, art attempts to capture and express something meaningful against the backdrop of this impermanence. A painting, a piece of music, or a poem can preserve the essence of a particular time, place, or emotion, allowing it to be experienced by future generations. In this way, art serves as a bridge between past, present, and future.
Art is perhaps one of the only permanent things in human history where we have physical remains to support the study of our past
civilisations. Art is part of our historical and cultural legacy, surviving long after the original context or the artist has passed. Ancient sculptures, paintings, and literature still speak to us today, carrying forward the beliefs and aesthetic sensibilities of long-gone civilisations, allowing us to understand the past and navigate the presence. This endurance implies art’s rejection of transience.
Back in December I visited the Art Institute of Chicago, and I still think about it most days. What made it particularly special was the French Impressionism exhibition which hosts the works of Van Gogh, Monet, and Renoir. What it felt like to view the works of Monet on such a grand scale is indescribable. Although the physical attributes of the paintings were astounding, it is the enlightening memory which lives with me. To quote an interpretation of John Dewey’s Theory of Art, it woke me up ‘from the dream-like state of daily repetition and forced me to confront life consciously and non-automatically.’ Perhaps it was the fact I was in a new city at one of the world’s major museums, or that I experienced it with friends, or that this affirmed my love
for impressionism (yes, I now have two coffee table books)—but it did snap me out of mundane reality into a colourful revelatory experience, which Dewey says is what makes life worth living.
In general, paintings often try to deceive transience. By being presented in grand frames, the assertion of its physical presence means that consumers do not realise that their interaction with the object will later become a memory. There comes a point whilst viewing a masterpiece where you need to blink and walk away, no matter how long you want it to last. I do find it depressing that all I have left of viewing Monet is just a memory, however, it wouldn’t be so sacred if I could relive the experience perpetually.
The relationship between experience and memory is complicated, as we can have multiple interactions with the same work of art. Our immediate experiences come to mind when thinking of art, although it is fluid, dynamic, and often multi-sensory. Experiencing art is not just about visual observation, it involves other senses, particularly with immersive and interactive art forms. This holistic experience combines the physical presence of the piece with emotional reactions, creating a lasting memory.
Memory and experience intertwine when viewing a piece more than once.
For example, when I am back home in (depressingly grey) Aberdeen, one of my favourite things to do is visit the Art Gallery. All the artwork remains the same, except from exhibitions, yet I engage with the works in a new way each visit. The combination of multiple experiences and memories leads to a deeper understanding of a work of art. With each visit, my perception of an artwork becomes a blend of the immediate experience and the accumulated memories of past interactions.
The Digital Age we find ourselves in slightly disrupts transience because it means that we can view photos of our experiences over and over again. Although this doesn’t match up with the real moment, it does mean it can be relived to some extent. Once digitised, all art loses its sanctity and is just another form of electronic information.
W.H. Auden describes the frustrating nature of time perfectly—‘O not let Time deceive you, you cannot conquer Time’—and basically mocks my theory all together. Although we can relive interactions with art through memory (to some extent), this isn’t a defiance of the all-consuming doom that time is always moving, that all experiences are transient. As much as we consume art, or food, or any experience, we are only left with the lasting memory of that interaction afterward.
What A Drag! How Drag Race Lip-Syncs Changed the Game
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade or have not been knee deep in the mainstream queer community, you should be familiar with the popular reality TV show and drag competition RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009-present), hosted and created by the one and only RuPaul Charles.
For the sheltered uninitiated souls among you, the aim of the competition is to find ‘America’s next Drag superstar,’ with RuPaul acting as a mentor and main judge to the drag queen contestants. The queens compete against each other in different challenges each week, covering the whole rainbow of drag artistry elements, such as design, comedy, acting, and or makeovers.
After their performances, they must walk the runway and face the wrath of the rotating judging panel, usually consisting of Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, the hilarious Ross Matthews, and Ts Madison. Each episode typically concludes with one competitor being eliminated, and the deciding factor, a lip-sync for your life!
Lip-syncing is an essential skill in drag world and has always played a compelling role in how performers showcase their talents. It is not necessarily about the singing or dancing, but rather it is about selling the song and its story through the contestant’s own flair and personality. Season 7 contestant Katya Zamolodchikova put it best during Episode 235 of RuPaul’s ‘What’s the Tee?’ with Michelle Visage when she stated:
‘ The amount of work it takes and the amount of skill and devotion it takes to really master that kind of performance, and it doesn’t pay off. It doesn’t translate to any other thing! You get good at singing, you build that skill, but lip-syncing, it doesn’t go anywhere!’
Since Drag Race’s debut in 2009, the lip-syncs have been influential in both positive and negative aspects. As time goes on and the show continues to air, certain choices during lip-syncs can either become tired quickly or revolutionary. To understand how these lip-syncs have evolved, we must begin with Season 1 (grainy filter and all). There are two notable performances from Season 1 that truly set the precedent for how competitors should or should not approach future lip-syncs: ‘Tammie Brown vs Akashia’ and ‘Akashia vs Shannel.’
Tammie was the first example of a no-go in lip-syncs—not knowing the words. It seems obvious that not knowing the words to the song you are lip-syncing can severely hamper the performance, and yet she still had the balls to wing it. Amazingly, this has since been repeated in later seasons, a prime example being Season 9’s ‘Valentina vs Nina Bonina Brown.’ Valentina initially refused to remove her mask during the lip-sync as she did not know the words, leading to a brief altercation between her and RuPaul.
With Shannel, her headpiece fell off during her lip-sync against Akashia. This was seen as a sign of vulnerability and professionalism at the time as she continued to perform. This began a brief period of queens removing their drag during their lip-syncs, attempting to replicate the iconic moment. By Season 4, however, this move had grown tired and was now seen as an act of desperation to stay in the competition. Then, in Season 5, a reveal was made that pivoted what was to be expected from drag queens: ‘Roxxxy Andrews vs Alyssa Edwards,’ where Roxxxy removed her wig… to reveal another wig! This had never been seen before and earned a place back in the competition for both contestants.
From then on, wigs under wigs were expected and replicated many times. Until Season 9, with ‘Sasha Velour vs Shea Couleé.’ There was a lot of anticipation as Sasha had never been seen lip-syncing before, and boy did she deliver! She teased the crowd with a storyline, beginning with tearing the petals off a rose and then tantalisingly removing her gloves to reveal more rose petals. But what solidified her win was when she removed her wig and rose petals fell from underneath.
Suddenly many queens relied heavily on the impact of their reveals to win over the crowd, chasing their Sasha Velour moment. However, execution is everything as Season 10 front-runner Asia O’Hara proved, when her butterfly reveal turned into a butterfly fail in the season’s finale.
Going back to earlier seasons, the quality of a lip-sync has always been dependant on how well the queen understands how to deliver the appropriate energy during the song.
This is evident in Season 4 with performances such as ‘Dida Ritz vs The Princess’, where Dida’s performance embodied Natalie Cole so much it felt like Ms Cole herself graced the stage, and ‘Latrice Royale vs Kenya Michaels’ where Latrice annihilated Kenya’s stunts through her emotional heart rendering performance. In Season 8 it’s ‘Chi Chi Devayne vs Thorgy Thor’ where this time we see Chi Chi Devayne, renowned for her choreography and stunts, opting for an impactful and passionate rendition that is remembered to this day.
Even as drag culture changes, there will forever be the consensus that there is a variety of ways to lip-sync and none are necessarily right or wrong, it depends on how the queen responds to their song and knows what to do with it. So, on that note, you better werk bitch!
Words: Jasmine Patel
I wanted to tell you how I felt, but I couldn’t find the words. So, I spent the next week undertaking the monumental task of creating a new language.
A language that wouldn’t fall short, one that wouldn’t fail me, one that could express all the sentiments that got lost in the crawl space between the back of the throat and the lips. My room was littered with abandoned letters, half-finished poems, even the draft of a convoluted and self-indulgent play.
I practised in front of the mirror, twisting these new syllables around my tongue, their taste unfamiliar.
I chewed on consonants and spit brand-new sentences into the sink.
As I watched the letters slip down the drain, I felt an abstract sense of satisfaction. Something in me mourned. As soon as the words had poured out of me, they were out of sight, my efforts invisible, lost in the labyrinthine of pipes. The sink closed its ears, uninterested in anything trickling its way.
Time passed. The vegetables I had bought at the beginning of this endeavour had long since rotted. As I scrubbed at each shelf of the fridge, I found myself wrapped in strange incantations. Something drawn out of me.
I was ready, ready to show you, shrouded in the grandeur of my new lexicon. I invited you round for dinner. I worked out my nerves by chopping vegetables into a fine mince: courgettes, carrots, one rogue radish. Last-minute adjustments to the recipe. I rearrange veg, cut them smaller, treat them like pieces in Scrabble. I looked into a bowl of olive oil. In the reflection, I could see the corners of my mouth starting to blur.
I fussed with placemats and tablecloths and the right kind of candles. You arrived at the door, a slight gasp in you from rushing up the stairs. We enjoy a meal together. It is nice.
“This is interesting. I’ve never had this combination of flavours before,” you say,
twirling ribbons of vegetables around your fork.
Silence. Then I begin my soliloquy. It’s like music, I am lost in the shape of it, swept off my feet. Hours pass, days even. I finally have a grasp on the words. The candles burn to their wicks and drip onto the floor. Storms rage outside and seasons change. I am undone completely.
When it is finally over, I curse myself for my self-indulgence. Tears hot with frustration burn through my eye sockets. Language isn’t learnt in a day, and I’d never given you a dictionary. I stood there, deflated, drenched in alphabet soup. I dried myself off with a tea towel and served dessert.
!CONTENT WARNING: DEATH, BLOOD, GORE
It is a perfectly ordinary Friday evening in August in a small town with an adorable name no one would recognise but its 635 residents. All of the houses serve as perfect examples of tidiness accompanied by small but elegantly groomed gardens with neatly arranged flowers, vegetable beds and shiny garden gnomes. In one of these houses, an exact replica of the ones beside it, sits a family of three, consisting of one seriouslooking man with almost no hair left who is reading the newspaper, one exhausted woman knitting a green scarf and a sevenyear-old girl reading a book. They sit in the living room together, but each person is stuck in their own little world of office and garden work and fantasy novels.
Suddenly, a crow crashes through one of the windows into the house, flies into the painfully clean white walls, leaving blood splatters and shards of glass everywhere. With a loud screeching caw, the crow falls to the floor, bleeding, its wings broken and twisted, bones shattered, and after a few bloodcurdling calls, it stops moving entirely.
The snow-white walls that are thoroughly cleaned every single day are full of blood splotches and ebony feathers, the rubber tree standing at the door looks like it’s been dipped into gore, blood-soaked black feathers are flying around the room everywhere like the deadly aftermath of some twisted pillow fight. The frightened girl starts to scream as if she were the one twitching and dying on the floor and she violently tries wiping off the blood on her face with her ivory dress. Meanwhile, her parents remain silent as the grave, in an utter state of shock. The man looks down at his blood-soaked hands, had he perhaps strangled the crow himself, while his wife’s hands, also dripping with blood, keep heavily shaking. She herself is trembling like an aspen leaf, too distraught to even attempt to calm down her tiny daughter. Her face is still blood-red despite her efforts to wash off the remains of the crime. The disturbed child’s screams continue until the mother breaks down and begins to cry, fully well knowing that she can no longer run from their violence anymore. However hard she tries, the gore won’t be wiped off, her hands can never be cleaned and unstained again. Her tears are red as blood and start staining the wooden tiles too. the wooden tiles too. Blood runs down from the bleachwhite walls in the room, leaving dark red puddles on the once so spotless, polished and unblemished floor.
The mother looks like she is seconds away from fainting, her child’s helpless and echoing screams become agonizing, excruciating, unbearable… However hard she tries, the gore won’t be wiped off, her hands can never be cleaned and unstained again. Her tears are red as blood and start staining the wooden tiles too. Blood runs down from the bleach-white walls in the room, leaving dark red puddles on the once so spotless, polished and unblemished floor. The mother looks like she is seconds away from fainting, her child’s helpless and echoing screams become agonizing, excruciating, unbearable…
And finally, the father plucks a wet feather out of his barely existent grey hair, his hands still bloody, and speaks completely calmly. “You should really clean this all up.” His wife doesn’t even look at him and just keeps sobbing, unable to form even one coherent word. He stares at his daughter with an icy demeanour. “Be quiet, for god’s sake! It’s just a bird, nothing to scream about.” The child immediately stops crying, looking more terrified than a mouse caught in a trap, a deer caught in headlights, misplaced at the scene of the crime. Quiet sobs still escape from her mouth as she clasps her hands over it in a feeble attempt at selfcomposure. He turns to his wife again, his icy voice dripping with disgust. “Get up and go clean up the blood. Now!”
When she still doesn’t respond to his commands, he gets up himself, swiftly walking into the room next door. He emerges with his hands full of things to fix everything that has been broken and starts clumsily and incompetently scrubbing the floor and the walls with as much force as humanly possible but to no avail. The ruined walls are forever dyed in bright crimson, and the already-dried blood remains on the floor and just as the hands of the parents still stay red.
Somewhere, from outside in their garden, a child is crying from six feet under, the screams falling on deaf, lost ears. No amount of dirt and water in its lungs can drown out the devastating cries of hurt and injustice screaming from its makeshift grave in the garden of its own parents. When the mother looks outside, she can still see the shadows of their past selves from only a few months ago. She and her husband stood silently at the grave of their own doing, no words spoken, no prayers, nothing fitting that could be said. They had been rendered mute. No words had been invented for it. And they didn’t even know what this was. Eulogies belonged at a cemetery, at proper funerals with flowers and nice pictures, chic black dresses, tearyeyed readings, and hopeful candles. Not at the scene of a crime. Before, he had been shouting, screaming at her, but she did not hear him. She still clung to the hope that all of this was just a particularly sick and twisted nightmare, her own mind inventing the cruellest and most intimate of torture. So, he eventually had done the digging on his own, unseen by their neighbours, the view blocked by the high hedges at the sides of the meticulously groomed garden.
Brain Rot [Things Avoiding Being Said]
Sipping drippings, insipid misgivings I am sieve, too strung out to sleep
-This card promises a lover waiting I will reveal the initials in my next uploadAnd who knew fate waited In the hands of strangers warning
-Check yourself, check yourself, have you drunk water today?-
[I want to listen, listen, and repeat. Drinking it all in, I catch thoughts like fish in an aquarium, which of these will be golden, which of these will be the hook that catches your mouth corners, oh I am covetous and dumb, seeking the wild in still water and my world was grey in every horizon when I saw you glister between the seaweed and I had to scream my throat into shipwreck and dive beneath the waves, trying to say
There’s a person alive in there!]
Everything drags me down, A hundred thousand faces like falling leaves, I can’t remember what the first one was like, I can’t remember you amidst the foliage
-You’ll never believe this one weird trick, Doctors hate it because it really sticks.The Self changes:
Fat, skinny, pimples be gone, fake a jawline, Fix your posture, whiten your teeth, smile more, Exude black cat energy, healing energy, be an Alpha, Sigma, Beta, be reborn or rediscover your inner child. People live in six second paradises
Pasted on the inside of my skull
[My words began to fail me yesterday, When the sun caught your silhouette and you were a cliff face rising from the city skyline,
Words: Hannah Linda Hamilton
a monument to nature, it was not that you took my breath away but that breath became imperative, as if you generated the first breath and ever since then the wind has been chasing you around the world just to run its hands through your hair and find its way back into your lungs- I could not bring enough of it into my chest to calm my heart for your nearness was and is beloved by the sun and the wind and me, most of all, so that when you tilted your head and asked me what I was thinking I choked on my mouthful of air and said nothing.]
Within the confines of 4.5 inches and a finger, people shrink to fit my view and make notions of somewhere bigger,
I imagine this somewhere as the infinite sky;
The sort of real that is too far for fingertips to find.
I tell myself that is where you are,
So far into the blue you swim through black seas now and wash your hair with starlight.
-Grow your glutes until you’re out of this world,
Bulking up for beginners and people who want change more than anything the stone of this city can give you!-
Ogle the way that people build masterpieces,
Contorting life until it hangs like pearls on a gooseberry bush
And decrying pride, boasting artistry
I see myself in the fisheye of the false pearl,
Life is wider this way.
It’s there forever, there forever, gone in a second,
Sifting sand through clawed hands and mourning the rocks.
-The soft animal of your bodyIn fragments, slivers and wrinkles and moments of something, This feeling is familiar, in sleep-when it comes- I practice tying knots And holding threads together with my teeth, I can probably learn how to sew from this six second video.
[If I learn, will you let me mend that jumper you love so well but never wear anymore? I can twist you a net out of slivers of light I’ve been collecting them from doors left ajar, and we can hook a hammock between the high-rises and sleep above the noise on a bed fragile enough to hold only us two, I will paint your nails with grease and you can sing to me about nothing in particular and sleep will come the way it usually does, the way it is supposed to do; slow and nothing special.]
There is no being content,
Always the windows are churn, churn, churning, And the world pours in like a howl
The real world reeling me in Sipping drippings, insipid misgivings
-Put the phone down. You’ve been looking too long.I am sieve, too strung out to sleep.
[If you find yourself drifting too, would you come find me?]
The Beauty in Human Nature
It is impossible not to marvel at nature’s beauty. The leaves change colour and the temperature shifts. Each season is significant in its own way. Change surrounds us.
When people change, it is often deemed for the better. You were cringey. Style off, voice annoying, hair gross, humour embarrassing.
If change is natural, why do we continue to chastise our younger selves?
At different times we require different things. At 15 I wanted to dye my hair pink, so I did. I wouldn’t do the same now, but at the time it was right for me. My pink hair helped me feel like me and show others who I was then; but I grew out of it. It doesn’t mean pink hair isn’t for everyone. Some dye their hair once and continue to do so for years because it’s what feels right for them. Phases and experimentation are a part of us, it would be boring if we stayed the same forever; everyone trying figure out who they are.
I could say the same for my personality in primary school. I compensated for anxiety by being loud and appearing confident. I thought everyone loved my sense of humour, utilising every egg pun in my library when easter rolled around. The egg jokes were insufferable; but I don’t hate my 12-year-old self for it. I was simply navigating who I am.
Phases help guide you to where you are supposed to be. I wouldn’t be where I am today without watching anime over quarantine. Do I watch any now? No, not really, but it meant the absolute world to me at the time and I’m glad it did. Along with other animation from the likes of Studio Ghibli and Cartoon Network s hows, Attack on Titan furthered my appreciation of storytelling, animation, and overall love of art.
Being embarrassed by your younger self is inevitable. Like change, it’s an aspect of life that can’t be avoided. There are times when I reflect on social situations and break apart everything I said, and if I was acting properly, or if my friends thought I was weird etc, etc. I’m not saying to love yourself 24/7. Reflection and dislike for some of our actions is another natural thing that helps us grow.
Similarly to plants, we all grow differently. Some plants prefer dark spaces while others thrive in sunlight. Why dwell on what wasn’t right for you when you can celebrate figuring out what does work for you? With every moment being but a mere fraction of life, although natural, nit-picking things you used to enjoy is a huge waste of energy.
Change is the only constant in life; it’s one of the reasons why nature is so beautiful. Likewise, change is part of human nature, and one of the things that makes being human such a lovely gift.
As someone who’s whole degree is based on reading (hard guess, I know) being in a reading rut is infuriating; wanting to read but being unable to for more than thirty seconds, having such a big shelf of books you said you would read but haven’t in months, or having nothing to read or a magical compass to tell you exactly what you will like.
Literature is such a personal experience for everyone and I’m not here to claim that my choices are god’s gift of literature; simply to share some wisdom and personal favourites that helped me escape the dreaded reading rut.
If you haven’t heard of this devastating novel, you must be living under a rock. Shuggie Bain is definitely the best book I have read this year; it explores the relationship between Shuggie and his alcoholic mother Agnes with realism and delicacy.
Stuart covers all bases in his novel, it’s a social commentary on the poverty of the working-class during Thatcherism, the religious tensions in 1980s Glasgow between Catholic and Protestant, homosexuality in a homophobic society, and deeply complicated familial relationships. Unconditional love, whether healthy or not, is the heart of the novel and the simple narrative makes it an effortless read (although traumatic). It was a book I couldn’t put down, despite its length.
Recently I have been possessed by the Penguin Mini Classics demon - I can’t see one and not pick it up. These are small books which I can easily read in a day. Sometimes I see a book that looks really good but is HUGE, which is intimidating.
There is something for everyone in the penguin mini’s series and they are only two or three quid. They give me a god complex because I am reading something intellectual, saving money, and I usually rattle through them (where I conclude I am the world’s best reader because I read 40 pages in a day).
Rereading your favourite book is perhaps the best suggestion to get out the reading rut because it reminds you of WHY you enjoy reading. Rereading one of your favourite books is so comforting; it is the literature equivalent of having a warm cup of tea. Plus, rereading any book instantly gives you a new perspective on it, you spot things you hadn’t before and gain more depth to one of your favourite narratives.
Reading texts that interest you make university assignments that bit easier because it gets you into the routine of reading again. Reading for fun is hard to juggle amongst university work but it is so important if you want to fall in love with reading again and escape the rut.
Ms InformedThe Podcast For Lazy, But Smart People
2023 Polish Elections.
Whether you are a podcast connoisseur or novice, one thing is for certain: Ms Informed Podcast is an insightful podcast to listen to on the way to lectures, or while completing daily chores. Hosted in Berlin by Rina Grob and Madhvi Ramani, these women cover anything and everything feminist. While some episodes are spoken in German, the vast majority of them are spoken in English so people outside of Germany can enjoy the podcast. From ‘real talks’ to book reviews from their feminist book club, the topics are wide and varied and ensure that you learn something new every episode.
Podcasts first came into existence in 2003, with Dave Winer creating the first audio RSS feed, however they exploded in popularity about eleven years later with the boom of the true crime community taking hold of this information medium. Since then, millions of podcasts have been created, not all in a positive light with a lot of white men *cough cough* Andrew Tate *cough cough* buying XLR microphones and despairing over the ‘downfall of the female’.The boom of misogyny in this field became so pervasive that a TikTok trend was created making fun of these misogynistic men.
Podcasting is an incredibly diverse medium. With podcasters varying from Ismatu Gwendolyn’s ‘Threadings.’ to Chidera Eggerue’s ‘The Slumflower Hour’ (both of which I highly recommend), podcasting is far from a male-dominated sector. It is a great way to convey information to people who might not have the time to sit down and read an article or the news. This is only increased if you are a student juggling full-time education and a part time job.
This podcast began in March of 2020, on the cusp of the pandemic, with their first episode ‘Distractions, Escapism and Cowboys’. Stuck in lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people were watching copious amounts of TVespecially ‘Tiger King’ about the eccentric Joe Exotic and his big cat breeding business. Rina and Madhvi were hooked as well and labelled it their ‘latest internet obsession’. COVID-19 lockdowns spurred millions to try something new, whether that be writing, baking fresh bread or starting a podcast. This podcast is now listened to by thousands, and listeners calling in from all over the globe to discuss topics like transracial adoption, miscarriages and the
Part of the reason Ms Informed is so popular is because the episodes are usually kept under 30 minutes, making the information digestible and easy to understand, while still keeping the tone of
the subject appropriate. Learning about the Khmer Rouge (episode 118) is difficult as the subject matter is so heavy but the way Rina and Madhvi discuss it does not undercut the seriousness of what happened in Cambodia. It is also very refreshing to learn about other perspectives and stories that aren’t British/ American centric. As the podcast and both its hosts are set in Berlin you get more diverse information on what is happening in the world as both Britain and the U.S.A. look inward for news and lifestyle articles.
I would not have heard about the failed coup by modern-day Nazis (yes, that’s right, Nazis) against the German government in 2022 if it weren’t for Ms Informed. We only really hear about the absolute highlights of global news if you do not actively seek it (which for a lot of people, they simply do not have the time) and if you do find it, it is usually watered down to fit the Eurocentric ideals we have in this country. This is most obvious when looking at articles written about the current genocide waging destruction in Palestine. Words are carefully chosen to downplay Israel’s involvement and exaggerate Palestine’s ‘responsibility’ for the apartheid and genocide. This isn’t done in a lot of podcasts as the people creating the media are, more often than not, speaking from experience (Let’s Talk Palestine podcast) and are thoroughly researched and cited.
popularity, it is here to stay. In true Ms Informed spirit, I am going to end this article in a ‘three things you can do to be a better person this week’:
1. Be aware of biases in all media (and even yourself). No piece of writing exists without bias, even if it is subconsciously there.
2. Start listening to Ms Informed podcast and discover more podcasts you can listen to while walking to campus. There is something for everyone out there, you just have to hunt.
3. Consciously diversify what you watch, listen and read. Making the effort to hear from perspectives you would not have heard otherwise ensures that you leave the echo chamber that social media creates for the individual user.
(All podcasts mentioned in this article are available on Spotify amongst other music-listening software.)
The Podcast is a new development in a long line of methods to convey information, it certainly will not be the last, but one thing is for certain, with its ever increasing rate of
Exec Check
Vice President of Academia, Dani McFawns
Hi! I’m Dani, and I’m your elected VP Academia for this year. I’m also particularly excited about the return of the Exec Check, because it was me that started the OG Exec Check 2 years ago!
My role as VPA involves a couple of different hats. As well as looking after all things academics – like learning and teaching,
quality and standards, appeals and mitigating circumstances, employability – I'm also the Deputy President of DUSA, which means I’m basically second-in-command of the Exec.
We’re still early on in the year, but we’ve all been working since July to get things started, and October’s a big month for me with a lot of exciting things coming up!
Academic Skills Week – 7th-11th October
It’s back! Academic Skills Week hosts focused sessions on all things to do with your academic life, whether it’s referencing, using AI in a way that isn’t cheating, or keeping up your wellbeing despite deadlines. For the first time ever, we even have an escape room set up in the Library –please try it out and let us know your feedback! Plus, a Thursday night pub quiz, not one to be missed!
Employability Week – 14th-18th October
A brand new initiative in collaboration with the Careers Service, it’s time to focus on all things employability! With a huge mix of sessions on things like CV and interview skills, how to network, postgraduate study, and of course, the annual Dundee Careers Fair on Thursday!
Show Racism the Red Card – 18th October
This year, for Show Racism the Red Card, we’re hosting a Sports Day in collaboration with the Sports Union! This will include all your classic primary school sports day games – think egg and spoon race, three-legged race, tug of war. We’ll be following this up with the annual Staff vs. Students Football Match, and an afterparty in Liar Bar! All proceeds will be donated to Show Racism the Red Card. Not a sports fan? No problem! We’ll also be co-creating art on Campus Green all morning, where you can come and add to our canvas. Whether it’s an intricate anti-racist masterpiece or a handprint to show your allyship, all contributions are welcome!
Check out the DUSA website for more info on all of these!
Alongside all of these exciting events, I’m still working away behind the scenes on improvements to your academic experience, particularly on more robust AI guidance, and analysing the data from my survey. If you have any questions about my work, or want to chat about anything related to your academic experience, make sure to email me at vpa@dusa.co.uk!
Words: Hannah. L. Hamilton, Design: Luna Jezzard
Friendship Troubles
Save me, Student!
“I think my friend disapproves of my lifestyle choices, and I’m not sure if our friendship will survive. How do I approach a conversation to make sure we are on the same page?”
Well, first things first- you don’t ever want to assume the thoughts of another person without evidence. Whilst it can be tempting to construct narratives within the mind, you are doing the right thing by approaching a conversation about the issue. Always get it off your chest before it festers.
In saying that, it is important to consider your language and what it is you want to say exactly. Be prepared with examples of times you have felt this way so that you can be specific when you tell them how you feel. Explain that you want to put the friendship first and that they mean a lot to you, but you must value yourself and thus need to be around people who value your choices.
Now, they may criticise your choices and you need to be prepared to approach these criticisms with a level head. Ask yourself if it feels like these thoughts are coming out of a place of kindness and concern. There are times when friends act as the best litmus test possible for our own selfdestructive behaviour.
Take time to evaluate your life, your choices, and your mental state. You usually know when you are engaging in something harmful, even if it is hard to admit it. In this case- with full mental clarity regarding your situationconsider your responsibility to yourself. Others can act as indicators as previously mentioned, but ultimately your life is yours to do with as you please and if they disagree with your choices then it is a good thing you do not decide their life for them.
Holding friends close can sometimes be worth changing your lifestyle, and other times you have to consider that some relationships are not meant to be clung to forever. Ultimately, approach the conversation with care and kindness. Be honest about how you feel and if you still feel that they are judging your lifestyle choices unfairly, then perhaps it is time to let the friendship go. You cannot be friends with someone who does not respect you, as you cannot be friends with someone whose life choices you do not respect. Be honest about and true to your emotions, good luck!
The Creative Writing Society is a new society that was formed at the start of the semester. Despite our relative infancy, we have not let it slow us down. We ran marketing at freshers, held multiple post-freshers events and continue to hold weekly sessions every Wednesday in Dalhousie.
We may be a new society, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t ambitious. We have a litany of events planned out across the year, from casual activity days where we do fun writing games, to more focused sessions where we home in on specific aspects of creative writing technique, and informative topical sessions - on subjects from gothic literature to the logistics of time travel.
We also aim to provide a safe and constructive space for feedback, should it be requested. We’d love to see you grow in your abilities and confidence as a writer!
And it’s not just about endlessly putting pen to paper - whether you want to submit a piece of your own to be looked over, or just sit and have a friendly chat - this is the society for you!
We are a group of extremely enthusiastic, friendly, and supportive individuals. We welcome members from a myriad of backgrounds, from law to physics to art,
and even English (if you can believe it). We write everything from poetry to prose and scripts to speeches. If you write it, we love it, and no matter what you write, we’ve got the workshops to help your writing develop… and the socials for when the writer’s block necessitates a break from the keyboard.
The committee features a group of dedicated individuals who have been striving to make the society the best it can possibly be for over a year, and as such we have a firm handle on how we want the society to progress.
We love accepting new ideas for sessions, adding a fresh pair of eyes to your work, and working with our members to help them achieve the best possible outcome for their pieces.
As well as matriculated University of Dundee students, we also welcome students from Abertay and recent alumni.
Check out our Instagram @uod_creative_writing for all our recent events and other helpful info.
See you there!
Hello! Sign Language Society is a student run group where we learn, teach and discuss British Sign Language (BSL) and d/Deaf culture. It is a great place to make friends and learn a new (and vital) way of communication. We also hold social events like bingo nights and pub quizzes to raise money for various d/Deaf charities.
Sign language is a visual way of communicating using facial expression, gestures and body language, it is primarily used within the deaf community but is also used by other disabled peoples, like non-speaking autistics, for example. Approximately 151,000 (2023) people use BSL across the British Isles and was recognised as a national language in Scotland with The British Sign Language Act, 2015. It was recognised as a national language across the whole of the UK with the BSL Act, 2022.
The term d/Deaf is used less frequently nowadays, but is still commonly used within the deaf community. The capital D in d/Deaf refers to someone who is profoundly deaf from birth, and uses BSL or equivalent as their first language. The lowercase d represents those that are on the deaf spectrum, but do not use BSL from birth. This may include those that have an acquired hearing loss - termed ‘deafened’ - or have a hearing loss but
18:0019
are not profoundly deaf - ‘hard of hearing’. You do not have to be Deaf to have a role in the deaf community, so long as you are respectful, you are welcome! For example, hearing children of Deaf parentstermed CODAs - are also members of the deaf community.
Another form of sign is using Sign Supported English (SSE). SSE is not its own language but signs taken from BSL and using them along with spoken English. Whereas BSL has its own form of grammar and syntax, SSE uses the same grammar and syntax as English with added signs.
Just like with English spoken up and down the country, BSL has its own dialect from particular regions of the UK. A sign from Dundee can be different from a sign from Manchester, even if they mean the same thing.
You need no prior knowledge to join the society, everyone is welcome! So come along to our weekly lessons, every Tuesday in Dalhousie room 2G12 from 18:00 - 19:00.
You can also follow our Instagram: @uodsignsoc, or our Facebook: @University of Dundee Sign Language Society, where we post BSL information and our society updates.
One Foot Out The River
Our worlds are busy. Work, university, and just daily life all force us to think in three timelines: past, present, and future. There is a real beauty to the ever-changing quality of life. At the same time, it can feel very overwhelming, especially when change feels so outside your control, and detrimental to the world and people living in it. Mindfulness meditation is nowhere near a cure for all the world’s chaos. It can, however, help us develop momentary focus and presence. It does not always work and like any skill, it takes practice. It is not a promise of Nirvana but a promise of compassionate introspection.
respond in particular ways. Compassion and critical thinking are not mutually exclusive. Both are crucial in moving through our world mindfully. Mindfulness meditation helps us to cultivate acceptance and resilience. To live life with compassion and spread that compassion as much as we can. It does not mean to settle for the worst, but instead it is about having a tool to cope with it. Mindfulness is a means of recognising and evaluating problems, while providing the basis for moving forward with our best intentions. Of course, our best can always be better; the introspective nature of mindfulness is a pledge for constant growth and resilience. Mindfulness is a promise to move with compassion and understanding, not just of yourself, but of others too. Words: Shannon O’Donnell, Design: Rachel Maclean
Mindfulness encourages us to notice and accept thoughts that arise, instead of letting them inevitably interrupt our focus. It is not so muchabout turning off your mind but about learning how to cope with what it spurts at you. It grounds us by asking us to notice the flow of our breath, how that affects and flows through the body, how that connects us to the world that envelops us. But practicing mindfulness meditation also promotes self-awareness. Even practicing a five-minute meditation is five minutes of contemplative space.
It is not always easy, and it might not be comfortable, but it is helpful. It is a way of showing yourself love, even if you do not believe it is deserved. We can use mindfulness to move with compassion, but crucially we can use it to move with a better understanding of self, and why we
Safeguarding the Future of Mental Health Care
Since the founding of the NHS 76 years ago, the landscape of healthcare has progressed remarkably, and in few areas is this more apparent than mental illness. The story of mental health care in the UK is one of profound change, where, within a single lifetime, previous standards have become unrecognisable, thanks to our transformed scientific and societal understanding of mental health.
The asylums that once isolated their inmates from freedom and the chance of rehabilitation have closed, replaced by a more compassionate care in the community; psychological therapies now enable many to move forwards with their lives; and modern safeguarding defends the rights of the vulnerable and those who care for them. These are just a few examples of our progress.
However, despite these hard-won advances, the human reality of this transformation remains. This was made clear to me recently by an experienced nurse in a local hospital, who explained the once all too common story of the young woman from a well-off family, whose behaviour and character didn’t fit the social expectations and medical understanding of the time.
And was thus channelled towards a life subjected to destructive and unnecessary ‘therapies’, the implications of which would be themselves treated decades later, when understandings had changed, but the damage was already done.
Although there is clearly work still to do, we should be proud of these advances. However, this trend of improvement is not guaranteed to continue, nor are its changes certain to endure. In fact, recent figures from NHS England, replicated throughout the UK, demonstrate a slipping of standards. Omitting a blip for Covid-19, the past 5 years have seen a consistent rise in diagnosed depression, anxiety, and psychosis; waiting times are growing; and one-third of patients feel the psychological therapies offered are insufficient to meet their needs - all against the backdrop of a steady rise in antidepressant prescribing. It’s becoming clear that the ability of existing services to meet people’s needs is diminishing.
Therefore, with the advances we have made fresh in our minds, government and society must prioritise mental health and resolve not to allow today’s climate of increasing social challenges, political shifts, and economic pressures to erode any part of this progress. It is not enough to celebrate the strides we have made; we must ensure that they are never reversed.
Why Do I Have a Favourite Number, and Why is it ORANGE
I think of the number twelve as my number.
The countless manners in which a person can attach themselves to a number can range from arbitrary lucky numbers to spiritually significant angel numbers and soul numbers. Already used to symbolise abstract concepts of value, our numeric system has shouldered additional personal, literary, and spiritual symbolic burdens for as long as it’s existed in the human linguistic arsenal. With the powers of luck we imbue upon them, our attachments to numbers take on an otherworldly and whimsical character. According to science, however, my understanding of numbers is the result of a psychologically quantifiable cerebral abnormality.
12 is by far the kindest number. Humble, despite his popularity, and light-hearted. He’s a slightly muted, yellowish-orange colour that I’ve forever had trouble matching in the real world. The colour he evokes in my mind appears to be tainted by the transfer to physical space. The pronoun ‘he’ is as automatic as my perception of his soft-spoken, yet bubbly personality, as automatic as the appearance of orange in my mind when I think, read, or hear ‘twelve.’ My character description of twelve and his association with the colour orange are not the result of creativity or madness on my part.
?
They are automatic, resulting from two specific forms of the psychological phenomenon known as synaesthesia. Synaesthetes experience a lifelong, consistent, and specific union between two or more of the senses. Many forms of synaesthesia result from responses to language or sound as the brain correlates a specific smell, taste, colour, or physical sensation with auditory experiences. Grapheme-colour synaesthesia and ordinal linguistic personification are the two forms that I experience. The former provides automatic and distinct colour associations for sequential linguistic units such as numbers, and the latter gives them their distinct personalities, genders, and generally human-like qualities.
The descriptions of synaesthesia I encountered before recognising my own were the ones I would hear as parts of ‘fun facts.’ Lexical-gustatory synaesthesia is a far more confounding and intriguing phenomenon than the forms I experience. ‘Did you know that some people can smell sounds?’ will probably always be a more engaging question than ‘Did you know some people automatically associate colours with numbers?’ I have never understood the phenomenon, whether it be my own forms or one of the many distinct others, to be a fun fact.
I adore discussing it, but the line of questioning by which I introduce it tends to produce far more exciting results for me than the trivialising, shallow, ‘Did you know…?’ The automatic associations my brain forms with numbers, letters, and words are so fundamental to the way I perceive language that I still often wonder how anyone’s experience could vary from my own synaesthetic one. And more and more it seems I am correct to wonder.
Though grapheme-colour synaesthesia is the most common and welldocumented form of the phenomenon, synaesthesia itself is still rare and considered an irregularity. Even with that in mind, I sometimes cannot resist employing questions like ‘What colour is the number four to you?’ as icebreakers. Sometimes I will be truly brave and drop ‘What type of personality does the number five have?’ on someone. This silly line of questioning has proved itself far from futile. Through it, I have discovered fellow synaesthetes, previously unaware that their associations could be correlated with a psychological abnormality. The look on their face is priceless after they respond, almost mechanically, ‘Eight is yellow,’ or ‘Five is an actress’, and furrow their brow, as if for the first time prompted to wonder why is eight yellow? We can then argue as I present my magenta number eight for our mutual scrutiny. We dissect their childhood baseball number and my childhood favourite
colour to hypothesise toward the reasons our respective numbers take on their highly specific associations.
Scholarly research into synaesthesia has recently taken an interesting turn that I wholeheartedly support. There is a growing interest in comparing the automatic linguistic associations formed by those with synaesthesia to the less automatic linguistic associations formed by those without it. I have always noticed that, albeit not immediately, non-synaesthetes can always find a colour for their numbers. They can always debate whether July is orange or red, whether physics is purple, or why 7 is a kinder number than 3. Synaesthetes and non-synaesthetes alike inherit countless symbolic associations from the literary and cultural traditions which surround them. These ties ceaselessly complicate the boundaries of the senses as we describe the ‘tone’ and ‘colour’ of music and portray ourselves as green with envy and blue with sorrow. As long as humans attach personal meaning to their abstract symbols, I will, like a toddler still unaware of curiosity’s feline death toll, cry ‘Why? Why? Why?!’. As a student of English and Philosophy, deconstructing the imperceptible structures of our symbolic world is what I live for. And on a personal level, I cannot imagine anything more joyous and intimate than giving colour to the invisible strands which tie together my world and the worlds of those who I love. Design: Rebecca Hutchison
Meet the team!
Senior Team
Editor-in-Chief
Hannah Hamilton
Dep. Editor-in-Chief
Arianna De Prosperis
Creative Directors
Luna Jezzard
Afia Zaman
Publishing
The Magdalen is published by Dundee University Student Association (DUSA).
Creative Team
Featured Artist
Cameron Tucker
Illustrators
Mia Duffy
Ariane Legradi
Ron Jargielo
Dionysus Georgantas
Emma Vind
Fleur Pirie
Photographers
Hien Anh
Katherine Donaghy
Alexander Stewart
Mary Musa
Yousif Saleem
Cover Artist
The gorgeous Cover Art for Issue 108 was done by one of our incredible Illustrators; Emma Vind!
Section Editors & Publishing
Culture
Tom Christison
Kaitlyn Mann
Creative
Mona Lin Eckle
Emma Thomson
Lifestyle
Eva Milne
Olivia Runciman
Opinions
Angus Coleman
Ayanna Cullen
Social Media
Elinor Whyte
Ready to start your journey?
Join our team!
We are entirely student-led, from writing and editing the articles to designing them, everyone is a student! If you’re interested in a career in publishing/journalism, this is a great CV builder and a great way to get your thoughts and visions out to the campus create new friends. DM The Magdalen Magazine on Facebook for more details.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship Where Ideas Meet Impact
The Magdalen Mag az ine
Are you a student, alumni, or part of the local community looking to bring your innovative ideas to life? The Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Dundee is here to help you every step of the way.
Why Join Us?
@t hema gdalenma g
Skill-Building Workshops – Masterclasses in business strategy, finance, and digital marketing.
@t hema gdalenma g
Mentorship – Get guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts.
The Magdalen Mag az ine
Funding & Investment Opportunities – Access pitch events, competitions, and resources to fuel your ideas.
ww w.themagda len.co.uk
Community & Networking – Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, partners, and investors.
Who Can Join?
Open to all University of Dundee students, staff, alumni, and community members with a passion for innovation.
Ready to Get Started?
Join a thriving community where ideas meet action! Visit us online or reach out for more information.
Website: dundee.ac.uk/entrepreneurship
Email: entrepreneurship@dundee.ac.uk
Browse our entire collection of issues online— free and always available. Just visit issuu.com/ themagdalen to stay in the loop!
Scan the QR code!
What's on?
17thOctober
19thOctober
Show Racism the Red Card
Staff vs. Students football match and sports day.
Horror Con Dundee
Dive into a chilling world of horror with an expanded array of activities for all enthusiasts at Bonar Hall.
Punktoberfest
Weekend of punk music at Beat Generator.
October
Claudia Martínez Garay Exhibition
Peruvian artist on exhibtion at the DCA During October
18th25th31st 27th
Dundead
Horror and Cult Film Festival at the DCA
